Few Brews Podcast

It's always fun sitting down with friends who have been supporting Few Brews since the very beginning. MacKenna was one of the few who attended our very first tasting and has been to almost every one since. Truly, it's always a good time chatting with MacKenna. On the mic, we talk about acquired tastes and how palates change as beer drinkers, the wonders of Puerto Rico Food & Liquor, and how to be an awesome host. Beer Lineup:  Marz Community Brewing Lumpen Boogie - Pale Wheat Ale w/Rooibos Tea Allagash Brewing Company Hoppy Table Beer - Table Beer Hop Butcher for the World Milkstachio - Milk Stout w/Pistachio "Sponsored" by Blue Moon - A Refreshing Twist on Beer

In both beer and music, the Midwest is often unrightfully overlooked or overshadowed by the opposing East and West Coast scenes. We asked Josh Savaugeau and Nicolette Fendon, of the band Midwest, what does it mean to be from the Midwest and what was the significance of them naming their band after the region? They also talk about their experience with beer and in the beer industry, yoga and their love of France, all while convincing Jorge to learn guitar and give biking another chance. If your curious what Midwest (the band) sounds like, we share their song "Bone From Bone" in full at the very end of the episode! Cheers!   Beer Lineup:  Whiner Beer Le Tub - Wild Farmhouse Ale Central State Brewing Co. Gute Nacht - Farmhouse Stout Brasserie de St-Sylvestre Gavroche - French Red Ale "Sponsored" by Hamm's - The Beer Refreshing 

On this episode of the Few Brews Podcast, we were fortunate enough to talk to some of Goose Island's finest -- Mike Erickson, Goose Island's Digital Media Manager, and Megan Lagesse, Communications Manager for craft breweries within The High End business unit of Anheuser-Busch (which includes Goose Island).  We spend a good amount of time discussing the culture and family this Chicago institution has built and continued to grow, Goose Island's role within the Chicago beer community and the Bourbon County Stout craze. The two of them provide a lot of really great insight into what makes this brewery so special and beloved in this city.  Beer Lineup:  Goose Island Madame Rose - Belgian Style Wild Ale w/Cherries Goose Island Fulton & Wood Cream Ale - Cream Ale Moody Tongue Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter - Baltic Porter "Sponsored" by Newcastle Brown Ale - The One and Only

We here at Few Brews love barrel aged beers just about as much as our guests Mike Morua and Andrew Urdiales love each other. There's just something about getting home after putting in a hard day's work, lighting a fire in the fireplace and sitting next to your good buddy, barrel aged beer. Unlike most, it really takes the time to listen to you and comfort you when needed. If it wasn't so dang small, you know it would give you it's shoulder to lean on. And it's smell... we could go on and on about it's smell. Whoa there. Calm down, Few Brews.  Anyways, on this episode of the Few Brews Podcast, Mike and Andrew talk about their bromance, where they met and how they fell in love... with beer. It's always interesting to hear about how people first got into craft beer, and these two couldn't have more different stories.  Beer Lineup:  Transient Artisan Ales Kentuckly - Bourbon Barrel Aged Breakfast Stout Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher - Rum Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout Founders Backwoods Bastard - Bo

Top 3 things learned on our spookiest episode to-date, ordered from least-spooky to OMG this is actually terrifying:  When ranking candy, it's okay to talk about chocolate and candy separately. Amy is married. NO WAY!! Who would have known?  Jorge has been followed around by a shadow figure who haunts him in his sleep for the past 10 years.   Hoppy Halloween!!! [Count Dracula laugh]  Beer Lineup: Pipeworks Brewing Co. Lizard King - American Pale Ale Pipeworks Brewing Co. Grand Guignol Act 2 - Imperial oatmeal stout w/blueberry and coffee Pipeworks Brewing Co. Grand Guignol Act 3 - Imperial oatmeal stout w/cherries and spices "Sponsored" by Budweiser - America

Welcome to Beer Awakenings, a booze-infused conversation with Tara Azzaretti and Margaret Howe about how they went from drinking "cheap shit" (thanks, Margaret) in college to waking up at age 21 with incredibly refined palates for craft beer. Snobs? No. We've seen them rock a party beer here and there, sometime a few. These two had the fortune of discovering craft beer early in life, through friends in the industry and studying abroad. We also talk to them about their favorite styles (Belgians vs. IPAs), their long history attending Few Brews tastings and marathon running.  Beer Lineup:  Elysian Space Dust - American IPA Brasserie d'Achouffe  La Chouffe - Belgian strong ale New Glarus Champ Du Blanc - American Wild Ale "Sponsored" by Bud Light - Smooth and Refreshing Light Beer

We're super excited to welcome back one of our best buds/coworkers/former-roommates, Mark Mullins. While enjoying a couple big brews, we chat about his favorite spots in Chicago to grab a beer, comedy podcasts, the beer styles he most enjoys and Chicago's finest liqueur, Malör. If you haven't already, also take a listen to Mark's first appearance on the podcast way back in March of 2015.  Beer Lineup:  Karben4 Brewing Idiot Farm - Imperial India Pale Ale Pipeworks Brewing Co. Just Drink It Dummy - double IPA w/Sorachi Ace hops Urban Legend Brewing Company You Big Dummy - imperial red ale "Sponsored" by Old Style - Traditional Lager

Our good friend Jason Amen is the man responsible for all the amazing event photography we've been featuring on our site and Facebook page the past couple of months. We talk to him on this podcast episode about the different kinds of beer he enjoys, how he got started with photography and his approach to taking pictures at events... all while enjoying a few pretty heavy brews. If you dig the photos Jason has been taking for us, make sure to check out more of his work at his Instagram. Beer Lineup:  Illuminated Brew Works Orange Sunshine - citrus saison  Transient Artisan Ales Buckley - Imperial breakfast stout Cahoots Brewing AmEn - barleywine  "Sponsored" by Foster's - Australia's Famous Beer

On our 12th Few Brews Podcast episode, we sat down with the always wonderful Jason and Kelli Thompson. We had a lot of fun talking to both of them about Germany, their upcoming full-time move to Munich, and the wonderful world of German beer. We're so glad we got to chill with these two for a little bit before they make their big move and pumped we'll now have a great excuse to visit Germany... someday [sigh]... someday.  Beer Lineup: Hofbräu Original - premium lager Spaten Münchner Hell - premium lager Tilmans Biere Das Helle - light lager Tilmans Biere Die Dunkel - dark lager "Sponsored" by Beck's - Biere Beer

Chicago Craft Beer Week (CCBW), an eleven day craft beer celebration throughout the city of Chicago, sadly came to a close this past Memorial Day weekend. From 2011 to 2014, the events during the week have more than quadrupled with over 300 locations and 600 hosted events. Crazy, right!? This year, the Few Brews team and photographer Jason Amen attended CCBW's annual opening event, Beer Under Glass (BUG) at the Garfield Park Conservatory.  On this special bonus episode of the Few Brews Podcast, the Few Brews team -- Jorge, Matt and Tommy -- discuss our experiences at this wonderful event, the top 8 beers we tasted and the breweries they are from. Overall, the four of us had amazing time attending Beer Under Glass and really enjoyed learning about all of the great breweries calling the Chicagoland area home. Cheers! 

This podcast episode has been a long time coming. Back in January, Peter Yamashiro and Kristen Rau graciously invited us into their home and shared a few of their favorite Twin Cities (Minnesota) brews. What we found out... our friends are very (VERY) passionate about the Twin Cities, the Minneapolis/St. Paul divide is real, which is surprising because the area has such friendly breweries, and Hamm's isn't the preferred cheap beer of all Minnesotans... give a guy a heart attack, why don't ya? Cheers, Folks! This is a fun one.  Beer Lineup: Summit Brewing Company EPA - extra pale ale Indeed Brewing Company Day Tripper - pale ale Surly Brewing Co. Coffee Bender - coffee brown ale Surly Brewing Co. Nein - Imperial smoked dunkelweizen  "Sponsored" by Grain Belt - The Friendly Beer

Started with Budweiser, now we're here. After releasing 10 episodes of the Few Brews Podcast, we thought it would be a good time to have a little fun (well, a little more fun) and release all of the "sponsor" ads we've recorded so far in a wonderfully, uhhh, "creative" bonus episode. Ad Lineup: Episode 1: Budweiser "Hello, Everybody" Ad Episode 2: Dos Equis "Most Interesting Dad in the World" Ad Episode 3: Miller Lite "Beer Chimp" Ad Episode 4: Corona "Hide! War Beach!" Ad Episode 5: Old Style "Beer Man!" Ad Episode 6: Lone Star "Time is an Empty Can" Ad Episode 7: Michelob Ultra "We Call Ourselves the..." Ad Episode 9: Miller High Life "It's HIGH LIFE!!!" Ad Episode 10: Stella Artois "All I Want for Christmas is Brews" Ad

After you finish opening presents with family and eating a big old Christmas breakfast, Few Brews has one more gift for you... our first Few Brews Podcast Christmas Special! This episode we chat about our favorite holiday traditions with our resident Scrooge, Matt Diamond, and our jolly friend Josh Wood.  Beer Lineup: Great Lakes Brewing Co. Christmas Ale - ale with holiday spices Revolution Brewing Fistmas Ale - red ale St. Bernardus Christmas Ale - Belgian quad The Bruery 8 Maids-a-Milking - Imperial milk stout "Sponsored" by Stella Artois - Premium Lager Beer

The scariest night of the year is almost upon us… no, not TBOX in Wrigleyville, it’s HALLOWEEN!!! On our 9th episode of the Few Brews Podcast, we invited our good friend Drew Moody back to talk about the spookiest beers available in Chicago and our favorite Halloween memories, both as a kid and adult. Cheers! Beer Lineup: The Lost Abbey Witch’s Wit – Belgian Witbier AleSmith Brewing Company Evil Dead Red Ale – Red Ale Clown Shoes Beer Undead Party Crasher – American Imperial Stout “Sponsored” by Miller High Life – The Champagne of Beers Side Note —If you haven’t already, make sure to check out Drew’s coffee blog, cornerofthecafe.com. On the site, you’ll find coffee (and beer) reviews, interviews, brewing methods, and other coffee-related resources.

Mica and Nico Bernal, Founders of Chicago-based run club Three Run Two, stopped by the Few Brews pad to chat about our ideal post-race brews. As you might imagine, we talk a lot about running in this episode... a lot. If you listen to this, live in Chicago and want to know more about what this Three Run Two crew is all about, come out one of our runs! You can find the schedule here. Also, what brews are you all craving post-run or -race? Let us know in the comments.

On our sixth podcast episode, we share a few brews (and laughs) with our good friend Diane "Dizzle" Kim! Her hometown favorite, SweetWater Brewing Company, is now being distributed to Chicago, and she was kind enough to bring a couple (4 six-packs) of their beers to share with us... and we sure did enjoy them! At the end of the podcast, we also taste a beer given to us by another friend of Few Brews, Nicole Vassos. This is a fun one, folks!

After a night of drinking, the last thing you probably want to do is go back and listen to a recording of yourself acting like a goof... but hey, we think you might enjoy it! On episode 5 of the Few Brews Podcast, hosts Jorge, Tommy and Dylan share (we'll say "a few") brews with our very good friends Mark Mullins and Mark Eisenman. We've been told this episode sounds like a bunch a friends hanging out, and for your sake and the sake of this podcast's reputation, we truly hope that's the case. Crack open a few cold ones and share a few laughs with us as we discuss beer, the state of the industry and Mullins' love of Fun. Beer Lineup: Stone Brewing Co. Arrogant Bastard Ale Stone Brewing Co. Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard Ale Stone Brewing Co. Lukcy Basartd Ale Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale "Sponsored" by Old Style - Traditional Lager

One thing we love so much about the brewing community is how ingrained collaboration and experimentation are in its spirit and traditions. On our fourth podcast, we share a few brews with our good friend Morgan Smith and her brother Patrick, Bar Manager at The Violet Hour — one of Chicago’s best cocktail bars. The topic: cocktail inspired beers, where you’ll hear us talk about and discover different parallels between the two very unique booze-oriented worlds. Beer Lineup: Perennial Artisan Ales The Last Word –  tart golden ale brewed with key limes and herbs Pipeworks Brewing Stark Raven Mad – rye strong “old timey” ale “Sponsored” by Corona – La Cerveza Mas Fina

Inspired by our time at Good Beer Hunting’s Uppers and Downers Festival, we invited Drew Moody to sit down with us and talk about the rapidly growing world of coffee beer. Drew has his own coffee blog, cornerofthecafe.com, where he writes 150-175 coffee reviews annually. He is also a former barista, good friend of ours and the perfect person to share a few very delicious coffee brews with.

For our first podcast episode ever recorded, we sat down with Few Brews founder Tommy Crawford’s dad, Tom Crawford III. TC 3 and 4 have a long history with root beer, especially in float form, and we thought it would be fun to discuss two very different root beer inspired beers. While it may not be the first episode we chose to release, this is how we really got this podcast party started! Stay thirsty, my friends.