We found the tap list to be solid and classic, and while we couldn’t try the food on this visit, we think it is worth a trip out there based on the menu options and beer quality. Cheers!

Beers Sampled:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for pictures and more!

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YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

This weeks' episode is a retrospective of our show and some of the milestones in our first 399 shows. It's thanks to all our listeners who keep us recording each episode, and thanks to all the brewers who have given their time to talk to us. Plus thanks to all my co-hosts along the way, especially the 'original' Yankee, Lingo! We've drunk a bunch of brews on our journey, and the last 17 years have been a blast, so we'll keep podcasting as long as we can. 

The first podcast was published in Oct 2006 (Pubcast #1), back in 'Phase 1' of podcasting history. With the 'original' Yankee, my chum Mike 'Lingo' Lingafelter, we decided we would like to bring a little 'pub chat' to the internet. We had a different theme tune and a different approach to the show, with more variety, music, and full production segments, but still sampling beers along the way. The first beers we drank were Blue Goat Doppelbock from New Holland Brewing, and a Double Pale Ale from He'brew. Like us, New Holland is still going strong, but He'brew closed, then relaunched in 2022.

In Nov 2009 and Pubcast #51, we recorded a show at the legendary, but now gone, John's Tavern in Winfield IL. There we first met with a man who was soon to become a good friend and co-host for the show, Mark Naski.  Mark was a genius when it came to his knowledge of brewing and beer styles, and was instrumental in making the podcast change into what it has become today. He taught us so much about craft beer, and along the way helped a local brewery with advice about their recipes. Sadly Mark was taken from us in 2021, and we miss him dearly.

In December 2010, The Brit recorded the first brewery remote when he visited Oskar Blues in Longmont CO., and experienced Ten Fidy on tap for the first time. In 2013, the boom of the craft beer industry, we really started to visit breweries for interviews with the brewers. Some of our first recordings were with breweries that are still around today such as Tighthead Brewing (Pubcast#103), Church Street (Pubcast#107), and Penrose Brewing (Pubcast#110).

It was after show 161 that we really started to focus on brewery and brewer interviews, when the Illinois craft beer scene was really starting to grow.

Our first collaboration brew was with Hopvine Brewing and brewmaster Ken McMullen. It was an English pale ale called HMQ90 (Pubcast #198), brewed to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, with a recipe from Mark Naski. Ken has since gone on to become another good friend and current co-host of the show, and moved over to help start Fox Republic Brewing.

Chuck Fort, Sr. Brewing Consultant (but then brewer) at Church Street Brewing, also joined the crew first as a regular guest and then by Pubcast #243, as co-host. Both Chuck and Ken continue to bring a wealth of industry knowledge...plus they're really good chums!

We experimented with video back in 2018 with a beer review show recorded at Church Street Brewing, (Barrel of Monks Beer Review), and the result was 'simple' at best. We then started up our YouTube channel in 2020 as a result of the Covid pandemic shutting down our ability to have face-to-face contact with people. Like many others, we used Zoom to chat with brewers on our Virtual Happy Hours, and then used the medium to continue reviewing brews, and then test brewers' palates with a Blind Taste Challenge series.

And that brings us up-to-date where today we try to go out and interview as many brewers at their breweries as time permits. Here's a link to a page that lists all our featured brewery interviews.

Here's to the next milestone of 500, and here's to the craft beer industry and those hard working brewers!!  CHEERS!

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for pictures and more!

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BritAndYankeePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

Beers Sampled:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for pictures and more!

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YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

In this episode we venture back up to Lake County and the village of Lake Villa, where we visit with a brewery that has been in existence for over 5 years, but seems to be a "best kept secret", at least from those in the southern suburbs!  Harbor Brewing Company is located just a short walk from the Metra station, a stop on the North Central Line, so accessible from Chicago. Plus they have a lakefront biergarten location in Winthrop Harbor that has their great brews and awesome views!

Beers Sampled:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for pictures and more!

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YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

It's hard to believe we have been recording our annual barley wine show for 7 years, but yes, we have shown this style some love since our first one was recorded in the now gone but not forgotten, legendary John's Tavern in Winfield. We have tasted and reviewed over 40 barley wines from across the USA, and this year we have another 7, plus 2 from the UK!

This year, Art History founders, Tom & Cindy Rau, graciously agreed to allow us to record the show from their Geneva Lager Works production brewery location, and are part of our tasting panel, although Cindy comes along later as she has AHB biz to deal with! Joining them are co-host Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, Ed and Mike Seaman from the Broken Brix Fermentation Emporium, and ex-tavern landlord, John Karwoski. It's a panel of brewing experts who may or may not be familiar with the ancient style of barley wines.

Listen in to hear what they have to say about the style, and then they'll arbitrarily rate their favorite one, with all due respect to all the others we taste! Cheers!

The Lineup:

Trip Sitter, 7th Anniversary English Barleywine, 12% ABV

Trip Sitter, 7th Anniversary BBA English Barleywine, 12.5% ABV

2013 Elizabethan Ale, English Barleywine, 7.5% ABV

2023 Elizabethan Ale, Sparkling English Barleywine, 7.2% ABV

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for pictures and more!

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BritAndYankeePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

We sample some of the brews and Josh tells the full version of the story behind the name of the brewery, plus we get the stories behind some of the beer names, like "Galaxie 503" and "Mr. Willy Sub For A Day"!

Johnny K is curious about some of the entertainment equipment in the taproom and Josh tells how he has had to adapt to what the public wants when you run a small business even though it is a craft brewery. Rob reveals he has been a member of local metal band Wrath, and we find out what that's all about! And finally there is some discussion about how craft beer aficionados and consumers should be using social media, for example Untappd, to rate the beers that they try...be kind folks!!

Beers Sampled:

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YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

We are back in the pub studio for this episode, which will be the last one until the end of January , as we are taking a short hiatus to take care of some family issues. But, we do have an all-star cast in the house with co-host Ken McMullen from Fox Republic Brewing, co-host Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, plus the head brewer from Church Street, Sean Gregor. And this is a bumper edition, but we hope you enjoy our festivities!

The Brit has randomly selected a six-pack of beers that appear at this time of year, some with those seasonal spices and some not. We'll be sampling these, passing on our comments and seeing where the conversation goes! Plus we find out what The Brit's favorite Christmas movie is, the backstory behind a well-known Christmas carol, and like most people, we all have no clue what the OED word of the year is and what it means! The Brit poses a question about distributorship and whether it is contributing to the craft beer industry stagnation. And finally, 'Pull-my-finger' Santa makes his annual appearance at Chuck's special request!

We hope you have a great holiday season and we'll be back in 2024 with more brewery profiles, interviews, videos and beer reviews. Thanks for subscribing!

Beers Sampled:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ... for pictures and more!

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BritAndYankeePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

The greater Chicagoland area hosts many of Illinois craft breweries, but there are plenty of downstate options to visit and enjoy. In this episode The Brit, and co-host Ken McMullen of Fox Republic, travel to Kankakee IL to visit  founder and brewer, Matt Strysik, who together with his wife Emily, co-own Knack Brewing located alongside the Kankakee River.

Knack has been open for nearly a year and a half, and is the only craft brewery in town. The taproom is located in a corner building, and the brewery in a separate building right next door. Matt tells us about has some of the challenges of getting his kegs down to the basement cooler, which can only be described as a 'crawl-in' cooler. Like many small breweries, he did much of the work himself in setting up both areas, and has created a unique, welcoming place to drink great, small batch craft beer.

This is a grass roots operation but Matt is producing extremely high quality, and very drinkable beers, tapping in to the tastes of the area clientele, but also testing out the waters with some adjunct variants. Definitely worth a visit downstate!! Cheers!

Beers Sampled:

Thrilla, Kolsch, 5.2% ABV

Honey Biscuit, Helles, 5.1% ABV

Remy, Dark Lager, 5.1% ABV

Extra Super, Doppelbock, 7.5% ABV

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BritAndYankeePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

Bob Salzman has been the Brewmaster at BBGB for around 5 years, and we need to apologize to him upfront! We have no idea why we haven't been out to taste his brews before, but we're glad we have now!

Beers Sampled:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ... for pictures and more!

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BritAndYankeePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM

Home brewing is where the craft beer movement all started. President Jimmy Carter back in 1978 signed HR 1337, lifting some 50 years of prohibition on homebrewing regulations, and thereby creating a thriving amateur brewing environment that developed into the craft beer industry we have today. So many professional brewers have come from a homebrew background, and one of the organizations that has produced many of Chicagoland's brewers in PALE, Plainfield Ale & Lager Enthusiasts.

One man who has remained in the club, has not become a professional, but who is very much involved in helping homebrewers with their education, is Steve Thanos. Steve is also one of the main contributors to Brülosophy, an organization that takes the art of homebrewing to the next level with their 'Exbeeriments' and discussions on brewing methods, just part of their extensive website.

In this episode, co-host Ken McMullen, who was also an originating PALE member, joins The Brit in welcoming Steve down to the Brit and Yankee Pub studio where we talk homebrew, plus we undertake one of Steve's Exbeeriments! How do we fare? You'll have to tune in to find out, but whether you are a professional, a homebrewer, or just like craft beer, this episode is a fascinating story of the total experience of tasting craft beer.

We held back and posted this episode AFTER Brülosophy posted the results of this Exbeeriment, at their request, so now you can also head over to their website and check out the full article on the results. Cheers to Steve and all those at Brülosophy!

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebritandyankee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ... for pictures and more!

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BritAndYankeePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube channel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM