The Weekly Pint

It’s a Happy Hour. This podcast is an excuse for us to hang out together… but it’s supposed to be happy. It’s never fun when you have to talk about a beloved local spot closing, and that’s the unfortunate topic that we have to chat about this week.

Humble Monk has been trying to get their new taproom up and running for a very long time and took to their social media this week to let us know that they would no longer be pursuing the new space and shutting things down. It’s a heartbreaker.

To cheer things up, I cracked into a bottle of Becherovka, which surprised me by being, well… delicious. After some new label approvals, a can of West Side Brewing’s Italian Pilsner certainly helped things along the way, too.

This show is brought to you by listeners just like you. If you like what you hear, you can go to http://www.TheGnarlyGnome.com/Support to help it keep growing. It’s also brought to you by the incredible folks at Dicks Potato Chips. This local brand GETS IT. If you’re a fan of this podcast, I know that you’ll be a fan of what they’re doing, too. With several flavors already available in local stores, bars, and taprooms, the next time you’re out and about don’t hesitate to snag yourself a bag to see what I’m talking about. Even better… if you, like me, want to keep your home bar stocked at all times, you can jump on their website (http://www.DicksPotatoChips.com) to order some, and get a box delivered right to your front door. Huge thanks to Dicks for sponsoring this episode!

Holy smokes… I’ve known about this spot for a long time and even tried a few of their products – but have never actually bellied up to see what it’s all about for myself. We’ll talk about it, try some fun wine, and maybe even rant about some local beer stores that might not deserve my beer money anymore.

If you’re new to The Weekly Pint – this isn’t just a podcast, it’s a live show – a happy hour – and an excuse for us to drink together. If you want to participate PROPERLY, you should tune in on either Facebook or YouTube every Monday night around 9:30pm!

If you like what I do – make sure you visit www.TheGnarlyGnome.com/Support and become a ‘Gnomie’!

Welcome back, friends! If you tuned in live Monday night, you know it was a rollercoaster of emotions and drinks on The Weekly Pint. For those who missed it, let me take you through the highlights of the latest episode. We jumped into the world of Soju, explored some exciting new label approvals, and tackled some bittersweet news about one of our beloved local breweries. Grab a drink, sit back, and let’s recap!

We kicked off the night with a sip into Soju, a Korean spirit that’s often compared to a light vodka. I cracked open a bottle of Good Day Melon Soju. As I poured it into a tiny shot glass, I shared some of the quirky rituals associated with opening Soju bottles, like shaking them up to get rid of sediment or hitting them on your elbow. While I opted for the straightforward American way of just cracking it open, it was fun to discuss these traditions.

The first sip of the melon Soju was a unique experience. It tasted like a mix of fresh ripe melons with a hint of bubblegum and a touch of kerosene. Strange as it sounds, it was actually quite enjoyable (even more so the more you drink). I even experimented with a popular Korean drink called “So-Maek,” a mix of Soju and beer. The result was a light, refreshing melon lager that I could easily see myself drinking regularly.

The mood shifted as we moved on to some significant news about Fibonacci Brewing Company. Owners Betty and Bob have decided to sell the business after nearly a decade of pouring their hearts and souls into it. This decision comes from a place of wanting to explore other life opportunities and finding a better work-life balance.

While it’s tough to imagine Fibonacci without Betty and Bob, it’s essential to stay positive. They’re committed to finding the right buyer who will continue their legacy and maintain the brewery’s unique charm. The sale includes the entire property, from the taprooms and Airbnbs to the beloved goats and chickens. Yes, even Tina, the chicken who loves to hang out in the beer garden, is part of the deal.

To lighten the mood, we dove into some exciting new label approvals. Here are a few highlights:

As the night wound down, I finished off the bottle of Soju and reflected on the evening. It’s always a mix of emotions when we discuss the ever-evolving landscape of our local breweries. While change can be daunting, it’s also an opportunity for growth and new experiences.

Thank you to everyone who joined live and participated in the chat. Your support and engagement mean the world to me. If you missed the episode, I hope this recap gives you a taste of what went down. Until next week, cheers to good drinks and even better company!

Stay tuned for more exciting episodes of The Weekly Pint, where we’ll continue to explore the world of booze, share news, and enjoy each other’s company. Don’t forget to tune in live every Monday night around 9:30ish. Cheers!

In this episode of The Weekly Pint, we dive headfirst into the excitement of Oktoberfest season, my absolute favorite time of the year. I share my enthusiasm for Oktoberfest beers and the extensive collection I’ve amassed, ready for the ultimate showdown. This year, I’ve introduced a seeding process to the competition, aiming to make it more organized and fair. We also experience some technical difficulties, a common occurrence in our live podcast format, but we roll with the punches and keep the conversation flowing.

We discuss the intricacies of the Oktoberfest Quest, where I pit every packaged Oktoberfest beer in Cincinnati against each other in a March Madness-style bracket. This year, I’m focusing on local beers and excluding what I call “invasive species” from outside the area, aside of course from today’s head-to-head tasting between Highwire’s Zirkusfest and West Sixth’s Donca Chain, with Highwire emerging as the clear winner. Additionally, we touch on some upcoming beer projects, including the exciting news about Mellotone Brewery taking over the former Taft’s Ale House location.

Throughout the episode, we also field calls from listeners, discussing their favorite Oktoberfest and pumpkin beers and sharing tips on where to find the best beers. We wrap up with a reminder to check out the Cincy Beer Week website for upcoming events and to support local breweries. As always, it’s a lively and engaging episode filled with beer talk, technical hiccups, and a shared love for craft beer. Cheers!

Oh boy, do I have a lot to unpack from our latest episode of The Weekly Pint. If you tuned in, you know it was a rollercoaster of emotions, technical hiccups, and, of course, some fantastic beer tasting. For those who missed it, let me give you a rundown of what went down.

First off, I want to apologize for the late start. Life as a dad can be unpredictable, and last night was one of those nights where everything seemed to go wrong. My kids were on a mission to drive me up the wall, and they succeeded. We were an hour late getting the show started, and I was in a pretty grumpy mood. But hey, that’s life, right? We roll with the punches and keep moving forward.

Despite the rocky start, we had a fantastic lineup of beers to discuss. Marco was sipping on a Psychopathy, Lee had a Zigler Oktoberfest, and Julia was enjoying a Mirror Twin Oregon Pale. Josh brought an Age of Otter IPA from Three Floyds, which sounded intriguingly happy and cuddly for an IPA. Eric was having a Lime Voss, and Julia mentioned that her beer featured an otter holding an axe, which seemed fitting for Three Floyds, and kind of awesome.

The highlight of the night was kicking off the Oktoberfest Quest 2024. I had two previous winners going head-to-head: last year’s champion, Sonder Oktoberfest, and Listermann’s Festbier. Both beers have a special place in my heart, and it was tough to choose between them.

Sonder Oktoberfest, with its new fancy artwork, is not quite a Märzen or a Festbier but somewhere in between. Listermann’s Festbier, described as a German-style party lager, also brought its A-game. After much deliberation, sniffing, and tasting, I had to give the edge to Sonder, but just by a hair. Listermann put up a great fight, and it was a close call.

One of the fun traditions we have is creating the ultimate Cincinnati Oktoberfest beer by mixing all the contenders. Last year, we ended up with a giant boot full of a blend of 38 different Oktoberfest beers. It was surprisingly delicious, and we even poked it with a beer poker for that extra caramelized touch. This year, we’re planning to do it again, and I’m excited to see how it turns out.

On a more personal note, I’ve been working on a massive project in my basement. Over the years, I’ve collected thousands of beer cans, and it’s time to downsize. I’ve decided to focus my collection on lager beer cans, which means a lot of cans have to go. It’s been a bittersweet process, but I’ve installed a can crusher, and there’s something oddly satisfying about crushing those cans. It’s like saying goodbye to old memories while making room for new ones.

Tomorrow is a big day as we brew Big Cis at Darkness Brewing. This beer is a labor of love, and I’m excited to see it come to life. If you haven’t heard about it, check out cincybeerweek.com for all the details. The tapping party is scheduled for the end of Beer Week, and it’s going to be a blast.

Looking ahead, I’m working on expanding the website to include more bar content and possibly even guest posts. It’s a big undertaking, but I believe in the power of community and sharing different perspectives. If you’re passionate about beer and have a knack for writing, stay tuned for more details on how you can contribute.

To everyone who tuned in, thank you for your patience and for sticking with me through the ups and downs. Your support means the world to me. If you missed the episode, you can catch the replay and join us next week for more beer talk, banter, and maybe even some surprise guests.

Until then, go drink some local beer, preferably something festive for Oktoberfest season. And remember, it’s not pumpkin season yet—it’s all about the Oktoberfest beers!

On this week’s episode of the weekly pint, I decided to crack open a bottle of Darna’s Orahovac. This walnut liqueur is delicious – and a perfect after-dinner drink! We also chat briefly about Humble Monk’s new location and the upcoming grand opening of the new VooDoo in West Chester.

I’ve been sitting in the middle of a lot of news stories, a lot of conversations, and a lot of deep thoughts about what success and failure actually mean. What does it mean for the breweries that we love? Where does what we want and what they want have crossover? What does any of that matter when it’s “just beer” at the end of the day?

After letting everyone down with a sort of broken cocktail promise last week, we’re back with another “crowd-sourced cocktail” on this week’s episode. It’s so much fun that I think it’s safe to say that this will become a regular feature on the show. It’s where the live listeners get to randomly choose a few ingredients that I’ll attempt to throw together into a mess of a drink.

When the dust settled, this episode saw the birth of the Banana-rita – and it actually wasn’t bad… I might have to make this into a thing.

I promised that we were going to drink a cocktail this week, but things have been a little nuts. While I’m not sure if it counts as a “cocktail,” I am going to dump a bunch of booze in some beer and see what happens. What could possibly go wrong?

We drink a few “boilermakers” and talk about what in the world that even means.

It’s been a crazy week! I teamed up with a group of our local podcast community that we lovingly call the “Cincy Pod Squad” to knock out the Flying Pig this year – and it was insane to say the least. On top of that, HighGrain Brewing Company opened their new location in Springfield Twp – and I have some fun drinks calling my name from the fridge. It’s going to be a good one!