82 episodes

Podcast about home brewing and the people that brew beer. This show features brewing industry news, tastings and interviews of novice and professional brewers.

Home Brew Rock Stars Podcast HomeBrewRockStars

    • Leisure

Podcast about home brewing and the people that brew beer. This show features brewing industry news, tastings and interviews of novice and professional brewers.

    E85 Trippin' on a Bicycle Day

    E85 Trippin' on a Bicycle Day

    “Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.”
    ― Terence McKenna
    Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 85 “Trippin on Bicycle Day”.  In this episode we talk about Bicycle Day and we don’t mean the celebration of the two wheeled, pedal driven device although there is a bicycle involved. We are discussing the discovery by Swiss scientist Dr. Albert Hoffman of the effects of Lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD as it is more commonly known as, on the human body. Here is a hilarious clip from the movie Wanderlust to get ya in the right frame of mind.
    There are many forms of psychedelics such as LSD, Psilocybin (commonly known as magic mushrooms), MDMA (ecstasy) and DMT to name a few. In the last decade these mind-altering drugs have come out of the shadowy underground world into the mainstream as possibly valid tools to help with depression, addictions (including nicotine and alcoholism) and overall better mental health as an alternative to the chemical compounds traditionally used that have undesirable side effects. Code writers from the Silcon Valley use a method known as ‘micro dosing’ to help them focus. 
    As we journey through out trippy episode, we list some bicycle inspired beers and sampled some fine beers. On the tasting table we have a homebrew from Sears he calls ‘Old Skool IPA’ a traditional American IPA generously dosed with Falconers Flight hops with a 6.5% ABV. We also have a non-alcoholic IPA with 5mg of THC from our friends at CERIA Brewing. Kent brought a ridiculously good Bavarian Lager called Zwickle from  Urban Chestnut Brewing Co of St. Louis, MO. If you in the St. Louis area stop in to their Bierhall in The Grove District, you will not be disappointed! We rounded out with a White Stout from an area brewery named G-5 Brewing Co of Beloit WI. A different but tasty brew that has granola, toasted coconut and vanilla. It reminded us of a hiking trip except it has a 7% ABV that would not be conducive to walking the trails!    
    If any of you listeners have a home brew you want to have the guys sample on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice.
    As always, we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see still rocking it! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try Pig Minds Brewing and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Also stop in and see our good friends at Urban Forest Brewing and try the fine libations Alex and Heath proudly pour…YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED! Want to get some of Chicago area’s finest craft beer without the travel into the Windy City? Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to Artale & Co, Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to 815 Gardens, Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya.
    As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! 
    Prost! #drinkitup

    • 50 min
    E84 The Hazy History of 420

    E84 The Hazy History of 420

    “Sativa to change the things I can, Indica to accept the things I can’t.”- Bob Marley
     
    Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 84 “Hazy History of 420”. In this episode we visit the origins of ’420’. There are many versions, but we have the real deal detailng some Cali teenagers in search of free weed unbeknown to them that they would carve out a piece of modern folklore and an unofficial holiday. In fact, Lagunitas Brewing Co. brews a seasonal beer artfully named The Waldos, commemorating those crazy teens. The guys also talk about a list titled ‘9 Beers with a 420 Twiist’ So, grab a beer, roll one up if you wish and settle in for some fun history that they never taught you in school. This is an appropriate time to queue up some Sublime and Cheech & Chong before ya ‘hit’ the podcast. 
    We sampled some beverages during our fact-finding venture. Starting off with an offering from a local brewery named Prairie St Brewing Co. aptly name Prairie St IPA. This is a 68 IBU / 6.4% ABV easy drinker with floral, grapefruit and pine notes. The hops are locally sourced from Live Wire Hops in Amboy, IL. Nice job gents! Sears brought his Belgian Wit with a Kick, which is generously dosed with THC tincture. Brent found a CBD beverage from Hi-Lo Cannabis of Chicago IL. A light, sugar free cherry-lime caffeinated drink with CBD that we all though was very tasty and refreshing. Great for a warm summer afternoon. There was a canned non-alchol Black Coffee drink from Marz Brewing Community to keep our energy up. 
    If any of you listeners have a home brew you want to have the guys sample on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice.
    As always we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see still rocking it! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try Pig Minds Brewing and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Also stop in and see our good friends at Urban Forest Brewing and try the fine libations Alex and Heath proudly pour… YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED! Want to get some of Chicago area’s finest craft beer without the travel into the Windy City? Or seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to Artale & Co, Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to 815 Gardens, Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya.
    As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something!
    Prost! #drinkitup

    • 43 min
    E82 St. Paddy's Day & The Irish Pub

    E82 St. Paddy's Day & The Irish Pub

    Happy St. Patrick’s Day, or is that St. Paddy’s Day? Either way, when it comes to beer and brewing, perhaps the real Saint we should be admiring could very well be St. Brigid (more on that in this episode).
    Speaking of episodes, we start this shindig off by tasting some excellent Irish/St. Paddy’s themed beers and then give it a lash to discuss the history of the Irish Pub, learning about Ireland’s patron saints, Publicans, Barmen, Alewives, Spirit Grocers, SheBeens, Patrick Cavanaugh and Brendan Behan “dog days to drink” legend, and the lot that brought us into the era of the Public Houses we so fondly adore and frequently adjourn to.
    As for theater on the table, we start with Mike’s home brewed Red Ale, a tasty, roasty, clean, easy drinker, if there ever was one ;) that finished off fast (1.5 weeks) at 4.5 ABV. We also sip on Urban Forest Landmire Spring, a zest black IPA that warms the soul. Then on to more traditional fermentations from Smithwick Red Ale (the most consumed ale in Ireland…ever!) and Guinness Extra Stout, a beer that some have called the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, smooth and dry with a yummy creamy head, first brewed in 1821.
    Happy listening…we’re off to the pub! While we’ll miss out on the ultimate Irish authenticity on this March 17, we have a nice selection of traditional ale houses to drink until we’re gilded green with envy. 
    Special shout out to our sponsors, especially the boys at Pig Minds Brewing who are always brewing for perfection! If you’re seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift, then stop in to Artale & Co, Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to 815 Gardens, Bob will be happy to help. And of course, the aforementioned Urban Forest, hard at work making awesome moments for your taste buds. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya.
    As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something!
    Prost! #drinkitup
     
     
    00000097 00000097 00007424 00007424 0011EA87 0011EA87 00007E86 00007E86 00023E49 00023E49

    • 53 min
    E81 Wish You Were Beer - Joe Mongan

    E81 Wish You Were Beer - Joe Mongan

    “Did they get you to trade, Your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change? Did you exchange, A walk-on part in the war, For a leading role in a cage?”  Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd 
    Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 81 “Wish You Were Beer”. In this installment we have our old friend and past Forest City Brewers President, Joe Mongan call in. Joe is now a resident of Gator Country a.k.a. Florida. Since packing it up and leaving the state of Illinois (lucky SOB) Joe has been busy! He has set up his home brewery, formed a home brew club in the retirement community, The Villages and had his almost famous F-Bomb IPA brewed at one of the area breweries… Whew, he’s been busy. 
    While visiting with Joe we sampled some fine beer. From one of our sponsors, Urban Forest we quaffed a chocolate porter named Sock Monkey which is nod to the stuffed toy originating in Rockford IL . A tasty roasty and chocolaty brew with a 6.4% ABV, well done Alex and Heath! We then turned our tastebuds to a brew that we talked about on Episode-77 Why Dr. Villa Brews with Cannabis. This was the Belgian Wit named Grainwave, an alcohol-free beer with 5mg of THC from CERIA Brewing. Nice job Keith!
    If any of you listeners have a home you want to have the guys sample on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice.
    As always we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see still hanging tough in these trying times of ever changing ‘rules’, mandates and general bullshit. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try Pig Minds Brewing and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to Artale & Co, Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to 815 Gardens, Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya.
    As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something!
    Prost! #drinkitup
     
    000000C2 000000C2 00005D0D 00005D0D 002B45DB 002B45DB 00007E86 00007E86 000EE697 000EE697

    • 54 min
    E80 WHAT WILL BE - 2022 BEER TRENDS

    E80 WHAT WILL BE - 2022 BEER TRENDS

    “Still don't know what I was waitin' for, and my time was runnin' wild. A million dead end streets. And every time I thought I'd got it made, It seemed the taste was not so sweet” – Changes / David Bowie 
    An appropriate line for this show from one of my favorite artists, Ziggy Stardust A.K.A. David Bowie. Welcome to Episode 80 – What Will Be - 2022 Beer Trends, where we talk about and forecast he year ahead in the craft beer world. We also have one of our favorite guests sitting in with us, Cory Kuczynsk, to help us kick off a new year of podcasts!
    So, what do you, our beloved listeners, think will be the biggest beer trends in 2022? We found some obvious predictions and some surprising ones. Cleaner and simpler beer should be popular trends that emerge, riding the coat tails of hard seltzers, low alcohol and lager beers in 2021. Have we seen the run of hazy IPAs begin to fizzle and the demand for sour beers looking to reunion for another gig?
    For some of the surprising trends we found… Smoothie and rosé beers should have a bigger presence along with fresh hop beers. Craft malts or Branded malt beverages get a nod as craft brewers are trying to separate themselves from the brands acquired and made by the mega breweries. The smaller breweries are also trending to what is known as ‘no style’ beers as they try to make their own mark among the mega brewery dominance. The resurrection of the taproom concept is a trend that we find appealing. There is nothing better than sipping some fine fresh local beer in a beer garden on a nice day or inside the taproom on a cold winter night. Hell anytime is a good time to be drinking good beer, especially local…or home brew…HAH!
    And speaking of sipping some fine beer we had the following beers to sample. From one of our sponsors Pig Minds Brewing  we had the always delicious IPA, Sweep the Leg. As for home brews Kent brought in a Kölsch style that was a good representation. Sears brought a holiday spice beer that is a clone of Boston Beer Co  Old Fezziwig Ale  a style he loved during the holidays but is now difficult to find so he took a stab at it. Sears also brought a Belgian Wit that is infused with THC. A tasty beer with an additional ‘kick’ inspired by our Episode 77 podcast  with Dr Keith Villa of CERIA Brewing.
    Speaking of home brews if you want to have the guys sample your beer on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice.
    As always we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see hanging tough in these trying times of ever changing ‘rules’. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try Pig Minds Brewing and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to Artale & Co, Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to 815 Gardens, Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya.
    As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something!
    Prost! #drinkitup

    • 1 hr
    E79 Beer Festivus for the Restivus

    E79 Beer Festivus for the Restivus

    “Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.” – Frank Costanza
    Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars episode 79 - Beer Festivus for the Rest of Us! In this podcast we unabashedly borrow from the Seinfeld episode where George and his father celebrate an alternative holiday, Festivus. So grab a couple of beers, prepare a Festivus dinner (meatloaf on a bed of lettuce is key to stay true to the holiday), get a Festivus pole, air your grievances and join in the feats of strength then settle in for the show. HAH!!
    On this episode we have the pleasure of having Scott Walker (no, no not the former Governor of Wisconsin) sit in with us. Scott is the current Vice President of the Forest City Brewers of Rockford, IL. He discusses with us planning, prepping, setting up and tearing down for a beer festival.
    There is plenty of home brew beer to sample. Scott brought a delicious Amber ale @ 6% ABV using Bravo and East Kent Golding hops. He also shared a New England style IPA that has a 6.2% ABV using Citra, Strata and Azacca hops. Both were great beers! Kent brought his first attempt at an Oktoberfest with a modest 5.4% ABV, golden orange in color and a good malt flavor, very tasty. Kent also made a 5.5% ABV IPA using strictly Loral hops which offered a unique combination of floral, citusy and peppery notes. A very enjoyable session IPA, nice job Kent! Sears went with the high octane and brought a 12% ABV cherry cyser. Cysers are fermented from honey and apple cider then aged to smooth out the flavor. This one was back sweetened and sour cherry puree added for flavor. A sneaky drink that will “grab ya by the Boo Boo” (nod to Cheech and Chong) as the alcohol is well hidden.  
    We also tried Pig Minds Brewing Totally Caked is a pastry style stout at 11% ABV using coco nibs, vanilla and marshmallow. This was a very good beer even for those of you that are not pastry beer fans.
    If you have not figured it out WE LOVE BEER and if you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands.
    Big thanks to our program sponsors Pig Minds Brewing, Artale & Co, and 815 Gardens and Brewing for all their suds and support, we love you guys!
    Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try Pig Minds Brewing. Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to Artale & Co, Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great suggestions. Looking to jump into indoor gardening? Stop in to 815 Gardens  Bob will be happy to help.
    Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya.
    As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US!
    Prost! #drinkitup

    • 1 hr 7 min

Top Podcasts In Leisure

Critical Role
Critical Role
Tales from the Stinky Dragon
Rooster Teeth
The Big Three by Donut Media
Donut
Trash Taste Podcast
Trash Taste Podcast
思文,败类
思文败类
Past Gas by Donut Media
Donut