The Brewing Network Presents | The Session

This week on The Session, Jamil Zainasheff and Jason Ledford (from True Symmetry Brewing) bring us beer from Moersleutel Craft Brewery in the Netherlands. On a recent trip through Europe the pair went to Moersleutel and met Head Brewer, Jorge Tomé. Jorge, originally from Spain, relocated to the Netherlands to work at the brewery and now makes some of the most interesting and unique beers we have ever tried. Listen in to learn about his original take on ingredients, styles and balance. Jorge knows his stuff and it shows in every beer we tried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we are joined by Ryan Frank and Austin Sharp from Headlands Brewing Company to discuss their current growth and how a new location saved the brewery. With a new home in Lafayette, CA. and a new (to them) production brewery in Pittsburg, CA. the brewery is ready to take on a new life. We learn about their commitment to the outdoors and the plane itself, as well as a few of their wonderful beers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we welcome back to the studio, Christian Kazakoff. Christian has been on the show a few times over the years, and each time with a different brewery. His latest home is at Canyon Club Brewery in Moraga, CA. Christian has always been able to nail classic styles, but also bring in new hops and techniques to the fold to compliment his extensive brewing chops. Tune in and learn from one of the best the Bay Area has to offer as we dive into the brews of Canyon Club! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owners Josh Kopp and Chrissie Pinney from Hana Koa Brewing Company from Honolulu, HI. join The Session this week. Tune in and learn about their hard work and humble beginnings at small breweries and even our very own Hop Grenade Taproom in California, to their amazing brewery in Hawaii. All along they've kept to their roots and mission to make the world a better place through great beer and philanthropy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris White and Kara Taylor from White Labs Yeast & Fermentation come back on The Session to talk yeast, fermentation and Pure Pitch® Next Generation technology. These two are The Brewing Network's official yeast guru's and we always learn a ton when they are on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Obert, Founder of Seven Stills Brewery & Distillery from San Francisco, CA. joins us this week on The Session. They've experienced a rapid rise from their humble beginnings in a rented storage you unit to a 17,500 square foot state of the art facility in San Francisco's Mission Bay District. They're also America's first licensed brewery and distillery, starting a trend that continues to grow today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamil Zainasheff returns to The Session for the first time since selling his brewery, Heretic, and subsequent firing from the company. Jamil tells his side of the story and discusses the state of the brewing industry along with friends from True Symmetry Brewing Company from Suisun City, CA. Tune in and get the scoop! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mare Island Brewing Company joins us on The Session to discuss the history of Mare Island and the brewery that is helping to keep it alive. Co-Founders Ryan Gibbons and Kent Fortner have built a truly unique brewery in an historic decommissioned Naval shipyard and their dedication to the history, the men and women who worked there, and the legacy that surrounds them shows in every single thing that they do. Tune in listen to one of the coolest and most important brewing stories we've ever had on The Brewing Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brendan and Celeste Gough from Liquid Gravity Brewing Co. join us in the studio to talk about this year's Welcome to California beer collaboration with four different California breweries. Teaming up with Altamont Beer Works, Burgeon Beer Company, Casa Agria Specialty Ales and Humble Sea Brewing Company, they produced four distinct and truly West Coast beers. Learn about those and the inaugural Brewers Olympics held in San Luis Obispo on this episode of The Session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining the consolidation revolution, Japanese beer companies have entered the American Craft Beer scene with some big moves. Joining Kirin Holdings, who purchased New Belgium a couple years back, Sapporo has also continued its expansion with the recent acquisition of Stone Brewing Company in San Diego. Listen in as we welcome Ry Beville, Publisher of Japan Beer Times to give his insight into what's been happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Session, Chris Graham and Justin Crossley attempt to homebrew Tasty's Dortmunder Export Lager Recipe for the 2022 National Homebrew Competition. Yes, you heard that right...Justin is back to brewing! Tune in and hear why the guys decided to take on the challenge of entering the largest homebrew competition in the world and how they came to decide on this unique beer style. We taste the beer on the show so you can hear how it came out. We were also joined by our brewing helpers Vito Delucchi from MoreBeer, Matt Sager from Danville Brewing Company and Tasty's son, Lee McDole. Check out the links below to learn about all the awesome MoreBeer! and Komos brewing products we discussed on the show Also, be sure check the show page on The Brewing Network for pictures of our brew day and to download the recipe: BrewZilla All Grain Brewing System With Pump FermZilla All Rounder Fermenter - 7.9 gal / 30 L BrewBuilt™ IceMaster Max 2 Glycol Chiller w/ Two Built in Temperature Controllers and Pumps KOMOS® Kegerator with NUkaTap Matte Black Stainless Faucets - This is the one Justin owns KOMOS® Rubicon Jockey Box (2 Tap) - Front Entry - This is the one Justin owns And here you can browse the awesome line of Duotight fittings and EVABarrier Double wall draft tubing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we are joined by Natalie Boltz Keller and Mark Keller from Bruehol Benicia Brewing in Benicia, CA. Bruehol Benicia Brewing specializes in German style pilsners, lagers, West Coast style Ales, and a variety of IPAs. Tune in and hear their story! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Co-Owner Ryan Fry from Sudwerk Brewing Company joins us in the studio this week to discuss German lagers and the evolution of the Sudwerk brewery and brand. Ryan and his business partner Trenton Yackzan took over the brewery from Trenton's grandfather and have steadily been evolving it into the modern and award winning brewhouse that it is today. If taking home mid-size brewery of the year at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival wasn't enough proof, their incredible beers they brought to the show certainly were. This crew is the real deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Side Gate Brewery & Beer Garden, the newest brewery in Concord, CA. joins The Session to talk about their journey from homebrewing to pro brewing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek Gallanosa and Cory Meyer from Moksa Brewing Company return to The Session to talk about their amazing rise as one of the best breweries in California. From delicious, complex and unique Pastry Stouts to brilliant West Coast IPA's and delicious Hazy IPA's, these guys do it all. Tune in and learn about some of their techniques and original takes on styles. We also welcome Shaun "Sully" O'Sullivan from the 21st Amendment Brewery back to the studio as our esteemed co-host alongside Justin Crossley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our first ever SF Beer Week Tasty Night, we record a star studded Session in honor of our Craft Beer Hero, Mike "Tasty" McDole. Tune in and hear from homebrewers turned pro under Tasty's guidance, pro brewers who are still inspired by his techniques today, and of course his co-hosts who love him dearly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A blast from the past! Chad Moshier, the Session's former producer, joins the show as the Brewmaster at Bankhead Brewing Co. out of Rowlett, Texas. Chad is in town for our very special Tasty Tribute Night at The Hop Grenade. Much has changed in Chad's life since the good ol' days of living with Justin at the Rat Pad. He's now a husband, father, and Master Brewer. Tune in and learn about Chad's beer, his brewing philosophy and what lies ahead for our good friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Executive Director of the American Homebrewers Association, Julia Herz joins The Session to talk about the past, present and future of homebrewing. Julia has had an extensive career in the Craft Beer business and brings a fresh perspective to the hobby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session Justin and the crew welcome Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company to the studio. Founder Jonathan Buford, Co Owner Patrick Ware, and Head of People and Culture, Johanna Lortsher are reinventing what it means to be a small brewery. By creating a blueprint for sustainability, ethical brewing and employment, and environmentally conscious sourcing, Arizona Wilderness is forging a new path for themselves and others to follow. From HR practices that seek to empower their team members to communicate their needs safely, to working with local farms and environmental groups to conserve Arizona's precious resources, these folks are pushing themselves to become better people, employers and brewers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first live and in-studio Session since the pandemic began in 2020, host Justin Crossley is back at the helm with some very special guests. First off, just like on our very first show way back in 2005, Chris Graham from MoreBeer! joins the Session, this time as co-host. Chris and Justin are also joined by Jacque and Ryan Fields from Wild Fields Brewhouse in Atascadero, CA. We discuss their truly fantastic beer and Ryan's take on the brewing process, including fermenting super dry beer and adjusting the grain bill to maintain mouthfeel. We also discuss the ongoing pandemic and how it has affected all of our businesses. Plus, Chris Graham is his old self and gives away some great MoreBeer! brewing gear! Tune in and welcome back to the Session! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Located in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City, BKS Artisan Ales have found a fair bit of success in their slow-growth approach to running a brewery. Starting small and adding tank after tank in their brew house, while opening their doors to a packed tasting room, enabled BKS to grow at the pace they set, not the distributor. Plus, their beers are good so, that helps! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who sends in not one but FOUR bourbon barrel-aged beers for JP to try? Brian from Bravery Brewing, that's who! On today's show, we chat with former homebrewer Brian Avery, who got his homebrewing act together and opened up Bravery back in 2012. Since then, he's been making beers that not only the public likes to drink, but he does as well. Not to mention his extensive barrel program, which we talk about in depth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a busy show this week, as JP chats with not one but two guests! Up first, Jared Veldheer, who is a former NFL player and current hombrewer, who recently started his own beer-related podcast called, "The Jared Veldbeer Podcast". Then, it's time for Matt and Sarah Luker from Transplants Brewing Company, two former homebrewers who turned pro after only two years! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The LA craft beer scene keeps on expanding, and we're here for it. On today's show, Chris and Zambo from Paperback Brewing Company joins us as we talk about Chris' homebrewing path and how a random email led him to leave his high-falutin Hollywood advertising job to open a brewing in the heart of Glendale, CA ... eventually. Zambo takes us through six of his beers (or maybe it was seven), and gives us the scoop on how he blends hops, addresses supply chain issues, and specific details on kettle souring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reno, Nevada is known as the Biggest Little City in the World, That rings true for a lot of what Reno has to offer, especially when it comes to it's craft beer scene. Lead Dog Brewing is part of a growing number of breweries in the Reno-Sparks area, boasting an incredible resume of beers at any given time. Today on the show, we chat with Thomas Wisdom about how Lead Dog got started, what kinds of beers they are making, and how to move forward in an ever-changing marketplace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bakersfield has been experiencing a massive growth in the craft beer scene over these last few years, and today we chat with one of those breweries that keeps pushing things forward - Temblor Brewing Company. The folks at Temblor have a knack for using ingredients in an evenly-handed way, and that shows in the beers they produce! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Graham has appeared on The Session in the past to tell us the best ways to homebrew on the cheap. However, we felt it was time to get him back on to go the other way and tell us all the cool high-end homebrew gadgets on the market today! Before we get to that, though, JP and Chris chat about Chris' hike up to the peak of Mt. Whitney, where he and business partner Olin, brewed a batch of pale ale at over 14,000 feet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Non-alcoholic beer has been pretty straight-forward for decades. Light lagers with nothing really to them. The team at Athletic Brewing set out to change that back in 2018, and they haven't looked back since. Creating flavorful craft beers with no alcohol is the mission, and Athletic is making that mission a success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Located in Raytown, Missouri, Crane Brewing Company has been turning out creative beers since 2015. On today's show, we chat with Chris Meyers, co-founder of Crane Brewing, to learn a bit about his brewing background, what crazy beers they are dreaming up, and how Crane is involved in supporting their local community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Out of the shadows of The Rare Barrel steps Berkeley's latest craft brewery ... Hello Friend! Located on the "clean side" of The Rare Barrel brewery, Hello Friend is driving loads and loads of non-soured beer into the hands of the masses here in the Bay Area. Today, we chat with Stephan and Tommy of Hello Friend, to find out just what it takes to keep the sour side sour and the clean side clean. Plus, Nate and Teresa join JP tonight, to coach him through the plethora of IPA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having an abundance of lagers in the market might be new to some of us, but for the state of Kansas, it's just called "the menu". So how does a brewery choose to pair down their craft offerings and target the Standard American Lager market in a state that practically drinks nothing but those styles of beers? The boys from Kansas Territory Brewing join JP on this week's show to talk about that choice, and how they made a pivot like that work for them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The city of Bend, Oregon, is somewhat of a mecca of craft beer in the Pacific Northwest. Smack dab in the middle of that scene is Tony Lawrence, owner and brewer at Boneyard Beer. Tony has been in the game since the '90's, and has seen the social kaleidoscope change what beer is back and forth over the years, but that hasn't changed his views on what makes beer BEER. Tony chats with us about hist brewing history, how he approaches making a new beer, and his new CBD venture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is your definition of "local brewery"? If the answer is simply tied to geography, get ready to expand that idea a bit more, as Kelsey and Matthew from Exhibit 'A' Brewing Company join this episode of The Session! The brewers at Exhibit 'A' have made it their mission to use as much locally grown grain as possible in their beers, and that commitment to quality is paying off in the end product. Plus, they love cats, so you know JP was happy to talk to them! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oregon is known for great beer and wine, but their cider scene deserves some of the spotlight, too. Dave Takish, from 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Corvallis, joins The Session to talk about all things cider! He goes into some cider history, cidermaking methods, apple varieties - and much more. It was a great talk, paired with even better 2 Towns Cider. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producing great-tasting, consistent sour beer is tough, but the folks at Alesong Brewing and Blending make it seem easy! Maybe it's the numerous awards they have won at the Great American Beer Festival, or their approach to ingredients and blending. Whatever the secret is, you can count on Alesong to release some fantastic beers. We had a great time chatting and drinking beers with Doug and Brian Coombs, and trying to learn a bit more on what makes a great mixed fermentation beer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bit of paradise comes to The Session, as Hana Koa brewing joins us for a chat and a few beers! Lagers seem to be the topic of the day, as we discuss the drinking habits of Hana Koa customers. Don't worry, there's some hazy beer talk as well! There was even some mild singing involved ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From homebrewers to craft beer brewers, Bailey and Chris opened Crusader Brewing to bring great beer to their community. Located in Bakersfield, CA, Crusader aims to produce beer that engages the local beer drinker, and hopefully drags them away from macro beer in the process. We chat about how they are doing just this - and more - on today's show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary homebrew guru John Palmer joined the cast of The Session to bring us back to our homebrewing roots! With the help of Dr. Homebrew co-host Brian Schar, John jumps in-depth into several homebrewing fundamentals that we should all know in order to brew good beer, and some stuff that we don't need to worry about as much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has a rich beer brewing history - from kicking the whole "micro beer" phase off, to housing some of the most influential breweries on the market today. Now, We can say we have a 100% gluten-free brewery within our borders! Buck Wild Brewing, out of Oakland CA, is California's first and only all gluten-free brewery. Not Gluten-reduced ... gluten-free. That's a big deal. Today we chat with Mike, founder of Buck Wild, to learn more about his journey into homebrewing, and how that led him to open his own place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vista, CA might just be flying under your craft beer radar, folks. Five Suits Brewing is part of the larger San Diego beer scene, and the city of Vista was just named "Best Craft Beer Community" by fellow beer drinkers. Nick, brewer and owner of Five Suits, walks us through a few of his more popular beers, and discusses how the breweries in this small-ish town have built Vista into a great place to have a beer in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's no shortage of good beer in New Mexico, and to prove that, we chat with John and Tyler from Rowley Farmhouse Ales, out of Santa Fe. Rowley has been playing with a number of unique yeast strains and beer styles, dialing in their processes and recipes, all while making drinkable, tasty beer. The Rowley boys clue us in on their beer-making philosophy, and what it takes to make it in the beer world of Santa Fe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sure, middle America is basically LagerTown USA, but not all beers being produced out there have to fit within that cold-stored mold. The boys at McFleshman's Brewing are churning out some well-crafted English ales, in addition to their lager line up. We talk about how offering a wide variety of both German and English-style beers has been for the community, as well as what it's like to run several beer engines at the pub. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listening to The Brewing Network won't get you much, but it WILL get you a ton of great brewing information, and sometimes that's enough. In fact, it was just what Chad needed to open Grey Wolf Brewing in Norco, CA. Drawing on his homebrewing knowledge - and probably a ton of information from TBN - Chad is turning his community into a craft beer center, one drinker at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the military taught Joshua Romaker one thing, it's how to overcome obstacles. From his early days as a homebrewer, to his unique ways of generating enough money to open his brewery, not much held Joshua down. On today's show, we learn a bit more about The Star Spangled Brewing Company, Josh's head brewer Allen, and the beer style they are trying to create. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liquid Gravity Brewing is the brain-child of Brendan Gough. Coming from such breweries as Central Coast and Firestone-Walker, Brendan achieved his goal of opening his own space in January of 2020. Then the lockdown hit, spinning his plans off into deep space. We chat with Brendan about his journey into craft, how he approaches tailoring recipes to his unique setup, and what the pandemic meant to him and how he course-corrected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Portland is home to one of the best beer scenes in the country. So how does a brewery make a name for itself in the land of Craft? Today we chat with Adam and Andrew from Old Town Brewing to talk about just that. From IPAs to Red Ales to Pilsner, Old Town is turning out some great craft beer in the Pacific NW! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ronin Fermentation Project, buried deep in the Sierras of California, is the passion project of Charlie Johnson. Charlie joined Teresa and JP to chat about his craft beer timeline, traveling during COVID, and how to find success making beer in a small town nobody has ever heard of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world of Sake and the world of Beer tend to run parallel at times. They both are steeped in tradition, and they both have their fair share of folks who want those traditions to stay the same. Then there are brewers like Josh, who come in and try to shake things up a bit. Josh started Setting Sun Sake to introduce sake to the beer world, and his approach seems to be working. Come and learn about how sake is made, and why Josh wants to upset the sake cart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brewing in Arizona presents it's challenges, but Luke and the team at Wren House are doing some great things out in the desert. Of course there are the standard hazy IPAs, and we taste a couple of those on the show, but there is also enough room up on the beer board for a steady stream of lagers. Luke cluses us in on the production of these beers, and how things are going for this young-ish Arizona brewery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Baumann is the brewer/distiller/owner of Karrikin Spirits. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, Karrikin is pushing out some great beers, while also innovation on their spirits side. We talk with Eric about what got him into beer, how he made his journey back home to Cinci, and how you market cocktails in a can when they aren't really cocktails. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices