Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer

Riverlands’ head brewer explains what makes a great Hazy IPA, breaks down his award-winning Kayak Pils, and delves into barrel aging science.

Riverlands Brewing Company Co-owner and Head Brewer Eric Bramwell tackles what truly separates haze from haze, why German Pils lives or dies on tiny process tweaks, and how a 50-barrel program helps a young Chicagoland brewery compete with the big stout scene. He shares how Dean Street stays j...

Learn how Black Lung brews a pistachio-rose white stout and lactose-free maltshake IPAs — inside a taproom they say is haunted.

Black Lung Brewing Company’s president and brewer Josh Grubbs joins Brian and Cody at Black Lung’s brand-new Grayslake brewhouse to talk about moving an entire brewery, brewing baklava-inspired white stouts with real rose petals, and why his “maltshake IPAs” give milkshake fans all the body with none of the...

Learn how Tighthead is bringing cask-ale pub culture to Illinois and how they make IPAs that changed Cody’s entire perspective on beer. Plus: hear a traditional rugby song!

Tighthead Brewing Company Owner/Brewer Bruce Dir and Brewmaster Billy Oaks share the fascinating story behind their Mundelein, Illinois brewery, from rugby roots and homebrewing origins to crafting balanced, award-winning beers. They discuss everything from scali...

Learn how Seipp became Chicago’s beer baron and why his name is back on shelves now. Plus: corner bar culture at Archie’s Iowa Rockwell Tavern.

Conrad Seipp Brewing Co. owner Laurin Mack joins the podcast at Archie’s Iowa Rockwell Tavern to trace how she resurrected the family brewery, which was founded in 1854, survived the Great Chicago Fire, and once ranked among America’s largest. She tells the wild story of her great-great-grea...

Learn how Solemn Oath’s founder opened a brewery without brewing, transformed a hometown IPA into a cult classic, and built Hidden Hand’s wild beer lab.

Solemn Oath Brewery Founder and CEO John Barley shares how an untrained beer lover built one of Chicagoland’s most creative and community-driven breweries. From his time in Belgium and Wisconsin to opening Naperville’s first brewery in over a century, John’s story is one of bold lea...

From the rare Franconian Rotbier to crisp Helles, hear how Buffalo Creek tackles the toughest lager challenges to keep German brewing alive in Long Grove, Illinois.

Buffalo Creek Brewing Owner and Brewmeister Mike Marr shares how German brewing tradition thrives in Long Grove, Illinois. He explains why lagers are so difficult yet rewarding to brew, the difference between a brewmeister and brewer, Long Grove’s German roots, what make...

Learn how Church Street makes every beer "crushable," from lagers and sours to barrel-aged Belgians and THC hop water.

Church Street Brewing Company Head Brewer Sean Gregor and Director of Pints & Publicity Amanda Steinbraker discuss how German brewing traditions, sustainability, and creativity come together in their lagers, sours, barrel-aged Belgians, and even THC hop water.

They begin by sharing how Sean’s father fell in love ...

Learn how Ike & Oak brews sours with yogurt, crafts tea-infused ales, and has brewed 220+ beer styles since opening in 2019.

Ike & Oak Owner Ed Ranquist and Head Brewer Nathan Tertell dive into the secrets behind Ike & Oak’s award-winning lineup, from using yogurt cultures to sour fruit beers like Jelly Bean Forest to scaling up Nathan’s homebrew passion project into Broken Carabiner, a green tea ale with complex tropica...

Get a first look at Goose Island's 2025 Bourbon County Brand Stout variants, including:- 2025 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout- 2025 Bourbon County Brand Cherries Jubilee Stout- 2025 Bourbon County Brand Chocolate Praline Stout- 2025 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout- 2025 Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Stout- 2025 Bourbon County Brand Parker’s Heritage Reserve StoutPhoto Credits: Goose ...

Explore Chicago’s sunniest brewery, where beer is served straight from European-style tanks and brewed with rye, winter barley, and nostalgia.

Suncatcher Brewing Head Brewer and Co-founder Matt Gallagher shares the origins of his brewery, reviving old-school beer styles, brewing with winter vs. spring barley, and how his ultra-fresh draft system preserves flavor. He also shares how Suncatcher’s small size enables hyper-local ingredi...

Hear how Forbidden Root uses rare botanicals and fruit to craft unique beers—and how the same fruit can create different flavors.

Phil Zelewsky, Head Brewer at Forbidden Root, shares how Chicago’s first botanical brewery evolved from a root beer experiment into one of the top 10 brewpubs in the U.S. He explains how founder Robert Finkel sources wild ingredients like the “smuggled” Alpine botanical Génépi, Forbidden Root’s approach t...

Executive Producer Cody Gough discusses Crafty Brewers' plans for the next few months—just in time for the 2025 Memorial Day weekend.

Tune in this summer for:

• Forbidden Root, June 5
• Suncatcher Brewing, July 10
• Ike & Oak Brewing Company, August 14
• Season 3 Premiere, September 11

You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com 

Crafty Brewers is a pr...

Hear how Maplewood Brewery & Distillery is reinventing adult beverages, from hazy IPAs to THC seltzers to spirits including fernet and gin.

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery’s Adam Cieslak (Co-Founder/Director of Brewing & Distilling) and Roger Cuzelis (Head Brewer) discuss launching Chicago’s first brewery/distillery hybrid, their award-winning Hazy IPAs, and the art of recipe refinement. They discuss why beer awards matte...

Hear how an award-winning Polish Grodziskie helped elevate Sketchbook from brewing in an alley to becoming an industry leader in sustainability.

Sketchbook Brewing Company Managing Partner and Head Brewer Cesar Marron discusses his brewery's journey from humble alleyway origins to becoming an award-winning establishment with a strong emphasis on sustainability. He shares the exciting but stressful story of how he won the Sam Adams L...

Learn about the surprising origins of Pollyanna’s award‑winning Lexical Gap IPA, freeze‑distilled Eisbocks, and Snickers‑inspired pastry stout.

Brian Pawola, co‑founder, head brewer, and distiller at Pollyanna Brewing Company, shares the story behind Pollyanna’s most unique beers. In particular, he discusses the freeze distilling involved in crafting their Jötunheimr Eisbock Lager, the reluctance behind creating the award-winning Le...

Trailblazing women in craft beer discuss the impact of the Vibes Beer Project and how they became innovators in the brewing industry.

In a hilarious and candid conversation, Solemn Oath Brewery Director of Hospitality & Operations Charolette Converse and ERIS Brewery & Cider House Co-Owner Michelle Foik discuss the Vibes Beer Project and how the craft beer landscape has changed for women over the years—and what’s next. They ...

Learn about Guinness’ Chicago location, their beer styles—including Czech lagers and Kentucky Commons—and how Chicago’s water influences their brewing.

Guinness Open Gate Brewery (OGB) Chicago Senior Brewer Megan Schwarz and Guinness National Ambassador Ryan Wagner discuss Guinness’ expansion into Chicago, how Megan’s chemical engineering background led to brewing, and the challenges of changing people’s perception of Guinness. They...

Learn how Off Color Brewing's yeast-first focus makes its beers distinct from the more common hops-focused breweries in the craft beer industry.

Off Color Brewing co-founder and head brewer John Laffler shares the science behind his yeast-first brewery and how it stands apart from other more hop-focused breweries. He discusses the revival of forgotten beer styles, focusing on esoteric brews crafted before the Bavarian Purity Law and...