BAOS: Beer & Other Shhh Podcast High Season Network

The second episode of our new season, The Business of Beer, brings in the Co-Founders of the breweries represented in Episode #1. Jeff Talmey of Town and Andrew Silver of Fine Balance join Cee and Nate to chat about the current state of the craft beer industry, being a boutique craft brewery versus a growth-oriented craft brewery, the pros and cons of selling craft beer in the LCBO, brewing and selling flagships or mainstays versus producing one-off releases every week, the different distribution options (bars, indie bottle shops, LCBO, grocery, The Beer Store), selling kegs to craft beer bars versus regular bars, and the variation of ingredient costs. They got into some gems from both breweries - Town Quick One Lager, Fine Balance x Heist Bankroll Italian Pilsner, Town Outside Jokes Pale Ale, and Fine Balance Wander Double IPA. This was jam-packed with gems - cheers!
 
BAOS Podcast
Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube | Website | Theme tune: Cee - BrewHeads

While Quebec was slow to enter and embrace the haze game, they've delivered on a level that has made the province some of the best producers of the style in the country. Montreal's Messorem Bracitorium opened in the summer of 2019 and the fanfare was immediate - clearly the hazeboiz and hazegirlz were ready for something local that paralleled their US faves. Co-Founder and Graphic Designer Marc-André joined Cee and Nate to chat about what's been happening since Messo's last podcast appearance in early 2020, how their lager program has become a massive part of the business, why their attention to detail has made them who they are, the pushback they received from local breweries, how important their merch has been to the brand, how they've upgraded their space and created one of the best patios in the city, and how they've been building their name internationally via collabs and festivals. They got into Il Fut Un Temps: Indulgent Mexican Lager, Il Était Une Fois : Sécheresse Helles Lager, Destin Certain IPA, and Temporalis #0017 Double IPA. Such a fire chat - cheers! 
BAOS Podcast
Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube | Website | Theme tune: Cee - BrewHeads

Welcome to our brand new season, The Business of Beer! This whole thing started in early 2024 when Cee and Tiff did a pod focused on why so many craft breweries are closing, and that led to a whole slew of episodes focused on varying aspects of the craft beer industry. These episodes became so popular with guests reaching out to be on the pod to not talk about their own brewery that the team figured it'd make more sense to kick off a dedicated season. 
 
We're setting it off with two phenomenal taproom managers - Caitlyn of Town Brewery and Jamie of Fine Balance joined Cee and Nate to get into the misconceptions of what taproom managers actually do, the pricing of retail beer, changing consumer habits in the taproom, the popularity and importance of new releases vs flagships, taproom challenges, the value of merch for a brewery, hospitality and the value of great service, Google reviews and the Untappd effect on breweries. They cracked a series of killer brews - Town Square Wheels Hazy IPA, Town Easy Tiger Non-Alcoholic Lager, Fine Balance Trailhead American Pale Ale, Fine Balance Spicy Water (Raspberry), Town Hot Knives Hazy DIPA, Town Local Hero Non-Alcoholic IPA, Fine Balance x Slake Mountview Farmhouse, and Fine Balance Spicy Water (Peach). This was a brilliant way to launch a new series - enjoy!
 
BAOS Podcast
Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube | Website | Theme tune: Cee - BrewHeads

While Toronto's Henderson Brewing feels like they're Ontario OGs, they're only 8 years old and it's well overdue that we have them on the pod. Co-Founder Adin Wener joined Cee and Nate to chat about their gateway approach to beer, their incredible partnership with Rush, how the expiration of the Master Framework Agreement isn't going to be the craft beer boom a lot of people think it will be, why they're ending their Ides series and the upcoming book, the importance of winning over your local crowd, their unique partnership with Bench Brewing, Pickle Fest and their awesome Pearson Airport bar collab with Rush. They got into a bunch of Hendo gems, including Henderson's Best Amber Ale, Meek Joe Mild IPA (Ides of April 2024), Super Joe Strong IPA (Ides of April 2024), Rush Canadian Golden Ale, Rush X-1 Xanabrew II Belgian Black Ale. This was a beaut - cheers!
BAOS Podcast
Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube | Website | Theme tune: Cee - BrewHeads

In 2024, it's never been a tougher time for craft breweries and brewpubs, but for Toronto's Laylow Brewery, the recent closure of their taproom opened up amazing new possibilities. Co-Founders Dan and Colin joined Cee at home in Hamilton to chat about their first canned beer ever thanks to Avling Brewery, the pivot from brewpub to beer and lifestyle brand, the impact the community has had on them, why they chose to brew different beers to what's currently hyped, how they work with the Hip Hop community, how they approach their clothing brand, their next steps and their Top 5 rappers and rap groups of all time (one of our favourite segments if it ever comes up). They crushed their brand new Zenith Belgian Golden Ale and a relic Lightworks Hibiscus Wheat Beer bottle. This was fire, enjoy!
BAOS Podcast
Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube | Website | Theme tune: Cee - BrewHeads

We love seeing a brewery grow and thrive from inception, and we've had the pleasure of watching Montreal's 4 Origines do just that since 2018. Keegan and Mike joined Cee and Nate to catch up on the last few years, they touched on their upcoming 6th anniversary, the opening of their West Island brewery Origine Brasse, the differences between beer tastes in Montreal and Dorval, why food is such an important part of their growth, their love for tea and distaste for lactose, the issues with distribution in Quebec and the recent lawsuit with Transbroue and Triani, how Quebec craft beer taxation works, and how the pandemic made Canadian beer better. They got into a bunch of killer brews - Origine Lager, Bontanik Blanche (White), Gose Down Easy, Blanche du Sud-Ouest New England White, and Ice Thé de Montreal. This was a gem - cheers!
BAOS Podcast
Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube | Website | Theme tune: Cee - BrewHeads