In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Beer Institute President and CEO Brian Crawford for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces shaping the future of beer, hospitality, and the businesses that depend on them.

From the Beer Institute's "It's Me Beer" and "Stand With Beer" campaigns to the relaunch of the CHEERS Act, Brian explains why advocacy matters for everyone in the beer ecosystem, from brewers and distributors to bars, restaurants, draft technicians, and hospitality operators. They explore how public policy impacts the industry, why beer remains one of the most powerful drivers of social connection, and what happens behind the scenes on Capitol Hill to protect an industry that supports millions of jobs.

The conversation also dives into why maintaining strong relationships between policymakers and industry leaders is critical for the future of hospitality.

Whether you're in beer, hospitality, foodservice, distribution, or simply curious about how policy influences business, this episode offers a fascinating look behind the curtain at the people working to protect and grow one of America's most important industries.

⭐Featured Campaigns:

🍺 https://standwithbeer.org/

🍺 https://www.cheersact.org/

⭐ Sponsored by:

🍺Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com

🍺Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com

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Connect with our guest, Brian Crawford:

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-crawford-b538504/

🔔 If this episode changed the way you think about beer, share it with someone who still thinks it’s “just beer.”

#ThirstyBusinessPodcast #BeerIndustry #CraftBeer #HospitalityIndustry #BeerBusiness #DraftBeer #BeerInstitute #RestaurantBusiness #HospitalityLeadership #BeverageIndustry

What does it take to build a business that survives nearly 200 years?

In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jennifer Hauke sits down with Jennifer Yuengling, sixth-generation owner and operator of Yuengling, America's oldest brewery. From its founding in 1829 to navigating Prohibition, economic downturns, changing consumer tastes, and modern expansion, Yuengling's story is one of resilience, patience, and unwavering commitment to quality.

Jennifer shares how the family has preserved its values across six generations while continuing to grow responsibly into new markets. She explains why the company refuses to chase growth for growth's sake, the importance of long-term distributor partnerships, and how a people-first culture has created remarkable loyalty among employees and consumers alike.

Beyond beer, this conversation is about legacy, leadership, grit, and building a company designed to outlive its founders.

Whether you're building a brewery, running a family business, leading a team, or simply trying to create something that lasts, this episode is packed with practical lessons on culture, leadership, and legacy.

Because the greatest businesses aren't built for the next quarter.

They're built for the next generation. 🍻

⭐ Sponsored by:

🍺Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com

🍺Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com

Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms:

👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/

👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast

👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/

👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast

🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/

🔔 If this episode changed the way you think about family businesses, leadership, or what it really takes to build something that lasts, share it with someone who's building a legacy of their own.

#ThirstyBusinessPodcast #Yuengling #JenniferYuengling #FamilyBusiness #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BeerIndustry #Hospitality #BusinessGrowth #LegacyBusiness

What happens when one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the world starts treating beer like a food product instead of “just beer”?

In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, hosts Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Zoe Riccio of Athletic Brewing to break down the science, systems, and obsessive quality control behind modern non-alcoholic beer. From food safety and microbiology to draft line cleaning, carbonation science, and brewery operations, this conversation goes far deeper than most people realize.

They also dive into why Athletic invested heavily in its own breweries, how the company maintains consistency across multiple facilities, and why draft quality matters more than most bars understand. If you’ve ever wondered how non-alcoholic beer actually works, why Athletic is growing so fast, or what really happens behind the scenes in beverage manufacturing, this episode is packed with insider insights.

⭐ Sponsored by:

Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com

Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com

Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms:

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/

👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast

👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/

👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast

🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/

Connect with our guest, Zoe Riccio: 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-riccio-5a7a46bb/

00:00 – Intro to Athletic Brewing & Zoe Riccio

02:10 – How Zoe got into food science

06:05 – The challenge of labeling non-alcoholic beer

09:12 – Why Athletic built its own breweries

17:15 – The science behind beer safety

33:28 – The difference between quality vs safety

41:15 – Athletic’s approach to quality control

45:06 – The science of consistency in brewing

53:02 – The future of draft beverages

56:18 – Final thoughts on beer, science & quality

🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Thirsty Business Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the future of beverage, brewing, hospitality, and business.

And if this episode changed the way you think about beer, share it with someone who still thinks it’s “just beer.”

#AthleticBrewing #NonAlcoholicBeer #CraftBeer #BeerPodcast #FoodScience #DraftBeer #BeverageIndustry #QualityControl #BrewingScience #ThirstyBusiness

Every great pint starts long before the pour.

In this episode of Thirsty Business, Guinness ambassador Ryan "Wags" Wagner joins Jen Hauke for a fascinating conversation about beer quality, draft systems, faucet cleaning, nitrogen pours, and the unseen work that shapes every guest experience.

From the role of a well-maintained draft system to the science behind a perfect Guinness pour, Ryan explains why the details behind the bar matter just as much as the beer itself.

Along the way, they explore exploding Guinness faucets, the psychology of hospitality, and the emotional storytelling that has helped make Guinness one of the world's most iconic brands.

Part beer science, part operational insight, part hospitality philosophy, this episode reveals how great experiences are built one pint at a time.

If you care about bars, restaurants, hospitality, beverage programs, Guinness, or creating memorable guest experiences, this episode is for you.

⭐ Sponsored by:

Draftline Technologies www.draftlinetechnologies.com

Micro Matic www.micromatic.com

Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms:

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/

👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast

👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/

👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast

Connect with our guest, Ryan Wagner:

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-wagner-43a4b384/

00:00 Welcome and Cheers

01:17 Preakness TV Perfect Pour

03:16 First Guinness Memories

04:03 From Theater to Beer

07:16 Laid Off Then Guinness Call

09:13 Career Dots Connect

12:33 Why Chicago Brewery

21:16 Guinness Ad Legends

23:32 John Gilroy Menagerie

25:30 Michael Ash Draft Science

30:58 Perfect Head and Foam

32:55 Beer Clean Glassware Rules

42:23 Quality Culture and Training

49:36 Guinness Growth and Moments

52:20 Converting a Tap to Guinness

01:01:40 Hospitality as a Career

01:10:22 Final Cheers and Wrap Up

🔔 If this episode changed the way you think about draft beer, hospitality, or customer experience, send it to someone who owns a bar, runs a restaurant, or works behind the stick.

And if you’re building experiences people come back for, subscribe for more conversations about beer, business, hospitality, and the systems behind great service.

#Guinness #DraftBeer #Hospitality #BarOwner #RestaurantBusiness #BeerCulture #CraftBeer #BartenderLife #BeerQuality #Micromatic

There’s the version of the beverage industry most people see from the outside… and then there’s the version insiders actually live in every day.

In this first episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, hosts Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Jenn Litz-Kirk, Director of Content at Beer Business Daily and host of Beer Net Radio, to unpack what’s really driving beer, RTDs, and beverage alcohol right now.

From Beer Summit takeaways to distribution pressure, regional brand power, and the rise of RTDs like vodka tea and Surfside, this conversation breaks down how trends actually form, and why most “winning brands” don’t win because of strategy decks… but because something just clicks in the market.

At its core, this episode is about an industry that is still deeply human. Relationships matter more than systems. Timing matters more than theory. And great branding is still something you recognize instantly, even if nobody can fully explain why.

Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms:

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/

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👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/

👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast

Connect with our guest, Jenn Litz-Kirk: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-litz-kirk-6b2749129/

00:00 – Intro: Inside Thirsty Business & Beer Media World

03:10 – Why Jen starts every day with beer headlines

06:45 – The pressure of daily trade journalism

10:20 – Reporting on your own industry: the insider problem

14:05 – Embargoes, leaks, and how beer news actually breaks

17:50 – Why beer is still a relationship business

21:40 – Beer Summit recap: what the industry is really talking about

26:15 – Craft beer’s evolution and shrinking middle market

30:40 – RTDs, vodka tea, and the new growth engine

34:55 – Surfside, NOCA, and breakout brand patterns

38:30 – Why design is more important than people admit

42:10 – “You know it when you see it” branding instinct

45:45 – Why the middle of beer is disappearing

49:20 – Local brands vs national rankings reality check

52:55 – Distribution consolidation and industry pressure

56:40 – What big suppliers are doing right now

59:10 – Final thoughts on authenticity and survival in beer

If you’ve ever looked at a brand and thought “why does this work… and that doesn’t?”. This is your kind of conversation.

🔔 Subscribe to Thirsty Business Podcast for more unfiltered industry conversations where the real stories don’t sound like press releases.And share this with someone who still thinks branding lives in a deck… not in the real world where products either click or disappear.

#BeerIndustry #BeverageBusiness #CraftBeer #RTDDrinks #BeerMarketing #BrandStrategy #Distribution #ThirstyBusiness #BeverageTrends

What happens when you bring together decades of Detroit beverage industry experience, underground install stories, and the kind of jobsite chaos you can only learn the hard way?

On this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jen is joined by her brother Phil Thomas, her husband Drew Hauke, and guest Jim Bonnell, owner of World Beverage and a veteran beverage technician who spent his entire career in the Detroit industry.

From crawling through old theaters and finding time capsules… to dangerous installs in abandoned buildings… to overloaded trucks, electrocutions, and beer systems gone wrong, this episode is packed with real stories from people who lived it firsthand.

But beyond the chaos, there’s a deeper conversation about craftsmanship, work ethic, and how the beverage industry has evolved over time in Detroit and beyond.

This is what it really looks like behind the scenes of an industry most people never think about… until something goes wrong.

00:00 Detroit neighborhoods & dangerous old days

03:12 Why Detroit is making a comeback

06:08 Discovering hidden time capsules in old theaters

10:02 Dangerous installs in historic buildings

14:28 Crazy underground beer line jobs

18:11 Beverage companies running on no resources

21:47 The “Barnstormers” snowstorm story

26:35 Bartering jobs for dinners & entertainment

30:04 Detroit New Year’s stories & bullet holes

33:15 How beer systems changed over the years

37:40 Why AI can’t replace skilled trades

42:18 Detroit work ethic & craftsmanship

46:55 The best installers in the business

50:33 Electrocution stories & overloaded trucks

56:41 How restaurant installs changed over time

1:01:12 The beginning of Michigan’s craft beer boom

1:06:08 Why massive tap systems became a problem

1:10:42 The disgusting reality of dirty beer lines

1:15:26 Why proper line cleaning matters

1:19:34 Final thoughts & listener story submissions

Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms:

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/

👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/

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👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast

🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside the beverage industry where the stories don’t come from press releases… they come from the people who built it.

Share this with someone who thinks beer systems are simple. They’re not.

#BeerIndustry #DraftBeer #Detroit #BlueCollar #CraftBeer #Tradesmen #SmallBusiness #WorkEthic #ThirstyBusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship

There’s a version of the beverage industry most people see from the outside… and then there’s the version that actually built it.

In this special episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jen Hauke sit down with his dad, Chuck Thomas, a veteran of the beverage dispensing industry whose career spans over five decades across Hudson Industries, Michigan Carbonic, Leonard Syrups, Berg Liquor Control Systems, and the early foundations of modern draft beer infrastructure.

From basements and syrup rooms in Detroit to stadium-scale installs at Comerica Park and Ford Field, this is the untold history of how beer, soda, and liquor systems actually evolved in America.

Before dashboards, apps, and analytics… this industry ran on instinct, relationships, field experience, and pure problem-solving in real time. This is not a theory. This is the operational history of how drinks actually get from the brewery to your glass.

If you’ve ever wondered how the beverage industry really works, this episode will change how you see every tap handle, bar top, and stadium pour.

00:00 – Origins of the Beverage Industry

04:10 – Hudson Industries & Early Soda Systems

09:35 – First Field Service Experience

14:20 – Navy Service & Life Direction Shift

18:55 – Michigan Carbonic & Industry Training Ground

24:30 – Early Draft & Carbonation Systems

29:40 – Early Craft Beer & Microbrew Installations

34:10 – Starting Custom Beverage

39:25 – Line Cleaning & Recurring Revenue Shift

44:50 – The Sherrod Story

50:35 – Stadiums, Casinos & Major Install Projects

55:20 – What Makes a Proper Install

59:10 – Walking Away From Big Deals (MGM Story)

1:03:05 – Advice for the Next Generation

1:06:00 – Legacy, Relationships & Final Thoughts

Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast

🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside the beverage industry where the stories don’t come from press releases… they come from the people who built it.

Share this with someone who thinks beer systems are simple. They’re not.

#BeerIndustry #DraftBeer #BeverageIndustry #BeerSystems #BeerLineCleaning #CraftBeerBusiness #DetroitBusiness #FoodAndBeverage #HospitalityIndustry #BeverageTech #Entrepreneurship #ThirstyBusiness #Micromatic #Perlick #BergLiquorControl