Graining In

YOU can't shuck with him if you wan-ned to, but you know he'll shuck with the Grain Gang (literally) -- shucker supreme, Jake Gerry of Keystone Sea Farm and High Roller Lobster!
This episode has everything you didn't know you needed. Jake explains how he fell in love with oysters (i.e. started giving a shuck) and his experience cleaning up in the OOSC (Official Oyster Shucking Circuit); provides an audio-only shuck-stration and opines on how oysters get their names;  and outlines the truly wild life cycle and the even crazier benefits to an ecosystem oysters provide.  With the show's ever former rapper GUEST, it's only natural that the guys spend ten minutes relating hip hop artists to raw bar items.
Great guy. Great topic. Questionable audio (studio update in-progress). The math is simple: it's an absolute shuck-cess. Now POP THAT HINGE!
............ ........... ............. ............ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

Matty and Noah talk the Steel City, debut a very special new email, plead for reviews, rip through some mail, and get fully acquainted with the wonders of Marzen, Festbier, and the like............. ................ ...................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

We are once again graced with the virtual presence of the Biotransformation Bad Boy himself, a man that is maintains Neymar-like celebrity status in Brazil, and co-owner of Maryland's Sapwood Cellars: Scott Janish!
We get into the rationale behind one recent and one upcoming collaboration between Sapwood and Bissell; get teeth-deep into terpene's cooler, stronger, and *maybe* way cooler big brother - Thiols; and talk far more about Genetically Modified yeast than we ever thought we would on this podcast. In short, everything you'd hope for from another conversation with the Brewing Science Blog Lord. 

Due to a blowout wedding, a visit to Pittsburgh, and - let's face it - poor planning, the guys decided it was as good a week to revisit a conversation had nearly a year ago with a brewing idol-turned-highly respected peer.... Dan Kleban, founding brother/brewer/owner of Maine Beer Company!
Dan and Noah delve into their respective homebrewing roots, influences, and initial attraction to the balance that defines beer-making; Dan talks about the major career pivots both he and his brother undertook to make their business a reality, and outlines a shockingly-recent dystopian past in which tasting rooms did not exist;  and Matty discusses the many ways he's been  both inspired and driven to action by MBC's commitment to the planet.
It's been said before and will be said again, but this really is on the shortlist for most cherished  interviews the podcast has enabled. As they say, "Heroes live forever, but legends never die." Or something like that...   .......... ............................ ......................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

With over two years in the rearview mirror, Matty and Noah FINALLY slice open some letters from the mailbag! In fact, the theme of delivery gets beaten into the ground, as the guys discuss one of  BB3R's newest beers "The Route" (a nod to Pete and Noah's first jobs are paperboys), as well as capping the episode with a parcel-themed Three Bay. The guys also come nearly to tears discussing their mutual love for the Little League World Series, weigh the best way to correct mispronounced beer names, and try to get the bottom of what in the hell "grisette" really is. All in all, just another serving of your favorite Monday medicine. Bottoms up! ............. .................. .............. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

Straight from the freshest warehouse in Portland and just in time for the 2021 harvest, Adam Moses of Yakima Chief Hops joins the show! Adam is Noah's sale rep for YCH, a "grower-owned global hop supplier" that BBB gets the majority of its hop volume from each year.  The conversation tries to demystify the Wonka-esque and (arguably) the most complex link in beer's supply chain link; really emphasizes the "grower-owned" aspect of the company, its structure, and overall ethos; and breaks down the immense time barrier that prevents growers from relying on  quick, trend-chasing pivots  Adam also breaks down an entirely new (and for Noah, extremely exciting) process YCH has developed -- in efforts to capture the notoriously mercurial character of wet hops, they have begun cryogenically flash freezes the freshly-picked cones directly after harvest (stay tuned for BBB's results in the next few months).  Lastly, Adam quells Noah's fears that hops will one day become an unrecognizable product. Exciting, yet wholesome, times await. ............ ................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

"The Father of the Beer" (per his current official title) himself -- Milo resident, brewery groundskeeper, chief recycler, retired forester, former Director of Baxter State Park, AND father of Peter and Noah -- JENSEN BISSELL makes his long-awaited introduction to the podcasting world. 
Despite being the most convenient guest in Graining In history, this episode spans the country, five decades, two industries, and multiple emotions. Proper grandpa stories are sprinkled throughout (surprisingly interesting, even for a son) conversations on forestry and spending an entire career within it; the risk, future, and timeless pull of the great outdoors; the "Dad-Eye View" on the early days of BBB and the Donner Party of beer canning; and importantly, the many opportunities brought on when you simply believe in yourself. 
You will learn (likely quite a bit), laugh (lumber ziplines, anyone?), and most certainly want to get outside... So what are you waiting for? ............... .................... .................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

The co-founding Chairmen of the Grain Gang are reunited once more. Matty recaps his time in the Southwest, beneath the storied "dry heat" of Arizona and Nevada. Noah recaps his experience collaborating with Mentation Cannabis on a Terpene IPA, particularly the slew of artificially dank, oily burbs that were endured in the pursuit of art. The guys also go over Milo's upcoming bottle onslaught, double-dipping on raspberries, and a trinity of the most iconic movies ever filmed in a desert. ......... ................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill 

The guys are joined by a fellow UMaine Farmington grad, Holden Cookson of Agri-Cycle Energy and Against the Grain. Holden traces back to where his interest in composting, recycling, and sustainable disposal came from, how he turned it into a career (at Garbage to Garden and now Agri-Cycle), and how his growing exposure to the logistic issues of beer helped spawn his own venture, Against the Grain. We get down and dirty on compost technique, the limits of landfills, the ideal but often illusive brewer-to-farmer relationship, and the small role Holden hopes to continue to play in making the brewing industry more sustainable while deepening its community ties. 
This was a far more informative and thought-provoking interview than we were ready for, and proved to be something the podcast is always chasing with conversations: energy-inducing. Enjoy it now, wherever you are reading this!................ .................. ................ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

We took a visit to Noah’s old neighborhood to catch up with (Dr.) David Redding  --  owner of East Bayside's Goodfire Brewing... Oh, and practicing nephrologist (kidney doc). NBD.
Our conversation touches on everything from opioids to marriage hacks to the wild origin story of the brewery’s name. David reveals the kidneys as the Cl:S04 ratio of the body; Homebrew horror stories abound; Matty develops Imposter Syndrome around talking about Imposter Syndrome; and we collectively conclude that it’s a great time to go all-in on Maine. 
This was one of the most natural conversations we’ve had in memory, and a gulp from aura can do you nothing but wonders, so shotgun this hot cocoa of a convo NOW, wherever ya do it............... ...................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill