Few Brews Podcast

It's always fun sitting down with friends who have been supporting Few Brews since the very beginning. MacKenna was one of the few who attended our very first tasting and has been to almost every one since. Truly, it's always a good time chatting with MacKenna. On the mic, we talk about acquired tastes and how palates change as beer drinkers, the wonders of Puerto Rico Food & Liquor, and how to be an awesome host.

Beer Lineup: 

• Marz Community Brewing Lumpen Boogie - Pale Wheat Ale w/Rooibos Tea
• Allagash Brewing Company Hoppy Table Beer - Table Beer
• Hop Butcher for the World Milkstachio - Milk Stout w/Pistachio

"Sponsored" by Blue Moon - A Refreshing Twist on Beer

In both beer and music, the Midwest is often unrightfully overlooked or overshadowed by the opposing East and West Coast scenes. We asked Josh Savaugeau and Nicolette Fendon, of the band Midwest, what does it mean to be from the Midwest and what was the significance of them naming their band after the region? They also talk about their experience with beer and in the beer industry, yoga and their love of France, all while convincing Jorge to learn guitar and give biking another chance. If your curious what Midwest (the band) sounds like, we share their song "Bone From Bone" in full at the very end of the episode! Cheers!  

Beer Lineup: 

• Whiner Beer Le Tub - Wild Farmhouse Ale
• Central State Brewing Co. Gute Nacht - Farmhouse Stout
• Brasserie de St-Sylvestre Gavroche - French Red Ale

"Sponsored" by Hamm's - The Beer Refreshing 

On this episode of the Few Brews Podcast, we were fortunate enough to talk to some of Goose Island's finest -- Mike Erickson, Goose Island's Digital Media Manager, and Megan Lagesse, Communications Manager for craft breweries within The High End business unit of Anheuser-Busch (which includes Goose Island).  We spend a good amount of time discussing the culture and family this Chicago institution has built and continued to grow, Goose Island's role within the Chicago beer community and the Bourbon County Stout craze. The two of them provide a lot of really great insight into what makes this brewery so special and beloved in this city. 

Beer Lineup: 

• Goose Island Madame Rose - Belgian Style Wild Ale w/Cherries
• Goose Island Fulton & Wood Cream Ale - Cream Ale
• Moody Tongue Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter - Baltic Porter

"Sponsored" by Newcastle Brown Ale - The One and Only

We here at Few Brews love barrel aged beers just about as much as our guests Mike Morua and Andrew Urdiales love each other. There's just something about getting home after putting in a hard day's work, lighting a fire in the fireplace and sitting next to your good buddy, barrel aged beer. Unlike most, it really takes the time to listen to you and comfort you when needed. If it wasn't so dang small, you know it would give you it's shoulder to lean on. And it's smell... we could go on and on about it's smell. Whoa there. Calm down, Few Brews. 

Anyways, on this episode of the Few Brews Podcast, Mike and Andrew talk about their bromance, where they met and how they fell in love... with beer. It's always interesting to hear about how people first got into craft beer, and these two couldn't have more different stories. 

Beer Lineup: 

• Transient Artisan Ales Kentuckly - Bourbon Barrel Aged Breakfast Stout
• Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher - Rum Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout
• Founders Backwoods Bastard - Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch Ale

"Sponsored" by Red Stripe - Hooray Beer! 

Top 3 things learned on our spookiest episode to-date, ordered from least-spooky to OMG this is actually terrifying: 

1. When ranking candy, it's okay to talk about chocolate and candy separately.
2. Amy is married. NO WAY!! Who would have known? 
3. Jorge has been followed around by a shadow figure who haunts him in his sleep for the past 10 years.  

Hoppy Halloween!!! [Count Dracula laugh] 

Beer Lineup:

• Pipeworks Brewing Co. Lizard King - American Pale Ale
• Pipeworks Brewing Co. Grand Guignol Act 2 - Imperial oatmeal stout w/blueberry and coffee
• Pipeworks Brewing Co. Grand Guignol Act 3 - Imperial oatmeal stout w/cherries and spices

"Sponsored" by Budweiser - America

Welcome to Beer Awakenings, a booze-infused conversation with Tara Azzaretti and Margaret Howe about how they went from drinking "cheap shit" (thanks, Margaret) in college to waking up at age 21 with incredibly refined palates for craft beer. Snobs? No. We've seen them rock a party beer here and there, sometime a few. These two had the fortune of discovering craft beer early in life, through friends in the industry and studying abroad. We also talk to them about their favorite styles (Belgians vs. IPAs), their long history attending Few Brews tastings and marathon running. 

Beer Lineup: 

• Elysian Space Dust - American IPA
• Brasserie d'Achouffe  La Chouffe - Belgian strong ale
• New Glarus Champ Du Blanc - American Wild Ale

"Sponsored" by Bud Light - Smooth and Refreshing Light Beer

We're super excited to welcome back one of our best buds/coworkers/former-roommates, Mark Mullins. While enjoying a couple big brews, we chat about his favorite spots in Chicago to grab a beer, comedy podcasts, the beer styles he most enjoys and Chicago's finest liqueur, Malör. If you haven't already, also take a listen to Mark's first appearance on the podcast way back in March of 2015. 

Beer Lineup: 

• Karben4 Brewing Idiot Farm - Imperial India Pale Ale
• Pipeworks Brewing Co. Just Drink It Dummy - double IPA w/Sorachi Ace hops
• Urban Legend Brewing Company You Big Dummy - imperial red ale

"Sponsored" by Old Style - Traditional Lager

Our good friend Jason Amen is the man responsible for all the amazing event photography we've been featuring on our site and Facebook page the past couple of months. We talk to him on this podcast episode about the different kinds of beer he enjoys, how he got started with photography and his approach to taking pictures at events... all while enjoying a few pretty heavy brews. If you dig the photos Jason has been taking for us, make sure to check out more of his work at his Instagram.

Beer Lineup: 

• Illuminated Brew Works Orange Sunshine - citrus saison 
• Transient Artisan Ales Buckley - Imperial breakfast stout
• Cahoots Brewing AmEn - barleywine 

"Sponsored" by Foster's - Australia's Famous Beer

On our 12th Few Brews Podcast episode, we sat down with the always wonderful Jason and Kelli Thompson. We had a lot of fun talking to both of them about Germany, their upcoming full-time move to Munich, and the wonderful world of German beer. We're so glad we got to chill with these two for a little bit before they make their big move and pumped we'll now have a great excuse to visit Germany... someday [sigh]... someday. 

Beer Lineup:

• Hofbräu Original - premium lager

• Spaten Münchner Hell - premium lager

• Tilmans Biere Das Helle - light lager

• Tilmans Biere Die Dunkel - dark lager

"Sponsored" by Beck's - Biere Beer

Chicago Craft Beer Week (CCBW), an eleven day craft beer celebration throughout the city of Chicago, sadly came to a close this past Memorial Day weekend. From 2011 to 2014, the events during the week have more than quadrupled with over 300 locations and 600 hosted events. Crazy, right!? This year, the Few Brews team and photographer Jason Amen attended CCBW's annual opening event, Beer Under Glass (BUG) at the Garfield Park Conservatory. 

On this special bonus episode of the Few Brews Podcast, the Few Brews team -- Jorge, Matt and Tommy -- discuss our experiences at this wonderful event, the top 8 beers we tasted and the breweries they are from. Overall, the four of us had amazing time attending Beer Under Glass and really enjoyed learning about all of the great breweries calling the Chicagoland area home. Cheers!