#185 🍊 Oranges, Headlines & Hustle: Stephanie Volles’ Wild Story

#186 🍻 Inside New York Craft Beer with Chad Meigs

This week on Brews & Banter, Roman and Frank welcome back Chad Meigs, owner of Drink NY Craft and Third Space Distribution, for another great conversation centered around New York's thriving craft beverage scene. As someone who works directly with breweries and producers across the state, Chad brings a unique insider perspective on the industry. We talk about the growth of New York craft beer, the challenges and opportunities facing breweries today, and the important role that distribution and marketing play in helping great products find their audience. Chad also shares more about Drink NY Craft, a platform dedicated to connecting consumers with New York-made craft beverages, and Third Space Distribution, which helps bring local craft products to more retailers and customers throughout the region. Of course, Chad didn't come empty-handed. He brought some amazing beers to the studio, and we spent the episode doing what Brews & Banter does best — enjoying great brews while having great conversations 🍻. Whether you're a craft beer enthusiast, brewery owner, or just curious about the industry, Chad always delivers valuable insights and plenty of stories from the front lines of New York's craft beverage community. Check out Chad's businesses: 🌐 Drink NY Craft: https://drinknycraft.com 🌐 Third Space Distribution: https://thirdspacedistro.com 📲 Follow Chad: Instagram: @drinknycraft 🍺 Brews & Banter listeners can save 10% on purchases at Drink NY Craft using promo code: Brews&Banter10 And don't forget to rep the show while you listen: 👉 https://brewsnbanterstore.com 🍻

#185 🍊 Oranges, Headlines & Hustle: Stephanie Volles’ Wild Story

This week on Brews & Banter, Roman and Frank sit down with Stephanie Volles for a conversation full of laughs, resilience, and one absolutely legendary pandemic story. Stephanie — a bartender, mom, model, and actress — shares how during COVID she came up with the hilarious idea of having people buy oranges, write messages on them, and send an entire pallet of them to then-Governor Cuomo. What started as a funny and creative idea quickly exploded into a national news story, leading to unexpected calls from media outlets across the country. But the episode also gets real. Stephanie opens up about the struggles of divorce, rebuilding her life, and figuring out how to provide for her child after once relying heavily on her husband. Through it all, she’s continued pushing forward, reinventing herself, and finding strength through difficult moments. It’s a fun, honest, and inspiring conversation filled with crazy stories, real-life challenges, and of course plenty of drinks 🍻 — exactly the kind of night you’d expect from Brews & Banter. 📲 Follow Stephanie here: Instagram: @ei_nahpetsquared And don’t forget to rep the show while you listen: 👉 https://brewsnbanterstore.com 🍻

#184 🔥 From Firefighter to Life Coach: Bruce Alexander Returns

This week on Brews & Banter, Roman and Frank welcome back Bruce Alexander for his second appearance on the show — and his first time in the new studio. Bruce, a former firefighter turned life coach, joins the guys for a great conversation about personal growth, mindset, and helping people get themselves back on the right path. Through his coaching and mentoring work, Bruce focuses on pushing people to break through mental barriers and become the best version of themselves. And trust us… listeners will quickly get a taste of that, because Bruce definitely didn’t let Roman off easy during this episode 😄 The back-and-forth between them gave a real look into how much Bruce genuinely cares about the people he works with and how passionate he is about helping others grow. Of course, the conversation was fueled by a good brew 🍻 — including one Bruce had never tried before — making for a fun, motivating, and entertaining episode full of laughs and real talk. Learn more about Bruce here: 🌐 https://www.brucealexander.net/ 📲 Instagram: @brucealexander And don’t forget to rep the show while you listen: 👉 https://brewsnbanterstore.com 🍻

#183 🎸 Whiskey, Beer, Guitars & Good Times with Fatman and Robyn

This week on Brews & Banter, Roman and Frank welcome Tom and Robyn from the band Fatman and Robyn into the studio for an awesome night of music, stories, and drinks. The duo will be performing at this year’s Hops on the Seneca on June 13th, and after hearing them talk about their journey — and hearing about their performances — it’s easy to understand why people don’t want them to stop playing once they get going. Robyn brings an incredible voice to the stage while Tom backs it up on guitar, creating a performance people remember. Outside of music, Robyn works as a Registered Nurse and Tom serves as a Syracuse police officer, making their musical partnership even more unique and impressive. We had an amazing time talking with them about balancing careers, music, and life — all over delicious beers 🍻… well, except for Robyn, who skipped the beer entirely and went straight for whiskey like an absolute badass 🥃 And make sure to stick around until the end of the episode, because Tom and Robyn perform a brand-new original song live in the studio that listeners definitely won’t want to miss 🎶 Follow Fatman and Robyn here: 📲 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FatmanandRobyn And don’t forget to rep the show while you listen: 👉 https://brewsnbanterstore.com 🍻

#182 🍺 Homebrew Masters & Craft Beer Deep Dives with Len Modelewski

This week on Brews & Banter, Roman and Frank welcome Len Modelewski into the studio for one of the most beer-focused episodes we’ve had yet 🍻 Len is a passionate home brewer and a member of the American Homebrewers Association, and he came prepared — bringing along some of his latest homemade batches for us to try. We dive into the world of home brewing, what it takes to craft great beer from scratch, and how Len has taken his passion on the road to AHA events, where his setup often draws a crowd. From brewing techniques to craft beer conversations (probably more than we’ve ever had in one episode 😄), this one is packed with flavor, laughs, and great insights for anyone who appreciates a good beer. And don’t forget to rep the show while you listen: 👉 https://brewsnbanterstore.com