Episode 41 - Chef Trey of R Bar

Craft beer has a long history of being categorized as a food, a liquid bread, if you will and preferred over water when it wasn't as pure like the present day. Tulsa is home to a restaurant and bar where craft beer and locally sourced cuisines walk hand in hand. Welcome to R Bar. A place where you can find the newest offering from local breweries like Marshall and Prairie and enjoy with culinary delicacies from Chef Trey Winkle. Trey has turned traditional bar food on its head and created signature dishes like poutine with locally sourced cheese curds to the WAG burger served with a fried egg are enjoyed by all craft beer connoisseurs. Along with beer brunches and craft beer flights using Beer is OK's custom flight paddles, Trey and R bar are the perfect craft beer destination.

Episode 39 - CBAO - Special Presentation Part 2

The conclusion to the Craft Beer Summit, or State of the Brewnion that took place January 13 at Oak & Ore. We hear about how craft beer fared in 2015 by Micki, Prairie Artisan Ales new event coordinator. Adam Marshall talks about current laws and what we as consumers need to do to support the change in our archaic laws. We finish up with a small panel of breweries that discuss what it takes to go from home brewer to owning your own company.

Be sure to check local breweries like Marshall and Anthem to purchase official CBAO pint glasses for $5. All proceeds go back to the CBAO in funding for a lobbyist.

Episode 38 - Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma - Special Presentation

Oklahoma is starting of the year on a positive note with the first ever Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma beer summit. Labeled as the "State of the Brewnion", local craft breweries from Oklahoma gathered to discuss the past, present and future of their artisanal craft at Oak & Ore in OKC on January 13, 2016. This was a monumental occasion in having pivotal players like the brewers and representatives from OK senate to acknowledge our archaic liquor laws. For the past few years grassroots efforts have been diligently working to get the word out to the masses and we have reached a point where the breweries have said enough and want to have equal treatment like most other states in the union.

In the next 2 episodes we will hear from activists, brewers and employees about the state of craft beer in Oklahoma and how we, the consumer can help change the archaic laws.

After listening please find your local state representative and make your voice heard that these laws must change.

Finally, continue to support local breweries by purchasing their beer and merchandise. Your dollar always has a vote. It has always been my goal to support local breweries and I can't think of a better way then this podcast you are listening to. Always remember: Beer Is OK.

Episode 34 - #OKinAR

A couple weeks ago I took a field trip with friends Scott and Kevin of LOCAL and Tom Gilbert of the Tulsa World and What the Ale blog. Our mission: infiltrate the AR craft beer scene by sampling and purchasing high strength beers on their premises. First stop was food in historic downtown Rogers where we relied on Yelp to help us find Levi’s Gastrolounge. A renovated building served up some of the “best burgers for the next 100 miles” and local beer offerings. Ozark’s Berliner Weisse was the favorite as a straw colored sour beer quenched our thirst from the onslaught of heat outside. We talked Columbus House and folks over at Puritan Brew Co. To read more of our day trip and where to go, check out The LOCAL Report in the Oklahoma Craft Beer Guide magazine on Issuu.

Episode 25 - Prairie Boys

You certainly can find a lot to do around Tulsa when you're looking for a new career. For the past couple of months I've had the pleasure of bottling beers at the Prairie brewery in Tulsa. It's been a rewarding experience to say the least and getting to hear the dialogue between Chase and Jake about brewing tidbits or Wes and Collin joke about new beer names and labels. It's a small, tight-knit family that comes together and builds this massive movement in the craft beer industry. As we joked in the episode sometimes you get down to 2 people running the bottling line because the phone never stops ringing and the e-mail inbox is always full.

The perks of a long hard day are worth it but you have to be on your feet all day, eventually covered in water and sticky beer and lift heavy cases. As always most see it as a labor of love for a well hand-crafted product. It's a great feeling to know something I helped bottle will be shared around the country and more importantly is putting Oklahoma on the craft beer map.

Episode 24 - The Beers of Summer (Sponsored by BierGarten Wine & Spirits)

Well, that crazy time of year is slowly creeping upon us. Mayfest and Blue Dome Arts fest have roared through downtown along with the Hansons Hop Jam. May has been wet and wild as far as weather and festivals go and we look toward the hot, steamy summers we are known for in Oklahoma. A veritable Okie Death Valley if you will. Because after all this rain you'll need to mow your lawns at an accelerated rate (ugh) and need some refreshing beers to cool down with. (Paired with water, naturally.) 

So a group of close drinking comrades recently gathered to do the hard work of quaffing craft beers from around the country to help take the edge off the summer heat.







Everything reviewed (except growlers, but maybe one day in the future) can be found at BierGarten 

Beers and Overall Scores (Based on 6 reviewers)

1. Choc Spring IPA - 4.5
2. Elk Valley Pale Ale - 4
3. Anthem Arjuna - 4
4. Elk Valley Midnight Ryed - 4
5. Austin Eastciders Dry Cider - 4
6. Full Sail Session IPA - 3.5
7. Sierra Nevada Nooner Pils - 3
8. Prairie Artisan Ales Tulsa Rugby Ale (3.2%) - 3
9. Bridgeport Long Ball Golden Ale - 2.5
10. Marshall Brewing Lil' Belg (3.2%) - 2
11. Leinenkugel Canoe Paddler - 2
12. Sierra Nevada SummerFest - 1.5

Choc's seasonal Spring IPA was the overall favorite, if you couldn't tell from the episode how much everyone was gushing over it.

Episode 22 - It's Firkin Friday!

Once again Tulsa Craft Beer Week is upon us and my absolute favorite event is here. Firkin Friday hosted by R bar in Tulsa. This is where beer can show off all it's glamour with 5 gallons of beer and adjuncts in a cask that transforms into unique, flavorful elixir that tantalizes your taste buds.

We talked to TallGrass out of Manhattan, KS and their new rep for OK/AR and learn about their new expansion. We catch up with Wes of Prairie Artisan Ales and the delicious Prairie Weisse with Watermelon syrup. I chat briefly with the new operator of Biergarten in Jenks, Greg Davis, beer nerd afficianado. We end with Dead Armadillo and get the general crowds reaction to their Amber with ancho chilis, cinnamon sticks and orange slices in a randal.

As always, if you like the show please rate us on Stitcher.com and leave a review. That helps other beer geeks like yourself find our show.

Also, if you haven't gotten your tickets yet for the Tulsa Craft Beer Week Finale go to www.tcbwfest.bpt.me before they sell out!

Episode 10 - A Foamy Night with LOCAL

EPISODE 10

Good grief, it's October already. Oktoberfest, pumpkin, stout beers are rolling out while local craft beer is seeing more one offs like Marshall Brewing Bound for Glory, a Belgian ale aged in bourbon barrels and Fred's Blend from Prairie. If you were lucky to get that one, cheers and enjoy the double barrel bomb.

This podcast I pulled in Kevin Douglas Hall and Heather Sams, Tulsa beer geeks that love craft beer and support local. Funny cause their group is called LOCAL. League of Oklahoman's for Change in Alcohol Laws. We sample some beers and get down to brass tax of why they want to help local craft breweries grow and how that may affect our cities.

Grab a cold one like Marshall Oktoberfest or Choctoberfest from Choc and enjoy! PROST!

Fun at the Fur Shop

EPISODE 8

Welcome back to another exciting edition of Oklahoma Craft Beer. We're finally back in the saddle after vacationing to St. Louis and OKC for weddings and a week long trip to Beervana itself, Portland, OR. D'Wain brings news of his beercation in San Diego and the mouth-watering west coast IPAs he downed. This episode we recorded at The Fur Shop in downtown Tulsa, OK with owner/investor Chris Matthes and get the back story of this craft beer "dive" bar. I'd been visiting the Fur Shop a handful of times because of Chris' posts on Facebook and the delicious local craft beer that pours from their taps. For example they currently have 2 Coop, 3 Marshall, 4 Prairie, and Anthem on tap and a majority of craft bottles and cans. If you like to just have a chill evening, play giant Jenga with dirty suggestions written on them and listen to live music; this is your place.

Chris gives us a low down on how the Fur Shop came to be after finding an old Fur Shop sign in the Legends building across the street. I thought they just came up with the idea because of all the craft beer beard growing nuts out there. Boy how more wrong could I be. We also find out the ins and outs of running a bar and the lovely politics behind it in a law burdened state like Oklahoma. All of this is done while downing Roughtail's IPA and Prairie Wine Barrel Noir.

I'd like to announce as well we are looking for a local band that may be interested in creating some intro/exit music for us. Something around a minute that we can use for the podcast and would be a free promotion for your band. Please send music to brian@beerisok.com.

Thanks as always for listening and "Cultivate the Craft" for Oklahoma craft beer!

Reblouchon...Again

Episode 5

D'Wain and I BBQ with our friend, home brewer and chef, Craig Norred. Listen as they swap tattoo stories while I cringe in the background as well as food an beer pairings Craig has experimented with. A particular French cheese grabs the spotlight towards the end you don't want to miss.

Little Brewery on the Prairie

Episode 3

Brian and Ethan  Buckman tuck into Choc's Spring release, India Pale Ale, in hopes of a quick Spring. Meanwhile we discuss Ethan's endeavors in his personal gypsy project while brewing for Mustang full time. Also we get interviews from Wes and Chase of Prairie Artisan Ales at their latest brewery tour in February. Crack a beer and take a listen while we Cultivate the Craft!

Twitter handles to watch for:

@DocBuckmans

@WhiteFlag

@CavemanCBrew

@ReddRhenBrewin