Beer Friends Happy Hour

We hopped on the Staten Island Ferry and crossed the New York Harbor to interview our guest Sean Torres of Kills Boro Brewing Company. He takes us from his discovery of craft beer on Staten Island, to what went into starting the homebrew club Pour Standards, and how that all lead to opening a brewery. Located in Craft House on Van Duzer, it is a quick walk (and even shorter train ride) from St. George terminal. They produce some delicious brews with some unique takes on very popular styles making it a New York City craft beer destination worth visiting. Find Kills Boro online: http://killsboro.com/ http://www.facebook.com/killsboro http://www.instagram.com/killsboro http://www.twitter.com/killsboro You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

The 2nd Annual Beer With(out) Beards Festival, a 5-day celebration of women in craft beer, comes to New York This week. We are joined by festival organizer Grace Weitz from Hop Culture to talk about how she got her start in the craft beer industry and how that gave her the idea to start this festival. We discuss how women have been overlooked in craft beer and how Beer With(out) Beards puts women who work in craft beer at the forefront. Events run from Wednesday August 7th and go through Sunday August 11th with tickets available on Eventbrite. Special thanks to Covenhoven for hosting us for this episode. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hop-culture-yakima-chief-hops-present-beers-without-beards-beer-fest-tickets-58408812330 https://www.instagram.com/hopculturemag/ https://www.instagram.com/yakimachief/ https://www.instagram.com/covenhovennyc You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://inst

Paul and Graham share their thoughts on the newest craft beer merger now that the dust has settled. They discuss how this will affect the craft beer culture, what other medium sized breweries need to worry about, and what we can expect from both of these breweries now that they are one. For more information you can read articles from previous Happy Hour guests: https://vinepair.com/booze-news/boston-beer-dogfish-head-brewery-merger/ https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/jim-koch-sam-calagione-boston-beer-company-dogfish-head-merge/ You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

We are joined by John Dantzler, Founder and CEO of Torch and Crown Brewing Company, to discuss the newest brewery in New York City. John talks us through the long journey he and his partner Joe have taken to get to the point. From their start winning homebrew medals, to the numerus business plans, the search for New York City real estate, and how an opportunity in the Bronx changed their outlook; we go through the entire Torch and Crown story up to this point. John also gives us all the details on the brewery they are opening in Manhattan this summer, including what popular New York City restaurant will be providing their food options and how they will fit into the burgeoning New York craft beer scene. Be sure to follow Torch and Crown on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter for updates on their brewery. We also need to give special thanks to Clinton Hall for allowing us to use their 51st St. location to record this interview. With great beer and a good atmosphere, they provided a great ambiance for this episode!

We welcome Cat Wolinski (a.k.a. Beer Affair), senior staff writer at Vinepair, on to discuss craft beer in New York City and around the country. She brings her expertise of what has happened over the last couple years in the craft beer scene and how that will shape the future of the culture moving forward. From New York City based breweries opening locations upstate to Queens breweries moving to Brooklyn, we all talk about what we think we can expect from New York craft beer over this next year. We also discuss a few things Cat has been covering recently like the impact of the government shut down on craft brewers, craft beer destinations, and the growth in market share by some unexpected imports. Find Cat Wolinski online https://beeraffair.com/ https://www.instagram.com/beeraffair/ https://twitter.com/beeraffair https://www.facebook.com/BeerAffair/ And read her articles https://vinepair.com/author/catw/ You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com

This week Paul joins the hosts of Black and Tan TV at The Gutter Bar LIC. Jay and Kern talk about how they discovered craft beer, what drove them to create a series centered around craft beer, and what they learned about the craft beer industry in their first season. We all discuss how important social media has become for breweries today and how they us it for their Instagram review show “Brown Paper Baggin’ It.” Then we look forward to next year and what it will bring the New York City craft beer scene and what we can expect from them for season 2. We want to give a special thanks to the venue for this week’s show, The Gutter Bar LIC, for allowing us to record in their space. Make sure to check them out for old school bowling and some great craft brews. Find Black and Tan TV online: https://www.blackandtan.tv/ https://www.instagram.com/blackandtantv/ https://www.facebook.com/BlackandTanTV/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOZISLPs8TPD2MYzC_kLiJw And Find our venue for this episode https://www.thegutter

It’s our 100th episode, and we wanted to do something special. Originally, we had interviews lined up with some of our old guests: brewers, bloggers, and beer slingers, ready to talk all things craft beer. Well, life doesn’t always go as planned. In a change of heart, we decided to go back to the basics, and honor one of our own. Graham and Paul go through the history of The Beer Friends from the original idea thought up over some happy hour brews, to the start of the blog and video reviews, and finally to the podcast we’ve done these last five years. We opened up the archives to listen to our first ever podcast recording, never released until now. We opened up a special beer, told some stories, and most importantly said goodbye to a dear friend. You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

One of the most eagerly anticipated brewery openings in New York this year was Grimm Artisanal Ales in Brooklyn. We are thrilled to be joined on this week’s episode by the husband and wife team behind the brewery, Joe and Lauren Grimm. From their inception as a brewery five years ago through their time as nomadic brewers to the opening of their own brick and mortar brewery we cover all things Grimm. We take time to focus on the two years it took them to build and open their brewery and some bumps that in the road that showed up along the way. They also tell us some of the changes and new brews we can expect now that they are fully operational in their new Brooklyn home. Visit Grimm Artisanal Ales: ://goo.gl/maps/xSfrsoLvDi92 Find Grimm online: https://grimmales.com/ Follow them on social media: https://www.instagram.com/grimmales/ https://twitter.com/grimmales https://www.facebook.com/GrimmAles/ You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerF

Our third summer in a row we visit with Dan from Beer Karma to chronicle his journey from day job to small business owner. He tells us how his life has settled down in his second year of business, and discusses his new normal being an active part of the beer industry. You can find Dan around New York this week promoting his upcoming collaboration with Keg and Lantern Brewing Company, the 8X400 IPA, an homage to his craft beer running group. Come out, drink the beer, and try the workout it’s named after! August 8th at 6:30pm at As Is http://www.asisnyc.com/ August 11th at 10:45 am at Beer Karma http://www.beerkarmanyc.com/ August 15th at 6:45pm at Beer Noggin http://www.beernoggin.com/ Find Beer Karma on Social media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beerkarma.bstc Twitter: https://twitter.com/beerkarmanyc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeerKarmaNYC/ You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBee

We look back on the 2009 documentary Beer Wars with director Anat Baron. Close to a decade after its release this film is still relevant in today’s craft beer scene. Even with the addition of nearly 5,000 breweries there are still the same issues with the three-tier system, the battle for shelf space has only grown fiercer, and how advertising still plays an important role for brand loyalty. Beer Wars is worth a watch for anyone who wants to understand the inner working of the beer business. Find Beer Wars Online: http://beerwarsmovie.com Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beerwars And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beerwars/ Find the Beer Wars DVD on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Beer-Wars/dp/B002Q7T79K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533062733&sr=8-1&keywords=beer+wars+dvd You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

We bring back our friend Steele for what has become his annual summer episode! He tells us about the new interactive comic book he wrote for New Belgium and Wired. This takes us on a discussion of what craft breweries are doing to set themselves apart in this ever-crowding marketplace. We discuss advertising in social as well as traditional media for breweries that are craft and macro. Find Voodoo Ranger comic https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2018/06/voodoo-ranger/p/1 Check out the content sponsors https://www.wired.com/ https://www.newbelgium.com/ Find Steele Online https://steelefilipek.com/ https://twitter.com/wordsofsteele Subscribe to Radio Room http://www.radioroomshow.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-room/id1088895035?mt=2 You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

We head out to Prospect-Lefferts Gardens to visit Island to Island Brewery and talk to owner Danii Oliver. She sits with us a she prepares some fruit for a new beer we discuss the unique ingredients she uses for her brews. She tells us how she went from making juice to brewing beer and what may be coming in the future for her brewery. Follow the brewery on Instagram and make sure to get out to visit the brewery at 642 Rogers Avenue in Brooklyn this summer. Visit Island To Island Brewery: https://goo.gl/maps/DJMooFbkFrA2 http://islandtoislandbrewery.com/ https://www.instagram.com/islandtoislandbrewery/ You can find us online: http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation: http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

We are joined by the hosts of the live craft beer comedy show Beer, Period. Hayley and Ally tell us about their live show, how they got into craft beer in the first place, and how they both came to work in the industry. We discuss craft beer in New York, some thoughts on the current haze craze in craft beer, and their eternal quest for some cans of Other Half. Make sure to catch Beer, Period next on Friday June 8th at the Magnet Theater. Reserve your tickets for the show: https://magnettheater.com/shows/51552-BEER,-PERIOD Follow Hayley and Ally: http://instagram.com/beerperiod You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

If you’re listening to this episode and don’t know this week’s guest by name, you are almost certainly familiar with his work. We are happy to be joined by Greg Avola, the CTO of Untappd, the popular beer app that adds a social element to drinking. Greg keys us into how Untappd has developed and grown over the past few years and where it may be heading in the future. We talk about how technology is being used more by beer lovers, and how that is affecting the craft beer community. You can hear more from the Untappd crew on “Drinking Socially: The Official Untappd Podcast” anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Joshua M. Bernstein joins us to talk about his new book Homebrew World (out today!). Over a few brews at Covenhoven in Brooklyn we bond over our interest and admiration of home brewing even though we share a similar lack of ability. Besides Homebrew World we also discuss the three other books he has written, how he follows trends in craft beer to find new stories, and how drinking in New York has changed in the last fifteen years. Be sure to get a copy of his new book and all of his other books Brewed Awakening, The Complete Beer Course, and Complete IPA. Find Joshua and all his books here: https://www.joshuambernstein.com Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshmbernstein Follow Him on Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshmbernstein You can visit Covenhoven in person at 730 Classon Ave. Brooklyn, NY And follow them online: http://www.covenhovennyc.com http://www.facebook.com/covenhovenNYC http://www.twitter.com/covenhovenNYC http://www.instagram.com/covenhovenNYC You can find us http://www.TheB

This week we are joined by Matt Furman who is better known to the craft beer community as @ThePourtraits. We talk about how his visit to Belgium intensified his love of beer, what inspired him to begin his craft beer Instagram page, and his unique experiences photographing some of the most creative and revered brewers in the country. If want to see more of Matt’s photography outside of his craft beer work, you can find him @furmanfoto or at http://www.fumanfoto.com. Find Matt’s Phototgraphy: http://www.instagram.com/ThePourtraits http://www.instagram.com/furmanfoto Join the conversation: http://www.TheBeerFriends.com http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

This week we discuss the ever-changing landscape of craft beer as we see one brewery sold at auction and another close its doors. Last week Smuttynose Brewing Company was sold at auction to The Provident Bank; we look at how they got to this point and what their place is in the current craft beer climate. Then we talk about the closure of Saratoga Brewing and what that means for some of their contracts. Specifically, a Brooklyn craft brewer trying to make a name for themselves in the New York City Craft Beer scene. Finally we wonder if the term “Craft Beer” has a place in today’s culture, or if we need new terms for what defines the beer we drink. You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

Recently, while stranded in Charleston (due to inches upon inches of snow), Paul got his hands on some Holy City Chucktown Follicle Brown. Later that night, there was a familiar face in his Instagram comments… This week we interview the man on the can, The Beer Can Professor! Paul Roof joins us to discuss how his face landed on a beer label, big beards, and the growing Charleston craft beer scene. Find The Beer Can Professor Website: http://www.thebeercanprofessor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeercanprofessor/ Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thebeercanprofessor?ref=hdr_shop_menu You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/TheBeerFriends Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheBeerFriends Instagram: http://instagram.com/TheBeerFriends Or email us: happyhour@thebeerfriends.com

We are joined by the Rooftop Dreamteam to drink some craft beer (mostly) and talk about music. Rapper Dante Hill and manager Rocc discuss some new projects they are working on, how they keep their presence on social media while they are between projects, and what it would take to get Rocc to drink craft beer. Throughout the episode they draw similarities between how independent artists and craft breweries operate on social media to drive fans to their product. Also, Dante and Paul realize they share a favorite watering hole uptown. Follow Dante Hill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dantehillmusic/ For more information about Rooftop Dreamteam: http://www.Everythingroof.com Listen to his music iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dante-hill/1090666573 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dantehillmusic Tidal: http://tidal.com/us YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69mZ9YDh5O2hbTuVMV3LWA You can find us online http://www.TheBeerFriends.com And join the conversation Facebook: http://www.Face

Some recent news of breweries partnering with companies outside the alcohol industry has us thinking about the future of Craft Beer and what we can expect in the year ahead. Two craft brewers have made major deals in the sports world as other brewers partner with some major food service companies. Also, with the release of some rare beer in late 2017 the guys discuss what whales they might seek out in the new year.