"As we missed a week for Thanksgiving, we are back with a bumper edition. Heading into the dark winter days, we select 6 hearty stouts that we think are good selections for either go-to or treat beers from the dark side. Joining Mark and Phil is Chuck Fo

"This episode sees Mark and Phil heading down to Blue Nose Brewery in Hodgkins, IL, to join up with Tim Hoerman from 51st Ward Beer Company and Andrew Nordman from Cademon Brewery, for an intense discussion on beer adjuncts. Tim threw down the brewing gau

"This edition focuses on a conversation with NBC Brewmaster Marc Wilson. Phil and Mark visited with Marc on National Learn to Homebrew day, when Marc was entertaining the Spent Grain Society at Nevin's brewery in Plainfield. We arrived in time for a firk

"Tim Hoerman from 51st Ward Beer Co, and Kevin Salvi from Bucket List Brewing got together on the first day of the Cubs 2016 season and put a saison into a red wine barrel. On Oct 29th, ahead of Game 4 of the World Series, they bottled this in flip-top bo

"Recently a local liquor chain sent out a coupon for a couple of bucks off their pick-your-own 6-pack, so we stopped by and selected 6 cans from local suburban and beyond, Illinois breweries. We reviewed them a mind to introducing the breweries to folks w

"Following GABF, Mark took a road trip out to the West, and visited Laramie Wyoming and Boise Idaho, and discovered that those cowboys have pretty good breweries and beers! He brings back samples from 4 breweries on this show, and we get a good sampling a

"We love putting shows together, but this one was a particular pleasure and a treat for both of us. Following GABF 2016, Mark and Phil sit down with one of the Illinois medal winning brewers, Shaun Berns from Ram Brewery (Schaumburg) to chat about his pas

"To coincide with the 2016 GABF, we are tasting some Colorado brews that were provided to the pubcast earlier this year, and need to be tasted! Joining Phil this week is John Bitterman, Chuck and Mimi Fort, and John Karwoski. The brews we have selected ar

"Chris Valleau is the owner/brewer for ESBC, and together with his wife Katherine, he brought craft beer and great food to Forest Park. The brewery sits on the northern boundary of Madison St, with River Forest on the other side of the road (so look for t

"On this episode, we gather a few friends of the podcast to talk about several topics and sample some limited releases that you may have or should be able to still get. Kevin Herbst from Midwest Brewers Fest is here to talk about the next MBWF 2016 festiv