Barley & Me

Host Ben Rice travels (digitally) to Walla Walla, Washington, simply for an excuse to say Walla Walla, Washington over and over again. While there, he also manages to interview Troy Robinson of Quirk Brewing and Phil Neumann of Mainstem Malt about locally-sourced, salmon-safe ingredients in Quirk-y craft beers (and more streamlined ones as well, stream/salmon pun intentional), as well as the challenges of being deemed "organic", and getting local farmers to buy in on craft beer. Plus! Mainstem's fundraising campaign through WeFunder (ends November 18th! Buy in for as little as $100!), malt-chewing ASMR, spineless beers, and Ben's attempt to solve the out-of-state distribution law issues using this one clever trick! All this and so much more, on episode 157 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about the beers and activities at Quirk Brewing by going to www.quirkbrewing.com or following them across social media @quirkbrewingVisit www.mainstemmalt.com to learn more about the craft malt movement or www.wefunde

Host Ben Rice travels to Rancho Cordova, CA, to talk to owners Jim Noss & Matt Risse about opening a brewery during a global pandemic, celebrating an anniversary and even expanding during said pandemic, and fighting for space in the craft beer market as things start to return to normal. We also discuss the need for more alcohol in professional sports, their upcoming collabs with Slugfest Games and Thick Vatos, perfect pop punk albums, and their new comedy nights starring Joey "Joseph" Stults! Plus! Jim's tie to a controversial World Series moment! Wart Hog Road Trips! And a bold new trivia championship belt! All this and more, on episode 156 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about the beers and events at LogOff Brewing, and their LogOff tips, @logoffbrewingBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the Black Is Beautiful Initiat

Host Ben Rice travels to the Oak Park area of Sacramento to talk to Oak Park Brewing/People's Beer Co. brewers Rodg Little and Geoff Scott about the first annual People's Harvest Time Jubilee, taking place at 30 black-owned breweries across the world, with the kickoff at OPB on Saturday, October 2. Plus! Brew Your Story, an event inside the event, and the beers they're brewing for this, including a collaboration with past guest D Neal of Beer Talk Now. We also tell our own stories, about finding beer, getting into the craft beer industry, and even finding love. Which of course leads to a very important question: what kind of beer education do you give your children and how? Plus! Coffee education! Accidental IPA! And catchphrase creation! All this and more, on episode 155 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about People's Beer Co. at www.peoplesbeerco.comCheck out the People's Harvest Time Jubilee kickoff at Oak Park Brewing in Sacramento on Saturday, October 2. Get tickets at the venue or on eventbrite.c

Host Ben Rice travels to Urban Roots Brewing in Sacramento, CA, to speak with beer journalist and author Tara Nurin about her new book (out now on Chicago Review Press - use promo code BarleyAndMe25 to receive 25% off) A Woman's Place Is In the Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches and CEOs, as well as co-host of KRSO's Brew HaHa drive time radio show, Herlinda Heras, and the founder of the Women's International Beer Summit, Melissa McCann. We talk Tara's exhaustive research and travel for this book, the shockingly overlooked and underreported number of women involved in the founding of the modern American craft beer movement, Brienne Allan's hard push for equality in the craft brew space, and some interesting beer history. Plus! Herlinda's tremendous resume outside of beer, Melissa downplays her involvement AGAIN, and Tara tracks down the unfindable. All this and more, on episode 154 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Go to www.chicagoreviewpress.com/ to purchase A Woman's Place Is In the Bre

Host Ben Rice travels to Folsom, CA, to sit down with Red Bus Brewing owner/brewer/minibus enthusiast Erik Schmidt and comedian/activist/Moving Van Show host/co-creator Shahera Hyatt to discuss the intricacies of beer and wine, Oktoberfest, and the 5th anniversary of Shahera's roaming outdoor Moving Van Show. Plus! Running a home brew supply shop and a brewery at the same time, the art of macro lager vs the excitement of craft beer, a letter from a beloved smoothie company, and Erik's favorite local haunts. All this and more, on episode 153 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Red Bus Brewing @redbusbrewFollow Shahera Hyatt @shaherazhad and find the Moving Van Show monthly @movingvanshowBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the Black Is Beautiful Initiative, as featured in Episode 129 with Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Sou

Host Ben Rice travels (digitally) to New Braunfels, Texas, and Sacramento, CA to interview Kelly Meyer of New Braunfels Brewing and music journalist Aaron Carnes. We talk about their approaches to their new books (Kelly is the author of "How NOT To Start a Damn Brewery," which just released an updated version, while Aaron recently released his first book "In Defense of Ska"). We also talk about their podcasts, which share the name of their books, respectively. Plus! Ska history! The challenges of entering the craft beer industry in 2021! Comfort levels! And who's really buying books right now? Plus! Beer swears, national distribution, and the desperate search for more beer/book/podcast customers. All this and more, on episode 153 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Follow New Braunfels Brewing @nbbrewFollow Kelly's book/podcast "How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery" wherever you get your podcasts or on IG @hownottostartadamnbreweryBUY THAT BOOK at https://www.amazon.com/How-NOT-start-Brewery-Business-ebook/dp/B0848VRW18Chec

Host Ben Rice travels to Denver, CO, to sit down with David Lin, co-founder of Comrade Brewing, and Jake Weber, co-owner of Denver's Seafood Landing. We talk about Comrade's creation, being named the 2019 Small Brewer of the Year at GABF, and stumbling into new opportunities. Plus! Growlers and crowlers galore! Food service and safety! Meeting and adapting to the demands of COVID! And tales of intrigue on the high seas and desert plains! All this and more, on the latest episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Learn more about the beers and events at Comrade Brewing by following them on Instagram @comradebrewingIn search for some of the best seafood in Denver? Check out guest Jake Weber's Seafood Landing at 3457 West 32nd Avenue or visit them online at www.seafoodlanding.business.siteBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comEpisode 135 guest Tara Nurin's new book "A Woman's

Host Ben Rice meets up with podcaster KinkySudz of Sudz Under the Sun and the Black Nerd Friday podcasts (plus two upcoming projects) at Sacramento's Oak Park Brewing to discuss their freshly-brewed limoncello beer collab, which is set to release on August 6. Oak Park's Rodg Little was set to join until an impromptu meeting pulled him away. So KinkySudz and Ben discuss the realities of science and brewing in a capitalistic society, as well as racism, sexism, and homophobia in the world (and beer industry). We also tackle the current craft beer ABV Wars, how alcohol consumption changes as you age, and the magic and terror of trying a style you love (or hate) at a brewery you've never been to. Plus! Ben mansplains South Dakota, first video game loves, and how, no matter what we do, Terminators are coming. So clean your appliances and give this episode a spin. Enjoy!Follow KinkySudz and check out her IG Live/podcast appearances on IG @kinkysudzFind out more about this collab, events, and Oak Park Brewing itself

Host Ben Rice travels to Denver, CO, to talk to owner/brewer Ashleigh Carter of esteemed Bierstadt Lagerhaus. Besides "why lager" and "a WOMAN in BEER?!?," we also discuss soccer coaching, astrophysics, common core vs regular mathematics, finding a good partner, seasonal releases, collaborations, and the bad-ass Bierstadt-branded glassware. Plus! Pretty much the entire recipe for their beloved slow pour pils, a profound correlation between carnitas and lagers, buying a canning line at pandemic pricing, and what a brewday really looks like (spoiler alert: brew weekend is more accurate). All this and more, on episode 148 of Barley & Me. Cheers!Get all that lager-y goodness by checking out @bierstadtlager on IG or GOING TO THE BREWERY. It's a must for any Denver visit.Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the Black Is Beautiful Init

Host Ben Rice travels to Littleton, CO, to chat with owner/operator Jason Bell of Living the Dream Brewing about the challenges of COVID-19, plus the joys of living the dream. From his humble homebrewer beginnings to the challenges of being a commercial head brewer, to realizing his energies were better spent focused on operations, plus all the positives and pitfalls of starting your own brewery. And Ben? Well, he gets to taste everything from a flagship cream ale to a bourbon-barrel-aged barleywine, so he's doing just fine. Plus a little Kings talk, beer and food pairings, brewery dogs, fundraising/charity collaborations, and the age-old question of can v bottle. All this and more, on episode 147 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Living the Dream at www.livingthedreambrewing.comBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the B

Host Ben Rice travels to Ft. Collins, Colorado, to talk to brewer/owner Charlie Hoxmeier of Gilded Goat Brewing and the associate director of the Colorado State University Fermentation Sciences program, Jeff Calloway. We talk coffee beers, COVID canning, the Colorado craft beer community, and more science than you can shake a stick at! Plus! Yeast culture! Sustainability! Malt testing! And watersheds! And so, so much more. Enjoy!Follow Gilded Goat on IG @gildedgoatbrewcoLearn more about the Colorado State University Fermentation Science Program on IG @csu_fermentationBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the Black Is Beautiful Initiative, as featured in Episode 129 with Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brewing, at www.blackisbeautiful.beerGet your merch or make donations at www.customink.com/fundraising/black-is-beautiful-initia

Host Ben Rice travels to Alameda, CA, to conduct Barley & Me's long-postponed 125th episode, a video episode with Almanac Beer Co's brewmaster Phillip Emerson and Admiral Maltings's co-founder Ron Silberstein. We talk maltster and brewer's pasts, presents, and futures, in three segments, recorded at The Rake at Admiral Maltings, the Almanac brewhouse, and Almanac's taproom. Running themes include education, that beer is agriculture, sustainability is key, ingredients matter, and inclusivity is the most important frontier in the future of craft. Plus! Sours! Lagers! COVID! and the importance of making beer, for a cause, with purpose. Enjoy! And check out the video episode on YouTube!Check out the malt offerings at Admiral Maltings at www.admiralmaltings.comSee what's going on at Almanac Beer Co @almanacbeerBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to lea

Host Ben Rice travels to Fort Collins, CO, to continue Maltster May(hem) with Chris Schooley and Steve Clark of Troubadour Maltings and Carol & Tim Cochran of Horse & Dragon Brewing. We talk craft malt's humbling beginnings, coffee paparazzi, and hemorrhaging money in pursuit of your passion! Plus! Malt extraction processes and efficiencies, what "consistency" means in beer now, disgusting old roasts, the challenges of brewery ownership, and a surprising fact about the next generation of Fort Collins. All this and more, on episode 145 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Horse & Dragon Brewing on IG @horseanddragonbrewFollow Troubadour Maltings across social media @troubadourmaltingsBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the Black Is Beautiful Initiative, as featured in Episode 129 with Marcus Baskerville of Weath

Host Ben Rice kicks off Maltster May(hem) with Fort Collins's Root Shoot Malting founders Todd & Emily Olander and Natalie Yoder, co-owner of the brand-new Fort Collins brewery Stodgy Brewing. We talk opening a brewery in COVID and how canning could have been catastrophic for her, moving the family farming business whole-hog into the craft malt world, and the odd challenges of making truly local beer. Plus! Maltsters educating brewers, the strange mismatch of market research versus sales reality, fair pricing, and we also get into whether Barleywine is Life or Lie. All this and more, on episode 144 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Visit www.stodgybrewing.com for more info about their local, limited offerings and availability.Check out Root Shoot Malting at www.rootshootmalting.com or find em on TikTok!Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more abo

Host Ben Rice travels to Fort Collins, CO, to talk to Purpose Brewing & Cellars's owners/brewers Peter & Frezi Bouckaert about their distinguished history in beer and world travel. We delve into beer history, personal history, and their star-making roles in the 2020 beer documentary Beer: A Love Story. They are instantly captivating, lovely, knowledgeable, and adventurous as individuals, as a couple, and as brewers. Sit back and listen to them regale you with tales of success and failure, experimentation and hard-won wins. Oh, and the beers are phenomenal - 5 new recipes released each week, likely never to be seen again. Enjoy this episode as much as I did. Cheers!Get the skinny on Purpose and their weekly releases at www.purposebrewing.com and follow their IG for beautiful beer footage @purposebrewingFind out more about Beer: A Love Story on IG @beermovie2020Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod.Also, during this crisis, 100% of profits from sales of Barley & Me shirts

Host Ben Rice travels to Denver, Colorado, to record his first on-site episode in over a year! Ben sits down with Great Divide's marketing manager Matt Sandy and multi-instrumentalist Tom Hagerman (DeVotchKa, Tom Hagerman, Post Truth Serum) to discuss the beer and music businesses and their odd overlaps, especially in the time of COVID and the early aughts and releasing new projects/beers at a time where the industries are completely in flux. Plus! Music reviews vs beer reviews, "finding your Yeti," and finding comfort in familiarity. All this and more, on episode 142 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Follow Great Divide across social media @greatdividebrewDefinitely seek out Tom Hagerman's latest, Post Truth Serum, on BandCamp at posttruthserum.bandcamp.com or find him on Instagram @tom_hagermanBarley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comAnd be sure to learn more about the Blac

Host Ben Rice sits down (virtually) with Sacramento Pink Boots Society members Paulina Olivares and Bia Hoskins (Blaker Brewing/Drake's: The Barn) to talk about the 2021 Pink Boots Society brew days and beer releases (hint: Check out Capital Taproom AKA CapTap April 17 for a tap takeover and some mixed 4 packs). In addition to the history of Pink Boots and the beer releases, we also talk about recent loosening of membership requirements, this year's proprietary hop blend, the various scholarship programs available to members, and the Women's International Beer Summit (happening April 24-25). Plus! We all miss MySpace playlists, high school reunions, COVID's Clark Kent Effect, and why men and women view murder podcasts and shows completely differently. And so much talk about empathy, new and old fighting styles, the discreet sadness and terror of Marvel movies, and distinct walks. If you think there's more than that... you're right. On the latest episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about the Pink B

Barley & Me host Ben Rice is joined by Paulina Olivares (Sacramento Pink Boots Society) and Corky McDonnell (Dare Daniel Podcast) to review this week's beer-centric flick, Furious 7. This film was recommended by the boysz at Drink Something, Say Something Podcast! We break down this film's plot, script, acting, and beer authenticity, over a pint of Fight Me I'm Irish from Campus Brewing and some pickle whiskey (we recorded on St. Patrick's Day). Is this a beer movie? How does it compare to other beer movies? Which stunts blew our minds?!? And what the hell kinda Belgian ale is this? Plus! Hilarious real-life car crashes, cloud dancers, the unexpected Bachelor/F&F crossover, and a MASSIVE Wahlberg family reveal you do not want to miss. Enjoy!If you have a beer-centric or heavily-beer-involved movie recommendation, let us know and maybe we’ll do this again!You can find this week's beer at Campus Brewing in West Sacramento, CA - check out campusbrewingcompany.com for more infoThis movie was recommended b

We always say the best candidates are ones you want to have a beer with. So Barley & Me host Ben Rice decided to start Beer on the Ballot, conversations with candidates for state and local government over a beer brewed in their district (in this episode, we recorded at Oak Park Brewing - thank you to Becca, Geoff, Rodg, and the staff/crew of OPB for the space and time). Recordings are presented without edits for content, only for clearer and more consistent sound. On its inaugural episode, Ben chats with Sacramento City Council district 5 candidate Caity Maple about who she is, what she's done, her platform, and the challenges she faces, as well as answers questions from her constituents. Find out more about Candidate Maple and her platform at www.caitymaple.com. If you're in Sacramento's District 5, you can submit suggestions and concerns to her at https://forms.gle/oskXp3gL3DDTFmoeA. The District 5 election date is June 7, 2022.

Host Ben Rice, along with Beer Talk Now!'s D Neal, travels (virtually) to Springdale, Arkansas, to talk to Core Brewing's two brewers, Rodrigo Medina and Jamie Conway. Two brewers may sound totally normal until you hear the size of Core's operations, then you'll feel sorry for the sheer volume of liquid these two have to power through. But then you realize how deep their bond and friendship are and how in tune they are with what they want to do and what the brewery needs from them and you only feel kinda bad! We talk their involvement in the Black Is Beautiful national rollout, the secret joys of the seltzer world, and bringing hazy and milkshake IPAs to Arkansas! Plus! D Neal denigrates the good name of the Pliny franchise, Ben talks about the criminal underbelly of his childhood, Jamie talks about changing career paths, and Rodrigo discloses a shocking secret about his beer love development. All this and so much more, on episode 140 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Learn more about Core Brewing by visiting www.cor