Rootbeer Killer

Taproom Tangents

Welcome back to Stuck in Beta! This week, Greg and Josh are trying something brand new: taking the show on the road. Recording live “on assignment” from Central Tap in Festus, Missouri, the guys sip on Main & Mill’s Tropical Punch sour drops while catching up on a packed week of life events and pop culture. Tune in as they count down their top 5 fast food burgers and take a nostalgic detour to remember bizarre, old-school mascots like the Noid and Mac Tonight. From a daring attempt at rewiring a rental house using AI to dining on Cousins Maine Lobster, kicking off summer school, and watching Milly walk the field at a Cardinals game, there’s no shortage of updates. Grab some Unicorn Popcorn and join the guys as they also preview the St. Louis Olympic Marathon trials and finally compare notes on Game of Thrones. Show Notes On Assignment: Greg and Josh record their very first “field trip” episode from Central Tap in Festus, MO, thanks to an excellent suggestion from Lori. Drinks & Snacks: Sipping on Main & Mill’s Tropical Fruit Drops (a 5% ABV fruited sour) and taste-testing some Popcornopolis Unicorn Popcorn stolen from the kids. Fast Food Deep Dive: Counting down the Top 5 fast food burgers and a trip down memory lane remembering weird mascots like the Noid and Mac Tonight. Life Updates: Risky DIY with an AI-assisted rental house rewiring project and a dinner review of Cousins Maine Lobster. Family & Local Events: Getting the kids off to summer school, Milly walking the field at a St. Louis Cardinals game, and looking ahead to the St. Louis Olympic Marathon trials. Pop Culture Catch-Up: The guys finally sit down to compare their notes and thoughts on Game of Thrones.

Running Bushwhacked

Welcome back to Stuck in Beta! This week, Greg and Josh cover a lot of ground—literally. Greg kicks things off by detailing his impressive 12-day running streak and his upgrade to Brooks Glycerin 23 running shoes. We also get a quick update on his dog, Ruby, and her paw pad. For Beer 30, the guys sample the Old Tom Porter with Vanilla Beans from Piney River Brewing and reminisce about past brewery field trips. Plus, we’ve got Memorial Day weekend recaps featuring a massive meal at The Tavern and an exploration of the free beer situation at Grant’s Farm. Stick around for an Utz chip taste test and a hilarious, painful deep dive into the 1995 Daniel Stern comedy Bushwhacked, complete with a detour into vintage McDonald’s Happy Meal toys. ???? Show Notes Running Streaks & Shoes: Greg details his 12-day running streak and the night-and-day difference of running in Brooks Glycerin 23s. Dog Update: A quick check-in on why Ruby has to sit out the runs for a bit. Beer 30: Tasting Piney River Brewing’s Old Tom Porter and looking back at old field trips to Tanglefoot and Main & Mill. Weekend Recaps: Splitting a heavy 4-person sampler at The Tavern and exploring the Anheuser-Busch footprint at Grant’s Farm. Snack Segment: Taste-testing Utz chips, including Hot Honey, Cheddar & Sour Cream (non-Ruffles), and Fried Dill Pickle. Movie Review: An honest look back at the 1995 movie Bushwhacked and nostalgic memories of Transformers and Muppet Babies Happy Meal toys. Support the Show: Find our favorite gear and items on our Amazon Associates storefront. More Content: Subscribe to Half-Assed Productions and How To Fix It Workshop on YouTube for our latest video content!

Knuckle Busting

In this episode of the Stuck in Beta podcast, Josh shares his ongoing technological nightmares as Google Chrome completely crashes his system, forcing a full reinstall. For Beer Thirty, the guys crack open a six-year-old bottle of Main & Mill’s Waffle Cone Rocky Road Imperial Stout, only to find the bottom of the bottle has turned into a gelatinous pudding. Josh recaps a fantastic day date with Lori that took them to the Missouri Botanical Garden and Modern Brewery, followed by a trip to a St. Louis Battlehawks game that featured a bobblehead shortage and seat stealers. Plus, a review of the ultra-violent Punisher one-shot on Disney+, and a classic “Shop Talk” segment where Josh details a brutal 4-hour plumbing disaster. Show Notes Tech Nightmare & Beer Thirty Chrome Meltdown: Josh explains how his browser completely lost its cursor and crashed his entire screen, requiring a painful reinstallation process. Aged Stout Experiment: Tasting a 2020 vintage of Main & Mill’s Waffle Cone Rocky Road Imperial Stout (10.5% ABV). While the top pours fine, the bottom of the bottle has settled into a thick, jello-like sludge. Date Nights, Football & Local Gardens Day Date Dominance: Josh and Lori skip the evening crowds and head out for a day date, exploring the gorgeous mature trees at the Missouri Botanical Garden before grabbing drinks at Modern Brewery. Battlehawks Chaos: Attending a St. Louis Battlehawks game at the Dome, dealing with an immediate Ricky Proehl bobblehead shortage, and having to kick a mother and son out of their front-row seats. Garden Growth: Catching up on spring planting (cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini) while protecting the beds from local moles and a giant fat rabbit. Streaming & Pop Culture What We’re Watching: Hitting Season 6 of Game of Thrones, reviewing the graphic Punisher one-shot on Disney+ starring Jon Bernthal, and discussing the upcoming Big Bang Theory spin-off. Nostalgia Trip: Looking back at the 1995 Daniel Stern comedy Bushwhacked. Shop Talk & DIY Fixes The Solder Saga: Josh shares his absolute misery spending four hours trying to sweat copper pipes under a rental sink, only to realize he completely forgot to use flux.

Broken Zippers

In this episode of the Stuck in Beta podcast, Greg and Josh dive into another super-sized pop culture and DIY rant session. Josh battles some frustrating tech issues before they crack open a shockingly old (and questionable) Narrow Gauge “Vanilla Mind Flayer” sour IPA for Beer Thirty. Josh recounts a Mother’s Day trip to Wild Sun Winery that ended with a spontaneous ticket purchase to see Harry Styles at Madison Square Garden. Plus, a chaotic St. Louis Battlehawks game featuring a Ricky Proehl bobblehead shortage and seat stealers. The guys do a taste test of the new Firecracker Pop Oreos, review a violent Punisher one-shot and Big Bang Theory spinoffs, and wrap up with an epic “Old Man Rant” about failing appliances, from a broken lawnmower kill switch to a washing machine that completely died. Show Notes Tech Woes & Beer Thirty Storage Scams: Josh vents about his disappearing mouse cursor and the constant, annoying pop-ups from Microsoft and Google trying to force him to pay for more cloud storage. Vanilla Mind Flayer: The guys take a gamble on a Narrow Gauge sour IPA that has been sitting in the beer fridge roulette since 2019. They break down the pineapple and sour cherry notes of this aged, lactose-brewed beer. Mother’s Day, Harry Styles & The Battlehawks Wild Sun Winery: Josh recaps a Mother’s Day outing with Lori and Lexi to Wild Sun that led to an impulsive decision to buy three tickets to see Harry Styles in New York City for Lexi’s birthday. Bobblehead Shortage: Attending a St. Louis Battlehawks game with a severely limited supply of Ricky Proehl bobbleheads, plus dealing with people trying to steal their front-row seats. Garden Updates: Catching up on spring planting, including tomatoes and cucumbers, while battling the local moles and rabbits. Snacks, Streaming & Pop Culture Firecracker Oreos: A taste test of the new Limited Edition Firecracker Pop Oreos, featuring blue, white, and red layers complete with popping candy inside the cream. What We’re Watching: Catching up on Season 6 of Game of Thrones, discussing the violent Punisher one-shot on Disney+ starring Jon Bernthal, and reacting to the newly announced Big Bang Theory comic book store spin-off, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. Shop Talk & Old Man Rants The Appliance Apocalypse: Josh unleashes an “Old Man Rant” about everything breaking in his house, including his truck’s lumbar knob, a stick vacuum with a disconnected wire, a leaf vacuum with a busted zipper, and a lawnmower with a faulty kill switch. Washing Machine Demise: The final straw: a washing machine that got stuck in an infinite rinse-and-spin loop before leaking black oil and completely dying, forcing a brand new replacement. Mountain of Molehills: Laughing off a harsh YouTube comment from “Lily Fair” on an old DIY laundry shelf video, where she accused Josh of overcomplicating a simple wood shop project.

Bounty Bundle

In this super-sized episode of the Stuck in Beta podcast, Greg and Josh kick things off with a massive 2,000-calorie fast-food challenge: the new Mandalorian and Grogu Bounty Bundle from Burger King. The guys unbox the giant $25 meal and give a full, honest taste test of the Barbecue Bounty Whopper, Garlic Chicken Fries, and Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake, while longing for the days of classic fast-food glassware. To wash it all down, they crack open a “Luggage Combination” Schwartzbier from Second Shift Brewing and discuss the unmatched superiority of “day dates”. Plus, Josh battles a stubborn kitchen sink clog at his rental property, the guys tackle Ford Explorer oil changes, and Peter somehow manages to completely destroy the back wheel of his bike. Wrapping things up, they talk UFL Battlehawks football, catch Steve Ewing of The Urge playing an acoustic set, and reveal the bucket-list bands they need to see before they retire. Another classic from Half-Assed Productions! Show Notes: The Bounty Bundle & Fast Food Nostalgia The Mandalorian Meal: Unboxing Burger King’s massive $25 Grogu Bounty Bundle, popping out the cardboard ears, and noting the movie’s May 22nd release perfectly aligns with Jeff’s birthday. The Taste Test: Reviewing the Barbecue Bounty Whopper (complete with chewy pickles), the Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots, and Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries that tasted a little too much like dino nuggets. Sugar Rush: Trying out the intensely sweet Grogu Blue Cookie Shake. Bring Back the Glass: A nostalgic rant about the plastic 32-ounce promotional cup and wishing fast-food chains would bring back high-quality glassware like the classic Batman cups. Beer Thirty & Day Dates Luggage Combination: Reviewing Second Shift Brewing’s “Luggage Combination,” a Schwartzbier black lager featuring a hilarious Spaceballs reference right on the can. Day Dates: Celebrating afternoon outings with a trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden and drinks at Modern Brewery. Rental Rehab & Shop Talk Plumbing Woes: Josh’s rental property strikes again with a massive kitchen sink clog that finally forced him to call in a professional plumber. Garage Updates: Tackling a standard oil change on the Ford Explorer, and trying to figure out how to true a back bike tire after Peter managed to completely bend the wheel. Music, Sports & Streaming Battlehawks & Local Music: Discussing the 4-2 St. Louis Battlehawks UFL season, and catching a solo acoustic set from Steve Ewing at a local Taco Tequila bar. Bucket List Bands: The guys list the bands they desperately need to see live (Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Metallica) and reminisce about shooting a homemade music video for Metallica’s “One” back in the day. What We’re Watching: Catching up on Season 5 of Game of Thrones and reviewing the weird cult-like dynamic in the Netflix series Unchosen.