Episode 102: Round Guys Brewing (or God Bless Gout)

Just in time for dry (or at least a little less damp) January, we are joined by Jamie Fay, the Founder and CEO of the fastest-velocity brand in the non-alcoholic craft beer category, RationAle Brewing. We learn about the uniquely personal origin story of RationAle, nerd out quite a bit about the NA brewing process, talk about the many and varied reasons for the increasing popularity of the non-alcoholic category, and a whole bunch more things. In Happy Fun Time, we play a round of Libation or Fabrication featuring all NA beers. Join us as newly minted mavericks for this awesome brand, and fans of its enthusiastic and amiable founder, with a cool quaff with or without the heat, as we venture into this fascinating space.

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For nearly a decade, almost as long as we’ve been doing this podcast, Stickman Brews has been the unequivocal purveyor of the finest beers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As of October 2023, this, like all good things, has come to an end. In all seriousness, Ethan Buckman – the inimitable proprietor and brewer for Stickman – along with partners Jim Buckman and Kate Sorrento, and many other fine folks who worked to make Stickman the unique endeavor that it was, have joined the ranks of our most loved and appreciated friends in the industry. We sit down this episode with Ethan for his “exit interview” to discuss the factors and decisions that lead to the closing, the state of the beer industry (and food and beverage generally) and where it may be headed, and of course some ruminations on what the future may hold for Ethan. While we are sad to see the end of Stickman Brews, the friendships we made along the way will endure, and we are certain there are great things coming from everyone who was a part of the Stickman team.

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After a three-year hiatus, the Wine & Dinosaurs fest at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science returned for 2023 and we were once again on-location doing the pod thing. Presented by M&T Bank, all proceeds from the event featuring wine, food, and of course great beer, go to supporting the museum and its mission. We catch up with a few old friends from some of the state’s awesome breweries, and meet some new ones as well. This is one fest we’ve always enjoyed for its laid back feel, top-notch food, and – best of all – being surrounded by all the funducational wonders this incredible museum has to offer.

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We are down one Beer Buster this episode as Dan was unable to join us, but we soldiered on and welcomed Adrián & Sebastián, founders of Barra Brava Brewing Company and lovers of all things soccer. Incubated on site at Marz Community Brewing Company, where Sebastián is Head Brewer and Adrián is Production Manager, Barra Brava’s mission is to ultimately create a home for beer and soccer enthusiasts in Chicago. We chat about the birth of Barra Brava, plans for the future, more incubation plans at Marz, and learn a whole hell of a lot about soccer and the amazing community around the sport loved across the world. This episode’s Happy Fun Time segment features quite a tasty game of There’s Weird in My Beer. GOAL!

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With decades of experience in the beer world, Larry Horwitz is The Greatest Talker in Beer. Currently Head of Brewing Operations at Crooked Hammock Brewery, he is overseeing a complete overhaul of their core beers. We chat about that, all things Crooked Hammock, but also we go on plenty of tangents as Larry recounts beer stories from the past and insightful commentary about the state of the industry today. All of this, plus valuable life lessons, a round of the rare Band or Beer in Happy Fun time, and a whole lot more, so join us for a spell and stick around for one last Totally Unnecessary Drink.

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Co-Owner and Head Brewer of Succession Fermentory, Keith Hartwig joins us this episode. Succession is a farmhouse brewery located at Stella Lou Farm in Cochranville, PA. Opened in 2022, Succession produces sour and farmhouse ales using locally grown and sourced ingredients. A rare Friday night recording session sees a little more consumption than typical as we discuss everything from trifoliate oranges to spontaneous fermentation. Plus the usual backstory and some more conversations about agriculture. This episode’s Happy Fun Time segment features a game of a classic, original flavor, Libation or Fabrication, and all segments feature mirth and merriment.

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Founder and owner of Ploughman Farm Cider, Ben Wenk joins us this episode as we take another of our occasional departures from the world of beer. Wenk is a seventh-generation farmer at Three Springs Fruit Farm in Aspers, PA, where apples for Ploughman products are sourced. We go deep on apples in this one, from training trees to apple genetics, plus the Wenk family farm history, how they got into cider making, the Gettysburg Taproom, and much more. This episode’s Happy Fun Time segment features a twist on a classic with There’s Weird in My Cider, and some Ploughman ciders are sampled by some participants.

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All Beer Busters Podcast hosts are present and accounted for again as we welcome Rob Tarves, Co-Founder of Our Town Brewery in Lancaster, PA. Our Town is a community-focused brewery with a vision for using fresh, innovative beer and a thoughtful food program to further connect people in Lancaster. We chat about the journey to opening the doors at Our Town, including how Tarves and Co-Founder Rob Patz’s time at multiple breweries over the years drove home the theme that breweries are huge parts of the communities that they operate in, the unique history of the building they occupy, their soon-to-open tap room in Philadelphia, and much more. Dan is back at the helm, and in Happy Fun Time Games we play a round of There’s Weird in My Beer.

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We’re down one co-host this episode as Dan was otherwise engaged on the evening of the occasion of this recording. But Wayne does his best to hold the reins as he and Steph welcome Josey Schwartz, owner and brewer at Suspended Brewing in Baltimore. Located in the historic Pigtown neighborhood, Suspended is a fully vegan, cruelty free company with a mission to show that social justice and ecological stewardship can be a viable combination for business, and to be an uplifting presence in their community. We have lots of great conversation about these values and goals and much more. This episode also sees the debut of another new Happy Fun Time Game, Rumination or Fabrication. Cheers and lay your fears to rest, Dan will be back.

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Joining us this episode is Julie Verratti, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer at Denizens Brewing. The founding of Denizens is a unique and compelling story, full of intrigue and – more seriously – political lobbying and law reform. We also get deep in the weeds on packaging sizes, barriers to entry for small businesses in certain sectors (related to the aforementioned packaging), taxes, and a lot more shop talk. Every once and a while we have an episode where we really dig into some niche industry topics that don’t always come up, and this episode is full of them. We love these types of conversations and we know most of you do too! So, sit back, strap in, and let us tell you about 19.2 oz cans…

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