Better on Draft | Craft Beer Podcast

Your winners of the 2025 March Draftness competition decided to throw a big party at their venue on Saturday May 17th in Portage Michigan, and Ed, Ken, Wendy, and Bill all came down to check it out. 

Ed and Ken sat down with the owners and head brewer to talk about the business, fighting through the 2020's, and how they are able to keep progressing forward with a great fanbase and even better beer!

Presidential Brewing Co: ...

Adrienne Banka of Cerveceria Punta Sur joins us (from her distillery) to talk about opening the first brewery in Cozumel, Mexico. From educating the politicos to educating the local community, hear how she has grown a business that serves the local community while managing the tourists in a vacation destination. You can also hear about the joys of learning to make things work when you are brewing on an island and dealing with a lot...

Rob talks at great length about the things he saw and did at and around the Craft Brewers Conference. Sessions, the show floor, events, and other beery trips all show up. Hear his (not an expert) advice to small taprooms based on what he thinks he heard in some of the educational sessions! Most importantly, Barleywine Is Life #BIL.

More information about the Craft Brewer's Conference is available at their website: https://www.c...

Wendy and Rob discuss some recent news articles and generally catch up since the last news show.

Article 1, a more sustainable beer
Article 2, draft beer sales are up!
Article 3, more effects of tariffs
Article 4, Bad Dad expansion
A short quiz's source - there's more wonderful beer names here
Article 5, Indiana on Tap's Sale

We also discussed the Craft Brewer's Conference

Wendy and Rob talk to Roman from Tapster, a self-serve beer bar that is popping up across the country. Roman talks about how he came to start such a business and some of the decisions that had to be made in an attempt to make the space more friendly to all levels of beer-enthusiasts from those who want to tick every beer, get a deep appreciation for particular beers, or were dragged along by friends.

More information about Tapster i...

Wendy and Rob talk to Benny and Tony from Hear.Say Brewing and Theater, a not-quite-a-year-old establishment in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Come audially explore this unique space. Head brewer Benny gives us a lot of insight into what he's looking for when he brews (and he says "dropping trub" a few times). Tony talks about the experience of working with different communities and how fulfilling it can all be.

Hear....

Ken and Matt Bush discuss the March Draftness brackets now that we're at the round of 32 and heading into the Stout 16.

Let us know your predictions!

You can participate in March Draftness by voting for your favorite brewery in each matchup over in our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterondraft

You can connect with Matt Bush of Re/Max First at https://www.mifirsthouse.com/ where he...

Wendy and Rob talk to Courtney and Derek Guggenberger of Guggman Haus Brewing, a well-regarded and decorated brewery just outside downtown Indianapolis. Starting as a small brewery in 2019 and growing to a slightly larger brewery recently, hear about their brewing philosophy and their unique and interesting brewhouse. 

In 2025 Better on Draft will be recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern. You can wat...

Wendy and Rob talk to Anni of Naptown Trivia about what it's like to create and run a successful trivia business and how instrumental it can be for newer breweries as they grow their regular clientele. If you're unfamiliar with pub trivia maybe this episode can help you understand the appeal. If you're familiar with pub trivia then you're going to hear all the tropes and secrets behind running trivia and dealing...

Wendy and Rob catch up on recent doings, discuss drinking the alphabet, and the odd occurrence of having things thrown at you unexpectedly.

Articles in the show:
 - Greg Hall and Virtue Cider: https://chicago.eater.com/2024/11/27/24306883/virtue-cider-greg-hall-renovations-fennville-michigan-inbev-independent-sale
 - Beer Choir: https://www.kimt.com/news/beer-choir-makes-its-north-iowa-debut-on-monday/article_38fbc...

Rob and Wendy talk to Mark Lasbury of Indiana On Tap about the Tasting Society Marketplace, working with breweries, On Tap tickets and festivals, and beer around Indiana and Michigan and beyond!

In 2025 Better on Draft will be recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern. You can watch us live to share your questions, opinions, and drinks on Facebook, Twitch, and Youtube.

Mark runs and wr...

Running Ken-less, Rob and Wendy will talk to Joel Geier of Brewery Travels about his new book, Flights Across America: A Brewery Lover’s Journey. Hear about his travels and experiences in breweries across the country!

In 2025 Better on Draft will be recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern. You can watch us live to share your questions, opinions, and drinks on Facebook, Twitch, and Youtube.

For Ken's last podcast as a regular host he invited Eric Briggeman of Rochester Mills Brewing, the first guest on Better on Draft ever. Join us for a bit of nostalgia and catch up on Rochester Mills and Eric's (and Amanda's) current activities.

In 2025 Better on Draft will start recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern. You can watch us live to share your questions, opinions, an...

The Better on Draft team checks in with long-time friend of the show Kevin DeGrood. You may know him from North Central Brewing or from his presence within the Michigan craft beer scene or maybe you are meeting him for the firt time (like Rob). We'll hear about the hardships of running a brewery, even a successful one, and what Kevin sees in the industry and market.

This is Ken's penultimate episode and he will b...

At most craft beer festivals you're guaranteed two things.  Amazing Michigan Beer, and seeing Chuck Marshall and his wife Brenda running around the festival grounds snapping amazing photographs and promoting the event.  Since we knew they'd be attending 4 Elf we took the time to sit down with them for an hour to go over their website and cover of craft beer and music in Michigan, as well as get to know them a bit more per...

4 Elf Day 2024 was on December 14th this year and we headed out to Marshall Michigan to see what is going on in the world of ROAK and Dark Horse.  The first half of the episode brings out Chuck Mascari Jr, managing partner of ROAK/Dark Horse to talk about the industry, the changes, and how they've been weaving in the murky waters of the current landscape of craft beer.  It just so happens, big fan of Dark Horse Rob Sims (forme...

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO:
Ken, Wendy, and Rob chase the beer truck to get some BCBS, discuss alcoholic advent calendars, and lots of beery things.

Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! Live on Twitch, Kick, and Facebook! We'll also be live at 4 Elf Party Dec 14th at Dark Horse Brewery in Marshall, MI.

Sponsors:
Visit Detroit - The Detroit Brew Trail - https://visitdetroit.c...

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO:
Wendy and Rob discuss some things they learned while preparing for a non-alcoholic brewery interview that will hopefully be rescheduled. They also discuss beer! in! space! and the Craft Beer Hall of Fame, certifications, removing alcohol from beer, poor decisions on a bicycle, and spiderman's alcohol-free beer.

Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! Live on Twit...