Seen Through A Glass

Lew Bryson
  • 4.8 (32)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Biweekly

Seen Through A Glass is mostly about drinks and food in central Pennsylvania, hosted by long-time drinks writer Lew Bryson. There are shows about particular products -- maple syrup, soft-serve ice cream, whiskey -- or profiles of individual towns, like Lock Haven, Carlisle, or Altoona. We also talk about life in central Pennsylvania, and what you can find there: covered bridges, excursion railroads, state parks, anything interesting we can find between Williamsport, Clarion, Johnstown, and Harrisburg (and occasionally elsewhere, when I travel). We do interviews, visits and descriptions, and there’s always What I’m Drinking Today; might be whiskey, might be beer, might be coffee. Grab a slice and a glass and join us! Seen Through A Glass accepts NO money from the businesses and people I talk to. If that ever changes, I’ll let you know.

  1. Sep 24

    30 Years of Bullfrog Brewery! - Season 3, Episode 90

    30 Years of Bullfrog Brewery! That should be all I need to say. The Bullfrog, Williamsport's oldest brewery (and best-known, until the incredible advent of New Trail), is an established icon of Billtown, seeming like it's been there on 4th Street forever. But as the interview with "originator" Steve Koch will demonstrate, it's a great story, with lots of live music along the way. I feel fully justified presenting it, too; I was there at the beginning. Great interview.  What else? My "What I Did On My Summer Vacation" report on Another World Music Festival! It's in the books, and it was truly a wonderful time.  I'll tell you about the food and drink joints we visited in Philly, and near Point Judith, Rhode Island (and Frank Pepe's Pizza along the way!).  Another reminder: the Kinzua Skywalk is open through the end of October! Now's the time to go leaf-peeping. Well...not quite now, the leaves haven't turned yet. But the day is coming quickly, and it's still an awesome view.  What I'm Drinking Today is Single Phaze IPA from Boal City Brewing. I'm not a big hazy IPA drinker, but this one's really tripping my trigger.   A word from our sponsor, DelGrosso Foods, features DelGrosso's Park, and the Harvest Fest there that's coming up this weekend! Next episode? Well, I'll tell ya. Right now, I'm relaxing by a lake in remote Canada with my friends Rich and Dave. But when we get back, the three of us are going to be taking the podcast somewhere it's never been before.    See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  2. Sep 10

    Barrels in Snyder County; Season 3, Episode 89

    They're making barrels in Snyder County! I think I told you this episode would be about some fun stuff we did and places we went in Philly and Rhode Island when we were celebrating our son Thomas's marriage to our new daughter-in-law, Shade Adekunle.   You're probably still going to get some of that next episode, but after I posted up last episode, I got an email from US Barrel Cooperage in Snyder County. They were responding to a request for an interview, and it came together quickly. I toured their stave mill and cooperage, and we had a chat with partner Dennis DeLong and manager George Sauder about how and why this all happened in a very rural part of the state, and what exactly they do. Great stuff.  I've also got some historical stuff about barrels, and a visit to Vinnie's in Middleburg, where Dave and I met our match with two huge sandwiches.  What else? One last reminder about the upcoming Another World Music Festival -- it's this weekend! -- and what's really the last book update for a while. I've got a reminder: the Kinzua Skywalk is open for two months only! Now's the time to go leaf-peeping. Well...not quite now, the leaves haven't turned yet. But it's still an awesome view.  I've also got an extensive teaser about the next episode, because it's about Bullfrog Brewery and their 30th anniversary, which they're celebrating in Williamsport on September 19th; and I hope to see you there! What I'm Drinking Today is 2SP Rum Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout, because of course I'm having a barrel-aged beer, and the guy who brewed this one is a genius.   A word from our sponsor, DelGrosso Foods, features Joe Joe's Sloppy Joe sauce, and I'll let you in on a secret thing I do with it.  Next episode is going to be an interview with Bullfrog Brewery co-owner Steve Koch, and some of those places we went in Philly and Rhode Island.  See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Bullfrog sound effect (freesfx.co.uk/sfx/bullfrog) used with permission of freesfx.co.uk "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  3. Aug 27

    Oktoberfest: It's The Best! Season 3, Episode 88

    John Trogner returns! With his brother Chris! The most popular episode we've ever run is still Number 3, our first holiday episode, that featured a lengthy interview with Tröegs Independent Brewing co-founder, John Trogner. We brought him back, with the other brewery co-founder, his brother Chris Trogner. I talked to them about Oktoberfest beers, and lagers, and the trip to Germany they were about to leave for only two days later.  I've got a bunch of stuff for you about Oktoberfest beer, the history of the original Munich Oktoberfest, my experiences there, and a small Swedish battleship (you'll have to listen to the end for that). I've also got information on SIX upcoming festivals in central PA, three Oktoberfests and three Fall/Harvest festivals, plus a reminder about the upcoming Another World Music Festival, and what's probably the last book update for a while.  What I'm Drinking Today is New Glarus Staghorn Oktoberfest, because of course I'm having an Oktoberfest, and this...is a good one.   A word from our sponsor, DelGrosso Foods, features their two premium lines of sauces, the DelGrosso Organics, and La Famigila DelGrosso, the line made with those imported, peeled, Italian plum tomatoes I told you about in the DelGrosso episode.  Next episode is going to be an improvised run through our son's wedding in Philly (with vignettes from the various bars, restaurants, and bakeries we visit) and a short decompression trip to Rhode Island. A mish-mosh, perhaps, but it should be fun.  See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  4. Aug 13

    Lewisburg: Not Named For Me! Season 3, Episode 87

    It took me a while to find the right story for Lewisburg. Usually these town profiles center on a brewery, or a distillery, a chef, a candymaker. But this time, it's about a bookstore.  I talked to Sarajane Snyder, the owner and inspiration at Mondragón Books, Lewisburg's community-supported bookstore. It's cozy, it's inspirational, it's necessary, it's...it has a tree in it. It has a cat. It has a fascinating selection of used books, LPs, zines, incense, and maps, and the reason it's there, in Lewisburg, opens up a whole discussion of why we have independent bookstores, and used bookstores, and community spaces that aren't the traditional ones.  This is, I think, one of the most important interviews we've done on the show, up there with Lindsay Hutchinson of People's Provisions, and Tom Doman, the trout guide.  There's all the usual town profile stuff, of course! I visited Paris Bakery & Cafe, Hungry Run Distilling's tasting room, The Fence drive-in, Susquehanna Smokehouse, May's Drive-in and May's Freez, the Roller Mills and The Street Of Shops, Fero Vineyards, Davy's Fresh Market, and Jackass Brewing.  There's a bonus interview with Eric Dash, the founder of the upcoming Another World Music Festival, coming to Coburn in Penns Valley on September 10-13. I was going to have this as part of a wider episode, but that's running late, and I wanted to bring the fest to your attention so you can plan to come join us. It's a GREAT way to experience Penns Valley! What I'm Drinking Today is the 2025 edition of Parker's Heritage Collection, an 11 year old American Straight Whiskey, in anticipation of the 20th anniversary edition that should be coming along any day now. But this one -- which got stuffed in a box while I went out flogging the new book last fall and I just rediscovered -- is pretty damned good till that comes along.   We have a new sponsor! I was contacted by DelGrosso Foods, and they're going to sponsor the show for a couple months. My thanks to them for the support. We've been using DelGrosso sauces for about 20 years, so it's no stretch to talk about them. Welcome aboard, DelGrosso! Next episode will be see the return of our most popular interview subject ever, to talk about a very seasonal delight. See if you can figure out what that means! See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  5. Jul 30

    CAUGHT! The Elusive Pennsylvania Swankey!; S3, Episode 86

    An almost extinct Pennsylvania beer, brought back from the brink! The Pennsylvania Swankey is a beer I've heard about for 30 years, but I never go to taste one until last week, when I interviewed Taylor Strein of Rosko's Brew House and William Wingfield of John Ryan Brewery, two small and excellent brewpubs in Williamsport. They collaborated on a batch of A Night at the Rosk-bury, a rare example of this unique Pennsylvania farm brew.  We'll talk about that, and their two breweries, about the brothers that own them, and the Penn Tech brewing science program they both attended, and their love for classic beer styles that, well, to be honest, makes both of these places top visits for me.  Of course you'll get some Williamsport history, including the Adena people who used this area as a continent-spanning trade route a thousand years ago, the way lumber transformed the city and the area, and its history on the Underground Railroad. Then we'll talk about the history of Pennsylvania Swankey, including input from PA Dutch scholar Doug Madenford (who lives a few valleys over and hosts the Doug's Front Porch podcast I appeared on in 2024), and the weirdly similar but distinctly different Cornish Swanky!  I've got a month's worth of Williamsport beer events for you, including the Bullfrog Brewery 30th anniversary party on September 19th, a tease of a Finger Lakes cornucopia episode that's been long a-building, the latest on the new book, and a neat Elk Creek Cafe singalong event.  What I'm Drinking Today is another of the Wheatland Spring Farm Brewery beers I picked up back in March, their Duration Sour Red Ale, a 9% beauty that really puts everything together. Cathy's not a sour fan, and she liked this one.  Next episode is once again up in the air; it's getting really close to my son's wedding and my time is splashed to the four winds. I'll have something for you, never fear! Oh, and YES, we have a new sponsor! I'll announce that in the next episode!  See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  6. Jul 16

    Sabatini's: The Best Beer Bar You've Never Heard Of; Season 3, Episode 85

    Have you ever heard of Sabatini's, in Exeter, PA? Sabatini's might be the best relatively unknown beer bar in the East. An unassuming pizzeria with a bar and bottleshop annex across the parking lot offers a ridiculously great tap selection, and around 3,000 different bottles of beer: import, domestic, craft, macro, micro, nano. It's a third generation family business, and I interviewed Lindo Sabatini.  But it's not just the beer! Sabatini's has renowned pizza, an "upside-down" pizza with the cheese on the bottom and the sauce on top, pushed right out to the edge of the pie, and diced pepperoni, and a thin, crisp crust. We'll talk about that too, and how Lindo learned to blend different ages of mozzarella, all from the same Wisconsin dairy they've been using for over 30 years, to get the perfect flavor and melt.  Then I went to another pizzeria, Nello's, and Michael Mootz Candies, (which, correction, is in Hanover Township, not Nanticoke) and Tarnowski's Kielbasa, just because I was there, and why not! All three were great; I love small businesses.  What I'm Drinking Today is Conshohocken Brewing's Nightbier Cometh, a delicious schwarzbier, made even better when I had it with some of those Mootz's chocolates.  Next episode will be an interview with two brewers who got together to make a uniquely Pennsylvania style of beer that is often talked about, but rarely made.  See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  7. Jul 7

    A Wedding Postponement (with a Drink!); Season 3 add'l

    The time crunch has arrived.   I've been warning you that I may need to take a break to fit everything in; it's a jam-packed summer for me. I'm trying to get a new whiskey book done on a very short deadline, and my son Tom is getting married at the end of August, and we've got a wedding shower in Philly this weekend.  It's here, that moment when it's all finally too much...but only by a bit. So I'm going to delay the next episode a week. I have all the material, I only need to edit the interview and write the script. Next Thursday, the 16th, you'll get a full episode, and we'll be back on the every-other-week schedule.  As an apology, here's What I'm Drinking Today. In recognition of the Team USA loss to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16, I popped a fresh, foamy bottle of Duvel, because it's always wonderful. Remember, then: Next episode will be on July 16th, and yes, it's still about the greatest Pennsylvania beer bar you've (probably) never heard of. And pizza. And kielbasa. And that should be a clue. Guesses? Anyone got guesses?  See you in ONE week! Until then? YOU CAN STILL TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!   This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

  8. Jun 25

    The Purple Lizards of the Grand Canyon! Season 3, Episode 84

    Remember how I said it was mostly about food and drink?  This episode is about the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities in central Pennsylvania. I talked to a guy who's arguably one of the foremost experts on the topic, who's also done a lot of work on outdoor recreation in the American West, and in New England. And he says that Pennsylvania's wilds and outdoor recreation opportunities are second to none! You asked for it! You wanted it! Hell, so did I! Here's an interview with Mike Hermann, the founder and lead cartographer at Purple Lizard Maps. Their recreational maps are waterproof, up to date, chockful of information, and a joy to look at. Mike is a great interview; it went a bit long but it's all good stuff. What I'm Drinking Today is Brewery Techne's Perkuno's Hammer, a beer I actually helped formulate, almost 30 years ago. It's still being made, same guy, but the third brewery where it's been made. It's still pretty great, too.   Next episode steps a bit outside the usual STAG geography, and will be about the greatest Pennsylvania beer bar you've (probably) never heard of. And a whole lot of pizza. And that should be a clue, right there. Guesses? Anyone got guesses?  See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST!   This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

See All (98)

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Seen Through A Glass is mostly about drinks and food in central Pennsylvania, hosted by long-time drinks writer Lew Bryson. There are shows about particular products -- maple syrup, soft-serve ice cream, whiskey -- or profiles of individual towns, like Lock Haven, Carlisle, or Altoona. We also talk about life in central Pennsylvania, and what you can find there: covered bridges, excursion railroads, state parks, anything interesting we can find between Williamsport, Clarion, Johnstown, and Harrisburg (and occasionally elsewhere, when I travel). We do interviews, visits and descriptions, and there’s always What I’m Drinking Today; might be whiskey, might be beer, might be coffee. Grab a slice and a glass and join us! Seen Through A Glass accepts NO money from the businesses and people I talk to. If that ever changes, I’ll let you know.

Information

  • Creator
    Lew Bryson
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Seen Through A Glass

You Might Also Like