It’s 4th of July week, so we close the bar and open some rare treats from AleSmith and Coronado, plus an incredible collaboration brew from The Lost Abbey & Wicked Weed! AleSmith sent us some of the marvelous San Diego Pale Ale .394, plus we have the audacious Coronado 20th Anniversary Imperial IPA, and for dessert there is the Lost Abbey/Wicked Weed Collaboration Golden Sour Ad Idem!

You might think things would be quiet news-wise for the holiday, and you would be wrong! MegaMergerManiaTM continues via Reuters reporting that China Resources Beer plans a $1.2 billion rights issue to buy SABMiller's JV stake in Snow. We follow that with a cool listing by Thrillist of the best vacation destinations in America for beer lovers and then The Sacramento Bee believes that with craft beer, bottles are more popular, but the future is with cans. Next up The The LA Times has a cool infographic showing the best ways to use beer and ice cream to keep cool this summer, Adweek reveals Singapore's Tiger Beer opened a mysterious store on New York City’s Canal Street, then VinePair shows us a neat chart of the flavors & aromas in craft beer’s popular hops, and we wind down this week with NBC reporting that a bear downed 36 beers and passed out at a campground!

Last week’s #caskquiz was “do you listen to the show at a speed other than 1x and if so which one?” and this week we want to know “what’s your ice cream and craftbeer pairing?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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 lucked out with two guests for the price of one this week getting both our friend Thomas Vincent from Compass Rose Brewery and his buddy meadmaker Ben Starr from Starrlight Mead! We hear the latest from Thomas and then learn all about the incredible mead scene in Pittsboro, NC from Ben! Plus we get to try some stellar meads: Traditional Off-Dry, Traditional Semi-Sweet, Sourwood and the really cool Mead-a-Rita. We then have the awesome collaboration Braggot Double Rye Brown, and at the end Thomas lets us try his delicious Tartty!

Once again the news is overwhelming! MegaMergerManiaTM leads us off with two items - Bring Me the News reports that Minnesota Senator Klobuchar continues her push to protect craft beer choices, while The Chicago Tribune reveals that Lagunitas is buying a stake in three smaller brewers and that founder Tony Magee isn't done! Next up Mashable demonstrates BrewArt, an automated brewing system that's like the Nespresso of beer followed by The Lansing State Journal’s piece on MSU’s century-old barley which has been revived to make Michigan beer, then The HuffPo UK shows us men recreating maternity photos in German beer ads, and we close with Science Alert discovering a 5,000-year-old artifact showing ancient workers were paid in beer!

Last week’s #caskquiz was “who will release the first pumpkin/fall beer and when?” and this week we want to know “do you listen to the show at a speed other than 1x and if so which one?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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 getting to be summertime in the sunny lands, and we have the hottest beers this week from Sand Creek, Lagunitas and AleSmith! It’s just the three of us kicking back, and we are lucky to have Sand Creek Badger Porter (thanks Dan!), Lagunitas Aunt Sally Sweet Tart Sour Mash Ale, and the amazing AleSmith Private Stock Ale!

There is quite an eclectic blend of news this week beginning with The Motley Fool telling you don't believe the hype. craft beer isn't dying, followed by The NY Post reporting that someone stole over 3,000 cases of beer from Sweetwater Brewing, and then NBC offers why the Brexit vote is no small beer for British businesses. Next is The HuffPo asking is British Columbia Canada’s saving grace for craft beer?, then The Harris Poll observes that craft brew drinkers find balance in healthy habits and Adweek proclaims drink beer, save the world! We close up with Isthmus judging a beer by its label, Atlas Obscura revealing that Iowa City is using lasers to map its abandoned beer caves, and finally The Farmington Voice says that a local brewery is creating a CREEM Magazine tribute craft beer!

Last week’s #caskquiz was “do you read our show notes and does it influence whether you listen?” and this week we ask “who will release the first pumpkin/fall beer and when?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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 thing never seen in North Carolina this week...beers from The Lost Abbey! We begged, borrowed and cajoled all our Southern California contacts and voila! Awesomeness for the palate! This wonderful lineup includes Avant Garde Ale, a Biere de Garde; Carnivale Ale, a Saison; and Lost and Found Abbey Ale, a Dubbel!

What a week for news! We begin with CNBC’s report on a brewer mocking Donald Trump with 'Dumb Donald' beer, followed by Maxim revealing that the world’s perfect beer glass is made of science, and then Fox32 Chicago’s question would Chicago be the city it is today without beer? We close with SFGate’s look at the craft beer revolution brewing in Paris and another story from CNBC on 3 essential business growth lessons from the craft beer boom.

Last week’s #caskquiz was “do you check the freshness of your craft beer?” while this week we get personal and ask “do you read our show notes and does it influence whether you listen?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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!

The triumphant triumvirate are all back together this week, and just in time for our friends Matt Laibson and Jenny Meyer from Ballast Point! Matt is the brewery’s Field Quality Analyst and he tells us about his job, how he got started with Ballast Point, and what to look for to make sure you get the beer the way brewers want you to experience it! Plus we taste some fine San Diego brews and canned cocktails: from the BP distillery, Old Grove Gin and Tonic and Three Sheets Rum and Cola, and from the brewery Mango Even Keel Session IPA and Pineapple Sculpin IPA!

A wonderful plethora of news goodies awaits this week! We start with Vox revealing edible beer rings that may help protect marine life, followed by Nerdist on the Mortal Kombat-inspired beers coming to the netherrealm of your fridge, and there’s the lastest MegaMergerManiaTM story from Nasdaq answering whether you should invest in the big AB-InBev SABMiller merger. Next up we have VICE Munchies’ opinion on why you should be drinking your beer in season, and then Fortune showing that Belgian brewers have released dozens of beer Emoji, followed by Tulsa World cheering that Oklahoma voters will decide on modernizing alcohol laws, and we wind up with WKYC making Ohioans glad as Governor Kasich has signed a bill eliminating the alcohol limit on craft beer.

Last week’s #caskquiz was “what’s your favorite hometown IPA?” while this week we want to know “do you check the freshness of your craft 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 or friending on Untappd @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!

Jenn took off for a well-earned vacation so Tony and Chip needed two people to fill her shoes - good friend Sami Prentice from Wicked Weed and beer aficionado Scott Richardson! Sami talks about the latest from Asheville and brings four incredible beers for us to try: Tropicmost Passion Fruit Gose, Garcon de Ferme Farmhouse Ale with Peaches, Recurrant American Sour Ale, and Marina American Sour Ale!

Too much news out there to choose from? Not for us! We begin with WTVR reporting that Ballast Point Brewing is joining Va.’s craft beer roster, while in MegaMergerMania news Mother Jones reminds us that corporate beer overlords will soon own 1 out of every 3 beers made on Earth. Next up Food & Wine asks has the craft beer movement finally gone too far? while Seattle Weekly provides a handy drinking dictionary, and Gamespot reveals that Overwatch's Hit Marker sound effect comes from beer. We have two from Fox News: a report that whale vomit beer could be the next big thing and the question of whether women really need a beer made just for them, and we close with The Guardian on a cask from the past: archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old beer recipe.

Last week’s #caskquiz was “what American and what import summer beers are you most looking forward to trying?”  while this week we want to know “do you think that brewers should make beer just for women?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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 cannot stay in the little bar lately, and with Tony out selling, Jenn and Chip sneak over to redacted with fan fave co-host Aubrey Herbert from Sierra Nevada! Aubrey brings along a flight of the beers featured in the 2016 Beer Camp Across America: Sweet Sunny South Southern Table Beer, Moxee Moron Imperial Session IPA, Pat-Rye-Ot Revolutionary Pale Ale, West Latitude Session Rye with Hibiscus, Family Values Imperial Brown Ale with Cocoa, and Stout of the Union Robust Stout!

As usual, the beer news is all over the world! We start with VinePair reporting that the Venezuelan president has ordered brewers to make beer or go to jail, followed by Forbes with a cool story about the small brew taking on Budweiser, Miller and Coors, and then Bloomberg offering the 12 best beers for summer. Next up we have Fox News showing a craft brewery trolling Budweiser’s “America” beer with ‘Murica brew, then CNBC asking has craft beer lost its flavor to globalization? while The USA Today showcases the new cruise ship that has its own brewery! We end with The Boston Globe on the rise of the beer snob and finally Mirror talks about the pizza chain launching beer pizzas made from craft ales and lagers - but only in one UK branch!

Last week’s #caskquiz was “what do you think about Budweiser becoming America?” while this week we want to know “what American and what import summer beers are you most looking forward to trying?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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 intrepid travelin’ man Dan B recently stopped by the bar offering delights via the mighty beer state of Wisconsin from New Glarus, Central Waters, and South Shore! The wonderful brews are New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat, Central Waters Glacial Trail IPA, South Shore Rhoades’ Scholar Stout, and we finish up with New Glarus Milk Stout! Thanks Dan!

The beer news isn’t just about craft this week! We start with ‘Merica, and specifically The NY Times as Budweiser rebrands itself ‘America’, and this goes nicely with a companion piece in The Wall Street Journal revealing that German retailers have been fined $103 Million for fixing beer prices with AB-InBev’s help. After that we go electoral with The Atlantic offering politicians and America’s new beer test, followed by Eater reporting a new craft beer will benefit victims of the Paris terror attacks, then 9News shows how a CSU professor is revolutionizing the beer industry, The USA Today says that the Stone Brewing co-founder has announced a new craft beer angel investor, and we close with The Great Falls Tribune’s fungus beer?! No, really.

Last week’s #caskquiz was “what has been your fave beer festival?” while this week we want to know “what do you think about Budweiser becoming America?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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!

Everyone returns to the bar to meet our good friend Glen Selby who brings tons of laughs and the latest from DuClaw Brewing! Glen fills us in on all the doings in Baltimore, expansion plans for the brewery, and has some tasty brews for us to try: Morgazm Grapefruit Blonde Ale, Funk Blueberry Citrus Wheat Ale, and the astounding Blood Orange Neon Gypsy IPA!

Newstime presents a feast of craft beer news! First up is The Daily Meal with what’s sure to be a controversial list of the most popular beer by state, followed by The Wall Street Journal reporting that beer has become the latest scarcity in Venezuela, and Discovery News on turning fog into beer in the world's driest desert. Next UPI show us an Australian brewery that is creating beer using yeast from belly button lint, then Forbes follows breweries taking their shows on the road and we wind up with The Boston Globe’s profile of the venture capital firm that has become a big player in the craft beer business.

Last week’s #caskquiz was “what’s your favorite hop name?” while this week we want to know “what has been your fave beer festival?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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 enjoyed the road so much last week, we decided hit it again and found ourselves with our friend Thomas Vincent, the founder of Compass Rose Brewery! With Tony away Thomas agreed to both co-host the show and share outstanding taste treats as well! We talk about the brewery and sample five brews including Wheelhouse IPA, Agave Cream Ale, Hefeweizen, Irish Lager, and Coffee Porter!

Newstime was filled with craft beer goodies! In the UK The Guardian asks is it closing time for the Campaign for Real Ale? while Bon Appetit tried the weirdest new beers out there. Next we finally read you the Reinheitsgebot and report from The LA Times how the law has kept German beers pure for 500 years but that might not be enough to save them, while  Fortune reveals how that law still controls the global beer industry. We follow with Men’s Journal’s question is Guinness craft beer? and another MegaMergerMania! exclusive from MarketWatch observing that the deal that shook craft beer five years ago is still reverberating, and we close with LA Eater on a hoax craft beer newcomer serving up insults online.

Since we recorded so early this week we are continuing last week’s #caskquiz was “What’s your fave hop name?”

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 or friending on Untappd @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!