Beer Busters

With Bruce Tanner at Ever Grain Brewing Company Central PA boasts a bounty of bangin' breweries. Harrisburg-bound once again, we stopped by Ever Grain Brewing in Camp Hill, PA to sit down and chat with brewmaster Bruce Tanner. We talked about the story of this soon-to-be one-year-old brewery and what's in store for the future. Dan presented the news including yet another brewery buyout, and the slowing growth of the craft beer industry. In Happy Fun Time, we played the bizarre brew game There's Weird in My Beer and Steph talked about the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail (a collab among several cool spots including Ever Grain) in Know Your Beers. And – you'd never guess it, but – we drank some beer!

With Brendan Hartranft and Sarah Fuller at Local 44 Plus Jason Stewart from Grainfather & Ethan Tripp from Fermentery Form West Philly bound for this episode, where we sat down at the bottle shop at Local 44 Beer Bar with owner Brendan Hartranft and manager Sarah Fuller. Also joining us were Jason Stewart, representative for The Grainfather all grain homebrewing systems and Ethan Tripp, founder of the new Fermentery Form – a new farmhouse style brewery in the West Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Dan reported on the Brewers Association's new independent beer seal and a (obviously misguided) "beer for women" from the Czech Republic. We played a Belgian Beer edition of Libation or Fabrication in Happy fun Time and sampled an array of Belgian beers in honor of Belgian Beer Week and some offeringd from Fermentery Form.

Kate Sorrento and Ethan Buckman at Stickman Brews We return to Stickman Brews in Royersford, PA once again to chat with brewer and returning guest Ethan, as well as newcomer to the podcast Kate. Topics include the development of the Stickman brand, the expansion of their barrel program and a lengthy and in-depth discussion about the state of craft beer consumer-hood. Ethan certainly had a ton of insightful things to say and this episode is worth a listen for that conversation alone. We played The Beer Seller in Happy Fun Time and Steph talked about the Helles Bock style in Know Your Beers. And there was beer…and we drank it…and it was good. Want more Beer Busters? Support the podcast on Patreon and get access to our bonus podcast "minisode" series, Last Call. Episode 2 from our time at Stickman is available now!

Live at the Ninja, Cowboy, Bear Scavenger Hunt at Evil Genius Featuring Trevor Hayward and Gordon Brennan We're back at Evil Genius again! This time we broadcasted live for the final stop of the Evil Genius Philly Beer Week Scavenger Hunt that lead participants from bar to bar throughout the Fishtown neighborhood. To kick things off we sat down with Trevor and Gordon to chat about the event and its inspiration. At The Lab, the Evil Genius tap room, scavenger hunt teams braved their penultimate task: participating in lighting rounds of Happy Fun Time Games live on the Beer Busters Podcast. After their brief brush with internet fame, the teams participated in a tournament of Ninja, Cowboy, Bear (like Rock, Paper, Scissors but with full-body involvement) to vie to be crowned the winners of the Hunt. Live play-by-play commentary was provided by Dan and Wayne during the tense battle.

With Luke Bowen, Trevor Hayward, Garrett Williams & Kevin Keller at The Lab at Evil Genius Beer Company Way back in July of 2013, Luke and Trevor journeyed to the Beer Busters Podcast Basement to join us for Episode 7 of our then fledgling podcast. The founders and owners of Evil Genius Beer Company were our first "real" beer industry guests. They, and many others from Evil Genius, have appeared on the podcast several times – but Evil Genius never had their own location…until now. We've finally had the honor of recording a podcast at The Lab, the tasting room at the newly opened Evil Genius Brewery in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. As wells as catching up with Evil Genius, in this episode we discussed at length the AB-InBev acquisition of Wicked Weed, played Years of Beers in Happy Fun Times, and Rich took over Know Your Beers again to talk about beer "muling". And we drank, obviously.

Harrisburg Beer Week Little Big Beer Fest 2017 at Appalachian Brewing For the third year running, we took the stage at Harrisburg Beer Week's premiere fest event, Little Big Beer Fest at Appalachian Brewing Company. This fest features a limited number of high ABV beers from some of Central PA's top breweries and caps off the weeklong celebration of craft beer in the state capitol. The brainchild of the Stouts and Stilettos crew and Sara Bozich, Harrisburg Beer Week has continued to grow in scope and success in its third year. We caught up with several old friends of the show as well as welcoming some new-comers. As usual, delicious brews and awesome people abounded at one of our favorite beer fests of the year.

Imminent Liquidation VII Bottle Share at Grain + Verse Bottlehouse This year at the seventh annual Imminent Liquidation bottle share event, we got our podcast on and chatted with a laundry list of the dopest peeps in attendance. The long-running event is the brainchild of Tröegs Brewing Company Marketer Ffej Herb and is central PA's premiere bottle share event. Every year, guests dust off their rarest, yummiest brews to share and raise money for charity. The event has recently been added to the roster of Harrisburg Beer Week happenings and this year donations and raffle proceeds went to Goats of Anarchy, a charity that rescues and rehabilitates baby goats with special needs. Old friends and new joined us to talk about the event, the benefitting charity and, of course, beer.

With Brian O'Reilly & Peter Giannopoulos at Sly Fox Brewing We set up shop at Sly Fox's Pottstown location to sit down with Brewmaster Brian O'Reilly and Assistant Operations Manager Peter Giannopoulos. Over brews we chatted about the Schuylkill River Trail Ale Earth Day release, learned the ins and outs of "Can Jam" and got the scoop on the origin story of Sly Fox's famous Annual Bock Festival and Goat Races. Dan reported on the Brewers Association "crack-down" on offensive beer names and a collaboration between Alesmith and the band Sublime. In Happy Fun Time we played Band or Beer and Steph explored the Doppelbock style in Know Your Beers. And guess what? We drank beer too. www.slyfoxbeer.com

With Chuck Golder & Dan Popernack at La Cabra Brewing In this episode we headed to Berwyn, PA to sit down with Chuck and Dan at La Cabra Brewing. We talked about the philosophy behind the brewpub, the story of how La Cabra came to be and much more. Dan reported on an upcoming collaboration between Cape May Brewing and Weyerbacher – an India Pale Lager called Paradise 160, and the continued growth of craft brewing with 2016 reports from the Brewers Association. We played Top Tappd Brews in Happy Fun Time , a game in which Wayne challenged everyone to guess the top rated beers on Untappd in various style categories, and Steph beerducated us about common beer faults in Know Your Beers. And, as always, we sampled an impressive roster of La Cabra brews. www.lacabrabrewing.com

With Glen Gabriel and Matt Kozar from Breweries in PA Back again in the Beer Busters Podcast Basement, we sat down with Glen and Matt from Breweries in PA, an online resource for exploring the world of craft beer in Pennsylvania. We talked about the impetus for creating Breweries in PA, how it's changed and grown and where it's headed in the future. Dan delivered the news, including the much-anticipated annual list of the top 50 breweries of 2016 in the US from the Brewers Association. In Happy Fun Time we invoked the spirit of Bob Barker in The Beer Seller, and Steph handed over the reigns to Rich in a very special edition of Know Your Beers all about how to keep your DD happy. Through it all, we drank a not insignificant amount of beers from across the great state of Pennsylvania.

With Jared Barnes & Ben Beddia at Collusion Tap Works We packed up for York, PA to sit down with Jared and Ben at Collusion Tap Works. Listeners may remember Jared, who appeared on the podcast at Little Big Beer Fest representing Wyndridge Farms. He's since struck out on his own to do awesome things at Collusion. We were also joined by Derek Markel, a longtime homebrewer who is now brewing up concoctions for the newly opened "boutique brewery" at The Vegetable Hunter, a vegetarian restaurant in Harrisburg. As usual, Dan delivered some brew news, we played Libation or Fabrication in Happy Fun Time, and Steph taught us about evaluating beer in Know Your Beers. And, of course, we drank.

With Greg Orth and Mike Reaser from Craft Tastings Master of the "mouthgasm" Greg Orth joined us again for the fourth year in a row to once again guide us through the world of food an beer pairing. His less-than-silent-partner (this time), Mike Reaser also joined in. Mixing it up this time we embarked on a beer pairing free-for-all with several tasty goodies the guys brought along and a veritable king's ransom in beer. Dan got us up to speed with news, Steph talked about beer in cheese pairings in Know Your Beers (and Cheese) and we played a random pairing game with even more beers and more snacks in Happy Fun Time – and were joined by two of our longest standing patrons from Patreon.com/BeerBusters. It was a night to remember, though some of those memories are a bit fuzzy.

With Gage Siegel, Rex Craft and Alex Yedibalian from BeerMenus.com at Kings County Brewers Collective We ticked another state off of our list of national conquest by heading to Kings County Brewers Collective in Brooklyn, NY to sit down with some of the crew from BeerMenus.com, a website and app that tracks tap lists at bars and restaurants. We learned about the company, its mission and origins and chatted about the New York and Philadelphia beer scenes. Dan reported on Dogfish Head's new barrel tap system and a review of craft beer in 2016. In Happy Fun Time we played There's Weird in My Beer and Steph talked about brewing with coffee in Know Your Beers. Plus, we sampled some of KCBC's offerings a few special treats the guys brought along.

With Alan Miller, Alex Govelovich, Carson Book, Ken Gramlich, Tim Klinger, Andy Enders & Karl Larson at Boneshire Brew Works In this episode we sat down with a rotating panel of guests (and some weaponry) at Boneshire Brew Works in Harrisburg, PA. We chatted about the journey to opening the brewery, the pros and cons of operating with a large roster of owners and more. Dan reported on the latest news including a new Walking Dead beer. In Happy Fun Time we played the old stand by Libation or Fabrication and Steph mixed things up a bit by exploring craft soda in Know Your Beers. All while we sipped on a fine selection of Boneshire brews.

With Pat Devlin, Tony Schneider & Dave Morrow at Tattered Flag Brewery & Still Works Venturing to central PA, this time to Tattered Flag in Middletown, we sat down with owner Pat Devlin, head brewer Tony Schneider and assistant brewer Dave Morrow. We talked about the brewery and still works' beginnings and philosophy, the perks and challenges of crafting beer and spirits under one roof, and much more. Dan reported on the latest happenings in the news, we played a new game entitled Ludicrous Liquor Laws (and Some Lies) in Happy Fun Time, and Steph talked about brewing with peppers (surprisingly for the first "official" time) in Know Your Beers. Plus, we sampled an array of Tattered Flag brews, topped off with a couple sips of whiskey.

With Ryan Krill, Jimmy Valm & Mark Graves at Cape May Brewing Company We've crossed state lines once again to follow our good friend Rockin' Tuna Gravy Sauce (aka Mark Graves) to his new brewing gig at Cape May Brewing in Cape May, NJ. We sat down with Mark as well as Co-Owner and President Ryan Krill and Brewmaster Jimmy Valm to chat about the brewery, New Jersey and Oprah. Dan got us up to speed with some news, in Happy Fun Time, Wayne powered through Libation or Fabrication with a voice chewed up by illness, and Steph gave us the low-down on brewing with herbs in Know Your Beers. And, as always, we sampled a variety of the top-notch Cape May brews.

With Jeremy Myers at Neshaminy Creek Brewing On the road this time in Croydon, PA, we sat down with head brewer and co-owner of Neshaminy Creek Brewing, Jeremy Myers. Our conversation ebbed and flowed across a wide range of topics while other brewers were busy "makin' the J.A.W.N." Dan reported on some news, including Stone's first special release at their Richmond, VA location and a rather unfortunate beer name, and we played The Beer Seller in Happy Fun Time. All while we sampled a wide array of Neshaminy's top-notch brews.

With Jamie Robinson & Tom Connors at Boxcar Brewing Company We took a trip out to West Chester, PA to hop aboard Boxcar Brewing company with owner Jamie Robinson and brewer Tom Connors. With the annual Christmas parade marching past outside, we chatted on a stage that once was graced by one of Dan's favorite bands. Amongst our topics of discussion were a bottling machine form the 60s and "hoboglyphs". Dan got us up to date with some news, we played Top Tappd Brews in Happy Fun Time and Steph taught us about American Pale Ales in Know Your Beers. Plus we sampled an array of Boxcar's delicious offerings.

Brewphoria 14 at Canal Street Pub & Restaurant Behold, part 2 of this year's Brewphoria: We return once again as podcasters-in-residence at one of our favorite beer fests of the year. This year, we were joined by a long list of old friends as well as some newcomers. Brewphoria is a limited attendance beer fest that allows for an intimate and up close experience with the many top-notch breweries that pour their offerings, the taps often manned by the brewers themselves. Unlike the crowded, rushed and assembly-line proceedings of bigger beer fests, Canal Street ensures that this annual event is a must for true beer lovers that appreciate the opportunity the enjoy and talk about beer in a laid-back and welcoming atmosphere. As always, Brewphoria was a blast and we're already looking forward to next year!

Episode 103, Release Date: 12/2/16 Brewphoria 14 at Canal Street Pub & Restaurant We return once again as podcasters-in-residence at one of our favorite beer fests of the year, Brewphoria at Canal Street in our hometown of Reading, PA. This year, we were joined by a long list of old friends as well as some newcomers. Brewphoria is a limited attendance beer fest that allows for an intimate and up close experience with the many top-notch breweries that pour their offerings, the taps often manned by the brewers themselves. Unlike the crowded, rushed and assembly-line proceedings of bigger beer fests, Canal Street ensures that this annual event is a must for true beer lovers that appreciate the opportunity the enjoy and talk about beer in a laid-back and welcoming atmosphere. As always, Brewphoria was a blast and we're already looking forward to next year!

With Scott Rudich, Chris Noone, and Marc Armstrong at Round Guys Brewing Company Our beerventuring took us to Lansdale, PA for this episode where we sat down with the crew at Round Guys Brewing. The welcome was warm and we had a blast chatting about sundry topics and sipping brew. Dan presented some news including Dogfish Head's new Beer for Breakfast and Rogue's new entry in their Voodoo Doughnut series. In Happy Fun Time we played a Canadian themed version of Libation or Fabrication and Steph talked about Thanksgiving beer pairings in Know Your Beers. Plus we drank some delicious, delicious beer.

With Paul Lahm, Jay Grosse and Righteous Jolly at Broken Goblet Brewing For Beer Busters 101, we took a trip out to Broken Goblet Brewing in Bristol, PA. We were joined by returning podcast guest, Paul Lahm, whose become a bit of a resident mad-scientist brewer at Broken Goblet. Co-owner Jay Grosee and Bar Manager Righteous Jolly also took turns on the mic as we chatted about the the brewery, its history and array of goings-on. Dan gave us the scoop in news, we played Band or Beer (with a gothic theme) in Happy Fun Time and Steph talked about brewing with tea in Know Your Beers. And, as usual, we sampled an array of delicious libations, some of which are not listed here because, frankly, we went off script and this episode was recorded about a month before I am writing this. So, give me a break, huh? You'll just have to listen.

100th Episode Extravaganza at Canal Street Pub We made it to 100 Episodes! To celebrate this Beer Busters milestone we held a live podcast celebration at Canal Street Pub and invited a slew of past podcast guests to come out and share in the festivities. We have been overwhelmed by the support of the craft beer community in the years since we first launched Beer Busters, and this event only served to solidify how awesome so many of the friends we've made along the way truly are. Words cannot express our gratitude for the generosity our fans and friends showed on this momentous occasion, and throughout the life of Beer Busters. We want to truly and deeply thank all of you, everyone who has been on the show, everyone who has supported us and, especially, to all of our fans who have taken this journey with us. There would never have been 100 episodes without all of you. And here's to 100 more!

At the 10th Annual Wine & Dinosaurs Fest at The Delaware Museum of Natural History For our first podcast in the First State we set up at the 10th Annual Wine and Dinosaurs Festival at the Delaware Museum of Natural History. The annual festival boasts beer, wine, food, live music and a silent auction with all proceeds benefitting the museum and the incredible work they do in their community. This was definitely one of our favorite venues we've had the privilege of podcasting in. Surrounded by dino skeletons sporting fedoras and leis, we chatted with several people from local breweries, many of which have never been represented on Beer Busters before. We'd like to extend our thanks to the museum staff, festival volunteers and all of our guests and we would definitely come back next year!

With Kyle Neuheimer at Oakbrook Brewing Company On this episode we had the rare privilege of visiting a brewery in our hometown of Reading, PA. We set up shop at Oakbrook Brewing, Reading's first brewery in over six years, and sat down with owner and brewer Kyle Neuheimer. Located in a renovated historic firehouse, decorated with a 1930s era motif and a collection of items from the building's history, Oakbrook is truly a gem. Dan reported on some news stories, including a breakfast cereal beer and an internet financed beer fund. We played Libation or Fabrication in Happy Fun Time and Steph taught us about British Brown Ales in Know Your Beers. All the while sipping on flights of Oakbrook's outstanding selection.

With Natalie DeChico from Founders Brewing & Laura Wallover from Weyerbacher at the Hulmeville Inn On this episode we set out for the Hulmeville Inn to welcome back Natalie DeChico, now with Founders Brewing. We were also joined by Laura Wallover from Weyerbacher for the second half of the episode. Dan brought us up to speed with some news, including the expansion of Molly Pitcher Brewing. We played The Beer Seller in Happy Fun Time and Steph taught us all about bitterness in Know Your Beers. All while sampling an array of brews from Founders and one from Weyerbacher.

With Eric Santostefano, Tim Floros, Jim Adams & Eric Gilliard at Levante Brewing Company We return to Levante Brewing in West Chester, PA, one year after our first visit. Along with returning guests Eric Santostefano, Tim Floros and Jim Adams, we welcomed Eric Gilliard to the show. Shennanigans ensued immediately. Since our first visit to Levante, the day before the grand opening, the brewery has grown immensely, with a packed tap room, a huge array of offerings and an ever growing staff. Dan got us up to speed on some news, we played Happy Fun Time staple Libation or Fabrication and Steph related some barrel aging tips in Know Your Beers. Plus, we sampled a long list of brews from Levante's Anniversary HOP Party.

With Rod Smith, Chad Rieker and Bill Collister at Columbia Kettle Works In this episode we set out for Columbia, PA to sit down with owners Rod Smith and Bill Collister and brewer Chad Rieker at Columbia Kettle Works. We talked about the history of CKW and upcoming plans for expansion, Chad's long family history of brewing and how he got to brew an over one hundred yeard old family recipe, and much more. Dan got us up to speed with news including an update on the ever expanding number of craft breweries in the US. We played Band or Beer in Happy Fun Time and Steph taught us about the techniques of dry hopping in Know Your Beers. Plus, we sampled Chad's family-recipe Schwartzbier, an Iron Brewer competition winning DIPA concocted by friend of the show Chris Harvey and a heavenly bourbon barrel aged stout.

With Ethan Buckman at Stickman Brews Ethan Buckman from Stickman Brews makes a second appearance on the podcast, this time on his home turf at Stickman in Royersford, PA. Ethan last joined us at Sour Sunday at Free Will Brewing. We sat down to chat about the relatively new brewery and all the awesomeness contained therein. Dan broke some news including computers writing beer recipes and a very special Beer Busters announcement. Wayne challenged his fellows to sniff out the truth in beer news headlines in Happy Fun Time and Steph educated us on the wonder of Brett in Know Your Beers. And, of course, we sampled some of the American Farmhouse goodness that Ethan's been brewing up at Stickman (including a special treat.)

With Martin Virga at Gunpowder Falls Brewing We took a trip out to Gunpowder Falls in New Freedom, PA to partake in the traditional German deliciousness brewed by owner Martin Virga, who trained in the art of brewing in Germany at one of the oldest brewing schools in the world. Plus, Dan and Wayne chatted with Tim Hennessey, the event organizer behind Pottstown Brewfest, coming up on October 22. We played Band or Beer: Metal Edition in Happy Fun Time and Steph taught us about the Dunkel style in Know Your Beers. And we sipped pints of the expertly crafted traditional Pilsner and Dunkel on tap at Gunpowder Falls.

With Doug Reeser and Kevin Margitich at Hidden River Brewing Company We spent a beautiful evening out on the deck with Doug Reeser and Kevin Margitich at Hidden River Brewing Company in Douglassville, PA. Basking in the cozy atmosphere and rustic brews we chatted about the trials and triumphs of Hidden River's first year. Dan reported on some news including some changes in PA liquor laws, we played a new game, Top Tappd Brews, in Happy Fun Time and Steph talked about brewing with spices in Know Your Beers. And we all went home with "meowers" for the road.

With John Wible and Rory McClure at 2nd Story Brewing Company We return to 2nd Story Brewing in Old City Philadelphia to site down with brewer John Wible and Assistant Brewer RoryMcClure. Last time we were at 2nd Story we confidently declared that John was bringing lager back. With that accomplishment firmly in the bag, this time around featured a lineup of brews that focused largely on the masterful manipulation of hops. Dan's news included Soda Stream getting into the "beer" game and a Mortal Kombat inspired brew. We played new Happy Fun Time Game "Potation Quotations" and Steph taught us how to survive summer beer fests in Know Your Beers.

With Joel Charles and Andrew Rothacker from Lancaster CSB Back home in the Beer Busters Podcast Basement we sat and sipped with return guest Andrew Rothacker and first time guest Joel Charles from Lancaster Community Supported Beer. Modeled after CSA programs, Lancaster CSB is the first and only cross-brewery membership program of its kind in which members get perks and growler discounts at participating Lancaster area breweries. We caught up with what's been happening with Lancaster CSB since Andrew's last appearance, got some news, played some games, got some learnin' and sipped on several brews from CSB participating breweries.

With Ryan DeLutis at The Brewery at Hershey For the first time since Episode 16, we sat down with Brewmaster Ryan DeLutis from the Brewery at Hershey for his own episode. This time, however, we were in his domain at the beautiful Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey for the kick-off of this season's Decked Out Live series. Every summer, live music and good times are featured out on the deck for Friday nights to remember. With cover tunes wafting through the air we sipped and chatted with Ryan and a cameo appearance by Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey President, Jason L. Reimer. Good tunes, great brews and a gorgeous late spring evening.

At the Little Big Beer Fest for Harrisburg Beer Week Capping off the second annual Harrisburg Beer Week, Appalachian Brewing Company again hosted the Little Big Beer Fest – an intimate beer fest featuring big, boozy brews. We took to the stage we've cozied up on several times before an interviewed several of the brewers/owners who came out to share these special brews, many made specifically for the event. Lots of old friends and many new ones sat down at the mic to sip and chat and celebrate the awesomeness that is Central PA beer and Harrisburg Beer Week.

With Evan Fritz from Manayunk Brewing Company We took a trip over to New Jersey once again to join Evan Fritz, head brewer at Manayunk Brewing Company. You may notice that Manayunk is not in New Jersey, but Evan’s home is and he was kind enough to invite us over for some pizza, beer and good conversation. We got caught up on what’s been going on at Manayunk since our last visit and what’s to come. News this time around included another list, in Happy Fun Time we played Years of Beers and Steph taught us about Kölsch in Know Your Beers. And, as always, there was much beer.

With Chelsie Markel, Intern Jimi, Chris Harveyand Kurt Wewer at Grain + Verse Continuing the run up to Harrisburg Beer Week we took a trip to Grain + Verse just outside the city to sit down with Chelsie Markel of Stouts and Stilettos and beer week organizer, HBW Intern Jimi, Homebrew Liaison Chris Harvey, and Grain + Verse Executive Chef Kurt Wewer. Sadly, for the first time ever Steph was absent but we made do with news stories including a distinctly “feminine” beer and a bit of The Rice is White in Happy Fun Time Games, all while sampling brews and food and chatting about the second Harrisburg Beer Week.

With Sara Bozich, Colleen Nguyen & Tierney Pomone of Harrisburg Beer Weekand Gary Huether Jr. & Adam Gray at Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar Kicking off the run-up to Harrisburg Beer Week we sat down at sponsor Arooga’s downtown Harrisburg location with three of the team behind HBW: Sara Bozich (www.sarabozich.com), Colleen Nguyen and Tierney Pomone (www.stoutsandstilettos.com) as well as Arooga’s President and Co-Founder Gary Huether Jr. and Craft Beer Manager Adam Gray. With a table filled to bursting, we skipped the news and Know Your Beers but still played Band or Brewery in Happy Fun Time. Each paired with a select dish from Arooga’s outstanding menu, we sampled an array of mostly local brews.

With Josh Weikert from Beer: Simple Blog We return this episode to the Beer Busters Podcast Basement to sit down with Josh Weikert of the Beer: Simple blog. Josh is very accomplished homebrewer, a BJCP Certified Grand Master Judge and writes about brewing and beer culture. Dan brought us some big news from our friends at Evil Genius, we played a brand new game called Sobering Sticker Shock in Happy Fun Time and Steph gave the reins to Josh to talk about judging and evaluating beer in Know Your Beers. Plus we sipped a couple commercial brews and array of impressive homebrews.

With Troy Reynard and Josh Busheyat Two Rivers Brewing Company For this episode we set out for Easton, PA, to sit down with Co-Owner Troy Reynard and Brewer Josh Bushey at Two Rivers Brewing. Among a kingly feast of samples from the renowned kitchen at Two Rivers and the equally impressive brews, we chatted about the brewery, the restaurant, Lehigh Valley Beer Week, loneliness and cats. Dan gave us the news including a new business arrangement between Southern Tier and Victory, we played Libation or Fabrication in Happy Fun Time and Steph taught us about Black IPAs in Know Your Beers.

With John Stemler at Free Will Brewing Companyand Ethan Buckman from Stickman Brews We trekked out once again to Free Will in Perkasie, PA, this time for the celebration of funk that is Sour Sunday. Brewmaster and sage of sours John Stemler sat down to chat and sip and brought along special guest Ethan Buckman, brewer for the up an coming Stickman Brews in Royersford. As usual, Dan got us up to speed with news. We played old standby Libation or Fabrication in Happy Fun Time and Steph relayed the knowledge on the Berliner Weisse in Know Your Beers. And, of course, we sampled an array of brews from Free Will and Stickman.

With Greg Orth from Craft Tastings Continuing our Valentine’s Day tradition once again we invited Greg Orth from Craft Tastings to the Beer Busters Podcast Basement to indulge in some delicious beer and food pairings. Dan brought us an update on beer and Girl Scout cookie pairings and we discussed Budweiser’s latest Super Bowl commercial. Wayne hosted There’s Weid in My Beer in Happy Fun Time and Steph beerducated us on the art of beer pairing in Know Your Beers. Greg delighted us as usual with mouthgasms aplenty, this time branching out beyond chocolate. And, of course, we set an on air pairing challenge with St. Boniface’s Hegemony Anniver5ary Reserve.

With Mark Garber & Greg Snader at Lancaster Homebrew We took a trip to Lancaster for a little something different, setting up shop at Lancaster Homebrew with Mark Garber and Greg Snader. We chatted about the homebrew shop’s history, the upcoming Fourth Annual Lancaster Iron Brewer Homebrew Competition and more. Dan got us up to speed on news about an expansion for Tröegs Independent Brewing and upcoming cans from Hijinx Brewing Company. Wayne hosted a rousing edition of Band or Beer in Happy Fun Time and Steph brought the knowledge about Bock beer in Know Your Beers. All while we sipped on some of the guys homebrews and a couple choice commercial beers as well.

With Donny Abraczinskas and Andrew Nebelat Turkey Hill Brewing Company We took a trek out to Bloomsburg, PA to hit up Turkey Hill Brewing which, besides the top-notch brewery, is home to a bed and breakfast and grille. Brewmaster Donny and General Manager Andrew sat down to chat about the brewery, its history and much more. Dan gave us the news, Wayne hosted another edition of Libation or Fabrication in Happy Fun Time and Steph returned to the wonderful world of unique hangover cures from across the world in Know Your Beers. All amongst samples of some truly excellent brews including an array of bottled euphoria in a very special second tasting segment.

With Greg Kendig and Francisco Ramirezat Mad Chef Craft Brewing We sat down with founders Greg and Francisco at Mad Chef in East Petersburg, PA to talk about the wonderful food and brews at this fast-growing brewery and restaurant. Two of the most welcoming and enthusiastic guests we’ve had on the show, this pair is brimming with passion. Dan’s news included a new Game of Thrones beer from Ommegang and a Charlotte restaurant chain boycotting Anheuser-Busch. Steph finally got around to beerducating us on the wonderful style of beer that is the Saison. In Happy Fun Time Games, Wayne hosted perennial favorite There’s Weird in My Beer. And, of course, we sampled an array of stellar beers.

With Matt Lindenmuth and Tim Howellsat Saucony Creek Brewing Co. In the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country we sat down in the tap room at Saucony Creek Brewing in Kutztown with founder Matt Lindenmuth and chef Tim Howells. We chatted over brews about many things, including the up and coming gastropub at the brewery. As usual, Dan got us up to speed on news, Steph beerducated us about Doppelbocks in Know Your Beers and Wayne hosted Band or Beer in Happy Fun Time. There was no shortage of great beer and, always a plus, lots of absolutely delicious food courtesy of Tim. Oh - and Merry Christmas!

With Barry Holsten, Mark Graves & Chris Vaughnat Flying Fish Brewing Co. We ventured across the river once again, this time to Flying Fish Brewing Company in Somerdale, NJ to sit down with Head Brewer Barry Holsten and brewers Chris Vaughn and Mark Graves (aka Slimy Sauce). The night began with Tequila early on and spiraled up from there. Dan gets his news on with stories about Cigar City/3 Floyds Florida Man Loses Bet and more. Steph taught us to appreciate those who pour our suds with a Know Your Beers about Tipping for Beer. In Happy Fun Time Wayne hosted another rousing jaunt with Libation or Fabrication. And, of course, there was beer.

“Live” at Brewphoria 13 at Canal Street Pub The thrilling conclusion to this year’s Brewphoria beer fest at Canal Street Pub and Restaurant in Reading, PA. Brewphoria is a semi-annual beer fest that’s brought some of the best breweries from the region and beyond to our hometown since 2007. Some familiar faces (or voices, I guess) return from last year’s event along with some newcomers. Brewphoria is truly one of the area’s best beer events, and a must for beer lovers who prefer their fests a bit more intimate with room to breathe and chat with the brewers, reps and fellow attendees in an awesomely chill atmosphere.

“Live” at Brewphoria 13 at Canal Street Pub We return as podcasters-in-residence once again for this year’s Brewphoria beer fest at Canal Street Pub and Restaurant in Reading, PA. Brewphoria is a semi-annual beer fest that’s brought some of the best breweries from the region and beyond to our hometown since 2007. Some familiar faces (or voices, I guess) return from last year’s event along with some newcomers. Brewphoria is truly one of the area’s best beer events, and a must for beer lovers who prefer their fests a bit more intimate with room to breathe and chat with the brewers, reps and fellow attendees in an awesomely chill atmosphere.

With Vince DesRosiers and Mark Russellat Dock Street Brewery Philadelphia bound this time around, we hit up Dock Street Brewery in West Philly to chat with brewers Vince and Mark. Still high on the afterglow of their massivley successful release of the Wu-Tang serenaded Dock Street Beer Ain’t Nothin’ to Funk With, the gents talked about their brewing experiences, working at Dock Street and more. Dan’s newsy bits included a change in the makeup of Guiness and a World Series beer bet. In Happy Fun Time we played There’s Weird in My Beer. And Steph gave us some history on Philly beer in the 90’s in Know Your Beers. Plus beer, good beer, yay beer.