The Responsibly Rowdy Podcast

From Healthcare to Master Brewer: Danny Smith | The Responsibly Rowdy Podcast - 04/30/2026

Stephen Callahan sits down with Danny Smith, Head Brewer at Tennessee Hills, for the story behind one of the quietest builders in our operation. Before Danny had a beer named after him in our lineup, he had a career in healthcare. He walked away to chase craft beer, and ended up running the brewing program at America's largest privately-owned Brewstillery. He was instrumental in standing up Tennessee Hills' brewing operation when "Brewstillery" was still just a concept on a whiteboard. Today he's brewing the beers that anchor our taproom, helping shape ETSU's Brewing & Distillation Studies Minor inside the College of Business and Technology, and training the next generation of East Tennessee brewers. This episode covers the pivot that started it all. The early days of building a brewing program inside a distillery. The science conversations between Stephen (the chemist) and Danny (the brewer) that shaped how we brew today. Danny's Irish Stout, the beer that bears his name, and what makes it his. The most interesting thing he's learned since Tennessee Hills added brewing. And a first taste of the Bristol Session West Coast Pilsner hitting the taproom this spring. If you've ever thought about leaving a stable career for something you actually love, this one's for you. New episodes every month. Follow Tennessee Hills Distillery on Instagram @tnhillsdistillery for clips and behind-the-scenes content from the brewhouse. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Stay #ResponsiblyRowdy.

The Man Behind the Still: Jason Franklin, Master Distiller | The Responsibly Rowdy Podcast - 03/29/2026

Stephen Callahan sits down with Jason Franklin, Master Distiller at Tennessee Hills Distillery, for the most personal episode yet. Before Jason ran production at America's largest privately-owned Brewstillery in Bristol, TN, Stephen officiated his wedding at the Salt House in Jonesborough. Five years ago, almost to the day. Their friendship is one of the best origin stories in craft spirits, and this episode tells the whole thing: how they met when Jason was distilling in Sevierville, the moment Stephen knew he'd found his guy, the wedding, the stories that don't make it to social media, and the craziest moments from life on the production floor. No science this time. That's Jason's next episode. This one's about the man behind the still. New episodes every other week. Follow Tennessee Hills Distillery on Instagram @tnhillsdistillery for clips and behind-the-scenes content.

From Bottling to Running the Show | The Responsibly Rowdy Podcast - 02/27/2026

Tennessee Hills Distillery founder Stephen Callahan brings General Manager Lauren to the couch. Lauren is the person who makes the magic happen before anyone sees it. She started in bottling before there was even a full-service bar at the Salt House. Now she's running operations across three locations, booking the bands, ordering the merch, and making sure 60+ events a month actually happen. This is a conversation about what happens before the lights come on. The work nobody sees. And what it's like to grow from pouring drinks to running the show–all before age 27. Whiskey. Beer. Entrepreneurship. The beautiful disaster of scaling a family business with no corporate polish. New episodes drop the last Thursday of every month. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Stay #ResponsiblyRowdy.

From Standing on the Bar to 120 Barrels a Week | The Responsibly Rowdy Podcast - 01/29/2026

Tennessee Hills Distillery founder Stephen Callahan brings Cameron Over, Director of Customer Experience and Sales Manager, to the couch for unfiltered stories from the early days. From getting hired at a bourbon bar to standing on bars at 1 AM yelling at stragglers, Cam lived the rowdy era that built this brand. This episode covers the wild Jonesborough nights that coined "Responsibly Rowdy," what it takes to scale from 3 barrels a week to 120, and why 2026 is the year Tennessee Hills puts the pedal down. Plus: apple brandy, Gold Spectrum THC cocktails, and a 4/20-adjacent Grateful Dead tribute show you won't want to miss. Whiskey. Beer. Controlled chaos. New episodes drop the last Thursday of every month. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Stay #ResponsiblyRowdy.

How To Make Great Beer And Not Injure Yourself

Welcome to Episode 2 of The Responsibly Rowdy Podcast. Stephen Callahan sits down with Jake Terry, Tennessee Hills' Director of Innovation, to talk about what it really takes to make great beer–from San Diego's craft beer mecca to the Appalachian Highlands. This is the story of how a guy who almost became a dentist ended up as head brewer at White Labs, then brought that world-class expertise home to East Tennessee. How a 100-barrel mistake at Terrapin taught Jake a lesson he'll never forget. And why the mountains called him back. The origin of Seven-16 IPA (and what it should've been called). What actually makes a West Coast IPA–and why most people get it wrong. Plus: how getting struck by lightning twice led to the accidental creation of Apple-lachian Lager. Stephen also gets into the science behind Tennessee Hills' commitment to quality. New episodes drop the third Thursday of every month. Host: Stephen Callahan Guest: Jake Terry Producers: Cody Ryans, Jahlil White Follow Tennessee Hills: * Instagram: @tnhillsdistillery * Facebook: @tnhillsdistillery * TikTok: @tennesseehillsdistillery * Website: tennesseehills.com Stay #ResponsiblyRowdy.