Episode 43 - Jeff Wood, Creative Director of Rahr & Sons Brewing

Hey Hoplahoma, there's a new brewery in town. For the first time in their 12 year history, Rahr & Sons brewing has branched out to their neighbor to the north, Oklahoma. I talk with Jeff, their Creative Director in charge of labels, merchandise and promotional products. In short...my ideal job. One day. Until then, here is a bit from their press release...

"February 9, 2016 - Fort Worth, Texas - One of the largest craft breweries in Texas is expanding to the Sooner state. Starting March 1, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.’s craft beers will be available on store shelves and on tap at many restaurants and bars in Oklahoma.

Beers to be initially released in Oklahoma will include: Rahr’s Blonde, a Munich-style Helles Lager and the brewery’s very first beer; Ugly Pug, a Schwarzbier Black Lager; Stormcloud, an English India Pale Ale; Buffalo Butt, an American Amber; and Iron Thistle, a seasonal Strong Scotch-style Ale. Other beers will be released seasonally throughout the year.

With a strong German background and almost 170 years of brewing tradition in his blood, owner Fritz Rahr opened Rahr & Sons more than a decade ago with his wife, Erin. Rahr said he and his team look forward to serving their neighbors up north."

Rahr & Sons has been featured in local and national media, including being named in the top 4 of the 20 best craft breweries in America by Time Out, as well as the Best Brewery/Distillery by Fort Worth, Texas Magazine for two years in a row. For more information, please visit rahrbrewing.com and facebook.com/rahrbrewing.

Episode 33 - OK+ Series: Austin Clar of Sublime Imports

The beer scene in Oklahoma continuously grows every month it seems. We have several brokers and wholesalers bringing in new clients constantly. Over the past couple years we've seen Founders, Green Flash, Lagunitas, Evil Twin and now Lazy Magnolia out of Mississippi joins the portfolio of American craft products.

I've taken a look at the local culture of craft beer and with this new OK plus series I want to focus on brands that want to grow and flourish in Oklahoma.

I first learned of Sublime Imports from Michael Kiser's Good Beer Hunting podcast where his guest Austin Clar spoke of their imports available from Spain and Israel. As I listened further trying to soak up Michael's interview techniques and fulfill my beer geek needs I learned Sublime has a tie to Oklahoma. They joked briefly about how one does not simply come to Oklahoma and bypass major metropolitan cities that could support your brands. But Sublime has a natural tie to Oklahoma as Austins partner Michael has roots here. They are bringing in unique offerings that you'd most likely never look for on the shelf. One is brewed with rosemary honey, another with Mediterranean sea water. Yet as wild as some American craft beers have become lately what makes these beers from Spain so different and less appealing. We'll find out soon how Austin and Michael came to the OK market and what challenges they face with our archaic laws.