Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer

Goose Island’s team breaks down what actually changes a barrel-aged stout over time and how they achieve a perfect balance with their adjuncts.In this audio-only episode, Crafty Brewers’ Brian Noonan and Cody Gough join WGN Radio host Dave Plier in-studio to discuss this year’s Bourbon County Stout lineup with Goose Island President Todd Ahsmann and Senior Innovation Manager Mike Siegel. They delve into the origins of barrel-aged stouts, Goose Island’s unique place in American brewing history, and why barrel-aged beers taste different every year despite using the same recipe. They also present a guided tasting through the 2025 lineup, with practical tips you can use the next time you sip a high-ABV stout, from serving temperature to mouthfeel to how bitterness, acidity, and sweetness can be “levers” that create complexity. Plus: why ingredients are added after aging, how nut/cocoa/fruit additions are made to stay balanced, the surprisingly risky logistics behind refilling freshly-emptied barrels fast enough to prevent spoilage, and the story behind their limited King Henry II Barleywine release.About Goose Island: A Chicago brewery that has been dedicated to making quality beer for all people and all occasions since 1988. Learn more about this year’s Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup at https://www.gooseisland.com/bourbon-county-brand-stout —Support Crafty Brewers on our new Patreon page! https://patreon.com/craftybrewersLearn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, 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/ to learn more.Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: Goose Island, Bourbon County Brand Stout, 2025 Bourbon County lineup, Bourbon County Brand Original Stout, Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout, Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Stout, Bourbon County Brand Chocolate Praline Stout, Bourbon County Brand Cherries Jubilee Stout, Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout, baklava stout, cherries jubilee stout, chocolate praline stout, barrel-aged imperial stout, barrel aging science, bourbon barrel-aged stout, rye whiskey barrels, Parker’s Heritage Collection rye barrels, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond barrels, Buffalo Trace barrels, Four Roses barrels, Wild Turkey barrels, cognac barrel finishing, oxidation in barrel-aged beer, oak tannins, seasonal temperature swings, beer mouthfeel, balancing bitterness acidity sweetness, adjuncts in stout, cocoa nibs, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, dates, date syrup, Montmorency cherries, panela sugar, vanilla sugar, orange citrus, honey, pistachios, walnuts, cassia bark, cinnamon, lemon, imperial stout fermentation esters, serving temperature for stout, Black Friday beer release, Chicago craft beer tradition, Bourbon County Rare, King of Kentucky barrels, Pappy Van Winkle barrels, barleywine in bourbon barrels, English-style barleywine, King Henry II.

Riverlands’ head brewer explains what makes a great Hazy IPA, breaks down his award-winning Kayak Pils, and delves into barrel aging science.Riverlands Brewing Company Co-owner and Head Brewer Eric Bramwell tackles what truly separates haze from haze, why German Pils lives or dies on tiny process tweaks, and how a 50-barrel program helps a young Chicagoland brewery compete with the big stout scene. He shares how Dean Street stays juicy without bitterness, why he only brews styles he loves, practical pro tips for scaling homebrew recipes, and what judges look for at the U.S. Open Beer Championship.After the beer break, Eric tells the Kayak Pils origin story, from early Italian-style dry-hopped batches to today’s German Pils with assertive noble-hop snap, and what “just bitter enough” really means. Then he talks about Mexican lagers and Riverlands’ stout program (Duels & Duets coffee-vanilla imperial, Tranquil non-adjunct BA stout, Tri-City Black session stout, and coconut-heavy Kamoho), and how their barrels are stored, stacked, and aged for years. Plus: Riverlands’ taproom culture (“brewed by friends for friends”) and the hand-built wood aesthetic that literally flows like a river across tables.About Riverlands Brewing Company: Riverlands Brewing Company opened in 2019 as a taproom and brewery in St. Charles, Illinois, focused on brewing high-quality ales and lagers. Learn more on their website at https://www.riverlandsbrewing.com/ —You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, 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/ to learn more.Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. He insists that we tell you that in this episode, you’ll learn about: New England IPA, dry hopping technique, cold-side hop saturation, hot-side bitterness, whirlpool hopping, hop oil mouthfeel, Heady Topper (The Alchemist), Trillium Congress Street IPA, Italian Pilsner (dry-hopped), Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger hops, Saaz hops, German lager yeast, German Pilsner malt, Munich Helles, Märzen, Festbier, River Life lager, San Carlos Especial, barleywine, rye wine, mezcal barrel-aged gose, FoBAB (Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer), World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, double-barrel maturation, double oaked stout, barrel racks, and temperature swing aging.

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 —Here is the Nardwuar Top 20 Reactions video Cody mentioned (profanity warning): 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 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/ to learn more.Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. 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.

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 intro2:29 What is a tighthead? Rugby 1014:48 The first beer Tighthead brewed6:38 From homebrew club to brewing buddies9:20 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 started24:36 Metra trains would wait for customers to buy beer25:39 Boxcar Porter and what sets a porter apart from a stout29:05 What separates a good beer from a great beer31:59 Longsnapper IPA beer collab with former Chicago Bears player Patrick Mannelly38:45 Achieving “hop candy” flavor with Irie IPA, 7.8% ABV and 100+ IBUs44:16 What is “pub culture” and what is a beer engine?45:57 How cask conditioning changes the way a beer tastes49:28 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 consumer1:01:53 How a sparkling hemp beverage is made1:04:30 Final four questions1:13:38 Final toastAbout 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/ —You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, 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/ to learn more.Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. 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.

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/ 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 —You can learn more about Crafty Brewers and get in touch with us on our official website, 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/ to learn more.Our executive producer and editor is award-winning podcaster Cody Gough. 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.