Cincy Brewcast The Gnarly Gnome

It's been a very, very long time since we stopped out at HighGrain Brewing Company to record an episode of the podcast, and with their recent opening of a new brewery over in Springfield Township - I think it's a great time to make it happen. I was joined by Austin Neal, Brad Brooks, and Matt Utter to talk about how they keep things growing without losing sight of what makes them who they are.







There's a lot of reasons that the pandemic set them on a course that got them to this place, and we talked a lot about how that road actually "appeared" before them, and how they managed to travel down it without coming apart at the seams.







Of course, it wouldn't be a Brewcast if we didn't have a few beers along the way. Would it?







Guests This Episode









* Austin Neal







* Brad Brooks







* Matt Utter









From The Beer Fridge









* HighGrain - Titan







* HighGrain - Lusen

Humble Monk has been through it. They had just opened their doors and started to settle into things when they were hit by the pandemic which forced them to rethink their whole business model. Now, through some crappy luck, they just let their fans know that they now are being forced to relocate their whole brewery and taproom.







It's a real bout of tough luck, but with a smile on their faces, they're hoping to prove that much like coming out of Covid made them a stronger brewery... things will be ok.







I sat down with Mike and Alicia (Humble Monk's amazing owners) to talk about how they are managing all of this, and what we can expect as fans of the Northside Brewery.







To learn more about Humble Monk Brewing, make sure you check them out on their website. As soon as there are more details about the brewery's new location, we'll share it over on the blog, too.







As always, if you like this podcast or any of the stuff that I do - don't forget that you can support by going to TheGnarlyGnome.com/support!







Guests This Episode









* Mike Kemp - Humble Monk Brewing







* Alicia Kemp - Humble Monk Brewing









From The Beer Fridge









* Humble Monk - Monk's Heavenweizen

There's been plenty of whispering around the craft beer community lately, rumors about that Fretboard Brewing Company would be taking over the former Heist & Co space in downtown Harrison and turning it into the next Fretboard taproom. These rumors were confirmed recently, and if I've ever heard of a great reason to get them on the show for a chat - this is certainly one.







After seeing the space they'll be calling home when they open their doors on 5/17/24 - I think this new Harrison taproom will be something special for the brewery. We talk about exactly why I think that - explore the journey to get to this point - and, of course - have a couple of beers along the way.







The episode is an absolute blast, and I hope to see you in Harrison very soon to check out their new taproom!







Guests This Episode









* Jim Klosterman - Fretboard Brewing Company









From The Beer Fridge









* Fretboard - Dunkel No.9







* Fretboard - Fretboard Light

It's a hard world to navigate, this modern one where craft breweries, brewpubs, bars, and restaurants must constantly figure out what those terms mean. What can you keep giving your customers that not only keeps them interested, but stays true to your personality at the same time? Dead Low Brewing has been through a lot in the almost five years that they've been open, and through it all they keep proving that they are a little more than just one thing.







Guests This Episode









* Brock Lusch - Dead Low Brewing







* Chris "Coop" Cooper - Dead Low Brewing









From The Beer Fridge









* Dead Low Brewing - German Pilsner







* Dead Low Brewing - The Gary







* Dead Low Brewing - Black Phillip Doppelbock







* Dead Low Brewing - Mocha My Day Imperial Mocha Stout









Previous Episodes You Should Listen To









* Volume 5, Episode 39







* Volume 6, Episode 41

The road for Bad Tom Smith hasn't always been smooth. They have had plenty of ups and downs throughout their story, and with new ownership coming on board recently, it seemed like a wonderful time to sit down and talk about how they're looking to turn things around with this new chapter for the brewery. They have a new brewer on board, an upcoming new location, and a refreshed vision for what the brand means to guests who find themselves stepping into their taproom.







We explore their story and their vision and drink a few beers along the way!







Guests On This Episode









* Brandon Cruz







* Evan Braden









From The Beer Fridge









* Bad Tom Smith - Fink







* Bad Tom Smith - McQuinn's







* Bad Tom Smith - Bad Tom Brown







* Bad Tom Smith - Don Fernando

Navigating the busy world of Cincinnati Beer can be tough, and if you've been following along with any of my work, you know how passionate I am about it. When I hear about other folks who are working hard to help with the same mission, I love it.







Jennifer Craig just wrote the 'Pocket Guide To Cincinnati's Breweries, ' and I wanted to sit down and ensure that all of you knew about it, as well as give you a little peek into why she wrote it in the first place!







A massive shoutout to Grainworks Brewing Company for unknowingly hosting the show this week!







If you want to purchase your own copy of the Brewery guide, you can find it right here.







Guests This Episode









* Jennifer Craig









From The Beer Fridge









* Grainworks - Cincinnati False Spring







* Grainworks - Helles Real