Episode 35 - Twisted Spike Brewing Part 1

Labor day afforded my wife and I to take a trip over to Oklahoma City this year. We took a slight detour though over to the neighboring city of Edmond. Winding through the burbs and pleasant neighborhoods you'll find what most have taken to as a major hobby these days. Bruce Sanchez was diligently at work on a new brew in his garage. His brew system consisted of converted kegs that was multi-purpose for sparging and cooling the wort. A true rig by a veteran engineer like himself it is n wonder guys like this are making good beers. We got a quick tour of his garage, his 2 beer fridges with libations to keep him going and cold storage for lagering. The oppressive heat took us inside where his cellar was bursting with sours he concocted over the past couple years. Bruce is a smart guy and has taken his time to formulate recipes as well as the perfect venue to serve them up. Listen in as my wife and I get the scoop with Bruce and wife Donna and how Twisted Spike came to be.

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 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.

Episode 32 - BeerSnobRob

Rob Neville. Comedian. Somewhat home brewer. Beer Snob. Well, not really. Rob and I met up at the Patriarch in Edmond, OK to check out the latest craft beer bar in the state. Thankfully places like this continue to pop up as an old house has been converted into, well a house with 48 taps, wine and bottled beer with a backyard full of tables, a patio, stage, yard games and another bar when it really gets busy. So make sure to check them out.

So being in an old house there was a bit of noise and naturally we had a small audience to make Rob feel more comfortable as we talk home brewing disasters, the hilarity of Untappd and pretty much put big beer in its place.

So check him out at RobNeville.com and @beersnobrob on all the social media platforms.

WARNING: There is some explicit language in this episode. Not every other word but mostly used within context. So for all you Keystone Light drinkers, be prepared.

Bullets 2 Bandages

So I've been following the +BeerDisciples Ross for some time watching their beer reviews and endless tweets about the craft beer industry. I noticed a posting for bloggers who wanted free swag. I'm hardly one to turn anything down so of course I jumped at the opportunity. Ross is a marketing/social media guru and partners with B2B on advertising their products that range from these openers to necklaces and apparel. Once we connected, a .50 caliber, matte black shell with my Beer Is OK logo showed up.

This thing is simply incredible. Completely upcycled from a once fired bullet it is hefty and well crafted. The logo embossed in gold is a nice touch with sharp quality.

Bullets 2 Bandages started as a way to give thanks to the U.S. veterans and eventually give back to programs that support them.

Head on over to www.bullets2bandages.org and check out their vast array of openers in many sizes and finishes. Check out their local partners like Beer Disciples and pick up their bourbon barrel bullet opener. The best part about these items is they are all handcrafted here in America, just like your favorite craft beer.

Episode 31 - Nothing's Left Brewing

Say you've been homebrewing for a while with your good friend and you finally want to give it a try on a professional level. My guests this episode are Aaron and Travis of Nothing's Left Brewing. The name may be a bit odd but appropriate in the right vernacular which could probably spawn some rather clever beer names down the road. They are just coming online with their first festival appearance in Broken Arrow's Red, White and Brew that I later learned they had a great reception and gave out every drop of their beer. We go through the ins and outs of why they think this venture in a state with heavy restrictions can prosper as we share their low point strawberry blonde beer.

Episode 29 - Celebrating 6 years of Mustang Brewing Co.

Tim Schoelen of Mustang has a natural business mentality. Something that is sacred when trying to grow a brewery in a state full of alcohol restrictions. Throw in a tornado that destroys your primary operation and now you have an evangelist that could have easily packed it in but instead built a bigger brewery and developed the OKCity Co-Op brewery for a second time. It's no wonder Mustang has been around for 6 years, now located in the outskirts of downtown.

Tim graciously took some time with me to discuss the beginning of the idea to build a brewery to moving away from canned craft beer while so many others are only canning. Tim knows what he likes and has the confidence in his staff which now includes collaborations with Choc Beer in Krebs to experiment and create the best craft beer for Oklahomans.

Settle in with some Tractor Therapy Session IPA and listen in as we discuss the evolution of Mustang Brewing Co.