Advertise on podcast: The Taproom Podcast

Episode 156 celebrates the Taproom Podcast’s three-year anniversary with special guest Mike Crea of Unsung Brewing. Mike joins host Mike to reflect on the podcast's beginnings, read a meaningful passage from The Tender Bar, and share personal stories about how craft beer shaped his life. Topics include international beer travels (Scotland, Japan, Taiwan), brewing philosophy, hop selection and new hop products, collabs and recipe R&D, brand storytelling and can art (including the Outcast backstory), and the challenges of replicating award-winning beers. Mike also discusses recent wins at CBC, World Beer Cup and GABF, industry pressures, brewery closures, and how the team approaches consistency and process. The episode closes with rapid-fire segments (the Four Pack and Six Pack), listener-facing shoutouts, podcasting tips (Podbean mention), and candid reflections on passion, tenacity, and community in craft beer.

Episode 155 of the Taproom Podcast features Harrison McCabe, head brewer at Salty Bear Brewing (and brewer at Beachwood). Mike and Harrison talk through Harrison’s path from homebrewing to pro brewing, the story behind Salty Bear, and the making of their West Coast IPA “Hug Me.” Listeners will hear deep-dive brewing talk—styles like English milds, lagers, ESBs, hop selection and single-hop experiments—plus memorable brew-day stories, collabs, and how Salty Bear connects with the local Costa Mesa community. Along the way they nerd out about video games and Lord of the Rings, share favorite beers and guilty pleasures, and preview upcoming Taproom visits and episodes. Expect friendly conversation, brewing insights, and plenty of local beer love.

Episode 154 is a Taps & Tailgates reunion with host Mike, Jizzy and Nav. The episode runs through beer reviews (Bottle Logic Fuzzy Logic, Green Cheek’s The Other Brian, Ism × Burgeon collab, Salty Bear Blonde, North Park triple and more), a lively beer trivia segment and rapid-fire opinions on West Coast vs. hazy styles. On the non-beer side the hosts react to NFL playoff drama (Bills heartbreak, Seahawks upset), preview the college national title (Indiana vs. Miami), talk pizza and party plans for the Natty, and share listener shout-outs and upcoming guest episodes. Expect long-form conversation, tasting notes, funny reunion stories, shout-outs to local breweries and what to look forward to on future Taproom episodes.

Episode 153 features Nate Bahr, head brewer and R&D lead at Central Waters Milwaukee. Host Mike visits the striking converted-church taproom to taste the Small Heron (a Motueka-forward small beer) and dig into Nate's brewing journey—from homebrewing to Lakefront, Bavarian Beer House and large-scale production—plus his work developing lagers, hazies, and experimental recipes using new hop products and terpenes. Expect behind-the-scenes brewing detail (high-gravity brewing and dilution, dry-hop techniques, rye challenges), stories about can art and naming, collaborative projects (including a joint IPA with Component Brewing), awards and scaling, Central Waters’ barrel program, and community efforts like the Yellow Blaze trail beer fundraiser. A mix of technical insight, brewery culture, and local Milwaukee flavor.

Episode 152 of the Taproom Podcast features host Mike and special guest Russ Klisch, founder and owner of Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee. Russ shares the brewery’s origin story — from homebrewing and 55-gallon drum setups to buying a Cream City brick building — and walks through innovations like becoming an early certified organic brewery, creating a gluten-free beer that helped change federal policy, and a 20-year IPA. Listeners will also hear about the brewery’s culture and community focus: the long-running My Turn employee beer series, the chalet from County Stadium, iconic cheese curds, notable collaborations (including Hofbräu), Milwaukee’s lager heritage versus IPA trends, tour highlights, and Russ’s reflections on awards, camaraderie, and why he’s still a workaholic for beer.

Host Mike sits down with Quinn Reeder of Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City for a deep, behind-the-scenes conversation. They tour Boulevard’s massive facility, taste new and classic beers (including the Space Camper IPA and taproom exclusives), and discuss Boulevard’s Belgian roots, modern IPAs, lagers, seltzers and taproom culture. Quinn tells his personal story from pharmacy school to homebrewing and pro brewing, explains how he rose into Boulevard’s barrel program, and shares memorable brew-day moments, collaborations (Meanwhile Brewing, Tech N9ne and an Old Harbor collab in Puerto Rico) and how the barrel program grew dramatically during COVID. The episode also highlights Kansas City’s collaborative beer scene, brewery tours and taproom experiences, beer-naming and marketing stories, and practical notes on brewing balance, tasting and craft beer culture. Mike closes with holiday notes and quick college football playoff picks.

Host Mike celebrates episode 150 with Cody Gagnon, founder and head brewer of Michi Brew Co in San Marcos. Cody shares his journey from homebrewing to working at several notable SoCal breweries and eventually opening his own tiki‑inspired taproom, the Ohana Room. Topics include the brewery launch and fast turnaround, emphasis on water chemistry and recipe development, the brewery’s identity (tropical‑inspired ales and lagers), core beers like the Shasta and Mungo, guest education and tasting‑room service, team and business lessons, favorite hops and memorable brew days, plus personal stories and holiday vibes. Expect candid industry stories, practical advice for aspiring brewers, brewing techniques and branding insights, recommendations to visit Michi Bruco, and an uplifting reminder to support local breweries this holiday season.

Episode 149 of the Taproom Podcast with host Mike features Enrique Leveron and Miranda Gasca of Cerveceria del Pueblo and Tap Truck LA. The conversation traces their path from homebrewing to running a brewery and two vintage mobile tap trucks, covering brew days, equipment, recipe highlights (including a spicy guava–pineapple sour), and what it takes to turn a passion into a business. They also discuss collaborations, the local brewing community, challenges of draft systems and kegging, event work (margaritas, kombucha mocktails, NA options), and their nonprofit outreach—like serving hot chocolate on Skid Row. Listeners will hear practical brewing and event tips, stories about memorable brew days, and personal reflections on perseverance, creativity, and supporting community through beer.

Episode 148 of the Taproom Podcast features the Inland Empire Brew Witches — Tiffany, Alexis, Loretta and Sandra — as they share how the group started, grew and built a fiercely supportive community. Host Mike also mixes in travel notes from Chicago and Milwaukee, with brewery highlights from Lakefront, Central Waters and a Miller tour. The conversation covers the Brew Witches’ origins and membership, collab brews (Feathered Serpent, Stout House and upcoming Metabolic), charity beers (breast cancer benefit projects like “Save the Pear” and “Hefty Breasty”), brew days, bottle shares and what it means to bring more women into beer. Personal stories touch on community support through loss, homebrewing and industry paths, plus light-hearted riffs on beer styles, food pairings, video games and hangover remedies.

Host Mike sits down at Synth Beer Co. in Costa Mesa with founders/brewers Mitch McDuff and A. Max Salazar to talk about opening their September launch, the origin of the name “Synth,” and the first core beer, Laser Lager. They share the early planning, brewery build-out stories (including a beloved prototype brew house), and what it’s like to run a small, hands-on brewing program. Topics include their brewing focus (drinkable West Coast IPAs, Latin American‑style lagers and pilsners, and cocktail‑quality seltzers), favorite hops and recipes, long brew days, community and neighborhood collaborations, and memorable festival moments like GABF. Guests also trade personal stories — music and video-game nostalgia (NHL HITS), nicknames, and the homemade techniques behind standout seltzers. Listeners can expect insider tips for new breweries, tasting notes on synth’s lineup, plans for collabs, and a warm, conversational portrait of two friends turning a long‑dreamed vision into a living taproom experience.

Mike welcomes his brother Jizzy Jake Riley for a special Thanksgiving Thursday Stoutsgiving episode recorded in the taproom. They taste and rate six dark beers — including Bottle Logic’s Jam the Radar (raspberry imperial stout), Chapman Brewing’s nitro oatmeal stout, Pizza Port’s Bacon & Eggs imperial coffee porter, Aerolodge’s Voyager barrel-aged imperial stout, Great Notion’s Barbarian peanut-butter cheesecake pastry stout, and Frogtown’s Prince George bourbon-barrel vanilla porter — offering tasting notes, ABV info and personal ratings. The conversation ranges from favorite Thanksgiving foods and side-dish poll results to nostalgic holiday memories and traditions. Mike and Jizzy debate stout styles (barrel-aged vs. pastry vs. coffee), nitro vs. non-nitro, seasonal stouts vs. year-round pours, and play Stoutsgiving trivia and games with listeners. Key takeaways: Jam the Radar and Great Notion’s Barbarian stand out as top pours, Chapman’s nitro serves as a palate cleanser, and the hosts even blend all six beers into a surprise “stout gumbo.” The episode closes with gratitude, industry reflections, a preview of an upcoming reunion episode (150), and a reminder to support local breweries and follow @Wildrileysupply on Instagram.

Episode 145 sits down with Daniel Cady, Grant Shulkin and Jacob Sherman of Taproom Beer Co. in North Park, San Diego. The conversation traces their personal journeys from homebrewing and front‑of‑house jobs into professional roles, explores the brewery’s passion for wet‑hop/fresh‑hop beers (including their GABF bronze), and highlights signature pours like Jagged Hedge, Church of Chill and Modern Love. Topics include brewing and sales paths, festival success (Yakima/Fresh Hop accolades), recipe and label stories, collaborations and distribution, plus why Taproom’s lineup and neighborhood vibe are worth a visit. Expect tasting notes, behind‑the‑scenes anecdotes, and quick hits about beer culture, community and upcoming Taproom events.

In this episode, I’m hanging with Paul Deras of Mike Hess Brewing down in North Park—and not only did we tour their killer facility, I even dry hopped a batch for the first time. 🤘   We’re talking: ✨ Tasting through a crisp West Coast Pils + a new hazy drop 🤣 A chaotic “Four-Pack” segment (yes… including a brutal FMK question) 🏴 Reflections on Rogue Ales closing and why supporting local breweries matters more than ever   If you haven’t hit Mike Hess Brewing yet, this is your sign. Grab a pint and Find Your Beer.   Mike also shares podcast updates, upcoming guests and events, and shout-outs to collaborators and local brewers.

In this episode of the Taproom, Guess who’s back behind the brewhouse? 👀Adrianne Hodap — now head brewer at @altersocietybrewing in Long Beach! We talk reclaiming her role, brewing 🔥 beers like Pine Avenue IPA & Fresh Mason, and finding that balance between creativity & classics. We also dive into the LB beer scene, community collabs, and what it means to get back to your brewing roots.

🚀 Episode 142 is out of this world! Mike sits down with Andy and Chris Bergsma of @marsbrewing in Rancho Cucamonga 🌌🍺 From humble homebrewing beginnings to launching their family-run brewery, the Bergsmas share stories of building their taproom, crafting fan-favorite beers, and connecting with their local community. They dive into beer highlights like My Favorite Märzen, Marty Light, Pathfinder, and Dead Gym, plus chat about GABF adventures, local brewery culture, and their love for hockey and music. A down-to-earth convo with a family that’s truly shooting for the stars in craft beer.