A recording session with Mike Jonczak wouldn’t be complete without a warm-up beer, so Carlin busts one out that ties in to the discussion topic. While sipping on the beer, the two give their opposing opinions on kitschy beers.
Having been well over a year, Carlin has Mike Jonczak back on the podcast. Wasting no time, the two dig into the recent news of Ballast Point being downsized by its parent company, Constellation Brands. The guys dig deep on this topic, talking about things like impairment charges and bond diversification.
Carlin took a trip to New Jersey with his Buddy Rich Smith to go to Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. While up there, Carlin checked for local breweries and found that this one was close. Glad he stopped in, Carlin returned home with some beers and roped Rebecca into a brewery showcase episode.
For the first time in years, Carlin and Rebecca missed a beer event due to sickness and it was the biggest one. Instead of the usual wrap-up episode, Carlin and Rebecca cover what they think makes a great beer event. While doing this, they drink vintage Savor gift beers to see how they’ve developed over time.
Carlin and Rebecca each took a day off from work and decided to drive out to Frederick, Maryland to checkout the beer scene. Hear all about their excursion and what they would and would not recommend.
This time around, Carlin and Rebecca tear into five beers given to them by Carlin’s friend Matt Harvey. Sourced from Chicago, Illinois, you know these beers will be great. One is low alcohol, but the rest are high.
After welcoming his mother to the podcast as a guest, Carlin lets his father have a turn in telling his beer story. Then, the mystery beers try to overcome Carlin’s father’s love for Molson.
In order to get a different generational perspective on beer, Carlin sits down with his mother, Susan Cook, to find out how she views this product. As a bonus, the use of beer in cooking comes up and a great recipe for ham beer sauce is divulged.
Yet another On The Shelf episode sees Carlin and Rebecca grabbing four beers from the store and digging in to let you know if these beers are worth your money. One beer is the first of a new brewery to distribute in Maryland, one is the first special release sent to the state, and the other two are inspired recipes with stories of their development.
Reaching back into the cellar, Carlin and Rebecca each pull out two similar beers for their entries into this beer throwdown. One beer makes a somewhat disappointing showing, while another really surprises both hosts.
This brand new episode format is inspired by Carlin’s love of The Bruery beers and is further pushed by his backlog of bottles and cans from his membership in the Bruery Reserve Society. Listen as Carlin cracks open four barrel-aged beauties and brakes down the aromas and flavors.
Taking inspiration from a previous On The Shelf Episode, Carlin and Rebecca delve into this California brewery that has unique name origin and a unique business model to match. Four beers are cracked, tasted and ranked to get an idea of offerings currently available in Maryland.
Carlin sets up a mini deca-sode for Rebecca with mystery beers of one particular style sub-category. There are six beers and a range of levels of success in execution. Which one is the best?
This new episode format features four beers given to Carlin and Rebecca by long-time listener Kyle Norman. The first two go straight for the hazy IPA trend and the last two are significantly more unique.
Carlin had one recently released beer sitting in the fridge, so he decided to ask Rebecca to grab three more for an episode. One beer greatly impresses, one is very interesting and confusing, and the others are solid. Listen to find out what’s what.
With no warm-up beer for this episode, Carlin and Mark Zervas jump right in to the main discussion topic. Recently AB InBev invested in Tilray Incorporated for research of cannabis infused beverages. Carlin and Mark talk about this and the use of cannabis and its derivatives in the craft beer industry.
DuClaw Sweet Baby Java Espresso Bean Infused Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter – 6
Flying Dog Brewhouse Rarities English Breakfast Stout English Ale w/english breakfast tea – 3
Carlin and Mark Zervas start with another warm-up beer, which hits the tasting notes Mark has been craving recently. The guys then discuss a new venture by Tired Hands Brewing that is allowing them to ship beer within their home state of Pennsylvania.
Shiner S’More Chocolate & Marshmallow Ale – 5.5
Fat Orange Cat Someone In My Head Hazy IPA – 3.5
It’s been over a year since Mark Zervas has been on the podcast, which means it’s about time for him to be the guest host. A warm-up beer segues nicely to a discussion of the somewhat old topic of questionable Trillium business practices and how the company responded when the word got out.
Ballast Point High West Barrel Aged Victory At Sea Imperial Porter w/coffee & vanilla flavors aged in High West Bourbon & Rye Barrels – 5.5
Union Rye-Baby Rye IPA – 4.5
Rebecca and Carlin joined long-time listeners Kyle and Kelli Norman in Richmond, Virginia for a miniature vacation. There was not enough time, but plenty of beers were consumed. This episode features four of what they brought home.
Unanimous favorite – Final Gravity Iced Coffee Brown Ale
One more On The Shelf episode, four more beers. Carlin does this one solo with three of the beers tying in to the most recent deca-sode.
Carlin’s favorite – Sierra Nevada Resilience IPA
Hoppy beers are still going strong as the most popular type of craft beer. For this reason, Carlin and Rebecca revisit this type of brew for another deca-sode. 12 beers within acceptable date coding battle it out. What’s the best and what falls short?
Smuttynose Mysterious Haze Hazy IPA – 5.5
Key Brewing Dundalk Calling Hazy Double IPA – 5
Dogfish Head Liquid Truth Serum IPA – 5
Union Rye-Baby Rye IPA – 4.5
Uinta Rise & Pine Hoppy Dark Ale – 4
Union Double Duckpin Double IPA – 3.5
New Belgium Liquid Paradise IPA – 3.5
RAR Country Ride Pale Ale – 3
Victory Hop Wallop IPA – 3
DuClaw Go Out In A Haze Of Glory Hazy IPA – 2.5
Blue Point Hoptical Illusion IPA – 2
Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA w/maple syrup – 2
Having been awhile since a blending episode took place, Carlin dusts off this format for a fresh take on home beer blending. Where the past two focused on blending two beers, this episode addresses infusions you can execute at home.
Carlin’s favorite – The Bruery Bakery Coconut Macaroons Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/coconut & natural vanilla flavor added
Some people go out and whoop it up for the New Year. Carlin and Rebecca decided this time to record a podcast episode featuring a multi-course meal paired with four different beers. One of the pairings ends up being a surprising success.
Carlin’s favorite – Bruery Terreux & The Collective Brewing Project Minor Miner Grisette-Style Ale aged in oak foeders w/orange blossom & calendula flowers
Rebecca’s favorite – Fremont Dark Star Oatmeal Stout
Two high ABV beers come to the table, along with two that are significantly lower. Rebecca chooses a hoppy beer that’s offered once a year, while Carlin pulls in the biggest whale the podcast has ever featured.
Unanimous favorite – Bruery Terreux Fuzzy Bbls 30% Sour Stout & 70% Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/peaches, apricots, vanilla & lactose
Carlin demands a certain type of food for this pairing episode. Corn nuts are the focus and there are four different flavors to try with four different types of beer. What works and what doesn’t? Let’s find out…
Unanimous favorite – Mother Earth Brew Cali Creamin’ Vanilla Cream Ale
Doing another solo episode, Carlin decides to talk about how the craft beer scene has changed since he started his love affair with it in 2006. This is capped off with four mystery beers.
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout – 6
Weyerbacher Slam Dunkel Double Dunkelweizen Ale – 4
RAR Groove City Hefeweizen – 3
Otter Creek Drip Drop Coffee Stout – 3
Carlin sits down for a solo episode to talk about Sierra Nevada’s recent charity campaign to brew Resilience IPA. All proceeds go to fire relief funds in California. After asking other breweries to do the same, over 4,000 have answered the call (number as of December 5, 2018).
Troegs Troegenator Doublebock – 5
Troegs Chocolate Stout w/vanilla & cocoa nibs – 5
Troegs Blizzard of Hops IPA – 4
Troegs Perpetual Imperial IPA – 4
Troegs Dreamweaver Wheat Beer – 3
Troegs The Mad Elf Ale w/honey & cherries – 3
Rebecca calls an audible and demands another On The Shelf episode, but this time with a seasonal twist. In turn, Carlin calls his own audible by adding a fifth beer to the tasting line-up. Most of these buck the winter trend, but do they still feel right for the season?
Unanimous favorite – Troegs Blackberry Tizzy Sour Ale fermented w/blackberries, apricots & brown sugar aged in bourbon barrels w/vanilla bean
Time to check back in to see what’s been on the shelf at local liquor stores. Three of these beers focus more on malt notes, while the fourth is a bit more of a shock to the palate.
Unanimous favorite – Union Balt Altbier
Rich Smith’s second episode in this session focuses on a talk about craft breweries that have heavily influenced the industry over the past few decades. Then Carlin sees a theme in the mystery beers that makes both seem very familiar.
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter – 3.5
Avery White Rascal Belgian-Style White Ale w/spices – 3
One of Carlin’s best friends, Rich Smith, stops back in for a few episodes. The first starts with a talk about craft breweries collaborating on beers with non-brewery companies. Then things get serious with some heavy mystery beers.
Allagash Tripel – 4
Evil Twin Bozo Beer Imperial Stout w/flavors added – 2.5
This is the final showcase episode from Carlin and Rebecca’s Portland, Maine vacation and it’s the biggest. From tour to taproom and coolship to cool atmosphere, this place has it all for a true craft beer travel destination. All four beers for this episode were provided by Allagash and were hand-selected by Lindsay Bohanske.
Carlin’s favorite – Coolship Resurgam spontaneously fermented ale aged in French oak barrels
Rebecca’s favorite – Brett IPA
Sponsored by the brewery itself, Kevin Broydrick from Bissell Brothers supplied five tasty beers for this showcase. Not just drinking the beer, Carlin and Rebecca give the brewery history and tell of their experiences from their recent visit to the Thompsons Point location.
Carlin’s favorite – Nothing Gold Double NEIPA
Rebecca’s favorite – The Substance Ale NEIPA
Loud beer from a quiet place is the slogan for this unconventional brewery. Listen as Carlin and Rebecca talk about the history, beers and their personal experience with this brewery. The four beers tasted for this episode were provided by Oxbow and personally selected by Head Brewer Mike Fava.
Carlin’s favorite – Bobasa Barrel Aged Smoked Biere de Garde
Rebecca’s favorite – Barrel Aged Farmhouse Pale Ale
Another vacation happened, and yes, it was centered around beer and food. Here is a breakdown of Carlin and Rebecca’s recent vacation to Portland, Maine. Beers from three lesser-known breweries are tasted and one that is well-established.
Unanimous favorite – Foundation Brewing Coffee Burner English Brown Ale w/coffee
This Cellar Dive episode is all about vintage beers, two sour and two malty. How do some highly ageable beers taste after a stint in Carlin’s cellar? And who picked the best two for the episode?
Unanimous favorite – Wicked Weed Silencio Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Sour Ale fermented w/coffee & vanilla (2016 vintage, aged two years)
Feeling like he may have hijacked the last episode a bit, Carlin steps back a little to have Sean Creel talk more about his current job with The Bruery.
Falling Branch Daybreak Belgian Farmhouse Ale – 5
Fat Orange Cat The Raven Chocolate Raspberry Porter – 4
Sean Creel makes a return to the show to talk about his new beer industry job. This leads to a discussion about the beer society structure created by The Bruery.
Allagash Avance ale aged in bourbon barrels & finished on strawberries – 4
Council Brewing Hazing Cane Double Dry Hopped New England Style IPA – 2.5
Highlighting one of the most consistent breweries in Baltimore, Carlin and Rebecca cover history and their evaluation of the new brewery. Four beers are tasted, focusing on the lighter side of the style spectrum.
Unanimous favorite – Old Pro Gose
The last On The Shelf Episode wasn’t that long ago, but Carlin and Rebecca saw a need to do another one. The four beers in this episode are seasonal and usually not enjoyed by either host. Maybe a few new twists on an old fad will help change their minds.
Unanimous favorite – Southern Tier Cold Pressed Coffee Pumking
This episode starts with a warm-up beer from a brewery Kyle Norman has never tasted any offerings from before. Then, he and Carlin discuss a lawsuit between Pabst and MillerCoors, hoping the two sue each other into oblivion.
Cameron’s Brewing Where The Buffalo Roam Barley Wine – 4.5
Pabst Brewing National Bohemian – 2
The Beer Me Bro game with Kyle Norman concludes with an exciting end. Then, the guys get hit with some surprises when they eventually reveal the mystery beers.
Wittekerke Wild Belgian Wit w/natural flora from oak foeders – 4
Hop Farm One Nut Brown Ale – 3.5
It’s that time of the year when Carlin goes to the beach and records with Kyle Norman. As tradition would have it, the two play the newest installment of the Beer Me Bro beer name game. Carlin usually comes up short, but will this time be any different?
Key Brewing Wise and Gray New England Style IPA – 5
Brauerei Furstenberg Black Forest Pils – 3.5
After plenty of encouragements from Kelli and Kyle Norman, Rebecca and Carlin finally traveled to Pennsylvania for the State College Brew Expo. The outdoor beer festival focused on breweries solely from the host state and offered glimpses of a lot of new breweries.
Unanimous Favorite – Troegs Barrel Aged Troegenator Double Bock aged in bourbon barrels
For this episode, Carlin grabbed four fresh beers off the shelf of his local liquor store. One from a brewery he has tasted virtually nothing from, and three he hasn’t tasted anything from in multiple years.
Unanimous Favorite – Unibroue Ephemere Fraise & Rhubarbe
For this deca-sode, Carlin and Rebecca focus on a lighter style of beer. Some come off a little harsh, while others are very finessed offerings. A few bumps in the road keep this large blind tasting interesting, keeping both hosts on their toes.
Blackberry Farm Brett Saison aged in red wine barrels – 6
Stillwater Cellar Door Dry-Hopped Farmhouse Ale w/sage – 4.5
Boulevard Saison Brett Dry-Hopped Farmhouse Ale w/brett – 4.5
Brasserie Dupont Saison Dupont – 4
Allagash Saison Belgian Farmhouse Style Ale- 3.5
Falling Branch Street Gathering American Pale Ale – 3.5
Falling Branch Amber Waves Belgian Style Amber Ale – 3.5
Perennial Saison De Lis Belgian Style Ale w/chamomile flowers – 3.5
Brasserie De Silly Brouwerij Silly Saison – 3
Prairie Merica American Farmhouse Ale – 2.5
St Feuillien Saison – 2
Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale – 1.5
Rebecca grabs the reins of this showcase episode to highlight the fact that not just breweries deserve to have the spotlight shone on them. Cider is the main topic as Rebecca and Carlin explore some exciting offerings.
Unanimous Favorite – Escape From Orion hopped cider w/strawberry, pineapple & guava
This Cellar Dive episode steps away from the competition between Carlin and Rebecca, instead focusing on some cellar-worthy beers the two got on their recent trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. All nice beers, as these episodes are intended.
Unanimous Favorite – Troegs Impending Descent Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels w/vanilla beans & cocoa
Taking a slightly different approach to this episode, Carlin and Rebecca discuss their current favorite breweries in Maryland and the rest of the country. Then, one of the mystery beers turns both Carlin and Rebecca off like no beer ever has.
DuClaw Gose O’s Gose w/cantaloupe & black lave sea salt – 4
New Belgium Hemperor Hemp IPA – 1
Carlin brings up an establishment in Denver, Colorado called Brewability Lab. Rebecca approaches the topic from a more insightful perspective as she and Carlin discuss its merits.
Ommegang Nirvana IPA – 3.5
Ballast Point Tart Peach Kolsch – 2
