Barley & Me

Host Ben Rice travels to Half Moon Bay, CA, to speak with Hop Dogma's owner and head brewer Dan Littlefield during their monthly Comedy Sharks comedy show, along with performing comedians Alex Love, Krista Fatka, and Phil Griffiths. We talk Hop Dogma's rocky transition to their new location, how Dan is leaving an impact on the world, running a proper bar show, a little bit of social commentary and historical facts, and why gluten-free beers can be a pain. Plus! Smoked lagers, the best coffee stout in America, quirky beer licensing restrictions, and manual labor near-catastrophes. All this and more, on episode 106 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Hop Dogma and their beers and goings-ons, including Comedy Sharks (every 2nd Thursday and last Friday) at www.hopdogma.com or on Instagram @hopdogma. If you have the time, be sure to swing by and grab a pint of their new Ales for ALS release. $1 for every pint goes to ALS research.Follow Alex Love on Instagram @rialoveftwCheck out Krista Fatka @kristafatk

Host Ben Rice travels to San Francisco, CA, to sit down with Jim Furman, owner of Black Hammer Brewing, to talk classic beer styles, their new beer garden Willkommen SF, and nuclear physics. You know, cuz beer! We also talk about pursuing your passion, Untappd's inconsistent reviews, and how to properly quit/obtain a job. Plus! Conspiracy theories, Area 51 before it was cool again, alien life, and Burning Man! Enjoy!Find out more about Black Hammer Brewing at www.blackhammerbrewing.com or follow them on Instagram @blackhammerbrewingGet your beers n sausage at Willkommen SF by checking for specials and tap lists @willkommensfFollow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepodEmail questions, comments, concerns, guest/brewery ideas to barleyandmepodcast@gmail.com or barleyandmepod@gmail.comThis episode is brought to you by I Think I'd Be Good at That, a comedy show featuring 5 seasoned veteran comedians and headlined by 1 overly-confident first-timer, taking place July 31 at the historic San Francisco Pu

Host Ben Rice travels to Sparks, NV, to sit down with Revision Brewing's owner Jeremy Warren and head brewer Jeb Taylor, as well as musician Andy Zuker of Thundervision, to talk Revision's meteoric rise in the craft beer landscape and what it means to be RENO AS FUCK. From Jeremy and Jeb's early homebrew dalliances, to Jeremy winning his biggest homebrewing prize, which led to his first professional brewing career with Knee Deep Brewing, to striking out on his own with Revision. We talk Jeb and Andy's intertwining of music and entrepreneurial spirit and how being in a band prepared them for running a business, and vice versa. Plus! We break down Revision's second BBA bottle release ever, Separation Stout, and discover the secret to what craft beer is all about and why we drink it. From learning curves to naming rights to exceeding your reputation, it's all here, in all its profane dankness, in episode 104 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Follow Revision Brewing and their new expansion online @revisionbrewingCheck ou

Host Ben Rice travels to The Bash Festival's Sacramento stop to talk ska, punk, and beer with Arlo Grammatica of Durango, Colorado's Ska Brewing and Sacramento-based musician and rock journalist Aaron Carnes. We break down what is and is not ska (with samples provided by the sound techs of the festival!), Ska Brewing's 24 years in existence and how craft has changed, plus we chat about Aaron's upcoming debut book, In Defense of Ska, and Ska Brewing's collaboration with Rancid, Brewstomper Golden Ale. We also share road dog stories, the canning revolution, and Ska's international appeal (and ska's international appeal). Plus! Ska Brewing's fight against the Big Three on their home ground, artificial intelligence, and how the beer boom has affected sales and distribution. All this and more, on Episode 103 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Follow Ska Brewing @skabrewing and find Arlo Grammatica @skabrewarloBe on the lookout for Aaron Carnes's book, In Defense of Ska, on Clash Books later this year and see what he's up t

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento, CA, to sit down with Bike Dog Brewing owner Sage Smith at their Broadway location, with guest Alejandro Farias of Mutts & Mugs Park Pub, which hopes to be the first dog park-pub hybrid in California very shortly. We talk pups, pints, and the politics of business ownership. Plus! Can art demand, consumer fickleness, childhood naivete, Kveik yeast, and the culinary accomplishments of some local restaurants (Michelin came to town and handed out some hardware!). Oh, and Ben talks about the time he met a man who was later tied to some very suspicious activity, Sage becomes best friends with his barber, and Alejandro gets some intel on his business plans and connections. All this and more, on episode 102 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Check out what's going on at Bike Dog Brewing by following them on social media @bikedogbrewingTrack Mutts & Mugs Park Pub's progress @muttsandmugsparkpubFollow Barley & Me Podcast on social media @barleyandmepodWe are still accepting storie

Host Ben Rice travels to Galt, CA, to talk to owner/brewer Ed Mason of River Rock Brewery, Galt's only brewery, and comedian Jason Sohm. We talk small-town living and expectations, bucking trends, and forging your own path, with or without support. We also discuss River Rock's upcoming third anniversary party (Saturday, June 8), their expansion over the years and their plans for the future, plus performing comedy in rural America vs. metropolitan areas (spoiler: River Rock will be hosting its first comedy show this Friday, May 31, at 7pm). Plus! Fishing nightmares, deaf dogs, and marital bliss. All this and more, on episode 101 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!FollowFind out more about River Rock Brewery at www.riverrockbrewery.com or follow them on Instagram/Facebook @riverrockbreweryFollow Jason Sohm's absurd adventures across social media @jasonsohmAnd, of course, follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepodEmail questions, comments, concerns, guest ideas, etc., to barleyandmepodcast[at]gmail[dot]co

We did it! Episode 100! Host Ben Rice goes big instead of going home, and visits THE California craft brewery, Chico's Sierra Nevada, to talk to brand manager Terence Sullivan and the first lady of craft beer, Judy Ashworth, owner of the historic Lyons Brewery Depot, one of the first craft beer bars in America, whose history is intimately tied to Sierra Nevada's history. We talk about craft beer's past, present, and future, where beer has been, where it's going, how it got there, and what Sierra Nevada has done to continue to push beer forward. We even have a surprise guest for that "future" talk. This is truly a joy of an episode, which we also filmed for posterity, so you can find it on YouTube as well. Enjoy!Find out more about Sierra Nevada Brewing by drinking any craft beer at all, or talking about how people got into it, or by visiting www.sierranevada.com or the brewery itself, or by following them on social media @sierranevadaYou can find Judy Ashworth, who was recently inducted into the California Ha

Host Ben Rice travels to Placerville, CA, to chat with Outbreak Brewing's owner and head brewer Tim Daniel, as well as Placerville Public House owner "Bossman" Al Griffen about all things craft beer. Tim discusses his beer background, from his lifelong friendship with a business partner, to his incredibly useful career in construction, to his ownership of a local home brew supply business, and how that all coalesced into the creation of Outbreak Brewing, which is getting ready to go viral any day now. Plus Al Griffen wields his tangled yarn of how he came from the brewing community to the publican community. We talk about beer trends, the blurring of style lines, and the peaceful serenity of small town living. All this and more, on episode 99 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Follow Outbreak Brewing and check out their latest releases at @outbreakbrewingWant to know what's on tap at Placerville Public House? Follow them on Instagram @placervillepublichouseAnd don't forget to follow Barley & Me across social media

Ben Rice sits down with Angel Sepulveda (Flatland), Ashley Schafer (Sufferfest/Sierra Nevada), Alyssa Steger (Crooked Lane), and Rebecca Steele-Wilkie (Cuvee Marketing) of the Sacramento chapter of the Pink Boots Society to discuss Pink Boots, their collaboration beers and subsequent tap takeovers, entering the beer industry, and favorite starter beers. Plus we dig deep on ingredient selection, AB-InBev/MillerCoors pettiness, how beer names and colors can affect opinions, and what your dreams can tell you about your feelings about your jobs. Plus! How to survive UC Davis Picnic Day, Prohibition's chances in a social media world, and the worst (and best) Thanksgiving pies, with a little mob boss talk sprinkled in. All this and more, on episode 98 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Pink Boots Society, including registration, at www.pinkbootssociety.orgFollow Pink Boots Sacramento @pinkbootssacramentoWith daily food specials and a constantly rotating beer lineup, follow Capital Hop Shop @caphopshop on

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento, CA, to talk to brewers John Anaya and George Murray of King Cong Brewing, and musician Dean Haakenson of Be Brave Bold Robot. We talk about bringing renewed vigor back to the Del Paso Boulevard community, the importance of community in beer, and some proprietary yeast strains that could help put King Cong on the map. We discuss old school vs new school brewing techniques, John's brewing background (from the UK to Fairfield to here), how to be creative, and the musicans making waves in the Sacramento underground. Plus Dean tries to get John, George, and Ben to freestyle rap. Does he succeed? Only one way to find out, on episode 97 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about King Cong Brewing at www.kingcongbrewing.com or follow them on social media @kingcongbrewingCheck out Be Brave Bold Robot @bebraveboldrobot and find their music wherever you get it.Follow Barley & Me @barleyandmepod. Email questions, comments, concerns, guest ideas, etc., to barleyandmepod@gmail.co

Host Ben Rice discusses the recent lawsuits filed against Sacramento, CA's Track 7 Brewing and Grand Rapids, Michigan's Founders Brewing, as well as the Great Lakes Brewing News "satire" and delves into the sadly-still existent racism, sexism, and homophobia in and around the beer industry. Recently, Barley & Me created a Google Form where parties can submit stories about these issues anonymously. On this episode, he has seven of these stories read by women appearing in the first annual Femme Fest, taking place at the Sacramento Comedy Spot March 29th through the 31st. The saddest part will be how familiar many of these stories sound. Barley & Me is committed to giving voice to these stories, so this Google Form will remain open and anonymous and stories will continue to be shared during "ad breaks" in future episodes. Thank you so much for listening. Enjoy!If you have a story to share, submit anonymously at https://goo.gl/forms/i5aR6ipMUgVzO6Ll1 or submit to us via email (see below).Be sure to follow

Host Ben Rice travels to El Dorado Hills to talk to Mike Mraz and Lauren Zehnder of Mraz Brewing Company, with guest Melissa McCann, a nationally recognized beer judge, to talk about Mraz's upcoming 6th anniversary (taking place Saturday, March 9, 2019). We dive into Mike's award-winning homebrews, and how that led him to opening his award-winning brewery. We figure out why he chose El Dorado Hills of all places, and sort out sour beers, sports bike racing, and saving space in a brewery and taproom. Plus! How trendy beer affects beer judging, breweries we all look up to, and some European vacation recommendations from people who haven't actually been to the places they're recommending. All this and more, on episode 95 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Be sure to check out Mraz at their 6th anniversary party and also on social media @mrazbrewingco (Instagram) and @mrazbrewingcompany (Twitter) or at their website, www.mrazbrewingcompany.com. Also, Lauren misspoke during the end: their All Sour Day will be Saturday, Apr

Host Ben Rice travels to NA Beer Aficionados headquarters in Carmichael, CA, to conduct his first phone interview ever, with Bill Shufelt, founder of Athletic Brewing, the first NA brewery and taprooms in America, and NA Beer Aficionados founders Danny & Katrina Le Sage. We talk about fighting the stigma of NA in the beer world, designing recipes that can appeal to craft enthusiasts and people looking for a non-alcoholic beverage alike, and some surprising statistics about who's entering the NA world, as well as the do's, don't's, can't's, and musts of NA. Plus! Athletic's ability to defeat blind taste tests, festival goers, and brewing competitions alike. Danny & Katrina talk about their formation of the Facebook group NA Beer Aficionados, why it was done and how response has been, as well as discuss their letter-writing campaign to get more craft brewers to release NA options. It's an enlighting and enjoyable conversation that crackles with electricity! Enjoy!Find out more about Athletic Brewing at

Host Ben Rice attends the Art of Beer 2019 at McClellan Conference Center in Sacramento, CA. In three short interview segments, he sits down with Daniel Barnes, a beer writer for the Sacramento News and Review and host of the Dare Daniel Podcast. We talk movies, beer, eating competitions, and one-up-manship. Then in segment two, Ben sits down with friend of the podcast Johnny Flores of Serious Talk Seriously, to talk the Art of Beer's return, podcast tech and materials, plus heartburn and hackysack. Then in segment three, we visit with Nick Vellanoweth of Nitty's Cider (with a special appearance by Burning Barrel's Duncan Alexander) to discuss the legal rigamarole of starting your own brewery or cidery, before trying to end racism in America, and how beer history is coming full circle. All this and more, on Episode 93 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Listen to Dare Daniel Podcast wherever you get your podcasts and submit dares at their website, www.daredaniel.comCheck out Serious Talk, Seriously, wherever you get yo

Host Ben Rice travels to Davis, CA, to talk to Joe Vida, co-owner and head brewer of Super Owl Brewing, and comedienne Cheryl "The Soccer Mom" Anderson. We talk about Joe's homebrewing roots and how they've influenced his transition to the commercial realm, as well as Cheryl's climb to success in the comedy world and her influence on our host's career in all respects, including how he eats his dinner. We try to figure out what is and isn't a fox, the ups and downs of football fandom, and how to do a podcast in the midst of a child's birthday party. Plus! Neighborhood breweries making a comeback, the quirks of the Midwestern vernacular, and how Super Owl got (and didn't get) its name. All this and more, on episode 92 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find Super Owl Brewing on Facebook or follow them on Instagram @superowlbrewingGet the latest on Cheryl the Soccer Mom @cherylsoccermomYou can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepodThis episode is brought to you by the Art of Beer, happening this Frida

Host Ben Rice travels to Fort Rock Brewing in Rancho Cordova, CA, to sit in on the judging at the 22nd Annual Queen of Beer homebrewing competition. He is joined by national beer jduges Tracy Bethune, Melissa McCann, and Cynthia Lee, as well as Fort Rock Brewing co-owner Heidi Wilder. We chat about the life and times of the beer judge, opening your own brewery, how the Internet and information availability have affected beer competitions, and Canadian kid brewers, plus how the world of beer is just one big dysfunctional family. Stick around at the end, for the full list of 2018 winners, including Best in Show. All this and more, on episode 91 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Queen of Beer, including how to register, at www.queenofbeer.beer. And look out for the upcoming collab between Fort Rock Brewing and winner Jess Finlay-Schultz at next year's Great American Beer Festival!This episode was recorded at Fort Rock Brewing. Follow them at @fortrockbrewing. Our follow-up with Melissa McCann, to get

Host Ben Rice travels to Drake's: The Barn in West Sacramento to bring together a rag tag team of podcasters to create the ultimate Holiday Podcast. Joining Ben on this adventure is CJ of The Friendship Podcast, Johnny Flores of Serious Talk, Seriously, and Delayna Fitzgerald, the event and community coordinator for Drake's: The Barn. In a world where three podcast hosts and a civilian try to make the perfect episode, Delayna actually takes the reins to guide us to the ultimate Holiday Podcast episode. We try out Drake's De-Egg-Nog-inizer (two ways), talk about The Barn's recent successful Camp Fire Benefit Concert, re-imagine the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic "Kindergarten Cop," learn that Johnny was a horrendous child and a filthy liar about where he went to school, find the ideal Couple's Costumes, and play a rousing game of Never Have I Ever, Holiday Edition! All this and more, on episode 90 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Check out Serious Talk, Seriously and everything else Johnny Flores has going on at stspo

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento, CA, to speak with head brewer Chris Keeton and head chef Jason Azevedo of Alaro Brewing. We talk about Alaro's gold medal in IPA at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival, in just their third month of existence, honoring their brewery location's history, and the ideal BBQ sauce. Plus! how UC Davis is trying to save the malt world, old-school brewery sytem quirks, food and beer pairing and how beer pushes food and vice versa, underground meat sales, Alaro's beer naming conventions, and keeping chefs on their toes. All this and more, on episode 89 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Find out more about Alaro's history, their beers, and their seasonal menus by following them on social media @alarobrewingFollow Barley & Me @barleyandmepodThis episode is brought to you by the Art of Beer Invitational, returning to the McClellan Conference Center in Sacramento on January 25, 2019. Get tickets at www.artofbeerinvitational.comThis episode is also brought to you by ABV Magazine, the Bay A

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento's Bru Co Taproom to chat with owner Justin MacClanahan, compete in a modified version of Edward 40 Hands, and conduct unscripted man-on-the-street interviews with passersby over short rib tacos.We'll talk about business ownership, family, beer discovery, and social media promotions, while also talking to complete strangers about The Queen of Beer competition (December 8 at Fort Rock Brewing), internet love affairs, discovering people and places, starting podcasts, conspiracy theories, pursuing your dreams, recovering from failure, running and drinking for charity (with the Hash House Harriers and the Red Dress Run) and so so much more. Enjoy!Visit BruCo at 902 K St, Sacramento, CA, or online at brucotaproom.com. Follow them on social media @brucotaproomLearn more about the Queen of Beer, or enter your brew, at queenofbeer.beer. Registration ends December 1, 2018, with the competition taking place at Fort Rock Brewing in Rancho Cordova, CA, on December 8, 2018 at 10am.You ca

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento, CA to sit down with Alex Larrabee, co-owner and brewer at Big Stump Brewing Company, and comedian Dejan Tyler, to discuss beer creativity and other things. Dejan discusses his approach to comedy, which has led to the release of his first comedy album, "Get Rich or Diabetes," on Uproar Comedy, and the path Alex took to go from beer drinker to award-winning homebrewer to brewery owner. We take a deep dive into the creative process of brewers and comedians, including how to create a good product, how to grow as a creator, and how to expand your brand. Plus! A discussion of the various souring processes, malt liquors, beer naming issues, retro video games, and that old chestnut - the can vs bottle debate. All this and so much more, on this episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!Learn more about Big Stump Brewing on social media @bigstumpbrewcoFollow Dejan Tyler's exploits @dtyler916Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepodYou can find Dejan's debut album, "Get Rich