Ep. 005 - Dan Shoup AKA DANNY HAMSTACKS

WOOSAH and OUTSIDE COFFEE CO's Erica Lang and Kelly McPhee

Sam and AJ sit down for some drinks with Erica Lang and Kelly McPhee from Woosah Outfitters and Outside Coffee Company. They discuss Woosah's early days, Kelly's background as a sommelier in the restaurant industry, how the two met, and what's going on in their lives today. They break out the French Chardonnay, Spanish Cava, and Erica's favorite tequila which leads to conversations about tandem bicycles, Trader Joe's reputable wine and beer labels, and Outside Coffee Company's upcoming Halloween party.  Woosah Outfitters [https://www.spreadingthewoosah.com] is a naturally inspired art and apparel brand based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan featuring the artwork of founder and owner, Erica Lang. The designs and drive behind Woosah revolve largely around woodcuts and the outdoors. Each design and product is hand crafted here in Grand Rapids in limited edition runs. To help spread the Woosah, follow them on Instagram @woosahoutfitters [https://www.instagram.com/woosahoutfitters/] or visit their storefront at 738 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids MI   Outside Coffee Co. [https://outsidecoffeeco.com] was created to encourage community through coffee and the outdoors and has quickly become a hotspot in Grand Rapids for its coffee, menu offerings, and dog-friendly outdoor setting. Follow them on Instagram @outsidecoffeeco [https://www.instagram.com/outsidecoffeeco/] and visit them at 734 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI.      This episode is brought to you by Ferris Coffee & Nut Co.

Ep. 008 - Brazilian Coffee with Full Enthusiasm

Sam is back from Brazil and the guys are back in the studio to talk all things Brazilian coffee. They discuss what makes Brazil so important to the coffee industry, including overall production, elevation, varietals, and processing methods.  Sam recommends everyone try Ferris Coffee's Brazil Primavera [https://ferriscoffee.com/coffee/brazil-primavera] and AJ shares his developing love for fortified wines like vermouth.    Also, if you're interested in witnessing a display of culinary creativity, you're not going to want to miss Sonder Eatery's Chef Throwdown this Thursday, September 12!  Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased through Eventbrite and by clicking this link!  [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sonder-chef-throwdown-tickets-70689256469?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete]

Ep. 007 - Essence Restaurant Group Managing Partner James Berg and Executive Chef Jeremy Paquin

The guys sit down with Essence Restaurant Group's very own James Berg and Executive Chef Jeremy Paquin to discuss the group's early days, their core values, humble beginnings, and leadership lessons learned along the way. Chef Jeremy reveals what he eats at home and the guys discuss James' dietary choices. The word "brestaurant" is coined and James and Jeremy list some of their favorite places to eat in the state of Michigan.    Visit Essence Restaurant Group [https://essencerestaurants.com/about] at their three locations:  Grove [https://essencerestaurants.com/restaurants/the-green-well] Greenwell [https://essencerestaurants.com/restaurants/the-green-well] Bistro Bella Vita [https://essencerestaurants.com/restaurants/bistro-bella-vita]   James Berg is the Managing Partner at Essence Restaurant Group. He helped open Bistro Bella Vita back in 1996 and formed Essence Restaurant Group with his partners in 2006 to become owners and operators of Bistro Bella Vita, The Green Well and Grove. His goal is to continue to build a collection of restaurants that foster a socially conscious environment and healthy lifestyle for all those who contribute to them.   Executive Chef Jeremy Paquin began working for Essence Restaurant Group in 2015 at Bistro Bella Vita before transitioning into the role of Head Chef at Grove. Prior to joining ERG, Jeremy brought the farm-to-table concept to Muskegon with his venture Mia and Grace. Jeremy's roots of crafting dishes prepared from fresh, local products align with Grove's fundamental value of thoughtfully prepared cuisine. Jeremy graduated from Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management at San Jacinto College in Houston, TX in 2000.

Ep. 006 - Dana and Wob from The Mitten Brewing Company

On this episode of the Whatcha Drinkin' Podcast, the guys sit down with Dana Mate Dones and Rob "Wob" Wanhatalo from The Mitten Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI. They discuss everything from The Mitten's humble beginnings to their now three taproom locations, statewide beer distribution, PIZZA!, Ghosts [http://www.mittenbrewing.com/ghost-files], Oprah, and the brewery's ongoing philanthropic initiatives through The Mitten Foundation [http://www.mittenbrewing.com/foundation]. Wob shares what he is drinking, AJ gets stuck trying to pronounce it, and a lightning round of random questions ensues.  Sign up for The Mitten Foundation's 2019 golf outing here [https://mittenfoundation.com/golf-outing-2019] or visit them at http://www.mittenbrewing.com [http://www.mittenbrewing.com]  http://www.mittenbrewing.com/foundation [http://www.mittenbrewing.com/foundation]  Locations- The Mitten Brewing Co. - Grand Rapids, MI [http://www.mittenbrewing.com/firehouse] The Mitten Brewing Co. - Saugatuck, MI [http://www.mittenbrewing.com/saugatuck] The Mitten Brewing Co. - Northport, MI [http://www.mittenbrewing.com/northport]   More on The Mitten Foundation- Mitten Foundation plans to partner with a few, carefully selected, local non-profit organizations in an effort to raise both funds and awareness. With the help of its staff and customers, the Mitten has raised more than $200,000 for local organizations since opening in 2012. The foundation's criteria for choosing non-profit partners is twofold: the organization must be local, and they must be small enough that the donation will make a measurable difference. The foundation strives to connect each dollar donated to the effect it has.  The Mitten Brewing Company was humbled to receive the West Michigan Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professional's 2015 "President's Award" in recognition of its commitment to fundraising. The company plans to expand its community involvement efforts as it grows, and they recently started an employee volunteer program that provides staff with opportunities to become personally involved with non-profit partners. For more information about the Mitten Foundation's non-profit partners, how you can get involved with the foundation, and all other donation inquiries, please contact Dana Mate Dones at dana@mittenbrewing.com [dana@mittenbrewing.com]   Episode Sponsor: Ferris Coffee [https://ferriscoffee.com]

Ep. 005 - Dan Shoup AKA DANNY HAMSTACKS

Introducing OUR FIRST EVER GUEST Ferris Coffee's Head Barista Dan Shoup! Check him out on Instagram @danielcshoup In this episode, the guys sit down with Dan to talk about the early days in Dan's coffee journey and how he landed at Ferris, his many nicknames, and his go-to list for preferred cafe beverages. Dan introduces the term NPR Mouth, AJ messes up another word, and they share experiences from various coffee competitions.   0:01:15 - Dan Shoup Intro 0:11:05 - A Day in the Life of Ferris Coffee's Head Barista  0:17:19 - Dan's List Fair Oaks Farms Exposed Video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_quX1acHGks] Country Dairy - New Era, MI [https://www.countrydairy.com] Elmhurst Non-Dairy Alternatives [https://elmhurst1925.com] 0:21:20 - Dan's Experience with Barista Competitions 0:31:20 - Ferris Coffee's New Downtown [https://ferriscoffee.com/locations] Wine and Beer Menu 0:41:30 - What's Dan Drinkin'? Ferris Nitro Cold Brew Coffee. [https://ferriscoffee.com/blog/2018/what-the-heck-is-nitro-cold-brew] French Rose, White Bubbles - Not just for celebrating!