It’s time to ring in 2015 with great beers from DuClaw Brewing, Guinness, and Ballast Point! We three relax after the big Christmas spectacular with DuClaw’s Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, Guinness’s special release Guinness the 1759 Small Batch Amber Ale, and Ballast Point’s Indra Kunindra Curry Export Stout!

The news is light this week, but there are some really interesting items for you. NPR finds that the Miami Dolphins are using Twitter to deliver beer to fans, while philly.com announces Joe Sixpack's 2014 Beer of the Year. Next the Wall Street Journal talks about  South Korea’s new craft beer makers, the LA Times shows us how to drink your craft beer and coffee at the same time, and we end with the the Business Insider’s cool chart showing everything you need to know about beer.

Last week our #caskquiz was “what was your favorite present this year?” This week we are asking “what New Year’s beer resolutions have you made?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Christmas time is here! We are drinking beer! (In moderation!) Yes it’s our second annual Christmas special, and we host a great party with many of our old friends. We have the astounding Joe Zonin from Carolina Brewing, Daniel Cruz who just retired from Anchor Brewing, our very first guest Mitchell Peedin, and the incomparable Aubrey Herbert from Sierra Nevada! Plus a few surprise cameos, and Hoda returns to tend bar!

The beers are amazing! We have Longsdon Farmhouse Saison Bretta, the CBC/Trophy collaboration Barrel Aged Pollinator Dopplebock with Honey, Carolina Brewing's Old 392, the Dogfish/Sierra Nevada collaboration Life and Limb 2009 and 2011, DeschutesBlack Butte 23rd Anniversary, the 3 Floyds/Brew Dog collaboration Bitch Please, Mitchell’s own Experimental American Wild Ale, and we finish with AleSmith’s2011 Decadence Barrel Aged Barleywine!

Good news arrives for the holiday! Engadget starts us off with a beer that tells you how much to drink to boost your creativity, then we have The Huffington Post sporting a 'Drinking Jacket' that will open, hold & chill your beer. Then we go west to San Diego’s KPBS on filling growlers in California and end up in San Francisco via DC with The Washington Post detailing 40 years of Anchor Christmas Ale.

Last week our #caskquiz was “do you have any beer-related Holiday traditions?” This week we are asking “what was your favorite present this year?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We are going hyper-local this week with the incomparable beers from Starpoint Brewing’s Tim Harper! We talk about his day job at UNC and his passion for making craft beer in all his spare time! Then we taste two of his delightful brews: 24/7 Pale Ale and Whiskeytown Imperial Milk Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels! And yes, that’s the band Whiskeytown!

More news of the holidays is on tap this week! We start with The USA Today and a beer for the Hanukkah holiday, then shift to The Loudon Times reporting on Virginia Governor McAuliffe announcing the first commercial hops facility in the mid-Atlantic in Loudoun VA, followed by The New York Daily News and a planned merger of two of the city's largest beer distributors. We then move to The BBC on the secret world of beer, then drop some science from phys.org regarding beer quality, check out The Los Angeles Times offering ideas on beer gifts for the wine-lovers on your holiday list, and we wrap up with The Union-Leader suggesting three old beer styles for cold winter nights.

Last week our #caskquiz was “what is your fave Christmas/Holiday TV or movie special?” This week we are asking “do you have any beer-related Holiday traditions?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

After all the great guests the past few weeks, we lock the doors and take a breather at the bar. The beers are all for us (and you!) with a hidden treat from Samhain and a couple of yuletide delights! AleSmith gives us two - Evil Dead Red that we had been saving for the right moment and the all-new Winter YuleSmith! Plus we get the final Foothills IPA of the month for 2015, December’s Miss Elle Toe.

Holiday news abounds for us and includes cool history and beer + music! We start with Time and the news that Delta will begin selling craft beer on its flights, then move to Yahoo News with a trip to colonial times and a Virginia brewery tapping a 300-year-old beer recipe. Next up is Thrillist relating what your Norcal beer of choice says about you, followed by The Daily Mail on a rare six-litre Methuselah of Champagne-style beer going on sale in London, and we wrap (not rap!) with Yahoo Music and a story on the vocalist from Swedish band In Flames bringing his own beer to the party.

Last week our #caskquiz was “where do you get your up-to-the-minute beer world info? A blog? Podcast? Local brewery? This week we are asking “what is your fave Christmas/Holiday TV or movie special?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

This week it’s an award-winning collaboration! NAGBW - blogging award winner Bryan Roth from This Is Why I’m Drunk stops by and we compare our silver medals! Then we try some excellent brews: Anchor BrewingWinter Wheat Beer, Sierra NevadaNeo-Mexicanus Harvest Ale, and Evil TwinImperial Biscotti Break Natale Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top.

News comes to us from surprising sources this week, starting with...The Wine Enthusiast and a story asking can you age beer? paired with The OC Weekly explaining 5 ways to wake sure you're actually cellaring beer. Next The New York Times talks beer mile racing with ”Cue the ‘Chariots of Fire’ Theme, With Burps”, The Font du Lac Reporter takes us to Wisconsin where Black Friday shoppers come for beer,and The San Francisco Chronicle finds a new app to scan your beer list to help you pick your pint. We wind up with the Wall Street Daily showing a device that could destroy the craft beer industryand the Fusion Network on how to brew a craft beer that doesn’t suck.

Last week our #caskquiz was “what is your favorite German brew?” This week we are asking “where do you get your up-to-the-minute beer world info? A blog? Podcast? Local brewery?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

An old friend drops by to share more imported beer goodness this week! Matthew Holmes from Radeberger Gruppe brings stories of the old days riding the British Rails with Chip and he shares a couple of German treats - Radeberger Pilsner and Shöfferhofer Weizen!

It was hard to cull the plethora of news this week! Slate starts us off with the revelation that Americans now drink more craft beer than Budweiser, then The Boston Globe posits that lumpy potatoes are OK, while hoppy beers are not,and The New York Times shows us you can brew your own beer with help from an app. We also learn from DNAInfo about Empirical Brewing wanting you to tell it how to make beer, while The LA Times lists 6 craft beer terms every beer geek should know.We wind up overseas with two stories about Czech, the first from Russia Today quoting the Czech president who stated ‘American beer is just filthy water’ and the second from ABC News who tells us what it's like to bathe in beer inside a Czech beer spa.

Last week our #caskquiz was “what is your favorite pilsner beer?” This week we are asking “what is your favorite German brew?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

An incredible treat awaits you this week! We have two awesome guests from one of the world’s greatest breweries, Pilsner Urquell! Robert Lobovsky is the brewery’s “Beer Master” and he comes to us straight from Pilsen in the Czech Republic, and Chad Wodskow is the Global Marketing Manager. They are in town for the release of a special wooden cask of unfiltered, unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell flown in for a special event here in Raleigh. They talk about the brewery’s storied history and the origins of pilsner beers.

There is plenty to talk about this week. We begin with breaking news from Fortune on a potential end to tied-house laws in the UK, move to CNN Money talking about the black market for craft beer, then list The Telegraph ranking of which countries drink the most beer. We follow up with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s story about a beer & food course for beginners,then The Pensacola News-Journal on the return of the Celis family name to quality brewing, and we end up with WGHP from High Point, NC revealing how physicists explain why coffee is more likely to spill than beer.

Last week’s #caskquiz was “what beer or beers are you pairing with what dishes for Thanksgiving?” This week we want to know “what is your favorite pilsner beer?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Our good friend Kristen Baughman joins us via the Interwebs for our second annual Thanksgiving beer & food pairing episode! We hear all about Kristen’s move to the Big Apple and her new projects. Plus this year Jenn & Tony slaved away in the kitchens to make some delectable treats to go with awesome beers. We feature AnchorChristmas Ale 2014 paired with turkey cranberry meatballs, Sierra NevadaCelebration Fresh Hop IPA paired with chorizo cornbread stuffing, and Bear RepublicBig Bear Black Stout paired with pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

The news this week has stories all over the map. We start with The Wall Street Journal on SABMiller considering what to do next,move over to CNBC with a take on what they call Millennials’ war on Big Beer, go to Florida Today’s history lesson on the origins of light beers, and move west to 2 stories from The San Diego Union-Tribune: one on AleSmith beer .394 which honors Tony Gwynn and another on Green Flash merging with Alpine Beer. We follow with mySA introducing a Texas man who will give you free beer for life for $2,000, Adweek revealing Wil Wheaton introducing Newcastle's Scotch Ale, and close with The Greenville Times on a brewery’s yoga classes.

For the #caskquiz from last week we wanted to know “what politician would you like to grab a beer with?” This week we want to hear about your Thanksgiving plans: “what beer or beers are you pairing with what dishes for Thanksgiving?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Two worlds collide on this week’s show - tech and beer! We have Bill Kaluza, Mason Koffman & Megan Pullam from beer software company Intervolve. They talk about how they work with beer distributors and brewers, and they help us try some de-licious fall faves: Sierra NevadaBoomerang IPA, FoothillsNovember IPA Of the Month - “NovAmber”, and LagunitasLittle Sumpin’ Wild.

The big keep getting bigger in the news this week! We start there with Crain’s Chicago Business on Chicago's Reyes Beverage becoming the top beer distributor in U.S., then head east to The New York Daily News with a look at a brewer recreating an old Belgian beer found in a shipwreck, and join Fast Company revealing the latestGame of Thrones brew called Three-Eyed Raven. After that, we have stories from Thrillist on 9 small cities that deserve national attention for their beers, The New York Post showing us where to buy beer hoodies, and Phys.Org revealing people who are improving the taste of alcohol-free beer with aromas from regular beer.

For the #caskquiz from last week we wanted to know “what beer celebrity would you most like to have a beer with?” This week’s is a companion piece to the recent election: “what politician would you like to grab a beer with?”

We love do love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We have a definite treat (no tricks here!) for you this week with Veronica Goff from Boston Beer! She stops by to share the latest from Beantown and we get to try three delicious Sam Adams brews: Winter Lager, White Christmas, and Merry Maker.

We have history and gadgets with the news this week. We begin with The Daily Caller reporting that a bar is suing Florida over growler sales, move to The Atlantic with a nice profile of Boston Beer founder Jim Koch, the Steve Jobs of Beer, and check in with the historians at Fox News who answer was George Washington a beer or whiskey man?

We wind up with The Huffington Post on a gravity-defying way to store beer in your fridge and The Wall Street Journal visiting a Detroit brewery that aims to pedal beer. And yes, we spelled pedal correctly!

As Halloween arrives this week, last week’s #caskquiz is very timely: “what is your fave fall beer that is NOT a pumpkin beer?” After the Jim Koch piece, this week we want to know “what beer celebrity would you most like to have a beer with?”

We love do love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

It’s the three of us this week, sharing stories and drinking great North Carolina brews! In honor of this week’s NC State Fair, we keep it hyper-local and try NC beers made with as many local ingredients as possible. Up this week we have Durham’s Full Steam Brewery and their St. Summer Basil Saison, Asheville’s Wicked Weed and their Briars and Brett Gin Barrell Aged Ale, and Haw River Farmhouse’sSt. Benedict's Breakfast Dubbel.

There's Star Wars and health in the news this week. Wha? Listen to stories from WKYT Lexington KY and the news that Anheuser-Busch is suing Kentucky to buy a beer distributor, Syracuse.com on Lucasfilm battling the Empire Brewpub over a brew called 'Strikes Bock', and The New York Times down in hard-drinking Sydney Australia. We also have The USA Today celebrating 3 young pro golfers crafting a new beer product line, KOMO Seattle on a couple of NC guys who are buying every kind of beer in U.S. for new app, and NPR with a scarystory asking is that a spoonful of spooky cereal in your beer? Finally the health news is good via The New York Post who reveal that a pint of beer per day can double men’s fertility and io9 helping to save you from radiation poisoning by drinking a beer!

With the World Series hanging in the balance, what better time to answer last week’s #caskquiz “what beer will you be drinking during the baseball playoffs?” while this week we want to know “what is your fave fall beer that is NOT a pumpkin beer?”

We love do love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We are thrilled this week to welcome in our newest partners in the beer world - Ballast Point Brewing! Earl Kight, Chief Commercial Officer and Chris Marin, Regional Sales Manager Southeast join us and tell us all about the brewery and share some really fun stories. Plus we get to try some sensational beers with them - Wahoo White, Calico Amber Ale,

and Tongue Buckler Imperial Red Ale.

You want the news? We have it! We start with Fox’s listing of shocking world beer records, then head upstate to The Ithaca Journal and learn who named abeer after Ithaca’s mayor. Then it’s down south and The Daytona Beach News-Journal reporting on a fresh strategy in Florida’s beer battles, Wired revealing that your beer attracts fruit flies on purpose, and we wind up with Thrillist’s 5 biggest mistakes you’re making with your beer.

More great feedback this week! And we get your answers to last week’s #caskquiz “what is your favorite California beer? ” while this week we want to know “what beer will you be drinking during the baseball playoffs?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

What a great time we had this week with the renowned beer maveness Jenn Litz from Craft Business Daily! She Skypes in from her palatial digs in NYC and dishes on the latest happenings in the craft beer world. Plus, she tries awesome beers from San Diego’s Ballast Point and Michigan's Saugatuck Brewing with us! This week we get to sample Sculpin IPA, Longfin Lager, and Victory at Sea Imperial Porter from Ballast Point and Jenn tries Serrano Pepper Ale from Saugatuck!

A plethora of news awaits this week, fitting since we have a newsperson guest! We start with The New York Times and an editorial regarding monopolizing beer, move to Paste Magazine and a revealing look at the expanding demographics of craft beer, and check out The Guardian’s report on plans in Vietnam to keep temperature in beer parlours below 30C.  Next we go down to New Orleans and The Times-Picayune on the restaurant Borgne's canned beer program, then up to The Star-Ledger talking about Ommegang Valar Morghulis Abbey Dubbel, over to Vice who shows us that it takes submarines, hashish, and volcanic rocks to make a good beer, and we wind up on The Today Show to see that beer is ready to spread on your morning toast!

There was quite a bit of great feedback this week! We also share the responses to last week’s #caskquiz “when you see a beer you want to try, which package are you more likely to buy - a 12 or 22 ounce?” and this week we want to know “what is your favorite California beer?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talesfromthecask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We are traveling through spacetime in multiple timelines and places for your listening pleasure this week! Tony and Jenn get to interview Adams Eshbaugh from 919Beer and the recent Beericana Festival. Then they sample a cider and two beers: Crispin Steeltown Anniversary Cider, and Anchor Brewing’sBig Leaf Maple plus LagunitasImperial Red.

Chip brings news from the future beginning with an NBWA report from Ad Age asking if young drinkers have abandoned big beer,goes local with The News & Observer’s piece on hymns and beer at a downtown Raleigh pub, then moves overseas with Bloomberg showing how Germans are learning craftbeer from the U.S.He wraps up with Quartz on how beer won’t make you smarter, but a compound found in hops mightand the Business Insider with a piece on the beer machine designed to look just like a Mac Pro.

The feedback was great this week! We share the responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what is your favorite underrated style of beer?” and this week we want to know “” when you see a beer you want to try, which package are you more likely to buy - a 12 or 22 ounce?

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We are back in our bar this week listening to the rain when in walks Leif Larson from Olde Hickory Brewery! He tells us how he started homebrewing and moved from that to working at Olde Hickory, and then we try some really exciting beers: Hefeweizen, Wilson Creek ESB, Black Raven IPA, and the celebrated Death by Hops IPA!

Chip returns to the newsdesk and reveals that The Washington Post has a report on the Pabst purchase by Russians and the broader fact that America’s most iconic beer brands are being bought by foreign investors, then cites Quartz on the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage in the US. The focus then turns to three stories about beer and food, just not in the pairing sense - The USA Today with fast food chain Popeyes “beer can chicken”, The Washington Post on Starbucks testing a beer-flavored latte,and The Consumerist’s opinion that someone has made a craft beer jelly because that is clearly what peanut butter has been missing!

The feedback was fun this week! We share the responses to last week’s #caskquiz “if you just summited Mount Everest, what beer would you reach for?” and this week we want to know “what is your favorite underrated style of beer?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We head west to Tony’s own bar this week since Chip was in Mills River, NC at the new Sierra Nevada brewery! Amazingly, Robert Owen from NC brewery Duck Rabbit Brewery found his way and brought us some killer beers! We get to try their Märzen, Hoppy Bunny American Black Ale, and Milk Stout.

Jenn and Tony take on the newsreading this week (at least Chip did some research for them!) and begin with The New York Times onSABMiller’s rejected bid for Heineken, head to the

Minnesota Public Radio Blog with a story on the NFL player controversies and the power of Big Beer, and check in with Yahoo Food regarding how the South does craft beer. We then go to the Great Lakes Echo to hear how burgeoning beer brewers are good for barley, then over to The Union Leader with a story to bring beer lovers pleasant dreams, and then wrap up down in The Miami Herald with an inspiring tale of a hard-to-find brew and the ultimate beer run.

We had lots of feedback this week! Plus we share the responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what music+beer event that you have attended was your fave?” and this week we ask “if you just summited Mount Everest, what beer would you reach for?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Guess who just happened to wander into our little bar? Old friend of the show Aubrey Herbert that’s who! She made it just in time to try some killer Oktoberfest beers with us. The lineup includes HofbräuDunkel, Dinkel Acker Oktoberfest, Starpoint Brewing Märzen, and of course Sierra NevadaOktoberfest!

Chip is back with the news for you this week. We start off with Deadspin advising us to stop whining about pumpkin beer, move to The USA Today regarding a beer geeks' dream: a brewing co-op, and then press on to CNET letting us know that beer drones are back, this time with Google Glass. We next tackle 2 Anheuser-Busch InBev stories, one in Businessweek telling us that Budweiser wants you to buy a Facebook friend a beer and another in the The Huffington Post about what happened in a small resort town in Colorado leaving Bud Light fans stranded there. We finish up the week with a thoughtful piecein All About Beer by our friend John Holl asking what beer would be if it were invented today and a niece story in The Chippewa Herald about Jake Leinenkugel’s impending retirement.

We share the responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what is the freshest beer you have tried?” and this week we ask you what music+beer event that you have attended was your fave?

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Chip is at the beach this week so Jenn and Tony ransacked the warehouse and found a bunch of specialty beers to try!  Our very own Carolina Brewing Company Wet Hop IPA has just arrived with the Mims Estate Hops, we have a new Anchor Zymaster Series Saaremaa Island Ale, Coronado has just released their 18th Anniversary Ale, Foothills September IPA of the month is here, AND we snagged a bottle of Sierra/Boulevard Collab Terra Incognita!!

There is some drama in the news this week with the Minnesota State Fair craft beer station being robbed!  We also talk about the session beer craze, more British hop acreage being added to fulfill the US craft beer market’s demand, and Bear Republic’s new Solar Panel program. For the craft beer nerds, we give 13 reasons you may be drinking too much craft beer.

We got some great responses to our #caskquiz “Who do you this will win the Superbowl?”  This week’s #caskquiz is “What is the freshest beer you have tried?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Well, he did it! Our old friend Scott Mizerak with Foothills Brewing just got married, and we asked him to drop by to celebrate! We had to toast of course, and we did it right with a couple of faves from Winston-Salem - Cottonwood Pumpkin Spiced Ale and Foothills Baltic Porter!

There’s a plethora of beer in the news this week! The Wall Street Journal starts us off with a story ona migrant beer-canning expertwhile Yahoo Food ranksevery state in the US by beer.We then check out The Cleveland Plain Dealer recapping the latest study breaking down jobs from the brewing industry, Fox News on anAustin brewery rolling out a 99-pack of beer, and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talkingMiller Park beer vendors sounding off on self-serve machines. We wrap up with Eater.com regardingthe origins of D.C.'s quirky beer namesand tech via Gearjunkie that lets you carry beer anywhere via gel-packs.

We got one last reply to an earlier #caskquiz “what fall beer are you most looking forward to drinking?” and heard from you on “what’s your fave beer event that you have attended?” This week we ask you to give us your early prediction “who will win the Super Bowl?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We got on a roll last week with IPAs, and we keep the momentum going with some of the last of the summer ales for 2014! We begin with FoothillsAugust IPA “Coral”, then we venture to the far north to try 2 from Maine Beer Company: Peeper Ale and Mo Pale Ale, and we finish up with a return to our neighborhood with Carrboro’s Starpoint DUH! Double IPA.

Football and movies top the beer news this week! We have a story from Forbes listing the NFL's Most Overpriced Beers, and one from Uproxx about officially licensed hobbit beers. We also check out The Wall Street Journal on barrel-aged beer, io9 gives us a scientific excuse to drink a beer, The BBC profiles a beer revolution in Africa, while The Local shares that northern France is hoping that beer will boost tourism. We wind up here in the Triangle with 2 of our major universities: Duke Today reveals there’s Duke in your beer and Natural Sciences tells us that bumble bees have been recruited to make beer at NC State.

We continued to get replies to an earlier #caskquiz “what beer was your fave from Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp collaborations?” and heard from you on “what fall beer are you most looking forward to drinking?” This week we ask “what’s your fave beer event that you have attended?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

After our triumphal road trip to Sierra Nevada’s new Mills River NC brewery, we return to our little bar with Mims Distributing On-Premise Area Sales Manager Craig Thomas! Craig shares his insights into the beer sales world, and some great stories from his career so far.

Then we go all-IPA this week, with terrific examples from San Diego and Carrboro NC! The SD brews are from Coronado Brewing with their Idiot IPA, and we have 2 from Green Flash: Imperial IPA and Le Freak IPA.

We also debut a new hyperlocal from Starpoint Brewing in Carrboro, the stellar Surfin’ Buddha IPA!

The news ranges from the UK to baseball stadiums across the USA! We start with an NPR piece that dovetails nicely with last week’s chat with Bill Manly about how west coast brewers like Sierra Nevada have to tweak NC water to match western mountain flavor. That’s followed by a new look by the NBWA at the fact that there are now over 4,500 breweries in the US, a revealing take from The Guardian on the UK craft beer revolution, more on how craft beer in cans just keeps crushing it via the Denver Post, and Fox News finding 5 craft beers that won't destroy your waistline. We finish up with a shocking report from the Washington Post on where to find the best beer in major league baseball that features a really cool interactive graphic that you can use to compare stadiums!

We have great feedback and several answers to the  #caskquiz “what beer was your fave from Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp collaborations?” Next week we ask “what fall beer are you most looking forward to drinking?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

We hit the road this week with our friends from Sierra Nevada and take you on an exclusive look at their new brewery in Mills River, NC! We were there for the grand finale of the 2014 Beer Camp Across America Tour, and we were able to get Bill Manly, the Sierra Beer Ambassador off the bus and into the brewery to talk about all things Sierra!

Once we got back to our bar, we tried 4 brews from the Beer Camp Collaboration 12-pack: Myron's Walk with Allagash Brewing, Alt Route with Victory Brewing, Chico King - 3 Floyds Brewing, and finish strong with Maillard’s Odyssey with Bell’s Brewing. Plus, we had an intern!  

Many interesting stories await you in the beer world this week. The Washington Post reports thatcorn is getting a new look from brewers, we check out a blog posting (and a Venn diagram!) from Timeout Chicago regarding the use of women’s images in selling beer, we travel to Ho Chi Minh City via The Boulder Daily Camerawith brewer Alex Violette, and Norway's far north with The BBC, examine the West Coast drought with Everything On Tap and finish with the Men’s Journalon Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp Tour.

We have fun and informative answers to the  #caskquiz “what beer apps are you using?” Next week we ask “what beer was your fave from Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp collaborations?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

We go digital this week with the founders of PintLabs, a subsidiary of SteadyServ! They talk about how they met, the origin of their company, their website BreweryDB.com  and the cool beer apps Brewery Map and Pocket Beer.  

These guys love great beer like we do, so we deliver the goods from Sierra Nevada with their Vienna Lager and Flipside Red IPA, and the incredible AleSmithX Extra Pale Ale!

This week our news sources span the globe, from Russia to Hotlanta! We start with The Washington Post which revealswhere the biggest beer, wine, and liquor drinkers live in the U.S., check in with Mother Jones who publish a scathing piece onBud and Miller having issues dealing with the craft beer craze, learn from Russia Today thatChina’s beer market may be bigger than the US’s by 2017, travel with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to atasting of all of Samuel Adams “extreme beers”, and wind up with CSPNet and discoverthe leading purchase drivers among craft beer drinkers.

We are still getting answers to the  #caskquiz “what is the most exotic ingredient you have tried in a beer?” and have new ones to this week’s #caskquiz “what was your fave summer brew this season?” Next week we ask “what beer apps are you using?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

We are winding down the summer brews this week!  We found some beers even Jenn and Tony haven’t tried including West Sixth Lemongrass Wheat, Westbrook Old Claw, and Foothills July IPA of the Month!

We go high tech with our news stories this week and discuss the growing craft beer culture at tech companies, sending yeast to space with Ninkasi, and brewing beer from yeast collected from an ancient whale bone!  If you haven’t taken your summer vacation yet, we also report on the Top 10 Emerging Beer Cities and follow up on our reports about beer being sold in college stadiums.

There are some great responses to last week’s  #caskquiz “what is the most exotic ingreidient you have tried in a beer?” Join us in winding down the summer for this week’s #caskquiz “what was your fave summer brew this season?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

We are into new releases this week from Germany and California! We start with the refreshing Edelstoff from Munich’s Augustiner, then ramp up with LagunitasLittle Sumpin’ Extra, and make a strong finish with the incredible very limited-edition Sierra NevadaBeer Camp Across AmericaWest Coast Double IPA!

There is more news spanning the globe this week. We start by concluding our World Cup coverage with a story from The Wall Street Journalof a sad tale of thieves spoiling the German celebrations. We keep sporty with The Boston Globe’slook at the baseball All-Star game and new self-serve beer machines, talk about how beer is more and more in the mainstream media with stories about LA Beer Week from LA Weekly and Sierra Nevada Beer Camp from the Asheville Citizen- Times, and take 5 great craft beer vacations via TheStreet.com.We finish our travels with NPR andMaine seaweed beer and The Idaho Statesman reporting onthe growing demand for Idaho barley.

We have great tweets and pictures this week with responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what is your favorite place to drink a beer?” Please join us for this week’s #caskquiz “what is the most exotic ingredient you have tried in a beer?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

We travel through time this week (listen and see what we mean!) with a fan favorite, the always fun Joe Zonin from local brewing heroes Carolina Brewing Company! CBC is celebrating its 19th birthday in July, and we join them at the legendary Raleigh, NC restaurant that bought their first keg all those years ago! This week we taste their Carolina Summer Ale and the delicious 19th Anniversary Imperial IPA!

The news is plentiful in the beer world this week. BostInno has a story aboutwhat happens in your mind when you drink beer or coffee, while Paste Magazine shares 4 awesome TED talks about craft beer. Lehigh Valley Live clues us in to what you need to plant in your garden to brew beer, Plastics News reveals that Sidel has created a plastic beer bottle that looks like glass, and we wind up with a sad story about a reporter from the NY Daily News who watched the World Cup match between the US and Belgium and how he was soaked in beer & drowned in sorrow in the aftermath.

We have great tweets this week with responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what is your favorite canned beer?” We will take this week’s #caskquiz “what is your favorite place to drink a beer?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

What a great show we have for the 4th of July featuring those heroic podcasting patriots, Fitz & Mike from “On Tap with Fitz and Mike!” They share their unique insights and incredible singing voices with us, all while trying 3 delicious brews: AleSmithNut Brown Ale, BoonGeuze Mariage Parfait, and The Alchemist Heady Topper.

Lots of interesting news is out this week. We start with the Wall Street Journal and their story on how the large brewers are looking for a big summer, we find out that a beer slushy maker is the answer to The HuffPo’s prayers, listen in as NPR matches US versus Belgium beers in honor of the their World Cup contest, chuckle at My San Antonio’s takedown of the “food babe,” and welcome Missouri to the club of states that allow single-bottle beer sales.

We have great tweets this week with responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what is the oldest beer in your cellar and how old is it?” And don’t forget to reply to this week’s #caskquiz “what is your favorite canned beer?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

After Tony & Jenn’s live remote and Chip’s coastal excursion last week, we are back in the Sunny Lands in our little bar! And we know you are following the World Cup, so we celebrate with our own Tales TankardTM beer competition! The challengers are Palma Louca and Xingu from host Brazil, Germany’s Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen, France’s La Goutte D’Or Chateau Rouge, Belgium’s Rodenbach Caractère Rouge, and from the Netherlands La Trappe Quadrupel. Who advances? Listen and find out!

We do a deep dive in the interwebs for the news this week, starting with FinancesOnline’s look at beer prices in different countries around the world, the USA Today examining colleges considering beer sales in stadiums, and finish up with a report from Brewbound regarding dastardly shenanigans in the global aluminum market and a House bill to address them.

We have several tweets this week with responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what’s your favorite #sundayfunday or brunch beer?” And please reply to this week’s #caskquiz “what is the oldest beer in your cellar and how old is it?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, following our Instagram @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

We're taking the show on road this week!  Chip is on vacation so Tony and Jenn pack up the gear and head over to Crank Arm Brewing Company to enjoy some brews and have some great conversation with Brewmaster Michael Morris.  Michael shares his beer story, talks about the inspiration for his ingredients, the recurring theme across his beer names, and some of the exciting things happening at Crank Arm Brewing Company.

We sample several Crank Arm Brewing creations including Whitewall Wit, Unicycle Single Hop Pale Ale, Hopaway Hoppy Belgian Saison, Rydeaway Saison with Rye Malt, hefebiken, and Trail Bandit Peanut Butter Stout.

We have some great news items for you this week.  We talk about Lagunitas' new taproom in Chicago, new beer regulations that will help craft brewers in New York, a blogger battle "victory" against Anheuser-Busch and other big brewers, and 13 craft beers to serve at your wedding.

We also share some great responses to last week's #CaskQuiz and toss out a new question for you.  This week's #CaskQuiz question is, "What is your #sundayfunday or brunch beer?"

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

It was a dark and stormy afternoon - perfect for trying great summer special brews in the comfort of our favorite bar! This week’s lineup is terrific! We start with Foothill Brewing’sJune IPA of the Month: Jasmine. Next we have a special Sierra Nevada beer from their new brewery in Mills River, NC - Rain Check Spiced Stout! It’s the brewery’s answer to the merciless wet weather that plagued and slowed construction of the new site since breaking ground in April 2012. We finish up with a great beer from Rogue - their Marionberry Braggot!

We split our news segment in two this week, with domestic and international parts. In the US, we learn that a revolution in beer lies in a return to the Middle Ages, we visit the best beer gardens in America, and we finish with a story about brewers canning beer versus bottling it. Internationally, we find that Russia has a plan to limit beer bottle size, we travel to the most expensive cities for a beer, we ask for a beer in many languages, and we see why it’s not a good idea to drive drunk on a beer cooler.

We have several tweets this week with responses to last week’s #caskquiz “What beer would you drink near a body of water?” Join us for this week’s #caskquiz “Where is your favorite place to have a beer in the summertime?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

It is June at last! Beer season is rocking, and we head to Virginia for incredible beers courtesy of our friend Chris VanDeWeert from Port City Brewing! To whet our taste buds, we first start in the NC mountains with Andrews Brewing Company Four Lane ESB. Then with Chris’ help, we head up to Alexandria VA’s Port City with their Optimal Wit, Monumental IPA, and finish with the terrific Porter. Plus Chris shares the story of how he moved from the world of finance to the glorious world of beer!

There is a lot of news this week! We feature stories including one from The Washington Post thatmaps America’s beer belly, another in Parade Magazinewith 10 Father's Day Presents for Your Beer-Loving Dad, while the Thrillistshows us a cocktail lover’s guide to beer  and WBTWreports that a South Carolina college professor was fired after his picture appeared on a beer label. We also have an article sent in by longtime listener Bill Donaldson from the Tennesseanabout how Nashville’s airport has loosened rules on carrying alcohol. And we link to a great YouTube video of the Danish bandThe Bottle Boys Playing Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” with beer bottles.

We have several tweets this week with responses to last week’s #caskquiz “What beer would you pair with a really good chocolate?” Join us for this week’s #caskquiz “What beer would you drink near a body of water?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

Summer is here! Well, maybe not officially but hey, it’s close enough for us! We celebrate with Lauren Wolken from Boston Beer and take a trip to the Middle Ages with the enchanting Honey Queen Braggot and the incredible and educational Latitude 48 Deconstructed IPA. This variety pack has the original Latitude 48 IPA and 5 beers brewed only with one of the hop varieties that are blended into Latitude - Hallertau-Mittelfrueh, East Kent Goldings, Zeus, Simcoe, and Mosaic.

New news? We have it with stories including a beer mishap from Taco Bell, a writer’s thoughts about returning to Michigan because of beer, CNN Money talking about the craft beer craze in the South, the Street.com with a provocative story about why craft beer needs its own Blue Moon, and two from the New York Times - one about sour beers being easy summer drinking and another about the genetics of yeast and beer.

In our feedback segment we share great tweets and responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what beer brand would you most like to see in your town that isn’t currently available?” Don’t miss this week’s caskquiz “what beer would you pair with a really good chocolate?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

It’s almost Memorial Day, so we are ready for the long weekend and the onset of summer with excellent cider and beers! We sample Crispin Original Cider, the awesome farmhouse saison Ommegang Hennepin, and the dark and wonderful Lagunitas NightTime Ale.

As we went to press, new items include a story from the Charleston Post & Courier about a bill to entice brewers to move to South Carolina, an editorial from the Cleveland Plain Dealer regarding an Ohio bill to raise the alcohol limit in beers allowed to be sold in that state, an article from London’s Daily Telegraph detailing some surprising health & beauty benefits of beer,  NPR’s take on the ongoing debate about what constitutes a craft beer, the New York Times on summer beer mixology, and NBC Sports Hardball on Cigar City’s special beer aged on Louisville Slugger baseball bats.

We share an email from a DC area listener who decided to make a career change and join the beer business, really fun tweets, and responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what’s your favorite barrel-aged beer.” Join us for this week’s caskquiz “what beer brand would you most like to see in your town that isn’t currently available?”

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, posting on and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com! And please rate & review us in iTunes if you haven’t done so!

Ah, San Diego! Another sunny land and home of the insanely great AleSmith Brewing Company! Join us this week as we talk with Abby Heilbron, Account Manager and sales goddess from AleSmith and our guide as we try the draught IPA, Summer YuleSmith, & Speedway Stout, plus a special bottle of the Barrel-Aged Wee Heavy!

At newstime, stories include one from the USA Today about the latest craft beer trends, another from Bloomberg Businessweek detailing the effect of America's thirst for IPAs trickling down to hop farmers, a study cited in the Lafayette Journal & Courier finding that beer could cut a woman’s rheumatoid arthritis risk, and Time’s revelation that revelation that you can now buy Hanson’s MmmHops beer online!

We share an email from a UK listener, some great tweets, and many responses to last week’s #caskquiz “what are you doing for Craft Beer Week?” This week’s caskquiz is “what’s your favorite barrel-aged beer?” Plus check out this cool champagne/saber link video from our friend @geistbear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCp9-tEHa8U

We love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, tweeting us @talescask, posting and liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheCask or emailing written or audio messages to talesfromthecask@gmail.com!

Cask nation! Want to know about naming beer brands, breweries, getting trademarks and the law? Then join us this week we learn about that and more with our guest, trademark attorney Chris Sorey from Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP! We pepper him with questions, and he fields them with ease.

We try some wonderful sours from Wicked Weed Brewing out of Asheville, NC including their Bretticent Farmhouse Saison, Genesis Sour Blonde, and Black Angel Cherry Sour.

In the news, we feature an LA Times story about a beer pioneer launching Jordan’s first microbrewery, and a video from Slate showing how a Gentleman opens a beer with no bottle pener. We also discuss two articles on the subject of craft beer, one an interview in The Denver Post withPete Coors, talking about how the big beer industry continues to grapple with craft beers and a follow up from the Annapolis Capital about why one person will happily spend more on a craft beer.

We share some great feedback from last week’s #caskquiz and this week ask “What are you doing to celebrate Craft Beer week May 12-18?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

We have a tasty Wisonsin craft beer episode for you today!  In episode 53 of Tales From the Cask we are sampling a variety pack from New Glarus.  On tap is Two Women, Spotted Cow, Fat Squirrel, Moon Man, and Apple Ale.

In our news segment we share a USA Today article about 5 myths of storing, aging, and drinking beer, a Baltimore Sun article about The Brewer’s Art renaming their Ozzy beer, the fastest growing alcoholic beverage category (it’s not craft beer), tips for buying the best tasting beer, and a tip from Jim Koch on how to drink and not get drunk.

We also share some great listener feedback including your answers to last week’s Cask Quiz question.

This week’s Cask Quiz question is: “What is your favorite beer name?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

It’s Episode 52 of Tales From the Cask which means we’ve made it through a whole year of podcasting!  In today’s episode we are joined by Audra Gaiziunas, owner of Brewed For Her Ledger, LLC.  Audra specializes in accounting needs for brewers and is a beer aficionado! 

We talk to Audra about how she got started in the beer business, her various clients, women in the beer world, her most interesting projects and much more!  You can follow Audra on Twitter at @BeerMudderAudra.

We also drink some rare Lagunitas brews!  We have Lagunitas Censored, Waldo, Imperial Stout, and Cappuccino Stout!

In our news segment we have another updated on the potential impact of the FDA’s proposed changes to spent grain, beer lollipops, a craft beer pub crawl in Osaka, Japan, a beer bar in Salt Lake City, and a beer glass froster.

We share some great feedback from our listeners and we throw out a new Cask Quiz question, “What beer’s story convinced you to buy the brand?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Episode 51 of Tales From the Cask is here and it’s a tasty one!  Our special guest is Thomas Vincent, aka @geistbear, beer educator and Chief Navigator and Brewer for Compass Rose Brewery.  Thomas is in the process of opening his own brewery in Raleigh and he gives us his unique insight into the beer business. 

Thomas shares the story of how he came to reside in Raleigh, how he got into the beer business, his opinions on spent grain, crowd funding for breweries, the location of his new brewery, what types of beers they will offer and other beer expertise.

We also get into the spring season with Saison beers! We try Twisted Pine la Petite Saison, Bison Brewing's Saison de Wench, Evil Twin's Ryan and the Beaster Bunny, and Sierra Nevada's Ovila Saison with Mandarin Oranges and Pepperocrns.

In our news segment we share stories about the state of domestic and imported beer in the United States, a BusinessWeek article about shandy season, results for NC brewers from the World Beer Cup, 3 myths about skunky beer, and an LA Weekly article about latinos who are driving LA’s craft beer revolution. 

We also share some great feedback from our listeners and their responses to last week’s Cask Quiz. 

This week’s #caskquiz question is, “What’s the next new hot beer style?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

In Episode 50 of Tales From the Cask we take a look at some tasty Demory Paris beers and French ciders from Latis Imports!  In our news section we share a story of the Huffington Post that will tell you what your next 5 favorite beers will be, new craft beers available on some airlines, how biofuels are following the pattern of the craft beer movement, a couple of wine snobs who discovered craft beer (and loved it), and why beer geography is the best geography.

We also share some great feedback from our listeners and their responses to last week’s Cask Quiz. 

This week’s #caskquiz question is, “What is your favorite imported beer (or cider)?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Welcome to Tales From the Cask!  In today’s episode we are joined by Daniel Cruz, Marketing Manager for San Francisco's Anchor Brewing.  Daniel brings along a brand new brew from Anchor, Anchor IPA!  Daniel also shares his story of joining Anchor, the story behind Anchor’s vintage looking labels, tells us what is new with Anchor Brewing, and why they chose to make Anchor IPA now.  He also tells us a great story about why they selected an elephant for the label, the history of beer in California and the role it played in the gold rush.

In our news segment we share stories about beer brewers pushing back against the proposed FDA rule that restricts the use of old grain, making beer with kudzu, a Huffington Post article about the top 50 craft breweries in America, an op-ed piece in the New York Times from Brooklyn Brewing's Steve Hindy, and a new beer from Sam Adams called HeliYUM.

Daniel also answers a listener question, we hear from a listener that binge listened to all of our episodes, and we share some great responses to last week’s Cask Quiz question.

This week’s #caskquiz question is, “When did you have your first Anchor beer and what was it?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Chip is out of town so Tony and Jenn are on location for this week’s episode of Tales From the Cask!  In Episode 48 we visit Lynnwood Brewing Concern and speak with Ted Dwyer and Bill Gerds, owner and brewmaster.  We sample several Lynnwood Brewing beers including Blonde Moment Belgian Blonde, Dry Stout, Hubris Imperial IPA, and Once You Go Black IPA.

Ted and Bill share their journey into the beer business and why they chose to set up shop in North Carolina.  They tell us about the first style of beer that they brewed, and give us a look into the future of Lynnwood Brewing Concern.

In our news segment we share a story about craft beer taps being installed at the Colorado governor’s mansion, an amendment to Florida’s controversial beer growler bill, and a new beer from Dock Street Brewing Company made with smoked goat brains.

We also share a lot of great listener feedback and responses to last week’s Cask Quiz.

This week’s #caskquiz question is, “What are you doing to celebrate NC beer month, or your local beer month?

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Welcome back Cask Nation!  In this week’s episode we welcome back, back, back, back the always entertaining and insightful, Aubrey Herbert from Sierra Nevada Brewing.  Aubrey shares some of the latest Sierra Nevada news with us, and brings along some tasty brews.  In this episode we sample from the new 4-Way IPA 12 pack: Nooner Session IPA, Snow Wit White IPA, Blindfold Black IPA, and Torpedo Extra IPA.

In our news segment we share some very interesting stories about 2013 craft brewer growth; Sam Adams, Guinness and other breweries boycotting some of this year's St. Patrick’s Day Parades; a burglary suspect that was caught by the DNA he left behind on a beer bottle left at the scene; and some fascinating info about the sale of beer, pizza, and wings during March Madness.

We got a lot of feedback this week and get to share some really good answers to last week’s Cask Quiz about your favorite local brews and some responses to the beers from Mother Earth Brewing.

This week’s #caskquiz question is, “What’s your favorite IPA?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Hey y'all!  Coming to you from the (finally!) sunny lands of Raleigh, North Carolina, it’s Tales From the Cask Episode 46!  In this episode we are joined by Chris Allen, Regional Peppajack at Mother Earth Brewing!  We sample a variety of their brews including the Park Day Bohemian Style Pilsner, Endless River Kolsch, Weeping Willow Belgian Wit, Second Wind Pale Ale, Dark Cloud Munich Dunkel, Sisters of the Moon IPA, and the Window Pane Series.

We share some great beer news about the National Security Council distributing beer, a brief history of beer, the newest Game of Thrones beer recently released at SXSW, and an article about craft brewers beating big beer.

In our feedback segment we share your answers to our question last week about your favorite hop varieties and we answer some listener questions too.

This week’s #caskquiz is, “What is your favorite local beer?” 

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

We have a scent-sational treat for you in Episode 45 of Tales From the Cask.  In this episode we explore food aromas and hops!  We have three beers from Bear Republic: Churchill’s Pale Ale, Hop Rod Rye & Apex IPA, plus Foothills Seeing Double IPA.  We look at pairing them with various foods like passion fruit, mango, grapefruit, and more!  The results are really spectacular.

In our news segment we discuss a change in the official definition of a craft brewer, a mobile app that will tell you if the beer in front of you is a craft beer, a Boston group of women beer lovers, Girl's Pint Out reaching San Antonio, and a Bloomberg article about Joe Six-Pack getting some love.

We share listener responses to last week’s Cask Quiz question, and this week’s question is, “What is your favorite hop variety?” 

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Bonjour, nation de fût!  In Episode 44 of Tales From the Cask, Chip has returned from France and has brought some goodies back with him.  You may recall a recent news story we mentioned about Simon Thillou, owner of La Cave à Bulles beer shop in Paris, France.  While Chip was visiting Paris, he stopped by La Cave à Bulles and Simon was was gracious enough to sit down with Chip and talk about the French beer scene.

Chip also brought home some great brews so in this episode we’re sampling 3 beers from the Parisien brewery La Brasserie de la Goutte D’Or: 3 Ter Bière Blonde Triple au Café, Charbonièrre Bière Ambrée, and the insanely great Ernestine IPA.

We share a New York Times news article about stronger beers that are being made to draw in millennials,  the new Miller Fortune commercials featuring Mark Strong, a $1,200 bottle of beer, an interesting article about cask beer, how the California drought is effecting beer production,  and a story about how and why it may be good news that Boston Beer missed on their financial earnings.

We also have some great listener feedback and answers from last week’s #caskquiz question.  This week’s #caskquiz question is, “Where did you buy your first brew?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Greetings from the sunny lands, it’s episode 43 of Tales From the Cask!  In this episode we are joined by Kyle Pederson, a man who knows a thing or two about the beer scene on the west coast!  Kyle tells us about where he’s from, how he got his start in the beer business, his work with the San Francisco brewer’s guild, and his thoughts on the Carolina beer scene.  

On tap for this episode is Foothills February IPA of the Month “Rosie the Riveting,” Sierra Nevada Harvest Series Single Hop IPA with Yakima #291, and Lagunitas Fusion 19.

In our news segment we share some interesting stories about Greg Koch the CEO of Stone Brewing making an appearance on Food Network’s Chopped, Wicked Weed Brewing celebrating the release of their first bottles, and an FDA rule change about spent grain.

Our #caskquiz question this week is: What is your favorite brewery tour you have been on?

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Hello again from the snowy lands, it’s Tales From the Cask Episode 42!  This week we are excited to bring you an interview with the Vice President of Sales for Boston Beer Company, John Geist!  John tells us about how he came to join the team at Boston Beer, some of the exciting things happening with the company this year, his vision for the future of craft beer, and insights on the Angry Orchard apple cider business.  John is also gracious enough to answer questions submitted from the Cask Nation.

In our news segment, we share stories about Sierra Nevada winning the hops war, craft beers thriving even when overall beer consumption is down slightly, members of the Canadian Olympic team getting all the beer they can drink, and Yuengling’s return to ice cream after a 30 year break.

We also get try try two great new beers from Sam Adams - Rebel IPA and the new seasonal Cold Snap.

This week’s cask quiz question is, “What beers are you drinking while you watch the Olympics?”

 We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Get those taste buds ready, cask nation! Episode 41 of Tales From the Cask is a tasty one! In this episode we are sampling Foothills Sexual Chocolate 2014 and Evil Twin Mini Dingo Imperial Stout with Habaneros! 

Joined by Greg Hirsh, beer maverick for a Chapel Hill NC specialty food and beer retailer, we have a great time at the bar sipping on some rare brews.  Greg has a unique approach to selling beer, interweaving his love for history and his love for beer to create a learning experience.  Greg tells us about his journey into the beer business, his approach to selling beers, books that he recommends, his involvement with Fullsteam Brewery, his home brewing experiences, and more!

In our news segment this week we share stories about a lawsuit over the use of the word Champagne and how "the Champagne of Beers” avoids any trouble, electronic tongues being used to taste beer, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s acquisition of Blue Point Brewing, and an update to the beer drone story we brought you last week.

In our feedback segment we share your responses to last week’s cask quiz question, talk about Jenn’s snack stadium that she made for the big football game, and answer a call from the Caskline!

This week’s cask quiz question is, “What spring beer are you most excited about?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Greetings from the snowy lands, Casklovers!  We may be snowed in here in North Carolina, but we’re still enjoying some frosty malt beverages and podcasting!  In episode 40 of Tales From the Cask we meet Jenn’s significant other and beer aficionado, Sheldon Simonds.  

As you all know, there is a really big football game taking place in East Rutherford, New Jersey this Sunday between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks.  We’ll be predicting the winner of the big game by performing a taste test challenge between three Washington State beers and three Colorado beers: No-Li Crystal Bitter ESB, American Brewing Breakaway IPA, and No-Li Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout from Washington, versus Ska Brewing Special ESB, Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey, and Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout from Colorado.

We also share some super news with you about a Wisconsin brewery that uses drones to make deliveries, how a Chicago brew crew keeps a train full of beer from freezing, an article from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that helps pair the best beer or wine with your favorite super game foods, and an article from Accuweather about how cold it has to be at an outdoor sporting event for the beer to freeze in your cup.

We also share some excellent responses to last week’s #caskquiz question and we toss out a new question for you this week, “What is your go to snow day beer?”

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Hey y’all!  Greetings from the sunny yet chilly lands of North Carolina!  In episode 39 of Tales From the Cask we are serving up a fun interview with warehouse/ops manager Mike Turner as he gives us his expert insight into the operations side of beer.  He shares with us the many changes in the beer and wine industries during his time in the business over the last 30+ years, regales us with interesting stories, tells us about an average day in the beer warehouse, and answers some listener questions.

On tap this week is Anchor Zymaster Harvest One, Stone Enjoy By 2.14.14 IPA, and Foothills IPA of the month for January "Ginger".  In our news segment, we share a really cool story about a cruise line that has a beer-themed voyage, the Super (Beer) Bowl, 5 beers that aren’t considered craft beers but maybe should be, and a really interesting article that talks about why beer can act like a nuclear explosion. 

We share some great feedback and questions from the listeners, and share responses to our first #CaskQuiz!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Greetings, Caskers!  In episode 38 we are visited by Ted Gross, owner of a specialty beer shop in Raleigh, NC!  Ted gives us all the details about how he broke into the beer business and started a unique style of beer retail.  He shares his views on the issues facing retailers, dealing with the public, and what he loves most about selling beer.  He also answers some listener questions about the Pittsburgh Steelers, the perfect mustache,  Russian River, Hill Farmstead, and more! We also try some killer brews including Gigantic Brewing's Beer #14 The Future is Now, Firestone Walker Wookey Jack, and Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Doughnut.

In the news this week, we have some great articles about German beer’s existential crisis, a funny video for people who love craft beer but hate silly craft beer names, America’s first Trappist beer, and a very cool story about Peyton Manning receiving a special gift from Left Hand Brewing Company.

In our feedback section section we share listener responses to our question about Carolina Brewing’s 9th version of Wiggo, and we reveal a NEW Twitter feature!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Welcome back, Caskers!  We hope that you had a wonderful holiday break and we’re back with another fun filled episode of Tales From the Cask.  In this episode we catch up on all the great feedback we received during the break.  We learn what your favorite Tales From the Cask Episode is, your thoughts about Sierra Nevada’s Narwhal Imperial Stout, what you did for New Year’s Eve, your first beer memories, new brews you’re drinking and MORE!

We also share some interesting news articles about what your beer says about your politics, an unfortunate competition brewing between a couple of beer brewers, a grandma who called 911 for a beer, New Year’s resolutions for beer snobs, 7 steps to becoming a better beer drinker, and a city celebrating the craft beer boom in 2014.

On tap for this episode are Maui Brewing Company’s Big Swell IPA, Firestone Walker’s Union Jack IPA, and Cascade Lakes Brewing Cyclops IPA.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, Caskers!  In episode 36 of Tales From the Cask we bring you the 2013 Christmas Extravaganza!!  Joined by Joe Zonin, owner and brewer from Carolina Brewing Company in Holly Springs NC, and fan fave Aubrey Herbert from Sierra Nevada Brewing, we taste some fantastic holiday themed brews.  On tap this episode are Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza 2012, CBC Old 392 Barleywine, Sierra Celebration Ale, Sierra Christmas Jam Ale, and an Anchor Christmas 2011!

In addition to Aubrey and Joe, we’re joined by our producer and fifth Beatle, Darrell Darnell from Golden Spiral Media, with special cameo audio bits from Tony Danza.  We all share favorite Christmas memories, New Year’s resolutions, what we want for Christmas, our favorite holiday beverages, and much more!

We also answer some listener questions about holiday brews, respond to some Tweets about various listeners favorite beers, and share some news stories from the recent passing of Graham MacKay, the 500 year old German beer law, trading an alligator for a 12-pack, and a proposed Ohio law that could raise ABV up to 21 percent.

And what holiday special would be complete without singing?

Greetings to all you wonderful Caskers!  It’s time to relax with a frosty malt beverage and enjoy episode 35 of Tales From the Cask.  We have a real treat on tap for this episode! We go on location to interview Jamie Bartholomaus, head brewer and co-owner of Foothills Brewing!  He shares his interesting story of how he got into the brewing business, tells us us about the inspiration behind Hoppyum IPA, how they choose their styles of beer, and gives us the down and dirty on Sexual Chocolate. Jamie also shares his delicious Battle Crye Rye IPA and Blendiculous Imperial Brown Ale! He even takes some time to answer listener  questions.

In our news segment we share a USA Today article about which beers Americans are drinking a lot less of, an AP article about the black market for craft beers, a very interesting New York Times article about alcoholics in Amsterdam getting paid in beer, and a story about a new beer can Festivus pole that is being erected at the Florida state capitol.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Greetings from the Sunny Lands, Caskers!  In episode 34 of Tales From the Cask, we’re joined by off-premise expert Jim Bostic! We discuss the differences in on-premise and off-premise sales, changes in the beer landscape over the last 20 years, Jim’s career before and after he got into the beer business, and what he enjoys about being a part of the beer industry.

In our news segment we share stories about Sam Adams’ Utopias beer which has a 28% ABV and a $199 price tag for a 750ml bottle, a man in Massachusetts that drank a beer in every Connecticut town to raise money for cancer research, how to identify the perfect beer glass, and France’s craft beer revolution.

On tap this week are Bear Republic Brewing Company’s El Oso, Carolina Brewing Company’s Winter Porter, and Big Eddy’s Russian Imperial Stout.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving, Caskers!  We have a great episode for you today as we look at beer and food pairings for Thanksgiving meals!  We are joined by Gadabout Food blogger extraordinaire, Kristen Baughman.  We sample parmesan and vegetable Latkes paired with Carolina Brewing Company’s Carolina Pale Ale, turkey and cranberry orange relish paired with B. Necktar’s Zombie Killer, green bean casserole with paired with Bear Republic’s Hop Rod Rye, scalloped potatoes paired with Bell’s Best Brown Ale, and pumpkin mousse pie paired with Sam Adams’ Merry Maker.  

We also have some great stories about the Sonic Foamer that blasts bubbles into your beer to enhance the flavor, research into why bottled beer bubbles when it’s tapped, a legal showdown that’s brewing over an Indiana beer temperature regulation, and a Florida movement to end a ban on beer growlers.

Since this is Kristen’s second time on Tales From the Cask, we have three NEW questions for her. She also helps us respond to listener questions and Tweets!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com. 

Tales From the Cask Episode 32 is here and we have a special treat for you!  We are joined at the bar with Don Chartier and Ethan Boylan from Lagunitas Brewing Company!  Today they share stories about how they got started in the beer business, and the growth of Lagunitas.  They also discuss their famous labels, why they chose to open up a new brewery in Chicago, and the accidental discovery of their best seller, Brown Shugga’ ale.

On tap for this episode are Lagunitas’ Daytime, IPA, Brown Shugga’, Sucks, and Ruben and the Jets Imperial Stout!

We also share some interesting stories about Patagonia Beer, craft beer in Decatur, health benefits of drinking beer, a Huffington Post article about Beer and Wine options for Thanksgiving, , and a NY Daily News article about more women getting into craft beer!

The guys from Lagunitas stick around and help us answer some listener questions about Lagunitas Sucks, the best cities to visit multiple breweries and beer photos that came in from Tokyo, Guam, and more!

We knew you would listen to this episode, Caskers.  Today we are on location at the release of Foothills Brewing’s Hoppy Medium Imperial Brown Ale and we are joined by Mystical Awakenings’ Psychic Medium, Melissa Peil.  We enjoy the hoppy goodness of the Hoppy Medium, and Melissa shares some of the readings that she got about the classic old bar that we’re in, the future of Tales From the Cask, and the growth of Foothills Brewing!  Melissa also takes some time to answer some listener questions!

We share some very interesting news articles about a malt farm in Massachusetts, beer infused cigars, beer prices at NFL stadiums, a possible world record for craft beer, and a very interesting article about how drinking a beer after you run might just be the best thing you can do!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Welcome back, Caskers!  In episode 30 of Tales From the Cask, we explore the sensational taste of Lagunitas Brewing Company’s limited release Daytime!  Daytime is a Fractional IPA made with cutting-edge experimental hops, and it finishes clean and refreshing.  It's very hard to find this beer, as it's only being released in just a few places around the country. If you can get your hands on Daytime, do it!

In our news segment we share a story about church groups that are attracting new members through craft beer, Japan's burgeoning craftbrew scene, how beer makes Canada's economy hop, India's taste for strong beer, and Scotland's Snake Venom beer, a new brew from Scotland’s Brewmeister brewery that has 67 percent ABV!

We also respond to listener feedback about Tony's Scottish accent, tasty haggis, and several comments about our Innis & Gunn episode and our thoughts on some of the new holiday brews.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.  

We’ve got a bagpiper with us in this episode of Tales From the Cask! Joined by Brian Collatos and Lauren Patwell from Innis & Gunn, we enjoy some great conversation and some tasty Scottish brews!  We talk about their barrel aging process for brewing and how they discovered their trademark brewing style.  We also ask Brian and Lauren about some new things coming from Innis & Gunn and we learn that their infamous clear bottle will be changing to an amber bottle soon.

In our news segment we share a couple of articles from the Huffington Post about why beer is even better than you thought and an infographic featuring 29 facts you should know about beer.  We also share an article from Johannesburg, South Africa about the country’s growing love for craft beers.

We and the fine folks from Innis & Gunn answer listener questions about haggis, Scottish brewing, clear bottles and more!

We’d love to hear your feedback and craft brew suggestions! Share your thoughts by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com. 

Bonjour Caskers!  The whole gang is back together for Episode 28 of Tales From the Cask and we’re doing a food pairing with European beers!  More specifically, we’re sampling food from John Holl’s book, “The American Craft Beer Cookbook” and pairing them with the French and Belgian beers Brasserie DuPont Avril Bière de Table, Castelain Blond Bière de Garde, and Rodenbach Caractère Rouge.  

In our feedback segment, we explain the Cicerone Program. We hear your comments on last week’s show with Aubrey from Sierra Nevada. We share thoughts on ice cream and beer, the purpose of honey in beer, and some interesting historical facts. 

In our news segment we discuss some good beers in Berlin, a new look at the beer vs. wine debate, how to use an iPhone to brew your beer, and genetically engineered yeast.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In celebration of the World Series, Sierra Nevada will pinch hit for us in this episode of Tales From the Cask!  Aubrey gives us an update on Sierra Nevada's new brewery in Mills River, North Carolina with insider information on when the public will start seeing beer that from that brewery.  She also amazes us with her charm and beer knowledge!  Plus, we sample some great Sierra Nevada brews!

In our news segment, we discuss the hot topic of how the government shutdown affected your beer and a new growler law in California. We share some stories about efforts being made to get Germans to try craft beers, keeping beer customers satisfied and premium brews. We got a lot of great questions from the Caskers for this episode.  We answer questions about pretzel necklaces, seasonal beer sales, cheap beer, food pairing, and an update on the Great American Beer Festival! 

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

We have a great episode for you this week where we celebrate reaching the quarter century mark!  Joined by Foothills Brewing Company Director of Marketing, Ray Goodrich, we are enjoying some fantastic Foothills brews!  On tap for this episode are Foothills’ Oktoberfest, Cottonwood Pumpkin and Cottonwood Endo IPA!  Not only does Ray share some tasty brews with us, he tells the tale about how he came to make his home in North Carolina and getting into the beer business, his experience training dolphins, and gives a few hints at the future of Foothills Brewing.  He also answers some questions from our loyal listeners and shares information about the fan favorite beer, Sexual Chocolate.

We share some amazing beer news about a beer that is literally out of this world, signs that the craft beer craze has gone mainstream, an exciting announcement from MillerCoors about a new brand they have coming out next year, and a new build-a-beer concept featured on the Today Show.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Share your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

We're taking the show on the road this week as we visit the great folks at Trophy Brewing Company!  We interview Trophy Brewing Company owners Chris Powers and woody Lockwood, and head brewer, Les Stewart.  They tell us about how they each got started int he beer business, how they got the name of the company, their biggest brewing influences, and they talk a bit about home brewing.  They were also kind enough to answer listener questions about their tap handles, their $10,000 kickstarted beer, why growlers are better, and some of their naming choices.

On tap for this episode are some of Trophy Brewing's finest selections.  We have Yard of the Month, Trophy Wife, Biggest Flirt, Next Best in Show, Participant, and Trophinator.

In our news segment we share an article that breaks down craft brewing state-by-state, strong beers in India, and a man whose friends plumed his entire house with beer kegs.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

We're taking it to the rooftops in episode 23 of Tales From the Cask and we have a great show for you!  Football season is upon us so we're brining you Tailgating with Craft Brews!  On tap for this episode is Avery Joe’s Pilsner, Founders All Day IPA, and Sierra Nevada Torpedo.  

We also share some news stories about California Beer Festival at Sea, The best NFL stadiums for craft beer, and hops farmers in Raleigh, NC.  In our feedback segment we have some listener comments about last week's episode, input on some of our beer recommendations, and more!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

It's episode 22 of Tales From the Cask and we have a great show for you!  In this episode we have a very insightful interview with Jess Petrosky!  Jess has been involved in the beer industry for over 10 years and he's a draft beer expert!  He shares some great stories and helpful tips to make sure you're getting the best draft beer experience.

On tap for this episode is the Sierra Nevada Flipside, Lagunitas Little Sumpin Wild, and Bear Republic Cafe Racer!  Our news segment is filled with stories Sam Adams' founder Jim Koch becoming a billionaire, a lawsuit over the name MechHopzilla, the lack of diversity in craft brewing, where to find Europe's best beer, and a discussion on what might be the most inspiration beer ad you've seen in a long time.

In this episode we answer listener feedback about beer temperature, recommendations for a new craft beer, and more!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In episode 21 of Tales From the Cask, we’re celebrating the fact that we’ve reached the episode number corresponding to the legal drinking age! We have more beer and food pairings for you as we couple Guinness Red Harvest Stout with Chapel Hill Creamery's Hickory Grove cheese and plum paste, Evil Twin Brewing’s Hipster Ale with Italian roast beef and horseradish aioli, and Evil Twin Brewing’s Spicy Nachos Jalapeño Ale with spicy pimento cheese!

In our news segment, we share some interesting stories about the seasonal creep of pumpkin beer and water challenges on the North Coast that are impacting Russian River Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Mendocino Brewing Company and Bear Republic Brewing Company. We also have stories about how MillerCoors is improving its water efficiency, why the Tampa Rays manager buying beer for fans, and what beers to match each NFL football team. Believe it or not, there is a Hello Kitty beer available now, and we will definitely discuss what that means!

We answer listener questions about the US three-tier alcohol distribution system, British cask beer, and how breweries and distributors hook up, as well as respond to several listener comments about last week’s unusual episode!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Greetings from the sunny lands, it's Tales From the Cask Episode 20!  In this milestone episode we are pleased to have our first returning guest, Eric McCrory from Boston Beer Company.  We share some great stories with Eric and have a great time as always.  We discuss a study that predicts the craft beer boom may be slowing, share or thoughts on Alchemy & Science's acquisition of Coney Island Craft Beer Brands, and share an interesting news story about Purdue University opening up a new craft brew bar on campus.

Eric tells us some of the perks and insights from working inside Boston Beer Company, tells us about his new role as he relocates to Chicago, and talks about the people and beers he'll miss most from North Carolina.  In our feedback segment we answer questions about beer freshness, fun ways to celebrate Raleigh Beer Week, and share a listener's Tweet about Angry Orchards Crisp Apple and Apple Ginger Ciders.

On tap for this episode is some crazzzzzzzy stuff from Tony and Eric's cellars!  We taste Westvleteren XII and Three Floyd's Dark Lord!

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Greetings Caskers! From the sunny lands of North Carolina, it’s episode 19 of Tales From the Cask. In this episode, we have an exclusive interview with beer industry legend, Mike Mazzoni!  Mike gives us a very insightful look at the beer industry, how tastes and business have changed over the last 40 years, where he thinks things are headed, and what is impacting the industry in today’s market.

In our news segment we talk about a German beer price fixing investigation as well as a possible way to avoid getting a beer hangover, and we share an interesting story about how a father and son were kicked out of an Arizona Cardinals game because the son was holding his father’s beer.

We answer some great listener questions in this episode! We share our opinion on the qualities that make a good distributor and the qualities of a good brewery. We also discuss the percentage growth of craft beers, the Top 10 Beers Based on FindTheBest's User Ratings and even some listener suggestions for German beers.

On tap for this episode is the Sierra Beer Camp sample pack, which includes Sierra Beer Camp IPA, Belgian Black IPA and Imperial Red.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Greetings, Caskers!  In this episode of Tales From the Cask, we have a very insightful and in-depth interview with beer salesman (and recovering brewer) Devin Singley. Devin tells us how he became involved with the beer world, why he has chosen to sell rather than create beer, what he loves about selling and what an average day is like for him.  Our conversation with Devin includes fascinating historical and technical information about several aspects of the brewing process.

We answer listener questions about anticipating summer demand, playing a “Find the Beer” game in France and exploring our new talesfromthecask.com website, and we get a shout out from Harry Schuhmacher!

In our news segment, we look at another article about why beer sales are declining, a new pending patent on a “just add water” beer, and a great story about craft beer hitting the Vegas strip!

On tap for this episode are Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest, Augustiner Maximator, and Spaten Oktoberfest.

We’d love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

From the sunny lands of Raleigh, NC, it's Tales From the Cask! In this episode, we have an exclusive interview with the founder and publisher of Beer Business Daily, Craft Business Daily and Wine & Spirits Daily, Harry Schuhmacher. Harry shares his story of becoming a beer fan and his unexpected journey into journalism. He also shares some of his favorite industry stories and most interesting and crazy interviews, and he tells us about his favorite brews.

Harry answers some listener questions about Beer Summit, the future of fruit beers and issues facing the beer industry today.

We share news stories about younger drinkers being divided between beer and wine, the death of beer being greatly exaggerated, a local beer hitting the scene at Nationals baseball games and an interesting article about whether or not Blue Moon is a craft beer.

On tap for this episode are Foothills Brewery’s Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale, Foothills’ Oktoberfest, and Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Uber Oktoberfest.

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling (919) 502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Welcome back, Caskers! In episode 16 of Tales From the Cask we have an in-depth, exclusive interview with John Gittins, Sr. VP Sales for Ancher Brewing! John tells us his story about how he came to work for Anchor Brewing and what he did before his Anchor Brewing days.  He shares some of the things that make Anchor Brewing unique and how they've developed their beers over many years.  We discuss Steam Beer, California Lager, Anchor Christmas and so much more!  On tap this week is the Anchor Autumn Maple.

John even takes time to answer a few listener questions about Liberty Ale, making an imperial stout, the difference between a double IPA and an imperial IPA, the role of Fritz Maytag at Anchor, Anchor Bock, and the possibility of opening up an east coast brewery.

We also answer some listener questions about the history and importance of the 3-tier system, pumpkin beers, and Leinies bottles and cans uncovered during an archaeological dig!

In our news segment we share a Brewers Association article about the growth of craft brewers, a fascinating story about a beer can house, and a New Yorker story about the history of sour beer. 

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Greetings, Caskers!  We have another special treat for you in this episode!  We're bringing you an exclusive interview with Dick Leinenkugel.  Dick shares the story of how the Leinenkugel family started brewing beers in the upper midwest 5 generations ago!  He talks about how they made it through prohibition, they've adapted their beer offerings as tastes have changed, and how they've stayed true to his great-great grandfather's recipe.

In our news segment we share news sales numbers for beer sales through the first half of 2013, share a cool story about how Dodger's Stadium is keeping their beers cold, and celebrate the birth of Prince George with info on Heir Raiser, a beer celebrating the royal birth.

In our feedback segment we talk about coffee infused beers, Sam Adams' Imperial Stout alternatives, good non-alcoholic options for those who are pregnant, and we share some corrections to a previous episode.

On tap for this episode is Leinenkugel's Big Eddy, Double IPA, Ryewine Ale, and  Anchor Autumn Maple!

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

This week on Tales From the Cask we have an exclusive interview with Jon Hall!  John has worked as a reporter for the New York Times, the Newark Star-Ledger, and the Indianapolis Star. In 2007 he dedicated his efforts to the full-time pursuit of covering the ever-growing American craft beer scene.  Currently, John is the host of The Beer Briefing on iHeart Radio and the editor of All About Beer Magazine. He is a regular contributor to Beverage World Magazine, Craftbeer.com and TAPS. He is also the author of several books, including The American Craft Beer Cookbook, Massachusetts Breweries, and Indiana Breweries.

John tells us about his how he got into journalism and writing specifically about beer, and he tells us about his new book, The American Craft Beer Cookbook: 155 Recipes From Your Favorite Brewpubs and Breweries.  We also discuss his favorite brews and food pairings.

On tap this week is a great selection of wheat beers!  We sample the Weinstephaner Hefe Weiss, Weinstephaner Hefe Weiss Dark, Sierra Nevada Kellerweiss, and the Flying Dog In Heat Wheat Hefeweizen.

In our news segment we share a story from Oak Park MI about new beer and wine laws, an LA Time article about light beers, a consumer reports study on the best craft beers, and an interesting study about how drinking beer might attract more mosquitoes. 

In our feedback segment we talk about Sam Adams' $1million can design, where breweries get their water, brewers' specialty glasses, which beers have the highest alcohol content, the best beer for making onion rings, the myth of ice cold beer, and the best beer for a newbie.

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Greetings from the sunny lands of Raleigh, NC!  In episode 13 of Tales From the Cask we bring you another exclusive interview!  This time we're bringing you a conversation from a retailer's perspective as we share some brews and chat with David Eddlemon.  We talk about how he got in to the business, talk about some of the challenges that retailers face, his love of selling beer, and we even get a cool story about dealing with the public!

David also shares an interesting bit of beer history with us and recommends the book, "A History of the World in 6 Glasses."

We have some incredible beers on tap for this episode!  We sample Bear Republic's Black Racer IPA, Lagunitas' Hop Stoopid, and Lagunitas' Lucky 13!

In our news segment we discuss Kroger's purchase of Harris Teeter, Prevention Magazine's article on the hearty benefits of beer, and Mexico's beer duopoly. 

In our feedback segment we talk about the possibilities of doing our show on live video, wheat beers, and several tweets about our previous episodes!

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

From the soggy lands of Raleigh, North Carolina, we bring you episode 12 of Tales From the Cask.  In this episode we have a beer and food paring session with Raleigh food blogger extraordinaire, Kristen Baughman.  We look at a whole food course and sample a salad, cheese, main course, and dessert with beers specifically selected to compliment the food ingredients.  We sample Carolina Blonde, Foothills Torch Pilsner, Carolina Nut Brown Ale, Foothills Jade IPA, and Foothills Barrel Aged People's Porter.

Kristen shares her story of how she became a foodie and became a food blogger.  She also shares her story of a 43 day challenge of only eating food and drink raised and produced locally.

In our news segment we share info about beers and breweries in North Korea and South Korea, new laws about home brewing in Mississippi, and some great info from The Beer Institute about the state of beer.

In our feedback segment we talk about mead, hear some appreciation for the IPA history lesson that we had in the last episode, and we talk about taking our show on the road!

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

From the sunny lands of North Carolina, it's episode 11 of Tales From the Cask!  In this episode we bring you the owner and founder of Carolina Brewing Company, Joe Zonin!  Joe shares his story of getting into the brewing industry and the special ingredients that make up Carolina Brewing Company beers.  Joe also shares some very interesting history on some of the world's most popular styles of beer.  We sample Carolina Pale Ale, Carolina Nut Brown, Carolina Summer Seasonal, and the Carolina IPA.  Also on tap is the Leinenkugel Rye Wine, Carolina Brewing Anniversary Ale, Anchor Liberty, and Noble Pils.

We also bring you some intersting news on Canadian beer sales, a new Game of Thrones beer, and a Beer Traveler Kickstarter campaign.  In our feedback segment we talk about fruit beers, whiskey, and why we don't see more bocks.

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions!  Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In this refreshing episode of Tales From the Cask we bring you the sours!  Joined by sour aficionado, Jake Smith, we share some of the best sour beers produced today.  Sour beers have a rich and deep history in the world of beer and we share some of that history with you as we sample Liefmans Goudenbad, Rodenbach Vintage, and Sam Adams Stoneybrook Red.  We also still have some Narragansett Summer, People's Porter, Hoptimum, and Sam Adams Noble Pils on tap from our previous episodes.

We answer several listener feedback questions about dry hopping, beer history, and environmentally-friendly brewing practices in use by various breweries.  In our news section we talk about beer tax, getting a special wedding beer for your nuptials, and a very interesting study that reveals the beer gut might just be a myth!

We's love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

Tasty brews abound in this episode of Tales From the Cask!  Joined by Scott Mizerak from Foothills Brewing, we sample their Torch Pilsner, People's Porter, Hoppyum, and Seeing Double brews.  Scott tells us all about what makes their beers special, how he got started in the beer business, and he shares an interesting story about their brewing equipment.  We also sample Narragansett Summer Ale and Lagunitas Dog Town Pale.

In our news segment we share some really interesting stories about the trouble caused by a faulty backyard beer refrigerator, beer nutrition labels, and why Anheuser-Busch InBev is buying up so many brewers.  We also give out info about an upcoming craft beer event in High Street Kensington, London, England.

In our feedback segment we give advise on home brewing, good craft beers in North Carolina, recommended beers in San Luis Obispo, gluten free beers, and which beers go best with different types of food.

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

We have a tasty episode for you this week at Tales From the Cask!  In this episode we feature several great brews from our friends at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company along with an exclusive interview with Sierra Nevada's, Aubrey Herbert!  Aubrey not only tells us abou the fantastic beers that Sierra Nevada produces, she also tells us about their Wild Rivers program and their new brewing location opening later this year in North Carolina.  During this episode we sample Bear Republic's Hop Rod Red, Lagunita's Dog Town Pale Ale, Pilsner Urquell, Still Cottonwood Lowdown, Ovila Saison, Southern Hemi, and Hoptimum!  In our news segment we talk about the impact fracking has on beer production and a robot that can pour you the perfect beer.  

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

We have a special treat for you in Episode 7 of Tales From the Cask!  Not only to we sample Sam Adams Summer Ale, Bear Rebulic Hop Rod Rye, Lagunitas DogTown Pale Ale, Angry Orchard Strawman Cider, and Cottonwood Low Down Brown Ale, but we also bring you an exclusive interview with the founder and chairman of the Boston Beer Company, Jim Koch!  Jim tells us all about the process in making their brand new beer can and why they felt like a new can was necessary.  He also talks about how he got in to beer and why he started his own beer company.  In our news segment we talk about a creative beer dispensor, a beer thief with a conscience, and some exciting news about new home brewing laws!  In our feedback segment we answer a question about the impact craft brewing is having on larger brewing companies. 

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In episode 06 of Tales From the Cask we share some recent news about sales from Heineken, a new beer travel class being offered by Baker University, new Japanese and Italian craft beers that are becoming popular, and Chip reveals his geeky side!  We sample and dicuss the features of several great beers.  On tap for this episode is Magic Hat Belgo Sutra, Innis & Gun Scottish Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and Fox Barrell Blackberry Pear Cider .  We also talk with Matt and Dan from Latis Imports about the history of Latis Imports and several of the import beers they offer.  We sample a variety of Belgium beers from Palm Breweries including the Palm, Estaminet Premium Pils, Steenbrugge, and Rodenbach Vintage.  

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In episode 5 of Tales From the Cask we interview Roger MacKay.  Roger has a great family heritage of Scottish whiskeys and Canadian ales. Roger tells us about the process of using oak casks to make specialized beers and we sample severaal Innis and Gunn potables including the original Innis and Gunn, Scottish Pale Ale, and Rum Cask.  We also discuss the process for making Canadian Cherrywood. On tap for this episode is Carolina Brewing Spring Bock, Magic Hat Belgo Sutra, Anchor Porter, and Innis and Gunn Scottish Pale Ale.

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In episode 04 of Tales From the Cask we bring you an exclusive interview with Boston Beer Company CEO, Martin Roper!  Martin shares how he joined up with the folks at Boston Beer Company, his love of various ciders, shares some stories about his grandfather, and more.  On tap we have Anchor Porter, Sam Adam's Double Agent IPL, Belgian Blonde IPA from Sierra Nevada, and Jade IPA.  In honor of our interview with Martin Roper, we sample some of Boston Beer's ciders and beers.  We sample Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider, Angry Orchard Traditional Dry Cider, and Sam Adams Double Agent IPL.  In our news segment we talk about beer sales around the country and share some interesting news about upcoming beers coming from Buffalo Wild Wings.  In our first ever listener feedback segment, we answer a question about the best beer to dring after a dental procedure and define IBUs.

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In Episode 03 of Tales From the Cask we share some of the latest news from the world of craft beers and sample some great brews. On tap for this episode is the Leinenkugel Big Eddy Imperial IPA, Sam Adams Boston Lager, and Rodenbach Grand Cru.  We also share some summer themed drinks from Anchor Brewing Liberty Ale and Fox Barrel Cider. 

Our special guest is salesman Josh McCullough, who gives us an inside look at how beer travels and stays fresh from the distributor's warehouse to local stores, restaurants, and bars. He talks about a typical day for a beer saelsman. Josh also talks about how we ensure beer taps remain clean and deliver the beer to consumers with the flavor intended by the brewers.  

We'd love to hear your feedback and brew suggestions! Call in your feedback by calling 919-502-0280 or email us at talesfromthecask@gmail.com.

In this inaugural episode of Tales From the Cask, Chip, Jennifer, and Tony share their love and background in the beer industry and talk about some of their favorite brews.  We share up to date news about the beer industry and some upcoming events.  We also interview Mitchell Peedin, a salesman and home brewer and sample some of his award winning beers that feature East Kent Goldings hops.