All of us at the podcast are just cock-a-hoop to post this announcement!
Yorkville’s much-anticipated Fox Republic Brewing Co. is scheduled to open in the next couple of months, but who will be brewing the suds has been kept under wraps!
Well folks, it’s time to reveal the mystery is over, and it’s congrats to my good chum and co-host, Ken McMullen!!
Ken will be leaving his role as head brewer at Hopvine Brewery in Aurora, and starting the next chapter in his distinguished career by joining the team at FRBC in Yorkville, IL. where he will not only be leading the brewing operations, but also acting as the General Manager at the latest brewery to open in the Fox River corridor.
We wish Ken all the best for the future, and look forward to heading down there to sample the first batch of brews!! Cheers matey!!!
Recently, our friends over at Broken Brix, Ed and Sue Seaman, took a trip out to Iceland. Aside from traveling the country and going to see Chicago’s legendary band Wilco for their 3-night tour in Reykjavik, Ed was on a quest to find what the Icelandic nation drank during all those long winter days! He brought back (or was it ‘smuggled’ back?) a suitcase of goodies, including craft beer, and who did he think of sharing them with but of course the Brit and Yankee team!
We welcomed Ed and Sue to the Brit and Yankee Pub studio for this recording of a travelogue and tasting session, and joining the Brit is co-hosts and brewers, Ken McMullen from Aurora’s Hopvine Brewing, and Chuck Fort from Itasca’s Church Street Brewing.
We didn’t know what to expect, and the beers were tasted with an open mind. What we found out was that Iceland sounds a cool place to visit and that the craft beers are pretty darn good. We’re not sure that any of them are exported to the USA, but hopefully Ed and Sue paint a picture of a place that you can visit to try them yourselves. One of the reasons they went there at this time of year was to see the Chicago band Wilco, who were performing 3 nights in Reykjavik, and Ed and Sue went to all three performances!!
So listen in while we hear tales of thermal pools, great food, and struggle with the Icelandic language, but are rescued by Google Translate! This is a fun episode, and many thanks to Ed and Sue for sharing the beers with us! Skál (pronounced “sk owl”)!
PS – sorry about the sound quality for Ed’s mic…he sounds a little distant!
Beers Sampled:
Dokken Brugghus, Paska Puki, California Common, 4.7% ABV
Dokken Brugghus, Dynjandi, American IPA, 5.9% ABV
Viking Brugghus, Krummi, Stout, 5.8% ABV
Gaedingur Brugghus, Namm Namm, Milk Stout, 5% ABV
KHB Brugghús, Gellivör, IPA – English, 6.2% ABV
KHB Brugghús, Steinbui, Pale Ale, 4.5% ABV
Gaedingur Brugghus, Sweet New England, NEIPA, 8% ABV
Gaedingur Brugghus, Baltazar, Baltic Porter, 6.6%
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.
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.
