Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer

Hear how Forbidden Root uses rare botanicals and fruit to craft unique beers—and how the same fruit can create different flavors. Phil Zelewsky, Head Brewer at Forbidden Root, shares how Chicago’s first botanical brewery evolved from a root beer experiment into one of the top 10 brewpubs in the U.S. He explains how founder Robert Finkel sources wild ingredients like the “smuggled” Alpine botanical Génépi, Forbidden Root’s approach to using “unusual but appropriate” ingredients, how to determine whether a root belongs in a beer, and how Thailand’s markets and flavors inspired his ingredient mindset. He also discusses brewing with feijoa (pineapple guava) in a kettle sour, flagship beers like the strawberry basil Hefeweizen and peach witbier, the challenges of sourcing fruit with consistent flavor from one purveyor to the next. After the beer break, Phil introduces Bicycle Fire, a fruited Kveik ale brewed with hearth-grilled grapefruit and white pepper. He explains the advantages of Kveik yeast, including fast fermentation and high-temperature tolerance, and then breaks down Sláinte, a collaboration Irish Red Ale with Parlor Pizza, and shares how collaborations come together at the brewery. He also discusses the Black Phillip black IPA (a.k.a. Cascadian Dark Ale) and explains the use of their “flavor torpedo,” a device for infusing beers with hops, cherry stems, and more. Plus: Phil’s “origin story” of how bartending at Merle’s #1 Barbecue led to homebrewing, and eventually, to leading production at Forbidden Root. About Forbidden Root: As the first botanical brewery in Chicago (located in the West Town neighborhood), Forbidden Root’s mission is to brew botanic beer, working to evoke the natural world in new and unique ways. Learn more on their website at https://forbiddenroot.com/ [https://forbiddenroot.com/]  — You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC. Is your brewery or business looking to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting? Then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] to learn more. 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: New England IPA, Ghost Tropic, botanical beer, flavor torpedo brewing, grilled grapefruit beer, hearth-grilled fruit, fruit beer brewing, wheat beer base, experimental beer styles, kettle sour brewing, fruit puree in beer, brewing with orange peel, white pepper in beer, heather in beer, heather honey beer, smoked malt, Seville orange peel, roasted barley beer, carafa malt, Black IPA vs Cascadian Dark Ale, how to brew with botanicals, botanical beer recipes, brewing with cherry stems, Forbidden Root beer styles, collaboration beer process, grapefruit in IPA, beer recipe consistency, flavor infusion brewing, ingredient sourcing for brewers, pub brewing vs production brewing, epic spices Chicago, Merle’s Number One Barbecue, Chicago craft brewery collaborations, and seasonal fruit beer.

Executive Producer Cody Gough discusses Crafty Brewers' plans for the next few months—just in time for the 2025 Memorial Day weekend. Tune in this summer for: * Forbidden Root, June 5 * Suncatcher Brewing, July 10 * Ike & Oak Brewing Company, August 14 * Season 3 Premiere, September 11 You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC. Is your brewery or business looking to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting? Then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] to learn more.

Hear how Maplewood Brewery & Distillery is reinventing adult beverages, from hazy IPAs to THC seltzers to spirits including fernet and gin. Maplewood Brewery & Distillery’s Adam Cieslak (Co-Founder/Director of Brewing & Distilling) and Roger Cuzelis (Head Brewer) discuss launching Chicago’s first brewery/distillery hybrid, their award-winning Hazy IPAs, and the art of recipe refinement. They discuss why beer awards matter, what strange and unusual ingredients they’ve experimented with, how they introduced Hazy IPAs to the Chicago market, and how they know when a beverage recipe is “done.”  After the beer break, Adam and Roger explain how home distilling differs from homebrewing, how they brew Hazy IPAs that stand out, and what it takes to master haze stability. Adam also breaks down home distilling basics, explains how they use spruce tips in modern gin, and introduces Maplewood’s American single malt whiskey, fernet, and the story behind their rum punch canned cocktails. Plus: THC seltzers, making canned cocktails made with real spirits, and how Maplewood’s distinct packaging reflects their boundary-pushing spirit. About Maplewood Brewery & Distillery: Maplewood opened with the mission to push liquid boundaries in an unassuming building nestled in Chicago’s historic Logan Square neighborhood. Learn more on their website at https://maplewoodbrew.com/ [https://maplewoodbrew.com/]  — You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC. Is your brewery or business looking to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting? Then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] to learn more. 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: Hazy IPA, Crushinator Session IPA, Simcoe hops, Idaho 7 hops, El Dorado hops, THC seltzers, canned cocktails, American single malt whiskey, craft gin, spruce tip gin, fernet, beer brewing, beer awards, how to brew hazy IPAs, beer haze stability, recipe tweaking beer, Chicago breweries, Maplewood history, hybrid brewery distillery, session IPA, brewing techniques, hazy beer myths, home distilling, dry hopping, how to tell when beer is done, modern gin ingredients, real spirits canned cocktails, Chicago craft spirits, Maplewood Rum Punch, beer recipe development, Simcoe flavor profile, El Dorado hop profile, Idaho 7 taste notes, experimental brewing, unique beer ingredients, fermentation techniques, beer packaging design, Maplewood Crushinator, Maplewood THC seltzers, medal-winning breweries, and Maplewood Fernet.

Hear how an award-winning Polish Grodziskie helped elevate Sketchbook from brewing in an alley to becoming an industry leader in sustainability. Sketchbook Brewing Company Managing Partner and Head Brewer Cesar Marron discusses his brewery's journey from humble alleyway origins to becoming an award-winning establishment with a strong emphasis on sustainability. He shares the exciting but stressful story of how he won the Sam Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest before discussing the challenges of brewing traditional Polish Grodziskie beer, their innovative Community Supported Brewery program, and the impact of the temperance movement on beer laws and brewery culture in Evanston. Cesar also provides insights on Sketchbook’s sustainability initiatives, including water conservation and eco-friendly packaging, and offers easy tips for how you can make your craft beer drinking habits more environmentally friendly. After the beer break, Cesar highlights a few of Sketchbook's beers, including their Grodziskie, a light and refreshing Polish-style smoked wheat beer; Snowy Owl Red Ale, featuring a combination of caramel malts with spicy notes from the rye, balanced with the citrus flavor of American Cascade and Amarillo hops; and Coastal West Coast IPA, their Midwestern homage to the West Coast, featuring Lake Michigan water, Midwest Cascade and Centennial hops, and barley grown and malted in Wisconsin. The discussion includes how they achieve smoky flavors in their beers and what makes the Snowy Owl Red Ale unique with its rye bitterness.  About Sketchbook Brewing Co: Sketchbook Brewing Co. is a microbrewery located in Skokie, IL, with taprooms in Skokie and Evanston. Learn more on their website at https://www.sketchbookbrewing.com/ [https://www.sketchbookbrewing.com/]  — You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com [https://craftybrewerspod.com]  Crafty Brewers is a production of Quantum Podcasts, LLC. Is your brewery or business looking to capture a loyal audience to drive business results with the power of podcasting? Then visit https://quantum-podcasts.com/ [https://quantum-podcasts.com/] to learn more. 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: brewing techniques, smoked beers, modern ales, eco-friendly brewing, homebrewing, oak-smoked malts, award-winning brewery, beer competitions, traditional brewing methods, environmental responsibility, craft IPAs, Pack Techs, beer packaging, digital printing technology, beer production, Centennial hops, Cascade hops, amber ales, wheat beers, American Light Lagers, milkshake IPA, diacetyl testing, sensory evaluation, smoked wheat beer, and modern brewing equipment. #CraftBeer

Welcome to Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer, where we'll increase your enjoyment of craft beer. Learn more on our official website, https://craftybrewerspod.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA-kNDu43YSV36P6bdG2d0g Follow us on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@craftybrewers