It's a long overdue visit to the Lombard taproom, and a chat with Afterthought Brewing's owner/brewer, Mike Thorpe. Mike's passion for the saison style is front and center in the award-winning ales he produces, and The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen, get to taste some of his best examples. If you can't visit Belgian, then head to Afterthought where you can try some of the most simple to most complex saisons this side of the Atlantic! It was a little 'echoey' in the taproom, but hopefully it won't detract too much from the conversation. Santé!

For our St. Patrick's Day show, we are at the newest addition to the Chicago brewing scene, 206 Brewing Company and we talk with owner/brewer/retired firefighter Bill King. When we showed up, the nano brewpub had just opened for the day, so you may get a little background noise, but hey, it's all pub ambiance! We hear from Bill about why he wanted to embark on this project and how he plans to make it THE craft beer place where First Responders and Veterans can come by for a chat and a brew! This podcast is published the day before their Grand Opening on March 18th, 2023, so you may want to head over there that weekend and check them out...tell them The Brit sent you! Cheers!

We return to the pub for this show and welcome an illustrious panel of FOBAB volunteers and brewers, who all bring past FOBAB winner beers. This show was suggested by long-time volunteer, Kevin Herbst, and he is joined by Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing, John Bittermann, and co-owner of Art History Brewing, Tom Rau, plus your host Phil 'The Brit' Clark. We find out why the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild relies heavily on volunteer help to ensure the festival is a success, plus how you can sign up and help out in the future, and of course a dollop of the usual pub chat. There are 6 brews to sample, and we find out which one is the preference of each of the panel. This is a bumper edition so it's a 'travel to work' and a 'travel home' listen. Cheers!

We have been waiting a long time to chat with this brewer, and recently David Files from Energy City Brewing entertained The Brit and co-host Chuck Fort at his Batavia taproom. We found out that ECB is not all about fruit beers and that there are many more great styles available! Listen in to find out how David and his wife Heidi have taken their brewery from a small location, open once a month, to flexible business model that has a taproom and international distro. Plus, The Brit keeps an open mind on the fruit beers, and finds out they are pretty darn good! Cheers!

This week we visit with an old chum of the podcast, Erik Pizer, who has opened Flipside Brewing in Tinley Park. This brewpub is fast becoming the local to hang out at, and we talk about his beers, his great food, and why he decided to go with this business model. The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen are treated to some very good and balanced brews, plus some of the best fried cheese curds around. Comfort food, good beer, and a good time...what more do you need! Cheers!

A couple of weeks after celebrating their 7th Anniversary, brewers/owners Dan Camp and Jason Janes talk with the podcast team in a retrospective episode. We have been tracking them since their opening, which incidentally saw some 1100 people attend, checked in with them 1 year later in show 215, and featured them in our series of 'live' recordings featuring breweries along the I-55 corridor. Most recently, albeit March of 2020, we 'zoomed' with Dan during the pandemic. So, it just made sense that we should sit down and find out how this journey is progressing. We are pleased to say that the beers and their prospects are still great! But don't take our word for it. Listen to this podcast where Dan and Jason provide some stories from their history, including how their 'original' pickle sour, Rick, came into being. Plus an insight into the future, all to the background of construction noises. Construction for what? Tune in to find out! Cheers!

Join the podcast team as they chat with co-owner and brewer, Frank Mercadante along with his wife Diane, and General Manager Oliver Bulley, recorded at the newest brewery to open in Batavia IL. We find out how the name of the Italian Pilsner came about, the history of the building, and plans for the future. Plus we sample a few of their brews and discover why this taproom and brewery has become an important meeting place in the Batavia community. Cheers!

This year we are focusing on a vertical of a classic beer as The Brit was able to source 4 variants of the classic J. W. Lee's Harvest Ale. To share the tasting he invited his co-hosts and some guest brewers to sample them, at the Pub and in their breweries. On hand to help The Brit are co-host Ken McMullen, head brewer at Hopvine Brewing, Steve Newman and Sam Altaner from Brother Chimp Brewing, and co-host Chuck Fort, and head brewer Sean Gregor from Church Street Brewing. Oh, and a cameo from Mike Seaman of Broken Brix! What are the panel's opinions on the brews? Do the beer they stand up to the 'historical' hype? Are they 'treat' beers that are worth seeking out? Tune in and find out! This is the audio version of our YouTube channel video, so if you want the 'full Monty', head over to here to view it - https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM - Cheers!

It's the time of year that breweries release beers that contain cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and other adjuncts. The Brit visited a local chain liquor store and randomly selected 7 beers for the panel to taste and chat about. And that panel comprised the two co-hosts of the podcast, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing, and back because he hasn't been to the pub for a while, beer-nerd and chum, Tom Ryan. We of course divert from chat about the beers and cover many topics including the World Cup, and the origins of demerara sugar. Which of these brews came out the favorite? Or perhaps it was more than one! Tune in and find out! Cheers!

The Brit is on vacation visiting family in the UK, so what better opportunity than to visit a few pubs and a brewery! The southern county of Sussex is home to Harvey's Brewing, originating in 1745, but it also boasts plenty of new craft breweries including the one we visited, Firebird Brewing, located in an old brickworks factory in Rudgwick, Sussex. Founded by brewers Bill King and Richard Peters, The Brit sat down with Richard in their taproom and chatted about their brewery and US/UK brewing differences. It's a working brewery and it was cleaning day so excuse the background noises. Tune in to this episode to get a great insight into modern British brewing! Cheers!

In this bumper episode of Behind The Pint we are exploring why lagers have experienced a new surge in popularity, even though they have been the backbone of the beer industry for hundreds of years. The Brit and his Yankee co-host, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, took a roadtrip downstate to Urbana IL, and met up at Riggs Beer with the two brewing Riggs brothers, Matt and Darin. Both Church and Riggs have been making lagers for many years, and doing so very successfully. We dive into lager styles, what the secret to making a great lager is, and Matt talks to his experiences brewing in Germany. Of course the conversation takes a few diversions along the way and we sample the Riggs lagers, including their new 6-Row Pils. Cheers!

Every year in the January/February time period, the pub staff and a lineup of guests sample a selection of that outlier style, the barleywine. For 2022, we had set a couple of dates but had to postpone them due to some life stuff happening. Then it got to be summer when a young beer drinker's fancy turns to lighter styles. Well, not us! Gathering in the air conditioned climate of our favorite winery and meadery, Broken Brix in St. Charles IL, The Brit and his co-hosts faced the challenge of six high-ABV barleywines, most of which were barrel-aged, and brewed in several states, including our home state of Illinois. Listen in and find out which brew the panel preferred...Cheers!

This week we are excited to be talking to Reeve Joseph who is bringing mixed culture and sour ales to Chicago with his project called Odious Cellars. He is currently brewing out of Duneyrr Fermenta Brewery in Chicago's Motor Row, while working on their taproom in west Logan Square. That said, you can obtain their brews at various outlets across the area, and we highly encourage you to do so! This episode was recorded via Zoom, but joining The Brit in the pub studio are the pubcast's co-hosts, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, and Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing. We have a couple of shout-outs for this edition; first to Marge Wright who first opined on the marvels of OC styles, and secondly to Beer On The Wall in Park Ridge for opening their doors on a 'closed' day to allow me to purchase some additional cans. We covered the obligatory topics of Reeve's start in brewing, but wanted to focus on the 5 beers we had to drink. Each had a unique profile, plus the can art is magnificent - it's worth buying just for that! So, listen in and hear what Reeve and the lads have to say about his beers! Cheers!!

We all know that the cost of goods and labor is going up, but how does this affect the cost of your pint of craft beer? We gathered 3 brewers to discuss this and help you, the craft consumer, understand why the price of your pint and 4-pack might be a little higher this year. The Brit and his co-host Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing (Aurora IL), are joined in the pub studio by Art History Brewing (Geneva IL) co-owner, Tom Rau. And over Zoom, we welcome Josh Grubbs, owner/brewer of Black Lung Brewing (Round Lake IL). It is an interesting insight into the many factors that every brewery needs to consider when pricing their tap room and distributed product...some of which you may not realize. Cheers!

This edition is our Craft Beer Week offering and we 'zoom' in with Will County's Jamie Albert who , tells us about what's happening at the brewery including expansion plans! Also, Jamie plugs a very important fest coming up this weekend at the Joliet Hollywood Casino, The House That Beer Built, which benefits the Will County chapter of Habitat for Humanity...yup, they're actually framing walls for the house at the event, so maybe you'll catch Jamie swinging a hammer! Cheers!!

Church Street Brewing is celebrating their 10 year anniversary! We have always had a great relationship with these fine folks, and we have enjoyed their brews for many years and followed their changes and expansion with interest. There was a social media post asking for memories of the brewery, so we thought we would replay our first visit to them back in July of 2013, when The Brit sat down with the owners Lisa and Joe (who was also then the head brewer) Gregor. Their classic approach and styles have long server the palates of their faithful customers, and today we see this family business stronger than ever with Sean Gregor taking the reins of head brewer. Take a listen down memory lane and hear how it all started. Cheers!

Today we examine the craft style phenomenon which seems to be highly divisive, Hazy or New England IPAs. You either love 'em or hate 'em! We assembled a panel of  local expert brewers from the Chicagoland area who join Phil 'The Brit' Clark to examine this relatively new style. They include my co-host Chuck Fort, Sr. Brewing Consultant at Church Street Brewing, head brewer Eric Bramwell from Riverlands Brewing, and Steve Kamp from Evil Horse Brewing. We dive into what the style is, the differences between NEIPA and West Coast IPAs, what hops are used, how the boil process goes, and we even talk about hop and pint pricing and how the costs are rising these days, and also if you should add lactose or not. All this and more as The Brit gets educated in an effort to get a better appreciation for the style....Cheers!

We begin a new series of podcasts where we try to delve a little deeper into the business of craft beer. We want to go Behind the Pint. To kick us off, we're asking if Craft Beer is really just beer, or if it's a marketing ploy that has exploded into an industry. We have three local Chicago industry experts, 2 brewers and one craft beer guru, on hand to pass opinions and talk about the topic in general.  First up is my co-host for this episode. brewmaster at Hopvine Brewing in Aurora IL, Ken McMullen. Supporting the brewing side is owner/brewer Chris Valleau from Forest Park's Exit Strategy Brewing. And finally, beer consultant, educator and writer, and international beer judge, Marty Nachel who helps provide the bridge between the brewers and the consumer. Phil Clark asks the questions, and of course we all have something good to drink while we chat...Cheers!

In this edition, my co-host Chuck Fort and The Brit welcome a 2021 GABF Gold Medal winner and someone who is intensely passionate about his craft. Matt Manthe is the brewer behind Odd Breed Ales, a small brewery in Pompano Beach FL, who is making quite a mark in the arena of wild and farmhouse ales using a unique mixed culture of wild yeast and bacteria, and aged them in oak barrels. Also joining us is return guest and chum of the podcast, Kevin Abbott, who is Director of Operations for Barrel of Monks Brewing in Boca Raton FL. BoM is the partner brewery to Odd Breed and he tells us how the relationship came into being and the many benefits it brings both parties. This is an in-depth podcast which should appeal to home and professional brewers as well as the craft beer drinker who wants to understand more about this side of the industry. If you liked this edition, we are hoping to get Matt back on for more insight, so please send us your comments, emails and questions, and we'll work on a better mic and connection for Matt!! Cheers!

We finally made it up to Lake Zurich and to a brewery that we have long wanted to check out and sample their brews, and with a 4th Anniversary looming at the end of September this was the right time! Roaring Table Brewing has been slowly but surely producing some of the finest brews in the area, and even national craft industry magazines are starting to be aware of how good they are. Co-host Ken McMullen and The Brit sat down with Lane Fearing, half of the dynamic duo who run the business, Beth May being the other. Due to a storm running through the area and knocking out the home power, Beth couldn't be with us, so it fell to Lane to face the questions from the podcast team. We sampled their beers and they are knockouts! Check out our YouTube channel for a video teaser...Cheers!