It's our final part of the 4th Annual Barleywine classic, and we head to Riverlands Brewing Company for an experiment in keeping beer, which with all due apologies to Riggs Beer Company as it did not stand the test of time. Luckily, the beer was so good we want it fresh now! Then it's off to Church Street Brewing, and we have the full B&Y team back together for a couple of tastings, one from Karetas Brewing Co., and a wrap up where we feature a barleywine from Clairvoyant Brewing Company. This year was challenging, but we had a blast with all our awesome brewing chums! Cheers!

3/23/21 Eric Bramwell, Riverlands Brewing - Riggs Beer, American Barleywine

3/23/21 Chuck Fort, Church Street Brewing - Karetas Brewing, English Cardinal Summary Ken, Phil, Chuck - Clairvoyant Brewing, Barleywine

We head to two more breweries for part 2 of our 4th Annual Barleywine Classic, to get the brewers to taste and comment on the brews we have selected. This time it's Alex Drayer from D and G Brewing who gets to try a barrel-aged offering from The Forge Brewhouse, who he did a collaboration with last year. Then it's back to Milk Money Brewing, where we present a 'mystery' barleywine to Erik Pizer, and only reveal it is from Black & Gray Brewing after he has tasted it. Did he like it?  Tune in and find out!

These pubcasts are a collection of videos (or audio if you prefer to listen that way) which we recorded at the breweries listed below, and we split them up into a 3-part series.

Thanks to all the brewers for joining us to make it happen. We've included the recording date just for a reference point in case there are some 'dated' comments!

3/8/21

Alex Drayer, D and G Brewing

The Forge Brewhouse, Long Haul Series, BA Heavy Hitter Barleywine

3/23/21

Erik Pizer, Milk Money

Black and Gray Brewing, Ye Olde Curmudgeon

CHEERS!

The Brit loves a good Barleywine, and since 2017, we've held an annual get-together to taste and chat about this classic style. Over each year, Barleywines are collected from any brewery that has one, with no particular connection other than we try to focus on Illinois. Our the last celebration was held back in January 2020 at Riverlands Brewing, and little did we know then that it might be a while before we held the next one, or for that matter got together as a group to chat and sample.

This year, The Brit had to come up with another approach so that social distancing protocols could be still observed. So instead of gathering together, Ken McMullen and The Brit headed out to 7 breweries and tasted one or two barleywines at each location. Luckily, as we recorded throughout March, restrictions were being lifted, people were getting vaxxed, and we were able to keep our mask wearing to a minimum.

These pubcasts are a collection of videos (or audio if you prefer to listen that way) which we recorded at the breweries listed below, and we split them up into a 3-part series.

Thanks to all the brewers for joining us to make it happen. We've included the recording date just for a reference point in case there are some 'dated' comments!

Part 1:

3/1/2021

Ken McMullen, Hopvine Brewing

Crystal Lake Brewing, Boathouse Reserve Barrel Aged Barleywine

3/2/2021

Brandon Wright, Werk Force Brewing

P.A.L.E / Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration

Werk Force Brewing / Inflatable Koelship Habitat

CHEERS!

Milk Money Brewing was a victim of the Covid pandemic insomuch as it delayed their opening and when they did open, it wasn't the 'hurrah' that normally accompanies a new brewery opening. Erik Pizer is the brewer at the LaGrange location, and in this episode we hear from him about his beers and what Milk Money is doing to set itself apart from other brewpub. Ken McMullen (Hopvine Brewing) and The Brit sample some of his brews, and the great food that is being served up. Erik has managed to produce a great range of classic and new styles, and The Brit finds a pal who also doesn't like coconut in beer! We recommend a trip to LaGrange for brews and dinner! Cheers!

Brews Sampled

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In this show, we are welcoming back to the pub our pinch-hitter co-host, Chuck Fort, who is head brewer for Church Street Brewing in Itasca, IL. Illinois has opened up for restricted capacity so we take advantage of this and get Chuck into the pub to help taste and chat with an old friend of the pubcast.

Back in October 2019 we first talked with Kevin Abbott, VP of Operations for Boca Raton's Belgium-styles brewery Barrel of Monks. Now he's back and we get a BoM update, and find out about four brews that he sent us in a Covid-care-package. It's a chance to catch up and talk about what is on tap there and what the future holds for them. Also we hear about sister brewery, Odd Breed Ales, and their fantastic oak-aged beers, one of which we taste, and it turns out to be a gem! Packaging, yeast science, and how brett can naturally change the flavors of a beer are other topics of the conversation.

If you head to Florida, then these are two breweries that are high on the 'must-visit' list. Thanks to Kevin for sending us the beers...we loved them and crave for more!

The video version will be available soon on our YouTube channel, here.

Our final episode in this series takes us 10 miles west of Boise to Nampa ID, and a brewery that has helped revitalize the downtown area, and restored one of the oldest buildings to be a great community meeting place. 2C Family Brewing holds a special place in the heart of our roving correspondent, Mark Naski, as they have collaborated with our own Church Street Brewing to produce Idaho versions of Karma Kolsch and Heavenly Helles. Dan Shamy is the brewer who Mark has teamed up with, and together with founder Alvin Mullins, we chat to them about the styles they are producing on their 10-barrel decoction system. Dan and Alvin tell us about the drinking palates out there in Idaho, and how they see the direction and growth of their market. The Brit is joined for this final edition in the Boise Zoom series by co-host Ken McMullen, and this one is actually recorded from the Ken's brewhouse at Hopvine Brewing. Many thanks to Dan and Alvin, and all the brewers for their time and brews, and thanks again to Mark for setting it all up!  Cheers!

Here's a link to our YouTube channel

We get two Scandinavian's for the price of one on this edition...well, at least one who was born there, and one who has Swedish descent! It's the latter we are focusing on in Part 4 of our Idaho brewery series, as we meet up with Jerry Larson who is the driving force behind Mad Swede Brewing. The beer we are sampling is perfect for the colder weather, and you could say it was 'awesome'...yes it's a robust oatmeal porter called Helm of Awe. We chat with Jerry about his background, his brewery, and of course his beers. We've sampled several in past podcasts and all of them are fantastic, including the GABF medal winner, Naked Sunbather. Mark Naski is there to keep Jerry company, and thanks to him for setting all this up. We had a little issue with the sound in some places, so bear with us this time round. Skål!

Here's a link to our YouTube channel

Ram Brewery has been around for many years, and has come and gone in the Chicago-land area. Yet in Boise ID they are thriving with 2 locations, and award-winning brewers. Jake Talbot is head brewer at the east side site, and brews a Kolsch that has claimed a couple of those awards. We got sent a crowler of this classic style, zoomed in with Mark Naski and Jake, and sampled as we chatted. The Brit wanted to save some for his co-host Ken, but alas it was just TOO good to save and got finished over the course of the podcast. Jake puts his faith in Weyermann for his malts, and the authenticity and quality of the brew is front and center. Tune in and find out more about Kolsch, as we enjoy a great chat ... Ram on, dude!

In Part 2 of our series featuring 5 Idaho craft breweries, we travel East across town to Boise's West side and land up at Clairvoyant Brewing, where we meet with brewmaster Sean Pletcher. Beer aficionado Mark Naski is on hand again to help The Brit find out about the feature beer, a Vanilla Russian Imperial Stout that has all the impact but is light in body. Sean tells us about the brewery, what is being drunk on tap, and gives us a whirlwind tour of the location. It's a dog-friendly, neighborhood brewery and taproom that is making an impression on the locals, and certainly on The Brit after he samples the brew. Cheers!

Here's a link to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC35x5_KdeEQQwhTva8IWAwg

We're doing something a little different in this pubcast as we travel outside the boundaries of Illinois and head northwest to Idaho. Boise is the center of the burgeoning craft beer scene with over 25 breweries in this state capitol. We are visiting with just 5 of these, courtesy of a care package of sample brews sent by our chum, ex-cohost, and beer aficionado, Mark Naski. Mark thought that The Brit needed to get a taste of what's brewing out there, so he arranged for us to talk with the brewers via Zoom, while we tasted the sample beers. We want this to incent you to visit Boise for a beer-cation, especially these 5 breweries and tell them The Brit sent you! In part 1, we welcome Bryan Garcia-Brown who is the brewmaster at Edge Brewing, and there's a Baltic Porter to try. Cheers!

Here's a link to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC35x5_KdeEQQwhTva8IWAwg