Flour City Brewers Fest 2024

 It's the 30th Flower City Brewers Fest!  This festival has been the longest running and one of the biggest craft beer festivals in the Rochester NY area.  And this will be the final one put on by Rohrbach's Brewing. Jim and Matt sample many of the amazing beers at the festival.  They also interview brewers, patrons, and some of the food vendors like Juan and Maria's Empanada Stop.  And, the guys talk to the man himself, John Urlaub, founder and owner of Rohrbach's Brewing. You don't want to miss the fun and the interviews on this episode.  

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/grill-this--5704761/support.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's time to take your grilling skills to the next level.
We will take you from grill disaster to grill master.
So grab your tongs, your aprons, and your pint glasses.
Get ready to grill this with Matt Wilson at Jim Salmon.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey, everybody, welcome to grillst Jim Salmon here along with
Matt Wilson. Hi, Matt, how you doing?

Speaker 3 (00:23):
So we're where are we today?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
We are at the Rochester Public Market for the Rochester
brew Fest. Now what is it?

Speaker 3 (00:33):
The Flower City Brewers.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Here we go the Flower City Brewfest, Uh, put on
every year by Roarbox and uh this is the last
year that Roarbocks will be managing this and then it
goes to the New York State Association of Craft Brewers.
Think New York, drink New York.

Speaker 3 (00:53):
Now, that's yeah, that's great. Number one. Jim roar Box
is a fantastic brewery. You and I both are friends
with genre Alapa happened for a little bit. He's a
great guy and he's been doing this ustle very well
for the last thirty plus years. But also it's in
great hands with the New or State Craft Brews Association.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
It will be and it'll continue the legacy. This is
a wonderful brew fest. It's the biggest one in Rochester
by far, the flower cit he brew Fest every year
for what thirty years, thirty plus years, And it'll be
handed over to a great crew of folks at Think
New York Drink, New York dot Com and the New

(01:30):
York State Craft Brewers Association, led by Paul Leone. And
Paul's all excited and he's here, you know, getting the
lay of the land for next year when it transfers
management over to the New York State Association of Craft Breweries.
But there's fifty sixty breweries here tonight, and there's VIP,
there's general admission, there's plenty of food. How many food

(01:52):
trucks are out there, it's got to be twenty five
food trucks out there.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
So, Jim, you and I have been to this USSOL
I don't know how many times, right, especially for this podcast.
I think we've we've gone every year this podcast has
been on UH and it's always great, and it's always
it's one of the longest standing brew festivals in this area.
And it's going to continue just on a new management.
But again, we know Paul Yunbury well too. And you
know he'll do a great job.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
He will do a wonderful job. And one of the
things I like about coming here because you know, we
we love buy local. And right next to us here
is Big Ditch and Three Heads and Resurgence and Mortalis
and and and you know bluebarn Sderly, I'm I got
this new thing going on mad about sighters. I've had
some really awesome sighters this summer. And uh and and

(02:37):
you can sample everything here. Uh the tickets, you know
you next year you'll be able to buy your tickets
for this festival right on think New York Drink New
York dot com.

Speaker 3 (02:48):
Right so, yeah, today, obviously when you hear this podcast,
this festivalill be over. But the vap so do sold
out very quickly, which I'm sure it will continue to do.

Speaker 4 (02:57):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (02:58):
I think General Mitchell Zone has a little bit more left.
There's only some uh, there still are some d D
tickets left. But this muscle always sells out every year.
It sells out.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
All right, We're gonna head out and sample some of
the finest beers in certainly in our area, which means
New York, which means the world. So uh stay with us,
Uh grow this podcast, Matt and Jim, We'll be right back.
Hey everybody, Welcome back Matt and Jim. You know Flower
City Brew Fresh at downtown Rochester at the Public Market.

(03:28):
We're here with Nick from K two, which reminds me
of a mountain. You know, seriously, I'm telling you this.
I'm trying this mango tangerine passion fruit solar which is
knocking it out of the park. Neck.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
I'll tell you what before I let Dick chalk Nick
formerly of Tapa Mallet Nick, formerly of Rock Brewing. You
worked to your februy beers. Listen you gave me and
also Rockbrook which was which was one of my favorite

(04:03):
bruises in round two. It was. And now you're at
K two doing your thing and you have some great
bruise on tap. Tell me how your experience has been
at K two so far?

Speaker 5 (04:14):
Great, it's been great. They've been treating me well. Uh
you know, so we we go to an elementary school
and make beer. Never never thought I'd do that. So
kind of love that aspect of it too, But no,
it's going well. The Empire location is the seven barrel system,
so that acts as kind of our like pilot system,
if you will. H So we get to play around

(04:34):
still as well as brewing all the all the stuff
that people want all the time.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
So but no, it's good, it's good. So what do
you have here today? And well, I this mango tangerine
is just awesome. It's really good. It's a fruit in
sour and it's uh six point five on the Richter scale.
And so what else you have here?

Speaker 5 (04:54):
Well, I'm gonna turn your attention to the Belgian Belgian
Golden strong. Ale's first recipe since I've been there that
I've done.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Uh, it's it is about eight six eight two.

Speaker 5 (05:04):
Eight six or whatever it says here Brood of Ball,
Belgian Malts, Belgian Yese spent a long time in the
for minute, and I'm pretty pleased with how it came out.
You can get that at both locations and actually in
cans as well.

Speaker 3 (05:17):
I'll say it. So the first beer I had when
I got here, I got her early before the first
wave it opened up, and Nick asked me to try
this Belgian and it's one of my favorites so far.
It's multi, it's crisp, it's clean, it doesn't I mean
it's it's an eight two or eight six that does
not hit like an eight two or eighty six.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Well smooth, just like you, baby, That's what I like. Hey,
there's a line behind us. We gotta go. Hey, Nick,
thank you. This is always guys.

Speaker 5 (05:47):
I've become very used to this, uh, this interview.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Process, and I like it every time. So come here
you guys. Love you guys.

Speaker 3 (05:54):
We appreciating that coldl this podcast.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, you're a man of many words. We appreciate it.
Matt and Jim K two. Nick Won'll be right back,
stay with us. Hey, Matt and Jim back. We're at
the Flower City Brewers Fest at the Public Market downtown Rochester.
We're here with Doug from Resurgence, so he's got to
spread going on, Doug, what do you bring today?

Speaker 6 (06:18):
Well, today we brought big berry bean fruited sour from Resurgence.

Speaker 7 (06:23):
Obviously you just said that.

Speaker 6 (06:24):
And then we also brought our buffalo ipa awesome Doug.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
We see you at almost all these festivals. As Jim knows,
Resurgion is one of our favorite brewers. We have a
lot of our researchers cans on our Wall of fame.
Why and how do you say so popular.

Speaker 6 (06:39):
The liquid, the beer, the quality, the atmosphere. We have
this theory it's called f.

Speaker 7 (06:45):
Yeah, awesome.

Speaker 6 (06:46):
I can't say exactly the whole story, but basically we
had this mentality when we first opened ten plus years ago.
The very first customer that walked in, he said, oh fu,
this is awesome and when he walked in, and that's
been our mentality. We want to bring that to like
with just our beer, with any events that we're at,
we want to bring that like vibe. We want to

(07:07):
bring that like emotion to it. And I think we're
nailing it. I think we're absolutely nailing it.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
I agree. So tell us what you do there and
where you're located, contact information website because we're in a
marketing business, right, yeah, all right, what do you think, Doug?

Speaker 6 (07:24):
Well, So, the breweries based out of Buffalo. We're on
Chicago Street and downtown there. I do all sales. I
cover Rochester to Syracuse, the southern tier, and we're gonna
be breaking into all Beny real soon if all goes well.

Speaker 7 (07:37):
Basically it's if I have time.

Speaker 3 (07:40):
Well, congratulations on that, man, that's awesome. So there's been
a lot of beers that came out this year and
obviously over the years. I just wanted to ask you.
I know you're in sales, but what are you noticing
with beer trends? Are there different kinds of Are there
different kinds of beers that are beginning to come up?
I know for a while it was like IPA's, then
it was like fruit oft sours. I know, we were

(08:01):
kind of going back to laggers and Pillsars for a while.
What do you think there's a trend right now?

Speaker 6 (08:07):
So IPAs are still the top dog, they're almost neck
and neck with sours, as you just stated, but I
see a lot of pilsners and laggers coming around. I
know a lot of my friends that got me in
a craft beer like almost ten years ago, they've all
gone back to They've gone back to like domestics, they've
gone back to like.

Speaker 7 (08:23):
Laggers that you know, just beer flavored beer.

Speaker 6 (08:25):
And I've been seeing a lot of bars, like when
I'm out selling, they've been looking for like, hey you
get a Pillsner, Hey you get a Logger, And I'm like, yeah,
I got a got dang good one Bridge Pilsner. By
the way, I drink that like a fish drinks water.
But I believe the trends are heading back towards more
classic beer styles.

Speaker 7 (08:41):
IPAs will still be top dog.

Speaker 6 (08:43):
I see West coasts are They're not gonna be like
the next big popular thing, but I see that becoming
more popular. Like there's so many new England styles out there,
and it's a great beer style, but I think people
are getting like a little hopped out almost in that aspect.
Now they're looking for bitter and then they're looking for
beer flavored beers like a nice logger or pills there.
That's just what I've seen in me as a fan

(09:04):
of beer and a beer nerd. I love, love, love
my loggers and pills nerds.

Speaker 8 (09:08):
Now.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
I don't know about you guys, but I during summer,
I love the fruit Is sours, you know, I mean
the clear, crisp beers that you can drink all day long.
How do you guys plan for seasons? I mean, do
you do you change it up as we get ready
to go into fall and winter.

Speaker 7 (09:26):
We have core seasonals.

Speaker 6 (09:27):
We have an october Fest coming out which is fantastic,
and nice mars and style like Amber Lagger. We have
a Holiday l It's like one of those spice that
we always we have some for every season.

Speaker 7 (09:36):
Our summer l exploded this year.

Speaker 6 (09:39):
But for planning for like one offs that we do
in specialty beers that we do, we literally we just
we read a bunch of articles, We listen to a
lot of podcasts. We listen to like whatever. The We
have our fingers on the pulse of the market. And
one beer that we are very excited to bring into
the Rochester market is called Nocturnal Pivot.

Speaker 7 (09:56):
It is a dark check lagger.

Speaker 6 (09:58):
It pours like a stout, drinks like a pilsner, and
it is It is my favorite beer that we make personally,
that's my personal opinion and my own palette.

Speaker 7 (10:06):
I just I love it. It's like five percent, super
easy drinking. But it should be a year round beer.

Speaker 6 (10:12):
But we're releasing it in the fall because it is
an amber blogger and it's gonna fit in. Like so
if somebody doesn't want an Octoberfest style of beer, like, oh,
we'll try this one. It doesn't say Octoberfest on it,
so you can sell it further into like the holiday
season if it lingers, which it wouldn't because this beer
is amazing.

Speaker 7 (10:27):
We do a lot of market research. We talk to
our fans.

Speaker 6 (10:30):
We talked to the brew team, We talk to the
sales team and the marketing team.

Speaker 7 (10:34):
We work together very very well.

Speaker 6 (10:36):
I spent about four hours with the entire from marketing
to sales to the brew team a couple of weeks
ago planning our whole twenty twenty five calendar, and there
was a lot of arguing, but it was friendly arguing, like, oh,
we're looking for this, we're looking for that. Oh I
think this is gonna do well in the market. Oh no,
I think we should do this instead. But there is
a lot of planning that goes into it, and we've
got a crack team of people. We're all well about

(10:57):
as smart as somebody who drinks to the volume.

Speaker 7 (10:59):
Of beer that I drink is but you know how
that goes.

Speaker 3 (11:02):
Listen, there's nothing wrong with drinking beer and heavy value.
I support that. So I have to I have to
ask this question on behalf of my friend Jim and myself.
So as he was talking about seasonal beers, we're you
know what, you know where I'm going already. You know
where I'm going already. So we're coming into the fall, right, yes,
and fall? You think of october Fest and you think
of pumpkin spice beer. I listened. I know Doug. I

(11:27):
like you a lot, and we've talked to you in
many years. I'm not trying to insult anybody, but are
you going to be following that trend?

Speaker 6 (11:34):
So we always released, at least at the brewery are
van cap or Vanilla cappuccino Pumpkin Ale. It's a very
it's very coffee and vanilla forward. It's got the pumpkins
spice in there, but it's not a I wouldn't it's
not overwhelming, thank you. This year we're toying around with
It's such it's such a very fine timeline that you
got like a month and a half to two months

(11:56):
where before it like really picks up, like people are
actually gonna drink it. But you're also competing with some
nominal other pumpkin beers out there.

Speaker 7 (12:02):
So yeah, we do have one. It'll be in limited matches.

Speaker 6 (12:05):
It's mostly pre order sales for us, and that was
like a personal choice on my end, and we have
plenty of it. Like if somebody says, oh, I need
a pumpkin beer, I can get them that pumpkin beer.
Me personally, there is only a handful of pumpkin beers,
and I'm not gonna name them today that I do
truly enjoy, but overall that's not a favorite style for myself.

Speaker 7 (12:23):
That's just me.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
I again, I.

Speaker 6 (12:25):
Will drink any Octoberfest that is in front of me.
I love Octoberfest beers, Marsins or fest beers, either one.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
Well, Matt was just trying to instigate you. You know
how that is, like we're trying to cause trouble. We're
visiting with Doug from Resurgence. You know I Doug has
a career in talk radio. He's giving us more information
in the last five minutes.

Speaker 7 (12:47):
I just don't shut up, that's all. I just don't
shut up.

Speaker 2 (12:50):
All right, buddy, We'll let you get back to work.
That's great, Doug from Resurgence. Ladies and gentlemen, Matt and
Jim will be right back with more grill this.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
Matt and Jim here grillas block. We're at the public
market at the Flowers City's brewer Fest. This is the
last one that John Erlob is doing and he's passing
it on to the New York State Craft Brews Association
after this.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yeah, that'll be it'll be a great transition because our
friends at New York State Craft Brewers Association got this
dialed in. They have these festivals all over New York.
They have the best bruise. And where are we up
to now? The five hundred and twenty in New York
State something like that, and Paullone and his crew will
take this over and it'll be just as good next

(13:31):
year as it is this year, going into the future.

Speaker 3 (13:33):
So it's funny. So I work for a college. I
think you know about this. I think I've told you
a couple of times. And I'm standing in front of
my supervisor of the college. Her name is Pam Seatech,
and she happens to be a person who enjoys a
couple of craft bruis as well as her husband. Pam,
how are you doing great?

Speaker 9 (13:51):
How are you Matt?

Speaker 3 (13:52):
I'm doing well. So you've been successible before I take
it right? What kind of beers are your favorite kind
of beers? And introduce your husband to us.

Speaker 10 (14:01):
I'm here mainly trying all the different I pas that
I can, staying away from the doubles and the triples,
but yeah, I gotta watch myself, but yeah, try in
the different ones and enjoying it greatly.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
So, Pam, what are your favorite kind of beers?

Speaker 11 (14:16):
I'm here for the fruity collaborations and the sours and
the wine.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
All right now, didn't Pam donate some of fine beers
to Grilla's podcast.

Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yes, so there's a place called Brindle House where she
has given us beers from before, and they've been delicious
all so far. I've not seen Brittle House here, but
we need to get there sometimes.

Speaker 2 (14:38):
Jan Yeah, I think so, but I'm not sure. I
don't remember what I did when I walked in, but so,
so let me ask Pam. Now. Now, Matt's higher education obviously,
I mean, you know, master's degree. Very smart. I barely
got out of high school. Any any words of advice
for me?

Speaker 11 (14:59):
It's never we're too late, Jim too late. I got
a good advisor for you. They can help you get
that degree.

Speaker 2 (15:07):
He has been mentoring me. That's great. Well, No, we
appreciate all the beers that you donate to grill this.
You know, feel free to keep that up, you know.

Speaker 11 (15:17):
Yeah, bride Houses our go to and we just brought
you a bunch from North Carolina's outer banks too.

Speaker 3 (15:23):
I got those waiting with the dolls.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, it's great. Now, have you guys checked out the
food truck show?

Speaker 11 (15:28):
We did the VIP food with the pizza from Flower City,
which is amazing. Our daughter got the food Trucko's.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
Tackles us Downtowmo Revenue. I've been there to the brick
and mortar fantastic food. Uh. So have you guys been
to Roarer Box And if so, what do you think
of that brewery.

Speaker 10 (15:50):
I've been to the original Roarer Box many times and
then I hit the Railroad Street.

Speaker 2 (15:55):
Uh, Roar Box.

Speaker 10 (15:57):
After I go to the public market on Saturdays and
I enjoy myself a beer mosa many Saturday mornings.

Speaker 2 (16:04):
Beer mosa, Jim, Yeah, we love beer. We I mean
we make a living with beer, we do.

Speaker 9 (16:10):
Yes, Blueberry blueberry from Rowerbox is my favorite.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
No, I do a question for you, Pam. So you
brought back so I think I told Jim the story too,
and I felt bad because she brought me a hard
hard cider that I dropped and I started kind of leaking.
So I had to Yeah, I told you, I had to.

Speaker 11 (16:26):
Drink it all down east from Boston, Massachusetts. But they
sell it everywhere. They sell it at Wagman's. They sell
it a Trader Joe's, so we can get you more.

Speaker 2 (16:36):
That whole drop thing. I don't know about that, to
be honest with you. I mean, you know, from a
from a knowing you standpoint. It's just it's it's like
the food we make and and I send it home
with you and most of us gone by the time
you get home. I know how it works.

Speaker 3 (16:53):
That may or may not be sure.

Speaker 2 (16:56):
Well, thank you guys for visiting. Pam is nice to
meet you. He's talked very highly of you.

Speaker 3 (17:02):
Ah, no problem. I'm glad you guys are here. I
hope you guys enjoyed the festival. Eat a lot of food,
drink some grape beers, and be safe if you can too.

Speaker 7 (17:12):
Thank you very much for cheers.

Speaker 2 (17:14):
Cheers Matt and Jim gir List Podcast. We're moving on.
We'll be right back. Stay with us.

Speaker 3 (17:20):
Chrimas Podcast. We are at the Public Market. We are
at the Flower City Brewers Fest. Thirty plus years at
this festival. Jim transitioning over to the New or State
Craft Russociation. It's an amazing day and it's amazing when
I see brewers who actually represent veterans and also you know,
acknowledge what they've done and the history of the veterans.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
You're a veteran, right, I was, Yes, I am, I
was I slam And we're going to get into this
because the stuff we just went through is perfect for
the podcast. I want to hear it all. We're at
the booth for Heroes Brewing Company. Now we're here with Christian. Hey,
how was it going guys? Thanks for having me, Thanks
for stopping by our booth. I'm Christian at Heroes.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
We Christian. How long have you guys been doing this?

Speaker 12 (18:03):
So we opened our doors in December twenty twenty. That's
when we officially open and we're still going strong, awesome.

Speaker 3 (18:10):
So what's the theme behind Heroes Brewing?

Speaker 12 (18:14):
So the idea is that anyone could be a hero.
We like to do a lot of work with the community.
For the majority of the beers that we brew, we
partner with a different non for profit organization or charity
and donate proceeds of all of our four packs sold.
So the idea is to sort of satellite on the unseen,
unsung heroes like Big Brothers, Big Sister programs, Wounded Warrior projects.

(18:35):
We've done a lot for teachers organizations, little league organizations.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
So how can you not respect that, Jim, No.

Speaker 2 (18:43):
That's wonderful Christian. Do you folks have a brick and
mortar place.

Speaker 12 (18:47):
Yeah, so, our brewery in tap room is at five
point forty three Atlantic Avenue in Rochester, just on the
west side of Culver Road, right behind where Sticky Lips.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
Barbecue used to be. Oh I just read about that. Yeah, okay,
So getting getting into the good stuff because I like
to agitate. Think you are a Marine.

Speaker 12 (19:06):
I was at the Marines, yes, for four years, and
Matt Kars was in the Navy.

Speaker 3 (19:10):
I was, and the Marines are a part of the Navy,
by the way, he doesn't know that yet. Come on.

Speaker 2 (19:16):
So so basically, you know, the Navy's responsible for giving
the Marines a ride wherever they gotta go. White people
out right, I.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
Mean yeah, we scored. We scored higher on the ASVAP.
So that's what this is true.

Speaker 2 (19:27):
We're a department of the Navy where the men's department.
That's great. I'm trying to get these guys a know
on each other, but it's great. You guys both. We
gotta give you a great credit for serving our country.
I mean there's a lot of things that go on
with Wounded Warrior Project and all those great organizations that
people are in need uh when they come back from combat,

(19:50):
and all these things that that that have happened over
the past twenty years.

Speaker 12 (19:55):
You guys are doing a great job and we appreciate that.
They can think you for the support. We we appreciate
you guys.

Speaker 3 (20:01):
Cheers. I'll tell you what I always tell everyone in
this because people don't understand because they see us bus
balls all the time. But I would die for anybody
in the Marines and the same way, and we were
still brothers in arms either way.

Speaker 12 (20:11):
We're all on the same side USA. So you don't
mind if we talk about what beer they brought wet.

Speaker 3 (20:17):
We are the Brothers podcast. We should probably do.

Speaker 2 (20:18):
That, all right. So we're the Grillers podcast. In the
studio we talk. I handle their the grilling part. We
make pulled port brisket, appetizers, whatever, and Matt provides the
various beers, and we have a studio that we do
most of our podcasts in and then we come out
to these festivals and interview people. So at Heroes Brewering,

(20:40):
what do you bring today?

Speaker 3 (20:40):
What do you have.

Speaker 12 (20:42):
So today we brought our Mexican Lagger and our Summertime Shandy.

Speaker 3 (20:48):
I love Shandy's. The first time I ever had a
Shandy I was on vacation and Miami and it's it's
the best summer beer around.

Speaker 2 (20:57):
That sounds wonderful. I mean, you know, we love beer
no matter what it is, and we love to try
all kinds of different kinds of beer. But one of
the things Christian that up piqued my interest is you
opened up in December of twenty twenty, and that was
right in the middle of absolute, absolute freaking mayhem. How

(21:19):
did you get through all that?

Speaker 12 (21:21):
Yeah, it was. It was really tough at first. I
so that was when Greg opened up the doors of
December of twenty twenty. I came on a few months
later in March at twenty one. But it was just
basically curbside cowboys bringing out cans, you know. And slowly
but surely, as the law started to change, we were
label to open up and have people every six feet

(21:43):
sitting down and sipping beer and putting a mask on
in between. So and now we're back to normal. So
slowly but surely, and with a lot of study.

Speaker 3 (21:52):
Support, I got Jim, Jim, you asked some great questions.

Speaker 2 (21:55):
Yeah, well, you know, we enjoy what we do on
grill and and coming to visit with somebody that went
through some hardship getting there and came out the other
side successful with some awesome product. I don't what do
I have here?

Speaker 3 (22:11):
I think you're drinking the shandy also right.

Speaker 2 (22:12):
And it's wonderful. It's absolutely beautiful.

Speaker 3 (22:15):
Yeah, so what is I know you guys do have
a arriting different beers at Heroes. What would you say
your specialty or your best selling beer is?

Speaker 12 (22:25):
So I would say a lot of our ip as
go really quick, and a lot of our loggers go
really quick. So our New England's and our light light
loggers especially go really fast.

Speaker 3 (22:36):
Now you're you're a brewer, right, yes, sir? So I
like to ask this question, uh for brewers because oh
my god, I got looking over my pants. Whatever is fine.
So brewers tend to set the trends sometimes of what's
going to happen. I moved us a lot recently that
brewers are going towards pillsers and loggers more. And the

(22:58):
popular stuff is still our ipa is its hours and stuff.
But brewers are more in the light stuff, are you?
Are you kind of there too?

Speaker 12 (23:04):
Yeah, I'm going there. And you know, I've seen that
as a trend, not just you know, in myself personally,
but across the board as well. But I've also seen
a bigger trend in asked for NA non alcoholic options.

Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yeah, so we basically have no use for na's. No,
I'm just chasing you. Come on, come on, it's about
It's about humor, right, come on, all right, well, christ
well you have a line here. We'll let you get
back to work.

Speaker 3 (23:34):
Thank you before you go. Last thing where you located?
Contact information? Social? Let everyone know.

Speaker 12 (23:40):
So we are Heroes Brewing Company. We're on five forty
three Atlantic Avenue in Rochester, just west of Culver Road,
right next to Photo City Music Hall. We're Heroes Brewing
Company on Facebook? What are we on Instagram? Heroes Brewing
Company on Instagram? And I think that pretty much all

(24:00):
across the board on all of our social Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
I don't know what any of that is, but go
visit them. They're great guys. They have awesome beers. That's
Harold Brewing Company, Matt and Jim Grilla's podcast. We'll be
right back Matt and Jim. We're at the Flower City
Brewers Fest here at the Rochester Public Market. And one
of the staples here, one of the iconic restaurants or

(24:25):
kiosk or whatever you want to call it here is
one and Maria's Empin' Out a Stop. And they have
two locations right here at the Public Market. They have
one inside which has a door to the outside, and
then they have the separate standalone deal one Contreres and
his son and daughter in law run or his daughter

(24:46):
and son in law whatever it is, they run the
other Wana Maria's Empenout of stop out at the mall.
And it's just if you've never had one of his
emp and out as you got to check it out.

Speaker 3 (24:59):
Speak speaking of one Maria is So, we were just
talking about your iconic restaurant out here at the Public
Market and you have your location at the marketplace small
and I tell you what, one of the first times
Jim I had these guys, I was working for you
as a producer and you had them bring some in
and I fell in love with your epinanas that day. Awesome.

Speaker 8 (25:22):
That's amazing. We love to hear those stories. We hear
them all the time that.

Speaker 3 (25:27):
By the way, we should probably have you introduce yourself
before we keep going.

Speaker 8 (25:30):
That makes sense, right, This has been the new owner
of One and Maria's my wife, Melissa is not here tonight.
Unfortunately One is out and about that was my mom Maria.
Oh yeah, we have to Dad's out there somewhere.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
We got to track them down.

Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yeah, So, how how things been going? Like I said,
I have not had any better impanas than yours. And
you guys are legendary at this location. And you know
you're in the mall and doing stuff too, So how
are things going for you?

Speaker 8 (25:57):
Well, we appreciate that, seriously, we do. We're humbled by that.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
We really.

Speaker 8 (26:00):
I mean, my father's worked so hard for twenty four
years and I'm just I took the baton. You know,
I'm still running and uh, it's big shoes of fel
But I tell you what, it's it's a lot of
hard work. Thank god. We're expanding, getting bigger. You know,
we have lots of plans. A little sneak peek. We're
looking at some food trucks coming.

Speaker 2 (26:20):
Really yeah, food trucks. You know, I go, I gotta
I gotta tell you that I was humbled. There's this
lobster food truck that's out there and they got it
figured out. They they you know, you got an app.
You dial in and and you order your stuff and
they say your name, you gotta be there and whatever.

(26:42):
If if Wana Maria's Impanada stop does a food truck
like that, you guys win. So congratulations on checking that out.

Speaker 8 (26:50):
Yes, I appreciate that. No, that's awesome. That's that's good
information too, because you know, you just never know. It's
a lot of work. The food truck is a new
stap for us.

Speaker 3 (27:02):
You know.

Speaker 8 (27:02):
I expanded this actually the Express. Yeah, I doubled it
in size and we so, you know, a little by little.

Speaker 3 (27:10):
So this is a family thing. You guys have been
doing this for a while. How important was it for you,
excuse me, for you to take the baton from your
dad and do it the right way?

Speaker 8 (27:22):
I would say absolutely necessary. In my father's words, Like
I said, big choose to Phil so he he had
a plan which over the years, I've been working with
him since I was in college. Then I did my
own thing, you know, in corporate America. But he's always

(27:43):
instilled in me. Hey, you know, you gotta work hard,
but there's he he Rochester's huge. We love Rochester. But
he also said, listen, let's expand further. So he's given
me that idea of expanding nationwide. So honestly, you know,
I again big shoes of Phil but lots and lots

(28:03):
of plans coming in and food truck is just one
of the SAPs.

Speaker 2 (28:08):
Now, we had you and your lovely family and your
dad and everything at at in the studio and you
were there with your wife and your lovely newborn. How's
he doing, great question?

Speaker 8 (28:21):
He is seventeen months. He is walking, he's talking, he's dancing,
he's eating and bananas up, so he is. He is
a bundle of joy, little literal bundle of joy.

Speaker 3 (28:33):
You have a beautiful family and were and we were
blessed to have you in our studio. So we appreciate that.

Speaker 8 (28:38):
That was about a year ago because it popped up
in my Facebook memory, so it was about a year ago.

Speaker 3 (28:42):
So now, so you said the little one's already loving
the bananas.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
He is.

Speaker 8 (28:47):
He likes to breakfast ones. Oh they're key. Those are
my favorite.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
That's my favorite.

Speaker 8 (28:52):
Kids after my own heart because that's my favorite one too.

Speaker 2 (28:54):
So now I've been trying for years to get to
get wand to make me a lobster and panada, and
he said, you buy the lobster, I'll make the ampanada.
That's great, that's awesome. Yeah.

Speaker 8 (29:08):
Yeah, we used to have a seafood in Panada and
it was a hit. It was awesome. We're up to
nine and bananas right now, and there's a lot of work.
It's a lot of work. So I recently introduced, actually
within about a year or so, the beef and cheese
and banada sells like hotcakes. But it's a lot of work,
stretching myself in a little bit, so I gotta focus

(29:30):
on different things. So that food truck is definitely a
huge initiative that we have coming up in the spring.

Speaker 3 (29:35):
Cool So here's another complicated question. How does your family
make the appanada is so good? Like again, it's there's
a lot of people doing patties and a panadas or whatever,
but yours always stand out. How does that? How do
you make that magic happen?

Speaker 8 (29:51):
Top secret?

Speaker 2 (29:54):
You knew that man because he loves to ask a
tough question, you know. I I asked one about that
probably twenty years ago. I said, where does this all
come from. And he said, you know, back in the
in the old country in Chile, and he you know,
and then of course I pressed him and he goes, yeah,

(30:15):
i'd have to kill you.

Speaker 8 (30:17):
So to answer that question. Honestly, I tell everybody their
ingredients that fell from heaven.

Speaker 13 (30:25):
I'm serious.

Speaker 8 (30:27):
Not only that though, lots and lots of love. That's
our main ingredient is love.

Speaker 3 (30:33):
I will accept that answer.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
While we're visiting, by chance with Ben contraras empanada stop
here at the public market. They have the inside and
I didn't know the I've never seen the outside door
on this one before. That's pretty cool. And then the
regular chaosk down there. You know, you if once you
have one of those empanadas, your hook forever. So buddy,

(30:57):
thank you. We'll let you get back to work. And
if one's floating around here, I gotta hook up with him, so.

Speaker 8 (31:03):
I'm gonna send him you away. Gentlemen, Hey, always good
to see you guys.

Speaker 3 (31:06):
Listen, I'm I'm I'm happy that Jim induced me to
your impanadas. But now I'm like a crackout of I'm addicted,
so I need I need help. No, all right, right,
Matt and Jim Grilla's podcast. We'll move on down the
line here. I don't know how we can top that,
but maybe we'll get one to give us an empanada.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
We'll be right back with more Grilla. You know, Matt,
you don't mind that I'm chopping on this beef and
and cheese empanada from Wana Maria's Empanada stop here at
the boblic Market, right and guests who happened to get
up and provide us with these wonderful and panadus Ladies
and gentlemen, please welcome Juan Contraras, the owner and the

(31:49):
originator twenty five thirty years ago of Wanna Maria's and
Panada Stop.

Speaker 14 (31:56):
Hello, Wan Oh, hello there, Jim and Matt the good
see you guys here the market and join your itself
and now with the empanas. That's going to make it
the night.

Speaker 3 (32:06):
I was telling Jim, so I think I got how
long did I start working on the show? What? Seven
eight years ago? I can't remember how long it was,
but when I first worked on Jim show, he was like, hey,
do you like Emanatus? And I was like, yeah, of
course I do. So he went down I think you
were on I think you were a guest on the
show that day via phone or something, I can't remember,
and you brought us up some empanadas and I ate

(32:29):
him that day and I was like, these are some
of the best apanas I've ever had.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 14 (32:33):
Well, you know, empanada is just it's part of our DNA.
We Marie and I got married forty seven years ago,
and shortly thereafter we started making mpanadas. And actually I
used to bring him in sell them at Xerox, the
All Xerox, when there were hundreds of people in every building.

(32:54):
So we started bringing the panadas. It was actually my
lunch and then it smells so good that everybody they
came around said what is that that you're eating? So
I said, hey, this is panada is from Chile, and
so on and so forth. But make a long story short,
we started making panadas and we started selling them, and

(33:16):
it used to be like maybe ten or twenty I
will bring into my co workers paid in events, by
the way, paid. But the most interesting thing is at
the end a year later, he easily easily was over
one hundred panadas.

Speaker 15 (33:35):
That was.

Speaker 2 (33:39):
I remember actually a few years ago the first time
that you sold a thousand panadas here at the public
market in downtown Rochester. I remember, I remember looking at
your face and seeing how excited you were when you
came in and told us about that on the radio.
And of course you've exceeded that one hundred times over,
but that that must have been one hell of a

(34:03):
day in your life.

Speaker 14 (34:04):
It was, It certainly was. Now it's not one hundred
times over. It would be one hundred thousand and panads
that would be. That would be a little bit more
that we can handle right now. But we have to
three thousand and panos a week now. But the interesting
thing is when we started here, the public market Rochester

(34:25):
just as a whole did not know what empanels were
unless you were from a Spanish country.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
Uh.

Speaker 14 (34:31):
And you go to maybe a little corner store in
the city and you were buying there, right, But if
you were not from the Spanish culture, then.

Speaker 2 (34:42):
You simply will know what empanada was.

Speaker 14 (34:44):
So make a long story, sure, we started introducing the
beef and onions was the first one in the breakfast one.
Those were the first, the two first empanels that we sold,
and we used to sell maybe thirty forty panadas and
Saturday simply because people didn't know what it was, and
we had to sell hot dogs and hamburgers and French

(35:07):
fries and all the rest of the stuff.

Speaker 2 (35:11):
But soon after.

Speaker 14 (35:14):
Numbers started to grow because people were telling friends and family,
and then we was like one hundred panas and a Saturday,
five hundred panas and a Saturday. That's when we opened
the East Rochester location years and years ago. Of course,
we you know that was that that's in the past.
And then now, as I said before, it's over three

(35:37):
thousand panals a week.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
So you know, the rice and the rice and beans
and all the various sauces that you have, and of
course I've said over and over again, my favorite is
the green gold sauce. And I try to get him,
you know, because we make our own rub at the
Salmon Ranch Cherry Bourbon barbecue sauce rub Planet by the
way right and Salmon Ranch trailed us rom and I've

(36:00):
been trying to get one to tell me how he
makes that green gold sauce. And of course, you know,
he said, I'll have to carry you. How many times
have we said that today? Right with various people, But
this is it's just wonderful that that a local business
started out that small and was cranking out you guys
doing a wonderful job. And and you know, not to

(36:23):
be outdone. But when Ben was here a few minutes ago,
we were talking to him and I again reiterated the
fact that I want a lobster impanada, and and how
and how you said to me multiple times, you buy
the lobster, I'll make the empire.

Speaker 14 (36:43):
Well that's something that said really maybe paid more attention to.
I tell you, I have to say, uh you, Jim
and uh and and Bob Lunsbury, both of you guys
have been probably the best at it for Juana Marias
that I can think of. Now let's not say that we.

(37:05):
I mean, we have gotten a lot of attention from
all the television channels and also all the other radio
stations too. But you know, particularly I remember one time,
this is way way way back when we started, we
opened another location at on Clifford Avenue that was called

(37:28):
El Conquistat Restaurant. That was that was a that was
a Puerto Rican.

Speaker 2 (37:36):
Restaurant.

Speaker 14 (37:37):
But we wanted and we started introducing our panelas there.
But there was one time, and this is a good
twenty years ago that for whatever reason, the city came
plowing during the wintertime and they plowed us in. We
couldn't get in, and I called my It was us

(37:59):
a matter of fact, him that I called because it
was early in the morning on a Saturday, and you
you allowed me to talk on the air and within
an hour or two, uh powered out.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
That was beautiful. The City of Rochester facilities. People listen
to our show, and I said, come on, guys, get
over the ones and get him plowed, you know, get
him cleaned down. You do a radio show, just a
teeny weeny one.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
No Jim, Yeah, thirty plus years here a thirty five
with No Jim is an awesome show. And like I said,
I've been served to eu up andatus both on Jim
Show and when I was producer of the Limesbury Show.
They both have given me the imp andatus. And then
I finally got to meet you. Not only are the
and is great, but the person behind the panautus is
also great.

Speaker 14 (38:47):
Well, thank you, thank you very much. Actually, you know
that that we stand behind every empanade. So we make
an empanade that we put it in front of us
and take a picture to see we stand behind the empana.

Speaker 2 (39:00):
Well, you know, only thing I can say. I love
that green gold sauce, which went down great. I know,
But the fact that you had impanadas on Lonsbury's show
and you didn't, and you didn't freaking call me immediately
and say come down here and get your share, Matt.
I will have a tribunal with you when we're done here.

Speaker 3 (39:23):
Listen, Remember I was on Leinsbury's show and then I
went back to your show. Don't forget that.

Speaker 2 (39:29):
That's right, you did, Juan, Thanks for being with us
this afternoon here at the Flower City brew Fest. Johnreloud
from Rowerbox is great. He puts us on every year.
And next year, yeah, and next year it'll be taken
over by the New York State Craft Brewers Associated and

(39:50):
be bigger and better than ever was. It'll be wonderful.
And thanks for hooking us up with these impanadas. They're wonderful.

Speaker 3 (39:58):
I appreciate it, and I also want to thank you.
You were Not only are you a great person who
makes the ampanadas, but in general you're You're just a
good person.

Speaker 14 (40:05):
My head is just so big right now that I
think when I get home. Maria's gonna have to let
me through the garage. I think my head is not
going to fit through the door.

Speaker 2 (40:18):
Now.

Speaker 14 (40:18):
It's just, you know, we and panaas. I just how
can I say? It's an excuse to make friends.

Speaker 3 (40:27):
Uh.

Speaker 14 (40:27):
And that's what has happened over the years, ever since
the very very beginning. Yes we we you know, and
panas are our specialty, and we paid so much attention
to it, but we pay more attention to the relationship.
And I was just talking to two gentlemen earlier this evening.

Speaker 3 (40:48):
Uh.

Speaker 14 (40:48):
And they've been our customers since day one, you know,
twenty four years ago. So you know, again it's just
making friends. And Benjamin is is doing the same thing too.
He's him and his wife are really making good friends
before that make good customers.

Speaker 2 (41:08):
Awesome, that's great. Thanks one, We appreciate it. Oh yeah,
I'm trying to suck my half of that andad of
down before you get to it. Juan, Thanks buddy, We'll
see you soon. One Contrara, Slady and gentlemen from the
Empanada stop here at the Public Market and at Marketplace Mall.
Also check it out. They're the best empanados on the

(41:30):
Planet Matt and Jim Griller's podcast We'll be right.

Speaker 3 (41:33):
Back Crimis Podcast. We are at the public market. It
is the Flower Cities Brewer Festivals thirtieth anniversary, by the way,
and they are handing the torch over to the New
York State Craft Brew Association. This is the last year
Robos is doing this. This is the last year that
Robots is doing this, so it's kind of a big

(41:55):
deal that next year it will be in the hands
of the New or State Craft Brew Association, who, by
the way, does do awesome with the crack Uh. Oh,
he's not, I thought to Paul Leone, who's the director.
He's not changing a thing. So let me ask you
guys a question. How long, by the way to schedule
and you hide it here? Let me ask you as
a question, how long have you been doing these festivals?

Speaker 15 (42:19):
I think in total, I mean it feels like the better,
it feels like the better part of a decade.

Speaker 13 (42:24):
I would say that about ten years.

Speaker 3 (42:27):
Yeah, I've been doing this before I went to the Navy.
That's how they started doing like in the late nineties. Yeah.

Speaker 15 (42:33):
Instead of marking it with years, I mark it with
let me see, like tears finesse, I would say, finess,
that's good. Try a little bit of everything and see
what six And now I know what breweries to go to, uh,
what to ask for, what to stay away from? Yeah,
how to push the abb limits. So I'm gonna say
that that took about a decade to get there.

Speaker 3 (42:56):
Yeah, so I met you guys drinking craft beer at
a cracked beer are Is this something that you're gonna kill?
I mean I love craft here. I know you guys
do too. Is this like one of your bigger festivals?
Are you guys doing more than this festival?

Speaker 13 (43:09):
I think this is our right now? This is our only,
uh festival that we do.

Speaker 15 (43:14):
We always do the Flower City Brewers Fest, Like this
is what we look forward.

Speaker 8 (43:19):
To each year.

Speaker 13 (43:20):
I know you've told us that we need.

Speaker 9 (43:21):
To get maybe, but we haven't yet. You know, we
used to do the one what was the one that
was on Gregory That.

Speaker 3 (43:30):
Was the the South Wedge one, the Real Beer ex Bo.

Speaker 9 (43:35):
Yes, we used to do Real Beer Expo.

Speaker 13 (43:37):
I think it's at Frontier Innovative Field, But we haven't
done that one since it since it moved out.

Speaker 8 (43:44):
Of the West.

Speaker 3 (43:44):
It's it's different, it's a different vibe.

Speaker 13 (43:46):
Yeah, is it?

Speaker 10 (43:47):
So?

Speaker 13 (43:47):
How is it?

Speaker 3 (43:48):
It's it's good? Is it front or field? It's not
on front the field? It's a round fronter field. But
it's still pretty cool. You know who will Cleveland is No?

Speaker 13 (43:57):
I don't, I say, Matt, We've been waiting for you
to call us.

Speaker 3 (44:00):
Then tell us why I'm gonna call that. I'm gonna
call it right now.

Speaker 15 (44:04):
Tell us where the festivals are, because that's what you
said last year.

Speaker 13 (44:08):
I'm not gonna drive.

Speaker 15 (44:09):
I'm not gonna give you directions, but I'll jump out
of the car.

Speaker 13 (44:12):
I'll pump the gas.

Speaker 10 (44:14):
Uh.

Speaker 13 (44:15):
You are you are talking to a queer female.

Speaker 15 (44:18):
So if I gotta get out and fix the tire,
I will.

Speaker 3 (44:20):
I trust you'all by the way, you just you just know.

Speaker 15 (44:23):
You stay comfortable, and you let us know where we
gotta go. You're the man with the plan. You'll tell
us what festivals we.

Speaker 13 (44:29):
Need to go to. Uh.

Speaker 15 (44:30):
And I look forward. I love doing it here. I
mean this is amazing. I finished the work, I packed
the bag, came right over.

Speaker 3 (44:36):
I answer. So I'm gonna ask you guys both a question.
So the next craft beer festival that I'll be going
to is a New York State Craft Brewer Association Craft
Festival at the Landmark Theater in Syracuse. What if I
gave you both tickets, would you go?

Speaker 13 (44:54):
I mean, listen, you know you know my kids. Answer
is yes. My children have a loving grandfather who will
be understanding.

Speaker 3 (45:05):
So I'm gonna jop this down today and I'm gonna
keep my word. I will give you two tickets if
you go to that festival.

Speaker 13 (45:13):
Do it. Let's do it.

Speaker 8 (45:14):
We're going and we'll get a hotel in Syracuse.

Speaker 3 (45:17):
Perfect down, So I will I expect to interview both
of you in Syracuse at the Landmark Theater. It's in
the fallsome time. I'll give you details later.

Speaker 13 (45:27):
All right, all right, perfect, we're there.

Speaker 3 (45:30):
It's time to broaden our horises, ladies.

Speaker 15 (45:34):
I'm excited the region and we want to experience outside
of the region, in New York State or out of safe.

Speaker 13 (45:41):
So if you have other tickets out of state, you know,
we'll be welcome.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
To luckily at this is a kind of a job.
And then give me stuff. So I'll be happy to
give you extra tickets that I.

Speaker 9 (45:49):
Get trips of it.

Speaker 13 (45:53):
If you interview us, you know, we're gonna like try
to mooch a little a little bit. This is happening
right now, he in love.

Speaker 3 (46:00):
Last last question, out of all the beers you've had today,
I'll ask both of you guys individually.

Speaker 15 (46:06):
Okay, you the Baltic Porter, the Baltic Porter by I
think it was Big Ditch.

Speaker 3 (46:16):
Big Ditch. Yes, there also was. There was a Belgium
that I had at K two that was really good too.

Speaker 13 (46:24):
Baltic Porter, my Big Ditch is my favorite this evening
so good?

Speaker 3 (46:28):
All right? What about you?

Speaker 9 (46:29):
Oh?

Speaker 15 (46:30):
Yeah, so I had a sample of her Balti Porter
that was delicious, That really was. I don't generally drink
quarters in the summer, just because trying to cool down.
I'm actually gonna say this, I'm really surprised at some
of the sours and the sighters here this year.

Speaker 3 (46:45):
I agree.

Speaker 15 (46:46):
I almost always stay away from the sours and I
don't want them, but they really have been bringing like
a fruit not too sweet sour. I'm sorry, I don't
remember the breweries. There are a lot of them.

Speaker 3 (46:55):
There was like sixty of them.

Speaker 13 (46:56):
Yeah, they had one of these breweries.

Speaker 15 (46:59):
Right behind a apple cinnamon cider.

Speaker 3 (47:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 13 (47:03):
I would have scoffed at that, but.

Speaker 15 (47:05):
It literallyted like my lunchbox in third grade.

Speaker 13 (47:11):
So good.

Speaker 15 (47:11):
So I'm surprised at like the creativity this year. It
almost feels fun the flavors this year.

Speaker 3 (47:17):
Well, you know, I love you both of you guys,
I really, I really do. And I'm looking forward to
talking to you guys in Syracuse.

Speaker 9 (47:24):
Right, Yes, let's go, Toway have our numbers.

Speaker 3 (47:28):
I do, alrightst me out there right.

Speaker 13 (47:35):
Away from some.

Speaker 3 (47:37):
I do have your numbers, and I will call it.

Speaker 13 (47:40):
Let's do it. Well, we'll figure it out, let's organize.

Speaker 3 (47:43):
Listen, you guys are awesome. Keep doing what you do.
We're gonna talk soon. Man, We're gonna do this. Ship.

Speaker 13 (47:48):
Yes, absolutely, let's do it.

Speaker 9 (47:50):
Let's do it.

Speaker 3 (47:50):
We're in Grivas Podcast. We'll be right back Crimas Podcast.
We are back at the Flowers. Today's Brewer fest on
Railroad Street, Public Market, one of the original brewers festivals
here in Roster, New York, one of the longest running ones.
And Jim again, I know I've mentioned a few times,
but they're turning this over to New York State craft

(48:13):
Ers Association.

Speaker 2 (48:14):
They really are, and next year will be just as
big and better as it's ever been. And the folks
that and you put this on your calendar right now.
Thank New York Drinknew York dot Com. You can get tickets.
You see where all the festivals are. You don't want
to miss one single one of them. And I can
tell you that because we love going to these festivals.

(48:36):
We Be Brewing Company is almost in every single one
of them.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
Wait, we've never seen them before, No, we haven't, so
we be. How's it going, guys? We got Dan and
we got Colleen and they got some great beers on
tap here today. What do you guys got going on today?

Speaker 9 (48:54):
We have our sols Scotch.

Speaker 13 (48:55):
Ell and we have our Golden Reel health Wison.

Speaker 3 (48:58):
Awesome. So the Scotts, y'all. I just sipped. It's delicious.
How long is how long did you guys have this out?

Speaker 16 (49:06):
How long we had to Scotch Ail? Yeah, we've actually
had It's been one of our flagship for many years. Yeah,
we've had quite a few awards for it. In twenty
twenty three we got the Scotch Jail Brewer of the
Year award and we won many New York State Brew
Association medals for it. And as I was telling you,
it's perfect for Marinate meeting as well.

Speaker 2 (49:22):
So I want to know what goes into making this
scotch ail. So you know, I know you're not gonna
tell us the top secret stuff. I already realized that,
but but just take us through how you make this.

Speaker 16 (49:35):
You just use a lot of different smoke peeded malts
and you bring out a lot of those woody and
chocolate flavors.

Speaker 13 (49:41):
That way, the most important ingredient is love, Jim.

Speaker 3 (49:47):
It's love, buddy, I know.

Speaker 2 (49:49):
I That's why I love Colleen because she puts a
lot of love and everything. So, so how long does
it take to make a batch of this? How about
four or four to five weeks? Bat you scotch Ail? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (50:04):
So is this one of your best sellers? Or because
I've had a lot of your beers? Obviously I've had
a lot of your beers. You guys have made some
amazing beers, I mean, award winning, amazing, tasty beers. Is
this one of your top selling beers?

Speaker 2 (50:17):
Both of these are both flagshifts one year round.

Speaker 16 (50:20):
We've men won many state in international medals for them,
and they's kind of something that when you know that
you come in too web and get a great half
Waizion or a great Scotch Yil.

Speaker 2 (50:30):
You were right, though, Matt. You have consumed a lot
of beer, many many beers. And so here's the deal.
We be brewing is in Geneva, right, And I drove
by there not all that long ago, and I didn't
know where you were located, and it was like five
o'clock in the morning, so I decided not to stop in.
But tell us a little bit about your hours and

(50:54):
what do you have at your store? Do you have food?
And how's all that work?

Speaker 16 (50:57):
Yeah, during the week we were usually open four to
ten and then on the weekends eleven to ten o'clock.

Speaker 2 (51:03):
Yeah, we do have a variety of different foods.

Speaker 16 (51:05):
Pizza's a bunch of foods, and we're working on building
a backyard beer garden. We're looking to enjoy the out
to our area as well as well as our delicious beers.

Speaker 3 (51:14):
So if Jim and I showed up, you guys welcome
us with some beers and food.

Speaker 2 (51:18):
Oh, of course, of course. You know what sounds like
a road trip, buddy, Matt and Jim, we're at the
we be brewing a booth here at the what do
we call this the Flower City Brewers Fest at the
Public Market, downtown Rochester. Thanks, guys, we appreciate it. We'll
let you get back to work. Matt and Jim, we're
moving along. We'll be right back with more. I love

(51:41):
how you have to edit out half of this, Matt
and Jim. Here we're at the Flower City brew Fest
here downtown Rochester at the Public Market. We are here
at the at the ninth spot. Yeah, thank you, the
nice spot booth. And we have Annie with us, who
says that she makes the best steak on the planet.

Speaker 8 (52:03):
Hello Annie, Hello, thanks for having me.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
We're happy to know. Jim. You look a good stick,
don't you.

Speaker 2 (52:11):
We worship steak, I mean it's a religious cult thing,
all right. So tell us what kind of cut of
meat do you prefer, if you will, when you're making
the perfect steak.

Speaker 4 (52:24):
Okay, when I'm looking for the perfect steak, I'm going
for a one and a half inch thick at least
New York strip, well marbled, little on the fattier side.

Speaker 9 (52:37):
That's what I'm looking for.

Speaker 3 (52:38):
See I'm on the fatier side.

Speaker 2 (52:41):
Yeah. Oh really all right? Annie? So so next up
is how you season your steak. So tell us about.

Speaker 4 (52:51):
That, Okay, well, first of all, you've got to let
it come to room temperature. Just let it sit on
the counter for a minute. Rest it it's at room temperature.
Take some kosher salt. Cover it, don't be shy. Take
some pepper.

Speaker 9 (53:06):
Cover it. Flip it over, do the same, and that's it,
all right.

Speaker 2 (53:11):
So then we heat up our grill. What kind of
a grill do you use?

Speaker 4 (53:14):
I have a pit boss smoker. I heat it up
to about four hundred. I always clean it with an onion.

Speaker 9 (53:23):
I clean it. I clean it with an onion.

Speaker 4 (53:25):
If I'm doing chicken, I'll also clean it with a
potato so it doesn't stick, you know. And then and
then I'll put it on there high heat, get that
good seer, and then I don't touch it for seven
and a half eight minutes, and then I'll flip it.

Speaker 9 (53:40):
I'm religious, you don't.

Speaker 4 (53:41):
You don't touch it until those until that timer goes off.

Speaker 2 (53:45):
She goes with a rusting point. Jim, that's great. So
back up a little bit to the onion thing. So
you scrape the grate with an onion, back and forth
and back and forth. Does that impart some taste into
your steak? Do you think?

Speaker 9 (53:59):
Yes?

Speaker 4 (54:00):
So I prefer not to use any sort of cleaning
agent or wire brush or anything on my smoker because
I don't want anything left behind. So I use an
onion scrape it all the way. White onion is my preference.
But I've used like a vadalia whatever you have, cut
it in half, stick it on your fork and just

(54:21):
scrape your grill with it, and it gives it a
little extra flavor and cleans the grill really nicely.

Speaker 2 (54:26):
All right, So to recap, you're doing a one and
a half inch strip steak. You're cooking at seven and
a half or so on either side. What's your desired doneess?

Speaker 4 (54:37):
I like medium, I like medium. I don't want it
to bloody, but I need it to.

Speaker 9 (54:43):
Be nice and soft.

Speaker 4 (54:45):
No steak, sauce needed, nothing. You shouldn't have to put
anything on that steak. You should just be able to
eat it the way it is.

Speaker 3 (54:53):
So I think medium, rare and medium are like the
perfect area.

Speaker 2 (54:57):
Yeah, I mean, you know we do. Maybe it's five
on each side or whatever. Be those of us that
want it just walking onto the grill. But okay, so
no no sauces, no anything else on top of that.

Speaker 4 (55:11):
Do you unless you're doing a skirt steak. If you're
doing a skirt steak, then you need that chimmy cherry.

Speaker 9 (55:17):
You know, you got to marinate it in Moho.

Speaker 4 (55:22):
That's the best marinade Goya for for chicken, in for steak,
and then let that marinade for twenty four hours.

Speaker 9 (55:31):
If you want.

Speaker 2 (55:32):
That's great. Okay, Let me ask you this. Do you
use a probe it all to see what the temperature
is inside your steak?

Speaker 15 (55:38):
No?

Speaker 4 (55:40):
No, I don't mess around, not for beef. For beef,
I'm like, I'll use my finger sometimes, but I don't
even need to. If you stick to the time and
you got the right thickness, you're good. Don't mess around.
Let it rest. Let it rest when it comes off
the grill.

Speaker 2 (55:54):
Though, I've got ten more questions for her. You don't
mind it all right? Yeah? Thank you? So how'd you
learn to cook? Who taught you how to cook? I mean,
does a family thing or what's the deal?

Speaker 4 (56:05):
So I'm a single mom and I love barbecue, and
so I realized quickly that if I loved barbecue, I
was gonna have to learn how to do it myself.

Speaker 9 (56:16):
So I bought a little.

Speaker 4 (56:17):
Charcoal grill and I started charcoal grilling in my backyard
and then I figured it out. And then I realized, oh,
I love to grill, and I needed to kick up
my game.

Speaker 9 (56:29):
I love Mark.

Speaker 4 (56:30):
Maren WTF podcast shout out to Mark Maren, and he
was always talking about using a smoker for brisket and things.
So I said, I want a smoker. So I got
one and I use it all the time.

Speaker 9 (56:42):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (56:44):
That's wonderful. Now you to realize where the grill is podcast, right,
I'm just just saying, I'm a grill is available on iHeart,
Spotify app, pretty much Apple, anywhere you get your podcast.

Speaker 3 (56:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:57):
Oh wait a minute, grilllesspodcast dot com. So let me
ask you this. Do you cook any other types of
things other than steak? I mean, brisket, pull pork, anything
like that. Tell us about that.

Speaker 4 (57:08):
So I have smoked anything really that I can smoke.

Speaker 9 (57:12):
I put clams on my smoker.

Speaker 4 (57:14):
I've put brisket, I've smoked.

Speaker 2 (57:17):
Did she say clams?

Speaker 3 (57:18):
Oh my gosh, okay, I'm much you know, I'm I know.
My mouth was watering all was.

Speaker 4 (57:26):
I had to host my fantasy football draft a couple
of years ago, because you know, yeah.

Speaker 9 (57:32):
I'm a football fan.

Speaker 4 (57:34):
So we smoked a bunch of chicken wings and that
was pretty delicious.

Speaker 9 (57:38):
I've smoked pork belly.

Speaker 4 (57:41):
Chicken, a bone in chicken thigh with some Perry Perry sauce.

Speaker 9 (57:47):
That's it. That's that's the ticket right there.

Speaker 3 (57:49):
So one number was five at five four.

Speaker 2 (57:53):
Yeah, we need an invitation. That's great. Good for you.

Speaker 4 (57:56):
Now.

Speaker 9 (57:58):
I probably shouldn't ask this, but how I'm thirty nine?

Speaker 3 (58:02):
No, come on, I thought she was younger too.

Speaker 2 (58:04):
I thought she was twenty nine. Well, I think this.
I think this is great. We're real proud of you,
and thank you so much for taking the time to
let a couple of screwballs like us math with you.
I appreciate that fun.

Speaker 9 (58:19):
Thanks for having me.

Speaker 3 (58:21):
We're not done yet because we are talk about the
beer now. So we're here with I'm sorry I went.
I went to drink as soon as day. I apologize,
but my glass right my mouth. You're here with I'm
like Chris, So you have some great there's number one
nice spot brewing, perfect location down Sound. It's a nice

(58:43):
place and you do serve food. And again, you guys
do some great stuff. What do you have here today?

Speaker 17 (58:49):
Well, Unfortunately I don't have any of Annie's incredible grilled
meats that she has.

Speaker 3 (58:55):
Just spent the past ten minutes. And we're done here, folks.

Speaker 17 (59:00):
So tonight we brought get Be to a Nunnery, which
is a honey ale that we partnered with Mesmer Bees
out in Pittsford. It is the official beer of the
one hundredth anniversary of Nazareth College. And then we are
proud to be one of the first places that is
unveiling a collaboration between us and The Wolf Brewing, which

(59:20):
is yet to open on the opposite side of the venue.
Tonight they are making their Rochester debut. We paired up
together to make a mango sour called nine Wolves. Very
low ABV, incredibly crushable. It's probably my favorite beer on
the tap list. Right awesome, So Dwalt, they make tools.

Speaker 3 (59:39):
Oh no, the Wolf. I'm sorry the Wolf. I apologize.

Speaker 2 (59:42):
Very funny man, leave the homie pair stuff. I'm sorry,
y Chris. This is great, buddy, Thank you for spending
some time with us. We appreciate it. Matt and Jim Girl.
This podcast moving down the line. We'll be right back
Proof podcast.

Speaker 3 (59:57):
We are at the Public Market Flowers are rus Fest.
Thirty plus years doing this festival in Rochester, New York.
One of the biggest I don't know if it's one
of the biggest, probably the biggest festival in Rochester for
the last thirty plus years. And my good friend mister
John Erlive, the owner of Robox Brewing, is handing it
off to another good friend of mine, mister Paul Leone,

(01:00:20):
who owns or who's who's director of the New Ork
State craft Or Association. Paul, I mean, John, I'm getting
backwards here. John, You've done this for so long. How's
it feel to kind of push us on to the
next level to another person?

Speaker 18 (01:00:32):
You know, I'd like to say I have mixed emotions,
but after a long day, I think I'm ready. No,
it's been fun, been a great run, very proud of everything.

Speaker 3 (01:00:42):
You know.

Speaker 18 (01:00:42):
We it isn't just me, you know, everybody says that,
but you know, we've had a great team and we've
worked with Holiday Outreach and the Brewers Association for a
long time.

Speaker 2 (01:00:50):
So this passing baton will be very easy.

Speaker 18 (01:00:53):
They've made it very clear that things are running real
well and you won't see lots of changes.

Speaker 2 (01:00:57):
We'll just kind of keep it going. This is one
hell of a party, and there's I don't know how
many fifty crap brewers here with the finest beers, and
certainly in New York, which means the world. And that's
got to be a cool thing for you to because
a lot of these people have reached out to you
over the years and you know, asked for advice and things.

(01:01:19):
That's got to be pretty cool. It really is, you know.

Speaker 18 (01:01:22):
There is the unique thing about our industry is there
is kind of a brotherhood.

Speaker 2 (01:01:26):
There really is, because in a way we're all we
know that we can continue to grow this.

Speaker 18 (01:01:32):
It's more challenging, it's very competitive, but the big brewers
still have line share of the market. So if we
can continue to work together, not fight each other, which
we do, and keep that brotherhood, all of us making
good beer, we can continue to grow this and we
will at a night like this is special.

Speaker 2 (01:01:49):
Kind of the way we got it set up too
is funny.

Speaker 18 (01:01:51):
In many festivals, the brewers are around the outside right,
kind of a wall behind them, but the brewers are
actually back to back, so they have a little camaraderie
in their little cave back here. So it's fun it's fun,
it's unique, and it's it's been great.

Speaker 3 (01:02:04):
I know a lot of the brewers and they actually
let me stick back there for a little bit talk
to a few of but which is fantastic. I want
to bring this to your attention though. So you start
like in the High Falls area, right, and then you
kind of moved to like I think you went to
the Frontier Field for a while on the YEP, and
then you kind of worked your way out here. You
were the first brewerfest at a lot of these locations.

(01:02:27):
And again, when I think of people who actually introduced
this community to craft beer, it's you, and it's Joe
McBain who also at that craft beer brewery called Tapamut
that was on Gregory Street. You introduced this liquid to
the popul issue in Roger, New York.

Speaker 2 (01:02:43):
Yeah. I don't know. That's kind of a toy. Yeah, yeah, No, honestly,
it's fun.

Speaker 18 (01:02:49):
I just kind of I was in places so early
nineties craft beer really no one knew it. They really didn't, so,
you know, but I was lucky because even before that,
I was in California. I lived there for a while,
had an anchor steam, which I love. Then I got
transferm in New York City Manhattan Brewery, which Garrett Oliver
was running at the time.

Speaker 2 (01:03:07):
I said, wow.

Speaker 18 (01:03:07):
And after drinking you know, domestic beer for a long
time in my college days, boy, this stuff is good.
So after I finally landed back in Rochester, which is
exactly where I wanted to be, Like when nobody else
is doing it, so we'll give it a whirl. So
it's been fun.

Speaker 3 (01:03:20):
And you're still here.

Speaker 2 (01:03:21):
And you're still here, you know, Matt and I talk
about frequently. I don't know when it was five years
ago before COVID. We came out to Roarerbox there on
the Buffalo Road and uh that Buffalo Road, yeah, and
uh and and and we did our podcast live from
there and and you guys served us up a a

(01:03:44):
uh maple salmon and and your your chef fried us.
It was deep fried, uh sweet corn on a stick,
which we talk about that all the time. It was
so cool. So, I mean, you guys have great foot
you have great beers, and you're always changing it up,
and you have guest taps everywhere. Uh. And you know,

(01:04:07):
my favorite, of course is the scotch ail, which Rowerbock scotchail,
you know, whenever I'm in Wegmans or whatever, I can't
walk by it.

Speaker 3 (01:04:15):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:04:16):
That's the way it is. So congratulations, you guys do
a wonderful job.

Speaker 18 (01:04:20):
Thanks very much, Jim and Matt. No, it's again. It's
been fun and you guys are being very very kind,
you know, but it's funny. Wait, you know the plan
is from Roerbox standpoint, he's just keep doing it. You know,
I don't want to retire yet. I'm an old man,
but I don't want to retire yet. But you know,
shedding this and making sure, I think what was important
to me is there is a legacy here and I

(01:04:42):
don't want it to end just because I'm getting tired
of doing it. I'm not getting tired of doing it.
It's just tiring me out right, and bring some fresh
blood in and then the Brewers Association will just keep
it going.

Speaker 2 (01:04:52):
So it isn't just.

Speaker 18 (01:04:53):
Like this is the thirtieth and last. It's just the
beginning again for a new kind of generation. So it's
gonna be exciting.

Speaker 3 (01:05:00):
I'll tell you what. I tell people this a lot time.
So I was in college and you let me back
and film the back stuff of Rowerbox. I've interviewed what
one hundred times. Probably right, and you've always been generous.
I talked to some I used to work on tap Mallet.
A lot of my friends have since started their own
breweries since then. You've helped them, You've coached them, you've
guide them, You're It's not just your name, but Rowerbocks

(01:05:23):
in general is synonymous for being people not to bicker
and find about it, but help uplift and motivate people
to do what they do as well.

Speaker 2 (01:05:31):
I hope they didn't take too much of my advice.

Speaker 18 (01:05:34):
Probably not in business, No, no, no, you know, honestly, that's
what's fun about it really is and going here and
spending time with everybody. We do remember that, and as
I said before, it is important that we continue to
work together and just continue to make great beer. And
the friendships that we have shouldn't be distracted by the competition.
You know, it's fine. We can all you know what,

(01:05:55):
waters rise, all ships, it's the same thing. So it's
been fun and lots of and I'm glad you've been
part of it too, Matt and Jim, you guys get
the word out and you know what I love about
craft beer too. I'll just talk a little bit more.
Is the connection with food, and I love what you
guys do in the podcast. Domestic beers are fine if
that's what you like. Really, I got nothing against them.

(01:06:15):
It is what it is, and that's fine, and tons
of people like them. But if you're gonna sit down
with a good meal or you're gonna do a nice barbecue,
you better have a flavorable beer, right, A nice fresh
one from Rochester.

Speaker 2 (01:06:24):
New York. Well, this is one hell of a party, John,
Thanks for inviting us. We appreciate it. For hooking us
up on the VIP, which we appreciate it. But I'll
leave you with this thought. I have friends that are
eighty something and they're not retired yet, so you're so
you're good, Bud.

Speaker 3 (01:06:42):
I have one more thing to say to you. I'm
not eighty something. I'm still I'm told my forties. I'm good,
But I will say this. You were one of the
my very first job in craft beer. Believe it or not.
I used to write articles for this paper called The Examiner,
and I've visited your bar, geez that many years ago.

(01:07:02):
That paper doesn't exist anymore. And you were one of
the first people I've been to talk about craft beer.
And you're still here and you're still doing this, and
you aren't inspiration to so many other people that do this.
So I don't want you to retire from robocks. You guys,
stay doing that. And I want to say thank you,
and I want to say thank you for all the
many years of you doing this.

Speaker 2 (01:07:22):
Thanks for this support, guys, you really appreciate.

Speaker 4 (01:07:24):
Well.

Speaker 18 (01:07:24):
Listen, the festival's not over, so stick around and have
some fun, all right, So.

Speaker 2 (01:07:28):
We're moving on. There's more beers to have. Jim and
Matt Girls Podcast. We'll be right back. That's Jim here.
We have had so much fun at the Flower City
Brewfest here twenty twenty four at the Rochester Public Market
downtown Rochester. John here, Love and all the great breweries

(01:07:48):
have done a wonderful job. And I don't know how many.
There are fifty sixty breweries and there's thousands of people
down here having a great party, checking out some of
the best beers on the planet. And this has been
so much fun.

Speaker 3 (01:08:01):
Seem I tell you what. I guess this is the
passing of the guard episode where one great brewer passed
it off to another big festival goer or a prop promoter,
and they're both amazing what they do. This festival is
one of the longest running ones in this area and
it's gonna continue.

Speaker 2 (01:08:17):
On thirty years that the Roerbox has been doing this,
and now they're passing the baton onto the New York
State Craft Brewers Association, which kicks it up. I mean,
don't get me wrong. This has been run perfectly for
thirty years, even through COVID and and all the goofy stuff.
And I remember the first one back after COVID. There

(01:08:39):
were so many people there you could you couldn't even move,
you know, it was great. But next year it'll be
uh Apolione and his cruise will be managing it, and
and they're gonna bring in some beers from all over
New York.

Speaker 4 (01:08:54):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:08:54):
Don't get me wrong, we love local, but any chance
you get to sample beers from you know, Albany, New
York City, all over New York is a win.

Speaker 3 (01:09:04):
So I tell you what, there is so one thing
that uh, the New York State Craft Bears Solution has
is more to reach. Like you said, so there's gonna
be a more eclectic version of beers here, not just local,
but also like you said throughout the state. So I'm
looking forward to what we're gonna see here at this
festival and the next festival in Syracuse.

Speaker 2 (01:09:23):
Now, you and I, You and I love going to
Syracuse because that craft beer festival is so much fun.
We go there, we stay overnight, we have a great time,
we come back the next day. It's just wonderful. And
you know, anybody that's thinking about doing a craft beer
festival or your your interest is peaque because you listen

(01:09:43):
to grill list podcasts or whatever. Go to Thinknew York,
Drink new York dot com. Check out all the festival.
You buy tickets right there. It's just wonderful.

Speaker 3 (01:09:52):
Yeah, it is. And we've been to most locations that
the New York State Craft Bars Solution has had. We've
been to Long Island, we've been to Albany, we've been
to Syracuse, Buffalo, and of course in this area. And
we're gonna we're gonna continue that. By the way, just
real quick, jib, you have an amazing new grill and
I was happy to see that and happy to talk
to you about that as well. Well.

Speaker 2 (01:10:12):
We talked about that before. But it's it's called the
Pit Barrel it's pitbarrelcooker dot com. It's it's a drum
cooker of your dreams. Now, I have the big one,
of course, you know how of course you do, and
and you can cook a whole bunch of racks of
ribs and and wings and a whole bunch of uh,

(01:10:33):
you know, pulled pork and briskets and whatever in this
big cooker. But they also have a whole bunch of
other sizes for the regular guy just doing one rack
of ribs, so you know, check that out. It's it's
pitbarrelcooker dot com. Check it out. That's pitbarrelcooker dot com.

Speaker 3 (01:10:51):
I have one question, what the hell's mine?

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
Yeah, you're it's right there at the ranch. You can
you can check it out of the grill this live
anytime you want.

Speaker 3 (01:11:01):
How's that fair enough?

Speaker 2 (01:11:03):
Him?

Speaker 3 (01:11:03):
It's always awesome to doing vessals with you. I'm looking
forward to doing the one is Syracuse. I'm looking forward
to see what been near stay Craft for as association
she does with this festal as well.

Speaker 2 (01:11:12):
Absolutely Matt and Jim here at the Flower City Brewers
Fest here in downtown in Rochester, New York, at the
Public Market. Thanks to one and uh, and ben conteurs
from damp and out of stuff for horsing around, and
all the great breweries that we talked about. Wonderful beers
we had tonight. And we'll see you next week in

(01:11:32):
the studio, most likely for another edition of Grylls.