Malt Couture

After 317 episodes, Malt Couture wraps up season 1 as Alex and Stephen taste top-of-class brews from Andechs, Rodenbach, Chimay, and Straffe Hendrick in an old world, old money Power Rankings showdown. Does a flanders red still give Stephen a dopamine hit? Will recency bias from Alex's trip to Andechs come into play? What's the cliffhanger for this season finale? Will there be irresponsible use of accents? Tune in to find out only on Batch 317!

Thanks to Jester King Brewery for sponsoring this episode! Follow them on IG @JesterKingBrewery. Look out for their re-releases of their early mix-fermentation farmhouse ales this summer. They also have collabs with Equilibrium, Celestial Brewing, and the band Glassing coming soon. Find them pour at Anchorage Brewing's The Culmination beer fest and The Veil's Forever Summer Fest. If you're in Austin, TX this later this year you can attend their Doom Metal Goat Yoga returning this autumn.

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Three breweries make their Malt Couture debut as four old world beer styles clash in the Power Rankings. Beers from Sapwood Cellars Brewery, Noble Beast Brewing Co., CLAG Brewing Co., and Phase Three Brewing will face off to see who produces a brew worthy of eras past. In the Beer News, the Japanese Sharp Pour starts to find its way into US taprooms, an Uptappd check in almost leads to an international incident, and Miller High Life makes an attempt at charity but an ulterior motive gets dug up.

Thanks to Human Robot Brewery for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @HumanRobotBeer. If you're in the Philadelphia area, hit up their original Kensington taproom or check out their other taprooms in South Philly, Jenkintown, Girard, and their newest taproom, a trading card shop/taproom called Doubles, in New Hope. Get a taste of them at the Wavy Days Beer Fest in Portland, ME and The Veil's Forever Summer Beer Fest in Richmond, VA.

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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No pizza jokes, no I'm-walkin'-heres, no big piles of trash on the sidewalks in this episode because Alex and Stephen are avoiding Manhattan and heading straight upstate for this episode's Power Rankings. Beers from Wayward Lane Brewing, Deep Fried Beers, Frequentem Brewing Co., and Fallside Brewing break out the chains, baseball bats, and broken bottles as they fight to the death in this Upstate New York Showdown. In the Beer News, Schlitz is closing but not before throwing one last party and Coors Light collabs with Cheez-It for a cheesy corporate money grab.

Thanks to Phase Three Brewing Company for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @PhaseThreeBrew. Head to PhaseThreeBrewing.com to order local pickup. Check out their Lake Zurich brewery or Elmhurst Taproom in Illinois to try their taproom only hop saturated hazy DIPA. This summer they'll be dropping releases of their West Coast hoppy beers and fruited ice cream inspired Whip Series. They'll be pouring at Salty Toast in San Diego on July 11th, 2026!

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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What happens in the Power Rankings when a 6% Barrel-Aged Ale from Keeping Together in collaboration with Hill Farmstead takes on the ABV heavy Barrel-Aged beers from The Veil and Hair of the Dog, Revolution Brewing, and Wax Wings Brewing Co.? Oh, Keeping Together, they don't believe us. But you won't let those Barrel-Aged robots defeat us. In the Beer News, the aluminum can supply is in short supply for the rest of the decade, St. Agrestis, makers of Phony Negroni, get bought out by The Wine Group and Alex and Stephen fall on different sides of the fence for the future of their favorite NA RTD, and Ryan Air's CEO says drunk passengers are disrupting their flight schedules.

Thanks to Zymarium Meadery for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @Zymarium. To shop their selection of meads for pick up or delivery check out their online shop. Join their Barrel-Aged Mead Membership group Order of the Golden Honeybee for six member exclusive bottles!

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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There's a rumble in the Golden State as the second iteration of the California Classic sees rare gems from Lost Abbey, Alesmith Brewing Company, Russian River Brewing Company, and North Park Beer Company get put through the Power Ranking treatment. In the Beer News, it's more California content as Toronado finally finds a new owner, Stone Brewing gets hot potato'ed to Firestone Walker who's owned by Duvel USA, and the residents of Oakland can enjoy $3 beers as long as they're craving a burger to go with it.

Thanks to Sante Adairius Rustic Ales for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @RusticAles. Check out their shop for SARA merch including glassware and apparel. If you live in California or Oregon you can have SARA beers shipped right to your doorstep. Visit them in Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Oakland! Membership for SARA's Cellar 2026 is now open!

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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EVERYONE GET IN THE PIT! It's a New England throw down with beers from Treehouse Brewing, Trillium Brewing, Alchemist Brewing, and a homebrew from Massachusetts filled with double barleywines and experimental hops. In the Beer News, Firestone Walker assumes stewardship of Trumer Pils, a new Teku mug enters the arena, and the Costco hot dog aesthetic once again graces the limited drop black market.

Thanks to Highland Park Brewery for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @HighlandParkBrewery. Check out their new Fresh Friends club for California residents. Grab some merch in their shop and rep Sad Cat or get ready for baseball season. Mark your calendars for Burger Month during May and Timbo Week starts July 13th. Look for their collab with Monkish at LA Beer Week.

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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In one of the wildest Power Ranking throwdowns, a white whale from the year 2000 by De Dolle Brouwers finds itself up against barrel-aged barleywines from Brujos Brewing and Dimensional Brewing Company and a locals only single-barrel 2026 BCBS. In the Beer News, beer sales on St. Patrick's Day have bounced back, Chicago claims the American English Mild Ale crown for the three-peat, and Tilray teams up with an American legacy brand Popsicle.

Thanks to Trillium Brewing for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @TrilliumBrewing. Check out their latest releases and collab beers here. Don't sleep on their spirits program either. Look out for their West Coast IPA collab with Sante Adairius, Monkish, and Side Project at the 2026 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest.

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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Alex won his first ever razzle in order to put this episode together when he sources a hazy DIPA from Threat Beer Company. A mysterious benefactor sells Alex a Stone Stonewall bottle from 2005. Then rounding out the Bottleshare is the 2025 Toronado Barleywine Festival winner from Wonderous Brewing Co. and a love letter to Dark Lord from a bunch of basement dwellers in Chicago. In the Beer News, George Clooney gets involved in the NA beer game and Half Acre and Maplewood Brewery & Distillery merge to form a new Chicago beverage platform.

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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We all had one. She'd buy you tickets to R-rated movies or go on pre-Thanksgiving dinner walks. She adds Coke and ice to her red wine and smokes slims. She's your cool aunt and she's not judging anyone for drinking NA beers. The Malty Boyz™ also do their due diligence when they crack open Bud Light Blizzard Brew and take in the terroir of HIghmark Stadium. In the Beer News, Tilray acquires BrewDog, Michelob Ultra Zero becomes the king of NA beers, and a SoCal beer icon is blowin' in the wind.

To get involved with the "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

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Alex tracks down another White Whale as Surly Darkness Batch 1 lands on the show and finds itself in the mix with Holy Mountain Brewing Company's Summoning Spell, Bissell Brothers' Brewing Super Swish, and Fiddlehead Brewing's Second Fiddle. In the Beer News, a beloved SoCal brewery closes shop, BrewDog announces they're being sold but not without tons of drama, and Budweiser takes the top spot in this year's Super Bowl commercial rankings according to USA Today.

To get involved with the "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.

If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.

For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.

Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content.

Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt.

Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter