After a long holiday of heavy beers, we take a lighter turn with Bell's Lager of the Lakes. Then we investigate a merger turned upside down in the news Finally, we take an orca-sized dive into Alaskan Brewing's Kolsch-style Ale, then try to come up for air!

Episode Links

Bell's Lager of the Lakes

Alaskan Brewery

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Mark and John crack open a Cerebral/Untitled Art collaboration that smacks of macaroon holiday goodness. Then the pair talk about the tasting process and how beginners (like themselves) can start to get in on the action. Lastly, they go above the border, unbuttoning a Plaid Habit from Boulevard Brewing Company.

It's a beautiful world from Wisconsin all the way to Canada, so grab your grab your paintbrush and your finest flannel and join us for a brew or two!

Episode Links

Untitled Art

Boulevard Plaid Habit

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In this episode, we celebrate the coming season with a pair of our favorite holiday offerings. We crack open Stone Brewing's Xocoveza and Mark pulls out one-time ABV champ, Samichlaus. Plus, we look at a list of the strongest beers out there. Boston cherries, dead squirrels, and snake venom are all involved!

Episode Links

Stone Brewing's Xocoveza

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In this episode, Mark and John get "gourd" on a pair of ghoulish pumpkin offerings. First, the pair decapitate a bottle of Lakefront Brewing's Pumpkin lager. They discuss the sorted history of Halloween before draining the guts of not one, but TWO versions of Southern Tier's Pumking. This ain't no fun-sized episode!

This week’s brew URLs:

• Lakefront Pumpkin Lager

Southern Tier has pulled the recipes from their site! Boo! There was even a gravy recipe we wanted to try but didn't have the chance. However, a promise made is a debt unpaid, so we present Parade magazine's Pumpkin Ale Cheesecake Bars for your enjoyment. (Pro Tip: Use the Cold Press Coffee Pumking if you can find it!

Mergers!

This week, the guys ramp up to Warped Speed to try Lake Louie’s Scotch Ale. The talk then turns to brewery mergers - the good, the bad, and the overly hopped. Finally, the guys grab their tie-dyes to tune up DFH’s American Beauty. Let's get after it!

Episode 05 is a Double Tap!

We hunker down for a couple of deep draws out of Bodega Brew Pub's impressive collection (@bodegabrewpub_inc). The office party next to us be damned - we've got a show to record!

We try out a Hazy State DIPA from Hamilton, ON's @collectivebrew. Then discover a three-year-old bourbon barrel barleywine from Amherst, WI's @centralwaters.

Hunt them down if you can, or just grab your favorite brew and drink with us.

It's an on-location, double-tap, over-hyphenated show this week

Mark and John have birthdays just a few days apart and their good friends and family supplied them with some outstanding brews. In this episode, the guys try a couple to see if love can come in a can.

The guys also look at the practice of shower beers. What the heck are they, how do you do it safely, and what should you know before turning on the tap?

Grab a beer and drink with us! Brews featured today include Bent Paddle's Doppelbock and Cigar City's Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale.

Get the low-down on the beers a week early. Check us out on Instagram @DriftlessDrinks where we post the beers a week before the episode drops.

We're on Facebook too! Follow us at www.facebook.com/DriftlessDrinks. When you do, say "hello" and tell us your favorite beer.

Mark pours out his Liquid Soul for John. The guys then try a pair of juicy, hazy offerings from both Bells Brewery, and Insight Brewing, and close by jumping into the One Man Mosh Pit from Surly Brewing Co.

Drink with us! How? Follow us on Instagram at @DriftlessDrinks where we post the next episode's brews one week before the podcast drops.

Comment below and let us know what you’d like us to cover next. Want to send us beer? Contact us to find out how, and we'll try it on mic!

Final Note: The OMMP dregs were actually delicious!

Mark and John explore a new style of beer that takes some tricks from stouts to make something crisp, refreshing, and champagne-like. Also, some taprooms are outlawing flights. The guys discuss the merits of such an approach.

Drink with us! Check out Driftless Drinks on Instagram where we post pictures of upcoming beers at least week in advance. Match our brews and drink while you listen.

Be sure to comment on our site and let us know what Driftless drinks we should try next.

In this pilot episode of Driftless Drinks, Mark introduces John to Founder's CBS, the guys discuss seasonal beers, and they dive into Surly's Grindcore.