Beers with Nigel

Our first episode of 2022 and it's a doozy! I mean, come on, it's the one with the Bedonkadunkel. Jenna Munoz, from Crane Brewing and Jessica Bloom, from Border Brewing, join Nick and Nigel in the studio to share secrets of past lives (one of them used to be an attorney!), finding love (of beer) and the good works done by the Kansas City Chapter of the Pink Boots Society.

Beers consumed: Qui Bit Fancy, Transparent Brewing; Holidotz, Toppling Goliath; Counterculture, BKS; and Scaredy Cat, Vintage Brewing.

In the final episode of 2021, Mark Myers and Blake McCarter from Fringe Beerworks drop by the studio for a conversation about their now 5-year-old brewery and taproom. Blake tells the story of how he went from beer tender to brewer and Mark blows our minds when he tells us what we’re tasting isn’t what we’re tasting and he’s just messing with our heads through the chemistry of brewing. Also making an appearance is Alex Workman. Fringe co-owner Eddie Pease was not in studio. Apparently, he was on the fence.

Beers consumed: I don’t really listen to podcasts — Cosmic Eye Brewing; Slush Fund Flamingo Lounge — Vanessa House Brewing; Berried Alive — Fringe Beerworks; Flower of the dead — BKS artisan ales; Water for Elephants Baja — Fringe Beerworks; Sunsets 2017 side project Brewing Company; From the mountains to the prairies — Holidaily Brewing + Fringe Brewing collaboration; Rye on Rye 2014 & 2015 — Boulevard Brewing Company; Hop 99 — Abita Brewing Co.

The Angry Swede ain't so angry anymore... unless the Vikings are losing. Nigel and Nick hit the road this week for a quick road trip to St. Joseph, AMERICA and a little brewery called the Angry Swede. Owner/brewer Mike "The Swede" Olinger and occasional general manager/full time billboard Marcus "Mad Dog" Miyamto sit at the table to talk about the beer, the brand and the tap room. Oh, and for the first time, we have an international mystery beer brought straight from Mad Dog's recent trip to Mexico. Also joining the show are America's craft beer marketing power couple and benevolent show sponsors Ronnie and Rachel Dyer as well as the one and only Mrs. That Other Guy.

Angry Swede Drinkers: Foggy Fjord; Imperial War Hammer; Blueberry (Nigel didn't write down the Swedish name, sheesh) Sour; Valkyrie Vanilla Porter; Mjolnir Stout; and Hefeweizen/Pumpkin Blonde Cuvee.

Mystery Beers: Report the Bruce, 3 Floyds Brewing; Dark Star, City Barrel Brewing; Key Lime Pie, Martin House Brewing; and Debut, Hercules Brewing.

Our tour of area breweries continues with a visit to Transport Brewery in Shawnee. Nigel and Nick sit down with two members of the ownership team, Sean Greenwood and Jason Leib, to talk about their favorite beers, their unique space across from Shawnee City Hall and plans for a second location.

Drinkers: Prost! Kolsch and Record Breakin' Red IPA — Transport Brewing; Transporting Vines Black Lager — Transport Brewing/Vine Street Brewing Collab.

Mystery Beers: Black Is Beautiful — Gotahold Brewing; Blueberry Love Muffin pastry stout — Barn Town; Seed, Stalk & Root — Brooklyn Brewing/Cajun Fire Barrel & Flow Collab

We haven’t had guests in the studio is awhile, but YouTubers Two Blondes Drink Beer, Candi & Cara, brought it! Oh, and they also brought beer & swag! These BFF beer nerds talk beer on their show while judging the beers based on Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines. We talk about how they got into beer and how their show was created because of the pandemic. We get in on the act by judging mystery beers. Hilarity ensues.  It’s fairly obvious Nick & Nigel aren’t beer judges, but they do have opinions! 

Beers consumed and "judged": Schneider Weisse, Aventinus Wheat Dopplebock Ale; ExBEERiment Brewing, Synthesis German Pilsner; Limitless Brewing, Pineapple, OJ, Mango, & Rum Cake Cream Ale; Melvin Eureka Brewing, Night Visions Vanilla Latte; & TRVE Brewing, Dunwich Porter.

We told you on a previous episode you can open a brewery for only $15k (not true). But, apparently, you CAN write a brewery business plan in your car! Just ask Act 52 guests Brian & Mary Rooney. BKS Artisan Ales was born from Mary buying Brian a Mr. Beer kit & is now one of the most popular breweries in KC. BKS just celebrated its 4th anniversary, so we talk about how their success has surprised them, Brian’s love affair with hops & the hardware they just won — a GABF (Great American Beer Fest) silver medal.

Drinkers: Going Nowhere at Light Speed, BKS Artisan Ales; & Sunset Tai Chi, Perennial Artisan Ales

Mystery Beers: The Poitier, Martin City Brewing; Blackberry Cobbler, Barn Town Brewing; & Orange Greenies, Other Half Brewing + Four City Brewing Collab

Jay C. Willams bills himself as just a regular guy. With articles appearing in magazines such as Wine Enthusiast and other publications, he’s hardly regular. This beer writer, and overall beer enthusiast, tells Nick & Nigel about his home brewing days, how he got into writing about beer and how he lives in Connecticut and NOT Delaware. Also in the episode, we have an important discussion about sweet potatoes versus pumpkins.

Mystery beers: Smooj — Tropical Vacation; Revolution Brewing — Death By Cherries; Crowns & Hops + Black Calder Barrel & Flow Collab — The Blue Peach

Nigel and Nick hit the road again, this time hanging out with Jonathan Williamson at his Sandhills Brewing location in Mission, Kansas. Jonathan talks about his totally lazy process for choosing beer names, his staunch belief he's a better brewer than his brother (who runs their Hutchinson, Kansas) and talks about that time he thought all he needed was $15,000 to start a brewery.

Drinkers (from Sandhills): Honey IPA; Oktoberfest & Bald Eagle.

Mystery Beers: Logger Pre-Prohibition Logger — Jailbreak Brewing Company; Past and present American Barley Wine — Other Half Brewing; Local Traces DDH Pale Logger; Barrel & Flow collab from Trace Brewing & Two locals Brewing Company.