Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer

Black Lung Brewing’s Pistachio Rose White Stout: The Wild Brewing Experiment That Actually Worked

Learn how Black Lung brews a pistachio-rose white stout and lactose-free maltshake IPAs — inside a taproom they say is haunted. Black Lung Brewing Company’s president and brewer Josh Grubbs joins Brian and Cody at Black Lung’s brand-new Grayslake brewhouse to talk about moving an entire brewery, brewing baklava-inspired white stouts with real rose petals, and why his “maltshake IPAs” give milkshake fans all the body with none of the lactose. He shares how his grandfather’s near-death experience in a Kentucky coal mine inspired both the brewery’s name and its family-first philosophy, how an early alternating-proprietorship deal at ZümBier helped him go pro, and how he balances core taproom favorites without sacrificing the creative flexibility that keeps brewing fun.  Josh also shares the full story behind Black Lung’s haunted brewery truck “Sylvie,” how Pistachio Rose evolved into a Valentine’s Day ritual beer, and why Josh is so committed to inventing lactose-free “maltshake IPAs” using maltodextrin, monk fruit, and high mash temperatures instead of ingredients he personally can’t drink. He also discusses Hopservation, Black Lung’s experimental hazy IPA series that later helped spawn beers like Galaxy 503, Intergalactic Space Juice, and Trampled by Sliders, and breaks down how he trials new hops like Nectaron on a full 5-barrel system without a pilot brewhouse. Plus: how Lung Light stays on tap with contract-brewed batches while he saves tank space for coffee stouts, Kentucky Common, Kolsch, and other small-batch seasonals. About Black Lung Brewing Company: Black Lung Brewing Company operates a cozy brewery taproom in Round Lake Beach, a waterfront brewpub with craft burgers in Fox Lake, and a new full-scale brewery, kitchen, and taproom in downtown Grayslake, Illinois. Their lineup ranges from light lagers and ambers to pistachio cream ales, baklava-inspired white stouts like Pistachio Rose, maltshake IPAs, and experimental hazy IPAs in their Hopservation series. Learn more on their website at https://www.blacklungbrewing.com [https://www.blacklungbrewing.com]  — Here is the Nardwuar Top 20 Reactions video Cody mentioned (profanity warning): https://youtu.be/1UxPXdhoI-g?si=ZafW7Ed5_Qek4QO_&t=13 [https://youtu.be/1UxPXdhoI-g?si=ZafW7Ed5_Qek4QO_&t=13]  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: Black Lung Brewing, Black Lung Brewing Grayslake, Black Lung Brewing Fox Lake, Black Lung Brewing Round Lake Beach, haunted brewery, Pistachio Rose white stout, pistachio baklava white stout, baklava-inspired beer, rose petal beer, pistachio beer, Toxic Puddles pistachio cream ale, Hopservation hazy IPA, experimental hop series, Galaxy 503 maltshake IPA, maltshake IPA, lactose-free milkshake IPA, Nectaron hops, Trampled by Sliders pale ale, Intergalactic Space Juice IPA, Kentucky Common beer, Left Fork Kentucky Common, Lung Light lager, Black Crow Kolsch, Noon Porter, dry Irish stout homebrew, Irish red ale, Eagle Fang amber ale, experimental hops in IPA, brewery glycol system, fermentation temperature control, alternating proprietorship ZümBier, Beer Bazaar collaboration, Lake County Beer Festival, baklava white stout recipe, rose water in beer, maltodextrin in beer, high mash temperature brewing, haunted brewery truck Sylvie, and craft brewery Grayslake Illinois.

Tighthead Brewing: “Hop Candy” IPAs, Cask Ales, and Bringing Pub Culture to Illinois

Learn how Tighthead is bringing cask-ale pub culture to Illinois and how they make IPAs that changed Cody’s entire perspective on beer. Plus: hear a traditional rugby song! Tighthead Brewing Company Owner/Brewer Bruce Dir and Brewmaster Billy Oaks share the fascinating story behind their Mundelein, Illinois brewery, from rugby roots and homebrewing origins to crafting balanced, award-winning beers. They discuss everything from scaling up recipes and mastering pub culture to developing new hemp-infused beverages. They share their humble beginnings from the Lake County homebrew club, learning the ropes of judging beer competitions, and why Irish Red Ales deserve more love. Plus: the messy first batch of Scarlet Fire Irish Red, opening-day chaos, and the now-legendary story of Metra trains waiting so commuters could grab a growler. After the break, they dive into Boxcar Porter and the fine line between porter and stout, explore balance in recipe design, and detail how their collaboration with Chicago Bears legend Patrick Mannelly led to the Long Snapper IPA, a “crushable” West Coast style brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops. They also taste Irie IPA, a 7.8% “hop candy” of 100+ IBUs that challenges IPA skeptics, and introduce listeners to pub culture and cask conditioning, explaining how natural carbonation creates creamy texture and warmth in a hand-pulled pint. Plus: in a Crafty Brewers first, hear Bruce sing the rugby drinking song “Biddy McGraw”! 0:00 Tighthead Brewing interview intro 2:29 What is a tighthead? Rugby 101 4:48 The first beer Tighthead brewed 6:38 From homebrew club to brewing buddies 9:20 What’s it like to judge a beer competition? 12:42 Why aren’t Irish Red Ales more popular? 15:26 What were the challenges of scaling up brewing operations? 16:40 The story of opening day and how things started 24:36 Metra trains would wait for customers to buy beer 25:39 Boxcar Porter and what sets a porter apart from a stout 29:05 What separates a good beer from a great beer 31:59 Longsnapper IPA beer collab with former Chicago Bears player Patrick Mannelly 38:45 Achieving “hop candy” flavor with Irie IPA, 7.8% ABV and 100+ IBUs 44:16 What is “pub culture” and what is a beer engine? 45:57 How cask conditioning changes the way a beer tastes 49:28 Bruce sings Biddy McGraw, a rugby drinking song (Irish folk song) 51:54 What makes a good beer festival for brewers? Consumers? 58:40 Might As Well sparkling hemp beverage for today’s consumer 1:01:53 How a sparkling hemp beverage is made 1:04:30 Final four questions 1:13:38 Final toast About Tighthead Brewing Company: Tighthead Brewing Company is a craft brewery with pub culture, located in the same parking lot as the Metra station in the Chicago suburb of Mundelein, Illinois. Learn more on their website at https://www.tightheadbrewing.com/ [https://www.tightheadbrewing.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: Scarlet Fire Irish Red Ale, Boxcar Porter, Irie IPA, Longsnapper IPA, hop candy IPA, West Coast IPA, Cascade hops, Centennial hops, porter vs stout, cask conditioning, beer engine, pub culture, craft beer Illinois, Mundelein brewery, homebrewing, Lake County homebrew club, beer competitions, BJCP judging, Irish Red Ale, American ale yeast, caramel malt, roast barley, craft beer collaboration, rugby beer culture, Biddy McGraw song, Mundelein Craft Beer Festival, Might As Well hemp beverage, hemp seltzer, THC beverage, Perfectly Dosed emulsion, craft beverage innovation, hop balance, West Coast style, and cryo hops.

Chicago’s Lost Brewery Returns: How Conrad Seipp’s 1854 Legacy Built the City (Plus: Archie’s Corner Bar Culture)

Learn how Seipp became Chicago’s beer baron and why his name is back on shelves now. Plus: corner bar culture at Archie’s Iowa Rockwell Tavern. Conrad Seipp Brewing Co. owner Laurin Mack joins the podcast at Archie’s Iowa Rockwell Tavern to trace how she resurrected the family brewery, which was founded in 1854, survived the Great Chicago Fire, and once ranked among America’s largest. She tells the wild story of her great-great-great-grandfather Conrad Seipp, an immigrant carpenter turned beer baron, and how his brewery rose to become one of the top-producing operations in the U.S. Along the way, she explains how 19th-century brewery fires and the Great Chicago Fire reset competition, how the World’s Columbian Exposition shaped beer branding, and how Prohibition shuttered Seipp despite pivots like cereal beverages and ginger ale. She also discusses the Black Point Estate & Gardens in Lake Geneva—the preserved Seipp summer home you still reach by boat—and how it influenced her decision to revive the Conrad Seipp Brewing brand as a living link between Chicago’s past and its present beer scene.  After the beer break, Laurin discusses Seipp’s Columbia World’s Fair Bock (a crisp 6% dark lager) and unpacks brewer Doug Hurst’s role in translating tradition into modern lagers. She explains what their detective work revealed about why the first American Pilsners didn’t work and how small adjuncts like flaked corn helped pre-Prohibition Pilsners achieve the snap people craved. Plus: 19th-century “strength” vs. today’s ABV, Seipp’s early refrigerated boxcar distribution, and how the revived brand landed with drinkers.  To wrap up, Archie’s Iowa Rockwell Tavern owner Katrina Arthur joins the conversation to share Archie’s origin story, why a giant Hamm’s sign still glows over the intersection of Iowa and Rockwell, the free cheese balls, wooden drink tokens, and what it’s like to grow up in a tavern — all before the Final Toast (featuring… the Tamale Guy?!). About Conrad Seipp Brewing Company: Seipp’s beer is Chicago’s beer. Founded in 1854, the Conrad Seipp Brewing Company tells the story of the city’s history. The times have changed, but the principles of Seipp remain: accessible, well-crafted beer made from high quality ingredients. Learn more on their website at https://www.seippbrewing.com/ [https://www.seippbrewing.com/]  About Archie's Iowa Rockwell Tavern: This longtime neighborhood watering hole with funky decor offers board games, free pool, and a jukebox. Follow Archie’s at https://www.instagram.com/archies.chicago [https://www.instagram.com/archies.chicago]  — 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: Seipp’s Extra Pale, Pre-Prohibition Pilsner, Bavarian Hefeweizen, Seipp Hollander, 1893 World’s Fair, Chicago brewing history, Bohemian hops, Lake Michigan water, six-row barley, rice adjunct, lager yeast, adjunct lager history, Pilsner brewing techniques, American lager history, Pilot Project Milwaukee, Metropolitan Brewing Chicago, Beer Culture Center, Ukrainian Village Chicago, Cottage Grove brewery site, Pabst Brewery complex, refrigerated boxcars history, Chicago saloon history, immigrant brewer Chicago, Chicago corner taverns, archival beer labels, historical beer ephemera, Chicago beer heritage, pre-Prohibition beer styles, Seipp brand revival, Chicago lager renaissance, historic tavern culture, neighborhood bar Chicago, beer detective work, Conrad Seipp legacy, German-style lagers, Chicago World’s Fair beer, historic brewery resurrection, and Midwestern beer history.

Solemn Oath’s Hidden Hand: Inside Chicago’s Secret Experimental Beer Brand

Learn how Solemn Oath’s founder opened a brewery without brewing, transformed a hometown IPA into a cult classic, and built Hidden Hand’s wild beer lab. Solemn Oath Brewery Founder and CEO John Barley shares how an untrained beer lover built one of Chicagoland’s most creative and community-driven breweries. From his time in Belgium and Wisconsin to opening Naperville’s first brewery in over a century, John’s story is one of bold leaps and boundary-pushing flavor. He explains why Solemn Oath’s Still Life taproom in Logan Square channels Belgian beer-hall energy with Midwestern hospitality, and how a surprising Coors connection helped him find his first brewer. John also discusses the rise of brewery euchre tournaments, how he launched a brewery without ever brewing a beer, and why he believes branding and camaraderie matter as much as hops. After the beer break, John dives into Solemn Oath’s flagship Snaggletooth Bandana West Coast IPA, tracing its evolution from its early sea-hop bitterness to today’s smoother, citrus-forward profile — and the cult following that’s inspired fans to tattoo the Snaggletooth tooth on their skin. He also shares the origin of Hidden Hand, Solemn Oath’s experimental offshoot exploring foeder-aged lagers, barrel-aged saisons, and approachable beers like The 77 light lager. Hear about the Oaked Val d'Or that won Best in Show at FOBAB, and what makes foeder aging uniquely expressive of Chicago’s barrel-aged beer heritage. Plus: how Solemn Oath navigated Naperville’s original three-drink limit, whether a third location might be next, and how a Robert Burns poem inspired the brewery’s name while Napoleon’s “hidden hand” lent mystery to its sister brand. About Solemn Oath Brewery: Solemn Oath Brewery is a Chicago-area brewery known for its Belgian-inspired and barrel-aged beers, offering a diverse lineup that blends American ingenuity with traditional Belgian styles. Founded by John Barley and Tim Marshall, the brewery has two primary locations in Naperville and Chicago, providing taprooms for visitors to sample their craft beers. Learn more on their website at https://www.solemnoathbrewery.com/ [https://www.solemnoathbrewery.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: Hidden Hand Brewing, Small Wave IPA, City Water hard seltzer, Heaven’s Mirror Mexican Lager, Val d’Or Project, The 77 Lager, American hops, Centennial hops, Cascade hops, Citra hops, craft beer Chicago, Naperville brewery, Logan Square taproom, Still Life taproom, Belgian beer culture, Wisconsin brewing, experimental beer styles, Chicago barrel-aged scene, FOBAB Best in Show, foeder lagering, barrel-aged saison, brewery expansion plans, brewery events, euchre tournament, brewery community, beer branding strategy, brewery storytelling, brewery hospitality, Midwest craft beer, hop-forward beer, IPA evolution, brewery leadership, brewery hiring, craft beer entrepreneurship, beer innovation, craft beer heritage, and beer tasting experiences.

Buffalo Creek on the Challenge of Perfect Lagers: Oktoberfest, Helles, Franconian Rotbier and More

From the rare Franconian Rotbier to crisp Helles, hear how Buffalo Creek tackles the toughest lager challenges to keep German brewing alive in Long Grove, Illinois. Buffalo Creek Brewing Owner and Brewmeister Mike Marr shares how German brewing tradition thrives in Long Grove, Illinois. He explains why lagers are so difficult yet rewarding to brew, the difference between a brewmeister and brewer, Long Grove’s German roots, what makes a Franconian Rotbier unique, and why lagers are unforgiving for mistakes. Plus: how visiting 300 breweries helped Mike shape his business plan, what drew him to traditional lagers, and which styles Americans just don’t enjoy. After the beer break, Mike highlights Buffalo Creek’s playful mini stein sampler glasses, explains what defines a Helles Lager, and reviews beers including their BIG Ludwigski Märzen and Obligatory IPA. He also shares stories behind Buffalo Creek’s four major festivals, the origins of Oktoberfest in Germany, and how the Beer Judge Certification Program defines Dunkel vs. Märzen. Mike also explains what beer ingredients can tell us about US history, including how Wisconsin’s Manitowoc grain elevator sorts massive amounts of barley, why Wyoming is perfect for barley growing, and how Buffalo Bill Dam played a role.  About Buffalo Creek Brewing: Located in Long Grove, Illinois, Buffalo Creek Brewing is a German-inspired brewery with a Bavarian style taproom featuring lagers, ales, and rotating seasonal beers, with a one of a kind Biergärten featuring beautiful nature views. Learn more on their website at http://buffalocreekbrewing.com/ [http://buffalocreekbrewing.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: beer style guidelines, taproom design, beer judging certification, beer festivals Illinois, beer clarity, brewery business plan, cold fermentation, lager fermentation, extended lagering, brewing process control, dry hopping, beer glassware, crafting brewery events, Bavarian taproom, beer garden Illinois, one-acre beer garden, wheat in Kolsch, Crystal Red malt, German wheat Kolsch, patience in brewing, brewing mistakes, turning beer into IPA, collaboration brewing, sediment in beer, proper stein glass, brewery taproom features, Steep Ravine Brewing collab, brewing with wheat, beer clarity techniques, brewer’s tools and equipment, yeast health pitching rates, fermentation temperature control, Munich beer traditions, Alpine Fest, May Fest, Beer Rock Fest, brewery festivals schedule, dry hop vs regular hops, historic grain elevators, barley production US, history of beer glassware, and beer garden architecture.