Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast

Beer Guys Media
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Food
  • Updated Weekly

Craft beer is awesome.  Beer Guys Radio shares stories and news about the people and places that make craft beer great.  Covering the brews, business, art, culture, and science of our favorite beverage.  Whether you're a seasoned aficionado or just discovering craft brews, we're sure to have something for you.  Pour a pint and join us!  

  1. 1d ago

    Prost! Oktoberfest Blind Beer Tasting 2026

    Send us Fan Mail It’s Oktoberfest season, which means it’s time to break out the Märzens, Festbiers, oversized mugs, questionable German pronunciations, and our annual blind tasting. This week we put 12 Oktoberfest beers to the test with the labels hidden and our preconceived notions tossed out the window. We’ve got German classics, American staples, local favorites, and a few beers that have been through this particular gauntlet before. Before we start drinking, we talk about what you should expect from Märzen and Festbier, look back at previous years’ rankings, introduce this year’s cast of characters, and dig into some stats from our past Oktoberfest battles. Then the beers start flowing. The lineup includes Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, Ayinger, Warsteiner, Sierra Nevada and Hoppebräu, Hofbräu, Six Bridges, Weihenstephaner, Tucher, Creature Comforts, Samuel Adams, and Highland. Some favorites rise to the top. Some big names don’t land where we expected. And, as always, blind tasting has a way of making you question everything you thought you knew. Along the way we also dig into the history of Oktoberfest beer styles, learn a few German drinking phrases that you absolutely should not trust us to pronounce correctly, and discover some truly ridiculous Oktoberfest playlist selections. Finally, we tally the scores, crown our 2026 winners, compare the results with previous years, and see whether the numbers confirm our impeccable beer expertise or expose us as complete frauds. Prost! The Beers Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest MärzenPaulaner Oktoberfest MärzenAyinger Fest-MärzenWarsteiner OktoberfestSierra Nevada / Hoppebräu Oktoberfest FestbierHofbräu OktoberfestbierSix Bridges FeierabendWeihenstephaner FestbierBeer 9: Tucher FestbierCreature Comforts FallSamuel Adams OctoberfestHighland Clawhammer Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  2. Sep 26

    What was your favorite beer era of the last 30 years?

    Send us Fan Mail Oktoberfest season is here, so this week we kick things off with some Oktoberfest beer recommendations. Märzen, Festbier, and plenty of German goodness. Grab your big-ass stein and join us. We’ve also got some rough news from the beer world. Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse, considered America’s oldest continuously operating brewpub, is calling it quits after 40 years, and Lost Coast Brewery is headed to auction. We look back at their place in craft beer history and talk about what these closures say about where the industry is right now. Speaking of beer history, we run through a timeline of the beer styles that have been “the hot thing” over the years. From the styles that helped build modern craft beer to the hazies, pastry bombs, lagers, and whatever we’re drinking now. A beer company is throwing a party at Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania, Heineken has an AI-powered tap that can create personalized beer based on your tastes and mood, and Shock Top teamed up with Spirit Halloween for a Candy Corn Wheat Ale. Yes. Candy corn beer. It’s Oktoberfest, artificial intelligence, brewery closures, Dracula, and questionable Halloween candy decisions. Just another week in beer. Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  3. Sep 19

    Landmark American Beers and UK brewery closures slowing

    Send us Fan Mail This week we’re talking about the important stuff: beach bummin’, bass fishin’, and drinking beer outside. We recently spent some time at Halfway Crooks, and their biergarten is exactly the kind of place that makes you question why you ever drink beer indoors. On the beer news front, GABF medals are getting a facelift. One of the most recognizable pieces of hardware in craft beer is changing things up, so naturally we’ve got some thoughts. There’s some pretty crappy industry news, too. SS Brewtech and Wild Goose are shutting down, which is a big deal considering how much equipment from both companies you’ll find sitting in breweries all over the place. Across the pond, though, there’s at least a little good news as brewery closures in the UK have slowed dramatically. We also take a look at the 2026 Craft Beer Hall of Fame Landmark Beers. These are the beers that helped shape craft beer as we know it, and it’s always fun to look back at the stuff that made people lose their minds before we had 47 different kinds of hazy IPA. Then we get weird. Protein beer is apparently a thing now, because somebody finally looked at beer and thought, “You know what this needs? Macros.” We also check out the Wobbly Beer Glass, a wonderfully ridiculous piece of glassware that seems specifically designed to make drinking beer more complicated than necessary. And finally, Iron Hill is back in the news with an unexpected merger. After everything that’s happened with the brewery, this one definitely caught our attention, so we dig into what happened and where things might go from here. Grab a beer and hang out with us. Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  4. Sep 12

    It's time to break out your Marzens and inflate your pubs!

    Send us Fan Mail Air conditioning, beer heists, Oktoberfest fights, and questionable science. Just another week in beer. We kick things off with a little life strategy involving air conditioning and the responsible use of PTO before getting into an increasingly frustrating problem: finding good local craft beer singles. We love trying new beers, but buying a whole four- or six-pack every time we want to check something out gets expensive fast. Up north, Canadian booze is finding itself on the wrong side of some shelves as the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade drama continues. We also take a look at which beers and beer styles are getting the most attention online based on search traffic. Does what people Google actually tell us what they're drinking? Maybe. Maybe not. Then, because apparently one Macaulay Culkin wasn't enough, we spend a little time with Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin before moving on to something very serious: another massive beer heist. Beer thieves continue to dream big. Over in Germany, Oktoberfest is causing its own kind of trouble, with a fight brewing over the world's most famous beer festival. We dig into what's got people worked up and why Oktoberfest isn't always as simple as giant mugs, pretzels, and lederhosen. We also face the uncomfortable realization that pretty much everything we grew up with is now considered old, which feels unnecessary. Finally, we look at some research asking whether drinking beer can actually reduce empathy, and Samuel Adams has decided what America really needs is an inflatable beer hall. Science, crime, international conflict, existential dread, and giant inflatable beer structures. We've got it all this week. Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  5. Sep 5

    Good news, Everyone! BA says brewery visits are up!

    Send us Fan Mail Brian’s A/C is busted, it’s still hot as hell, and somehow Oktoberfest season is already here. So naturally, we kick things off talking about sweating through late summer while drinking beers designed for Fall. We also get into boilermakers this week, including a couple with a nod to Dolly Parton: The Dumb Blonde and The Jolene. From there, beer news gets weird. There’s The Great Pabst Blue Ribbon Heist, which sounds like something we would have made up after a few beers, but apparently not. We talk about distributors trimming regional craft brands from their portfolios and what that means for breweries that once counted on broad distribution to keep growing. That leads us into some reminiscing about the old days of craft beer hype, when people would stand in line for hours just to get a few bottles of a rare release. We did it. You probably did it. At the time, it somehow made perfect sense. There’s also a bit of surprising good news from the Brewers Association: brewery visits are up in 2026. With all the doom-and-gloom surrounding craft beer lately, it’s nice to hear that people are still getting out and drinking beer where it’s made. We remember Jason Wilson, an Alabama craft beer pioneer who recently passed away and the role early brewers played in building beer culture in places where craft beer had a much tougher road. Then we go way back for one of the coolest stories of the week: Guinness discovered aboard a 162-year-old shipwreck. And finally, $10 million in gold found buried underneath a Belgian brewery. Beer, treasure, shipwrecks, heists, busted air conditioning… pretty standard week around here. Crack one open and join us. Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  6. Aug 8

    Beer Industry Chaos: Closures, Bankruptcy, and Bud Light

    Send us Fan Mail This week, we’ve got brewery shutdowns, tax trouble, distributor bankruptcies, fading beer brands, political drama, and an endangered brewing tradition involving free candy. We start with the troubling news that Salted Nut Rolls may be endangered. For brewers, these are more than just a gas station snack. Grain suppliers have been known to toss free Salted Nut Rolls into grain orders, and over the years they have become a bit of a brewing legend. If they disappear, brewers may have to face the horrifying possibility of ordering thousands of pounds of malt without receiving a complimentary candy bar. From there, we get into the shutdown of Terrapin Brewery and what it means for one of Georgia’s most recognizable beer brands. Terrapin has been part of the craft beer landscape for decades, so we take a look at how things reached this point and what could happen next. There’s also more drama surrounding Ballast Point. The brewery has changed hands, expanded, contracted, and survived a billion-dollar acquisition that became one of the biggest cautionary tales in craft beer. Now there are new questions about whether Ballast Point is in serious trouble again or possibly finished altogether. 21st Amendment Brewery is dealing with a massive tax bill, Minocqua Brewing has had its license revoked, and Bud Light continues to lose ground. We look at what is happening with each of these stories and whether Bud Light’s decline is finally beginning to level off or if the brand still has further to fall. We also check in on Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer. The brand arrived with a lot of attention, plenty of political messaging, and big promises about becoming an alternative to Bud Light. So where is it now, and did it ever become a serious beer company? Meanwhile, the second-largest beer distributor in the United States has filed for bankruptcy. That is a massive development with potential consequences for breweries, retailers, employees, and drinkers across the country. We break down what happened and why distributor problems can ripple through the entire beer industry. Finally, we lighten things up by asking a very important question: What exactly is a Pennsylvania Swankey? Is it a beer, a cocktail, an old regional drink, or something that sounds far more exciting than it actually is? Grab a beer and join us as we work through another week of strange, frustrating, and occasionally ridiculous beer news. Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  7. Aug 1

    Christmas (Beers) in July - The Bruery 12 Days of Christmas Tasting

    Send us Fan Mail Happy Holidays, y'all! Recently we got together to celebrate Christmas in July.  We've heard the term for a long time and just thought it was something that was really nothing, but apparently it has an origin story and we'll share that with you. To celebrate we did the only appropriate thing.  On the 25th of July we sat down and cracked into all 12 of the Bruery's 12 Beers of Christmas, in order.  Way back in 2024 Brian acquired this set and it took us a couple of years to come together and enjoy but here we are. We'll share our tasting notes and favorites.  Let us know yours.  Cheers! The beers... Partridge In A Pear Tree| Belgian Quadrupel with spices | ABV: 12.0% 2 Turtle Doves | Belgian Strong Dark Ale Brewed with Orange Peel and Spices |  ABV: 10.6% 3 French Hens | Oaked Belgian-Style Dark Ale |  ABV: 10.0% 4 Calling Birds | Belgian-style Dark Strong Ale with Spices |  ABV: 11.1% 5 Golden Rings | Belgian-Style Golden Ale with Pineapple and Spices |  ABV: 11.7% 6 Geese-A-Laying | Belgian-Style Dark Ale with Cape Gooseberries |  ABV: 11.7% 7 Swans-A-Swimming | Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale |  ABV: 9.1% 8 Maids-A-Milking | Belgian-style Imperial Milk Stout |  ABV: 11.3% 9 Ladies Dancing | Belgian Strong Dark Ale Brewed with cacao nibs, milk sugar, coffee, and vanilla | ABV: 11.0% 10 Lords-A-Leaping | Dark imperial wit ale brewed with dried apples and spices | ABV: 10.8%11 Pipers Piping | Scotch-style ale brewed with Candi sugar and coriander | ABV: 11.0%12 Drummers Drumming | Belgian-style quadrupel ale with bourbon barrel-aged old ale | ABV: 12.0%Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

  8. Jul 25

    RIP to craft icon Alan Sprints, Vermont celebrates self distro win

    Send us Fan Mail This week, we start on a somber note as we remember Alan Sprints, founder of Hair of the Dog Brewing and one of the true pioneers of American craft beer. Sprints helped define what bold, unconventional brewing could look like, and his influence can still be found in breweries and beer cellars across the country. From there, we move into beer politics. The Teamsters are pushing for a massive 75% tariff on imported beer, a proposal that could have a major impact on breweries, distributors, retailers, and anyone who enjoys grabbing a European lager without taking out a small loan. We break down what’s behind the request and what it could mean for the beer aisle. Vermont breweries also scored a significant victory on self-distribution, giving smaller producers more control over how they get their beer into the hands of drinkers. It’s a development that could help local breweries compete, grow, and avoid some of the headaches that come with the traditional distribution system. Elsewhere, Oktoberfest beers have already started showing up on shelves, because apparently summer is over the moment the beer industry decides it is. We discuss the annual race to release fall seasonals earlier and earlier—and whether anyone is actually ready for Märzen weather yet. Goose Island has unveiled the 2026 Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup, bringing another round of barrel-aged variants, anticipation, debate, and inevitable bottle-hunting. We take a look at this year’s releases and decide which ones sound exciting, which ones sound questionable, and which ones we’ll probably buy anyway. In BrewDog news, James Watt is reportedly trying to buy the company again. Yes, again. We revisit the ongoing BrewDog drama and try to figure out what another Watt-led takeover attempt could mean for the brewery, its employees, and the brand’s already complicated reputation. Finally, Twisted Tea has introduced a split pack made for breakups. Because when a relationship ends, the most important thing is apparently making sure everyone gets an equal share of the hard iced tea. Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio!  Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls. Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSS Follow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Craft beer is awesome.  Beer Guys Radio shares stories and news about the people and places that make craft beer great.  Covering the brews, business, art, culture, and science of our favorite beverage.  Whether you're a seasoned aficionado or just discovering craft brews, we're sure to have something for you.  Pour a pint and join us!  

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