Omega Brewing Experience's Steve Zink stops by the podcast "studio" during Lagerfest 2025. Steve retired from Oshkosh Defense and decided to start a brewery in small town Wisconsin. He shares his style of brewing and why he named the company Omega.

Visit Omega Brewing Experience: https://www.facebook.com/p/Omega-Brewing-Experience-100063586692791/

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

CHAPTERS

00:00 Live from Lagerfest 2025

00:59 Steve Zink Origin Story

01:55 Traditional Beer Philosophy

03:58 Nano Brewery Setup

05:43 Desert Island IPA

06:44 Recipe Tweaks and Tradition

09:18 Hazy IPA Market Reality

11:14 Best Sellers and Lager Fest Pour

13:15 Cold IPA Deep Dive

14:10 What’s Next for Omega

15:20 Why Omega Experience

17:41 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

Live at Lagerfest 2025, Ben Schreiner of Mosinee Brewing Company steps away from their booth to talk taproom, best brews, and creating community.

Visit Mosinee Brewing Co: https://www.mosineebrewing.com/

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome to Respecting the Beer!

00:29 Meet Ben Shreiner of Mosinee Brewing

00:45 From Homebrew to Pro

02:00 Brewery Launch & Pandemic Surivval

03:22 Hometown Brewery Reach

04:30 Packaging and Food Plan

05:54 Traditional vs Trendy

07:01 Wisconsin Beer Stats

08:40 Brew System and Beer Styles

12:17 Decoction and Water Chemistry

15:56 Mosinee's Taproom & Best Sellers

19:18 Best vs Favorite Beer

20:16 Most Technical Beer?

23:22 Sourcing Local Hops

26:03 Visit Mosinee Brewing Co!

27:39 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

We finally get the rest of the Appleton Beer Factory team on mic! Gary and Bobby host Jeff Fogle, Ben Fogle, and Carl Pierce to trace Appleton Beer Factory’s origins. From Jeff’s 1982 homebrew build and sanitary welding to ABF’s DIY 22-tank system. They cover early ingredient hunts, business planning, recession-era funding, the ABF–McFleshman’s collaboration, contract brewing, expansion and a proposed alley pipe?

Visit ABF: https://appletonbeerfactory.com/

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome to Respecting the Beer!

01:12 Jeff Fogle's Origin Story

03:11 Brewing Before the Internet

04:19 Sourcing Ingredients the Hard Way

05:56 Sanitary Welding 101

08:21 Carl Pierce, ABF Partner

11:53 Building the Appleton Beer Factory

18:06 The DIY Brewery Build-Out

19:51 Partnering with McFleshman’s

22:23 What's Next for ABF?

25:34 A Pipe Over the Alley??

26:32 What to Order at ABF

28:07 Mount Rushmore of Brewing

31:21 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

Live from Lagerfest 2025, Gary, Joel, and Eric chat with Melissa and Josh from Cocoon Brewing (opened Feb 2023). They cover what sets Cocoon's taproom apart from others, the origins of the retro butterfly theming, and most importantly, what's on tap!

Visit Cocoon Brewing: https://cocoonbrewing.com/

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

CHAPTERS

00:00 Live at Lager Fest 2025

01:37 Cocoon Brewing Origin Story

02:31 The Taproom Experience

09:15 On Tap at Lagerfest

10:05 Where to Find Cocoon in the Wild

10:49 What Brings People In

12:35 Mount Rushmore of Brews

14:30 "Let’s Hang”

15:28 What’s Next for Cocoon?

17:08 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

The team discuss Lagerfest and what it takes to put the unique beer festival together. Usually october every year, Lager Fest is hosted by McFleshman's Brewery with craft brewers, food trucks, and live music. Learn abo ut their brewing events, community impact, and exciting plans for future festivals.

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

CHAPTERS

00:00 Recapping Lagerfest 2025

01:11 McFleshman's Lagerfest

03:02 Organizing a Beer Fest

07:32 The Beer Parade!

12:54 Future Plans and Innovations

14:24 Unique Beers and Experiments

18:21 Distillation and Barrel Aging

18:48 Exclusive VIP Tasting

19:20 The Strength of Gertrude

20:52 Beer Festivals and Their Value

22:40 Marketing Strategies at Beer Fests

24:25 Lager Fest Financials

26:40 Future Events and Expansions

33:05 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

Gary interviews Bobby (not Robert!) and Allison about the history, naming, ingredients, and brewing process of the Hildy Pils at McFleshman's. Cara is going nuts for this one!

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

TIMELINE

00:00 The Hildy Pils

01:26 Origin Story

10:14 Water Profile

13:51 Malt and Hops Selection

17:46 Spunding and Fermentation Techniques

20:15 Yeast and Pressure

20:51 Sulfur Compounds

21:49 History of Pilsners

23:07 The Importance of Oak

23:58 The Skunky Smell

26:32 The Legacy of Augustiner Yeast

29:19 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

After having interviewed one of the most prolific craft brewers, Ken Grossman, Bobby Fleshman and Joel Hermansen breakdown how they feel after interviewing their hero, sharing a few more personal stories about Sierra Nevada.

Gary Arndt and Producer Dave try Sierra Nevada "Green" for the first time.

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

TIMELINE

00:00 Ken Grossman Postgame Show

00:51 Recapping the Ken Grossman Interview

03:18 The Impact of Ken Grossman on Beer Culture

05:36 Personal Connections

08:42 First Taste of Sierra Nevada Ever?

27:19 Diverse Beer Offerings at McFleshman's

28:00 Chasing the Challenge

28:32 Bobby's Beer Inspired by Sierra Nevada

32:34 Ken Grossman's Influence and Legacy

40:09 Post-Show Wrap-Up

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company share his ethos behind their operations, including renewable energy and sustainable brewing. Gary, Joel, and Bobby try to stop gushing just long enough to learn about Ken's legacy and the future of the company.

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

TIMELINE

00:00 Ken Grossman Part 2!

00:12 Sierra Nevada Brewing Energy Efforts

06:24 Patagonia and Capitalism

09:15 Challenges in the Brewing Industry

10:42 Family Dynamics in Business

11:11 Early Challenges in Craft Brewing

22:52 Ken Grossman's Beer Preferences

31:32 Legacy and Future of Sierra Nevada

33:09 Thank You Ken!

35:06 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

We fan girl for 79 minutes and 18 seconds. I mean, seriously, they've talked about him so much before, it's nice to actually hear from the man himself!

Join Gary Arndt, Joel, and Bobby as they interview Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. From early brewing challenges to craft beer innovations and the story behind iconic beers like Celebration Ale and Torpedo, discover the journey of an American craft beer pioneer. Part 2 coming next week!

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

1. Uncut episodes with bonus content
2. Access to exclusive beers
3. Access to 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

TIMELINE

00:00 The Godfather of Craft Beer

05:09 Celebration Ale: A Deep Dive

14:49 Innovations and Brewing Challenges

34:50 Support us on Patreon!

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Mentioned in this episode:

STOUTFEST 2026 - Saturday, March 14

Get your ticket today to sample all ELEVEN local breweries

Stoutfest 2026

We're shifting weekly release to Thursdays! Stay tuned as this Thursday will be our biggest interview yet: Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing!

PATREON SUPPORT

patreon.com/respectingthebeerpodcast

• Episodes a week early, uncut
• Access to exclusive beers
• Watch a 50-minute video tour of McFleshman's

FACEBOOK GROUP

https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

QUESTIONS?

Email us at [email protected]

--

CREDITS

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman - https://www.mcfleshmans.com/

Allison Fleshman -https://www.instagram.com/mcfleshmans/

Joel Hermansen

Gary Ardnt - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss - https://www.facebook.com/kevin.huss.52/

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow - https://davidkalsow.com/

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co