It’s been ages since we saw our buddy Heath Perkins from Bell’s Brewery, but that just means lots of terrific brews to taste! First Heath shares the latest from Michigan with us, especially news about the latest and upcoming releases. Then we get a six-pack to sample! It includes Official Hazy IPA, Two Hearted IPA, The Prairie Grass Dividing Gose, Octoberfest, Best Brown, and Special Double Cream Stout!

In a surprise twist, the news begins with a NOT MegaMergerMania event, courtesy of  Oregon Live (thanks Steve!) wherein Anheuser-Busch has opted not to buy Portland’s Craft Brew Alliance! Next up CBS News shows us a craft beer even Jim Gaffigan would like, followed by Forbes offering a beer for people who don't want to get too drunk, and then Bloomberg reveals that Spanish beer isn’t flowing and Brexit is part of the problem. We wind down the week with The Richmond Times-Dispatch heading to a historic marker at the Richmond beer caves at Rocketts Landing and The Bend Bulletin reporting that beer pong is going to get an upgrade!

Last week’s carry over #caskquiz asked for your take on the Uproxx/Instagram female craft beer influencer uproar, and this week we want to know when was the last time you played a beer game and what was it?

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

It’s crazy to think it’s been a year since we started working with our friends Eric McKay and Scott Apicella from Hardywood Park Brewery! Time flies when you are selling beer, which is why we have a DeLorean! The guys join us at the bar to tell us about what’s been happening in Richmond (and Charlottesville!), reveal their historic Jamestown beer, and bring the goods to try! They include The Original Five Flavors Ale, Dreamlike NE DIPA, Cuvée Peach White Wine Barrel-Aged Belgian Tripel, and Bourbon Cru Barrel-Aged Belgian Quad!

We start the news with a followup to an item from last month. Back in July, Uproxx profiled some Instagram beer influencers to follow. A backlash then ensued over a Brewbound podcast that disparaged some of the women in that list. Our buddy Steve found Vinepair sharing Uproxx, Brewbound, and the Internet gaze on women in beer, which lead us to Uproxx itself talking with these same female beer Influencers, discussing sexism and representation in the industry. Next it’s a potential return of MegaMergerMania courtesy of The Motley Fool as they examine 3 reasons AB-InBev will probably try to buy Craft Brew Alliance, followed by Fox News visiting a beer festival that banned offerings with sexist names and labels. Then it’s Nikkei Asian Review reporting that Kirin is aiming to become Japan's top brewer with a jump into craft beer,and Reuters singing the praises that Guns N' Roses has settled a lawsuit over Guns 'N' Rosé beer. We wind up the week with The Daily Mail’s piece on a food historian who has recreated ancient Egyptian beer, and then Ohio.com shows who’s coming to the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame Craft Beer Fest!

Last week’s #caskquiz asked when you visit a craft brewery, do you take the family? Just go with friends? Mix it up? This week we want to hear your take on the Uproxx/Instagram uproar!

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking ourFacebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

The last meteorological month of summer begins this week, and it’s just the two of us to kick it off! We have a delectable wide span of treats from Sycamore, Wicked Weed, and Olde Hickory to boot! They are: Sycamore Luau Lemonade, Wicked Weed Coastal Love, and Olde Hickory Photon Sphere!

We start the heavy news week with a double dose of MegaMergerMania! First up  WOIO reports that Cleveland-based Platform Beer is joining AB InBev as its newest craft acquisition. Then The Mercury News reveals that a distributor buyout is causing over 1,000 employees to lose their jobs in the Bay Area and beyond. In happier news, Fortune shows that over 1,000 new craft breweries have opened in the past year, while Vox explores the rise of babies in bars, and Reuters (thanks Frank!) finds that India's capital has banned AB InBev for three years for alleged tax evasion. Next Forbes visits the largest celebration of women in craft beer, and then NBC examines a clean water case fermenting trouble for craft breweries and environmentalists. We then wind up with Thrillist heading to the US-Mexico border, where craft beer diplomacy is bringing brewers together!

For last week’s #caskquiz we asked “do you think you are becoming less adventurous in trying new beers? If so, tell us why!” This week we want to know “when you visit a craft brewery, do you take the family? Just go with friends? Mix it up?”

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking ourFacebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

You want to hear about American brewing history from America’s Oldest Brewery? Then listen in this week with our friend Sheryl Yuengling from the legendary D.G. Yuengling and Son Brewery! Sheryl is joined by a couple of friends from the brewery James White and Rah-Lee Hunt. They fill us in on the news about the 190th anniversary of Yuengling (yes, it was 1829 when D.G. started the whole shebang!) and all the latest from Pottsville, PA. Plus we get to try the incredibly refreshing Golden Pilsner!

This week you guys did almost all the news research for us! We start with a couple from our buddy Frank, first in The Stranger reporting that Budweiser, er Elysian Brewing, is closing their Tangletown Pub, and then Yahoo Sports Canada hitting the ice to find the Carolina Hurricanes taking a shot at Don Cherry with a special beer. Next those innovators at Dogfish Head feature in a story from WSB with a craft beer that can also develop film! Then thanks to Thomas, Brewbound shares that a private investment firm is acquiring A-B distributor Silver Eagle Distributors’ Houston territory. We close out the week with a happy ending story from all the recent flooding in the midwest via Brian (zeppelindriver) and WTSP when a couple of guys found a ‘magic fridge’ in a flooded Nebraska field!

For this week’s #caskquiz from the news we learned about Dogfish collaborating with Kodak! We want to know what brewer/corporate collaboration would you like to see? What style?

And we also finally unveiled our new logo! Take a look! The artwork was done by our friend Mark Des Cotes from Podcast Branding - click on the link to find out more!

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Just before Chip’s beach vacation the coast comes to us as we talk with Roger Harris and Billy Smith from the new Crystal Coast Brewing Company!  They tell us how they got started in the Atlantic Beach/Morehead City area and bring us plenty to try including Kill Devil Belgian Golden Ale, Helles, Cirrus IPA, Crystal Coast IPA, Fly the Salty Wind Black Gose, and Black Pelican Maple Porter.  

We cover the big news in NC this week on the distribution limit deal struck between wholesalers and brewers and also include some commentary on how we felt the news can sometimes be skewed.  We always love listener news submissions and this week we got a great article about Rodenbach from our friend Steve!  We also report on the BA’s latest Top 50 craft brewers lists and hear about another shipwreck yeast strain that was harvested to brew a beer from the 1800’s.  

Our #caskquiz this week is “what questions do you have for Sheryl Yuengling?”  She is the 6th generation of America’s oldest brewery and will be joining us on the show very soon!

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

What a great year we are having with our friends from Wicked Weed! Our buddy (and brewery sales guru) Justin Crouch stops in to chat, and he brings along a large group of friends to dish on all the lastest from Asheville! Plus he has a couple of timely treats: Dark Age with Coffee and a mystery beer that will be coming out early in 2019!

For Thanksgiving week we have more fun news than we have seen in quite some time! We begin with Extra Crispy revealing why so many brands are getting into beer now, followed by WTOP spotlighting a new exhibit at Heurich House that taps into DC’s history through beer. Next up is a terrific announcement on Facebook (thanks sfringer & evanrnhall!) by Sierra Nevada about their special Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, which has 100% of sales proceeds going to help victims of the Camp Fire conflagration in northern California. Then we go south to Los Angeles Magazine’s musical piece on how a local brewery created a beer worthy of the L.A. Phil’s centennial season, and we close the week with Denver Westword reporting that Colorado Governor Hickenlooper may be leaving office, but the Governor's Mansion beer taps will stay!

Last week’s news about cannabis drove the #caskquiz asking “are you interested in trying a non-alcohol cannabis “beer”? Would you make it part of your rotation? How about alcohol/cannabis beer?” This week we want to know “does seeing a politician drinking a beer make you like them more? Or do you think he or she is just trying to get drinkers’ votes?”

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

We got a mead tease from the folks at Honeysuckle Meadery way back in Episode 180 (!), and now mead masters William Costen and Erik Lensch invite us over for a visit and a sampling! The guys share the story of the meadery’s journey thus far, and then we have six incredible meads to try: Elderberry and Elderflower, Blueberry Jam, PawPaw Patch, Midnight Bramble, Raspberry Jam, and the astounding Peanut Butter and Jelly!

As he often does, Chip starts the news out slow and low and builds to a final crescendo! He begins with Bloomberg and the global climate change-related news that your craft beer is about to get more expensive. Next The Twin Cities Pioneer Press reveals the sad news that Great Waters Brewing Co. in St. Paul is closing. Then VinePair (thanks sfringer!) has specious “news” claiming that ​​​​​​​a new AB-InBev video says that ‘craft beer’ will be gone in two years (here come the trolls!), followed by Colorado Public Radio’s opinions that craft beer is finding it harder to stay king of the mountain in Colorado. We close the week with The USA Today’s profile of Blue Moon's founding brewer who is popping the top on a pot-infused beer and Paste’s terrific news that the economic impact of San Diego craft beer has passed the $1 billion threshold!

Apparently everyone was sick of the U.S. election cycle, so we had limited responses to last week’s #caskquiz asking if you were celebrating the election results or drowning your sorrows. This week we are curious to hear if you interested in trying a non-alcohol cannabis “beer”? Would you make it part of your rotation? How about alcohol/cannabis beer?

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

It’s been forever since we heard that Bal’mer accent, so we juice up the DeLorean to visit with our friend Dave Benfield from DuClaw Brewing! Dave tells us all about the latest from Maryland and tries some delectable brews with us: Gose O’s, Dad Bod Double IPA, and All Along the Hop Tower Double IPA!

We are replete with beer news this week, beginning with Food & Wine’s somewhat misleading title people aren't super excited about beer right now. Next we have a follow up to last week’s story on the European CO2 shortage, this time via Yahoo News UK reporting that beer rationing is beginning in the UK as a result of the carbon dioxide crisis. Then we learn from The BBC that Birmingham beer glasses have been seized for being too small, followed by Madison.com with tips for building a beer cellar, and we wind up with Mass Live’s parade of craft beer names that are getting crazier every year!

We have your answers to last week’s #caskquiz which asked “who is your World Cup team and what beer are you drinking to cheer them on?” This week we want to know “do you have a beer cellar? Is it organized?”

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

It took years of cajoling, and it has paid off! Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh, the co-founders of Hardywood Park Craft Brewery are here at the bar and in our market at last! The guys discuss their history together, the founding of the brewery, and the mythical story of their trip to Australia. And we get to try an incredible flight of their beers including Pils, VIPA, None of This Makes Sense, Virginia Blackberry Belgian White Ale, Peach Tripel, and Tropic Like It’s Hot Sour Ale!

The World Cup dominates the beer news this week! But first we begin with The Takeout (thanks @sfringer!) believing that craft lager is an oxymoron no more. Next up The Daily Beast asks are craft beer bottles an endangered species? Then we go to Europe during the World Cup competition with U.S. News and World Report revealing that beer is running dry in Moscow, followed by The Independent reporting that the UK is facing a beer shortage during World Cup and barbecue season, and we close with The Drum’s surprising news that Carlsberg has created a caviar beer to fish for fans at the Russian World Cup!

We have your answers to last week’s #caskquiz which asked “have you ever visited a farm brewery?  Which one?” This week we ask “who is your World Cup team and what beer are you drinking to cheer them on?”

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!

Once again Tony and Jenn hit the road to bring you another whale interview: Eric Wallace and Heath Perkins from Left Hand Brewing! Eric and Heath talk about the founding of the brewery, the latest happenings and brews, and try three amazing beers with us: Juicy Goodness, Death before Disco, and a rare cellar find, the 2009 Barrel Aged Imperial Stout!  Eric also discusses his recent projects as chairperson of the Brewers Association and gives us a sneak peek of topics for his speech at the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville.   

The world climate leads beer news via KTAR asking could climate change be ruining the taste of your favorite craft beer? We follow with Paste reporting that Atlanta's New Realm Brewing is expanding ... to Green Flash's Virginia Beach facility. Then we have SFGate taking us on the first cannabis, craft beer and wine tour from San Francisco to Sonoma County and we wind up with The Dallas Star-Telegram showing that craft beer, bands, comic books and 'Brenda' help set Division Brewing apart from the crowd!

Then we have your responses to last week’s #caskquiz which asked “have you ever been mansplained at a bar or shop about beer? What happened?” and this week we want to ask “do you know a brewery that combines brewing with another activity/business like Division Brewing does? What brewery and what else do they do?”

We so love hearing from you! Please send in feedback and beer suggestions by calling us at (919) 502-0280, Tweeting us, following our Instagram or friending us on Untappd, posting on and liking our Facebook page, or emailing us! And please rate & review us in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven’t done so!