Grit & Grain Podcast

Matthew, Sean, and Ron
  • 4.9 (41)
  • FOOD
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Beer gurus Matt McLaren, Sean Jackson, and Ron Swarner explore and celebrate the craft beer industry, community, and history in Tacoma, Washington, and surrounding Pacific Northwest region.

  1. 6D AGO

    Episode 177: Beer & Chocolate

    Are you still scrambling for a thoughtful gift for your loved one? Look no further! The Grit & Grain team put our heads together and came up with a romantic plan you can use for the occasion — a beer and chocolate pairing, of course. We’re joined again by our best buddy Stacey O’Connor, who stopped by to hang out after her Pink Boots episode last week and who also happens to teach a food and beer pairing class at South Puget Sound Community College. We gathered five of the most popular chocolate treats from the legendary Johnson Candy in Tacoma and paired each one with five different beers to see what works and what doesn’t. The catch? The beers are not stouts. Tune in to find out why mint and saisons mysteriously taste like cherries, how Stacey uses the language of love to teach her food pairing classes, and how to build your own thoughtful Valentine’s Day date-night shopping list. The post Episode 177: Beer & Chocolate appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    52 min

  2. FEB 6

    Episode 176: Pink Boots Society Biennial Conference with Stacey O’Connor

    The Pink Boots Society Conference wrapped up a few weeks ago. The every-other-year occasion brings together women and non-binary identifying beer industry professionals together to learn, network, and build community. Our best buddy and fellow Funk Buster, Stacey O’Connor, was in attendance this year and joined us for a few beers to fill us in what the conference looked like. Everything from early morning talks, late-night brewery meetups, mentorship spaces, Zen dens for our neurodivergent friends. Tune in for updates on what issues Pink Boots is tackling in the industry today, how the organization looks to expand its reach and resources in Washington State, and how they (maybe accidentally?) ended up on a government watch list! Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and your best beer-career plot twists. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 176: Pink Boots Society Biennial Conference with Stacey O’Connor appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    57 min

  3. JAN 30

    Episode 175: Building a Community Around Lacey’s Lone Brewery with Casey Sobol

    This week are joined by veteran firefighter and Top Rung Brewing Company owner Casey Sobol. For over a decade, Top Rung has slowly but surely built a loyal community around Lacey’s only brewery by creating a hub for local drinkers, training a staff of hyper-knowledgeable beer servers, and brewing award-winning beers. Crack a Top Rung beer if you’ve got one, and tune in for the details on how this fantastic brewery was born from an unexpected homebrew competition win, how they’ve adapted to the changing craft beer landscape, and how a flagship beer ended up being one of the most highly awarded beers in the state of Washington. Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and what month Casey should represent in the Fireman’s Calendar. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 175: Building a Community Around Lacey’s Lone Brewery with Casey Sobol appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    56 min

  4. JAN 23

    Episode 174: Food and Beer Journalism from Chicago to Tacoma with Kristine Sherred

    The Tacoma News Tribune is in the building!  We are joined this week by food and dining reporter Kristine Sherred. A longtime food writer who first cut her teeth writing a feature for a Chicago brewery, Kristine moved to Tacoma in 2019 to immerse herself in the city’s long-standing food and beverage scene via the TNT Diner. Crack a Tacoma Brew and tune in to find out what hoops an up-and-coming writer in Chicago has to jump through, what spots have been the highlight of her Tacoma journey so far, and see if we finally get an answer to the age-old question, “When do people consider you to be from Tacoma, when you’re not from Tacoma?” Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and favorite grease trop stories. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 174: Food and Beer Journalism from Chicago to Tacoma with Kristine Sherred appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    1 hr

  5. JAN 16

    Episode 173: Merchant du Vin with Aaron Cohn

    Way back in 1978, craft beer legends Charles and Rose Ann Finkel founded a small importing business and began shipping classic European beers into the US, effectively changing the American craft beer landscape for generations. Nearly five decades later, and they’re still setting the standard. Aaron Cohn, regional sales manager at Merchant du Vin, joins us this week.  After many years in the beer industry working with local breweries, Aaron found his calling slinging the absolute best beer in the world to American consumers looking to deepen their knowledge and appreciation for the classics. Tune in to hear about Aaron’s history in the beer world, his affinity for the funk, and that one time he ghosted the rep for one of the most sought-after breweries on the planet! Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and your best import-beer moments. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 173: Merchant du Vin with Aaron Cohn appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    1 hr

  6. JAN 9

    Episode 172: The Future of Beer is “What, When, and Where” with Shanleigh Thomson

    It’s 2026! After a short holiday break, we are back to bring you an absolute banger of an episode to kick off the new year. We are joined this week by fermentation expert and beer education icon, Shanleigh Thomson. A longtime industry professional and creator of extra-crispy beer-focused content, Shanleigh has amassed an insane amount of beer experience and expertise. We dive into her history in the beer world, her diverse background and education, and her insights on the future of beer as the industry looks to utilize vintage hops and regional ingredients. Tune in for shenanigans, fantastic nuggets of knowledge, and to hear about how Shanleigh may have accidentally gotten one of her professors arrested. Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and favorite Bad Weather Tour locations. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 172: The Future of Beer is “What, When, and Where” with Shanleigh Thomson appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    54 min

  7. 12/19/2025

    Episode 171: Pre-Christmas Special with Sean Jackson

    We’re less than a week from Christmas, which means it was the perfect time to sneak away with our best buddy and former co-host Sean Jackson for a secret Sunday podcast. Tucked away in Doug’s studio, we popped a few fancy bottles to celebrate Sean’s 50th birthday and caught up with him as much as we could in an hour (it’s never enough time). Tune in to hear about Sean’s birthday surprise and, considering the recent news of Rogue’s closure, catch a few of his favorite stories from the Issaquah taproom and even some Dead Guy hat lore. Have a safe and wonderful holiday, y’all. Thank you a million times over for listening to us every week. We’re going to take a couple of weeks off to reset for the new year, but stay tuned for some great upcoming episodes. Much love! Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and the Rogue beer you’ll miss most. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 171: Pre-Christmas Special with Sean Jackson appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    1h 5m

  8. 12/12/2025

    Episode 170: The Art of Smoothie Sours with Shelby Bible

    As odd as it may sound, there really is an art behind making smoothie sours taste good.  Like anything else, there are good and bad examples, and often the difference is the thoughtfulness of the ingredients.  That’s why we wanted to bring in our buddy, Odd Otter head brewer, to help answer the age-old question: “How much soft serve ice cream is too much to add to your beer?” In all seriousness, Shelby is doing great work at Tacoma’s own Odd Otter Brewing Company, with a thoughtful emphasis on the “odd.” Everything from graf co-ferments with a Belgian dubbel base to peppermint white chocolate sour with winter spices. Tune in to hear the details and inspiration behind these well-executed beers and to catch up on how the brewery is doing after reopening under new ownership with a new direction. Tap, tap, tap Alright, Grit & Grainers! Please email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments, opinions, and hopefully Odd Otter holiday gift ideas. You can subscribe to GGP on YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and iHeartRadio, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers! The post Episode 170: The Art of Smoothie Sours with Shelby Bible appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

    1 hr
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4.9
out of 5
41 Ratings

About

Beer gurus Matt McLaren, Sean Jackson, and Ron Swarner explore and celebrate the craft beer industry, community, and history in Tacoma, Washington, and surrounding Pacific Northwest region.

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew, Sean, and Ron
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Show Website
    Grit & Grain Podcast

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