August 27, 2025 • 54 mins
The Grill This Podcast is finally back! Jim and Matt attend New York’s original brewers at the Rochester Public Market for its 31st year. Flour City Brewers Fest celebrates the brewers, the bartenders, the artists, the truck drivers, THE FANS... everyone who keeps local craft beer alive.
This year, the Flour City Brewers Fest was produced by the New York State Brewers Association for the first time ever. ?Everything you love about this historic event stayed the same, but they added more breweries from across the state with ticket proceeds benefiting the NYSBA’s mission to support the New York State craft brewing industry through advocacy, education, and promotion.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/grill-this--5704761/support.
This year, the Flour City Brewers Fest was produced by the New York State Brewers Association for the first time ever. ?Everything you love about this historic event stayed the same, but they added more breweries from across the state with ticket proceeds benefiting the NYSBA’s mission to support the New York State craft brewing industry through advocacy, education, and promotion.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/grill-this--5704761/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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.
Welcome to grill this, ladies and gentlemen. Jim Salmon with
Matt Wilson. We're at the Flower City Brewersfest.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
We're back in action, Matthew with the Crap grew festivals this.
For years, the Flower City Brewersfest was run by Roorbrock Brewery,
and last year they turned it over to the New
York State Crap Brewers Association, but Roerbrock's still heavily involved
in their here and whatever. And it's great. I don't
know how many it's got to be fifty sixty brewers here,
(00:47):
and you and I always wade in and start, you know,
going from one testing new brewis and whatever. We're having
a great time so.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Far, Jim. This is great. So I know we've been
a little bit of a hiatus, but what better way
to get back into it at the festival that we
both love. This is a great festival. It's right downtown
in the heart of Rochester. There's so many brewers. The
weather today is beautiful, and we are already trying different
things here to time.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
We are we effect we just tried a seltzer, which
we never do that.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
No, we never do it.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's almost against the deal, but it was we'd be
brewing and it was excellent. And all of our favorites
are here, plus a ton of new breweries, which you know,
in the next hour or so we're going to interview
some new people, some old folks that you love and
talk to you about some of the great new beers.
We're trying.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Jim again, this is always the perfect place to go.
You got wanting to read is up not a stop
down here, and you got a bunch of food trucks
down here, And you're right. We have old friends that
we bumped into already, and there's new people for us
to meet out here.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Absolutely, and that's a fun part of it. And when
you come to a New York State Craft Brewers Association
event like this, a craft brew event, it's the people
that make the beer that are the folks that you're
talking to, the brewers, the owners and whatever. It's not
just people that get hired to poor poor beers, right,
and it's great. You get to hear the stories and
(02:11):
all the good ups and downs of the beer life.
And you know, hops is available here and it isn't
there whatever, all the the ins and outs of brewing,
and we love bringing that to you.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
So you could not ask that better. The difference between
these festivals from the Yearstaircraft Brewers Association other festivals is
you're right. It's the actual people who work for the breweries.
It's not some guy off the street that they hired
just to pour stuff and knows nothing about the company.
And we've already tasted like for example, we were in
line for Mortalis and Jim, they always delivered.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That was sun that fruited sours smash mellow. I think
it was tough, was unbelievable. I've never tasted anything like that,
and it's great. It's like eating an ice cream cone,
you know, and it's beer. Right now, I will tell
you that we we're gonna be talking to a lot
of people today and you know the craft. What's our
(03:02):
our what's our website again.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
It's Grueless podcast dot com.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Jim, you mean, okay? And then our email address is
info at Growless podcast go hand a hand, Right, So,
if you're a craft brewer, you're you know, just a
beer aficionado, and you want us to review something or whatever,
send us an email. We're always willing able and uh,
you know, excited about new things and new places to
go and record our podcasts.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Like the selter. Like Chip said it best, we are
not known for we're trying selters. In fact, we kind
of probably talked crowd about them a lot in our
similar episodes. But this is one of the best soldiers
I've ever had.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It was excellent. It was really really good. And we're
off to check out. Of course. You know. The part
I like about this, and I forgot to mention this early,
is that MAT's a genius. Somehow he somehow he always
gets us VIP everything. You know. I mean, VIP is
a little bit more fun than regular entry, right. It
gets you a bigger freaking glass, it gets you know,
(04:00):
and then you got this. You got this VIP thing
on here with a like a prison number on it
and whatever. It's great. VI p all the way here
at the flop. Wait a minute, we turn this over.
Oh this is a flower Flower City Brofest Here, Matt
and Jim Grella Grella's podcast will be right back. Hey, everybody,
(04:20):
welcome back to grill as Matt and Jim here. We're
a Rising Storm Brewery company, one of our favorite brewers
on the planet, right I mean, And they have, of
all things, another seltzer and it's awesome. It's cold water
strawberry lemon and it's the best seltzer I've ever tasted.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I tell you what, I'm not a huge seltzer guy
because it tastes like water with a little bit of
flavor to it. But this actually is a body to
it and the color suit which is unique in seltzer's.
So I want to hear about it. Please tell us
who you are, what you do, where you located.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
So I'm Jeffrida, one of the owners of the Rising
Storm two locations uh ro Og location in Livonia and
then we just opened up a couple years ago the
old Daisy Flour Mill and Penfield. Yeah, our seltzers. We
use real fruit, That's what it comes down to, no extracts.
That's why it has color to it.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And we love them, I tell you what. So, Jim,
I've always liked their beers because number one, you name
it after hip hop albums hip hop artists, which I
think is amazing. Number two, your sours or some of
the first hours that I tried and they were amazing.
And number three, this is one of the first celtzers
I tried in a while and it's amazing. You guys
always knock stuff out of the park. How do you
(05:38):
keep doing that?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I don't know how to answer that. We take a
lot of pride in our.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, we take a lot of pride in our in
our products, and I don't know attention to detail matters.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
All right. So I grew up in Penfield and the
Daisy Flower Mill was there since I was five years old. Okay,
and you you folks, tell us a little bit about
when did you get there, tell us about the food
and the whole venue, because I have not been there
yet because I don't live there anymore, but I grew
up there, So tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
So, yeah, we bought it in twenty twenty two, open
in twenty three. We have a full restaurant. We specialize
in Detroit style pizzas, which are phenomenal, And we basically
bought it not only to have another tap room, but
to have a bigger production space so we could make
more beer.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
You know, you were one of our first locations that
we went to do a live broadcast at your location
and avon Lavonia we got to do one with the
new place.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
That would be so much fun. Are we invited? Absolutely?
That was so fun when we were in Lavonia at
Rising Storm and it was like the food was great,
the beers were off the chart, and we had fun.
So that's a win.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
And plus it's a nice there's a large amount of
space outside to hang out and there's always a good vibe.
So and that's more like about your brewery itself, is
it's not just a beer. You have a good energy
and a good vibe about everything you're doing.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Yeah, and that's really about our team. We have the
best team around. Everybody you know, pulls for each other,
and we just have a place that's you know, welcoming
to everybody. We welcome everybody, all.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Right, because we asked the tough questions here, So how's
the how's the food chain on on ingredients and you know,
spices and hoops and all this stuff. I mean, we
interviewed a lot of people during the virus and it
was a tough road to ho right, So where are
we with all at now?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
I mean where we are honestly is ingredients costs are
going up daily. It's making it tough for a lot
of small businesses, especially at a venue like this. You
go talk to everybody, I'll tell you the same thing.
But we're making it through. You just got to adjust
and you just got to keep getting better and figuring
it out.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
That was a good question. Gosh, it's like you've done
this before.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Gee, you see it's like you're surprised. Well, we'll let
you guys get back to work. Thanks a lot, we
appreciate it. We're rising Storm Brewing Company, fresh local for everybody.
And today they have a I'm gonna blow this bad
but euphoria okay, New England I PA withs cock as
(08:19):
whatever that yeah, jaka cicra and we walk a hot
seven percent. Thanks, And then there's a spicy pineapple.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It was written I've had that a million times that
I I took him my fridge right now.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And that's a sour I PA with pineapple and blend
of Mexican chili's which we love six six percent. And
then we're finishing off with this wonderful cool water strawberry
lemon hard Selter at five percent, which we love absolutely.
Thanks guys, I appreciate you, guys. Appreciate you, guys.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Thank you girls.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Podcast Met and Jim will be right back. Hey, everybody,
Matt and Jim, We're back. We're at the Flower City
Craft Brewers a festival of extraordinary right, I mean we
have we have sampled some of the best beers in
New York State, which means the best beers.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
In the world, and celtzers today.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, and some Seltzers, which you know we don't do
Seltzers right, all right, So we're here at the Big
Ditch Brewing Company. We're We're here with Mitch from Big Ditch. Hey, Match,
how are you, buddy. I'm doing great, guys, good to
see you. So what do you do. I think you're
like the general sales manager, Guy, I'm a I'm.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
A regional sales manager for the company. I'm also the
key accounts manager as well, so I take care like
Wegmans and Tops and some of the bigger accounts.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
We love Big Ditch. They're some of the best. Now,
I don't know if you've listened to our podcast, Grill
List before.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Where's available legend.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
It's available at grillispodcast dot com. iHeart Spotify, Apple, Spreaker,
wherever you get your podcast. But we have forever reviewed
great beers from Big Ditch because we love.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Them, appreciate you guys. Yeah, very quality focused brewery. Are
our owners came out of like food science, so you
know it was like they're gonna make your toothpaste. You know,
it's all quality control. So uh yeah, very quality centric brewery,
Big Ditch.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
I'll tell you what to this day might go to.
I p A is a hay burner, and I know
everyone that hay burners are almost in every store. Why
is that so successful?
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (10:23):
I think one of the biggest things is this consistency. Right,
It's it's value for them for for the money, quality consistency.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
And we came off of COVID.
Speaker 5 (10:32):
I think people were apprehensive to try something different and hay.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Burner was something that worked beforehand.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
So when we got opened back up and all these
bars opened back up, hay burner was just one of
those lines.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Uh you know.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Now there's more hay burner draft lines in Western New
York than there are bud lights. So it's it's kind
of crazy.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
So of course we're at the Flower City and Brewfest.
I had to I had to read what it is,
and uh, you know you have a watermelon summer ale
a deep double ipa, hay Burner cars, and I can't
read the other one. And then that's three.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Oh I did three heads is good too?
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Well?
Speaker 2 (11:08):
We love three heads, all right? What's deepe cut? It's
a it's a double ipa.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
It's like really one of the first real New England
style IPAs that we ever did.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
So this was like way back.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
I think this maybe one of the one of the first,
Like twenty eighteen, I think is when we first of
this sper so we've been making it forever.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
What's hay ex So? I know, Hayburner for a while's
probably been your biggest seller. Is it still your biggest seller?
Speaker 5 (11:32):
It's literally like ninety percent of our business as hay Burner.
It's old faithful for everybody. Everybody's gonna hay Burner story.
And now that you can get in like nineteen point
two ounce cans, it's at every gas station, every stadium,
and you know, we continue to perpetuate, you know, poor
decisions throughout Western New York.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
And shit, I may be I may have been Indebrade
up of Hayburg before, but I won't to I will
not admit that though.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I have never seen you in Abriat. So tell us
about watermelon summer ale. What's that about?
Speaker 5 (12:05):
So this was actually a partner beer that we had
with Wegmans, so they kind of commission us out to
make it for their stores. So retail wise, the only
place you can get this beer is a Wegman store.
There was a few kegs. I figured we taste it
out here so we can boost some of the sales,
you know, at that retail location for Wegmans.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
But yeah, they do a.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Partner program and we were lucky enough to be a
part of it. So it's fresh watermelon. It's just like
basically like a nice easy blonde ale with some watermelon,
and it's fresh watermelon, pure, so delicious.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I love watermelon, don't you.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
So does Big Ditch have a brick and mortar place? Yeah,
so we actually have downtown Buffalo is you know. We've
been there I believe since so, yeah, it's ten years,
so since twenty Yeah, I think the brick and mortar's
been there since twenty sixteen is when they were there.
At twenty fifteen is when they they uh put that
downtown right off of here on Street. We have a
(13:05):
production facility off of Oak Street and in Buffalo, and
now we just opened a new tap room in Lockhart,
So pretty large tap room and Lockhart.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
No real production stuff.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
They're just some experimental pilot batches and some fun stuff.
But yeah, you can come down there and eat. We
make great food, So.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I mean, I want some of the experimental stuff, don't
you do?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
We love experimental. Now. I live in Albion, so Lockbart's
just down the road for me. I'm gonna check that out. Now,
what what's the food like?
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Is it like bar food or is it full restaurant
or what? What? What's it like? I mean it's it's
a full menu.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
You get anything from uh you know, uh mussels you know,
or or or.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Or our French fries.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
We're known for our fries, you know, they're they're like
traditional Belgian style freats.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Uh. You can get you can pick sauces.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
We've got malt vinter ali, red pepper, ketchup, our ruben
and I went to school in New York City, so
I know cats is popular, but our ruben is probably
one of the best rubens I've ever had my life.
So if you come to Big Ditch, it's actually a
ruben because we cook it all day in excavator our
brown ale, so we cook it all day and that
so so.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Listen, Oh that's nuts. Can I tell both of you guys?
Can I tell you my muscle story? I love muscles? Right,
So my wife and I we get on an airplane, right,
we go to Edinburgh, Scotland. We get off the plane.
There's like eight of us, right, and we're driving to
this My sister in law rented a castle, right, So
(14:33):
we're driving to castle and everybody's hungry. So we stopped
at this restaurant and I see muscles and muscles are
a big deal in Scotland, England, right, So that says
the weight. I said, I want the muscles, and the
waitress she said, well, small, medium or large, and I said,
I'm hungry large. I'm not kidding you, guys. They brought
(14:54):
me a thing that was eighteen inches wide filled with muscles,
and guess what, I ate every damn one of them.
That's I'm going to lockpart and check out those muscles.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Get get some fries, get some get some muscles, little
mu muhle freez, as they say in Belgium. You know,
it's uh, it's it's special. We we really even in
the food. It's it's quality first. So you're not gonna
come in and get some burger that you can get
anywhere else. We make everything, you know, mainly in house,
and it's gonna be special.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
This is a crazy story. So you know, one of
the first beer festivals that I ever covered was a
Batavia beer festival and Big Ditches there and the further
of the first few people I interviewed was a guy
from Big Dish probably it was. It was, and I
have loved your beers since that day. And the fact
that you also have places where you're serving muscles and frets,
(15:47):
I'm freaking in.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Well, we're talking with Mitch, Mitch from Ditch Bit, I
mean Mitch from Big Ditch Growing Company. Hey, thank you, buddy.
We'll let you get back to work. Thanks, this is
great to see you. Thanks Chris Podcast. Yeah, man and
Jim will be right back.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Grillas Podcast. We are here at the Flowers City Brewers Festival,
one of the biggest and best festivals in Roster, New York,
heart of downtown Roster at the Public Market, and we
are here with people that I have known for a
very long time, my friend Chris Soltice and my friend Dave.
I got it, David, I got it.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Jim, Chris and Dave, Yeah, you got it. You know.
Naked Dove Brewing Company is one of the first of all,
it's one of our favorite brews to it is to
bring to Grill List, and we've done two hundred and
fifty episodes of Grill List, and we probably fifty times
have had Naked Duve beers that we absolutely, we sampled,
(16:50):
we loved, and they're just a great group of people
that produce wonderful beers.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
I agree. Now, maybe I've taken a badge of my
friend CHRISTI one hundred times. He's been in like ten episodes.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Well that's okay, I mean there's no number on it.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
So so, Chris, how how is everything going at Nika Dubb.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
It's going really well.
Speaker 7 (17:12):
And we're moving out of our summer season and we're
moving into into October fast season. So this is my
favorite time of year for beer, probably my favorite beer
that we brew, and we're looking forward to another great
fall and going into winter. I don't want to talk
about winter, actually, but you know it's been a good
summer and the beer is still cold and so delicious.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
I'll tell you what. October first one of my favorite beers.
And plus I love fall. I'm sure you guys do.
When you're grille outside, there's no bugs. That's great, Dave,
Why is Nikoduv continuously doing so well?
Speaker 8 (17:44):
Well, it all starts with the beer. You know, we've
been doing this a long time. Nikudove is gonna be
fifteen in November, thank you, But I started in September.
It will be thirty two years. I've been brewing for
a wedding. So you know, we're making the best ingredients.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Of the world.
Speaker 8 (18:01):
Our Octoberfest is all German malts from environment. You gotta
start there. You can't get the best flavors without the
best ingredients. And then you got to know what you're
doing as well. So it's a combination there. And you
got to love what you're doing every day. And and
you're not having fun in the beer business, you're not
doing something right.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
So two things, Dave. The orange creams well, colsh now
tell us about that a little bit okay, so.
Speaker 9 (18:28):
It's part of our bend in Colone series.
Speaker 8 (18:31):
Colsh is a beer that's from the Clone area of Germany.
It is a light golden ale that's sort of a hybrid.
It's fermented at temperatures more like a logger and a
German brewmaster would come after me with a meat cleaver
for putting fruit in a coal speer. So we call
it the band in Colone series, and each time we
(18:53):
do different fruits over the summertime. This has become soap
opular orange cream sickle that we've we're just doing over
the summertime. So it's orange puret and Mexican vanilla. You're
getting both. It's not super sweet. It has a great
orange flavor, just enough vanilla to make you think you're
chasing after that ice cream truck when you were a kid.
(19:15):
And us it's four point two percent, so you can
have a couple on a hot summer day and it's
it's fantastic, all right.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
So because we asked the tough questions here sometimes too.
Now you said you've been brewing for thirty something years,
so you don't wake up one morning when you're ten
years old and say I'm gonna brew beer? Right, how'd
you get into all this? What? What?
Speaker 3 (19:39):
What?
Speaker 2 (19:39):
How did that happen? Were you in college or what?
What happened?
Speaker 9 (19:44):
So my brother was a home brewer. He got me
into that. This is uh, you know.
Speaker 8 (19:50):
I graduated college in ninety one. I went to the
U of R and got into home brewing with my brother.
You'd been doing it for a few years and really
enjoyed it. But the key was that I started visiting
breweries and it was really the beginning of the phase
early nineties, and all the brewery owners were it was
(20:10):
their second career. They had been engineers or lawyers or doctors,
and they, you know, forty five fifty they said I'm done,
I'm opening a brewery. And just the passion that everybody had,
they loved what they were doing, They loved it what
they were creating. I fell in love with it and
decided that's what I wanted to do. And I was
working at Cottage Homebru Supply and Village Gate and John
(20:33):
Earlob came in one day when I wasn't working and
was looking for a brewer for the original Gregory Street location.
My boss was nice enough to tell me, or tell
him that i'd be interested, went in, got the job
the next day, and you know that was I was
the roerbox CBS and Genesee before we opened Naked Up.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
So I will say this, So Chris is a good
friend of mine. I'm known for I don't know, twenty years,
probably something like that. Yeah, So what I loved about
Chris is when I was when I started in a
craft beer. It's kind of green, right, there's a few
beers in that light, but I was very green. Every
time I went to work with Chris, he would help
me try something different and just get me more involved
in craft beer. And bartenders like that are people who
(21:18):
you love because they're the ones that expands your palate
and make you love more stuff. So what guy, so cose,
I don't think i'd ever ask you that what got
you in craft beer?
Speaker 7 (21:28):
I just was really looking for something that tasted a
lot better than when I was fighting in the market
at the time, And I started off with maybe a
brown al or an EESP, and I just kind of
went from there and kept exploring and kept exploring. It
took me a minute to fall in love with I Pas,
But you know that wasn't that hard. You know, once
I found some good ones and then I mean, I
(21:50):
really just love German style laggers.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
So it's it's been a.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
Long journey and I like almost every style of.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Beer, so almost everything. I'm with you this great.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Well, we'll let you guys get back to work, but
I have one question. How did you get what naked dove?
How did that come about?
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Well, chus, that's the Christmas nackot one day. No, that's
not true. That's not true.
Speaker 8 (22:17):
So, uh, it's a visual thing. So we're gonna miss
that a little bit. But so it took us fourteen
months to come up with our name. We have three partners,
Don Ken, and myself.
Speaker 9 (22:29):
We had to like it.
Speaker 8 (22:31):
Don and myself are married, that my wives had to
like it. And then the biggest hurdle was that beer, wine,
and liquor are all seen as one under trademark law.
Speaker 9 (22:40):
So we wanted up something that wasn't going.
Speaker 8 (22:42):
To be, you know, in business for three years and
we were going to get a cease and desist. So Don,
who was more of the sales and marketing guy, we
always say, he was generating lists of names, and it
came up one night, you know, Don, maybe it was
drinking heavily, may or may not have been doing I'll
(23:04):
do air quotes prescription drugs that it jumped off the
page at him. That Naked Dove is Dave, Don, and Ken,
So it's an anagram of the three owners' names. There
is one thing that people missed, usually because I do
it so quick on my shirt. We only have one
(23:26):
N and we have Don and Ken. We need two ends.
There's two remedies for that one. Ken is Kenneth Edward Higgins,
so the K could just be for Kenneth Edward. The
one I like more is that Don just.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Becomes do.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
Yeah, but yeah. Just an anagram of the owner's names.
Got together with a great graphic artist, and the rest
is history. Other than the fact that when we opened
and I showed the logo to my friends, they said,
really Naked Dave Brewing Company, which is sort of fortunate
because I was brewing, selling, distributing all at the same time,
(24:06):
and everybody knew me as Naked Dave. And still to
this day, about seventy five percent of my bar tabs
the customer is Naked Dave.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
All right, one more thing, We'll let you go. I
know you're busy, where's your brick and mortar store? When
he open? Do you have food and all? Add what's
the deal?
Speaker 8 (24:23):
We are right on Root five and twenty in Canandagua.
We are just on the east side of town mile
up the hill from the Walmart and the Lows. We
are open every day Monday through Thursday two to six,
Friday twelve to seven, Saturday twelve to.
Speaker 9 (24:40):
Six, and Sunday twelve to five.
Speaker 8 (24:42):
Do live music three to five on Saturdays, and then
we do snacks. We have amazing grains, hot pretzels, Miranda cheese,
some popcorn from Big Times out of Marion, so just
finger food snacks. You're welcome to bring anything else in
you want, so we're there. We have great beer and
(25:02):
some cider inom line options for people who don't drink beer.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Awesome cool.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
It's day from Naked Dove. Thank you, buddy. Matt and
Jim will be right back with more grills. Bodcat, Hey, everybody,
Matt and Jim. We're at the Flower City brew Fest.
Brewers Fest by the way here at the Public Market
downtown Rochester, an annual event with I don't know fifty
(25:31):
sixty brewers and we have tried some of the best
beers in New York State, which means the world. And
this year it seems to be expanded to ciders and
seltzers and whatever. We've had a great time and we
have sampled I don't know, fifty beers already and it's
(25:54):
just and everything from sours to stouts to a white stout.
Who ever knew there was such a thing. But now
we're over at Wanta Marias Empin out of Stop Now.
One has been a good friend for years, good supporter
of the home repair Clinic radio program on WHAM.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Is that a radio show?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
It is a big time radio show, by the way,
and celebrating thirty six years here in December. But one
has supported us for years and one Wanta Marie's Empen
out of the Stop here is legendary at the public market.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
I'll tell you what, Jim. When I first worked for
I ART Radio, one of the first shows I worked
on was yours. I wish we became friends on your show,
and the two things you get you hooked me up
with was Bill Grays and Janna Marias like immediately and
I was sold. Those uponis you brought one day for
us were so good and when Phil asked me, which
was our boss at the time, asked me if I
(26:55):
wanted to move shows, I told him no because the
food was so good.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
It's it's all about the food. And One developed these
empanadas and the various flavors that beef and beans and
like what you have and the breakfast and panada and whatever.
I've always tried to convince them to make me a lobster,
a lobster and panada, and one always said, just bring
me the lobster.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
You know.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
It was really great. So if you're ever at the
downtown Rochester Public Market in the morning buying all great
stuff that they have here, and they have all kinds
of things here, food truck, rodeos and concerts and whatever,
stop in and check out an empanada from Jana Marias
empanada stop.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
I agree. So we've we've had Wan Maria and one
son Ben on your on our podcast a few times,
and I tell you what they brought us and panadas.
They brought us some of the plates right the plate
where they had the beans and the meat and stuff,
and also the churros. This is a very cool place
to hang out with at and also enjoy some really
(27:59):
good food.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
So Wan and I or no, you're Matt. Matt and
I wandered over here and we ordered a couple of
what's yours bean bean cheese, bean and cheese and cheese
shugy yeah, and I have two breakfasts and pinatus and
we're going to dive right into these guys with the
Spanish mayonnaise from Juana Marias and the green Gold hot sauce,
(28:22):
which is my favorite. We'll be right back with more grills. Hey,
Matt and Jim. Here, we are at the uh Fler
City when I'm getting to it relaxed. We're at the
Flower City Brewersfest at the Rochester, New York Public Market.
A wonderful venue. There's got to be fifty sixty craft
breweries here. And we're at Big Tug, Iron Tug, Iron Tug. Well,
(28:47):
all right, I had a part of it, righte. So
Iron Tug Brewery is in Rochester, New York. Tell us
about your company, tell us where the brick and mortar
store is, and what do you have here today?
Speaker 10 (29:01):
And too, of course, hey boys, good to see you again.
Zach Allard, head brewer of Irontug. We are at three
seven to one Park Avenue, downtown Rochester, New York. As
as youman Matt said, we were at the public market
for Flower City Brewers Fest thirty first year. Thanks to
John Erelove from Roorbach, Paulium from the New York State
(29:21):
Brews Association for taking this over for the thirty first year,
continuing the great tradition of what John had built here.
It's a beautiful thing and you'd love to see it.
Fifty I think seventy close to seventy five beries and
it's crazy, but.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah, we are here today. We're next to our friends.
It's spotted Lock to Pus who we did a collab with.
Speaker 10 (29:41):
Recently we released a honey Hellas logger with local honeymade
from our friends at Flower City Bee Works.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
But today we are pouring a.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Cask, yes, a cask. You did not hear that wrong.
Speaker 10 (29:53):
Scotch ol an American Scotch how fermented on American oak chips.
It's called the Sound of Waves Colliding seven zo point
four percent.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
It's absolutely delicious. And our two beers on tap for
our jockey box.
Speaker 10 (30:05):
We have our shortly peach cobbler sour Ale and we
have a brand new new England, Ipa grew with Idaho
seven hops called Potato.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
So for those of you who don't know what a
cask is, it is not refrigerated. It is hugely served
that room temperature correct.
Speaker 10 (30:22):
Correct, So it's a traditional European English shial l. It's
gonna be pulled off the fermenter. It's gonna be very
very lightly carbonated, only a little bit of yeast and
whatever else you want to put in that, and then
left to sit at room temperature to add a little
bit of carbonation. But then yeah, served it room temperature,
port of room temperature. Just it's got all the actual
(30:43):
flavors of a real al well.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
In the old days before refrigeration, the beer was under
the table at the end of the meal, you know,
the grandma and the grandpa and whatever. They reached down
and got the beer and ported right.
Speaker 10 (30:58):
Exactly, and it has it's beer as it would be
poured if you were to go to you know, to
Europe and the UK or right now, you know, real
al cast cal. We actually are right across the way
from our friends at Seneca Lake Brewing.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Brad Gillette.
Speaker 10 (31:14):
He serves only cast gal at his bury out on
Snica Lake. So he came over here and had to
try mine and was thoroughly impressed and brought back a
pine of his ESB. So we swapped Scotch all and ESB.
And you know, if the British guy is telling you
your your cast gal's good, you must be doing something right.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
So I'll tell you what. So lab is in the works.
That's awesome. So Zach, you guys have been doing this
for a while. How many years have you been doing
this and why are you still so successful?
Speaker 10 (31:42):
Oh my gosh, this is actually next month will be
my eleventh year brewing.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
It's wild and uh yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 10 (31:50):
It's just longevity comes with, you know, having a few
beers with your friends, talking things out and uh, you know,
just being consistent and.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Seen a lot of people come and go.
Speaker 10 (32:01):
But uh, we come to a festival like this and
you see a lot of the same faces. You you know,
you're you're your spot up next to your friends, you're
exploring the festival and seeing the same people and you
see new people as well obviously, But uh, longevity is
in the in the leguid And like I said, when
you have people coming back and saying, hey, this beer
is great, and we got to when you have to
(32:22):
when you have a brick telling you your cascal is good,
or you have customers going, hey, we have this here, Tapper,
and we we came and found.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
You specifically for this. That's a really good feeling.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
Man.
Speaker 10 (32:31):
Now yeah, it's uh, the proof is in the beer.
The beer is good, the people will come and drink it.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
So that's what I was gonna ask you at Iron Tug.
Tell us about the brick and mortar location, I mean food, Uh,
you know, where where are you located? I know you
said you're on Park Avenue, right, and that's right in
the middle of the good cultural district downtown Rochester. People
can walk there whatever, So what.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
Shell the it's not to stand right now.
Speaker 10 (33:00):
I go right next to the beer puppet game where
you you look like a mannequin where you have to
move the beer glass to your mouth with strings.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
So yeah, we're that's what all the hooting and hollering is.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
So tell us about the location.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
So yeah, we're downtown rochesterre on Park Avenue. Obviously great walkability.
We're in Park Avenue. Can't park anywhere, but don't worry
about that, and plenty of side streets.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
But our tap rooms on the Oven up.
Speaker 10 (33:25):
We just built two big front patios, live edged bars
seeking you know people watch, just really expanded that space
by a few hundred square feet.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
We have a full kitchen in the works. It's fully built,
ready to go.
Speaker 10 (33:37):
We're just waiting on licensing and and inspections from the
fire I know, fire chief and all that.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
But yeah, we have full.
Speaker 10 (33:44):
Food program going in hopefully in the next few months.
And yeah, just really looking forward to what the next
few years hold for us. It's uh, it's been nothing
but penalty to the metal and new beers, new food,
new experience at the tap room.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
And yeah, so you asked a pretty interesting question a
few a few brewers ago, and we are some pricing,
so we know some of the ingredients of the pricing
on like that that has been going up.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Right, you know, things are expensive. How do you keep
up with all that? I mean, how do you make
it happen?
Speaker 10 (34:15):
So that's it's obviously we're not we're all we're all
very in this together, but we're not stupid. And everybody's
fully aware of what's going on in the world. The tariffs,
you know, the just prices in general. I was very fortunate.
Last week, actually, I was invited out with Paulione, the
head of the Brewers Association. We sat down with Senator
(34:37):
Chuck Schumer and some local farmers and local wine owner
winery owners, and he had a sit down meeting with us.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
It wasn't a press conference.
Speaker 10 (34:46):
It was a one on one sit down at a
local farmer's establishment and we sat in the grain room
and he kind of asked us how this was affecting
us and what we're doing, you know, moving forward, and
it's obviously we're all feeling it on all all facets
of the busines, so it really is tough. We're trying
to not raise our prices. You're constantly looking for new vendors.
(35:06):
You're constantly trying to keep it approachable for the customer
coming in. You don't want to jack prices up on
them and pass the buck onto them too much, because
they've already felt that squeeze in the past five ten years,
and it's only going to get worse. Unfortunately, we got
to be honest about it, and that's just the way
it is. But we're doing everything on our end to
try and maintain our same price levels. Fortunately we're small
(35:28):
enough too that we can continue to do that for
the time being, and we'll continue to do so. But
we're meeting with politicians. We're meeting with the people. Our
representatives meet it from Strange Bird and Hutch and all
the people around the state that represent us, going to Washington,
going to Albany. They do a lot for us, you know,
a lot of a lot of stuff that people don't see.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
Yeah, get that cut way to break that silence.
Speaker 10 (35:54):
Well, they do a lot for us in the shadows
that people don't see and know that goes out in
the beer industry. Thanks to those guys, we're able to,
like you know, stay in touch with our consumer base
and and you know, have real time concerts answered and
have that heard on our end and give real time feedback.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
So good thing. We have an expensive mIRC so we
can pull this out.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Really, Matt Wilson expert Mike Guy. Uh so, how did
iron Dog get named Iron Tug?
Speaker 3 (36:20):
So you're in the bedrooms?
Speaker 10 (36:21):
Oh I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, so uh that
was before my time.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
That was the original owner of our brewy Keith Owens.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
Uh Hi, Keith. I don't know if you're listening. I'm
gonna do my best out to butcher this story. But
I know he was previously in the military, and he
also did a lot of work and still possibly does
and the world's largest tugboat. So he was doing the
brewery on the weekends and he would go away around,
you know, to the other side of the world for
(36:50):
three four weeks at a time. And uh, he's basically
some sort of maritime engineer. So yeah, he worked on
the world's largest tug boat and did this on the
weekends and was a passion project for him. And fortunately
he's no longer in the business. He's still around but
can't can't partake in the industry. But he's still around,
and we kept the name going for him. And I
(37:11):
actually just saw him a couple of weeks ago, and
we want to do some sort of collaboration of all
the old Iron Dog breweries and get him together and
do something as an homage.
Speaker 7 (37:18):
So a.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Military veteran who lets beer, that's weird.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Gotta be kidding me.
Speaker 9 (37:24):
Shout out.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
One of my favorite people from the New York State. Yeah,
it's Chloe. Good guys, good to see you, Cloone. How
you doing. Oh, I'm good. I didn't want to crash.
Speaker 9 (37:35):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
You're always welcome. Look, I love Zach.
Speaker 11 (37:42):
I love Grill this podcast.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
See saying I love Grill this podcast.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Past that's great. One more question. You don't wake up
at five years old and say I want to brew beer.
How'd you get into this?
Speaker 10 (37:58):
I got really I bartended and I just loved beer.
I found myself naturally, just you know, going towards things
I like in general, and I found that beer was
really cool before it was hype and before.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
It was all what it is now.
Speaker 10 (38:16):
And I applied in a penny saver head believe it
or not, no, to just start from the ground level.
It's a delivery driver and a sellerman. And a couple
months later, like three months later, i'd forgotten about it,
and I got a phone call and that was it
and I started the two weeks later and took a
huge pay cut and took a huge risk and did it.
And yeah, within like a couple hours, I was like, yeah,
(38:38):
I'm in the right place. Just the smells and the
sounds and the people and it was really instantaneous, like yeah,
I could I could see myself doing this, and yeah,
I had just good people around me that were willing
to teach me and show me the ropes, so we.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
Sure understand me the pay cut thing from the radio business.
Hey buddy, thank you so much. I know you. You're
so much up here, so we'll let you know. Hey,
Matt and Jim, we're back. And of course we're at
the Flower City Brewfest and this is Grilla's podcast. Now
we're here with Paulione, who runs this whole thing, right,
(39:14):
Who is Paulione. He's he's a great We've interviewed him
a hundred times. But this is one of the more
fun festivals that you and I go to because in
you know, in in the past it was run by
you know, our friends at Wroarbos and and then it
got turned over to the New York State Craft Brewers Association,
(39:36):
which in a in an evolution I guess of of greatness.
And there's more craft brewers here than there ever has been,
So Paul, I guess our question to you is, you
know this is wonderful. How did you put all this together?
And where are we going from here?
Speaker 12 (39:54):
Well, the blueprint was already in place, so John rlob Robos,
this is the oldest beer festival in the state of
New York, thirty one years and it's probably one of
the largest now. I mean, a couple thousand people every
year come to this at the Public Market in Rochester.
And this has been around for one hundred years, you know,
so it's kind of an iconic location. It's a big location,
(40:17):
and so the blueprint was there. We just didn't want
to screw it up this year, you know, And so
John Urlop got to the point where he's like, I
don't want to do this anymore, and I want you
guys to take it over, because it really is a
celebration of crap heer, of New York state crap heer,
and that's why we're here.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
So I was talking to Jim earlier. You guys have
perfected the art of putting festivals on. You put them on.
Speaker 13 (40:41):
Why would you say that?
Speaker 12 (40:42):
Like, you guys been to a lot of them your experience,
and I appreciate that, but I really would like to
know why you think.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
That, because you know how to find locations throughout the
state to put these festival Yeah, right, so, and that's difficult,
that's not easy to do because some locations may work,
some relations may not work. But you've phoned a way
to make some of the the locations over and over
again as festival and it's always a decent turnout and
you always have something something interesting going on. Like one
(41:07):
festival you had wrestling one first of all you had
a gut speaker talking about beer. Like you always got
something going on, and like Jim said, this is an
underthinking of the festival has a long tradition of success.
So you got number one. I love and respect General Lop.
I've known for a very long time.
Speaker 13 (41:22):
Amen.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
And number two, you've taken this on and you still
ended up doing a tremendous job.
Speaker 13 (41:26):
I feel like I'm glad.
Speaker 12 (41:29):
To me, location is key because like if you were
in a this was in a convention center with pipe
and drape and tables, it wouldn't have.
Speaker 13 (41:38):
The feel to me.
Speaker 12 (41:39):
To me, location is it plays a role in the
whole thing. And that's my been by philosophy. The Desmond
Hotel weird. I love that one, The Landmark Theater, Canal Side,
the oldest German club in the Northeast, and Long Island.
Like to me, you gotta feel it too, right, the
great beer, But it's the location plays a role.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Location definitely, I agree with that one hundred percent. But
you guys are organized, and that's that's a big deal.
And one of the things that Matt and I like
is when we go up to one of these craft
breweries that we have never been to before, the guy
that is the brewer, the owner is there. You know.
It's not just somebody there from manpower that they hired
(42:22):
the poor beer. It's the people that we can ask
questions for. The folks can say, hey, how'd you make this?
They got the ingredients down, you know, and we can
have the tough questions about supply chain and all the
other stuff that we love to pin people down on,
and and it's just wonderful you guys have the organization down.
And obviously the New York State Craft Brewers Association has
(42:46):
the respect of the brewers. And that's that's a big
deal right there.
Speaker 13 (42:54):
Right We work for them and that's what we do.
Speaker 12 (42:55):
They pay us to do change the laws of New
York State and to protect them and all of that.
Speaker 13 (43:00):
And so this raises money for that.
Speaker 12 (43:03):
And by the way, you said that you've introduced me,
like interviewed me one hundred times. I heard Jim say
it was ninety nine two nine knights too many a
little while ago, but it's okay.
Speaker 13 (43:11):
I want to say I heard that.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
No, Jim loves you. Jim loves you. I remember.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
So when we first started doing this, I think I
would just paying and come into these vessels on my
own this and talking to people, and like, you know,
it's becoming to all of them pretty much. So you're like, hey,
just come this, Come you guys.
Speaker 13 (43:28):
Just come. You guys are the best.
Speaker 12 (43:29):
We love you at these And yeah, you guys are
craft beer guys and your food guys, which makes it
they go together, right, So that's that's even better.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
So what else what I was gonna say to you
is the fact that you recognize your audience and the
folks that come here and the folks that want to
learn more and talk to the people and learn about
the ingredients and learn about why they're doing it and
how they come up with these ideas. That's the interesting
part of the craft beer industry, my cinion.
Speaker 13 (43:54):
Oh yeah, without a doubt.
Speaker 12 (43:55):
But you're also seeing at these festivals a lot of
more light loggers and things like, you know, because people
want low.
Speaker 13 (44:01):
Abb you know.
Speaker 12 (44:03):
And then you get people like from Japan who were
Japanese a brewery works at Japanese brewery.
Speaker 13 (44:08):
Who's learning about craft beer from New York.
Speaker 12 (44:09):
He's gonna take it back to Japan what he learns
from us.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
So tell me what your name is.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
I'm Taiga Best Media.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
So I have had Japanese beer in sake and all
that stuff Japan.
Speaker 6 (44:20):
It's nice.
Speaker 10 (44:21):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
And also I I took issue karate, so I was
I was very interested in all that. Kind of Yes,
I'm kind of a nerd that I know I am,
But what got you into craft beer?
Speaker 14 (44:31):
Well, in Japan, even though a lot of Japanese love
drinking beer, only few people know about Kraft Beer.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
So what I want to do is like I want.
Speaker 14 (44:41):
To expand craft beer in Japan, and this event is
I feel like, this is what I want to do
in Japan. So yeah, it's amazing, and I also I
also I appreciate you, Paul. Yeah he really, you know,
sold a lot of things I love you know about
craft beer to me.
Speaker 3 (44:57):
So yeah, So Paul, a question for you, what can
we So these summer seasons coming to an end, right,
which was it was? It was an amazing season, but
we still got more coming up. You do you do
vessels all year long? What do we have look to
look forward to in this coming up year.
Speaker 12 (45:12):
Oh my gosh, we we do Syracuse in November, Albany
in January, and gosh, we do Long Island in June.
Speaker 13 (45:22):
It just keeps going in Buffalo.
Speaker 11 (45:24):
And all of that.
Speaker 12 (45:25):
So we try to spread the word of New York
State crap here around the state because these are these
are small businesses.
Speaker 13 (45:30):
Right and and you know they need support.
Speaker 12 (45:34):
Like any small business does. And this is just a
great way to put them all in one place for
people to kind of come for a night and get
to discover new things.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Now, Matt ars talking about by local by local, but
you represent the whole state. So there's five or six
hundred craft breweries across the state, which when you travel
you should seek them out and check them out.
Speaker 12 (45:57):
And app for that, Jim, really the New York's Craft
Beer app all every brewery, for every brewery in the state.
Speaker 13 (46:05):
Download it New York Crap Beer in the app store.
Speaker 12 (46:07):
And then you can get a passport and you can
get win free stuff. I mean to me, it's just
like there's five hundred breweries in New York State. I
don't know where they all are. Sometimes and I use
the app.
Speaker 3 (46:19):
So another question. I saw I got an email from
you because I am on the app and I have
all the I get all the emails. You guys who
going to Germany? Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (46:28):
We are?
Speaker 12 (46:28):
Next year We're going to Germany and we're gonna do
a tour of Germany, go to hop yards, We're gonna
go to the oldest breweries in Germany, and we're gonna
end it at.
Speaker 13 (46:39):
Octoberfest in Munich.
Speaker 12 (46:41):
So we're doing a tour and we're trying to bring
New York you know, crap beer over there and and
have a great time.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
That sounds like fun, maybe, Paul, Thank you. We appreciate
your time. And this is a great party. Everybody's having
a great time there, music here, There's like twelve food
trucks out there, I mean everything from soup to nuts
for food, and and some of the best beers in
(47:08):
New York State, which means best the world. So thank you, buddy.
Speaker 12 (47:12):
Guys are the best. Welcome back it's been a while.
You're welcome in every single one of them because we
need you there. You're part of this culture.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
All right. Matt and Jim Groller's podcast. We'll be right back.
Matt and Jim. You know, we've had a great time today.
Tom Gilmore, Hey, hey, there.
Speaker 11 (47:30):
Is Tom Gilmore here.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
We're at the Flower City Brewers Fest. And of course
we've interviewed I don't know, a ton of different people.
They pour their life out to us, right and yeah,
and their glasses, and we learn about ops and all
kinds of stuff. So so we now, wait a minute.
Speaker 3 (47:48):
Right, we talk about glasses, Tom talk to us about glasses.
Speaker 15 (47:52):
Oh, I'm the classiest man here, obviously. Look at the
class on this human being. Look at how classy I am.
Speaker 3 (48:00):
I meant glasses, not the glasses, because don't you guys
make glasses.
Speaker 11 (48:03):
Glasses?
Speaker 15 (48:04):
No, we don't make Yeah, we print on the glassware,
and we print every We printed every glass that anyone
is drinking at in the entire festival.
Speaker 11 (48:13):
It's a poor we're inked. We're a local company.
Speaker 15 (48:15):
We're in massive in New York and any brewery that
is not getting their glassware from us in New York
State is out of their damn mind having it shipped
from Kansas, having it shipped from Missouri, that's ridiculous. When
you can come and pick it up, avoid the avoid
the freight charge altogether, and and talk with someone who
you can actually see. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2 (48:36):
So what you're saying to me right now is the
glass I'm drinking out out of said it has a
picture of the outline of New York State and it
says beer in the middle. Think New York, drank New York.
You made days.
Speaker 15 (48:49):
We printed all those glassware that screen printed by by
folks that live here and breathe and and and shop
here and drink the beer here. We're we're beer fans.
We are Western New York beer fans.
Speaker 3 (49:02):
Absolutely No Tom Thomas or Thomas Thomas. Tom, Let's take
it fantcy with you. You've been in this industry for
a long time. I've known you for a while, and
I've known you from the industry. We both work together.
How how much does an industry change? And you think
one on the upside downside, because you know a few
craft ruers are closed in the past few years. How
(49:23):
where do you think how do you think we stand?
Speaker 11 (49:24):
Oh, that's a touching question. That's a touching question.
Speaker 15 (49:28):
I think we are probably at a bubble at a plateau.
That doesn't mean that it can't go back up. I
think that the strong will survive. I think that the
breweries that are making quality product are going to survive
and do well, and I think the ones that are
making lackluster beers are going to fall to the wayside.
(49:50):
I think that's a standard with almost any other industry. However,
we do have a lot of support for New York breweries.
Speaker 11 (49:58):
I think it maintains the same.
Speaker 15 (50:01):
If you're making quality product, if you're making good beer,
your products will survive. And whether that's the brewery on
the corner and you're just and you're just brewing to
folks around town, that's your spot. Know your role, or
if you're a brewery that's a regional brewery and you're
just sticking to that, stick to that, stick with what works.
(50:21):
Don't try to outgrow what your boots will fill.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
You know, maybe what we should do is have Grill
this podcast beer glasses and then and then promote this guy.
Speaker 3 (50:34):
You got a guy you know number one, Tom knows
I love you with DoD and I would definitely support that.
Speaker 15 (50:41):
You know what, if you order glasses from Kansas, I'll
lose my I lose put.
Speaker 2 (50:49):
Us into another podcast. Thank you, buddy.
Speaker 15 (50:54):
I gotta run, I gotta catch Chloe I'm gonna rip
my shirt off in front of the stage.
Speaker 3 (50:58):
Thomas, literally before you go. If people want to know
more about what you're doing, how come you figure it out?
Speaker 9 (51:03):
Poor?
Speaker 15 (51:03):
Weearinked dot com. That's p O U R W A
R E I n K E D. We print and
atch drinkwear. It's not just glassware. We'll print atch on glassware. Uh,
nail gene cops, travel mugs, uh pints, classes, coffee cups, ceramics,
you fucking name it, we do it.
Speaker 3 (51:21):
Love you, buddy, you know I do.
Speaker 11 (51:23):
I love you.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
Thank you.
Speaker 11 (51:25):
You guys are the best.
Speaker 2 (51:26):
You've got to be kidding me. That's a lot of
blee do a lot of bleep you have bleeping today. Now,
the fun part of this is the bleeping that goes
on in the studio when Matt Edits's broadcast is stunning, right,
So anyway, we're we're gonna close this out where I'm
(51:48):
literally speechless, and you know, I've had a couple of SIPs,
but no, no, and and so have you. But we
tasted some of the most wonderful beers siders and now, uh,
those wonderful seltzers you know, which we don't usually talk
about so we're gonna have to get into that. Maybe
we'll bring a uh specialty craft seltzer into the Gorillas
(52:12):
studio and mess with that. But uh, you know, it's
been great. The Flower City Brewers Fest is one of
our favorites. Uh. John Arlobbs started it from you know,
from and and when he turned it over to the
Napoleon in the New York State Craft Brewers Association, he
(52:33):
recognized that this was going to go to a different level.
And it's wonderful. And earlobs are yeah, earlibs, Yeah, they're here, yeah, yeah,
And and it's just a wonderful. It's a wonderful get
together of people that under that love craft beer and
understand uh how hard it is to make some of these,
(52:58):
and they appreciate it, and they come here and they
support the New York State Craft Beers Association thick and thin.
Speaker 3 (53:05):
One thing that we always have in common, Jim, is
we are both supporters of the small business. Both of
us have always been.
Speaker 2 (53:11):
The absolutely and to see high local absolutely, and that's.
Speaker 3 (53:15):
The reason why one of the reason I, me and
Jim are good friends is because of the fact that
we both support that and to see these mom and
pops grow into what they are now, and they're in
these festivals and they're there's they're you know, living these
tremendous beers, and we get to we get invited to
all these festivals all the time, all the time, and
it's it's nice to see people recognize and know that
we're here and for us to see the development of
(53:36):
these mom and pops and they and their their growth.
Speaker 2 (53:38):
You know, And remember, folks, when you're listening to this,
this is the twenty ninth most popular growing and and
uh craft brew podcasts on the internet, twenty nine out
of thousands. I don't know how millions, uh and uh.
You know, we have the data to prove that, and
(53:59):
so wonderful thing and we just love bringing it to you.
So we'll you know, of course, be back God willing
next week for another edition of Girl This right, Bud.
Speaker 3 (54:08):
Absolutely, Jim, pleasure doing this with you. I always love
doing this with you. We Jim and I love seeing
people in the public and doing this.
Speaker 2 (54:15):
Time, fol And next up is pork belly and brisket.
Speaker 3 (54:21):
Really on Girl This Excited.
Speaker 2 (54:24):
Yeah you will love this, believe me. This pork belly
came up crazy. I froze it four times in anticipation
of you coming. So I'm gonna eat all of it
all right, man, Jim Girl this podcast. We'll be back
next week with another edition.
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.
Welcome to grill this, ladies and gentlemen. Jim Salmon with
Matt Wilson. We're at the Flower City Brewersfest.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
We're back in action, Matthew with the Crap grew festivals this.
For years, the Flower City Brewersfest was run by Roorbrock Brewery,
and last year they turned it over to the New
York State Crap Brewers Association, but Roerbrock's still heavily involved
in their here and whatever. And it's great. I don't
know how many it's got to be fifty sixty brewers here,
(00:47):
and you and I always wade in and start, you know,
going from one testing new brewis and whatever. We're having
a great time so.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Far, Jim. This is great. So I know we've been
a little bit of a hiatus, but what better way
to get back into it at the festival that we
both love. This is a great festival. It's right downtown
in the heart of Rochester. There's so many brewers. The
weather today is beautiful, and we are already trying different
things here to time.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
We are we effect we just tried a seltzer, which
we never do that.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
No, we never do it.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's almost against the deal, but it was we'd be
brewing and it was excellent. And all of our favorites
are here, plus a ton of new breweries, which you know,
in the next hour or so we're going to interview
some new people, some old folks that you love and
talk to you about some of the great new beers.
We're trying.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Jim again, this is always the perfect place to go.
You got wanting to read is up not a stop
down here, and you got a bunch of food trucks
down here, And you're right. We have old friends that
we bumped into already, and there's new people for us
to meet out here.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Absolutely, and that's a fun part of it. And when
you come to a New York State Craft Brewers Association
event like this, a craft brew event, it's the people
that make the beer that are the folks that you're
talking to, the brewers, the owners and whatever. It's not
just people that get hired to poor poor beers, right,
and it's great. You get to hear the stories and
(02:11):
all the good ups and downs of the beer life.
And you know, hops is available here and it isn't
there whatever, all the the ins and outs of brewing,
and we love bringing that to you.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
So you could not ask that better. The difference between
these festivals from the Yearstaircraft Brewers Association other festivals is
you're right. It's the actual people who work for the breweries.
It's not some guy off the street that they hired
just to pour stuff and knows nothing about the company.
And we've already tasted like for example, we were in
line for Mortalis and Jim, they always delivered.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That was sun that fruited sours smash mellow. I think
it was tough, was unbelievable. I've never tasted anything like that,
and it's great. It's like eating an ice cream cone,
you know, and it's beer. Right now, I will tell
you that we we're gonna be talking to a lot
of people today and you know the craft. What's our
(03:02):
our what's our website again.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
It's Grueless podcast dot com.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Jim, you mean, okay? And then our email address is
info at Growless podcast go hand a hand, Right, So,
if you're a craft brewer, you're you know, just a
beer aficionado, and you want us to review something or whatever,
send us an email. We're always willing able and uh,
you know, excited about new things and new places to
go and record our podcasts.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Like the selter. Like Chip said it best, we are
not known for we're trying selters. In fact, we kind
of probably talked crowd about them a lot in our
similar episodes. But this is one of the best soldiers
I've ever had.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It was excellent. It was really really good. And we're
off to check out. Of course. You know. The part
I like about this, and I forgot to mention this early,
is that MAT's a genius. Somehow he somehow he always
gets us VIP everything. You know. I mean, VIP is
a little bit more fun than regular entry, right. It
gets you a bigger freaking glass, it gets you know,
(04:00):
and then you got this. You got this VIP thing
on here with a like a prison number on it
and whatever. It's great. VI p all the way here
at the flop. Wait a minute, we turn this over.
Oh this is a flower Flower City Brofest Here, Matt
and Jim Grella Grella's podcast will be right back. Hey, everybody,
(04:20):
welcome back to grill as Matt and Jim here. We're
a Rising Storm Brewery company, one of our favorite brewers
on the planet, right I mean, And they have, of
all things, another seltzer and it's awesome. It's cold water
strawberry lemon and it's the best seltzer I've ever tasted.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I tell you what, I'm not a huge seltzer guy
because it tastes like water with a little bit of
flavor to it. But this actually is a body to
it and the color suit which is unique in seltzer's.
So I want to hear about it. Please tell us
who you are, what you do, where you located.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
So I'm Jeffrida, one of the owners of the Rising
Storm two locations uh ro Og location in Livonia and
then we just opened up a couple years ago the
old Daisy Flour Mill and Penfield. Yeah, our seltzers. We
use real fruit, That's what it comes down to, no extracts.
That's why it has color to it.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And we love them, I tell you what. So, Jim,
I've always liked their beers because number one, you name
it after hip hop albums hip hop artists, which I
think is amazing. Number two, your sours or some of
the first hours that I tried and they were amazing.
And number three, this is one of the first celtzers
I tried in a while and it's amazing. You guys
always knock stuff out of the park. How do you
(05:38):
keep doing that?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I don't know how to answer that. We take a
lot of pride in our.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, we take a lot of pride in our in
our products, and I don't know attention to detail matters.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
All right. So I grew up in Penfield and the
Daisy Flower Mill was there since I was five years old. Okay,
and you you folks, tell us a little bit about
when did you get there, tell us about the food
and the whole venue, because I have not been there
yet because I don't live there anymore, but I grew
up there, So tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
So, yeah, we bought it in twenty twenty two, open
in twenty three. We have a full restaurant. We specialize
in Detroit style pizzas, which are phenomenal, And we basically
bought it not only to have another tap room, but
to have a bigger production space so we could make
more beer.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
You know, you were one of our first locations that
we went to do a live broadcast at your location
and avon Lavonia we got to do one with the
new place.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
That would be so much fun. Are we invited? Absolutely?
That was so fun when we were in Lavonia at
Rising Storm and it was like the food was great,
the beers were off the chart, and we had fun.
So that's a win.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
And plus it's a nice there's a large amount of
space outside to hang out and there's always a good vibe.
So and that's more like about your brewery itself, is
it's not just a beer. You have a good energy
and a good vibe about everything you're doing.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Yeah, and that's really about our team. We have the
best team around. Everybody you know, pulls for each other,
and we just have a place that's you know, welcoming
to everybody. We welcome everybody, all.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Right, because we asked the tough questions here, So how's
the how's the food chain on on ingredients and you know,
spices and hoops and all this stuff. I mean, we
interviewed a lot of people during the virus and it
was a tough road to ho right, So where are
we with all at now?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
I mean where we are honestly is ingredients costs are
going up daily. It's making it tough for a lot
of small businesses, especially at a venue like this. You
go talk to everybody, I'll tell you the same thing.
But we're making it through. You just got to adjust
and you just got to keep getting better and figuring
it out.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
That was a good question. Gosh, it's like you've done
this before.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Gee, you see it's like you're surprised. Well, we'll let
you guys get back to work. Thanks a lot, we
appreciate it. We're rising Storm Brewing Company, fresh local for everybody.
And today they have a I'm gonna blow this bad
but euphoria okay, New England I PA withs cock as
(08:19):
whatever that yeah, jaka cicra and we walk a hot
seven percent. Thanks, And then there's a spicy pineapple.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It was written I've had that a million times that
I I took him my fridge right now.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And that's a sour I PA with pineapple and blend
of Mexican chili's which we love six six percent. And
then we're finishing off with this wonderful cool water strawberry
lemon hard Selter at five percent, which we love absolutely.
Thanks guys, I appreciate you, guys. Appreciate you, guys.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Thank you girls.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Podcast Met and Jim will be right back. Hey, everybody,
Matt and Jim, We're back. We're at the Flower City
Craft Brewers a festival of extraordinary right, I mean we
have we have sampled some of the best beers in
New York State, which means the best beers.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
In the world, and celtzers today.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, and some Seltzers, which you know we don't do
Seltzers right, all right, So we're here at the Big
Ditch Brewing Company. We're We're here with Mitch from Big Ditch. Hey, Match,
how are you, buddy. I'm doing great, guys, good to
see you. So what do you do. I think you're
like the general sales manager, Guy, I'm a I'm.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
A regional sales manager for the company. I'm also the
key accounts manager as well, so I take care like
Wegmans and Tops and some of the bigger accounts.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
We love Big Ditch. They're some of the best. Now,
I don't know if you've listened to our podcast, Grill
List before.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Where's available legend.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
It's available at grillispodcast dot com. iHeart Spotify, Apple, Spreaker,
wherever you get your podcast. But we have forever reviewed
great beers from Big Ditch because we love.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Them, appreciate you guys. Yeah, very quality focused brewery. Are
our owners came out of like food science, so you
know it was like they're gonna make your toothpaste. You know,
it's all quality control. So uh yeah, very quality centric brewery,
Big Ditch.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
I'll tell you what to this day might go to.
I p A is a hay burner, and I know
everyone that hay burners are almost in every store. Why
is that so successful?
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (10:23):
I think one of the biggest things is this consistency. Right,
It's it's value for them for for the money, quality consistency.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
And we came off of COVID.
Speaker 5 (10:32):
I think people were apprehensive to try something different and hay.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Burner was something that worked beforehand.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
So when we got opened back up and all these
bars opened back up, hay burner was just one of
those lines.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Uh you know.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Now there's more hay burner draft lines in Western New
York than there are bud lights. So it's it's kind
of crazy.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
So of course we're at the Flower City and Brewfest.
I had to I had to read what it is,
and uh, you know you have a watermelon summer ale
a deep double ipa, hay Burner cars, and I can't
read the other one. And then that's three.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Oh I did three heads is good too?
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Well?
Speaker 2 (11:08):
We love three heads, all right? What's deepe cut? It's
a it's a double ipa.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
It's like really one of the first real New England
style IPAs that we ever did.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
So this was like way back.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
I think this maybe one of the one of the first,
Like twenty eighteen, I think is when we first of
this sper so we've been making it forever.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
What's hay ex So? I know, Hayburner for a while's
probably been your biggest seller. Is it still your biggest seller?
Speaker 5 (11:32):
It's literally like ninety percent of our business as hay Burner.
It's old faithful for everybody. Everybody's gonna hay Burner story.
And now that you can get in like nineteen point
two ounce cans, it's at every gas station, every stadium,
and you know, we continue to perpetuate, you know, poor
decisions throughout Western New York.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
And shit, I may be I may have been Indebrade
up of Hayburg before, but I won't to I will
not admit that though.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I have never seen you in Abriat. So tell us
about watermelon summer ale. What's that about?
Speaker 5 (12:05):
So this was actually a partner beer that we had
with Wegmans, so they kind of commission us out to
make it for their stores. So retail wise, the only
place you can get this beer is a Wegman store.
There was a few kegs. I figured we taste it
out here so we can boost some of the sales,
you know, at that retail location for Wegmans.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
But yeah, they do a.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Partner program and we were lucky enough to be a
part of it. So it's fresh watermelon. It's just like
basically like a nice easy blonde ale with some watermelon,
and it's fresh watermelon, pure, so delicious.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I love watermelon, don't you.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
So does Big Ditch have a brick and mortar place? Yeah,
so we actually have downtown Buffalo is you know. We've
been there I believe since so, yeah, it's ten years,
so since twenty Yeah, I think the brick and mortar's
been there since twenty sixteen is when they were there.
At twenty fifteen is when they they uh put that
downtown right off of here on Street. We have a
(13:05):
production facility off of Oak Street and in Buffalo, and
now we just opened a new tap room in Lockhart,
So pretty large tap room and Lockhart.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
No real production stuff.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
They're just some experimental pilot batches and some fun stuff.
But yeah, you can come down there and eat. We
make great food, So.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
I mean, I want some of the experimental stuff, don't
you do?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
We love experimental. Now. I live in Albion, so Lockbart's
just down the road for me. I'm gonna check that out. Now,
what what's the food like?
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Is it like bar food or is it full restaurant
or what? What? What's it like? I mean it's it's
a full menu.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
You get anything from uh you know, uh mussels you know,
or or or.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Or our French fries.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
We're known for our fries, you know, they're they're like
traditional Belgian style freats.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Uh. You can get you can pick sauces.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
We've got malt vinter ali, red pepper, ketchup, our ruben
and I went to school in New York City, so
I know cats is popular, but our ruben is probably
one of the best rubens I've ever had my life.
So if you come to Big Ditch, it's actually a
ruben because we cook it all day in excavator our
brown ale, so we cook it all day and that
so so.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Listen, Oh that's nuts. Can I tell both of you guys?
Can I tell you my muscle story? I love muscles? Right,
So my wife and I we get on an airplane, right,
we go to Edinburgh, Scotland. We get off the plane.
There's like eight of us, right, and we're driving to
this My sister in law rented a castle, right, So
(14:33):
we're driving to castle and everybody's hungry. So we stopped
at this restaurant and I see muscles and muscles are
a big deal in Scotland, England, right, So that says
the weight. I said, I want the muscles, and the
waitress she said, well, small, medium or large, and I said,
I'm hungry large. I'm not kidding you, guys. They brought
(14:54):
me a thing that was eighteen inches wide filled with muscles,
and guess what, I ate every damn one of them.
That's I'm going to lockpart and check out those muscles.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Get get some fries, get some get some muscles, little
mu muhle freez, as they say in Belgium. You know,
it's uh, it's it's special. We we really even in
the food. It's it's quality first. So you're not gonna
come in and get some burger that you can get
anywhere else. We make everything, you know, mainly in house,
and it's gonna be special.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
This is a crazy story. So you know, one of
the first beer festivals that I ever covered was a
Batavia beer festival and Big Ditches there and the further
of the first few people I interviewed was a guy
from Big Dish probably it was. It was, and I
have loved your beers since that day. And the fact
that you also have places where you're serving muscles and frets,
(15:47):
I'm freaking in.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Well, we're talking with Mitch, Mitch from Ditch Bit, I
mean Mitch from Big Ditch Growing Company. Hey, thank you, buddy.
We'll let you get back to work. Thanks, this is
great to see you. Thanks Chris Podcast. Yeah, man and
Jim will be right back.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Grillas Podcast. We are here at the Flowers City Brewers Festival,
one of the biggest and best festivals in Roster, New York,
heart of downtown Roster at the Public Market, and we
are here with people that I have known for a
very long time, my friend Chris Soltice and my friend Dave.
I got it, David, I got it.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Jim, Chris and Dave, Yeah, you got it. You know.
Naked Dove Brewing Company is one of the first of all,
it's one of our favorite brews to it is to
bring to Grill List, and we've done two hundred and
fifty episodes of Grill List, and we probably fifty times
have had Naked Duve beers that we absolutely, we sampled,
(16:50):
we loved, and they're just a great group of people
that produce wonderful beers.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
I agree. Now, maybe I've taken a badge of my
friend CHRISTI one hundred times. He's been in like ten episodes.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Well that's okay, I mean there's no number on it.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
So so, Chris, how how is everything going at Nika Dubb.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
It's going really well.
Speaker 7 (17:12):
And we're moving out of our summer season and we're
moving into into October fast season. So this is my
favorite time of year for beer, probably my favorite beer
that we brew, and we're looking forward to another great
fall and going into winter. I don't want to talk
about winter, actually, but you know it's been a good
summer and the beer is still cold and so delicious.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
I'll tell you what. October first one of my favorite beers.
And plus I love fall. I'm sure you guys do.
When you're grille outside, there's no bugs. That's great, Dave,
Why is Nikoduv continuously doing so well?
Speaker 8 (17:44):
Well, it all starts with the beer. You know, we've
been doing this a long time. Nikudove is gonna be
fifteen in November, thank you, But I started in September.
It will be thirty two years. I've been brewing for
a wedding. So you know, we're making the best ingredients.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Of the world.
Speaker 8 (18:01):
Our Octoberfest is all German malts from environment. You gotta
start there. You can't get the best flavors without the
best ingredients. And then you got to know what you're
doing as well. So it's a combination there. And you
got to love what you're doing every day. And and
you're not having fun in the beer business, you're not
doing something right.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
So two things, Dave. The orange creams well, colsh now
tell us about that a little bit okay, so.
Speaker 9 (18:28):
It's part of our bend in Colone series.
Speaker 8 (18:31):
Colsh is a beer that's from the Clone area of Germany.
It is a light golden ale that's sort of a hybrid.
It's fermented at temperatures more like a logger and a
German brewmaster would come after me with a meat cleaver
for putting fruit in a coal speer. So we call
it the band in Colone series, and each time we
(18:53):
do different fruits over the summertime. This has become soap
opular orange cream sickle that we've we're just doing over
the summertime. So it's orange puret and Mexican vanilla. You're
getting both. It's not super sweet. It has a great
orange flavor, just enough vanilla to make you think you're
chasing after that ice cream truck when you were a kid.
(19:15):
And us it's four point two percent, so you can
have a couple on a hot summer day and it's
it's fantastic, all right.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
So because we asked the tough questions here sometimes too.
Now you said you've been brewing for thirty something years,
so you don't wake up one morning when you're ten
years old and say I'm gonna brew beer? Right, how'd
you get into all this? What? What?
Speaker 3 (19:39):
What?
Speaker 2 (19:39):
How did that happen? Were you in college or what?
What happened?
Speaker 9 (19:44):
So my brother was a home brewer. He got me
into that. This is uh, you know.
Speaker 8 (19:50):
I graduated college in ninety one. I went to the
U of R and got into home brewing with my brother.
You'd been doing it for a few years and really
enjoyed it. But the key was that I started visiting
breweries and it was really the beginning of the phase
early nineties, and all the brewery owners were it was
(20:10):
their second career. They had been engineers or lawyers or doctors,
and they, you know, forty five fifty they said I'm done,
I'm opening a brewery. And just the passion that everybody had,
they loved what they were doing, They loved it what
they were creating. I fell in love with it and
decided that's what I wanted to do. And I was
working at Cottage Homebru Supply and Village Gate and John
(20:33):
Earlob came in one day when I wasn't working and
was looking for a brewer for the original Gregory Street location.
My boss was nice enough to tell me, or tell
him that i'd be interested, went in, got the job
the next day, and you know that was I was
the roerbox CBS and Genesee before we opened Naked Up.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
So I will say this, So Chris is a good
friend of mine. I'm known for I don't know, twenty years,
probably something like that. Yeah, So what I loved about
Chris is when I was when I started in a
craft beer. It's kind of green, right, there's a few
beers in that light, but I was very green. Every
time I went to work with Chris, he would help
me try something different and just get me more involved
in craft beer. And bartenders like that are people who
(21:18):
you love because they're the ones that expands your palate
and make you love more stuff. So what guy, so cose,
I don't think i'd ever ask you that what got
you in craft beer?
Speaker 7 (21:28):
I just was really looking for something that tasted a
lot better than when I was fighting in the market
at the time, And I started off with maybe a
brown al or an EESP, and I just kind of
went from there and kept exploring and kept exploring. It
took me a minute to fall in love with I Pas,
But you know that wasn't that hard. You know, once
I found some good ones and then I mean, I
(21:50):
really just love German style laggers.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
So it's it's been a.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
Long journey and I like almost every style of.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Beer, so almost everything. I'm with you this great.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Well, we'll let you guys get back to work, but
I have one question. How did you get what naked dove?
How did that come about?
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Well, chus, that's the Christmas nackot one day. No, that's
not true. That's not true.
Speaker 8 (22:17):
So, uh, it's a visual thing. So we're gonna miss
that a little bit. But so it took us fourteen
months to come up with our name. We have three partners,
Don Ken, and myself.
Speaker 9 (22:29):
We had to like it.
Speaker 8 (22:31):
Don and myself are married, that my wives had to
like it. And then the biggest hurdle was that beer, wine,
and liquor are all seen as one under trademark law.
Speaker 9 (22:40):
So we wanted up something that wasn't going.
Speaker 8 (22:42):
To be, you know, in business for three years and
we were going to get a cease and desist. So Don,
who was more of the sales and marketing guy, we
always say, he was generating lists of names, and it
came up one night, you know, Don, maybe it was
drinking heavily, may or may not have been doing I'll
(23:04):
do air quotes prescription drugs that it jumped off the
page at him. That Naked Dove is Dave, Don, and Ken,
So it's an anagram of the three owners' names. There
is one thing that people missed, usually because I do
it so quick on my shirt. We only have one
(23:26):
N and we have Don and Ken. We need two ends.
There's two remedies for that one. Ken is Kenneth Edward Higgins,
so the K could just be for Kenneth Edward. The
one I like more is that Don just.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Becomes do.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
Yeah, but yeah. Just an anagram of the owner's names.
Got together with a great graphic artist, and the rest
is history. Other than the fact that when we opened
and I showed the logo to my friends, they said,
really Naked Dave Brewing Company, which is sort of fortunate
because I was brewing, selling, distributing all at the same time,
(24:06):
and everybody knew me as Naked Dave. And still to
this day, about seventy five percent of my bar tabs
the customer is Naked Dave.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
All right, one more thing, We'll let you go. I
know you're busy, where's your brick and mortar store? When
he open? Do you have food and all? Add what's
the deal?
Speaker 8 (24:23):
We are right on Root five and twenty in Canandagua.
We are just on the east side of town mile
up the hill from the Walmart and the Lows. We
are open every day Monday through Thursday two to six,
Friday twelve to seven, Saturday twelve to.
Speaker 9 (24:40):
Six, and Sunday twelve to five.
Speaker 8 (24:42):
Do live music three to five on Saturdays, and then
we do snacks. We have amazing grains, hot pretzels, Miranda cheese,
some popcorn from Big Times out of Marion, so just
finger food snacks. You're welcome to bring anything else in
you want, so we're there. We have great beer and
(25:02):
some cider inom line options for people who don't drink beer.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Awesome cool.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
It's day from Naked Dove. Thank you, buddy. Matt and
Jim will be right back with more grills. Bodcat, Hey, everybody,
Matt and Jim. We're at the Flower City brew Fest.
Brewers Fest by the way here at the Public Market
downtown Rochester, an annual event with I don't know fifty
(25:31):
sixty brewers and we have tried some of the best
beers in New York State, which means the world. And
this year it seems to be expanded to ciders and
seltzers and whatever. We've had a great time and we
have sampled I don't know, fifty beers already and it's
(25:54):
just and everything from sours to stouts to a white stout.
Who ever knew there was such a thing. But now
we're over at Wanta Marias Empin out of Stop Now.
One has been a good friend for years, good supporter
of the home repair Clinic radio program on WHAM.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Is that a radio show?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
It is a big time radio show, by the way,
and celebrating thirty six years here in December. But one
has supported us for years and one Wanta Marie's Empen
out of the Stop here is legendary at the public market.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
I'll tell you what, Jim. When I first worked for
I ART Radio, one of the first shows I worked
on was yours. I wish we became friends on your show,
and the two things you get you hooked me up
with was Bill Grays and Janna Marias like immediately and
I was sold. Those uponis you brought one day for
us were so good and when Phil asked me, which
was our boss at the time, asked me if I
(26:55):
wanted to move shows, I told him no because the
food was so good.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
It's it's all about the food. And One developed these
empanadas and the various flavors that beef and beans and
like what you have and the breakfast and panada and whatever.
I've always tried to convince them to make me a lobster,
a lobster and panada, and one always said, just bring
me the lobster.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
You know.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
It was really great. So if you're ever at the
downtown Rochester Public Market in the morning buying all great
stuff that they have here, and they have all kinds
of things here, food truck, rodeos and concerts and whatever,
stop in and check out an empanada from Jana Marias
empanada stop.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
I agree. So we've we've had Wan Maria and one
son Ben on your on our podcast a few times,
and I tell you what they brought us and panadas.
They brought us some of the plates right the plate
where they had the beans and the meat and stuff,
and also the churros. This is a very cool place
to hang out with at and also enjoy some really
(27:59):
good food.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
So Wan and I or no, you're Matt. Matt and
I wandered over here and we ordered a couple of
what's yours bean bean cheese, bean and cheese and cheese
shugy yeah, and I have two breakfasts and pinatus and
we're going to dive right into these guys with the
Spanish mayonnaise from Juana Marias and the green Gold hot sauce,
(28:22):
which is my favorite. We'll be right back with more grills. Hey,
Matt and Jim. Here, we are at the uh Fler
City when I'm getting to it relaxed. We're at the
Flower City Brewersfest at the Rochester, New York Public Market.
A wonderful venue. There's got to be fifty sixty craft
breweries here. And we're at Big Tug, Iron Tug, Iron Tug. Well,
(28:47):
all right, I had a part of it, righte. So
Iron Tug Brewery is in Rochester, New York. Tell us
about your company, tell us where the brick and mortar
store is, and what do you have here today?
Speaker 10 (29:01):
And too, of course, hey boys, good to see you again.
Zach Allard, head brewer of Irontug. We are at three
seven to one Park Avenue, downtown Rochester, New York. As
as youman Matt said, we were at the public market
for Flower City Brewers Fest thirty first year. Thanks to
John Erelove from Roorbach, Paulium from the New York State
(29:21):
Brews Association for taking this over for the thirty first year,
continuing the great tradition of what John had built here.
It's a beautiful thing and you'd love to see it.
Fifty I think seventy close to seventy five beries and
it's crazy, but.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah, we are here today. We're next to our friends.
It's spotted Lock to Pus who we did a collab with.
Speaker 10 (29:41):
Recently we released a honey Hellas logger with local honeymade
from our friends at Flower City Bee Works.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
But today we are pouring a.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Cask, yes, a cask. You did not hear that wrong.
Speaker 10 (29:53):
Scotch ol an American Scotch how fermented on American oak chips.
It's called the Sound of Waves Colliding seven zo point
four percent.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
It's absolutely delicious. And our two beers on tap for
our jockey box.
Speaker 10 (30:05):
We have our shortly peach cobbler sour Ale and we
have a brand new new England, Ipa grew with Idaho
seven hops called Potato.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
So for those of you who don't know what a
cask is, it is not refrigerated. It is hugely served
that room temperature correct.
Speaker 10 (30:22):
Correct, So it's a traditional European English shial l. It's
gonna be pulled off the fermenter. It's gonna be very
very lightly carbonated, only a little bit of yeast and
whatever else you want to put in that, and then
left to sit at room temperature to add a little
bit of carbonation. But then yeah, served it room temperature,
port of room temperature. Just it's got all the actual
(30:43):
flavors of a real al well.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
In the old days before refrigeration, the beer was under
the table at the end of the meal, you know,
the grandma and the grandpa and whatever. They reached down
and got the beer and ported right.
Speaker 10 (30:58):
Exactly, and it has it's beer as it would be
poured if you were to go to you know, to
Europe and the UK or right now, you know, real
al cast cal. We actually are right across the way
from our friends at Seneca Lake Brewing.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Brad Gillette.
Speaker 10 (31:14):
He serves only cast gal at his bury out on
Snica Lake. So he came over here and had to
try mine and was thoroughly impressed and brought back a
pine of his ESB. So we swapped Scotch all and ESB.
And you know, if the British guy is telling you
your your cast gal's good, you must be doing something right.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
So I'll tell you what. So lab is in the works.
That's awesome. So Zach, you guys have been doing this
for a while. How many years have you been doing
this and why are you still so successful?
Speaker 10 (31:42):
Oh my gosh, this is actually next month will be
my eleventh year brewing.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
It's wild and uh yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 10 (31:50):
It's just longevity comes with, you know, having a few
beers with your friends, talking things out and uh, you know,
just being consistent and.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Seen a lot of people come and go.
Speaker 10 (32:01):
But uh, we come to a festival like this and
you see a lot of the same faces. You you know,
you're you're your spot up next to your friends, you're
exploring the festival and seeing the same people and you
see new people as well obviously, But uh, longevity is
in the in the leguid And like I said, when
you have people coming back and saying, hey, this beer
is great, and we got to when you have to
(32:22):
when you have a brick telling you your cascal is good,
or you have customers going, hey, we have this here, Tapper,
and we we came and found.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
You specifically for this. That's a really good feeling.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
Man.
Speaker 10 (32:31):
Now yeah, it's uh, the proof is in the beer.
The beer is good, the people will come and drink it.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
So that's what I was gonna ask you at Iron Tug.
Tell us about the brick and mortar location, I mean food, Uh,
you know, where where are you located? I know you
said you're on Park Avenue, right, and that's right in
the middle of the good cultural district downtown Rochester. People
can walk there whatever, So what.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
Shell the it's not to stand right now.
Speaker 10 (33:00):
I go right next to the beer puppet game where
you you look like a mannequin where you have to
move the beer glass to your mouth with strings.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
So yeah, we're that's what all the hooting and hollering is.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
So tell us about the location.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
So yeah, we're downtown rochesterre on Park Avenue. Obviously great walkability.
We're in Park Avenue. Can't park anywhere, but don't worry
about that, and plenty of side streets.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
But our tap rooms on the Oven up.
Speaker 10 (33:25):
We just built two big front patios, live edged bars
seeking you know people watch, just really expanded that space
by a few hundred square feet.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
We have a full kitchen in the works. It's fully built,
ready to go.
Speaker 10 (33:37):
We're just waiting on licensing and and inspections from the
fire I know, fire chief and all that.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
But yeah, we have full.
Speaker 10 (33:44):
Food program going in hopefully in the next few months.
And yeah, just really looking forward to what the next
few years hold for us. It's uh, it's been nothing
but penalty to the metal and new beers, new food,
new experience at the tap room.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
And yeah, so you asked a pretty interesting question a
few a few brewers ago, and we are some pricing,
so we know some of the ingredients of the pricing
on like that that has been going up.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Right, you know, things are expensive. How do you keep
up with all that? I mean, how do you make
it happen?
Speaker 10 (34:15):
So that's it's obviously we're not we're all we're all
very in this together, but we're not stupid. And everybody's
fully aware of what's going on in the world. The tariffs,
you know, the just prices in general. I was very fortunate.
Last week, actually, I was invited out with Paulione, the
head of the Brewers Association. We sat down with Senator
(34:37):
Chuck Schumer and some local farmers and local wine owner
winery owners, and he had a sit down meeting with us.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
It wasn't a press conference.
Speaker 10 (34:46):
It was a one on one sit down at a
local farmer's establishment and we sat in the grain room
and he kind of asked us how this was affecting
us and what we're doing, you know, moving forward, and
it's obviously we're all feeling it on all all facets
of the busines, so it really is tough. We're trying
to not raise our prices. You're constantly looking for new vendors.
(35:06):
You're constantly trying to keep it approachable for the customer
coming in. You don't want to jack prices up on
them and pass the buck onto them too much, because
they've already felt that squeeze in the past five ten years,
and it's only going to get worse. Unfortunately, we got
to be honest about it, and that's just the way
it is. But we're doing everything on our end to
try and maintain our same price levels. Fortunately we're small
(35:28):
enough too that we can continue to do that for
the time being, and we'll continue to do so. But
we're meeting with politicians. We're meeting with the people. Our
representatives meet it from Strange Bird and Hutch and all
the people around the state that represent us, going to Washington,
going to Albany. They do a lot for us, you know,
a lot of a lot of stuff that people don't see.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
Yeah, get that cut way to break that silence.
Speaker 10 (35:54):
Well, they do a lot for us in the shadows
that people don't see and know that goes out in
the beer industry. Thanks to those guys, we're able to,
like you know, stay in touch with our consumer base
and and you know, have real time concerts answered and
have that heard on our end and give real time feedback.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
So good thing. We have an expensive mIRC so we
can pull this out.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Really, Matt Wilson expert Mike Guy. Uh so, how did
iron Dog get named Iron Tug?
Speaker 3 (36:20):
So you're in the bedrooms?
Speaker 10 (36:21):
Oh I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, so uh that
was before my time.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
That was the original owner of our brewy Keith Owens.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
Uh Hi, Keith. I don't know if you're listening. I'm
gonna do my best out to butcher this story. But
I know he was previously in the military, and he
also did a lot of work and still possibly does
and the world's largest tugboat. So he was doing the
brewery on the weekends and he would go away around,
you know, to the other side of the world for
(36:50):
three four weeks at a time. And uh, he's basically
some sort of maritime engineer. So yeah, he worked on
the world's largest tug boat and did this on the
weekends and was a passion project for him. And fortunately
he's no longer in the business. He's still around but
can't can't partake in the industry. But he's still around,
and we kept the name going for him. And I
(37:11):
actually just saw him a couple of weeks ago, and
we want to do some sort of collaboration of all
the old Iron Dog breweries and get him together and
do something as an homage.
Speaker 7 (37:18):
So a.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Military veteran who lets beer, that's weird.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Gotta be kidding me.
Speaker 9 (37:24):
Shout out.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
One of my favorite people from the New York State. Yeah,
it's Chloe. Good guys, good to see you, Cloone. How
you doing. Oh, I'm good. I didn't want to crash.
Speaker 9 (37:35):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
You're always welcome. Look, I love Zach.
Speaker 11 (37:42):
I love Grill this podcast.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
See saying I love Grill this podcast.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Past that's great. One more question. You don't wake up
at five years old and say I want to brew beer.
How'd you get into this?
Speaker 10 (37:58):
I got really I bartended and I just loved beer.
I found myself naturally, just you know, going towards things
I like in general, and I found that beer was
really cool before it was hype and before.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
It was all what it is now.
Speaker 10 (38:16):
And I applied in a penny saver head believe it
or not, no, to just start from the ground level.
It's a delivery driver and a sellerman. And a couple
months later, like three months later, i'd forgotten about it,
and I got a phone call and that was it
and I started the two weeks later and took a
huge pay cut and took a huge risk and did it.
And yeah, within like a couple hours, I was like, yeah,
(38:38):
I'm in the right place. Just the smells and the
sounds and the people and it was really instantaneous, like yeah,
I could I could see myself doing this, and yeah,
I had just good people around me that were willing
to teach me and show me the ropes, so we.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
Sure understand me the pay cut thing from the radio business.
Hey buddy, thank you so much. I know you. You're
so much up here, so we'll let you know. Hey,
Matt and Jim, we're back. And of course we're at
the Flower City Brewfest and this is Grilla's podcast. Now
we're here with Paulione, who runs this whole thing, right,
(39:14):
Who is Paulione. He's he's a great We've interviewed him
a hundred times. But this is one of the more
fun festivals that you and I go to because in
you know, in in the past it was run by
you know, our friends at Wroarbos and and then it
got turned over to the New York State Craft Brewers Association,
(39:36):
which in a in an evolution I guess of of greatness.
And there's more craft brewers here than there ever has been,
So Paul, I guess our question to you is, you
know this is wonderful. How did you put all this together?
And where are we going from here?
Speaker 12 (39:54):
Well, the blueprint was already in place, so John rlob Robos,
this is the oldest beer festival in the state of
New York, thirty one years and it's probably one of
the largest now. I mean, a couple thousand people every
year come to this at the Public Market in Rochester.
And this has been around for one hundred years, you know,
so it's kind of an iconic location. It's a big location,
(40:17):
and so the blueprint was there. We just didn't want
to screw it up this year, you know, And so
John Urlop got to the point where he's like, I
don't want to do this anymore, and I want you
guys to take it over, because it really is a
celebration of crap heer, of New York state crap heer,
and that's why we're here.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
So I was talking to Jim earlier. You guys have
perfected the art of putting festivals on. You put them on.
Speaker 13 (40:41):
Why would you say that?
Speaker 12 (40:42):
Like, you guys been to a lot of them your experience,
and I appreciate that, but I really would like to
know why you think.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
That, because you know how to find locations throughout the
state to put these festival Yeah, right, so, and that's difficult,
that's not easy to do because some locations may work,
some relations may not work. But you've phoned a way
to make some of the the locations over and over
again as festival and it's always a decent turnout and
you always have something something interesting going on. Like one
(41:07):
festival you had wrestling one first of all you had
a gut speaker talking about beer. Like you always got
something going on, and like Jim said, this is an
underthinking of the festival has a long tradition of success.
So you got number one. I love and respect General Lop.
I've known for a very long time.
Speaker 13 (41:22):
Amen.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
And number two, you've taken this on and you still
ended up doing a tremendous job.
Speaker 13 (41:26):
I feel like I'm glad.
Speaker 12 (41:29):
To me, location is key because like if you were
in a this was in a convention center with pipe
and drape and tables, it wouldn't have.
Speaker 13 (41:38):
The feel to me.
Speaker 12 (41:39):
To me, location is it plays a role in the
whole thing. And that's my been by philosophy. The Desmond
Hotel weird. I love that one, The Landmark Theater, Canal Side,
the oldest German club in the Northeast, and Long Island.
Like to me, you gotta feel it too, right, the
great beer, But it's the location plays a role.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Location definitely, I agree with that one hundred percent. But
you guys are organized, and that's that's a big deal.
And one of the things that Matt and I like
is when we go up to one of these craft
breweries that we have never been to before, the guy
that is the brewer, the owner is there. You know.
It's not just somebody there from manpower that they hired
(42:22):
the poor beer. It's the people that we can ask
questions for. The folks can say, hey, how'd you make this?
They got the ingredients down, you know, and we can
have the tough questions about supply chain and all the
other stuff that we love to pin people down on,
and and it's just wonderful you guys have the organization down.
And obviously the New York State Craft Brewers Association has
(42:46):
the respect of the brewers. And that's that's a big
deal right there.
Speaker 13 (42:54):
Right We work for them and that's what we do.
Speaker 12 (42:55):
They pay us to do change the laws of New
York State and to protect them and all of that.
Speaker 13 (43:00):
And so this raises money for that.
Speaker 12 (43:03):
And by the way, you said that you've introduced me,
like interviewed me one hundred times. I heard Jim say
it was ninety nine two nine knights too many a
little while ago, but it's okay.
Speaker 13 (43:11):
I want to say I heard that.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
No, Jim loves you. Jim loves you. I remember.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
So when we first started doing this, I think I
would just paying and come into these vessels on my
own this and talking to people, and like, you know,
it's becoming to all of them pretty much. So you're like, hey,
just come this, Come you guys.
Speaker 13 (43:28):
Just come. You guys are the best.
Speaker 12 (43:29):
We love you at these And yeah, you guys are
craft beer guys and your food guys, which makes it
they go together, right, So that's that's even better.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
So what else what I was gonna say to you
is the fact that you recognize your audience and the
folks that come here and the folks that want to
learn more and talk to the people and learn about
the ingredients and learn about why they're doing it and
how they come up with these ideas. That's the interesting
part of the craft beer industry, my cinion.
Speaker 13 (43:54):
Oh yeah, without a doubt.
Speaker 12 (43:55):
But you're also seeing at these festivals a lot of
more light loggers and things like, you know, because people
want low.
Speaker 13 (44:01):
Abb you know.
Speaker 12 (44:03):
And then you get people like from Japan who were
Japanese a brewery works at Japanese brewery.
Speaker 13 (44:08):
Who's learning about craft beer from New York.
Speaker 12 (44:09):
He's gonna take it back to Japan what he learns
from us.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
So tell me what your name is.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
I'm Taiga Best Media.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
So I have had Japanese beer in sake and all
that stuff Japan.
Speaker 6 (44:20):
It's nice.
Speaker 10 (44:21):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
And also I I took issue karate, so I was
I was very interested in all that. Kind of Yes,
I'm kind of a nerd that I know I am,
But what got you into craft beer?
Speaker 14 (44:31):
Well, in Japan, even though a lot of Japanese love
drinking beer, only few people know about Kraft Beer.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
So what I want to do is like I want.
Speaker 14 (44:41):
To expand craft beer in Japan, and this event is
I feel like, this is what I want to do
in Japan. So yeah, it's amazing, and I also I
also I appreciate you, Paul. Yeah he really, you know,
sold a lot of things I love you know about
craft beer to me.
Speaker 3 (44:57):
So yeah, So Paul, a question for you, what can
we So these summer seasons coming to an end, right,
which was it was? It was an amazing season, but
we still got more coming up. You do you do
vessels all year long? What do we have look to
look forward to in this coming up year.
Speaker 12 (45:12):
Oh my gosh, we we do Syracuse in November, Albany
in January, and gosh, we do Long Island in June.
Speaker 13 (45:22):
It just keeps going in Buffalo.
Speaker 11 (45:24):
And all of that.
Speaker 12 (45:25):
So we try to spread the word of New York
State crap here around the state because these are these
are small businesses.
Speaker 13 (45:30):
Right and and you know they need support.
Speaker 12 (45:34):
Like any small business does. And this is just a
great way to put them all in one place for
people to kind of come for a night and get
to discover new things.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Now, Matt ars talking about by local by local, but
you represent the whole state. So there's five or six
hundred craft breweries across the state, which when you travel
you should seek them out and check them out.
Speaker 12 (45:57):
And app for that, Jim, really the New York's Craft
Beer app all every brewery, for every brewery in the state.
Speaker 13 (46:05):
Download it New York Crap Beer in the app store.
Speaker 12 (46:07):
And then you can get a passport and you can
get win free stuff. I mean to me, it's just
like there's five hundred breweries in New York State. I
don't know where they all are. Sometimes and I use
the app.
Speaker 3 (46:19):
So another question. I saw I got an email from
you because I am on the app and I have
all the I get all the emails. You guys who
going to Germany? Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (46:28):
We are?
Speaker 12 (46:28):
Next year We're going to Germany and we're gonna do
a tour of Germany, go to hop yards, We're gonna
go to the oldest breweries in Germany, and we're gonna
end it at.
Speaker 13 (46:39):
Octoberfest in Munich.
Speaker 12 (46:41):
So we're doing a tour and we're trying to bring
New York you know, crap beer over there and and
have a great time.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
That sounds like fun, maybe, Paul, Thank you. We appreciate
your time. And this is a great party. Everybody's having
a great time there, music here, There's like twelve food
trucks out there, I mean everything from soup to nuts
for food, and and some of the best beers in
(47:08):
New York State, which means best the world. So thank you, buddy.
Speaker 12 (47:12):
Guys are the best. Welcome back it's been a while.
You're welcome in every single one of them because we
need you there. You're part of this culture.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
All right. Matt and Jim Groller's podcast. We'll be right back.
Matt and Jim. You know, we've had a great time today.
Tom Gilmore, Hey, hey, there.
Speaker 11 (47:30):
Is Tom Gilmore here.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
We're at the Flower City Brewers Fest. And of course
we've interviewed I don't know, a ton of different people.
They pour their life out to us, right and yeah,
and their glasses, and we learn about ops and all
kinds of stuff. So so we now, wait a minute.
Speaker 3 (47:48):
Right, we talk about glasses, Tom talk to us about glasses.
Speaker 15 (47:52):
Oh, I'm the classiest man here, obviously. Look at the
class on this human being. Look at how classy I am.
Speaker 3 (48:00):
I meant glasses, not the glasses, because don't you guys
make glasses.
Speaker 11 (48:03):
Glasses?
Speaker 15 (48:04):
No, we don't make Yeah, we print on the glassware,
and we print every We printed every glass that anyone
is drinking at in the entire festival.
Speaker 11 (48:13):
It's a poor we're inked. We're a local company.
Speaker 15 (48:15):
We're in massive in New York and any brewery that
is not getting their glassware from us in New York
State is out of their damn mind having it shipped
from Kansas, having it shipped from Missouri, that's ridiculous. When
you can come and pick it up, avoid the avoid
the freight charge altogether, and and talk with someone who
you can actually see. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2 (48:36):
So what you're saying to me right now is the
glass I'm drinking out out of said it has a
picture of the outline of New York State and it
says beer in the middle. Think New York, drank New York.
You made days.
Speaker 15 (48:49):
We printed all those glassware that screen printed by by
folks that live here and breathe and and and shop
here and drink the beer here. We're we're beer fans.
We are Western New York beer fans.
Speaker 3 (49:02):
Absolutely No Tom Thomas or Thomas Thomas. Tom, Let's take
it fantcy with you. You've been in this industry for
a long time. I've known you for a while, and
I've known you from the industry. We both work together.
How how much does an industry change? And you think
one on the upside downside, because you know a few
craft ruers are closed in the past few years. How
(49:23):
where do you think how do you think we stand?
Speaker 11 (49:24):
Oh, that's a touching question. That's a touching question.
Speaker 15 (49:28):
I think we are probably at a bubble at a plateau.
That doesn't mean that it can't go back up. I
think that the strong will survive. I think that the
breweries that are making quality product are going to survive
and do well, and I think the ones that are
making lackluster beers are going to fall to the wayside.
(49:50):
I think that's a standard with almost any other industry. However,
we do have a lot of support for New York breweries.
Speaker 11 (49:58):
I think it maintains the same.
Speaker 15 (50:01):
If you're making quality product, if you're making good beer,
your products will survive. And whether that's the brewery on
the corner and you're just and you're just brewing to
folks around town, that's your spot. Know your role, or
if you're a brewery that's a regional brewery and you're
just sticking to that, stick to that, stick with what works.
(50:21):
Don't try to outgrow what your boots will fill.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
You know, maybe what we should do is have Grill
this podcast beer glasses and then and then promote this guy.
Speaker 3 (50:34):
You got a guy you know number one, Tom knows
I love you with DoD and I would definitely support that.
Speaker 15 (50:41):
You know what, if you order glasses from Kansas, I'll
lose my I lose put.
Speaker 2 (50:49):
Us into another podcast. Thank you, buddy.
Speaker 15 (50:54):
I gotta run, I gotta catch Chloe I'm gonna rip
my shirt off in front of the stage.
Speaker 3 (50:58):
Thomas, literally before you go. If people want to know
more about what you're doing, how come you figure it out?
Speaker 9 (51:03):
Poor?
Speaker 15 (51:03):
Weearinked dot com. That's p O U R W A
R E I n K E D. We print and
atch drinkwear. It's not just glassware. We'll print atch on glassware. Uh,
nail gene cops, travel mugs, uh pints, classes, coffee cups, ceramics,
you fucking name it, we do it.
Speaker 3 (51:21):
Love you, buddy, you know I do.
Speaker 11 (51:23):
I love you.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
Thank you.
Speaker 11 (51:25):
You guys are the best.
Speaker 2 (51:26):
You've got to be kidding me. That's a lot of
blee do a lot of bleep you have bleeping today. Now,
the fun part of this is the bleeping that goes
on in the studio when Matt Edits's broadcast is stunning, right,
So anyway, we're we're gonna close this out where I'm
(51:48):
literally speechless, and you know, I've had a couple of SIPs,
but no, no, and and so have you. But we
tasted some of the most wonderful beers siders and now, uh,
those wonderful seltzers you know, which we don't usually talk
about so we're gonna have to get into that. Maybe
we'll bring a uh specialty craft seltzer into the Gorillas
(52:12):
studio and mess with that. But uh, you know, it's
been great. The Flower City Brewers Fest is one of
our favorites. Uh. John Arlobbs started it from you know,
from and and when he turned it over to the
Napoleon in the New York State Craft Brewers Association, he
(52:33):
recognized that this was going to go to a different level.
And it's wonderful. And earlobs are yeah, earlibs, Yeah, they're here, yeah, yeah,
And and it's just a wonderful. It's a wonderful get
together of people that under that love craft beer and
understand uh how hard it is to make some of these,
(52:58):
and they appreciate it, and they come here and they
support the New York State Craft Beers Association thick and thin.
Speaker 3 (53:05):
One thing that we always have in common, Jim, is
we are both supporters of the small business. Both of
us have always been.
Speaker 2 (53:11):
The absolutely and to see high local absolutely, and that's.
Speaker 3 (53:15):
The reason why one of the reason I, me and
Jim are good friends is because of the fact that
we both support that and to see these mom and
pops grow into what they are now, and they're in
these festivals and they're there's they're you know, living these
tremendous beers, and we get to we get invited to
all these festivals all the time, all the time, and
it's it's nice to see people recognize and know that
we're here and for us to see the development of
(53:36):
these mom and pops and they and their their growth.
Speaker 2 (53:38):
You know, And remember, folks, when you're listening to this,
this is the twenty ninth most popular growing and and
uh craft brew podcasts on the internet, twenty nine out
of thousands. I don't know how millions, uh and uh.
You know, we have the data to prove that, and
(53:59):
so wonderful thing and we just love bringing it to you.
So we'll you know, of course, be back God willing
next week for another edition of Girl This right, Bud.
Speaker 3 (54:08):
Absolutely, Jim, pleasure doing this with you. I always love
doing this with you. We Jim and I love seeing
people in the public and doing this.
Speaker 2 (54:15):
Time, fol And next up is pork belly and brisket.
Speaker 3 (54:21):
Really on Girl This Excited.
Speaker 2 (54:24):
Yeah you will love this, believe me. This pork belly
came up crazy. I froze it four times in anticipation
of you coming. So I'm gonna eat all of it
all right, man, Jim Girl this podcast. We'll be back
next week with another edition.
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