The Brit took a trip out West to the craft brewing mecca of Denver, Colorado. While there, he visited a unique brewery where real ale takes the spotlight, Hogshead 54 Brewery. Robert Bell is one of the 3 people responsible for this oasis of British ales and does most of the brewing. In this special episode, we find out about his passion for brewing beers that can be dispensed through hand-pull engines (of which there are 7 at HH54), and give the drinker a taste of the UK!

Robert talks about what makes real ale so special and what needs to happen in the brewing process to produce them, and what ingredients they use. We find out the history of HH54, which is just over 10 years old, where the name came from, and how Robert came onboard. They also have keg beers and are venturing into lagers on a limited basis, some of them on cask.

Join us for this fascinating look into a one-of-a-kind brewery paying homage to the roots of British beer…check them out the next time you visit Denver!

Beers Sampled:

• Chin Wag – Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB), 5.8% ABV
• Barges’ Mild  – English Dark Mild Ale, 4.2% ABV
• Gilpin Black Gold – English Porter, 5.0% ABV
• Hogwild IPA – English IPA, 5.9% ABV

Check out our ‘quick look’ video here, then head over to our YouTube channel for more videos!

Play our audio podcasts using your favorite smartphone podcast app or our player above. We have a direct link to Apple Podcasts and Spotify below…and lots of other links on the sidebar! Plus you can subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking this link.

   

We’re back with and audio podcast this week, and recording down in the Brit and Yankee Pub studio. The Brit’s co-host is Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing, and together they welcome Chuck Grote of Wood Fired Pizza fame.

Chuck is probably one of the most well-known food truck vendors in Chicagoland’s western suburbs, but not many people know that he also has recipes for brewing excellent beers, and has a fascinating back-story. We’re peeling back the onion, and finding out a little more about the man with the distinctive look and great pizzas.

This episode was recorded just after the busy St. Patrick’s  Day weekend, so Chuck was happy to just sit, relax, and talk pizza and beer! He talks about how he smokes barley for his Red ale in his wood-fired pizza oven and what wood he uses for firing his pizzas. We head back in the annals of time to how Chuck’s background shaped his interest in baking and then selling baking ingredients. How does he make his dough? Well, we get some details but he still keeps some proprietary secrets to himself! And why the rectangular shape? There’s a story to that as well! We all reveal our favorite ingredients and sample a selection of brews…it was a great session! Cheers!

Beers Sampled:

• Chuck’s Temple Red -collab with Art History Brewing, Irish Red Ale, 5.5% ABV
• Pilot Batch 40: Rye Irish Red – Hopvine Brewing, Irish Red Ale, 4.3% ABV
• Fastenbier, Art History Brewing, Franconian Dark Lenten Smoked Lager, 4.8% ABV
• Thor, Hopvine Brewing, APA, 6.0% ABV

Play our audio podcasts using your favorite smartphone podcast app or our player above. We have a direct link to Apple Podcasts and Spotify below…and lots of other links on the sidebar! Plus you can subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking this link.