Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer

Brewers preview FOBAB 2026, the Festival of Wood &Barrel-Aged Beer, with first-timer tips and gold-medal stories.

Reserve Artisan Ales Owner/Brewer and Illinois Craft BrewersGuild Vice President Blake Benedict and Bubblehouse Brewing Owner/Brewer and Guild Board Member Jon Miller preview FOBAB 2026. Jon, a two-time FOBAB gold medalist, explains his chardonnay-barrel Belgian Golden Strong, Blake reveals his Japanese-oak lager, and Jon shares a barleywine blended from bourbon and peach brandy barrels. Plus: how to pace yourself at the festival, what happens in the Brewers Lounge, why the Lager Lounge exists, and what the Guild does for Illinois craft beer.

0:00 Welcome to a Special FOBAB Preview

1:11 Meet Reserve Artisan Ales & Bubblehouse

2:53 What Is FOBAB? Dates, Venue & Tickets

3:58 What It's Like to Win Gold at FOBAB

5:42 How to Describe FOBAB to First-Timers

9:40 Does Every Brewery Need Barrel Aging?

13:57 Wood Spirals vs. Barrels: Aging Time

15:00 Chardonnay Barrels & a Belgian Golden Strong

16:56 Japanese Oak & Sourcing Barrels

19:18 Bourbon & Peach Brandy Barleywine Blend

21:25 How Brewers Pick Competition Categories

25:13 Which Beer Styles Don't Work on Wood?

34:02 FOBAB Tips: Pacing & Pouring Out Samples

38:38 Behind the Scenes in the Brewers Lounge

42:13 Why FOBAB Added the Lager Lounge

46:02 What the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild Does

51:02 Future of Barrel Aging & What's Next

About FOBAB 2026: The 24th annual Festival of Wood &Barrel-Aged Beer, North America's largest barrel-aged beer festival and competition, returns to Chicago's Credit Union 1 Arena (525 S. Racine Ave.) Fri., Nov. 13 (6-10 p.m.) and Sat., Nov. 14 (1-5 p.m.). Sample 250+ beers, ciders, meads, and perrys from 130+ breweries in 13 style categories, many madejust for the festival. General admission is $85 (plus fees) and includes the Lager Lounge; the new VIP Green Room Experience is $250 (limited) and adds a private Green Room, fire pit area, exclusive glass, bag, and koozie. Raffles offer Skip the Line badges ($5) and the Ultimate FoBAB Upgrade with early entry ($10); winners announced Nov. 5. Gold, silver, bronze, and Best in Show medals are awarded Saturday (livestreamed on Facebook and the ICBG YouTube channel), and attendees vote for Fan Favorite. Tickets: FoBAB.com. Proceeds support the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild.

More about Reserve Artisan Ales: Opened in January 2022 inGalesburg, IL, Reserve brews on a 5-barrel system and pours about 15 of its own beers, plus regional guest taps, mead, wine, and soda, in a pour-your-own taproom. It is also home to The Vault event venue and the Galesburg Beer Fest (April 10, 2027). https://www.reserveartisanales.com/home

More about Bubblehouse Brewing Company: Jon and April Miller left 18+ years in corporate America to open Bubblehouse in Lisle, IL, in 2021. Nearly 100 recipes and a handful of awards later, including FOBAB gold, they'restill going strong. https://www.bubblehousebrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers athttps://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC.Grow your brand with podcasting at https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you'll learn about: bourbon barrel-aged stout, wood-aged lager, mead and cider on wood, Miller High Life, craft beer festival tips, Chicago beer events, Illinois craft beer, brewery taproom events, homebrewing to pro brewing, and beer competition judging trends.

How did a brown ale score 97 out of 100 to become the best beer in the country? Plus: learn exactly what its brewer put into it.

Kishwaukee Brewing Co-Owner and Head Brewer Dan Payson and Co-Owner Cara Payson (marketing, customer service,and self-described “Jill of all trades”) share how a laid-off Seattle architect turned homebrewing into a pro career, thanks in part to a hockey challenge against legendary brewer Skip Madsen. Dan explains what separates a Kolsch from a Pilsner, why a hybrid yeast gives Kestrel Kolsch its citrus-rind finish, and what makes Bufflehead, an American-style brown ale, different from its English cousin. Plus: how Bufflehead went from a single pilot keg to World Beer Cupsilver and a 97-point rating as The Beer Connoisseur's 2025 Best Beer of the Year, why opening during the pandemic made Kishwaukee a bottles-only brewery, and Cara's case that “hazy is lazy.”

0:00 Inside Kishwaukee Brewing in Woodstock, Illinois

3:20 The Seattle Craft Beer Scene in the Early 2000s

5:48 Did Beer Bring Dan and Cara Together?

7:23 Why an Architect Started Homebrewing During the Recession

10:24 Learning Beer at Bottleworks and Fremont Brewing

12:08 Dan's First Homebrew: A West Coast IPA

13:43 Remember 22-Ounce Bomber Bottles?

14:39 Deciding to Go Pro (and a Hockey Story Tease)

17:29 Scoring on Skip Madsen: The Hockey Challenge That Built a Brewery

22:36 Brian Noonan vs. Brian Noonan: A Blackhawks Mix-Up

25:40 Beer break

25:47 Brewer's Choice: Kestrel Kolsch From a Mug Club Brew Day

27:47 Kolsch vs Pilsner: What's the Difference?

28:10 What Is a Kestrel? The Story Behind the Bird-Themed Beers

30:17 Why the "Original Six" Beers Don't Get Names

33:37 Why Kolsch Has a Citrus Finish (Hybrid Yeast Explained)

34:43 How a Pilot Beer Earns a Permanent Spot

35:54 How to Pick a Beer When You Want "Beer-Flavored Beer"

37:15 Sandhill Lager: A Dry-Hopped Lager

38:08 Traditional German Pilsner With Soft Bitterness

38:38 Bufflehead: The Beer Connoisseur's 2025 Beer of the Year

39:35 American Brown Ale vs English Brown Ale

41:20 Why the Hops Hit at the End

42:04 What "Fully Attenuated" Means and Why Brewers Are Yeast Herders

43:58 What Sets Bufflehead Apart?

44:54 From One Pilot Keg to World Beer Cup Silver

47:08 Rated 97: Learning Bufflehead Was the Best Beer of 2025

50:17 Why Kishwaukee Only Packages Beer in Bottles

51:04 Building and Opening a Brewery During the Pandemic

52:17 Bottling Line vs Canning Line: The Cost Decision

53:07 The Short Pour: Rapid-Fire Questions

54:54 The Biggest Mistake People Make When Judging Beer

55:30 A Hoppy Red Ale for People Who Don't Like Hoppy Beer

57:46 The Weirdest Ingredient Ever Added to a Tank

58:34 Are Pumpkin Beers Fading Out?

59:50 "Hazy Is Lazy": Why Kishwaukee Rarely Brews Hazy IPAs

1:05:39 The Final Toast

About Kishwaukee Brewing Co: Located in Woodstock, Illinois, Kishwaukee Brewing Co. brews award-winning takes on traditional German, English, and West Coast styles in a taproom built for meeting friends and making new ones, located in Woodstock, Illinois. Learn more on their website athttps://www.kishwaukeebrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth and attribution consultancy. Learn more at https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Breakaway IPA, AmericanBrewing Company, Seattle Craft Beer Week, Elysian Brewing, Köln German beer styles, cold fermentation, Canadian two-row pale malt, Munich malt, caramel malt, Newcastle Brown Ale, kettle hop additions, yeast viability, India Pale Lager, Imperial Red Ale, pumpkin spice beer, green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, New England IPA, The Alchemist, Kishwaukee River Valley, and McHenry County craft beer.

Explore double-barrel bourbon-and-rye stouts and the science behind a perfectly balanced hazy IPA.

Brothership Brewing Co-Owner Tom Soltis and Head Brewer David Basile break down why their signature stouts go through two barrels instead of one, the vanillin compound that ties barrel-aged beer together, and what turbidity has to do with a well-balanced hazy IPA. Plus: New Zealand Peacherine hops, a hot take on THC seltzers, and a blueberry beer brew day gone hilariously wrong.

0:00 Intro

1:00 Meet Brothership Brewing's Tom Soltis and David Basile

1:46 Is the Taproom UFO Real?

2:53 Celebrating Six Years in Mokena

4:40 Why They Picked Mokena, Illinois

5:37 Is Chicago Water Really the Best for Brewing?

6:45 How Brothership Got Its Name

8:29 From Chicago Kitchens to Head Brewer: David's Origin Story

9:47 The First Beer David Ever Brewed

10:25 Cooking vs. Brewing: The Biggest Difference

12:56 Who's the Boss, You or the Yeast?

13:53 David's First Brewing Job at Mad Hatchet

14:42 The Sour Beer David Won't Recreate

15:46 From Werk Force Brewing to Head Brewer at Brothership

17:47 How Tom Decided to Hire David

20:10 Tasting the Experimental 008 Hazy IPA

20:32 What Happened to the Orbit 6 Anniversary Beer

21:16 Bright Lights, a 4.5% Light Lager

23:02 Why Lagers Are Harder to Brew Than Hazies

24:56 Brewer's Break

25:47 Brothership's Full Beer Lineup (Sours, Lagers, Oktoberfest)

26:48 Inside Brothership's Award Case

28:05 Tasting Anti-Matter Hazy IPA with Peacherine Hops

28:58 What Makes a Truly Balanced Beer

30:50 What Is Turbidity in a Hazy IPA?

31:56 Anti-Matter vs. Experimental 008: What's the Difference?

32:58 Wait, Is Alcohol Actually Sweet?

34:19 Introducing the Double Barrel Space Debris Stout Series

36:50 What Sets Brothership's Barrel Program Apart

38:02 Why These Stouts Take Nearly Three Years

39:44 David's Approach to Blending Barrels Like a Chef

41:47 How the Barrel “Speaks” to a Brewer

42:52 The Rum Barrel Secret: Pina Colada Seltzer

44:11 DBVR: A Stout Made With Vanilla From Three Countries

47:25 The Science Behind Vanilla in Barrel-Aged Beer

47:29 Why the Messier Series Is On Hold

50:58 A Shoutout to the Launch Sequence Anniversary Stout

51:12 Key Lime Pie Sneak Peek

53:03 Short Pour: Tom's Most Overrated Beer Trend

55:23 Short Pour: David's Craziest Brew Day Mishap

56:42 Outro and How to Support Crafty Brewers

58:28 Final Toast

About Brothership Brewing: Brothership Brewing is a craft brewery and taproom in Mokena, Illinois, brewing IPAs, DIPAs, sours, stouts, pilsners, and barrel-aged beers under the motto “Believe in Beer.” Learn more on their website at https://www.brothershipbrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth and attribution consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you'll learn about: New England IPA, hazy IPA brewing science, bourbon barrel aging, rye barrel aging, barrel-aged imperial stout, vanillin flavor compound, beer turbidity, American light lager brewing, Peacherine hops, New Zealand hops, homebrew to professional brewer, craft beer competition medals, Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer (FOBAB), Mexican lager craft beer, kettle sour beer, Chicago craft beer scene, Mokena Illinois brewery, coconut stout, craft beer yeast pitching, small-batch experimental beer series.

Brian and Cody preview all six 2026 Goose Island BourbonCounty Brand Stout variants just as they are announced.

On this special preview episode of Crafty Brewers, Brian andCody break down the entire 2026 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup. They cover all six bourbon barrel-aged beers in this year's release: the Original Stout, Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout, Apple Crisp Stout, Triple Oak Barleywine, Toasted Barrel Rye Stout, and Proprietor's Stout (Pineapple Upside-Down Cake), discussing tasting notes, barrel programs, and what makes each variant in this year's Bourbon County Brand Stout release worth seeking out.

0:00 Intro

0:53 2026 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout

3:27 2026 Bourbon County Brand Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout

5:31 2026 Bourbon County Brand Apple Crisp Stout

7:13 2026 Bourbon County Brand Triple Oak Barleywine

9:15 2026 Bourbon County Brand Toasted Barrel Rye Stout

10:53 2026 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor's Stout(Pineapple Upside-Down Cake)

14:43 Recapping the Full 2026 Bourbon County Lineup

15:20 Why You Should Still Support Your Local Brewery

17:33 Oak Park Micro Brew Review Preview (Aug 22, 2026)

About Goose Island Beer Co.: Founded in Chicago in1988, Goose Island created the original bourbon barrel-aged stout for the brewery's 1,000th batch in 1992. Learn more on their website at https://www.gooseisland.com/

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 Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, anenterprise podcast growth and attribution consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

 Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you'll learn about: Bourbon County BrandStout, bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, Goose Island barrel program, Black Friday beer release, Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout, rum barrel finished beer, Apple Crisp Stout, Triple Oak Barleywine, Angel's Envy Triple Oak Bourbon, Chinkapin oak beer aging, Toasted Barrel Rye Stout, Elijah Craig rye whiskey barrels, Proprietor's Stout Chicago-only release, pineapple upside-down cake beer, panela sugar beer, Montmorency cherry beer, Buffalo Trace barrel beer,Heaven Hill barrel beer, Four Roses barrel beer, Wild Turkey barrel beer, and craft beer barrel aging.

A mission-driven brewer explains why "beer alone isn't enough" — and how a 45-year-old wedding invite, an accidental World Beer Cup medal, and a legendary Czech dark lager came together in Batavia, Illinois.

Sturdy Shelter Brewing Owner and Head Brewer Frank Mercadante shares the personal story of a brewery built on a Catholic scripture — one that was unknowingly already on his 45-year-old wedding invitation. He discusses the community-first mission that drives every decision at Sturdy Shelter, the international brewery trips that led Frank to the legendary U Fleků in Prague, the science behind why Hefeweizen is the hardest style to brew, and why his phone started flooding with congratulatory messages when he least expected it. 

0:00 Intro

2:15 The Historic Building and Mark Twain

2:47 Introducing Frank Mercadante

3:17 How Every Beer Tells a Story

4:32 The Francesco Italian Pilsner

9:22 The Scripture Behind "Sturdy Shelter"

11:10 The 45-Year-Old Wedding Invitation

12:38 From Youth Minister to Brewer

14:33 Getting Serious About Homebrewing

16:36 Entering Homebrew Competitions

17:54 What Youth Ministry Taught Frank About Running a Brewery

19:10 Why Frank Needed More Than Beer

20:45 The Food Pantry and Giving Back

23:36 Brewer's Choice: Dancing House Dark Czech Lager

24:15 What Is a Dark Czech Lager?

25:12 Sturdy Shelter's International Brewery Trips

26:55 How U Fleků in Prague Inspired the Dancing House

29:14 Two Years to Perfect the Czech Dark Lager

31:11 Why Dancing House Became Their #1 Beer

35:17 Why Hefeweizen Is So Hard to Brew

36:45 Sweaty Yeast, Circus Peanuts, and Hefeweizen

39:08 Winning a World Beer Cup Medal by Accident

42:03 What Makes a Great Dunkel?

44:26 Why Frank Chose Batavia

45:27 Batavia's Inferiority Complex

46:10 "This Is All Ours"

46:37 Why All Their Merch Says "Batavia"

47:10 How Frank Found (and Afforded) This Building

50:56 What's Next: A Riverfront Deck

53:05 The #1 Mistake People Make Judging Beer

54:03 Frank's Most Emotional Moment

55:37 Final Toast: Cheers to Community

About Sturdy Shelter Brewing: Sturdy Shelter Brewing is a community-driven craft brewery and taproom in a historic mid-1800s building on the Fox River in Batavia, Illinois, where the mission is to create a "treasured and genial" gathering space one person, one conversation, and one highly crafted beer at a time. Learn more on their website at https://sturdyshelterbrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers 

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Italian Pilsner brewing, dark Czech lager, Czech dark lager history, decoction mashing, Bohemian lager ingredients, Saaz hops, ferulic acid rest, step mashing Hefeweizen, Munich Dunkel brewing, World Beer Cup 2024, spirituality of hospitality, homebrewing competitions, community-focused brewery, brewery international trips, Iroclia Weyermann malt, Zuppersaser hops, Italian Pilsner malt profile, Carobohemian malt, homebrew to commercial brewing, barrel aged stout, and Klüber IPA.

How do you build a 3-time GABF-medal winning craft brewery from scratch in 10 years with no investors, and one brewer with no sense of smell?

Brandon and Amanda Wright, co-owners of Werk Force Brewing Company in Plainfield, Illinois, trace the 10-year arc of how Chicago Brew Works — the homebrew supply shop they opened in 2012 — evolved into one of Chicagoland's most influential breweries, with multiple GABF medals to show for it. They cover what it's like to build a brewery as a married couple, the next big beer trend, the whole-bean coffee technique behind their stout series, and how Brandon brews award-winning beer without a sense of smell. 

0:00 Intro

0:45 Welcome to Werk Force Brewing in Plainfield, Illinois

2:53 How Werk Force Started as a Homebrew Supply Store in 2012

3:27 From OfficeMax to a Winery to Homebrewing Full-Time

4:45 Brando's House of Awesomeness (And Why Amanda Said No)

5:32 How They Started Chicago Brew Works on a Kitchen Table

5:59 Building Chicagoland's Biggest Homebrew Supply Store

8:37 Why Werk Force Never Took an Investor

9:06 Where the Name Werk Force Comes From

11:16 What's It Like to Run a Brewery With Your Spouse?

15:28 Designing the Taproom (No TVs, Communal Tables)

17:07 The Six Degrees of Werk Force Brewing

19:15 What Was Werk Force's First Beer?

19:55 Why You Can't Call This West Coast IPA Pineapple Express

21:57 How West Coast IPAs Have Changed in 12 Years

24:10 The Next Big Beer Trend: Under 4.5% ABV

25:42 Really Decent: A 3.9% All-Malt Lager

27:04 Beer Break

27:47 Welcome Back: Meet Brandon's Brewing Team

29:36 How Werk Force Won 3 GABF Medals in 2 Years

32:38 What Are the Best Bourbon Barrels for Aging Beer?

34:44 Where Sleepy Bear Got Its Name

35:39 Polar Bear: A Two-Year Bourbon-Barrel Coffee Stout

36:24 How Werk Force Designs Sleepy Bear Labels

39:16 The Whole-Bean Coffee Trick That Avoids Off-Flavors

40:57 How to Decide on Sleepy Bear Variants Each Year

44:15 Brian Doesn't Have a Sense of Smell

45:37 How Brandon Brews Award-Winning Beer Without Smelling It

48:24 What's the Hardest Part of Brewing Without a Sense of Smell?

50:18 Does Werk Force Use AI to Design Recipes?

53:26 What Makes a Great Oktoberfest Beer?

56:08 Marzen vs. Fest Beer: What's the Difference?

56:52 Inside the Barrel Den: Werk Force's Event Space

58:09 What's Next for Werk Force Brewing?

59:43 Final Four: The Beer They'll Never Brew Again

62:00 Brandon and Amanda's Off-the-Clock Beer Picks

62:33 Final Four: Best Food and Beer Pairing

65:11 Final Toast: Calm Down, Have a Beer, Hit the Road

About Werk Force Brewing Company: A three-time GABF medal winning craft brewery in Plainfield, Illinois, known for the Sleepy Bear barrel-aged imperial stout series, classic West Coast IPAs, and lower-ABV lagers. Learn more on their website at https://www.werkforcebrewing.com/ 

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers 

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Werktoberfest, Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels for beer, Blanton's barrel-aged stout, Weller bourbon barrels, 10 Drops Coffee Roasters Outsiders Blend, Vireman malt, Rocky Reef Brewing collaboration, Metal Monkey Brewing, Goose Island barrel aging legacy, Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Pineapple Express TTB label rejection, DDH double dry hop IPA, Madagascar vanilla and cacao nibs in stout, diacetyl off-flavor detection, wax-dipped 375ml limited release bottles, and U.S. Open Beer Championship gold.

Learn what happens when a homebrewer starts with barrel-aged barleywines, defies style rules, and stocks up on high-end bourbon.

Ricky Cervantes, Founder and Director of Brewing Operations at Foreign Exchange Brewing Company in Aurora, Illinois, explains how he went from aging barrels in a climate-controlled apartment closet to building a homebrewing reputation that led to 400 people lining up for his first commercial batch. He explains how Foreign Exchange’s beers deliberately float between styles, and breaks down barleywine for newcomers.

After the break, Ricky covers the brewery's full range from 4% lagers to a 17% ABV imperial stout, the fermentation-science origin of the name "Foreign Exchange," cocktails on tap, a serious bourbon program, and the story behind Aurora Beer, a German-style golden ale honoring a pre-Prohibition Aurora brewing giant, hand-bottled with a paper label for historical accuracy. Plus: Foreign Exchange’s unique Indian-Mexican fusion food menu and future plans, including wild ale experiments and a homebrew side project.

0:00 Intro

1:07 Welcome to Foreign Exchange Brewing Company in Aurora, Illinois

2:08 What Makes Foreign Exchange Different From Other Breweries?

3:31 Aurora Beer: A German-Style Tribute That Floats Between Styles

5:53 The Pre-Prohibition Brewery That Inspired Aurora Beer

7:33 Why Ricky Cervantes Built His Brewery in Downtown Aurora

8:22 How Ricky Got Into Contract Brewing Without a Professional Background

10:17 The Home Brewer Whose Beer Drew 400 People to a Release

11:52 What Black Tuesday Taught Ricky About Barrel Aging

12:28 How to Build a Barrel Room Inside an Apartment Closet

15:00 Finding the Right Imperial Stout Recipe (With Help From Energy City Brewing)

16:27 What Is a Barleywine, Exactly?

17:52 How Word of Mouth Built Ricky’s Homebrewing Reputation

22:35 Beer Break

23:28 Brewer’s Choice: Clockwork English-Style Barleywine

25:07 English vs. American Barleywines: What’s the Difference?

26:15 Running a Beer Program From 4% to 17% ABV

28:17 How Kittywampus Converts Dark Beer Skeptics

30:04 Why Foreign Exchange Added a Kitchen to the Taproom

32:04 Cheese Curds, Tacos, and Indian-Mexican Fusion at a Brewery?

38:18 How Indian Business Partners Inspired the Food Menu

41:29 The Nerdy Fermentation Reason the Brewery Is Called Foreign Exchange

42:08 How Cocktails Work on Draft (And Why the Old-Fashioned Separates)

43:10 Why a Craft Brewery Has an Entire Bourbon Program

44:13 What’s Next for Foreign Exchange Brewing?

45:23 Slow Magic, Wild Ales, and a Barrel-Aged THC Barleywine

46:38 Ricky’s Next Barrel Aging Goal: A Library for Blending

47:46 Final Four: Barleywine Is Life, and Kettle Sours Can Wait

49:11 The Beer With a Cursed Origin Story Ricky Will Never Brew Again

50:53 Ricky’s Go-To Beer When He’s Off the Clock

52:37 The 100-Year-Old Bottle That Changed Aurora Beer’s Packaging

56:14 Favorite Beer and Food Pairings

60:20 Final Toast: Good Beer and Being True to Yourself

About Foreign Exchange Brewing Company: A microbrewery specializing in innovative small-batch and oak-aged ales, this Aurora, Illinois brewery was named 2020’s Best New Brewery in Illinois by PorchDrinking.com. Learn more at https://www.foreignexchangebrewing.com/ 

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers 

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He says that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Kittywampus coffee milk stout, Primo Pils jalapeño lime pilsner, triple IPA, Sweater Weather old-fashioned on tap, habanero lime Chicago-ish, Church Street Brewing, Energy City Brewing, foeder mixed culture fermentation, Riverlands Brewing.

A young master brewer of craft beer shares the science behind fresh, shelf-stable beer, cake batter cream ales, coffee beer off-flavors, and more.

93 Octane Head Brewer Alex Makowski details his journey from becoming one of the youngest certified Cicerones to scaling 93 Octane from a tiny gas-station nano brewery to a full Elmhurst taproom. He also dives into the technical science of avoiding off-flavors in coffee beer and his philosophy of crafting a diverse lineup that appeals to both casual drinkers and craft beer geeks.

0:00 Intro: Whimsical Brewing at 93 Octane
0:41 Meet Alex Makowski
2:06 93 Octane’s Origins: The Gas Station Brewery
3:51 Nano Brewery Life: From a 400 Sq Ft Closet to Expansion
5:14 Scaling Challenges: Mobile Canning & Palate Positions
6:47 Expanding to Elmhurst: A One-Month Renovation
8:05 Brewing Philosophy: "Make Great Beer, Period"
9:18 Community Support & Maintaining Two Taprooms
11:00 Homebrewing Roots: A Father-Son Project at 18
12:22 Youngest Certified Cicerone: Studying Underage
13:33 Inside the Cicerone Exam: Off-Flavors & Glassware
15:25 Industry Reality Check: Lessons from Finch’s Brewing
17:01 Rising Through the Ranks at Two Brothers Brewing
19:39 Global Brewing Science: Learning from International Experts
22:02 Underrated Styles: The Love (and Struggle) for Alt Beer
24:03 The Elmhurst Vision & Designing the New Space
26:10 Passion Project: Crafting the Perfect Coffee Porter
28:21 Diversity on Draft: From Lagers to Sours
30:08 The Evolution of "Piper" Hazy IPA
32:05 Pro Tip: How to Identify Beer Bitterness (IBUs vs. Palate)
34:16 The Comeback of Classic Styles & Shelf Life Realities
36:13 Freshness First: Why Pack Dates & "Facing" Cans Matter
38:16 Spotting "Bad" Beer: Cardboard & Library Book Smells
40:05 The Science of Off-Flavors: Trans-2-nonenal
41:30 Redefining Porters: Why This One is Different
43:23 The Secret to Mouthfeel: Using Flaked Oats
45:20 Rotating Cream Ales: Keeping the "Clown Car" Fresh
47:36 Brewing for a Cause: Golden Pour Purpose
49:18 Innovative Techniques & The Whimsical Approach
51:02 Barrel-Aging Experiments: Bourbon & Maple
52:57 The Great Pumpkin Beer Debate
54:40 Understanding Salinity & Salt in Fermentation
56:18 Mastering American Pilsners & Lager Timelines
57:58 Taproom Culture: Legit Nachos & Community
59:38 Behind the Design: Moving Motorcycles with Scissor Lifts
1:01:18 Final Thoughts & Supporting the Channel
1:01:55 Closing Toast: Knight Rider Black IPAAbout 93 Octane Brewery: Born from a passion for craft beer and quality, 93 Octane Brewery offers an innovative, rotating tap list of IPAs, stouts, pilsners, sours, and creative seasonals at their taprooms in St. Charles and Elmhurst, Illinois. Learn more on their website at https://93octanebrewery.com/ 

—

Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers 

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: cold extraction coffee method, espresso-strength coffee additions, green bell pepper flavor in coffee beer, parts-per-billion flavor detection, off-flavor blind tasting, Cicerone certification exam structure, draft system cleaning and maintenance, craft beer freshness dating, best-by date on beer cans, IBU measurement, bittering hops vs. aroma hops, no-boil IPA hopping technique, cold-side dry hopping, hazy IPA vs. West Coast IPA, perceived bitterness in craft beer, Folds of Honor military scholarship program, craft beer veteran support, Siebel Institute, international brewing school Germany, metric system in brewing, barrel measurement system, and craft brewery career paths.

Learn the secret ingredients behind the best Belgian Whites and what happens when a brewer finally feels satisfied with what he’s built.

Lake Effect Brewing Company Founder, Owner, and Head Brewer Clint Bautz discusses the brewing science behind Belgian witbier, including the role of yeast, protein haze, and the mysterious “secret spice” that gives great Belgian Whites their distinctive flavor. He also explains why it took Lake Effect 10 years to open a taproom and why, after years of building, he’s finally happy with the brewery exactly as it is. Plus: how an early equipment limitation pushed Lake Effect into brewing sour beers and the differences between Belgian witbiers and German hefeweizens.

0:00 Inside Lake Effect Brewing, Recorded Live in the Taproom

2:34 How Brian Discovered This Brewery in a Chicago Alley

4:43 Lake Effect’s 10-Year Journey to Opening a Brewery Taproom

8:14 Why Clint Quit Homebrewing and Started a Brewery

9:51 Serving Customers During the Podcast and What Is a Strong English Bitter Pub Ale?

11:40 The First Beer Clint Ever Brewed at Lake Effect

12:45 Lake Effect Snow: What Makes a Belgian White Beer?

15:38 Belgian Witbier vs Hefeweizen: What’s the Difference?

16:50 Why Yeast Creates Banana and Spice Flavors in Beer

17:45 The Equipment Mistake That Forced Clint to Brew Sour Beer

19:32 What Is Brettanomyces? (The Funky Yeast in Sour Beer)

21:56 Beer break

22:55 Designing the New Lake Effect Taproom

27:00 How Customers Became Brewery Investors

29:10 Why Lake Effect Does So Many Beer Collaborations

33:35 Inside Lake Effect’s Good Better Best Pub Ale

40:35 What Happens When a Brewery Owner Stops Brewing

42:56 What’s Next for Lake Effect Brewing?

45:01 The Final Four Questions for Brewers

Learn more about Lake Effect Brewing, located in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood, at https://www.lakeeffectbrewing.com/ 

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers 

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: craft beer, Belgian white ale, Belgian witbier brewing, Lake Effect Snow beer, Mosaic hops pale ale, single malt single hop pale ale, Falconer’s Flight hops IPA, sour beer brewing, wild fermentation beer, sour beer tanks, beer fermentation temperature control, beer yeast flavor profile, flaked oats in beer, pilsner malt brewing, hazy beer proteins, craft beer yeast flavors, IPA hop blend brewing, Great Lakes Series beer, Avondale Chicago brewery, Chicago beer scene, craft brewery taproom Chicago, brewery startup story, brewery expansion Chicago, homebrewing to commercial brewing, sour beer sanitation risks, dedicated sour tanks brewing, pub ale bitter beer style, Czech pilsner inspiration, craft beer ingredient balance, brewing equipment temperature control tanks, and the craft beer fermentation process.

How did Noon Whistle Brewing create a West Coast IPA with bold hop flavor but none of the harsh bite that turns skeptics away?

From late hopping techniques and water chemistry to managing bitterness perception and “yeast afterbite,” the Noon Whistle team discusses how drinkability became their competitive advantage. Paul Kreiner (Co-Owner & Brewmaster), Mike Condon (Co-Owner), and Joe Condon (Marketing & Creative Director) share how that philosophy helped them win gold with an amber lager, experiment with wild fermentation (including beers that “sucked for a year”), and build a brand that balances hype with approachability.

0:00 From Session Beers to Gold Medals at Noon Whistle

3:20 The Story Behind the Noon Whistle Name

6:22 Why They Started With Low ABV Session Beers

8:50 How Drinkers Think About ABV vs Taste

9:56 What Is “Yeast Afterbite” in Beer?

10:36 How Paul & Mike Decided to Open a Brewery

11:59 From Homebrewer to Siebel Institute Graduate

13:58 Does Chicago Have the Best Water for Brewing?

14:54 Would You Taste a Water Profile Change?

16:43 How the Craft Beer Business Has Changed in 10 Years

18:34 How Noon Whistle Built Wide Distribution in Illinois

19:50 Joe Condon’s Branding Strategy & Costco Packaging

23:44 Describing the “Baby Case” 24-Pack Box

29:49 Hop Prism Blue: A Less-Bitter West Coast IPA

38:48 Bruski Amber Lager Wins World Beer Cup Gold

39:57 Amber Ale vs Amber Lager: What’s the Difference?

43:06 What It’s Like to Win World Beer Cup Gold

45:39 Funderen Wild Sour & FOBAB Silver Medal

55:08 How Important Is Barrel Aging to Noon Whistle?

57:43 Barrel-Aged S’more Nutz Stout

59:28 Does Every Chicago Brewery Need Barrel Aging?

1:03:32 The Intense R&D Behind Their Tavern-Style Pizza

1:07:00 Pause & Pause Plus THC Sparkling Water

1:16:26 The Final Four Questions

1:22:47 Favorite Beer & Food Pairings

About Noon Whistle Brewing: Noon Whistle officially opened its doors in 2014 with the original production facility and tasting room in Lombard, IL. Before long, Noon Whistle branched out beyond only producing styles with lower ABV to include hazy, hoppy, sours and everything in between. Learn more on their website at https://www.noonwhistlebrewing.com/ 

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You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, a podcast growth consultancy that helps brands turn niche audiences into loyal customers. If you’re ready to build authority, drive measurable results, and grow through podcasting, visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Hop Prism Blue, Bruski Amber Lager, Funderen Wild Sour, Barrel-Aged S’more Nutz, Pause THC Sparkling Water, Pause Plus THC Sparkling Water, World Beer Cup, Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (FOBAB), hazy IPA, American IPA, session beers, low ABV beer strategy, bitterness perception, IBUs, dry hopping techniques, hop flavor vs bitterness, amber ale vs amber lager differences, lager fermentation vs ale fermentation, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, mixed culture fermentation, bourbon barrel aging, craft beer distribution strategy, and cream ale controversy.