Explore double-barrel bourbon-and-rye stouts and the science behind a perfectly balanced hazy IPA.

Brothership Brewing Co-Owner Tom Soltis and Head Brewer David Basile break down why their signature stouts go through two barrels instead of one, the vanillin compound that ties barrel-aged beer together, and what turbidity has to do with a well-balanced hazy IPA. Plus: New Zealand Peacherine hops, a hot take on THC seltzers, and a blueberry beer brew day gone hilariously wrong.

0:00 Intro

1:00 Meet Brothership Brewing's Tom Soltis and David Basile

1:46 Is the Taproom UFO Real?

2:53 Celebrating Six Years in Mokena

4:40 Why They Picked Mokena, Illinois

5:37 Is Chicago Water Really the Best for Brewing?

6:45 How Brothership Got Its Name

8:29 From Chicago Kitchens to Head Brewer: David's Origin Story

9:47 The First Beer David Ever Brewed

10:25 Cooking vs. Brewing: The Biggest Difference

12:56 Who's the Boss, You or the Yeast?

13:53 David's First Brewing Job at Mad Hatchet

14:42 The Sour Beer David Won't Recreate

15:46 From Werk Force Brewing to Head Brewer at Brothership

17:47 How Tom Decided to Hire David

20:10 Tasting the Experimental 008 Hazy IPA

20:32 What Happened to the Orbit 6 Anniversary Beer

21:16 Bright Lights, a 4.5% Light Lager

23:02 Why Lagers Are Harder to Brew Than Hazies

24:56 Brewer's Break

25:47 Brothership's Full Beer Lineup (Sours, Lagers, Oktoberfest)

26:48 Inside Brothership's Award Case

28:05 Tasting Anti-Matter Hazy IPA with Peacherine Hops

28:58 What Makes a Truly Balanced Beer

30:50 What Is Turbidity in a Hazy IPA?

31:56 Anti-Matter vs. Experimental 008: What's the Difference?

32:58 Wait, Is Alcohol Actually Sweet?

34:19 Introducing the Double Barrel Space Debris Stout Series

36:50 What Sets Brothership's Barrel Program Apart

38:02 Why These Stouts Take Nearly Three Years

39:44 David's Approach to Blending Barrels Like a Chef

41:47 How the Barrel “Speaks” to a Brewer

42:52 The Rum Barrel Secret: Pina Colada Seltzer

44:11 DBVR: A Stout Made With Vanilla From Three Countries

47:25 The Science Behind Vanilla in Barrel-Aged Beer

47:29 Why the Messier Series Is On Hold

50:58 A Shoutout to the Launch Sequence Anniversary Stout

51:12 Key Lime Pie Sneak Peek

53:03 Short Pour: Tom's Most Overrated Beer Trend

55:23 Short Pour: David's Craziest Brew Day Mishap

56:42 Outro and How to Support Crafty Brewers

58:28 Final Toast

About Brothership Brewing: Brothership Brewing is a craft brewery and taproom in Mokena, Illinois, brewing IPAs, DIPAs, sours, stouts, pilsners, and barrel-aged beers under the motto “Believe in Beer.” Learn more on their website at https://www.brothershipbrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth and attribution consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you'll learn about: New England IPA, hazy IPA brewing science, bourbon barrel aging, rye barrel aging, barrel-aged imperial stout, vanillin flavor compound, beer turbidity, American light lager brewing, Peacherine hops, New Zealand hops, homebrew to professional brewer, craft beer competition medals, Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer (FOBAB), Mexican lager craft beer, kettle sour beer, Chicago craft beer scene, Mokena Illinois brewery, coconut stout, craft beer yeast pitching, small-batch experimental beer series.

Brian and Cody preview all six 2026 Goose Island BourbonCounty Brand Stout variants just as they are announced.

On this special preview episode of Crafty Brewers, Brian andCody break down the entire 2026 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup. They cover all six bourbon barrel-aged beers in this year's release: the Original Stout, Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout, Apple Crisp Stout, Triple Oak Barleywine, Toasted Barrel Rye Stout, and Proprietor's Stout (Pineapple Upside-Down Cake), discussing tasting notes, barrel programs, and what makes each variant in this year's Bourbon County Brand Stout release worth seeking out.

0:00 Intro

0:53 2026 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout

3:27 2026 Bourbon County Brand Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout

5:31 2026 Bourbon County Brand Apple Crisp Stout

7:13 2026 Bourbon County Brand Triple Oak Barleywine

9:15 2026 Bourbon County Brand Toasted Barrel Rye Stout

10:53 2026 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor's Stout(Pineapple Upside-Down Cake)

14:43 Recapping the Full 2026 Bourbon County Lineup

15:20 Why You Should Still Support Your Local Brewery

17:33 Oak Park Micro Brew Review Preview (Aug 22, 2026)

About Goose Island Beer Co.: Founded in Chicago in1988, Goose Island created the original bourbon barrel-aged stout for the brewery's 1,000th batch in 1992. Learn more on their website at https://www.gooseisland.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, anenterprise podcast growth and attribution consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you'll learn about: Bourbon County BrandStout, bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, Goose Island barrel program, Black Friday beer release, Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout, rum barrel finished beer, Apple Crisp Stout, Triple Oak Barleywine, Angel's Envy Triple Oak Bourbon, Chinkapin oak beer aging, Toasted Barrel Rye Stout, Elijah Craig rye whiskey barrels, Proprietor's Stout Chicago-only release, pineapple upside-down cake beer, panela sugar beer, Montmorency cherry beer, Buffalo Trace barrel beer,Heaven Hill barrel beer, Four Roses barrel beer, Wild Turkey barrel beer, and craft beer barrel aging.

A mission-driven brewer explains why "beer alone isn't enough" — and how a 45-year-old wedding invite, an accidental World Beer Cup medal, and a legendary Czech dark lager came together in Batavia, Illinois.

Sturdy Shelter Brewing Owner and Head Brewer Frank Mercadante shares the personal story of a brewery built on a Catholic scripture — one that was unknowingly already on his 45-year-old wedding invitation. He discusses the community-first mission that drives every decision at Sturdy Shelter, the international brewery trips that led Frank to the legendary U Fleků in Prague, the science behind why Hefeweizen is the hardest style to brew, and why his phone started flooding with congratulatory messages when he least expected it.

0:00 Intro

2:15 The Historic Building and Mark Twain

2:47 Introducing Frank Mercadante

3:17 How Every Beer Tells a Story

4:32 The Francesco Italian Pilsner

9:22 The Scripture Behind "Sturdy Shelter"

11:10 The 45-Year-Old Wedding Invitation

12:38 From Youth Minister to Brewer

14:33 Getting Serious About Homebrewing

16:36 Entering Homebrew Competitions

17:54 What Youth Ministry Taught Frank About Running a Brewery

19:10 Why Frank Needed More Than Beer

20:45 The Food Pantry and Giving Back

23:36 Brewer's Choice: Dancing House Dark Czech Lager

24:15 What Is a Dark Czech Lager?

25:12 Sturdy Shelter's International Brewery Trips

26:55 How U Fleků in Prague Inspired the Dancing House

29:14 Two Years to Perfect the Czech Dark Lager

31:11 Why Dancing House Became Their #1 Beer

35:17 Why Hefeweizen Is So Hard to Brew

36:45 Sweaty Yeast, Circus Peanuts, and Hefeweizen

39:08 Winning a World Beer Cup Medal by Accident

42:03 What Makes a Great Dunkel?

44:26 Why Frank Chose Batavia

45:27 Batavia's Inferiority Complex

46:10 "This Is All Ours"

46:37 Why All Their Merch Says "Batavia"

47:10 How Frank Found (and Afforded) This Building

50:56 What's Next: A Riverfront Deck

53:05 The #1 Mistake People Make Judging Beer

54:03 Frank's Most Emotional Moment

55:37 Final Toast: Cheers to Community

About Sturdy Shelter Brewing: Sturdy Shelter Brewing is a community-driven craft brewery and taproom in a historic mid-1800s building on the Fox River in Batavia, Illinois, where the mission is to create a "treasured and genial" gathering space one person, one conversation, and one highly crafted beer at a time. Learn more on their website at https://sturdyshelterbrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Italian Pilsner brewing, dark Czech lager, Czech dark lager history, decoction mashing, Bohemian lager ingredients, Saaz hops, ferulic acid rest, step mashing Hefeweizen, Munich Dunkel brewing, World Beer Cup 2024, spirituality of hospitality, homebrewing competitions, community-focused brewery, brewery international trips, Iroclia Weyermann malt, Zuppersaser hops, Italian Pilsner malt profile, Carobohemian malt, homebrew to commercial brewing, barrel aged stout, and Klüber IPA.

How do you build a 3-time GABF-medal winning craft brewery from scratch in 10 years with no investors, and one brewer with no sense of smell?

Brandon and Amanda Wright, co-owners of Werk Force Brewing Company in Plainfield, Illinois, trace the 10-year arc of how Chicago Brew Works — the homebrew supply shop they opened in 2012 — evolved into one of Chicagoland's most influential breweries, with multiple GABF medals to show for it. They cover what it's like to build a brewery as a married couple, the next big beer trend, the whole-bean coffee technique behind their stout series, and how Brandon brews award-winning beer without a sense of smell.

0:00 Intro

0:45 Welcome to Werk Force Brewing in Plainfield, Illinois

2:53 How Werk Force Started as a Homebrew Supply Store in 2012

3:27 From OfficeMax to a Winery to Homebrewing Full-Time

4:45 Brando's House of Awesomeness (And Why Amanda Said No)

5:32 How They Started Chicago Brew Works on a Kitchen Table

5:59 Building Chicagoland's Biggest Homebrew Supply Store

8:37 Why Werk Force Never Took an Investor

9:06 Where the Name Werk Force Comes From

11:16 What's It Like to Run a Brewery With Your Spouse?

15:28 Designing the Taproom (No TVs, Communal Tables)

17:07 The Six Degrees of Werk Force Brewing

19:15 What Was Werk Force's First Beer?

19:55 Why You Can't Call This West Coast IPA Pineapple Express

21:57 How West Coast IPAs Have Changed in 12 Years

24:10 The Next Big Beer Trend: Under 4.5% ABV

25:42 Really Decent: A 3.9% All-Malt Lager

27:04 Beer Break

27:47 Welcome Back: Meet Brandon's Brewing Team

29:36 How Werk Force Won 3 GABF Medals in 2 Years

32:38 What Are the Best Bourbon Barrels for Aging Beer?

34:44 Where Sleepy Bear Got Its Name

35:39 Polar Bear: A Two-Year Bourbon-Barrel Coffee Stout

36:24 How Werk Force Designs Sleepy Bear Labels

39:16 The Whole-Bean Coffee Trick That Avoids Off-Flavors

40:57 How to Decide on Sleepy Bear Variants Each Year

44:15 Brian Doesn't Have a Sense of Smell

45:37 How Brandon Brews Award-Winning Beer Without Smelling It

48:24 What's the Hardest Part of Brewing Without a Sense of Smell?

50:18 Does Werk Force Use AI to Design Recipes?

53:26 What Makes a Great Oktoberfest Beer?

56:08 Marzen vs. Fest Beer: What's the Difference?

56:52 Inside the Barrel Den: Werk Force's Event Space

58:09 What's Next for Werk Force Brewing?

59:43 Final Four: The Beer They'll Never Brew Again

62:00 Brandon and Amanda's Off-the-Clock Beer Picks

62:33 Final Four: Best Food and Beer Pairing

65:11 Final Toast: Calm Down, Have a Beer, Hit the Road

About Werk Force Brewing Company: A three-time GABF medal winning craft brewery in Plainfield, Illinois, known for the Sleepy Bear barrel-aged imperial stout series, classic West Coast IPAs, and lower-ABV lagers. Learn more on their website at https://www.werkforcebrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Werktoberfest, Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels for beer, Blanton's barrel-aged stout, Weller bourbon barrels, 10 Drops Coffee Roasters Outsiders Blend, Vireman malt, Rocky Reef Brewing collaboration, Metal Monkey Brewing, Goose Island barrel aging legacy, Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Pineapple Express TTB label rejection, DDH double dry hop IPA, Madagascar vanilla and cacao nibs in stout, diacetyl off-flavor detection, wax-dipped 375ml limited release bottles, and U.S. Open Beer Championship gold.

Learn the secret ingredients behind the best Belgian Whites and what happens when a brewer finally feels satisfied with what he’s built.

Lake Effect Brewing Company Founder, Owner, and Head Brewer Clint Bautz discusses the brewing science behind Belgian witbier, including the role of yeast, protein haze, and the mysterious “secret spice” that gives great Belgian Whites their distinctive flavor. He also explains why it took Lake Effect 10 years to open a taproom and why, after years of building, he’s finally happy with the brewery exactly as it is. Plus: how an early equipment limitation pushed Lake Effect into brewing sour beers and the differences between Belgian witbiers and German hefeweizens.

0:00 Inside Lake Effect Brewing, Recorded Live in the Taproom

2:34 How Brian Discovered This Brewery in a Chicago Alley

4:43 Lake Effect’s 10-Year Journey to Opening a Brewery Taproom

8:14 Why Clint Quit Homebrewing and Started a Brewery

9:51 Serving Customers During the Podcast and What Is a Strong English Bitter Pub Ale?

11:40 The First Beer Clint Ever Brewed at Lake Effect

12:45 Lake Effect Snow: What Makes a Belgian White Beer?

15:38 Belgian Witbier vs Hefeweizen: What’s the Difference?

16:50 Why Yeast Creates Banana and Spice Flavors in Beer

17:45 The Equipment Mistake That Forced Clint to Brew Sour Beer

19:32 What Is Brettanomyces? (The Funky Yeast in Sour Beer)

21:56 Beer break

22:55 Designing the New Lake Effect Taproom

27:00 How Customers Became Brewery Investors

29:10 Why Lake Effect Does So Many Beer Collaborations

33:35 Inside Lake Effect’s Good Better Best Pub Ale

40:35 What Happens When a Brewery Owner Stops Brewing

42:56 What’s Next for Lake Effect Brewing?

45:01 The Final Four Questions for Brewers

Learn more about Lake Effect Brewing, located in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood, at https://www.lakeeffectbrewing.com/

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Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com

Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, an enterprise podcast growth consultancy. If your brand would like to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting, then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: craft beer, Belgian white ale, Belgian witbier brewing, Lake Effect Snow beer, Mosaic hops pale ale, single malt single hop pale ale, Falconer’s Flight hops IPA, sour beer brewing, wild fermentation beer, sour beer tanks, beer fermentation temperature control, beer yeast flavor profile, flaked oats in beer, pilsner malt brewing, hazy beer proteins, craft beer yeast flavors, IPA hop blend brewing, Great Lakes Series beer, Avondale Chicago brewery, Chicago beer scene, craft brewery taproom Chicago, brewery startup story, brewery expansion Chicago, homebrewing to commercial brewing, sour beer sanitation risks, dedicated sour tanks brewing, pub ale bitter beer style, Czech pilsner inspiration, craft beer ingredient balance, brewing equipment temperature control tanks, and the craft beer fermentation process.

How did Noon Whistle Brewing create a West Coast IPA with bold hop flavor but none of the harsh bite that turns skeptics away?

From late hopping techniques and water chemistry to managing bitterness perception and “yeast afterbite,” the Noon Whistle team discusses how drinkability became their competitive advantage. Paul Kreiner (Co-Owner & Brewmaster), Mike Condon (Co-Owner), and Joe Condon (Marketing & Creative Director) share how that philosophy helped them win gold with an amber lager, experiment with wild fermentation (including beers that “sucked for a year”), and build a brand that balances hype with approachability.

0:00 From Session Beers to Gold Medals at Noon Whistle

3:20 The Story Behind the Noon Whistle Name

6:22 Why They Started With Low ABV Session Beers

8:50 How Drinkers Think About ABV vs Taste

9:56 What Is “Yeast Afterbite” in Beer?

10:36 How Paul & Mike Decided to Open a Brewery

11:59 From Homebrewer to Siebel Institute Graduate

13:58 Does Chicago Have the Best Water for Brewing?

14:54 Would You Taste a Water Profile Change?

16:43 How the Craft Beer Business Has Changed in 10 Years

18:34 How Noon Whistle Built Wide Distribution in Illinois

19:50 Joe Condon’s Branding Strategy & Costco Packaging

23:44 Describing the “Baby Case” 24-Pack Box

29:49 Hop Prism Blue: A Less-Bitter West Coast IPA

38:48 Bruski Amber Lager Wins World Beer Cup Gold

39:57 Amber Ale vs Amber Lager: What’s the Difference?

43:06 What It’s Like to Win World Beer Cup Gold

45:39 Funderen Wild Sour & FOBAB Silver Medal

55:08 How Important Is Barrel Aging to Noon Whistle?

57:43 Barrel-Aged S’more Nutz Stout

59:28 Does Every Chicago Brewery Need Barrel Aging?

1:03:32 The Intense R&D Behind Their Tavern-Style Pizza

1:07:00 Pause & Pause Plus THC Sparkling Water

1:16:26 The Final Four Questions

1:22:47 Favorite Beer & Food Pairings

About Noon Whistle Brewing: Noon Whistle officially opened its doors in 2014 with the original production facility and tasting room in Lombard, IL. Before long, Noon Whistle branched out beyond only producing styles with lower ABV to include hazy, hoppy, sours and everything in between. Learn more on their website at https://www.noonwhistlebrewing.com/

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You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com

Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC, a podcast growth consultancy that helps brands turn niche audiences into loyal customers. If you’re ready to build authority, drive measurable results, and grow through podcasting, visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/

Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Hop Prism Blue, Bruski Amber Lager, Funderen Wild Sour, Barrel-Aged S’more Nutz, Pause THC Sparkling Water, Pause Plus THC Sparkling Water, World Beer Cup, Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (FOBAB), hazy IPA, American IPA, session beers, low ABV beer strategy, bitterness perception, IBUs, dry hopping techniques, hop flavor vs bitterness, amber ale vs amber lager differences, lager fermentation vs ale fermentation, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, mixed culture fermentation, bourbon barrel aging, craft beer distribution strategy, and cream ale controversy.