Beer Busters

We have a full lineup of longtime friends of the show to talk about new and exciting things happening in the PA beer world. From Pour Man’s Brewing and now Saint Boniface Craft Brewing too are Ryan Foltz, Sam Son, and James Stauffer. After some unfortunate events that don’t warrant recounting here, the future of St. Boniface was in serious doubt. Which was a real shame considering the amazing quality of beers they had always produc...

From another amazing Lancaster brewery, joining us this episode is Chris Rommel, co-founder – along with his brother Jim – of BierHall Brewing. With a tap list focused on German and lager style beer (but always including a range of seasonal and classic styles) and a full menu of German and American pub grub, BierHall is a place to gather, a hall that welcomes all. We hit the usual notes, discussing what brought the brothers to open...

Joining us this episode is Dave Timblin, co-owner and founder of Truth Beer Co. along with his childhood friend Ryan White.TBC opened in 2022 in Akron after the pair spent nearly a decade of home brewing together and planning. In January of 2024, TBC opened its new taproom on N. Prince Street in Lancaster. We chat about all of this, plus Truth’s history and connection to our good friends and Pour Man’s Brewing, Dave’s past homebrew...

Philadelphia is the best beer drinking city in America. And, for closing in on 20 years, Philly Beer Week has been the beer celebration to be at. This episode we sit down with Rich Colli, the current Main Man behind Philly Beer Week and Philly Loves Beer, the organization behind it. Rich is also the owner of the well-known Varga Bar in Philadelphia. We chat about the changes that have come to Beer Week, and the beer world in genera...

This episode, we’re down one Beer Buster due to unforeseen, but not dire, circumstances. Wayne steps into the hosting shoes as Dan tends to important business and we welcome back Adam Chamberland, Brewer and Founder at Cartel Brewing. Adam joins us from Cartel’s new(ish) location at 920 Landis Avenue in the Lancaster West End, where they’ve been headquartered since outgrowing their home in downtown Lancaster since 2019. We talk foo...

The band is all here in the original lineup once again and we’re chatting with non-alcoholic beer enthusiast and internet person, NA Brewskey. We talk about the history and origins of NA beer, different methods of production, how the beer community has reacted to NA beer, and events around Philly and options beyond. Plus, in Happy Fun Time, we play a round of Libation or Fabrication: Non Alcoholic Variety. So, kick back, crack a be...

Joining us this episode from all-lager brewery Birdsmouth Beer in Oceanport, NJ is Andy Gioia. Not joining us this episode, unfortunately, is Wayne. Fortunately, in his place, our longtime friend from the earliest days of Beer Busters, Slimy Sauce himself, Mark Graves. Topics of discussion include lagers, of course, and why only lagers. Plus, the never-ending quest to educate consumers on the finer points of beer flavored beer. But...

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 ...

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 u...

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 on...

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...

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 valuabl...

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. ...

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 Taproo...

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 ov...

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 combi...

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 w...

This episode is (almost) entirely devoid of guests. But don’t worry, our trio of stewards will guide you through this auditory experience, and you will emerge a more fuller version of yourself. Plus, Patrick Reed, a founding organizer of Ephrata Brewfestpops in to give us the details on the upcoming 2023 festival at Whistle Stop Plaza in Ephrata, PA on June 24th. This is, legit, one of the most chill and fun beer fests to be found ...

In a wild and spontaneous episode (see what we did there?), we are joined by Co-Owner of The Referend Bier Blendery, James Priest. Specializing in spontaneous fermentation and blending, The Referend opened in Pennington, New Jersey in 2016 and relocated to Pinnacle Farms in Kutztown, PA in 2021. We take a dive into the world of traditional, wild fermentation and the craft that goes into it, as well as some risks and pitfalls. Other...