Chicago's Best Brewers Cut Their Teeth in His Homebrew Shop — Now He Wins GABF Medals (Werk Force Brewing Co.)

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2026: The Full Lineup Preview

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/ [https://www.gooseisland.com/]  —  Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com] Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers [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/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/]  Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codygough/]. 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.

This Award-Winning Brewer Says Beer Alone Isn't Enough — Here’s What He Built Instead (Sturdy Shelter Brewing)

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/ [https://sturdyshelterbrewing.com/] — Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers [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/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codygough/]. 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.

Chicago's Best Brewers Cut Their Teeth in His Homebrew Shop — Now He Wins GABF Medals (Werk Force Brewing Co.)

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/ [https://www.werkforcebrewing.com/]  — Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers [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/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codygough/]. 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.

From Brewing Barleywines and Stouts in a Closet to Winning Best New Brewery in Illinois (Foreign Exchange Brewing Company)

Learn what happens when a homebrewer starts with barrel-aged barleywines, defies style rules, and stocks up on high-end bourbon. Ricky Cervantes, Founder and Director of Brewing Operations at Foreign Exchange Brewing Company in Aurora, Illinois, explains how he went from aging barrels in a climate-controlled apartment closet to building a homebrewing reputation that led to 400 people lining up for his first commercial batch. He explains how Foreign Exchange’s beers deliberately float between styles, and breaks down barleywine for newcomers. After the break, Ricky covers the brewery's full range from 4% lagers to a 17% ABV imperial stout, the fermentation-science origin of the name "Foreign Exchange," cocktails on tap, a serious bourbon program, and the story behind Aurora Beer, a German-style golden ale honoring a pre-Prohibition Aurora brewing giant, hand-bottled with a paper label for historical accuracy. Plus: Foreign Exchange’s unique Indian-Mexican fusion food menu and future plans, including wild ale experiments and a homebrew side project. 0:00 Intro 1:07 Welcome to Foreign Exchange Brewing Company in Aurora, Illinois 2:08 What Makes Foreign Exchange Different From Other Breweries? 3:31 Aurora Beer: A German-Style Tribute That Floats Between Styles 5:53 The Pre-Prohibition Brewery That Inspired Aurora Beer 7:33 Why Ricky Cervantes Built His Brewery in Downtown Aurora 8:22 How Ricky Got Into Contract Brewing Without a Professional Background 10:17 The Home Brewer Whose Beer Drew 400 People to a Release 11:52 What Black Tuesday Taught Ricky About Barrel Aging 12:28 How to Build a Barrel Room Inside an Apartment Closet 15:00 Finding the Right Imperial Stout Recipe (With Help From Energy City Brewing) 16:27 What Is a Barleywine, Exactly? 17:52 How Word of Mouth Built Ricky’s Homebrewing Reputation 22:35 Beer Break 23:28 Brewer’s Choice: Clockwork English-Style Barleywine 25:07 English vs. American Barleywines: What’s the Difference? 26:15 Running a Beer Program From 4% to 17% ABV 28:17 How Kittywampus Converts Dark Beer Skeptics 30:04 Why Foreign Exchange Added a Kitchen to the Taproom 32:04 Cheese Curds, Tacos, and Indian-Mexican Fusion at a Brewery? 38:18 How Indian Business Partners Inspired the Food Menu 41:29 The Nerdy Fermentation Reason the Brewery Is Called Foreign Exchange 42:08 How Cocktails Work on Draft (And Why the Old-Fashioned Separates) 43:10 Why a Craft Brewery Has an Entire Bourbon Program 44:13 What’s Next for Foreign Exchange Brewing? 45:23 Slow Magic, Wild Ales, and a Barrel-Aged THC Barleywine 46:38 Ricky’s Next Barrel Aging Goal: A Library for Blending 47:46 Final Four: Barleywine Is Life, and Kettle Sours Can Wait 49:11 The Beer With a Cursed Origin Story Ricky Will Never Brew Again 50:53 Ricky’s Go-To Beer When He’s Off the Clock 52:37 The 100-Year-Old Bottle That Changed Aurora Beer’s Packaging 56:14 Favorite Beer and Food Pairings 60:20 Final Toast: Good Beer and Being True to Yourself About Foreign Exchange Brewing Company: A microbrewery specializing in innovative small-batch and oak-aged ales, this Aurora, Illinois brewery was named 2020’s Best New Brewery in Illinois by PorchDrinking.com. Learn more at https://www.foreignexchangebrewing.com/ [https://www.foreignexchangebrewing.com/]  — Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers [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/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codygough/]. He says that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Kittywampus coffee milk stout, Primo Pils jalapeño lime pilsner, triple IPA, Sweater Weather old-fashioned on tap, habanero lime Chicago-ish, Church Street Brewing, Energy City Brewing, foeder mixed culture fermentation, Riverlands Brewing.

One of The Youngest Cicerones Ever Shares His Insane Flavor Combos (93 Octane Brewery)

A young master brewer of craft beer shares the science behind fresh, shelf-stable beer, cake batter cream ales, coffee beer off-flavors, and more. 93 Octane Head Brewer Alex Makowski details his journey from becoming one of the youngest certified Cicerones to scaling 93 Octane from a tiny gas-station nano brewery to a full Elmhurst taproom. He also dives into the technical science of avoiding off-flavors in coffee beer and his philosophy of crafting a diverse lineup that appeals to both casual drinkers and craft beer geeks. 0:00 Intro: Whimsical Brewing at 93 Octane 0:41 Meet Alex Makowski 2:06 93 Octane’s Origins: The Gas Station Brewery 3:51 Nano Brewery Life: From a 400 Sq Ft Closet to Expansion 5:14 Scaling Challenges: Mobile Canning & Palate Positions 6:47 Expanding to Elmhurst: A One-Month Renovation 8:05 Brewing Philosophy: "Make Great Beer, Period" 9:18 Community Support & Maintaining Two Taprooms 11:00 Homebrewing Roots: A Father-Son Project at 18 12:22 Youngest Certified Cicerone: Studying Underage 13:33 Inside the Cicerone Exam: Off-Flavors & Glassware 15:25 Industry Reality Check: Lessons from Finch’s Brewing 17:01 Rising Through the Ranks at Two Brothers Brewing 19:39 Global Brewing Science: Learning from International Experts 22:02 Underrated Styles: The Love (and Struggle) for Alt Beer 24:03 The Elmhurst Vision & Designing the New Space 26:10 Passion Project: Crafting the Perfect Coffee Porter 28:21 Diversity on Draft: From Lagers to Sours 30:08 The Evolution of "Piper" Hazy IPA 32:05 Pro Tip: How to Identify Beer Bitterness (IBUs vs. Palate) 34:16 The Comeback of Classic Styles & Shelf Life Realities 36:13 Freshness First: Why Pack Dates & "Facing" Cans Matter 38:16 Spotting "Bad" Beer: Cardboard & Library Book Smells 40:05 The Science of Off-Flavors: Trans-2-nonenal 41:30 Redefining Porters: Why This One is Different 43:23 The Secret to Mouthfeel: Using Flaked Oats 45:20 Rotating Cream Ales: Keeping the "Clown Car" Fresh 47:36 Brewing for a Cause: Golden Pour Purpose 49:18 Innovative Techniques & The Whimsical Approach 51:02 Barrel-Aging Experiments: Bourbon & Maple 52:57 The Great Pumpkin Beer Debate 54:40 Understanding Salinity & Salt in Fermentation 56:18 Mastering American Pilsners & Lager Timelines 57:58 Taproom Culture: Legit Nachos & Community 59:38 Behind the Design: Moving Motorcycles with Scissor Lifts 1:01:18 Final Thoughts & Supporting the Channel 1:01:55 Closing Toast: Knight Rider Black IPAAbout 93 Octane Brewery: Born from a passion for craft beer and quality, 93 Octane Brewery offers an innovative, rotating tap list of IPAs, stouts, pilsners, sours, and creative seasonals at their taprooms in St. Charles and Elmhurst, Illinois. Learn more on their website at https://93octanebrewery.com/ [https://93octanebrewery.com/]  — Learn more about Crafty Brewers at https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Support Crafty Brewers on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/craftybrewers [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/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codygough/]. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: cold extraction coffee method, espresso-strength coffee additions, green bell pepper flavor in coffee beer, parts-per-billion flavor detection, off-flavor blind tasting, Cicerone certification exam structure, draft system cleaning and maintenance, craft beer freshness dating, best-by date on beer cans, IBU measurement, bittering hops vs. aroma hops, no-boil IPA hopping technique, cold-side dry hopping, hazy IPA vs. West Coast IPA, perceived bitterness in craft beer, Folds of Honor military scholarship program, craft beer veteran support, Siebel Institute, international brewing school Germany, metric system in brewing, barrel measurement system, and craft brewery career paths.