Beers with Nigel

Act 35: Gettin' hoppy wit it

Do you know where the hops come from in your beers? If you’ve had beer from BKS Artisan Ales, Windshift Brewing, Hopping Gnome Brewing and many other breweries, you actually do. Act 35 features Ryan Triggs, of Kansas Hop Company, in Ottawa, Kansas. Ryan tells us how the hop farm started, we learn about the hop harvesting process and how the region's breweries are excited about having fresh and local hops readily available for their beers. Kansas Hop Co also has a major announcement in this episode!

Drinkers: BKS Artisan Ales — Double Double; Windshift Brewing — Grapefruit Solar Tsunami; and Alma Mader Brewing — Subarctic//Citra Nelson. Mystery Beers: Windshift Brewing — Autumn Punch Cider; Martin City Brewing — Peanut Butter Porter; and Off Color Brewing — Beer for Ball Games.

Act 34: Have beer, will travel — It's just more fun with Mack

"Mack has more fun." That’s the mantra for Mack Brewing’s Dave “Philly” Mack, owner of one of the first black-owned breweries in Philadelphia, PA. In Act 34, we talk about how he got into beer, how he moved around the country with his home brews in tow and how Mack Brewing became a brand in West Philly. Shout to Transparent Brewing for our drinker, Totes Ya' Oats oatmeal stout. Mystery beers from Cosmic Eye Brewing, Kros Strain Brewing and Servaes Brewing.

Act 33: Beer and marriage, it's an institute you can't disparage...

Act 33 is definitely a beer love story. Wendy and Dave Hartmann from Gotahold Brewing join the show and tell us how their love of beer, and each other, brought them from two different parts of the country to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to start this awesome brewery. The story of the brewery name alone is a great. Act 33 is definitely Lifetime movie worthy!

And now for our beers. Drinker: Sock Hop — Transparent Brewing. Mystery Beers: Cherry Fandango — Toppling Goliath Brewing; Nitro Coconut Truffle — Southern Tier Brewing; and Fish Boy — Against the Grain Brewing.

Act 32: Some brotherly love

All Brian Fenstermaker wanted to do was brew beer his brother liked to drink. Little did he know his brother had much bigger ideas for those home-brews! This is a story you’ve got to hear to believe. Act 32 of BeerswithNigel features Iron Kettle Brewing. It’s the newest, oldest and only brewery in Grain Valley, MO. Or is it the oldest and newest and only? Doesn't matter. Listen anyway. Beers from 3 Trails Brewing, East Forty Brewing & Fringe Beerworks. This week's mystery beers: Elk Valley Brewing — Pecan Pie Barleywine; Roundhouse Brewing — Cinder Dick; IPA Kros Strain Brewing — Ditch Beer 2021; and Crane Brewing — Thought & Memory.

Act 31:Green Acres is the place to be; beer acres is where he wants to be

So, what ha-happened.... Nick Applegate left a city of half a million people to move to a town of 11,000. All to start a brewery. In the middle of a global pandemic. Sounds crazy, right? Maybe even absurd? But that's exactly what he did, joining an old high school buddy to launch The Iowa Project Brewing Company in Spencer, Iowa. Applegate cut his beer teeth at Diametric Brewing Company in Kansas City after several years as home brewer. During the episode, we talk about the culture shock moving to a small town, who influenced his brewing career and his vision for The Iowa Project.

For Junior! Beers from Hop Butcher, Untitled Art Brewing and Crane Brewing graced the show. Mystery beers included Narrow Gauge Brewing, Lively Beerworks and Servaes Brewing

Act 30: A tactical approach to beer game

Warcloud brewing may be the coolest craft beer brand you haven't heard of yet. Alero joins Nigel and Nick to talk about his crew's tactics and approach to building their brand and the upcoming launch of their Los Angeles-area brewery.

Nick & Nigel's drinker was Dunkel Me This from Transparent Brewing. Pulled from the Mystery Bag were: Carolater (sorry Neil, we forgot what "olater" means) — KC Bier Co.; Cheap Thrills Pilz — Fringe Beerworks; and Love it or Hate It Cucumber Gose — Lakeside Brewing.

Act 29: He’s an OG Citra Hops Head

You might know him as a brewer who loves his Citra hops. You may know him as the Wu Tang Clan’s biggest fan boy. Or you may know him as the Culinary Gangsta — that guy with 3 smokers in his back yard. Whether you know him or not, our guest for Act 29, Taylor Jones, has a big time love of beer and food. We talk his brewing chops and how much Citra he once put in a five gallon batch of beer. We also talk about his newest venture, Burn Theory Fire Kitchen, located at Diametric Brewing, and the origin of the soon-to-be world famous Taylor Tots. 

 

Beers featured on the show include: Wind Shift Brewing Irish Red; Diametric’s hoppy wheat and their Mexican hot chocolate Imperial Stout; and a Belgian Pale Ale from River Bluff Brewing. Mystery beers: Elvis Juice American IPA brewed with Grapefruit - BrewDog Brewing; Boo Young New England Pale Ale - Transparent Brewing; and Dragon’s Milk White Stout - New Holland Brewing.

Act 28: Picture this!

What beer do you pair with Lobster? How about an IPA? Advanced Cicerone and creator of the beer education cartoon Pints & Panels, Em Sauter, joins Nick & Nigel for Act 28. She gives us great ideas for beer/food parings, hips us to the New England beer scene and talks about her love for everything craft beer. We also learn the Pints & Panels origin story. 

Beer consumed from Athletic Brewing & Martin City. Mystery beers: Old Rasputin from North Coast Brewing, Nanners n’ Nilla from Narrow Gauge and Bohemian Breakfast from 4 Hands Brewing.

Act 27: Beer smarter; not harder

Nick and Nigel definitely got smarter — well, one of them did — during Act 27 of Beers with Nigel. Neil With, a beer industry vet, Master Cicerone and one of the foremost authorities on draft beer joins the show. We talk about beer (duh!), his draft system business and we ate if your beer has “ator” at the end of its name, it means something! The gang had beers from Civil Life, KC Bier & Epic Brewing. Mystery beers were from Vanessa House and Gotahold brewing. Get smarter and listen in!

Act 26: Beer + bourbon... what could go wrong?

A cuvee of beer and bourbon! Guess how that went? This episode isn't for the faint hearted — And we're talking about the drinking and the conversation, folks. In this episode, everything was on the table as we talk beer, bourbon, race and just about everything in between. Power couple Chalonda White, aka Afro Beer Chick, and Nik White, creator Chicago Beer Pass join Beers with Nigel representing the pod they do together, The Neat Pour — which as you might imagine focuses on bourbon, so you know Nick Parker was excited.

Beer was consumed from Foreign Exhchange, Transient Artisan Ales, Tapestry Brewing. Mystery beers from Roughtail Brewing, Alma Mader Brewing and Martin City Brewing and the bourbon: Barrel Bourbon, Few, Old Bardstown & Sazerac.