Seen Through A Glass

Brookville? Where the hell is that?

As I confess, until about five years ago, I'd never heard of Brookville. But back in July, I got a crash course in it, and it was pretty cool! There's Blackbird Distillery just on the edge of town, where they make their shine from scratch, and I got an interview with co-owner Jennifer Black, and sampled some spirits. But there's more! I had lunch at the Moon Palace Chinese restaurant, and I'll tell you why that's worth noting; I got takeout at Devil's Barbecue, and a great box of candy at The Dan Smith Candy Company. I also went to the Greenberg Cadillac Museum, the "world's largest Cadillac collection." It was impressive, and a tribute to both these cars and the loyalty they inspire. 

I've also got a rundown on the Oktoberfest celebrations in central PA, starting tomorrow, September 21st, through October 10th, so get on it! Finally, I sampled a new "high wheat" bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and found it innovative and delicious. 

I am truly unsure when the next episode will be, but I'm thinking about doing an episode on what it's like writing a whiskey book. I mean, I'm in the middle of that right now, so... Meanwhile, the two-year mark for the podcast is coming up in November! 

(And check the Instagram feed for pictures of the Corgi puppies!)

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

"Oktoberfest Polka Party" is AI-generated, and I apologize for that; it was short notice. It's available at StockTune https://stocktune.com/free-music/oktoberfest-polka-party-4061-18253

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

Arrow sound effect from https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/

All sounds (except AI-generated ones!) sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

Clarion has only 4,000 souls, but it has three breweries. Definitely STAG-worthy. 

Okay, if I'm going to be precise, the third brewery, Lost In The Wilds, is in Shippenville, but that's all of five minutes from Clarion River Brewing and Mechanistic Brewing in 'downtown' Clarion, so I'm going with it. I interviewed the three brewer-owners, all in one beautiful day in July. We talk about the natural beauty of Clarion County and the Cook Forest State Park, too. 

I've got a segment on Pennsylvania Dutch funeral food, too. My mother, Ruth "Sue" Bryson, died in August, which is why this episode is over a month late. We had a proper church funeral lunch after the service, and I'll tell you what we had, and how I cooked the calico beans, and grilled some Ramblin' Poppy sausages for the family get-together we had afterwards.  We had a keg of Tröegs Oktoberfest to drink, so the last of that is What I'm Drinking Today, along with a Von Trapp Oktoberfest; a funeral episode needs two drinks. 

I am truly unsure when the next episode will be. I'm on deadline for a book manuscript, and everything's out the window. Hang in there, we'll get back to normal in October!

(And check the Instagram feed for pictures of the Corgi puppies!)

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

"spring-forest-141216" by PianoArmor at https://pixabay.com/users/pianoamor-28628048/

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

Arrow sound effect from https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

Hungry? Thirsty? 

Beer and food pairing isn't as easy as you'd think, but it isn't hard either. I've got some guidelines, a little history of the Great American Beer Dinner, some tips from world-renowned beer educational cartoonist Em Sauter, and an interview from my old pal John Holl, a podcaster, a publisher, a raconteur, and the author of three books about beer and food. It's a fun episode, and I'll take you along to a dinner at Revival Kitchen, the incredible farm to table restaurant in, of all places, Reedsville PA, and tell you how I paired beers with each course. Two pretty good pairings, one flop, and one brilliant success. 

What else? A follow-up with my basement bar and what happened when I invited the band at Elk Creek back for a drink, and an invitation to join us in Millheim at the end of the month for music, fun, food and drink! 

Next episode: a town profile episode, because I know you love 'em! Cheers!

The next episode will be out on July 25th, on schedule. This one was late because my mom went in the hospital, and I dropped everything to go stay by her side. She's better, thanks. See you next week. 

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

This is not the cider episode I promised you. 

It's better!

I was going to give you a pre-recorded presentation I did at the Ploughman Farm Cider taproom in Gettysburg in April, and some talk about the ciders I had while I was there...but then I went to the PA Cider Fest in Biglerville, and got a much better cider episode. Interviews, tastings, and a whole new outlook on cider and drinks in Pennsylvania. 

What else? I grilled at home for the first time in over a year, and I had to talk about firing up the old Kamado Joe to do some pork tenderloins. Then I had a small problem with that new home draft system...it didn't seem like a small problem, but it was! 

Next episode? I got an interview with my beer writing colleague and old friend John Holl about food and beer pairing. He's done a LOT with it, and you'll learn about it...in two weeks!

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN! I asked you who you wanted me to interview, and you said "Give us The Pizza Boy, Al Kominski!" Well, I cannot defy or deny the people, so I went down to Al's of Hampden in Enola on the West Shore and got the interview...and then hung around and visited some more breweries: Ever Grain, Mellow Mink, Sworn, Hemauer, and Liquid Noise.

Next episode? Back in April, I did an Earth Day presentation at Ploughman Farm Cider's Gettysburg taproom on the agricultural aspects of rye whiskey, along with a cider guy talking about the same thing. We'll hear that, plus I'll tell you what it was like at the PA Cider Fest. See you in two weeks!

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

Have you ever had a Maibock?

My old buddy Chip "The Beer Guy" Hanuscik lured me up to Northeast PA with Maibock. He talked FOUR brewers into making one, and dangled that in front of me. I took the bait like a brown trout rising to a Green Drake, and I'll tell you all about it. PLUS: NEPA Pizza! The incredible Sabatini's! Tom Brennan! And a real life Wilkes-Barre kielbassi shop! 

Next episode? THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN! I asked you who you wanted me to interview, and you said "Give us The Pizza Boy, Al Kominski!" Well, I cannot defy or deny the people, so I went down to Enola and got the interview...and then hung around and visited some breweries. You'll get what you asked for...in two weeks!

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

Got some hot stuff for you!

Friends warned us that food would be bland in central PA...but not all of it! I talked to two pepper product people; Beth Cowher, who makes her Backyard Flavors sandwich peppers in Aaronsburg, and Janet Robinson, who's been making her Piper's Peck products on the hill outside of Bellefonte since 1998. We talk Scoville units, and pepper jellies, and how to cool the burn; all that hot fun stuff. 

What else? Well, we haven't cooked for a while, so I'll tell you about how I finally solved a 45 year cooking mystery that's been bedeviling me (with the help of the good folks at the Penns Valley Meat Market). And my basement bar is finally done, and, well, I'm pretty excited about that!

Next episode? I'm headed up to northeast PA where my friend Chip The Beer Guy has pulled off something a little bit magical. I'll talk to him about it, and visit five breweries (and an OG beer bar, and a neighborhood kielbasa butcher)...in two weeks!

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

Do you like hazy IPAs? 

Do you hate hazy IPAs?

I dug into this cloudy phenomenon with the help of New Trail Brewing partner and Director of Brewing Operations Mike LaRosa. It seemed to be a subject he had been waiting for someone to ask him about, and we went at it. We also talked about New Trail's amazing growth, their excellent big beers, the Crisp lager family, and the shape of craft brewing in general. I tasted their collaboration with Old Thunder Brewing in Pittsburgh, Mini Storm Cell, a 3.75% cold IPA that blew me away, and Crisp Amber, the next member of the family. 

What else? I visited two local favorites on the way home from New Trail: Henry's Bar-B-Q in LInden, PA, and had some delicious pork shanks; and I picked up half a dozen divine doughnuts at Nan's Donuts in Loganton, the super-hyped Amish bakery that's open two days a week (and kinda lives up to the hype). 

I'll take you inside a whiskey judging competition, and tell you about how my buddy Sam "Mr. Rye Whiskey" Komlenic was honored at West Overton Village. 

Next episode? It's hot stuff! We'll talk about hot sauces, hot peppers, and horseradish, the stuff that keeps central PA sweating...in two weeks!

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

I drank rye whiskey in the spiritual home of American rye whiskey, the Monongahela Valley, in the cradle of the Whiskey Rebellion, Washington, PA. I tell you about how the rebellion happened, and how it ended, and how rye whiskey came to southwestern PA. Rye whiskey historian Sam Komlenic joined me for a talk on rye whiskey at Liberty Pole Spirits, and I interviewed Liberty Pole founder Jim Hough. 

I filled a few shopping bags at the Delallo Italian Marketplace in Jeannette, PA and then hit three good eats places in Washington: Shorty's Lunch, Osso's Pizza, and Al'an Ruben's. Then Sam and his wife Amy went along with me to visit covered bridges...but that didn't work out so well!

Great trip to southwest PA and the Mon Valley, the heart of Pennsylvania rye whiskey!

Next episode? Well, I'll be honest: I'm not really sure at this point. Guess we'll have to see...in two weeks!

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

(Yeah, just realized that I announced this episode as Episode 36, not 37. I'm just...gonna leave that there. Yay!)

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

US Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps "The Caissons Go Rolling Along

Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Water FX from https://freesound.org/people/WebbFilmsUK/sounds/200321/ 

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

I interview Hector Cruz, the Floridian at the heart of the Foodies of State College Facebook group, 20,000 people who want to find the best places to eat in the greater State College area (pretty loosely defined, ask 'em anything). We talked about why he started it, how he runs it, and why everyone loves to fight about pizza and cheesesteaks. 

The Foodies group has been a huge help to me finding good places to talk about here, and I'll tell you about the places they suggested, and then my buddy Dave Dreese and I hit the road to sample six more Foodies favorites in one afternoon. Buckle up for tacos, pizza, cider, cheesesteaks and hoagies, more pizza, and a Taiwanese bakery, plus an unexpected treasure on tap. All that, plus the West Virginia triple that's What I'm Drinking Today!

There's also some merch news, and an announcement about an event I'm doing on April 20th at Ploughman Cider in Gettysburg, and what you've all being waiting for: Pippin the Corgi joins the podcast!

Next episode? MORE RYE WHISKEY! I'm interviewing two distillers in southwest Pennsylvania, the cradle of rye whiskey, home of the Whiskey Rebellion. Plus more covered bridges and whatever good eats I find with Sam Komlenic, Pennsylvania's unofficial rye whiskey historian. Next week, which will get us back on schedule; my teeth are much better, thanks, and feeling moreso every day.  

Until then?

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!

Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!

This episode uses these sounds under the following license:

"Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com)

Pippin barking is actually Pippin barking, recorded on my Pixel 7 yesterday afternoon. 

"Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au

All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.