Graining In

#178: Mattatouille Dec 12, 2022

Back to the dual-chair lifestyle this week.

We discuss Matty’s recent finish at @RunMillinocket and continued transition into a RUNNER GUY; @BBBThreeRivers’ first prix fixe dinner and the vibe explosion it proved to be; and ride the waves on an out-of-nowhere but kinda cool discussion on FLOW.

Available NOW, wherever podcasts swell

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#PrixFixe #BeerDinner #HalfMarathon #RunMillinocket #Lifestyle #Discipline #BeerPairing #Saison #MixedFermentation #Flow #Focus #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#177: Leigh Kellis & Jeff Buckwalter | The Holy Donut Dec 05, 2022

This week, we’re stoked to be joined by Leigh Kellis and Jeff Buckwalter of @HolyDonutMaine!

Leigh (founder) and Jeff (CEO) recap the incredibly humble origins of the company and being struck by the donut lightning bolt; injecting organization into a company born in comfortable chaos; the joys and pitfalls (mostly joys) of being a family business; what donut would most impress Julia Child; and a handful of other conversation flavors.

Listen to the entire episode, fresh baked and ready NOW!

🍩👩‍🍳🍻🚛📈🤪🥓🥔🌾💻⏱

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#MaineBusiness #SmallBusiness #FamilyBusiness #PotatoDonuts #Entrepreneurship #DonutGenius #TimetodotheDonuts #ChocolateSeaSalt #RadioJingle #HolyDonut #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#176: Caiti Sullivan | COVEN Brewing Nov 28, 2022

We’re stoked to be joined (in the gahdayum studio) by co-founder/brewer of Pittsburgh’s COVEN — Caiti Sullivan!

Caiti and her brewery had popped up multiple times in the Graingangosphere, and fate finally got its wish. Our conversation is all over the map, touching on Caiti’s background in art (pocket that for tre bay); quick love for the Steel City; the enigmatic force that awakens the entrepreneurial spirit; hypothetical advice for aspiring business owners l; and not much at all about witches.

Always a treat to get a visiting in-person guest on the pod, and this was no different. Listen to the entire cauldron of our conversation NOW, available wherever podcasts are procured.

🎨🎥🌉🧙🧹🔥🤝🥭🍊🍻

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#CovenBrewing #Pittsburgh #WomeninBeer #Fermentation #Homebrewing #Kombucha #Cider #BeerFriends #BusinessOwnership #BusinessPartners #Entreprenuer #SmallBusiness #SmallBrewery #Lawrenceville #PGH #HazyIPA #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#175: Dave Rinaldi | Bissell Brothers Kitchen Nov 21, 2022

This week, we’re joined by one of our own — @BissellBrothers Kitchen Chef Dave Rinaldi!

We get into the origins of Dave’s love for food (🇮🇹); balancing the traditional intensity of kitchen work with a more gentle temperament; eating grill banana slug in Thailand; rare pastas; and BBK’s upcoming FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES!

An awesome conversation with an even better dude, available NOW, wherever podcasts are served.

🇹🇭🍝⚡️🎣🍤🐟🔪👨‍🍳🥘🔥🏝

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#FeastoftheSevenFishes #BissellBrothersKitchen #Cooking #HeadChef #Delegation #KitchenManagement #BreweryFood #FoodandBeer #BeerDinner #Pasta #RarePastas #Rockclimbing #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#174: Tommy Kennedy | HOMES Brewery Nov 07, 2022

Coming at us from Wolverine country, we’re joined this week by Tommy Kennedy of @HomesBrewery and @DrinkSmooj!

We get into Tommy’s flex-focused business philosophy; Homes’ staunch anti-signage/ pro word-of-mouth (WOM?) approach to marketing; accidentally creating a new beverage category with Smooj (shout out, Adult Smoothie®); the profound value of fighting, and a whole lot else.

Our conversation with keen, intelligent, and all-too-humble beverage baron is available NOW, wherever the finest word WOM podcasts are found.

🍓🍌🐺🧑‍🚀🦄🍍🍋🍻☕️🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb by @JakeHillInternet

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#Smooj #HardSeltzer #ShelfStable #AnnArbor #MichiganBeer #FiveLetterMagic #BusinessPartner #Fatherhood #AdultSmoothie #BeerMarketing #GrainGang #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast

#173: Spooky Gang Oct 31, 2022

Chills, tingles, scares, and spooks; We share spoo-ookky stories, rank costumes of years’ past, argue over candy etiquette, unite over hatred for horror, and wrap with pumpkin beers.

Available NOW for intrepid ears everywhere…LISTEN IF YOU DARE!

🎃🦇🤖🧙🏻‍♀️📞👻👩‍🚀🧟‍♀️🧛‍♂️🍻🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb by @JakeHillInternet

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#BeerPodcast #CraftBeer #MaineBeer #PumpkinBeer #PrankCall #UncannyValley #CostumeContest #Halloween #HalloweenCandy #BissellBrothers #GrainGang

#172: Kyle Poissonnier | CFC Wear Oct 24, 2022

We’re joined in the studio this week by founder of @CFCWear and friend of the brewery — Kyle Poissonnier!

Kyle was selling t-shirts out of a car trunk when Noah was making his first “beer” on the stove. Needless to say, a lot of growing has happened since then, and Kyle opens up on the undeniably long and mistake-laden path that led him - and virtually any “successful dreamer” - to where he is today.

We also get into the genesis of Catalyst For Change; it’s “Just a Kid From Maine” and other biggest lines; Surviving Black Friday as a Small E-Comm 101; public speaking, and so much else.

👚👕💭🏈🎤😥🌲🎬📺🍻🌾

Grab life by the handlebar moustache and listen to our entire conversation NOW, available wherever podcasts are sold for free!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Entrepreneur #SuicidePrevention #ClothingforaReason #Biddeford #JustaKidFromMaine #JohnnyCupcakes #LongRoad #SmallBusiness #KPo #EdShardy #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang #MaineEconomy

# 171: Cramp City, USA Oct 16, 2022

A *classic* solo on the books this week! Matty discusses life in the 50k club (and the silent slog to get there; Noah muses on the spiritual successor of his hemp wristwear dreams; the “beer as art” debate is revived in a SHOCKING way; carbo-load on some heartfelt listener mail.; and gear up for a RUDE n’ CRUDE interhost show down in the fantasy football realm!

🏔🏃🌲♟📫❤️🎭❔🏈💭🌾🍻

Unless your running the Big Brad, download and listen NOW, available on all platforms!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Ultramarathon #BigBrad50k #BigBradUltra #Woodturning #ChessMen #HandTurning #ListenerMail #FantasyFootball #FlintJuggalos #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#170: Joe Robbins | Bissell Brothers Oct 09, 2022

We’re joined in the OG studio this week by @BBBThreeRivers’ very own — Chef Joe Robbins!

With five months of operating Milo’s kitchen under his belt, Joe reflects on the nuances of serving top-notch food in a small town, rolling with an incredibly lean crew (he represents 50% of kitchen staff), and finding profit in sourcing locally.

We also get into how Joe’s Penobscot heritage influences his approach to food, the many virtues of @RezDogsFX, and the truly touching story that got him into the kitchen in the first place.

Our entire conversation is available NOW, wherever locally grown podcasts are harvested.

🍔🏀🥩🍁🌮🍻🧀🥕📈❤️🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#ChefJoe #ComfortFood #Bison #NavajoTacks #Mozzarella #SkeletonCrew #KnowYourFarmer #PenobscotNation #LouisSockalexis #NativeCuisine #ReservationDogs #YungSweeneyTodd #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#169: Matt Delamater | Oxbow Brewing Oct 02, 2022

Oxbow CFO (and actor, photographer, and former semi-pro football player) Matt Delamater is with us this week!

We compare notes of the role of “finance guy at small brewery” (Matt is more Obi than Darth); discuss the unquantifiable value of time in beer cost; and shout the virtues of rural breweries. 💸

Oh, and when he’s not wearing a green visor, he’s casually building his @IMDB credits (26 and counting), most recently in “The Tender Bar” (*a George Clooney joint) and “Julia” on @HBOMax. We get a into his highly unique performance journey, beginning with a Barry-esque entry into Maine community theater as an adult banker. Wild and genuinely inspiring stuff. 🎭

Take in all three acts of this convo with a golden-hearted polymath of life, available NOW wherever tickets are sold.

💰📈🚜🎿🌲🍻🏈🎭🎬💛🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Oxbow #Saison #BreweryFinance #CFO #BarrelAging #BeerCost #SmallBrewery #MaineBeer #Theater #Acting #IMDB #SAGCardHolder #TheTenderBar #LocalBrew#Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#168: Baking Convection & Hop Selection Sep 26, 2022

Noah’s back from hop selection; Matty has become a pretzel baker; So much has changed.

We get into sensory overload, being selective at selecting, drive-thru coffee (but SEXAY), BBB’s ability to flex in Yakima, Shawn Kemp’s merch void, vibe-killing drink orders, and finally wind down with some deeply analytical ranking of various pretzie hauses. *The seatbelt sign is now on*

Available OVEN FRESH right friggin now, wherever your podcasts are baked.

🥨👨🏼‍🌾🌾🚜🍇🌳✈️🇩🇪👙☕️🍻🏀

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Yakima #YakimaValley #HopSelection #ShawnKemp #Seattle #GinMartini #Baking #Festbier #Oktoberfest #Pretzels #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#167: Zack Kaiser | Absolem Cider Sep 19, 2022

With Fall here, the timing couldn’t be better to talk apples with Zack Kaiser of @AbsolemCider!

Absolem is located in the heart of central Maine on one of the most beautiful properties you’ll ever see, making some of the best cider we have ever tasted. Naturally, 90 minutes wasn’t close to enough time, but we had an absolute beast of a convo that should serve as a great primer to those also ignorant but interested in the magic apple fermentation.

🍎🐓🍏🌾🍁🌻🔨🥂🍇🍻

It’s freshly pressed and available in full NOW..and just might be the perfect length to listen to on a drive to Winthrop 🤷‍♂️

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Cider #DryCider#MaineCider #WinthropME

#MixedFermentation #SpontaneousFermentation #AppleBelt #AppleHistory #CoFermentation #OakAging #Amphora #FarmWinery #Homebrewing #GrainGang #BissellBrothers

#166: Liter Pours & Lederhosen Sep 12, 2022

We’re left to our own devices this week, and take the opportunity to catch up — we talk reviews (still need ‘em) and review rewards; $20,000 chess sets and ultra marathons; @HeaterAllenBeer-inspired lager talk; and the crispiest of all binge drinking events, OKTOBERFEST.

♟🏃‍♂️💨🍻🍁🇺🇸🇩🇪📝🙏

Available in full NOW for your ear-ticklin’ pleasure!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Lager #LagerBrewery #PreceptPils #GermanPils #FamilyBusiness #SlowGrowth #Bobtoberfest #CraftBeer#Oktoberfest #Marzen #Festbier #Woodturning #ChessSet #Ultramarathons #GrainGang #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast

#165: Lisa Allen | Heater Allen Brewery Sep 04, 2022

We’re joined this week by @HeaterAllenBeer head brewer and the brewery’s heir apparent, Lisa Allen!

We get into Lisa’s background in the wine world and the decision to switch beverages and work for her Father’s brewery; Heater Allen’s approach to making and love for Marzen; the pros and cons of wet hops in a lager brewery; and, naturally, true crime.

@Lisa_Loves_Lagers, we loved talking to her, and you’re sure to love hearin’ it — available NOW, wherever fining-free audio is found!

🍷🍻🌲🍇👨‍👧🐶🚔🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Lager #LagerBrewery #OregonBeer #FamilyBusiness #SlowGrowth #Bobtoberfest #CraftBeer #CzechPils #MoonlightoftheNorth#GrainGang #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast

#164: Jamal Robinson | NEBco (REPOST) Aug 29, 2022

A bachelor party, a charity golf tournament, and a bunch of other stuff meant no episode this week. We got a GREAT run of guests lined up for September, but until then, please relive our fantastic conversation (that give birth to a fantastic collab beer) with Jamal Robinson of @NewEnglandBrewing from back in January.
See ya next week for the freshies!
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#BlackBrewers #DiversityinBeer #TheBusiestManInCT #NEBCo #WoodbridgeCT #CTBeer #FuzzyBabyDucks #AfricanAmericanBrewersScholarship #Endowment #GrainGang #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast

#163: Josh Schlesinger | Bissell Brothers Aug 22, 2022

e’re joined this week by one of our very own — @BissellBrothers Head of Distribution Josh Schlesinger!

Josh (or Sniff as he’s known by nearly anyone with a pulse) was the brewery’s second hire back in early 2014, and his tenure has afforded him a very unique perspective on how BBB’s beer is best served (full pun intention) outside the brewery walls.

🚛📦⏳

In our conversation, we reflect on how Sniff and his team’s approach to distribution has become more fluid and flexible over time, while simultaneously doubling down on the ideals that brought the company success in the first place. We touch on Christmas evictions, BBB’s big plans for Grocery, country music sensations, and so much more.

🎸🧘🎄

The episode is available in full NOW, wherever you get your ice cold podcasts delivered!

✈️🌏🚛🛢🍁🛒🍻🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#BeerDistribution #DistributorsofMaine #RIPSleekMachine #MEBrewersGuild #ColdFreshBeer #BeerDelivery #Logistics #CompanyGrowth #BrewingIndustry #MEBeer#Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#162: Mental Wealth Aug 14, 2022

With anxious minds, busy schedules, and a lot more to talk about, we’re keeping it intimate for another week.; *”Just the Two of Us” fades in* 👨‍❤️‍👨

After touching on the CO2 shortages showing up in beer news, we dive into a discussion on everyone’s favorite subject — mental health and illness! 🧠🎭

Specifically, Noah reflects on his relationship with depression and Matt shares straight from the heart about his experience with Schizophrenia, something his brother has dealt with for the last decade. The brutal, the ugly, and the deeply beautiful all abound in a disorder that 1% of the population has despite all too often being ignored by society and systematically avoided by healthcare world.

Be it to relate, learn, or maybe even cry, there’s a lot to take in from this unexpected conversation…and that’s what friends are for. ❤️

Get it NOW, everywhere and anywhere!

🤯👨‍👩‍👦‍👦❤️💊🏰🚔👹🎭🧠🍻🌾

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#MentalHealth #Schizophrenia #Bipolar #HelpIsOutThere #GetHelp #Depression #NobleGases #CO2shortage #SupplyChain #MentalHealthAwareness #Empathy #Compassion #BrotherlyLove #TheClubhouse #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#161: Moped'ed For A Recession Aug 08, 2022

This week, Noah’s back from an impromptu trip to New Haven where he learned that mopeds are in fact the only mode of transportation in Hell; Matty scratches his macro economics and mailbag itches with the same stroke and tees up a great question about how a recession could/will/is affecting decisions and philosophy behind the scenes at @BissellBrothers; AND so much more, available for downloadable ear-ticklin’ NOW, wherever podcasts are found!️
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#Mopeds #AntiMoped #Tinkering #NewHaven #MopedRally #RideatYourOwnRisk#Mailbag#Recession #BreweryPlanning #Tribalism #StayGold #TheFutureIsWeird #BreweryEconomics #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#160: Iker Elorriaga & Ignacio Montenegro | Tripping Animals Aug 01, 2022

We’re joined this week by the immutable energy of Iker Elorriaga and Ignacio Montenegro of @TrippingAnimalsBrewing!

In Maine for @WavyDaysFest, Iker and Iggy — collectively half of the four founders of their brewery — get into the origins of Tripping Animals in their native Venezuela; how the brewery may have ended up in Spain; the hyper-genuine personality and ideals that drive both their brewery and brand; and plenty more picante topics and experiences shared in the entrepreneurial ride.

Listen to our entire chock-full-o-good-vibe conversation NOW, available wherever listenable fun is found!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Venezuela #Trippy #FourFamilies #Miami #FloridaBeer #StartBeingYourself #Doral #DoralDaddies #DoralBeer #CanArt #Entrepreneurs @MastLanding #WavyDays #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#159: Seth Morton | Jackie O’s Brewery Jul 25, 2022

We’re joined this week by fast friend and Director of Brewing Ops at @JackieOsBrewery, Seth Morton!

Seth gets into how his eleven year tenure at Jackie O’s began with a very special sledgehammer; shares some of his vast wisdom about barrel sourcing, recipe design, and turning “ladybug” into “Twizzler”; and discusses how the brewery’s commitment to community is far more than a tagline or attractive drop-down page.

Oh — and radio shock jocks. We talk about that, too.

Get it NOW, wherever traditional radio has already gone to die!

🐞🎙🔨👷🛢🔬🍻🌾🐝🍫

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#JackieOs #AthensOH #OhioBeer #DarkApparition #TheSpark #BreweryManagement #ClimbingtheLadder #BeerCommunity #BarrelAging #Barleywine #homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#158: Isabel Smith | Maine Farmland Trust Jul 18, 2022

We’re joined this week by Communications and Engagements Manager for Maine Farmland Trust, Isabel Smith!
Isabel takes us to school on what MFT’s goals and scope are as a non-profit, the many ways it fights for and assists in preserving farmland in Maine, and how it often acts as a vital bridge between the generations of Maine farmers. We (Noah) also learn about the vile and pervasive “sludge” (not the metal subgenre, ya freakin’ headbangers), talk Tinder for farm ownership, and of course, sharks.
Available NOW, 100% sludge-free, wherever you get your podcasts!
🚜🌾👨🏼‍🌾➡️👩🏽‍🌾🐷🐖🌲💐❤️🦈🍻
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#MaineFarming #MaineFarmlandTrust #FarmlandPreservation #NonProfit #Sludge #LandTrust #GeneratonalFarming #YoungFarmers #Stewardship #MaineMaltHouse #Honebrewing #BeerPodcast

#157: Cam Bosch | Permanent Hangover Jul 11, 2022

This week, we’re joined remotely by fulfillment extraordinaire, landlord, and co-owner of @PermanentHangover — CAMERON BOSCH!

There’s nothing but love here for the Steel City as Cam discusses PH’s keenly measured growth as both a brand and company; the ways it continues to differentiate itself in an unthinkably crowded space of digital B2C; and how he fundamentally changed his lifestyle and sh(r)d 75+lbs by learning to love the goddamn process.

Amazing stuff from one of the finest ambassadors Pittsburgh has to offer, available everywhere NOW!

📫🍻📦📸🤳✈️⚖️➡️🕺

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Pittsburgh #IronCity #Lawrenceville #Copyright #CustomerService #GiveaFuck #BlackandYellow #DancingGnome #Landlord #HonwBrewing #BeerPodcast #PermaBaby

#156: Guess Who’s Going to Jail Tonight Jul 04, 2022

This week, we’re solo once more before a long guest run, and Noah has a lot to ask Matty about what life is like behind two very different sets of BARS.

First, Matt gives the grain-to-glass process (subjective and abridged) on how a rap verse finds its words, discovers the beat it was meant to marry, and the two main lines of creative process in the world of hip-hop.

🎧😷🎤😬📝

Next — as the title implies, Matty provides an inspiring blend of insight and perspective gleaned from his experience being incarcerated. Few places are portrayed more in culture, but how much do you actually KNOW about life inside the wildly unique microcosm of jail/prison? Also, an impromptu recitation of Jarvis Masters’ “A Recipe for Prison Pruno”.

🍷🚽🧃🍜🎓🚔🚨✍🏾

Enjoy your freedom by choosing to listen to this episode, available NOW just about everywhere (maybe even jail).

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#PrisonSystem #SuccessStory #CrimeandPunishment #BlackMarketSoupTrade #Pruno #PrisonWine #FreeStyle #MusicMaking #LettheBeatBuild #LilWayne #BeerPodcast #Mailbag #Yeezys #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#155: A Smorgasbord of Flows Jun 26, 2022

REVIEW and you shall RECEIVE —

The undisputed King of Freestyle in Piscataquis County is back! (**Please note, Graining In is not responsible for any shattered jaws or any other issues resulting from the flow contained in this episode**)

🎤🎧🤯🌋🔥

In other news, a kind message from @TBean326 leads to a discussion of the oft-overlooked dos and don’ts in while interviewing for a job; provide an alternative take on what it means to dump beer; and reflect on the infinite joys experienced through BBB’s recent collaboration with @NewEnglandBrewing.

This 100% genuine, USDA®-approved Flow Smorgasbord is piping hot and ready to be served NOW, wherever you get ‘em!

📝🚫✅🗑🚮⭐️🤜⭐️🤛

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#ReviewCampaign #FormerRapper #HesStillGotIt #Dylon #BarsonBars #LyricalStacks #BeerPodcast #JobInterview #Collaboration #NEBco #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#154: Jamaal Lemon | Good Beer Hunting Jun 23, 2022

Thanks for the patience, but we’ve got an episode well worth the wait — writer Jamaal Lemon returns to the pod!

A lot has happened since we first got to know each other over a year ago, not the least of which is a @BeardFoundation nomination for his three-part @GoodBeerHunting piece, “Tek Cyear uh de Root”. He goes deep on how the idea developed into the artful synthesis of Charleston history, beer, guns, and systemic racism it grew to be.

Our conversation was tremendously eye-opening, often difficult, but ultimately lined with hope (always does with Jamaal), and we can thank @SweetGrass3 enough for the honesty, openness, and perspective.

Available NOW, wherever primo pods are found!

🌾🍻🌞🍤🇬🇾🍅✍🏾🍚🏆🤵🏾‍♂️📚🐅🏈

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#GullahGeechee #CharlestonSC #Schutzenfest #TekCyearUhDeRoot #RaceandBeer #RootCauses #ForTheFuture #Racism #BeerCulture #JamesBeard #GrainGang #EdmundsOast

#153: Matthew Parks | Barbara Bush Children's Hospital Jun 06, 2022

This week, we’re honored to sit down with Matthew Parks, Director of Philanthropy at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital!
Matthew came into our orbit about 7 years ago, when @HesterBissell began exploring ways BBB could give back, leading to the Baby Genius partnership that has raised ~$50k for BBCH since. Matthew discusses the perpetual and limitless task of finding, securing, and maintaining philanthropic funds; balancing positivity and motivation when “you could always raise more”; the myriad ways ANYONE can contribute, and so much more.
He certainly took the long road to Maine, but you’re not going to find a better heart (or accent) on either side of the Atlantic — our conversation is available in full NOW, wherever you listen!
👶🖍👩‍⚕️🏥🤕🚑🎗🌈💪🧸💉⛳️
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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@MaineMedicalCenter #TeleHealth #Liverpool #GrainGang

#152: You’re COOKIN’ Frankie! Jun 01, 2022

Keepin’ simple and classic this week after a great string of guests. Noah recaps a recent trip to @MaineMaltHouse and recaps the booming success of @BissellBrothers’ first “Kolsch Day”; Matty reflects on a major kitchen inspection and the @BBBThreeRivers Kitchen *finally* becoming real; and the mailbag gets rifled through before signing off to receive —SPOILER ALERT— the proverbial “OK” to fire up dem grills 🍖🔥😎

Get in NOW in Michelin-starred audio kitchens worldwide!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Kolsch #KolschService #LocalMalt #WeCantWaittoShareThisWithYou #NoFarmsNoFood #BB3RKitchen #ChefJoerobinson #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#151: Maria Cabre | J Wakefield Brewing May 25, 2022

We’re joined this week by someone hailing from the land that inspired GTA: Vice City — Maria Cabre, Director of Brewing Ops at @JWakefieldBeer!

We get into #WakeFest — one of the country’s best beer festivals that Maria leads every year; talk about the transition, similarities/differences between brewing and its way-more-put-together cousin, baking; and ask how the hell Florida became the epicenter of the thickest, heaviest, adjunct-ed pastry stouts on Earth ❓❔❓

Available in full NOW, regardless of your listening climate! 🏝☃️

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🍍🥖🥥🥐🥭☀️🥝🍳🐉🥵🍻

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#FloridaBeer #MIABeer #MadeinDade #CelticsHeat #WakeFest #DFPF #ComiCon #PastryStout #Miami #Berliner #GrainGang #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing

#150: Trevor Stone | Mentation Cannabis II May 17, 2022

Trevor Stone of @Mentation3.0 is bbback!

We last spoke about 15 months ago, when Mentation was just a brand new seed. Trevor walks us through his first year in the medical cannabis world, talks about Mentation’s recent 3x expansion to the (aptly named) town of Greene, and a big honkin’ tent of other stuff in another perfect melding of beer’s peanut butter to weed’s banana.

🧑‍🌾🏍🌲🎪🍉🍄📈🦞🚜🍻

Available NOW on your local podcast dealer’s menu!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#149: Brad Erickson | Crooked Run Fermentation May 08, 2022

We’re joined by the sharpest shear in beer - Brad Erickson of @CrookedRunFermentation!

Brad patiently fields Noah’s barrage of questions about his former career as groundskeeper for the Washington @Nationals; we get into Crooked Run’s mobile coolship and comically-ideal environment for spontaneous beer on their home turf; learn about the growing influences and actual production of wine at the “fermentory”; and, naturally, analyze Montreal Expos greats.

Like Crooked Run’s menu, there’s something for everyone in this conversation with a man of many talents — available everywhere NOW!

🏟🍷⚾️🚜⛲️👨🏼‍🌾🧫💐🌳🚧🧹✂️

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#VABeer #VirginiaIsForBeerLovers #GroundsKeeping #WashingtonNationals #TarpCrew #CrookedRunFermentation #SpontaneousFermentation #Coolship #BeerWine #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang #BissellBrothers

#148: CJ Novack | Boston Beer Co. May 01, 2022

This week, we’re joined by CJ Novack of @SamuelAdamsBeer/@DogfishHead. We get into the importance and impact of top-down leadership; CJ’s experience loving craft beer for a quarter-century before he actually began working in it; and how the hell he went from graveyard shift PakTecher to “Divisional Analyst”.

This was a fantastic conversation from as high a vantage point we’ve yet to have on the industry, yet highlights a story that demonstrates why this beverage is so great in the first place. Get it where you get ‘em, available NOW!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#CanCollectors #SamCalagione #Deleware #PunkRock #JimKoch #GenosRockClub #TomDelonge #CraftBeer #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#147: Randy Carver | Limitless Wrestling Apr 24, 2022

**Queue voice of a Buffer Brother**

Onnnn the podcast this week…hailing from LaGrange, ME…a nine-year veteran of the pro wrestling biz at age 25…”The Vince McMahon of Maine”…. RRRRRANDYYYY CARRR-VVVVEERRR of @LIMITLESSWRESTLING!!!

*Normal voice returns*

Ever since our conversation with @ReelCatchAV at the start of the year, our interest in the new era of pro wrestling has been fully piqued. So, we went straight the top to talk with Randy Carver — who grew up and still lives about 15 miles from @BBBThreeRivers — about creating, running, and developing Limitless Wrestling into one of the hottest and most respected independent wrestling promotions in the country.

This conversation was equal parts interesting, funny, and inspiring and was an absolute joy to have. Better yet, YOU can hear NOW, wherever you pin your podcasts!

🤼‍♂️🏆🤕🤵🏻👑🍻🎤🎥🤼‍♀️🪑🛎

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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@RandyCarverJr @RefGreenleaf013 @TheAceRomero @MSPIsTheVibe #IndependentWrestling #IndieWrestling #WrestlingPromotion #LimitlessChampionship #TagTeam #LimitlessWrestlingYouTube #3Count #WrestlingSchool #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#146: Rob Tod | Allagash Brewing Company (REPOST) Apr 19, 2022

We have a grrreat(!; ™️) run of guests coming up over the next month, but this week we’re just playing the hit of hits — THE Goat himself (and possibly our favorite episode ever), ROB “The TodFather” TOD of @AllagashBrewing!
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On that note, Allagash just launched a new podcast of their very own - “From Maine, With Love”, and you best believe it is fully up to glowing Allagash standards. How much it was inspired by episodes #100 and #62 of Graining In is open for debate 😉
🎙🤩🧙🌾🍻🔌🙇💝🦞
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#MaineBeer #CraftBeer #Allagash #RobTod #TodFather #FromMaineWithLove #BeerPodcast #BeerIdol #IndustryStandard #GrainGang #Homebrewing

#145: Taking My Cryptos to South Beach Apr 11, 2022

This week, Matty has big news to share!
We want to hear your engagement stories — but literally ONLY if they’re sent in the form of a review; Noah inquires about the upcoming trip to @JWakeFieldBeer and Wakefest; and as always, the hot line is a-blingin’ with a particularly strong batch of mailbaggers.
Like an audio Big Gulp®, this sweet treat is available in full, everywhere, and NOW!
🌴⚾️🔐 🧝‍♀️👽🪐🍩📫🍻
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#Wakefesr2022 #CryptoPaymentsOnly #Engagement #Fiance #ClosetoCuba #Mailbag #BreweryPodcast #BissellBrothers #GrainingIn #ThreeBay
#Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

"Michael Jackson Loved Gueuze" (PREVIEW) Apr 04, 2022

Via Graining In - Episode #142

#144: Troy Casey | Casey Brewing & Blending Apr 03, 2022

This week we’re joined by the Wizard of the Western Slope — Troy Casey of @CaseyBrewing!

Among much else, Troy discusses his industry origins as a tour guide-turned-pilot brewer at @CoorsLight/@ACGoldenBrewingCo; his approach to sustainable blending (and a Saison edition of Battle of the Sexes); membership in the WLFOC (Whole Local Fruit Only Club); and co-flexes with Matty on the golden age of hip-hop production.

We had an absolute joy getting to know Troy, and very much hope it’s the first of many conversations. Until then, this one is available NOW, no matter what slope you’re from!

🏔🍒👷🍑🍇🎤🧑‍🔬💽🤠🍻

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#WesternSlope #ColoradoBeer #Blending #FunkyBlender #CaseyFamilyPreserves #FruitBeer #BottleConditioned #BeerBlending #LocalFarms #GoldenAgeofHipHop #Sampling

#Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#143: Garth Clark | Apprentice Electrician Mar 27, 2022

We’re scratching the non-beer itch this week with Garth Clark — fellow @UMaineFarmington grad and current (hehe) Apprentice Electrician!

Garth talks about how “Uncle Covid” led to him abruptly switching careers, walks us through the unique tiered hierarchy of the electrical trade, and tells us how power works (very adeptly, to be honest). We also discuss the diminishing efficacy of traditional college degree, explore a real life example of the *12,000 Hour Rule, touch on electrical DIY, and a whole let else.

A must listen for both those looking for some go-getter inspiration and fans of laughing, the entire conversation is available NOW, wherever electricity is found!

⚡️💡🔌👷🤓📝💰🌊🌬

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#Electrician #Apprentice #TradeSchool #TheTrades #SkilledLabor #Amperage #Voltage #Power #AlternatingCurrent #Tesla #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#142: The King of Pop Loved Gueuze Mar 20, 2022

Fully yoked on Vitamin D, Matty asks Noah about his Florida trip, which leads to an exchange of highway cookin’ yarns and the creation of some VERY LEGITIMATE review incentives…⁉️🥕❔
Also on the docket — Tripels, honey, and some @3Fonteinen memories; a rapid fire taking of the grain bag; and another clean and tidy episode saved before laptop snoozed. ⚡️
Hear what’s to be heard, available NOW!
🥵🐝🦞🏖🏎🏁🎤🕺🏼🥪🍻
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#HoneyBeer #MadeiraBeachFl #TPAtoATL #BottleConditioning #PrimingSugar #Tripel #Sunburn #BeeronMars #GrainBag #Mailbag #BeerPodcast #Homebrewing #GrainGang

#141: Blake Tyers | Creature Comforts Mar 16, 2022

Noah is joined by the Smoothest of the South -- Blake Tyers of Creature Comforts! The chisel comes out early, and Noah picks Blake's brain from everything to barrel program philosophy, the measured and wildly impressive growth trajectory of the brewery, D-I marching band life, and of course, the ever-lurking off-flavor THP -- a subject Blake has led the awareness charge on. Blake also discusses Creature's upcoming LA location and the wild story that sparked it all, his current role leading the brewery's innovation arm (the Catalyst Division), and delivers one of the most delightful and informative Three Bay's you'll ever be graced with.
This Georgia Peach of a conversation is available NOW, wherever you shop for sound.
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#140: Down With the Sickness Mar 07, 2022

Reunited once more, Matty talks about losing a few bad rounds to COVID (but getting the decision in the end) and asks about @BissellBrothers upcoming beer dinner; Noah discusses the blending process at @BBBThreeRivers through the lens of the soon-to-be bottled second batch of Spellwork (sinful and gin-ful as ever) and gives some tips for cloning Lux; Politicians are deftly compared to COVID variants.
Short story long — available NOW, world-freakin’-wide!
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#DownwiththeSickness #OmnicronSilentN #Homebrewing #BeerDinner #BeerBlending #Blending #PullingNails #GinBarrel #Saison #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#139: Paul Arney | The Ale Apothecary Feb 27, 2022

Noah is left alone and afraid this week, but all’s made well with the presence of a true 1-of-1 soul — Paul Arney of Ale Apothecary!

Paul’s perspective on the industry (and his brewery’s reflection of it) is as refreshingly unique as you’re going to find. More words won’t do the conversation justice, but rest assured there’s spruce logs, a tiny and mostly-wooden brewery in a forest, and one hell of an admirably free spirit.

Get your wonder on NOW, available where podcasts get got.

🏔🌲🌳🌿🌱🍄🌾🍻🤠

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#RusticBrewing #RealOne #Kviek #ScandanavianBrewing #SpontaneousBeer #SpruceBeer #ORBeer #BrewedInBend #ForestBrewery #Sahti #Puncheon #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#138: Margaret Dever | Bissell Brothers Feb 20, 2022

This week, we welcome Margaret Dever to both the podcast and to the BBB team! Margaret was (coincidentally) finishing up the brewing program at Sacred Heart when she applied for and got selected for @BissellBrothers Equity Internship. We deep-dive into her experiences with both, Noah talks about why she was shined too bright to not offer a full-time job, and through the conversation, inadvertently lay out a fantastic blueprint to follow for anyone looking to break into the brewing industry.

Inspiring and informative on a variety of levels, you don’t want to miss this one — available NOW wherever you get ‘em!

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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@BrewatSHU #WomenInBeer #BeerSchool #BreakingintoBeer #Internship #EquityInternship #DiversityinBeer #BraveNoise #NewHire #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

#137: Braap Pro Shops Feb 14, 2022

A good ol’ solo on the docket this week! Matty discusses his recent but brief integration into local snowmobiling culture (and subsequent choice of headwear), Noah talks about his upcoming Philly trip to brew at @ForestandMain, and the mailbag is opened up to discuss brewery financing, Swish Lite®️, and a slew of other juicy topics.
Available NOW from all the usual suspects!
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet
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#Snowmobiling #Snowsleds #MaineWinters #CollaborationBeer #Philly #OpeningaBrewery #BreweryFinance #FloridaBeer #GrainGang #BeerPodcast

#136: Jamal Robinson | New England Brewing Company Feb 06, 2022

This week, we’re honored to be joined by Jamal Robinson — director of sales/marketing at @NewEnglandBrewing, 2021 @GoodBeerHunting Signifier, a major catalyst behind both NEBCo’s @BrewAtSHU African American Brewers Scholarship and @ChangeInTheAirFestival, and, ..well you get the point.

We get into Jamal’s absurdly storied industry history, NEBCo’s shocking (to Noah, anyways) size, and the array of inspirational ways he’s leading change in the beer industry through action, not words.

Let it all hit ya, available NOW wherever you get podcast.

🍻🥯👨🏾‍💻🚛👔📊💎🍺🎓🌬

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#BeerSales #ABInBev #CTBeer #NEBCO #DiversityinBeer #AChangeIntheAir #SacredHeart #EndowmentGang #AfricanAmericanBrewersScholarship #GrainGang #BeerPodcast

#135: Dustin Small | Forager Jan 30, 2022

Wooooh, get your learnin' pants on for this one! We're joined but BB3R's very own Dustin Small, an integral member of our small Milo staff and as we've come to find out, a pretty damn knowledgable forager. We get into the inspiring story of how Dustin found foraging and turned it into a very viable revenue stream for his family; run through Maine's foraging season from Ramps to Hen of the Woods; the not-as-difficult-as-it-seems-but-still-dangerous act of identifying mushrooms in the wild; and merely scrap the iceberg tip on the simply astounding (under)world of the wonder-fungus (and lifeblood of mushrooms in addition to seemingly everything) that is mycelium. Simply put, this is a must listen, regardless of your curiosity towards mushrooms, because they matter to this planet a lot more than most of us realize.
................. ............................. ...........Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#134: Porous Places Jan 24, 2022

On our first solo of the new year, Noah discusses some recent blending woes and the soon-ish return of 🍑Just the Pits🍑 and debut of a 🍯 beer; the #GrainGang comes up BIG with combo of “..Holy Shit!” stories (🤯) and thought-provoking questions (📐🧠); and Matt hardens Noah’s just a bit more by linking his precious beers with the most un-saisonlike NFTs on the market.
It’s the hard-hitting content you’ve come to expect from your favorite 🤡s in podcasting, and it’s available NOW at the same well that got you hooked to begin with ⛲️🤓
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by Jake Hill

#133: Mike Semenec & Vince Tursi | DSSOLVR Jan 17, 2022

2022 keeps the positive momentum rolling (at least with this podcast), as we're joined by the co-founders of DSSOLVR -- Vince Tursi (again) and Mike Semenec (a first).
We often reference our first interview with Vince as an archetype for what this podcast is at its most complete, and this conversation only built upon that. On the beer side, we get DEEEEP in the coffee beer weeds (technical townies, UNITE); Mike sheds light on how the hell he maintains the aesthetic output the brewery demeands (spreadsheets and doodles); and we revisit the topic of decoding the elusive art of effectively managing people.
If your new to the pod, this is a GREAT place to start, and if you're tried and true Grain Ganger, well, your welcome ;-)
............. ................ .................. ......................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#132: Ashley Medrano | Trillium Brewing Jan 10, 2022

After a holiday recharge, we are back with a 🔥 for a conversation with Ashley Medrano. Ashley cans beer at @TrilliumBrewing by day, but cracks open cans of whoop ass by night as Ashley Vox, a professional wrestler that’s had matches everywhere from local fairgrounds to @AllEliteWrestling, @LimitlessWrestling, and @RingofHonor.
Apparently, a lot has happened in wrestling since the late ‘90s, and Ashley is a certified badass in the center of an industry that looks very different than the one she grew up watching.
🤼‍♀️🥊🤕⚓️💪🐟🌊
TL;DR - a great conversation with a fanatically humble person in an extremely interesting industry. Available NOW across all podcast promotion, YA JABRONI!
........................ .................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#131: Banish Your Demons Dec 23, 2021

Late, but not too late for Christmas! The guys discuss barrel aging and 2021 Angels With Filthy Souls; discuss a 180* on nuts; answer a sack of questions about Santa, wrestling, and gift giving; and of course, get appropriately sappy cause it's just that time of the year, baby. ............ ...................... .......... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#130: Alex Kidd II | Don't Drink Beer Dec 11, 2021

The Soothsayer of Stout, the Lukr of Litigation -- Alex Kidd of Don't Drink Beer and Malt Couture -- is back in the grain sack. We discuss a largely improv-free pandemic, new fatherhood, list making, and plate stacking. Erudite as ever, Alex also offers his take on how to stay excited about beer, avoiding Flex Culture at all costs, and pairs up some pop-improv shows and movies with some beers of the year. Less is more in the description, get the real thing NOW.
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#129: Runner's Sigh Dec 06, 2021

On the eve of Matty's big race (update: HE DID IT), the guys discuss Matt's attempt to lower his resting heart rate; reflect on the first *real* coolship fill of the year during the night prior; and call for more mailbag drops, guest recs, and REVIEWS before providing the results of the last solo episode's BIG CHALLENGE -- if ya know ya know, and if you don't you should write a review; Listening will be required regardless.
We also tackle a handful of mailbag heaters before debuting a new segment for the attention-challenged beer lovers among us: THE CHAFF BUCKET ...? (Husk Heap? Chaftache?) Working title, but will be all about snack-sized questions, comments, and the like that proved to be a ton of fun.
A "Multitrack" of an episode if there ever was one...and it's available EVERYWHERE you can find podcasts! (You'll have to go elsewhere for Matt's "13.1 - I RUN!" Christmas bumper sticker)........... ................... ................... ............... ......... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#128: Cory Smith | Storyteller Nov 29, 2021

Cory Smith is a Copenhagen-based, semi-recent Brooklyn transplant with an ever-growing resume of extremely high quality beer photography and journalism to his name. We get into his entry into the world of beer photography via a background in advertising; his personal account of life as an Ex-Pat and compares recent experiences in the ER at hospitals in both in new and old home; The global glue of the English language; Cory's COVID-spurred project "Closed // Open", a series of in-depth profiles on Copenhagen hospitality figures amid lockdown; and as always, a slew over other things, both warmly surprising and gratingly predictable. He won't tell you, but Cory's triple-threat of photography, writing, and perspective can go toe-to-toe with any beer journalist in the globe and it was a pleasure to get a dose of culture in the Grain Gang box from the nicest dude on any continent.
................. .................... .........Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#127: Matt Bolinder | Speckled Ax Coffee Nov 23, 2021

Somehow, the podcast has chugged forward for nearly three years without a single coffee episode -- that ends TODAY. The guys are joined by Matt Bolinder, owner of Speckled Ax Wood Roasted Coffees in Portland. Matt charts the windy and certainly unconventional road that led him to Speckled Ax, and discusses how opening a business seemed like the only way to stay in Maine (despite a newly-acquired PhD in literature). We also learn why (the hell) he chose to get started with a decidedly rare wood-fired roaster, dive into the complicated value of doing things manually, and get into the fundamental social value in fair trade and organic coffee. Get roasted in the mysterious realm of the world's third most popular beverage!

#126: System of a Clown Nov 15, 2021

Matty and Noah resume their Online Friendship (TM) to raise the stakes to MAGNUM LEVEL in the campaign for podcast reviews, as well as discuss BB3R's first coolship wake up brew, Matty Gump's long distance running progress, and a Theo Von crowd fit for a skit on I Think You Should Leave (literally and figuratively). The guys also crack open the mailbag to get into centrifuges, gluten-free beer, the need for decoction, floating bungs, and the separation of brett (church) and sacc (state) in the cellar. Great fun! .............. ...................... ....................... .............. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#125: Zack Adams | Fox Farm Brewery Nov 07, 2021

Our hot-n-ready studio gets christened in style — with owner/brewer at Fox Farm Brewery, Zack Adams!
In trademark fashion, the conversation (endearingly?) is all over the place. Zack gets into his *extremely* accomplished career as a home brewer (2012 @SamuelAdamsBeer LongShot winner?!?)); his brewery’s commitment to nailing as many styles as possible; lager logistics // spoils of spontaneous fermentation; and the beauty of brewing with what you can find in your state.It’s starting to seem that people that live at their brewery are the nicest brewers of all — put that hypothesis to the test with the episode in full, NOW available damn near everywhere!
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Music: “Mountain Climb” by Jake Hill

#124: Tim Clifford | Sante Adairius Rustic Ales Nov 02, 2021

Time to tick another Grain Gang whale! The guys are joined by All-Pro First Team in American saison brewing, Tim Clifford of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (SARA) in picturesque Santa Cruz/Capitola, CA. Tim talks about getting his lengthy stint as a broke homebrewer, the history Masters degree he put to use on the seat of a forktruck, what makes SARA SARA, and discusses how he and co-owner Adair have doubled-down in their commitment to slow growth and authenticity...and that's just the first half! It was an absolute pleasure to have a such a loose, honest, and broad conversation with one of the most interesting figures in American mixed fermentation, Sante, indeed. .............. .............................. ................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#123: Matt Richardson | Tilted Barn Brewery (REPOSTED) Oct 25, 2021

Taking a much needed breather to put the finishing touches on the *new* Portland studio, preparing for a Murder's Row of upcoming guests, and to be completely honest, do a lot of lawn work (not sexy, but valid nonetheless). In the stead of the normal fresh-fresh, we're revisiting an extremely enjoyable conversation that occurred back in February with farmer, father, brewer, and notably, Exeter's chief Seinfeldophile -- Matt Richardson of Tilted Barn. This is one we internally reference to this date as the archetype of how we strive to have these conversations go. Enjoy it, whether you missed it the first time or simply revisit it as much we we do.
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#122: Noah Bissell | Bissell Brothers Oct 18, 2021

For the second occasion, it's in-house biography time at Graining In. While his story is devoid of the cinema-ready motifs of overcoming crippling drug addiction and the journey of self-actualization, Noah's origin tale does have its healthy share of... ....uh, well, other stuff? We dive deeper than ever before in how Noah ended up finding and falling in love with brewing, the personal cost of running a business you love, identity within work, and the pliability required to grow a business sustainably. In others, a long list of "don'ts". Take a look at Noah's past, and within it you'll find the reasons for this very podcast. .............................................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#121: Grain Gang Greasers Oct 10, 2021

The boys are back in town (specifically, Milo), vibes are high, and Matty is running a half-marathon in less than two months; Some fantastic questions from the GrainingIn@BissellBrothers.com inbox are given answers of incommensurate quality (Swish Lite?!?); and the gauntlet is thrown down on the DONDA vs. CLB debate -- FINALLY, someone has an opinion.
Welcome to America, kehd.
........ ............... ............ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#120: Suzy Hays | Row 34 Oct 04, 2021

The guys are joined this week by Global Beer Director for Row 34, Suzy Hays! We get into Suzy's path into hospitality (shout out PF Chang's); the how and why of the immense emphasis Row 34 places on staff training; how Suzy approaches curating what's often lauded as the most consistently great draft list in Boston; and the immeasurable value in believing in your ability to "figure it out". And of course, we also explore the age-old question: "IS ANYONE HERE A MARINE BIOLOGIST?!?" ........... ................... ............ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#119: Jake Gerry | Keystone Sea Farm Sep 27, 2021

YOU can't shuck with him if you wan-ned to, but you know he'll shuck with the Grain Gang (literally) -- shucker supreme, Jake Gerry of Keystone Sea Farm and High Roller Lobster!
This episode has everything you didn't know you needed. Jake explains how he fell in love with oysters (i.e. started giving a shuck) and his experience cleaning up in the OOSC (Official Oyster Shucking Circuit); provides an audio-only shuck-stration and opines on how oysters get their names; and outlines the truly wild life cycle and the even crazier benefits to an ecosystem oysters provide. With the show's ever former rapper GUEST, it's only natural that the guys spend ten minutes relating hip hop artists to raw bar items.
Great guy. Great topic. Questionable audio (studio update in-progress). The math is simple: it's an absolute shuck-cess. Now POP THAT HINGE!
............ ........... ............. ............ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#118: Amber Faves of Grain Sep 20, 2021

Matty and Noah talk the Steel City, debut a very special new email, plead for reviews, rip through some mail, and get fully acquainted with the wonders of Marzen, Festbier, and the like............. ................ ...................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#117: Scott Janish II | Sapwood Cellars Sep 13, 2021

We are once again graced with the virtual presence of the Biotransformation Bad Boy himself, a man that is maintains Neymar-like celebrity status in Brazil, and co-owner of Maryland's Sapwood Cellars: Scott Janish!
We get into the rationale behind one recent and one upcoming collaboration between Sapwood and Bissell; get teeth-deep into terpene's cooler, stronger, and *maybe* way cooler big brother - Thiols; and talk far more about Genetically Modified yeast than we ever thought we would on this podcast. In short, everything you'd hope for from another conversation with the Brewing Science Blog Lord.

#116: Dan Kleban | Maine Beer Company (REPOSTED) Sep 06, 2021

Due to a blowout wedding, a visit to Pittsburgh, and - let's face it - poor planning, the guys decided it was as good a week to revisit a conversation had nearly a year ago with a brewing idol-turned-highly respected peer.... Dan Kleban, founding brother/brewer/owner of Maine Beer Company!
Dan and Noah delve into their respective homebrewing roots, influences, and initial attraction to the balance that defines beer-making; Dan talks about the major career pivots both he and his brother undertook to make their business a reality, and outlines a shockingly-recent dystopian past in which tasting rooms did not exist; and Matty discusses the many ways he's been both inspired and driven to action by MBC's commitment to the planet.
It's been said before and will be said again, but this really is on the shortlist for most cherished interviews the podcast has enabled. As they say, "Heroes live forever, but legends never die." Or something like that... .......... ............................ ......................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#115: We've Got Mail Aug 30, 2021

With over two years in the rearview mirror, Matty and Noah FINALLY slice open some letters from the mailbag! In fact, the theme of delivery gets beaten into the ground, as the guys discuss one of BB3R's newest beers "The Route" (a nod to Pete and Noah's first jobs are paperboys), as well as capping the episode with a parcel-themed Three Bay. The guys also come nearly to tears discussing their mutual love for the Little League World Series, weigh the best way to correct mispronounced beer names, and try to get the bottom of what in the hell "grisette" really is. All in all, just another serving of your favorite Monday medicine. Bottoms up! ............. .................. .............. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#114: Adam Moses | Yakima Chief Hops Aug 23, 2021

Straight from the freshest warehouse in Portland and just in time for the 2021 harvest, Adam Moses of Yakima Chief Hops joins the show! Adam is Noah's sale rep for YCH, a "grower-owned global hop supplier" that BBB gets the majority of its hop volume from each year. The conversation tries to demystify the Wonka-esque and (arguably) the most complex link in beer's supply chain link; really emphasizes the "grower-owned" aspect of the company, its structure, and overall ethos; and breaks down the immense time barrier that prevents growers from relying on quick, trend-chasing pivots Adam also breaks down an entirely new (and for Noah, extremely exciting) process YCH has developed -- in efforts to capture the notoriously mercurial character of wet hops, they have begun cryogenically flash freezes the freshly-picked cones directly after harvest (stay tuned for BBB's results in the next few months). Lastly, Adam quells Noah's fears that hops will one day become an unrecognizable product. Exciting, yet wholesome, times await. ............ ................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#113: Jensen Bissell | Father of the Beer Aug 16, 2021

"The Father of the Beer" (per his current official title) himself -- Milo resident, brewery groundskeeper, chief recycler, retired forester, former Director of Baxter State Park, AND father of Peter and Noah -- JENSEN BISSELL makes his long-awaited introduction to the podcasting world.
Despite being the most convenient guest in Graining In history, this episode spans the country, five decades, two industries, and multiple emotions. Proper grandpa stories are sprinkled throughout (surprisingly interesting, even for a son) conversations on forestry and spending an entire career within it; the risk, future, and timeless pull of the great outdoors; the "Dad-Eye View" on the early days of BBB and the Donner Party of beer canning; and importantly, the many opportunities brought on when you simply believe in yourself.
You will learn (likely quite a bit), laugh (lumber ziplines, anyone?), and most certainly want to get outside... So what are you waiting for? ............... .................... .................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#112: Terp Burps Aug 09, 2021

The co-founding Chairmen of the Grain Gang are reunited once more. Matty recaps his time in the Southwest, beneath the storied "dry heat" of Arizona and Nevada. Noah recaps his experience collaborating with Mentation Cannabis on a Terpene IPA, particularly the slew of artificially dank, oily burbs that were endured in the pursuit of art. The guys also go over Milo's upcoming bottle onslaught, double-dipping on raspberries, and a trinity of the most iconic movies ever filmed in a desert. ......... ................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#111: Holden Cookson | Against the Grain New England Aug 02, 2021

The guys are joined by a fellow UMaine Farmington grad, Holden Cookson of Agri-Cycle Energy and Against the Grain. Holden traces back to where his interest in composting, recycling, and sustainable disposal came from, how he turned it into a career (at Garbage to Garden and now Agri-Cycle), and how his growing exposure to the logistic issues of beer helped spawn his own venture, Against the Grain. We get down and dirty on compost technique, the limits of landfills, the ideal but often illusive brewer-to-farmer relationship, and the small role Holden hopes to continue to play in making the brewing industry more sustainable while deepening its community ties.
This was a far more informative and thought-provoking interview than we were ready for, and proved to be something the podcast is always chasing with conversations: energy-inducing. Enjoy it now, wherever you are reading this!................ .................. ................ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#110: Dr. David Redding | Goodfire Brewing Jul 26, 2021

We took a visit to Noah’s old neighborhood to catch up with (Dr.) David Redding -- owner of East Bayside's Goodfire Brewing... Oh, and practicing nephrologist (kidney doc). NBD.
Our conversation touches on everything from opioids to marriage hacks to the wild origin story of the brewery’s name. David reveals the kidneys as the Cl:S04 ratio of the body; Homebrew horror stories abound; Matty develops Imposter Syndrome around talking about Imposter Syndrome; and we collectively conclude that it’s a great time to go all-in on Maine.
This was one of the most natural conversations we’ve had in memory, and a gulp from aura can do you nothing but wonders, so shotgun this hot cocoa of a convo NOW, wherever ya do it............... ...................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#109: Khris Johnson | Green Bench Brewing Jul 18, 2021

The podcast is blessed with the presence of the greatest former radio personality the Tampa Bay brewing scene has to offer -- co-owner of Green Bench, Khris Johnson!
We talk about dealing with the fluid nature of responsibility and motivation; balancing self-criticism with self-betterment; maintaining the thirst for knowledge; and not only handling, but growing from failures. We also get into Khris' roundabout path up the local brewing ranks, St. Petersburg's recent and rapid growth of its brewing scene, Khris' role as VP of Beer Kulture, finding beer at a young age, AND the apex of American muscle cars that was 1968.
Listen to our conversation with one of the most industrious and inspiring dudes in beer, available NOW, wherever you are reading this message! ............ ............................ ................................................ .................................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by
Jake Hill

#108: Jeff Mello | Bootleg Biology Jul 11, 2021

The guys are joined by CYW (Chief Yeast Wrangler) and owner of Nashville-based yeast lab Bootleg Biology, Jeff Mello! Despite having an education in liberal arts and a career in the non-profit sector, the process of wild capturing for homebrews blew his mind so much that he switched gears and put all his energy into bootstrapping his way through Yeast Management DIY: 101, eventually starting Bootleg Biology in his kitchen.
The company has come a long, long way since and supplies arguably the best array of mixed culture blends at scale out there (Noah is a HUGE fan). Jeff breaks down the concept of isolation, how wild capture works, why brett isn't as wild as we're told, and how YOU can begin isolating yeast NOW with Bootleg's Local Yeast Project (infomercial voice unnecessary, as it's free).
About as mellow, humble, and smart of a guy as you're going to find, a Three Bay relating folks famous for doing the Lord's work with strains of saccharomyces seemed tastefully appropriate. Stay flocced, Grain Gang. ........... ....................... ................ Music: "Mountain Cllimb" by Jake Hill

#107: Brian Smith | Oyster River Winegrowers Jul 04, 2021

We're joined this week by Brian Smith of Oyster River Winegrowers, at he and his wife Allie's farm/ vineyard/orchard in Warren, ME. Despite over a hundred episodes, we've yet to talk with a winemaker, due not to lack of interest but lack of a vibrant grape-based wine/vineyard culture in Maine and New England. The inherent difficulty in growing grapes suitable for winemaking in the region makes Oyster River's products -- and its nearly fifteen year history -- all the more impressive. Brian lays out his view on what defines "natural wine" (all of Oyster River's products) means, relays how he's developed a habit of doing things before he knew they had a term, and reveals that orange wine is not, in fact, made from oranges. The conversation came on the heels of a multi-hour tour of the property, so the guys do their best to keep their excitement engines from overheating as Brian discusses everything from harvest, carbonic maceration, Pet-Nat, and disgorgement, before wrapping with an Old MacDonald-esque Three Bay. There wasn't a better place or person to open the door on oenology with; Listen to Natural Wine 101 in full NOW! ................... ...................................... ................................ ........................................... ................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by
Jake Hill

#106: On the Spruce Tip Jun 28, 2021

The guys once again find themselves alone and unassisted, making for some very predictable results. Matty, fresh out of the bowels of the Maine wilderness in pursuit of this year's bounty of spruce tips (aided by a career forester and a highly adept forager, respectively), recounts the process and his questionable picking metrics while connecting some dots on Enchanted Forest's creation flow chart. Noah proves once again just how little he knows about anything that comes from the ground, makes a surprising case for the value in visiting your little ol' multinational macro factory, and is all too happy to play the deplorable role of smug American soccer fan. The episode goes full leverage on adjuncts for the Three Bay in a rendition centered around famous, mostly fictional fathers.
In short, it's better than it sounds...especially if Your Enthusiasm is properly Curbed..... ........... ............... ...........Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#105: Kenny Gould | Hop Culture + Untappd Jun 21, 2021

This week, we're talking to arguably the most jovial soul to ever come out of the Steel City -- Kenny Gould!
Kenny has a wild story, laced with the entrepreneurial themes we absolutely love. He got his start as a writer for Gear Patrol, all while nursing a growing love for beer on the side. He decided to take the next logical step and open a free online digital publication called Hop Culture, which itself quickly morphed into largely a niche craft beer festival organizer...obviously. Kenny then sold this company to the parent company of Untappd, Next Glass (which also owns Beer Advocate), of which he is now creative director. Obviously.
We get more into the nitty gritty of business than is the norm, and it was an absolute blast. Listen to our conversation with this galaxy diamond of a man, available everyone now!
......... ................... ......................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#104: Bob Kunz | Highland Park Brewery Jun 13, 2021

The guys get to know Bob Kunz, founder and co-owner of Los Angeles' Highland Park Brewery. Bob's career in beer began as soon as he was old enough (?) to drink it, and he gives us the run down of his many influences (namely his tenure at LA OG Father's Office) throughout the decade his business plan for what would go on to become Highland Park Brewery colllected dust. The conversation applies the virtues of simplicity to everything from draft lists to mash tun design, and goes deep on both Highland Park's diverse lager program as well as their markedly honest and practical approach to brewing them. In addition to making the guys drool after a detailed breakdown of Timbo Pils, Bob also blows Noah's mind by revealing all his brewery's West Coast IPAs are brew with Weihenstephan lager yeast, all before sending it off the American way with the podcast's first ever Dodger's-centric Three Bay. ............ ................ .................................... ......................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#103: Review Campaign Jun 07, 2021

Noah and Matty take a quick breath amidst a great run of guests to collect themselves. The guys talk Rob Tod-induced stage fright. reflect on the conversations they've had lately, and get so meta the conversation (briefly) turns to conversation itself. Noah gives a recap on BBB's recent sticky toe dip into the world of honey beers -- one in a collaboration DIPA with old pals Trillium, the other in Milo saison -- and Matty's sweet tooth proves insatiable when it comes to single-chain carbohydrates.
Consider the boys refreshed. ............. ................... ............... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#102: Brienne Allan | Notch Brewing May 30, 2021

We were felt truly honored to have the opportunity to sit down this week with the head brewer of Notch, Brienne Allan. If you don't know Brienne's name by now (or, at the very least her Instagram handle @Ratmaget), then it's probably time to find a different cell provider. She walks us through the unintended series of events that, in a matter of days, led to an absolute tsunami of shared experiences of sexism from women working in all corners of beer, brought the topic to the forefront of conversation of the entire brewing industry, and inadvertently bestowed her with an immense amount of assumed responsibility. Brienne's perspective on sexism in beer -- and more so, everything that had BEEN happening for far too long -- is as eye-opening and honest as it challenging and inspiring, and it would be a disservice to write more about that side of conversation when its depth is simply best heard.
With that said, Brienne is a brewer before anything else, and fittingly, we find the time to talk nearly as much about lagers (Notch's expertise here has been beyond established on the podcast) as we do equality. Beer, life, and conversation are each dictated by balance, after all.
Please enjoy our extremely raw conversation with one of the best brewers in the country, who just HAPPENS to be looked at as the de facto voice for eliminating misogyny. No weighty burden to see here, folks...
........................ .............................................................................. ........ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#101: Colin Jones & Jake Goodman | WeldWerks Brewery May 24, 2021

We got Season Three started like a finely-tuned BMW and were joined by a team tag from Colorado's WeldWerks -- CEO Colin Jones and Hospitality Director Jake Goodman!
Marking our first conversation with a CO-based brewery, we pick the guys' brains on what the vibe is really like out west, particularly in WeldWorks' home base in Greeley (a city affectionately dubbed by the podcast as "The Pittsburgh of the Rockies").
We also dive deep into the concept of "creative destruction", how the brewery and its management constantly embrace change, and how that belief in impermanence has allowed it to continue to evolve and reexamine itself so effectively through its steep rise in prominence.
We also touch on the industry-wide focus on sexism and discuss how we are processing it all as both individuals and businesses, before wrapping things up with a Six Bay involving two-wheeled vehicles, pushy salespeople, and LITERAL milk beer.
This third(!?) season of the podcast could not have found a better opener. This conversation had all of our favorite ingredients -- surprising insight, refreshing perspective, engaging stories, a wide range of topics, and some damn good laughs. ONWARD!
.................... ..................... ................................ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#100: Rob Tod | Allagash Brewing Company May 16, 2021

If you know, you know; If you don't, get learnt; Either way, you're listening.
Without further ado, please enjoy this long-promised conversation with the King GOAT -- ROB TOD of Allagash Brewing Company. What fun this world can be........................... .............Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#99: Jason Bosch | Red Stallion Media May 10, 2021

Serendipity sang its sweet song this week, and after getting footage for a small video project, we kept the good times rollin' with the man who shot it - Jason Bosch of Red Stallion Media. In addition to his highly-respected brand, Jason's been doing an increasing amount of video work for the brewery, so naturally we go deep on his path into videography, discuss the "ideal" relationship of video with both breweries and podcasts, and the ever-frequent paradigm shifts the field continues to experience.
In addition to a lively discussion of Jnco Jeans, Soap Shoes, and interpersonal nuances within the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, we also take a healthy dunk into the world of stand-up comedy. As the first (second?) guest on the podcast to have gotten on a stage in front of strangers with the explicit purpose of telling jokes - there is A LOT to talk about. This is particularly true with Jason, a dude who worked alone so much that any social interaction became an anxiety bomb, and his relationship with comedy was surprisingly inspiring.
This was a true flash dance of a conversation, and the joy it shot into the guys was a warmly-received reminder that some of the best things happen with the least amount of planning...... ............. ................ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#98: Greatest Hits Vol. 1 May 06, 2021

Having now done this podcast for nearly two full years, the idea of a “highlight” episode has come up here and there, if nothing else to celebrate the plethora of interesting, inspiring, and funny conversations we’ve been privileged to have over that span. Well, the procrastination finally wore down, and after many, many, many hours of slapping it all together — here is, available NOW on all platforms... GRAINING IN GREATEST: HITS vol. #1.
In seriousness, thank you so much for coming on this ride with us. Wouldn’t be doing it without the #GrainGang in the co-pilots chair. But just know - there’s a lot of road left ahead. ONWARD!
...................... ......................... .................
Music: “Mountain Climb” by Jake Hill

#97: Jamaal Lemon | Writer Apr 26, 2021

Thanks to a serendipitous crossing of paths, this week the podcast welcomes writer Jamaal Lemon! Matty heard Jamaal speaking in a a Clubhouse chat a few months back and his vibe sense immediate started tingling. After doing a little digging, it became clear the man was a lot more than a natural speaker; in addition to being a contributor to multiple beer-focused media (Good Beer Hunting, CraftBeer.com), Jamaal also wrote the award-winning piece, "Mutated Axieties - Living and Parenting While Black in the Face of Law Enforcement and COVID-19".
Despite his increasingly-weighty presence in the beer industry, Jamaal maintains a refreshingly simple approach to being a minority in the industry he's fallen in love with. By the end of our wide-ranging conversation, you'll be hard pressed to not have a renewed faith in the notion that most of the world's problems can be solved over a few pints. .............
..................... ..................................................................... ........................................................................................................ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#96: Late Night Hype Apr 19, 2021

Let's get it out of the way - this is an episode for the ages; an MP3 file you one day will very likely tell your grandchildren about hearing; 66 minutes that we would absolutely turn into an NFT if we knew how.
We talk about Noah's current ride on the "his own beer" train, single hopped IPAs, Substance variants (including one that will see oak), and a handful of other juicy topics. But MOST importantly, we talk about oaths, word being bond, and the beautiful auditory by-products that come from that kind of commitment if you name happens to be Matt Robinson and the Grain Gang is involved.
In short, listen to this chunk of audio history before it gets scooped up and locked away by the Library of Congress. You'll be glad you did. .............................. ............................... ...................................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#95: Ben Hulse | Northern Monk Apr 12, 2021

Graining In has finally gone (virtually) international with the guys catching up with Ben Hulse, production manager at Northern Monk Brew Co. in Leeds, ENGLAND!
Noah first met Ben when the Northern Monk crew played the role of boundlessly patient tour guide for BBB on their first trip to the UK. A year-and-a-half later, when Bissell Brothers had the true privilege of hosting Ben (as well as putting him to work) for three weeks via NMBCo's brewery "exchange" program. We get into the goals behind that concept and why BBB still needs to uphold their end of the deal; How the COVID-19 experience has been for breweries in the UK and why a proposed "Pandemic Vacation" had to be scrapped; The dualistic nature that currently defines the country's beer culture as the staunch tradition of Real Ale and the new wave of heavily American-influenced beer figure out their respective roles; Northern Monk's aggressively measured expansions, fancy new BrauKon, and presence in grocery chains, PLUS a helluva lot more.
OH! - and Liverpool FC (both Ben and Noah's favorite soccer/football team) FINALLY makes its far overdue debut on the podcast.
Bissell Brothers felt an immense kinship with Northern Monk since first contact, and that relationship has only grown since. People like Ben are exactly why their brewery is so adored by BBB and is a great reminder (for Noah, anyway) that sometimes this industry ain't so bad after all ;-) ........ .................................... ............................................ ........... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#94: James Massey | Two Tides Brewing Apr 05, 2021

Almost exactly a year later, we once again found our way into a Zoom conversation with a Georgia brewer. This time around, it was former accountant James Massey who, with his wife Liz, has owned and operated Savannah's Two Tides. We were introduced to Two Tides through the fandom of BBB employee Nate Travis, who used to live in Savannah and frequent the brewery. So we begin the conversation by separating rosy second-hand memories from reality (turns out they're one in the same) and getting into Two Tides location - a 100-year old house, the downstairs of which is now occupied by the brewery's production equipment while the second floor contains their tasting room. We also learn about Georgia's EXTREMELY prohibitive and antiquated brewing laws, which explain why Savannah (somehow) is home to only six breweries while Charleston, SC - a comparative coastal city merely two hours away - claims about thirty. We also get into Two Tide's beers, particularly two styles that has never before been broached on the podcast: BEER SLUSHIES and MULLED STOUT. Finally, the old and new combine for James in yet another genre-expanding edition of The Three Bay.

#93: Trevor Stone | Mentation Cannabis Mar 28, 2021

This week finds the us in the nicest basement in Maine to talk to the a fantastic strain of human, Trevor Stone! We know Trevor through his role as head of catering/events at High Roller Lobster Co., but this conversation is far more land-based than sea, as Trevor is on the cusp of entering Maine's medical marijuana retail world with his brand, Mentation Cannabis. Growing as a fully-registered caregiver for the last decade, Trevor sherpas us through a dive hard into the hop cone's most formidable cousin. We get into Trevor's start as a grower; the (literally) endless factors that foster success or failure in a growing cycle; Maine's current location within the country's legalization spectrum; the wild world of concentrates; and why you should be rooting for the mom and pops in the cannabis industry, whether you smoke or not. A number of similarities became apparent between home brewing and home growing in our conversation, and Trevor's passion and knowledge was nothing short of infectious. But if a globe-trotting lobster roll slinger with a golden green thumb isn't enough from you, maybe a former touring hardcore drummer is. LISTEN NOW! ....... .............................. ................................................ ................................. ......................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#92: Alex Kidd | Don’t Drink Beers (REPOSTED) Mar 22, 2021

Even amidst the utopian fields of golden barley the #GrainGang calls home, life still happens and the recording schedge sadly didn’t work out this week. SO, we combed through the annals and dusted off one of our all-favorites - a conversation with comedian, wordsmith, barrister, TikTok megastar, and small dog enthusiast, Alex Kidd of DontDrinkBeers and Malt Couture! Recorded almost exactly a year ago, when the country was merely in the courting stage of both Zoom and COVID, the laughs are still just as loud today. Do yourself the favor of (re)listening to the smartest man in beer seriously lower himself to the Grain Gang level. Best case, you’ve got a good laugh; worst case, you’ll end up as “that guy” in a local improv class. ...... ........... ........... ............. Music: “Mountain Climb” by Jake Hill

#91: Where Were We? Mar 14, 2021

With no Grain Guest(s), Matty and Noah are left to enjoy each other's company. Updates on the 2021 Podcast Review Campaign are provided, with Noah making a shameful confession while Matty doubles down for the cause (and possibly begins looking for a humble entry back into the rap game). With COVID vaccines flyin' off the shelf and a plan in place for Maine's transition back to "normalcy", Matty is chomping at the bit to be back in the taproom and discusses the momentum he hopes to ride right to the draft lines. Noah's Spring is much more focused on BBB's Portland expansion and discusses what those changes will bring, from clean foeder beer to packaged pilots to a single hop program. The high vibes are capped off with a *traditional* Three Bay revolving around what is arguably the season's greatest gift of all: Spring Training.

#90: Zach Page & Nick Bonadies | Belleflower Beer Mar 07, 2021

The Apology Tour merges with Parts Unknown as we talk with former guest/victim Zach Page and his partner Nick Bonadies, co-owners of Portland's newest brewery, Belleflower! After getting to know each other during the genesis stages of Trillium, a brewery both went on to mold impressive careers within. Nearly a decade and a few jobs later, Nick got wind of a turnkey brewery for sale, immediately called Zach to make a life-altering proposition, and here we are.
We get into their formative experiences at Trillium; opening during a pandemic; the roles the guys' wives (and co-owners) have at the Belleflower and the company's intrinsic ties to family; the challenges and opportunities of opening. a brewery within a city, state, and even country with such high breweries-per-capita; Belleflower's approach to beer, why there's so much room left in to explore in IPA, and how Porter can be made cool again; and why Nick once told he and Zach's boss (and former guest) JC Tetreault to go "Fuck yourself".
Lastly, we chart new territory with a SIX Bay about what Belleflower could have been called, and Zach and Nick simply shatter even the wildest of expectations. This conversation just has it all - nostalgia, intrigue, speculation, folklore - and it was an absolute pleasure to catch up with two righteous dudes on the very precipice of doing what every single homebrewer has dreamed of achieving. .............................. ..................................................... ........................................................................................... ............. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#89: Doug Lyford | Bitcoin Enthusiast Feb 28, 2021

We're mixing it up in a big way this week and do our best to set the ledger straight on blockchain technology with software engineer Doug Lyford. Doug and Noah were in high school together and were brought back together by coincidence and a shared interest - Cryptocurrency. With Bissell Brothers actively exploring both transferring some liquidity to cryptocurrency and accepting it as payment, Doug helps us grasp what exactly blockchain is, why it's so important, and how it functions as the basis of virtually all cryptocurrency. We also dive in to the multitude of available cryptoassets and how they separate themselves, how "mining" (or minting) works and how its changed over time, and why we all feel this is just the beginning in the evolution blockchain and crypto in our society.
Blockchain technology is a wildly complex concept and the misunderstandings of it are ubiquitous. Regardless of how much or little you know about this world, you'll know more after hearing a dude that's been getting familiar with it for a decade dissect it. BBB is betting that knowledge will come in handy before it quickly becomes necessary. In a whole new world, it's damn nice to have the right guide. ...................... ........................................ .................................................................... .................................................................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#88: Evan Richardson II | Eaux! • Cafe Louis Feb 21, 2021

The apology tour returns and the guys once again find themselves in the home of Evan Richardson. An early auditory casualty of this podcast (see episode 7, if you dare), Evan owns Portland's Eaux! and South Portand's soon-to-be Cafe Louis. An awful lot has happened in the 18 months since we last caught up, and Evan reflects on the early days of COVID, the massive strain it put on his restaurant, how he dealt with the very foreign feeling of having spare time, and the myriad of positive impacts the pandemic ultimately has yielded on both a personal and professional level. The rolling conversation also yields a refresher on Cajun vs. Creole cooking, a dive into what makes bread baking so addictive, and an extremely important discourse around the genres of music that are most representative of the various roles and personalities within a kitchen. Finally, the (rice and) beans are fully spilled on Evan's new concept Cafe Louis; he explains what a Costa Rican-style meal looks like, why brunch gets a bad rap, and how Eaux! represents where he's from while Cafe Louis will represent WHO he's from.
There's not a cooler cat to be found this side of the Mason Dixon. Go in with a notepad, an appetite, and 'lil a kernel of hope, and you'll leave feeling a hell of a lot better (and hungrier) about 2021. .............. ............................ ........................................................... ............................................. .......... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#87: A CRISPR Collab Feb 15, 2021

The guys start this week's episode by FINALLY trying their hand at an ad read, which goes predictably terrible (but carries a message surprisingly great for everyone else). With that out of the way, the conversation focuses on Noah's recent experience with BBB's first virtual collaboration, done with none other than podcast A+++lister Scott Janish's brewery Sapwood Cellars. Matt pokes and prods to get all the juicy details on the Riwaka/Callista heavy recipe, some interesting process tweaks, and fermentation using a new, genetically-modified yeast from Omega Lab called "Sundew". The guys discuss their feelings on gene editing in and apart from beer making, lament opportunities lost capitalizing on it in the stock market, and end with a fantastically abstract Three Bay that Matty slyly whips out his very best Noam Chomsky for. .............. ........................ .......................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#86: Matt Richardson | Titled Barn Brewery Feb 08, 2021

The guys are joined virtually this week with Matt Richardson of Titled Barn Brewery! On multiple levels, Matt has a story unlike any we've heard to date. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Matt bucked a trend we've grown used to, and instead of dreaming of a urban life outside of country roots, he actually wanted to get out of the 'burbs of Providence and find a quieter pace of life elsewhere. So, he went to college in Vermont, fell in love with beer, moved back to Rhode Island, fell in love with his future wife, and before he knew it he was the only commercial hop grower in the state or Rhode Island. You'll have to listen to hear about his transition to brewery owner, but we wade firmly into it and also talk about the difficulties of literally living at your brewery, the push/pull of expansion, the perpetual challenges of delegation, and tons more in one of the most enjoyable and natural brewer-to-brewer conversations the podcast has seen with what just might happen to be the nicest guy on Earth. Available now, through whatever channels you listened to the last 85 episodes!
.............. .......................... ..................................... ........................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#85: Bob Cutler | Novio's Bistro Feb 01, 2021

This week, we're joined by the first guest ever to give Matty Energy a formidable match, Bob Cutler of Novio's Bistro. Bob is Matt's old boss, and their story traces back to the early days of the Family Dog, a time which represents Matty's oft-mentioned experience of "coming from food". Since then, Bob has ditched hot dogs and DIPAs for steak tartare and 12-year whiskey with Novio's. We get into the meaning of the restaurant's "inspired bistro" tagline, the critical importance of experience and comfort in any food or drink setting, the surprisingly exclusive ways Novio's has pivoted through COVID, and why beer STILL doesn't seem to get no re-spect when it comes to having a seat at the fine dining world's white linen table. Naturally, we also dive into the beginnings of this chapter in Matty's life, the ways he and Bob were such a great (if not absolutely exhausting) match in a young business, and how they both learned the immense value of not being afraid at throwing anything and everything at the proverbial wall in the pursuit of growth.
It might have been the pre-noon whiskey pours, but this long-awaited conversation managed to pack in even more than expected. Noah's still deep asleep to recover, but it was all worth it.

#84: Daniel Endicott | Forest & Main Jan 26, 2021

We finally close the loop on a conversation that's been in INTENSE negotiations for the better part of the last year (or, it was COVID postponed) and are joined by Daniel Endicott of Forest and Main.
Dan and his partner Gerard opened their brewery nearly a decade ago, opting to set up shop inside a large Victorian house, and that tone of eccentricity has been the heartbeat of the brewery ever since. Focusing on roughly equal parts saisons, IPAs, and "Pub Ales", Noah naturally latches on to the latter, and we plunge into the wild world of American beer engines, high serving temps, and BAGS OF BITTER (yes). As the force behind all of Forest & Main's watercolor labels, which are as numerous as they are strikingly unique, Dan speaks on his process and the small and steady goals that fuel his growth as an artist.
We dip into all sorts of other places in this conversation with an immensely talented guy, humble as he is interesting. But let's be honest - if you weren't sold at "BAGS OF BITTER", what the hell are you doing here?
.................................... ......................................... ...................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#83: Mind the Yap Jan 18, 2021

It's just the plebs in the castle this week, and the guys are talking inert gases, English beer, new horizons, and wrapping last year's beer consumption up with a (kinda ratty looking) bow. Noah gets into the brewery's fledging affair with Nitrogen, its role in BBB's newest beer, an English-style bitter named Oi!, as well as potential growth for Nitro-finished cans within a predominantly hop-focused brewery. Matty, fired up from chatting with an idol last week, makes some public resolutions about video for the new year, which leads up to a modified Three Bay that has the guys host the absolute worst award ceremony you've ever heard.
............................................................................................................................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#82: Phil Cassella | Trillium Brewing Jan 09, 2021

Marking the second appearance of Team Trillium, Phil Cassella joins the podcast!
As Trillium's "Content Manager", Phil is responsible for essentially all outward-facing communication from the brewery, ranging from photographs, social media, and newsletters. In other words, he's a busy guy. We get into Phil's experience growing up in a town that makes Milo like Manhattan, how that upbringing always attracted him to a city, and entry his into the beer industry in the Adirondacks. As very vocal (obsessive?) admirer of Phil's work, Matty does his best to get into Phil's photographer mind, discussing the near-necessity of becoming a Youtube PhD, the process of finding a voice behind the lens, and his conscious decision to focus on telling the story of beer. Noah does his best to force brewing parallels to varying effect, but any short comings on the host side will be forgotten when the Three Bay Sink rolls around. Graining In is on a streak that' starting to look more and more like a Tesla-esque run in the category of "Closing Free Association Segments on Craft Beer Podcasts". You can be damn sure Mr. Phil Cassella came to the party with a glut of gas.
......................... ............................. ................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#81: John Squadrito | Vacationland Distributors Jan 03, 2021

In the first episode of 2021's fresh start, we're joined by John Squadrito of Vacationland Distributors. John got his start selling stainless brewing equipment for TigPro (having sold Bissell Brothers about half its current lineup), but transitioned into beer sales for Vacationland - a "boutique wholesaler" - about five years ago. Since then, he's helped build "V-Land" from a tiny startup operating out of a storage unit to one of the most respectable craft distributors in New England, with warehouses in both Maine and New Hampshire.
We talk about how Vacationland's unprecedented decision to offer fixed-length disto contracts since opening has set them apart and how nine months of COVID looked from through a disto lens. We also dive into the battle of balancing sociability with authenticity in a sales role as well as John's cameos on two of the best labels ever created.
Lastly, we finally deliver what you ALL have been waiting for: shoe talk, and plenty of it. ................... ................................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#80: The Filthiest Year Dec 27, 2020

With the door nearly shut on this strangest of years, the guys dive into BBB's annual year-capper, Angels With Filthy Souls. Matt picks Noah's brain on the beer's recipe and evolution,
the difference between porter and stout, and the origin of AWFS's name and its increasingly-distant source material. Noah also discusses the role maple plays in the beer, how the brewery handled this year's blending process, and the overdue switch from aluminum to glass.
Matty can't resist the urge to get a little contemplative with 2021 looming, so the guys also discuss what they hope to take with them and build upon into the new year. He takes it one step further with a year-centric Three Bay that once again raises the bar on this impossibly silly "segment."
A very real thank you to everyone who supported the podcast through the chaos of the last 10 months. Here's to buying the dip and making 2021 one for the record books!

#79: Anthony Finley | Other Half Dec 21, 2020

The guys got an early Christmas present in the form of a virtual visit from Other Half's Anthony Finley!
Anthony is currently the brewery's brand manager (or something like it - no fleece vests, please), but he was involved with the brewery before it even opened its doors and subsequently has had his hands in just about every single facet of the company. We run through the history of the man (who wore a bucket hat JUST FOR US) within the brewery - from the taproom, to the centrifuge, to traveling across the globe. We also dig into the subject of authenticity, figuring out what relationships are worth keeping, and how Anthony's upbringing in Long Island and relationship to Brooklyn have helped make him such a keen judge of character. While this entire conversation with the Smoothest Man in Suds was an absolute pleasure, the best is most certainly saved for last, as Matty drops what's undeniably the best Three Bay the podcast has been blessed with: Pumpkin beers and Brooklyn rappers. C'mooooooonnnnnn.... ......................... .......................................... .................................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#78: Lisa Kellndorfer | Austin Street Brewery Dec 14, 2020

The stars have aligned for a conversation that has been been in text tag purgatory since the podcast's inception, and Austin Street Brewery's Lisa Kellndorfer finally joins the show! Despite being BBB's Industrial Way neighbor for a few weeks, Noah and Matt know very little about her background. So, Lisa gets them up to speed in real time about the path to her current role as Head of Production at ASB, from getting hired as Assistant Brewer with a solid background in scientific research but absolutely zero experience working in a brewery (and little more knowledge about brewing itself), to her rapid ascendancy as director of day-to-day operations only four years later. Lisa and the guys also dig into her role alongside her bosses (founders Jake Austin and Will Fisher) in laying the foundation for a remarkably inclusive culture within ASB and the plethora of positive downstream effects the culture continues to have on itself. This pearl of a conversation also touches on the many shapes of creativity, bootstrapping the scientific method, and missed investment opportunities with the term "Latte" on, of all spaces, the ski slope. Bombs away like Bode Miller. .......... ...................... ............................... ............................................... ............ Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#77: Repetition is a Brown Ale Dec 06, 2020

The guys catch up with each other and ask an extremely important question: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN LAKE STEVENS, WA?!?
With that riddle has been freed into the ether, Matty discusses being on the precipice of homeownership, a place he never thought he'd find himself considering his past (see EPISODE #67 and congratulate the damn guy). He also recounts an absolutely harrowing recent home delivery saga from Thanksgiving Eve (you gotta hear it to believe it) before getting deep on, as the title suggestions, repetition and brown ale. There's a surprising amount of overlap here from the guys perspective as they're both odes to the proverbial long game. Amidst the philosophical babble, Noah also manages to breakdown the recipe (and future tweaks) for BBB's new brown ale, Bravura. In arguably the most shocking revelation of the podcast's seventy seven episodes, he also notes that HE HAS BEEN DRINKING THIS BEER AT HOME AND ENJOYING IT.
Yeah, this one's a lot. Take some blood pressure meds, get comfortable, and soak it all in NOW, wherever you soak in finer audio content. ........................................ ................................................. ..........................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#76: Nico LeBarge | Bissell Brothers Nov 30, 2020

We enjoy the fortune of talking to one of our very own this week with Nico LeBarge!
In addition to her role in the BBB Portland taproom (or drive-thru at time of recording), Nico - an accomplished artist in her own time with a BFA and multiple residencies to her name - is responsible for a sizable (and rapidly growing) chunk of BBB3R bottle artwork. We get into Nico's earliest memories of being grabbed by art, the long road toward finding your own voice as a creator, how being a D-1 swimmer during undergrad at UMass continues to drive her as artist, and what her artistic process looks like in at the seed of any project. Nico also tells us about when she realized that beer will always beat the hell out of fancy cocktails, what her experience working at the perpetually-mysterious Ebeneezer's Pub was like, and why she believes the impact of reps trumps all else in both art and life. It was an amazing change of pace to hear about a world almost entirely unknown to the guys, particularly with such a hugely talented lightning bolt of a lady. Prett-ty, prett-tyy, pr-et-tttttty good, in fact. ........... ........................... ..................................... ..............................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#75: Vince Tursi | DSSOLVR Nov 23, 2020

This week, we had the absolute pleasure of catching up with one of the most intrepid minds in fermentation, Vince Tursi!
Alongside buddy-turned-business partner Mike Semenac, Vince is a co-founder/owner of DSSOLVR Beverage Co., located within the esteemed utopia of Asheville, NC. Their brewery - which fired up its system for the first time almost exactly 12 months ago - has experienced quite the rookie year, as most of it has unfolded inside a pandemic. We dive into that whirlwind of an experience and learn of the patently inspiring ways DSSOLVR has made the most out of an objectively shitty situation and the positive, long-term paradigm shifts COVID-induced reflection has kickstarted within the business. We also trace through Vince's impressive industry resume, and he delineates how his respective stints at Night Shift, Lord Hobo Brewing, Burial Beer, and The Whale Bar have helped mold his approach to brewing and business ownership.
The conversation takes an unexpected turn a little over halfway through, when decides to take the interviewer reigns, which leads to a discussion about management that was equal measures surprising as it was enjoyable. Last, not least, and certainly not all; we talk about brewing with crickets, make a case for pizza beer, and celebrate the surreal with a proper amount reverie surrounding the infamous Tim and Eric's Awesome Show Great Job.
We haven't laughed as much in an episode since a profession comedian graced the show back in April, and yet we may also have never participated in this level of real-time reflection with a guest. If you're reading this, you known you can listen in now, so go ahead and do what you know this weird, weird universe wants you to do. .................................. .....................................................
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#74: Turbid Days, Coolship Nights Nov 16, 2020

The nights are cool and the knockouts are steamy - another coolship filling season in Milo is underway! Recorded as the season's first batch of wort was literally sitting in the coolship, vibes are high and the musings are many as the guys circle back to a favorite topic: spontaneous beer. Noah provides updates on how the current structural evolution of the brewery's coolship *room*, current interpretation of turbid mashing, and how BBB's past spontaneous batches are currently progressing; Brimming with new curiosities, Matty inquires about the link between turbid brew days and powdered wigs, the importance of achieving the right level of chill, and asks the age-old (and still unanswered) question: "Is it the air or the wood?" They also breakdown the brewery's primary challenges in the quest to make their Belgian idols proud...and then destroy the chance those very idols could ever have even a modicum of respect for Bissell Brothers by linking Jean Van Roy, Pierre Tilquin, and Armand Debelder to various B-movies (Yikes).
Turns out, talking about the unknown is a lot more fun than facing it.

#73: Matt Walters | Foeder Crafters Nov 10, 2020

The podcast is joined by a certified saint in the church of oak, founder and co-owner of St. Louis' Foeder Crafters. Foeder Crafters came out of nowhere to become THE foeder fabricator in the US. We trace back to when Matt, "a maker of things", was in the early stages of opening a brewery with a Cy Young Award winner when a brewer casually asked if Matt thought he could make a giant oak vessel for him. Instead of being a brewer, Matt was catapulted down a meteoric path of both trailblazing and perfecting the craft of domestic foeder production. He talks about how the industry was simply starved for innovation, the tight-lipped and stale culture in more seasoned foeders, and laments the huge challenge of sourcing *just* the right type of oak for his tanks. Matt also explains how the endlessly challenging process of foeder building has allowed his company to effectively hold a monopoly on the industry in America, sings of the value in sucking on every piece of oak he receives, and points out the subtle but critical differences between CRAFTsmen and CRAPsmen. It was a blast to have this conversation with one of the nicest people on Earth (unless you're competition), which is laden with a glut of knowledge regardless of your familiarity with the Almighty powers of Missouri White Oak.

#72: Gene Beck | Nocturnem Draft Haus Nov 02, 2020

The guys are once again treated to an in-studio guest as they welcome Gene Beck, owner of Nocturnem Draft Haus in Bangor, ME. Gene holds an undeniable place in the Mount Rushmore of Bangor beer, having played a pivotal development in its ongoing maturation since Y2K. The episode starts where he started; At, of all places, Swett's Tire and Auto, an exit ramp gas station and small convenience store. Over the course a decade, Gene inexplicably turned Swett's into one of the best, and certainly earliest, destinations for retail craft beer in the northern half of Maine. The conversation eventually moves toward the second half of Gene's beer career, as he opened Nocturnem, a decidedly high-end beer bar in the center of a city that was decidedly struggling. We talk about the difficulties and rewards of being an early adopter, the terrors and exhilarations of entrepreneurship, the responsibilities of leadership within a community, and the amazing things that can come from imperfect circumstances. Being one of the funnest and rounded conversations the podcast has seen, it's only fitting that it concludes with quite possibly the best Three Bay in its storied seventy-two episode....Please enjoy this little slice of honesty half as much as we did. ....... ........................ ............................... Music: "Mountain Climb: by Jake Hill

#71: Mike Sardina | Hill Farmstead Oct 26, 2020

We're ruefully without Matty this week. HOWEVER -- Noah made it to the Northern Kingdom of Vermont, visiting with old friend, former coworker, current Hill Farmstead employee, and general beer savant, Mike Sardina. If you don't know Mike (you're in the minority), he's lived in cities across the country, making home within some of craft beer's strongest factions. Yet, he's moved to Greensboro, VT on not one, but two separate occasions, and we accordingly start off by prodding at what exactly it is that makes Vermont and its beer scene so special. We also get into Mike's current role at Hill Farmstead, the effect COVID-19 has had on the brewery, and how it's come out on the other side very different for all the right reasons. Naturally, the conversation regularly goes back to Edward, and through it we touch on the need for "radical candor" in the brewing, the omnipresent importance of conscientious consumption, and of course... B-B-friggin'-Q. ........................................
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#70: So This is Swishmas Oct 19, 2020

"So this is Swishmas.
And how is this podcast still on?"
Miracles never cease... Regardless, this week is dedicated to Black Beauty, the Official Craft Beer of Darth Vader, the Steph Curry Special -- SWISH.
Noah and Matty attempt to break down the formula that culminate in one of BBB's most well-known beers. Noah discusses the beer landscape that Swish was born from, shares its origin story, and talks about early releases sold in a white can via a tiny taproom; Matt talks about his trial-by-fire first day at BBB, the final Swish release of the season a few years ago.
The guys also get into the importance of every "link in the chain" in Swish's production and the energy required from every part of the crew in striving to continue to make the beer - and just as importantly the experience the beer comes with - better every time, fending off public apathy and inevitable destruction one week at a time. Noah also breaks down the beer's recipe in its current form, the infinite tweaks that got it there, and waxes poetic on the holy hop trinity of Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe that makes Swish Swish. ....................
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#69: Dan Kleban | Maine Beer Company Oct 11, 2020

They say to never meet your heroes, but this week proves that's poor advice. Dan Kleban, co-founder of Maine Beer Company, sits down with Noah and Matty. After some initial gushing about how generous Dan and his brother Dave were to get Noah and Pete into MBC's first space, the conversation shifts to the Dan's early experiences with beer (Sierra Nevada strikes again) and what laid the groundwork for what continues to be MBC's philosophy on the beer-making side of the business. Dan and Noah also get into their mutual roots as homebrewers and (early) brewing podcast listeners, as both Substance and Zoe begun their existence as thinly-veiled clone recipes. After discussing collaboration beers and the similar reasons both MBC and BBB do them less than most, things shift to Dan and his brewery's commitment to the environment. He talks about his inspiration for being a part of 1% For the Planet from the very start of his business, why customers are smarter than they are often given credit for, and the inertia that comes when you "Do What's Right". This fun, informative, and inspiring conversation with one of Noah and Matty's Dream Team brewers was simply a joy, and if anyone out there is looking for a role model, head to Route 1 in Freeport............ ........................ .................. ......................... .................. ........................ ....................... ........Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#68: Matthew Bateman | Kennebec River Brewing Oct 05, 2020

The beer industry and the state of Maine are both such special places to exist, due in large part to the people you meet within them. Both deserve equal credit for bringing this week's IN-STUDIO guest to us - Matthew Bateman. Matt works at Northern Outdoors, an operation in The Forks, ME that includes within it rafting, guiding, camping, and lodging services. Since 1996, the company has also included a brewery - Kennebec River Brewing, located within the Northern Outdoors lodge.
The BBB crew recently spent a couple nights on premise for a team getaway, camping a few nights, rafting the Kennebec (water) and thoroughly enjoying drinking Kennebec (beer) on-site. We met Matt as one of our boats' guides, only to find out he has also been cutting his teeth in the brewery since spring. We get into the many things that makes Northern Outdoors such a truly unique (and HIGHLY recommended), and Matt's life as both a whitewater rafting guide and new brewer. He gives us the ins and outs of rafting, talks about some of the craziest water he's ever been on, and defines the new-to-us term, "hydrology".
On the beer side, Matt talks about what makes Kennebec River Brewing so unique, touching on how it's bucked the usual brewpub pitfalls, avoided Ringwood in a pre-Y2K Maine, and had been run by ONE GUY (shoutout Mike!) from inception until Matt was brought on six months ago. We also get into his experience going from beer fan to actual brewer, discuss the distinct satisfactions he's taking from it, and mutually lament the punishing heat a brewery comes with.
This was an extremely fun one and felt particularly special in its full-circle nature. As you'll hear, we can't recommend the many things Northern Outdoors has to offer enough. Special thanks to Matthew for making the trip to Milo to join the shortlist of in-studio guests, and to all of Northern Outdoors for making our staff trip so special a few weeks ago!

#67: Matt Robinson | Bissell Brothers Sep 28, 2020

We decided it was time to do things quite a bit differently this week. Noah tries to clarify a misperception about himself and the guys talk unseen baggage, which slides into what is far and away the most personal episode of Graining In to date.
Matty's positive, boisterous, almost Golden Retriever-like personality suits his profession just about as much as possible. But the path he took to get to where he is today is nothing short of astounding. He gets extremely candid with Noah about losing his father to cancer during high school, forming an addiction to opioids that grew to be nothing short of extreme, his multiple suicide attempts, and a year-long sentence in jail. The account of the hole he found himself in and the lengths he took to pick himself up is occasionally shocking and often painful, but is above all else a deeply and profoundly inspiring experience. Regardless of how self-hatred, addiction, and death have factored into your life, there are undeniable threads of universality in his story that can't help but boost your drive to be a more compassionate and grateful person.
Rest assured though - despite its heaviness, the conversation is still chocked full of the (healthy) self-deprecation and lack of pretension of a normal episode, just with a tear or two on the side.
Do yourself a favor and listen in... Your heart will thank you.
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill
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#66: Rob Lyle | Barreled Souls Sep 21, 2020

This week, we have a nobility in the house - Rob "Stacklord" Lyle III, brewer at Barreled Souls! After examining exactly how one becomes a Stacklord, we get into Rob's path into the brewing industry, which far and away required more perseverance than any other we've heard yet. Then it's all about what makes the little brewery in Saco that could (accept his resume and take him in for an interview) so different. Barreled Souls does primary fermentation of literally all their beers - from goses to IPAs to barleywines to adjunct stouts - in 600 liter puncheons. To our knowledge, this is a truly unique feature of process among the thousands of breweries in the country. Frankly, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Barreled Souls simply marches to their own drum in virtually every facet, putting a ton of emphasis on styles like barleywines, old ales, scotch ales, and crazy stouts as the rest of the world has become increasingly hop-obsessed. The guys also get into the production methods for some of 'Souls most fun beers, like Superman punch (goes brewed with Kool Aid powder), their series of donut beers (which Noah has a particular sweet spot for), and of course, Stay Puft, a marshmallow stout that's brought the brewery a ton of notoriety. Like many of the sweetest people, Rob a tried and trued lover of heavy metal, so we get to wrap with an especially fun Three Bay with someone who actually knows the rules. If only it was episode 666...
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#65: Bret, Brett, and Bretts Sep 14, 2020

Hopefully distance does make the heart grow fonder, because Matty and Noah have found themselves alone once again. We reflect on the handful of guest conversations we've been privileged to over the last five weeks, but end up back where we always do: Allagash. Jason Perkins brought Brettanomyces to the forefront of Matty's mind via thoughts of Allagash's almighty Bret Michaels. So he uses a recent BBB3R release - Fire Road - to set the stage for a conversation all about the most misunderstood yeast in the game.
We talk about the seemingly infinite kinds of flavors that Brett can leave its mark through and try to go further than the grossly overused note of "funk" and "horse blanket", seriously questioning the percentage of the beer-drinking populus that has ever come within 100 feet of an actual barnyard. Noah also shares the brewery's method to try to actually become familiar with sensory "notes" commonly associated with Brett fermentations, like mango, passionfruit, lemongrass (Spoiler alert - the trick is to smell and taste the real thing). We also get into the rationale behind dry-hopping a mixed-ferm beer like Fire Road, the effect dry hops can have on the finished product, and the status of his quest to develop a true house culture for the brewery.
Regardless of its many, many different possible attributes, the overall "wild" character Brettanomyces can add to a beer is described as such for a reason, and this is not the first nor the last time we'll dive into a conversation exclusively about this beautifully confusing microorganism. Even so, it felt like we made some modicum of process...If not, at least the Three Bay is fun............................. ................................................. ......................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#64: Ryan Adams | Artist Sep 07, 2020

We're looking for stoke outside of beer this week and talking directly with a man that's been mentioned on multiple episodes of this podcast: Ryan Adams!
Ryan is the co-owner of Better Letter Hand Painted Signs (the work of which can be seen at countless businesses in greater Portland), and independently takes on jobs as a muralist/graffiti artist. We orbit around the multiple jobs Ryan's done at BBB3R, as Matty and Noah were blown away by the process, approach, and level of quality they were each created through. But prior to keeping it contemporary, the guys have a seemingly endless list of questions about the mysterious world of DIY graffiti, where Ryan cut his chops as an artist. We also hear what it's like to paint for an audience (which occasionally is shitfaced), Noah learns there can be a lot more to tagging than an act of minor vandalism, Matt has an epiphany about curls in font, and we get an answer to the age old question, "Is Beer Art?".
The biggest takeaway from the episode, though, was how surprisingly analogous brewing is with painting - or most any creative pursuit done passionately. Episodes a bit removed from beer itself have a tendency of revealing those unseen connections between vocations, and this one uncovered the most links yet. So grab a Mike's Hard, Bud Light Lime, or whatever else you feel like putting down your gullet, and listen in to this conversation about a world that you'll likely find simultaneously foreign and familiar.
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#63: Carol Stoudt I Stoudt's Brewing Co. (REPOSTED) Aug 30, 2020

Some technical difficulties arose this week, but we're making lemonade by revisiting one of the best conversations the podcast has afforded us to have. Carol Stoudt spent her entire brewing career at Stoudt's Brewing, of which she was the founding brewmaster. In the eyes of many, she is the foremost pioneering example of women excelling in the brewing industry. Her story, humility, and perspective on the the arc of her career and the accomplishments within it is profoundly humbling. This was also one of the last guest conversations we had before COVID-19 completely changed the landscape of the country. Simpler times, indeed.
Please enjoy this conversation with one of the most badass people - woman or man - to ever touch a mash paddle, whether this is your first time or a well-deserved revisiting.
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#62: Jason Perkins | Allagash Brewing Company Aug 24, 2020

Whoa. It really happened. This week's guest is Allagash brewmaster and idol of the podcast, Jason Perkins!!! Noah and Matty do their best to quiet their nerves and make the most out of their time shared with greatness. Topics include, but are not limited to: Noah's most formative memories of Allagash; the steady and subdued Fight for White in Jason's early days at the brewery; the grist breakdown of the best wheat beer in America (besides Blue Moon); how Allagash's love affair with Brettanomyces began by accident via an old dairy tank; defining what it means to get "screwed by the 'Lude"; Jason's biggest takeaways from 13 years of producing authentic spontaneous beer; experiences with beers that have gotten "down with the sickness"; and how Allagash has grown its culture along side its production in such an unparalleled way. If that teaser is somehow not enough (and you're still reading this description), please know the Three Bay is all about some of Jason's favorite beers, and then immediately check your vitals. As corny as it may sound, in all seriousness this was a dream come true for the podcast, and leap frogged the guys' wildest expectations. And you know what they say - where there's a Jason Perkins, there just might be a.................. ...................................................... ....................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#61: Allison Stevens | The Thirsty Pig Aug 17, 2020

We're keeping it close to home this week with Allison Stevens, owner of The Thirsty Pig in Portland, ME! Allison is Noah's former boss, as well as a handful of other BBB employees, and Matt wastes no time in getting the scoop on Noah's performance as an employee (in an extraverted environment, no less). We shares countless stories about unique characters cast of people the bar has always attracted, the synergy that has come out of it, and the tremendous amount of impact it had on the brewery's formation and place in the Portland beer community. The last year also brought to an end to Allison and the Pig's involvement in two major events - Old Port Fest and Portland Beer Week, the latter of which Allison has been spearheading since she brought the concept to life in 2012. We get into the different, but equally complicated, reasons for and emotions from those eras ending.
After tracing Ally's interesting arc into the beer industry and the impact Shipyard and its owner Fred Forsley had on her perspective and career. Lastly, we revel in the wonder of the amazing place Allison calls home - Peaks Island. Legally part of Portland, but spiritually very distinct, Ally moved there after meeting her eventual husband Dave, and talks about how the different pace of island living has helped balance out both her business and mind.
This was an absolute fun one, full of real-time reflection, and was a great remind er of how fulfilling having a conversation between friends can be ...................................................................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#60: Frank Zagami | Deciduous Brewing Co. Aug 10, 2020

This week we're in Matty's Motherland of New Hampshire, talking with Frank Zagami of Deciduous Brewing. Frank and his wife Maryann opened their brewery five years ago as the first in Newmarket, a traditionally quaint New England town in the greater Portsmouth area, with the intention to help push New Hampshire past it's reputation as a simple beer throughway between Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts. We dive into exactly why the state's beer scene was in many ways slower than its neighbors to develop, how laws have held breweries back, and how they hell someone can be pulled over in an airplane.
As Frank oversees brewing operations at Deciduous (in addition to a litany of other roles), we also spend some time in technical town and get into the process behind some of the brewery's cocktail-inspired sour ales and (lightly) fruited lagers, both of which left a huge positive impression on Matty and - shockingly - on the cold, jaded shell of Noah.
Frank is one of the hardest workers in the business, shares some very interesting perspective on a state that has always left the guys a bit bemused, and even is gracious enough to allow Matt to be Pippen to his Jordan in a New Hampshire-centric Three Bay ...............................................................
.........................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#59: Nature's Bounty Aug 03, 2020

It's that time of year again, and Matty and Noah spend the episode discussing Maine's most wonderful time of the year that doesn't include Santa - FRUIT HARVEST. Matty (settling into his long-term stay in the Milo house and feeling very comfortable) talks about his recent experience picking up the season's Montmorency cherry supply, and how putting a face to the farmer deepened his belief on using whole fruit. Meanwhile, Noah couldn't make trip and seems at his most vulnerable to the allure of the Devil's Sauce, also known as aseptic fruit puree.
The guys discuss their experiences so far on using fruit and their feelings on the beers that have resulted from them, and touch on how the limitations of what fruits Maine's climate yields have had some unexpected benefits. For the second time ever, they also blasphemously ignore their own rule and drink a couple fruited beers from Allagash while they chat in an exclusively audio medium.
The guys request feedback on his proposed moniker for the podcast's listeners, as their opinion is, per usual, split in two. Regardless, it produces a standout Three Bay, highlighted by a big revelation about Matty's past. Let's just say, he and Meek Mill aren't so different, after all. Take it all in, wherever podcasts are found ................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#58: Zac Ross | Marlowe Artisanal Ales Jul 27, 2020

Matty and Noah are talking remotely with the Kryptic Kid, the Vibe Valet, or simply the current head brewer at Twelve Percent Beer Project: Zac Ross. Though he and Noah are the same age, Zac's worked in 500% more breweries, including Voodoo, Kent Falls, The Answer. These days, while he's keeping the day-to-day in order at Twelve Percent's largely contract-based production facility, he's also producing beers for his own brand, Marlowe Artisanal Ales. His interesting arch in the industry isn't neglected from the conversation, but all roads of dialogue keep leading to Marlowe - a brand named after the proverbial Boss Ross (Zac's grandfather) that produces almost exclusively on sessionable, lower ABV beers. Zac breaks down the particular advantages Twelve Percent provides people like himself, who want to eventually open a brick-and-mortar brewery, but are getting their beers into the world at scale, in a way to give their goal steam.
Brewing philosophy dominates most of the conversation, with Zac's admittedly vague and "vibe-focused" approach providing a fun contrast to Noah's more obnoxious and verbose angle to discussing the profession they both love so much. This was a fun one, and ultimately takes a long look at the relationship between the place a beer is produced and the person that conceived of it. Also, tacos ............................................................................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#57: John Holl | Beer Edge Jul 20, 2020

We put a temporary hold on the Monday Morning Ratings War this week to welcome John Holl himself - our nemesis // respected veteran industry journalist we hold in particularly high esteem - for a virtual conversation!
In all seriousness, John is part of the very short list that makes up the top echelon of journalism in the beer industry. His extensive resume includes authorship of countless articles in the industry's leading magazines (All About Beer, BYO) and multiple books, one of which - Drink Beer, Think Beer - shares the name of the podcast he currently hosts which ultimately made this all happen in the first place. In this eclectic conversation, John puts the uncomfortable level of reverence Matt and Noah have for him aside, and walks us through his entry into journalism, his move to focus exclusively on beer, and the ways he's adapted to a media landscape that has changed just as rapidly as the industry it covers. We also get into John's approach and perspective to journalism itself and how he balances objectivity within it, dissect the relationship between deadlines and hangovers, and discuss how the beer industry slowly but surely seems to be spurring more positive and broader conversations about its own narrative.
While found the perspective of one of the most highly-regarded people covering the our industry extremely insightful and hope you do as well...John Holl is still our rival. But this conversation might have shifted our approach in the ratings arena from that of a starred general to more of a multi-cause telethon operator.
Bring on the ratings, PERIOD!(?) ......................................................................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#56: Prime Time for Lime Jul 12, 2020

Matty and Noah are alone once again, ready to tackle a particularly long list of topics. First and foremost - SHIRTS ARE IN!!! They're honestly sicker than expected, resulting from the exponential power of multiple former guests, and are the best way to support the podcast with a lil' panache. Next, the guys provide an update on the rating war with John Hill, tease Noah's Steal This Beer appearance, and also talk about COVID-19 finally making its way to Milo, Maine and how it led the brewery to stay closed for the peak sales of 4th of July weekend. Closing stung extra, as it prevented Matty and BBB3R from selling the brewery's annual lime lager and answer to Bud Light Lime, Dangol (pronounced "DANG - OL'"). After conducting the podcasts first (and maybe last) blind-tasting ever, Matt grills Noah on Dangol's interesting and multifaceted origin story, how it has evolved, and the ins and outs of where the recipe and concept stands this year. Noah gets specific on corn and ingredient sourcing and how and how many limes are processed for the beer each year, and also laments the disappearance of a very niche tool that has made the beer possible every year. Plenty to chew on here, so let your thoughts be heard by leaving a review on Apple, DMing @GrainingInPod on Instagram, or even buying a particular item of incredibly hip and cool clothing that will make all your pals say, "NEAT-O, friend-o!" ............................................................................................................
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#55: Shahin Khojastehzad II | Novare Res Bier Cafe Jul 05, 2020

The apology tour continues! This week, it's another conversation with Shahin Khojastehzad, co-owner of Novare Res Bier Cafe in Portland, ME. A hell of a lot has changed since our earlier episode with Shahin from almost exactly a year ago. We get right into the second-most obvious (behind sound quality) of those shifts, and get into what life has been like for Novare in the COVID era. Unlike breweries, bars, especially less food-focused ones, were left with little in the way of alternative ways of continuing operation during the shutdown. Shahin attributes good ol' "Persian Hustle" as the driver behind Novare's quick adaptation to the pandemic, immediately opening an online store, selling off their vast cellar inventory, and morphing into "Novare Bodega", all despite the constant hurdles of break-ins, fractional revenue, and unsolicited defecations.
Aside from dealing with COVID over the last few months, systematic racism has rightfully occupied a large chunk of our collective headspace, and we dive into Shahin's many, many experiences with racism, from escaping Iran with his family as a child, to being profiled by authority his entire life, to becoming a de facto voice for diversity within Maine's extremely homogenous beer scene.
It was a privilege to get to go deep on some of the less comfortable topics the beer industry and society at large is dealing with at the moment, and if there's any overarching takeaway from the episode, it's that good things come from communication. ................................................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#54: Return of the Matt Jun 29, 2020

(You lied to me) Even though you said we'd be open sooner
(You lied to me) Even though you said there'd be no masks
Yes he tried, yes he cried, cried, cried
But it's the RETURN OF THE MATT ........................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
The BBB Three Rivers taproom is once open for business, and all is once again right in Matt's world... Or is it? Matty recaps day one of "the new normal" in taproom operation, from the simplicity of viewing the required table service as though the brewery is (temporarily) a restaurant, to his bouts of difficulty having to put names to faces of customers once more, and of course, the unproportionately vocal segment of militant anti-maskers in within society.
Beyond taproom talk, the guys try out something new, and return (once again!) to technical town to breakdown one of Noah's recipes (Reciprocal this time around) through means of Matty self-consciously asking questions about malt selection, approach to hopping in the beer, and origin story from a philosophical angle. Seemed like a segment that has potential, so as always, let us know what you think, subscribe, recommend, and review. Remember, any number of stars helps as long it's more than 4 ;-) ..........................................................................................................................................................................................
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#53: Josh Schlesinger II | Bissell Brothers Jun 22, 2020

We're making reparations for past auditory and conversational wrongs by welcoming our FIRST REPEAT GUEST EVER, the BBB's own Josh "Sniff" Schlesinger, former owner/operator of Sleek Machine Distro. A hell of a lot has happened since the last time we spoke with mics on, almost exactly a year ago, so we get right into the most obvious - Sleek Machine being absorbed by Bissell Brothers at the beginning of 2020, after law was passed to significantly raise Maine's self distribution cap. We naturally unpack how beer distribution has adapted to selling beer in a pandemic, what lasting imprints COVID-19 will have on that facet of the brewing industry moving forward, and how the experience of running a business himself has helped Josh navigate the landscape shift with what appears to be a very laudable degree of ease.
More importantly, however, we revisit Project Serpo and get caught up to speed on Sniff's current feelings towards extraterrestrial life, and touch on the state of conspiracy in general (Pulitzer-level stuff, to be sure). Jokes aside (save for the many weaved throughout the episode), this may be to most diverse conversation we've had to date...fittingly had with the man Noah's dad still considers to be exactly one half of "Coolest Guys on Earth" (see Episode #38 w/ Baxter Key). Listen along, and join us in washing away any memories of the travesty that is Episode #2, with a chat of quality much more befitting one of the hardest working dudes in beer.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#52: Lagers, Lore, and Legends Jun 15, 2020

Graining In is fresh off the heels of its most successful Week One episode to date, with Scott Janish! The Matty and Noah revel in the success, try to find valuable lessons from the recent the podcast's growth in listenership; instead, their predictably petty takeaways are merely fixations on self esteem issues and disbelief in the fact that Scott, a man who has dedicated his brewing career to pushing the scientific understanding of IPAs, isn't in love with lagers. Thankfully, the latter point proves to be a good topic of discussion and the guys don't quite board the technical train, but at least take a ride on the Brewing Science & Psychology Shuttle Bus.
Noah and Matt discuss how lagers grew to become the definitive "brewer's beer", the importance of place in beer enjoyment, each share their favorite lager, and Noah rambles phonetic on his philosophy with lager yeast selection, why he never homebrewed lagers, the importance of decoction and alternative mash schedules, talks temperature, and gushes about spunding valves.
The response to a very technical conversation with Scott was nothing short of eye opening, so hopefully this will be the first of many episodes that live more in that practical arena, while still appealing to brewers, drinkers, and just people in general on a more consistent basis. Pastorianus On, Wayne!
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#51: Scott Janish | Sapwood Cellars Jun 08, 2020

The latter half of the journey to triple digits is off with a bang! We're talking remotely with Scott Janish, co-founder of Sapwood Cellars in Columbia, MD, with partner Michael Tonsmeire of The Mad Fermentationist. Noah had been an avid reader of Scott's own fantastic (if not originally named) brewing blog, ScottJanish.com, which has always differentiated itself by using beer research papers to inform brewing trials and experiments. He and Noah eventually met in person while Scott was doing research of his own, effectively developing the approach of his blog into a full book - The New IPA: Scientific Guide to Hop Aroma and Flavor.
Naturally, we dive head first into Technical Town, and Noah and Matty get the lowdown on biotransformation, timing the addition of specific varietals, hot- vs. cold-side bitterness, and plenty more (which should be a perfect primer to place an Amazon order as soon as the episode is done). We also get into the origins of Scott's blog, what writing a goddamn book is like, and opening a brewery alongside another homebrewing figure, blogger, and author (American Sour Beer) in Mike.
The conversation could have easily gone on for another couple hours, so this certainly won't be the last time you hear this man, despite the fact that he is far too smart to be speaking to Matt and Noah. As remote recordings can go, we had some audio issues from the distance, but be assured they'll be forgotten before you hear the word "linalool". Enjoy!
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#50: Samuel Dunning | Actor Jun 01, 2020

Graining In has somehow made it to its 50th episode, and the guys are celebrating in style with actor, model, artist, beer connoisseur, and five-star stud, Samuel Dunning! We know Sam as the man responsible for some of our favorite beer labels (as well as the artwork on our soon-to-be-ready SHIRTS!), but you may know him his on-screen roles in Blue Bloods, Legends and Lies, and The American West. We have a lot to talk about (clearly), from his entry into the acting world via stumbling into a prolific modeling gig for Ralph Lauren, to what life is actually like for 99% of working actors, and the formative experience of creating a film from the ground up. Between laughs, we learn of the virtues of covering oneself in soot for the sake of fashion, the ups and downs that come with being typecast as a murderer, and where the hell he got the idea for Rick and Ruby, one of the wildest 14 minutes YouTube has to offer (as well as what he hopes for the concept's future). This was hands-down one of our favorite conversations ever, so please allow yourself the pleasure of listening to one of Harlem's greatest treasures make you laugh 'til it hurts while simultaneously sharing a wealth of insight into a world the vast majority of us see but can't touch.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill
Rick and Ruby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6c2nKLr5zg

#49: Feedback Fizz May 24, 2020

Matty and Noah get back to their roots with an old-school, non-remote chat between two buddies. The "mailbag" (@graininginpod DMs) - tearing at it seams and chaotically overflowing - is attended to with listener feedback answered publicly for the first time. Highlights include comments on the guys' sloppy interviewing style, confirmation of Matt's status as resident ham, and requests for implementing a version of the tried-and-true "beer of the week" segment. The boys try to reclaim a semblance of self-confidence through a conversation about bottle conditioning, carbonation, and the very foundations of fizz. Turns out, Matt hates bubbles, Noah loves 'em, champagne is cool, and by the end of it all, it kinda feels like everything stops right where it started - Vampires.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#48: Jeff Heck I Monday Night Brewing May 17, 2020

Phoning in from Atlanta, co-founder/CEO of Monday Night Brewing Jeff Heck joins the podcast! Jeff and his brewery conducted a survey (discussed in "#46: Past Wrongs Made Tannerite") that's led to him becoming a de facto leader of sorts within the beer industry as it adapts in the wake of COVID-19. We naturally go deep on both the survey and his take on the pandemic's ramifications, as well as his history in private equity (much to Matt's delight). We also talk about Monday Night's bible study roots, compare Jeff and Noah's experiences as start-ups, and dive into how Monday Night manages to stay authentic while being willing to follow trends. Above all, our conversation highlights the glaring differences in state college and Harvard educations...(Why doesn't Jeff have a podcast?)
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#47: Spose | Rapper May 10, 2020

Coming at you from his bunker/studio/home, we (virtually) welcome Ryan Peters - better known as Spose, preferably known as The King of Maine - to the studio! Spose is EASILY the most lauded rapper to ever emerge from Wells, Maine, and his connections to Bissell Brothers run deep thanks to his former career as a Barnacle Billy's server, working alongside BBB's first employee, Seth Vigue.
We talk about how COVID has effected his life as a musician, how he's created and maintained success through a myriad of unlikely channels, balancing different projects, and why honesty has been the biggest factor in his career. The conversation regularly veers *Off-Road* in the best of ways, touching on pandemic hairstyles, failed App ventures, the true purpose of hip hop, and the Portland Sea Dog's most accomplished alumni. It'd also be criminal to not mention a deeply important discussion on how Mainers truly feel about folks from Massachusetts...
Kidding aside, the path this dude has carved for himself is nothing short of remarkable and it's straight up impossible to not get motivated by listening to him talk. So, ride. That. Wave.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#46: Past Wrongs Made TanneRite May 03, 2020

Matt "Noodle Brain" Robinson and Noah "Lee Something Jr." Bissell are left to their own devices this week. Accordingly, the conversation begins with a recounting of a recent experience involving a 600 gallon foeder, ten pounds of explosives, and an ocean of catharsis. After a shameless request for reviews on streaming platforms and feedback on Instagram (@GrainingInPod), the guys roll out a new "segment", where Noah gets Matty's take on world events and their relation to the beer. Surprisingly, this opens up to a good exchange of thoughts on the effects COVID is having on breweries in different states, before Matty inevitably loses steam and fizzles out on pizza unboxing, Mad Men, and gas station beer caves.
Music: “Mountain Climb” by Jake Hill

#45: Peter Bissell | Bissell Brothers Apr 28, 2020

Amid a precarious time for securing in-person guests, we decided to keep it in the family this week. We talk with Peter Bissell, co-founder of Bissell Brothers, co-owner of High Roller Lobster Co., and most critical to this conversation, Noah's older brother. Matt gets himself comfortable in the interview chair, and walks through some of the key points in the trajectory of Bissell Brothers history as well as Peter and Noah's relationship, getting the individual perspective of each brother along the way. Through this broad conversation (or therapy session, depending), the guys talk about growing up in the poorest and least populated county in Maine, the genesis of the brewery, the growing pains they faced with themselves and each other while trying to grow their business, and their unified desire to bring the brewery back to where their door-to-door gourd sales operation had once flourished. We also search for the TRUE Baby Genius, discuss "Death Houses", and dissect childhood pranks in this emotional rollercoaster of an episode.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill
Artwork: Samuel Dunning

#44: Alex Kidd | Don't Drink Beer Apr 21, 2020

In a socially distanced world, devoid of live interviews, we finally dipped our toes into the remote recording waters. Those waters were mighty fine, as this week's guest is none other than the Pastry Stout Playboy himself, Alex Kidd.
Unless you've been in quarantine for the last decade, you know that Alex is the man behind Don't Drink Beer, a blog that remains unparalleled in its wonderfully unique combination of humor, insight, and perspective. We get into DDB's origin story and wild trajectory, which ultimately gave birth to Alex's podcast, Malt Couture.
Like the DDB blog, Malt Couture very much occupies its own category in the beer world, consisting of equal parts beer commentary and improvisational comedy. Alex shares a handful of stories from the improv world, touches on his day job as a lawyer, and had us laughing in a way that nearly required medical attention. It's true -- Unicorns DO exist.

#43: Flattening Curves, Rolling Herbs Apr 13, 2020

From the safety of Noah's bedroom, the guys address the COVID-19 elephant in the room. We get into the way brewery operations have looked in the current landscape and how Bissell Brothers, in addition to thousands of other breweries in the country, have leaned into a beer sales channel they never considered a few months ago: home delivery. After debating the viability of home delivery in the post-pandemic era, the conversation shifts to a less heavy realm in light of an impending "holiday". We chat marijuana, cannabis, ganja, herb, whack tobaccy, grass, and whatever else you'd like to call it, touching on our early experiences with the Devil's flower, its relationship with beer, and smoking's potential role in declining alcohol sales.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#42: Jake Hill | Singer • Songwriter • Pizzaman Apr 05, 2020

Recorded in the Hometown of America - Plymouth, MA - here is our long-awaited conversation with THE REAL Jake Hill! In addition to owning the beautiful voice that starts and ends the podcast, Jake has an extremely interesting musical resume as well as an increasingly captivating story in the culinary world. We talk about his beginnings in music (SKAcopaths - RIP), the frustratingly mysterious nature of writing folk songs, and his work as part of Jay Kill & The Hustle Standard, a duo who's songs have tens of millions of streams on Spotify. We also get into his life in food, particularly his love of baking bread and its evolution into the quest for making the perfect pizza. On top of all that, Plymouth's Favorite Pizzaman shares stories about encounters with Kanye West, Randy Johnson, and Rick Ross. This is the last pre-COVID episode we recorded, but goddamn is it a good one.

#41: Cameron Bosch | Permanent Hangover Mar 29, 2020

Co-owner/business director of Permanent Hangover and packaging extraordinaire Cam Bosch made his way up north for an overnight in Milo! Though he packages beer by day (first at Bissell, now at Oxbow), his side hustle for the last couple years has been helping grow and develop Permanent Hangover alongside its founder, Andy Godish. Perma Hang occupies a small, hard-to-define space of companies and brands that, despite not actually producing beer, have become undeniably relevant through their creative and intelligent commentary on the brewing industry itself. Our conversation touches on the value of self-parody, brand authenticity, an entity known as "Glassy", the merits of sending dog shit through the mail, and a glut of other topics both Noah and Matty found totally interesting. This episode was recorded (with appropriate attention to safety) as quarantine become the norm in Maine, and hopefully it serves as good a break for the madness for you as it did for us.

#40: Carol Stoudt | Stoudt's Brewing Co. Mar 23, 2020

An incomplete version of Graining In humbly got the opportunity to speak with brewing legend, Carol Stoudt. Carol is in the process of retiring, but she spent the last 33 years as brewmaster of Stoudt's Brewing Company in Adamstown, PA. While the conclusion of a brewing career longer than either Noah or Matt has been alive would be completely applaudable in its own right, when she founded her brewery (an extension of her family steakhouse), Carol Stoudt became the first female brewmaster/head brewer/brewer-owner/etc. in the United States since prohibition began. Since then, she made Stoudt's one of greater Philadelphia's most important breweries, continually stayed true to the core brewing principles that made her fall in love with beer in the first place, and simultaneously inspired untold numbers of women to join the craft brewing community. In addition to her story, she talks with Noah about how much the beer industry has (and will continue to) changed, her love of lagers, and why glitter beer really is one of brewing's greatest disgraces. Please enjoy this conversation - Noah had no right having - with likely the most influential woman to ever touch a mash paddle.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#39: Do You Respect Wood? Mar 15, 2020

The guys make a triu--... well, a return to the solo format! They had a lot of rust to work off, but in the process, Noah recaps his trip to Philadelphia and Matt shares his experience of picking a fight with the wrong star and getting burnt/blinded as a result (seriously). On the eve of another barrel-aged Milo beer, Matty also brings up a phenomena he's noticed repeatedly in the taproom: the strong attraction most customers have towards the brewery's wooden vessels. This leads to a conversations about the overwhelming power of gin barrels, the catharsis from destroying a leaky foeder, and a classic three-bay focused around the holy trinity of carpentry, Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, Ron Swanson, and Jesus Christ himself.
.....Instagram: @GrainingInPod
.....Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#38: Baxter Key | High Roller Lobster Mar 09, 2020

Baxter Key - "The coolest person on Earth" (-Noah's dad), seafood savant, DJ, typophile, and least importantly, this week's guest! Baxter is the co-founder/owner of High Roller Lobster Company, and we get right into its history as Bissell Brothers was one of the first places High Roller's food ever was served (second only to the lawn of Baxter's childhood home). We also get into how he could have ended up in the breakfast game, what it really means to be a High Roller, what merch and travel have done for the brand, and why it actually is ok to hire your friends. Noah repeatedly pitches a questionable stationery store concept, Matt repeatedly says "slaps", while Baxter repeatedly drops knowledge in a way that only he can... there's a lot more going on behind the impeccably coordinated red jumpsuits and sick sideburns than you might expect. Listen, and in the High Roller spirit, have a good time while you do it.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#37: Matt Miller | Bearded Iris Brewing Mar 01, 2020

In our first ever hotel room recording, we talk with Matt Miller of Bearded Iris Brewing. Matt's one of three owners of the brewery, an operation that left a huge impression with Noah (and presumably hundreds of other brewers in town) during the 2018 Craft Brewers Conference held in Nashville. The guys talk with him about starting the brewery there, it's evolution since, and also dive into branding, the importance of agility in business, and a surprising similarity between saison and IPA. We also geek out on flagships, as Bearded Iris Homestyle occupies a very similar roll in the brewery as Substance at Bissell Brothers, despite getting there a very different way. Matt also pulls out an unprecedented response to the three bay with a walk down Nostalgia Avenue that makes this an episode very much worth listening to until the end.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#36: Genevieve Richardson | Sleek Machine Distro Feb 23, 2020

It's finally time to share our conversation with Genevieve Richardson, which was recorded over a month ago on a day marked by broken pipes and an extremely smoky wood stove. In addition to being extremely funny, Gen is the sales manager of Sleek Machine, and our conversation touches on how she manages over 300 accounts, the evolution of what defines "representation" in beer, how Matty would fare in sales, and how seemingly everything in life comes back to the possibilities created from the good ol' genuine human connection. Genevieve's husband (Evan Richardson, #08) and boss (Josh Schlesinger, #02) have both been on the podcast as well, and there's a lot of implications behind what the blatantly superior audio quality of her episode means on a broader scale. Beyond that, there's a lot to be learned from the meticulous concern she applies to her job without ever taking things too seriously. Also: cans, kegs, bottles, and TEMPTATION ISLAND.
Music: “Mountain Climb” by Jake Hill

#35: Henry Nguyen | Monkish Brewing Feb 16, 2020

With the podcast computer safely returned, it seemed only fitting to share a conversation with the man that ultimately got it back to us -- Henry Nguyen. He and his wife own Monkish, which produces some of the most sought-after beer in the US. But instead of talking about the freedoms of success, Henry talked with Matty and Noah exclusively about experiences and emotions that discussed too infrequently in the brewing industry. Between incessant self-doubt, the weight of indecision, fear of the future, and discussing what striving for perfection should cost a person, this was certainly one of the realest and cathartic conversations the podcast has seen. Henry's perspective and honesty is valuable to anyone who's been on either side of the counter of not only any brewery, but any small business, and we hope you get as much from it as we did.
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Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#34: Going Back to Cali Feb 10, 2020

GRAINING. IN. IS. BACK.
The guys, back from the City of Angels, are recording on a new computer, and waste no time explaining both why that is and why an episode hasn't come out for three weeks...*spoiler alert*, it's because Noah left his laptop and the trifecta of interviews recorded on them at LAX security. The guys discuss how they each dealt with not having the weekly ritual of the podcast in their lives, share some experiences from the the trip itself (one of which involves two types of "Birds" and feces), and do a little teasing on the episodes that soon be retrieved. How sweet it is to be back in the groove of things.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#33: "We're Fine" Jan 20, 2020

Fresh off a bottling run of a fruited spruce beer, the guys begin with a back-and-forth about the merits of one of Maine’s few indigenous adjuncts. Then things pivots to the upcoming trip to Los Angeles, with a discussion of their favorite LA movies, the food and beer they’re most excited to enjoy, and their first experience at the Comedy Store. This leads Matty to share a previously-withheld, albeit long-standing resolution: to perform standup! He spends the rest of the episode in extreme discomfort, but in trying to change the subject, drops what just may be the funniest story involving airport security and prescription cough syrup you’ve ever heard.

#32: Jacob Buck | Maine Malt House Jan 13, 2020

The guys get blessed with a rare "in-studio" guest this week, with Jacob Buck making the 2.5 hour trek south to Milo, all the way from Mapleton, ME. Jake runs Maine Malt House with his three brothers and their father on their multi-generational family farm. BBB will buy about 200 tons of grain produced by the Buck family in 2020, so their is no shortage of Noah playing fanboy as Jake explains how their farm - which for decades had grown only potatoes - diversified itself by beginning to produce brewer's malt. He paints a succinctly informative picture of the malting process itself, one that Jake and his brother Josh effectively taught themselves how to do at a very high level, despite not knowing beer was brewed with barley for the majority of his life. He also sheds light on the numerous and often surprising challenges farmers face in chasing consistency, as well as discussing the the pros and cons of working with your family and, importantly, the value in treating some breakfast cereals as a rotating crop instead of a base malt. A great conversation with an awesome person doing awesome things.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#31: Matt Steinberg | Exhibit 'A' Brewing Jan 05, 2020

Recorded in Framingham, we talk with Matthew Steinberg, founding brewer/owner of Exhibit 'A'. Matt boasts over two decades in the brewing industry, and geeks out hard with the guys on his history in the New England scene, from his time at Harpoon, Mayflower, and Rapscallion. That opens itself up to some really interesting broader conversation on the nature of both ownership and mentorship, with three very different perspectives and paths into beer sitting at the same table. Noah wasn't going to leave the table without talking about Exhibit 'A's acclaimed Kolsch - Goody Two Shoes - which promptly steers the podcast towards talking (a lot) about the oft-forgotten hero of beer, grain, as well as pros and cons of narcissistic naming tendencies, all things rye, and even tires. Undoubtedly one of the most wide-ranging and enjoyable conversations we've had yet.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

#30: New Year, New Ro' Dec 29, 2019

With the decade coming to a close, the guys are in a particularly reflective mood. Matty's ready to completely reinvent himself, Noah's standing ground with arms folded, and per usual, the resulting dialogue finds itself in a happy medium. The conversation reflects on the good, bad, and ridiculous that seven months of podcasting has brought the guys, and touches on their hopes and dreams (or lack thereof) for 2020. The pseudo-psychiatric self indulgence wraps up with Noah and Matt sharing their three respective most memorable beer drinking experiences of the past year. Onward and upward.. fingers crossed.

#29: Anna Jobe | Nightshift Brewing Dec 23, 2019

Matty and Noah find themselves on the docks of Boston this week. They're not there to sneak onto a Ben Affleck movie, but instead to talk to Anna Jobe, Innovations Brewer at Nightshift's newest location on Lovejoy Wharf. Anna's been with the brewery since nearly the beginning, which made for an easy, eclectic, and very interesting chat. Anna gives a brief arc of the brewery's culinary-inspired focus when she started and the transition into the present, where they make just about everything in the realm of beer. We talk about finding inspiration in the brewhouse, in and outside of the beer world, touch of lagers, and even venture into the verboten territory of seltzers in what was an incredibly fun conversation.
Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill and Deep Creek

#28: Mike Fava | Oxbow Brewing Dec 16, 2019

The guys venture into the woods of Newcastle, ME to talk with Mike Fava, head brewer of Oxbow Brewing. The conversation - held inside a literal farmhouse next to the brewery - makes a great case for the podcast's best so far. Fava (as he's known by essentially everyone) cut his chops brewing at Dock Street and Nodding Head in Philadelphia, and he walks us through how he ended up going from pub to farmhouse brewer with some help from a guy known as "The Dude". He shares his thoughts on what defines saison, the value in displaying production time on a beer's label, and how Oxbow came to be champions of the Italian-style pilsner through both brewing Luppolo and hosting Pils & Love. After a mutual gushing over spontaneous fermentation and Oxbow's Native/Wild, things wrap up with a Three Bay involving two of Fava's favorite things: lambic and VHS. All said, it's a truly inspiring conversation, and got Matty and Noah immediately thinking about Part II.
Song: Mountain Climb by Jake Hill and Deep Creek

#27: Festivus for the Rest of Us Dec 09, 2019

All sides of holiday spirit are in full effect on this week's episode! After getting some heavy ghosts of Christmas Pasts out of the way (i.e. self-indulgent reminiscing), it's onto a series of Christmas-themed reflective beer questions. What beer would the guys drink if stranded for a week (Home Alone)? What beer did they fall in love with in the past year (Love Actually)? What events in the beer world surprised and scared them the most (Rudolph and Krampus)? And finally, to cap things off with some sharp cheddar, what feelings of gratitude ultimately reminded them that It's A Wonderful Life after all? Get on your elf ears and come along for this audio sleigh ride.

#26: Drue Nickerson | 320 Ink Dec 02, 2019

Recorded at Noah's house, the guys get to talk shop with Drue Nickerson, owner of 320 Ink. Drue's company has been responsible for printing virtually all of the brewery's merch over the last 3-4 years, and while talking textiles might be like inherently dry subject matter, it turned out to be anything but. Drue gives the guys a 101 class in the mysterious art of screen printing, but it quickly shifts focus to business in general, determination, and the importance of doing things differently. He also provides an extremely sturdy breakdown of why he thinks the apparel industry has grown so much within beer, as well as other industries. Truly a can't-miss if you've ever worn branded clothing or have a dream in entrepreneurship. Matt also inexplicably brought a sewing machine to the table (literally), so there's that, too.

#25: Austin Miller | Mami Portland Nov 25, 2019

The guys are privileged to sit down with Austin Miller, co-owner of Mami Restaurant. Though he grew up in Montana, he became obsessed with Japanese food by way of the woman he eventually married and hasn't looked back since. He tells the story of acquiring the food truck the business was born out of, a feat that demanded an absurd amount of resolve and set the ethos for how he and his wife would go on to run their business. We also talk Yelp (it sucks), his ramen pilgrimage to Japan (it did not suck), and get into his philosophy as a chef that refuses to stop learning. His enthusiasm for cooking, Japan, and the intersection of the two is profoundly inspiring, and a perfect example of what the goal of Graining In has always been - finding the motivation to get better at what you do. Enjoy the ride.

#24: A Beer By Any Other Name Nov 17, 2019

Matty and Noah are reunited to talk broken bones, Charleston, and a topic of surprising depth: beer names. With an ever-growing number of conceptualized or finished beers requiring monikers, the need come up with a fitting name for a given beer - and the process of getting there - is starting to weigh heavy on the guys' minds. As some thinly-veiled therapy, they let their polar perspectives clash by listing and explaining their respective five "favorite" beer names out there, in hopes of finding some semblance of direction as to what the hell to christen those beers piling up in Milo.

#23: Adam Goodwin | Charles Towne Fermentory Nov 10, 2019

Noah - while regretfully Mattless again - is in the beautiful city of Charleston, SC, talking with Adam Goodwin. The conversation picks up right as Adam's brewery, Charles Towne Fermentory, wraps up its third annual There Will Be Hops beer festival. After discussing the value of fests through brewer eyes (and the impetus to host one), the guys talk about Adam breaking into the brewing industry as an early employee Tired Hands, later becoming head brewer at Trillium, and his experience opening a brewery in a city he knew very little about. This one's a little shorter (plane to catch) and noisier (recorded in working brewery) than usual, but Adam effortlessly provides a ton of valuable perspective, and will make Yankees proud with a perfectly executed Three Bay that involves some famous Charlestonians.

#22: Greg Engert | Neighborhood Restaurant Group Nov 03, 2019

Recorded at the Partisan in Washington, DC, Matty and Noah get to talk with the Michael Jordan of beer and hospitality expertise - Greg Engert. In addition to being Matt's personal hero, Greg is the beer director for Neighborhood Restaurant Group, an organization that operates roughly twenty bars and restaurants in the capital region, including Bluejacket and Churchkey. He sheds invaluable light on the benefits of having so many irons in the fire, weighs in on the changes he's seen in craft beer culture since starting with NRG (spoiler alert: they're not all good), and explains why we should all be drinking more cask beer. The podcast is also blessed with it's first live poetry reading, and you can be as sure there's value here as you're sure ice cream melts.

#21: Uninformed Social Studies Oct 27, 2019

After a chunk of heavy hittin' guest episodes, the guys take a minute to reflect on some of the traveling that happened to make them happen. D.C. in particularly is discussed, from its "lawless" beer scene, Snallygaster, and Matt's ambiguous experiences there in middle school. Additionally, Matt reveals his mom would really like the language on the show cleaned up a bit, despite her proclivities towards southern rap, while Noah reveals big (i.e. impossible) podcast plans for his upcoming stint in South Carolina, and brings the three bay to a new low.

#20: Dr. Jason Bolton | University of Maine Oct 21, 2019

This week, the guys go geek and talk with Dr. Jason Bolton, a food science professor at the University of Maine. In addition to creating and teaching the course "Brewing with Food Science" at UMaine, Jason is also the food safety specialist of the University's Cooperative Extension, which serves as a resource for Maine's brewing industry, as well as all food and beverage producers and retailers in the state.
While Noah and Matty were intimidated by his immense education, this good doctor was able to keep the conversation incredibly approachable and very funny, despite his handsomeness (some people get all the luck..). We talk about his work with Allagash (which resulted in a published paper), the loose cannon that is Brettanomyces, UMaine's role as a resource for the state's food and bev industry, and the goal and future of brewing education at state universities. We also talk a lot about balsamic vinegar, and most importantly, about the greatest show ever created - Seinfeld.

#19: Jeff Cozzens & John Lenzini I Schilling Beer Co Oct 15, 2019

Straight outta Littleton! Recorded in the heart of the cellar at Schilling Beer as a double session with two of the company's owners, smack dab in the middle of the brewery's 6th anniversary, this is a fun one.
Jeff Cozzens, the business/community outreach side of the brewery, leads off the conversation. He talks with the guys about Lederhosen and Schilling's evolving role as an anchor of a small New Hampshire town, and also offers a special shout-out to a particular breed of Untappd user.
Next, things get geeky in a hurry with John Lenzini, Schilling's founding brewer. John traces his commitment to lager back to the many years he spent in Austria and blesses Noah and Matty with some valuable thoughts on the merits of decoction and nature of kellerbier.
The guys barely made it back to Maine alive after Jeff, John, and the whole Schilling crew literally tried to kill them with kindness, but all's well that ends well, and hopefully the conversation is half as fun to listen to as it was to have.

#18: JC Tetreault I Trillium Brewing Oct 07, 2019

JC Tetreault, the fated farmer himself, somehow wound up in Milo for a night. Even weirder, he spent most of his night talking to Matty and Noah. Considering Trillium's worldly prominence, it'd be easy to assume you know enough about the brewery's founder...but you'd be wrong. In this conversation, JC and the guys talk hops and hospitality, leadership and lager, cultivation and cooking, and just about everything in between. He also shares a huge amount of insight into how he balances his work and home lives with the present, future, and even a little of the past. Hell, the guy even recorded this podcast immediately after a long nap AND he does what he does without the aid of coffee. If that's not enough to prove you're about to listen to a real demigod, or at least a very handsome alien, then you probably need to go back to school.

#17: The Lupulin Losers Sep 29, 2019

The guys are reunited! The conversation quickly becomes decidedly hop-forward, with Noah freshly home from sniffin' hops in Yakima. He does his best to break down the hop selection and contracting processes to Matt, which reveals (or reiterates) a noteworthy level of expertise on Home Alone and crude oil on the respective sides of the table. Citra is mentioned in excess, but Fuggles comes in just once and hits its mark perfectly. It certainly won't be the last time our favorite flowers dominate an episode, but it's a fun start, if only to hear Matt's qualifications for fame.

#16: Alex Lyscars I Bissell Brothers Sep 25, 2019

With Matt MIA, Noah finds conversational comfort in the soothing voice of Alex Lyscars. Alex is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Bissell Brothers, a job he essentially created within the brewery that aims to further the business' social impact. He breaks down for Noah the many ways BBB determines the list of charitable organizations it works with, how he continually tries to expand its impact, and the emphasis on "Community" within his title. Additionally, the guys talk about how Graining In wouldn't exist without a donation of a different kind, the trials and tribulations of being a local podcasting god, and what it's like to commit to a relationship with both Kolsch and his future wife while reenacting Dante's Inferno.

#15: Dancing on the Service Ceiling Sep 16, 2019

This week, a Three Rivers food pop-up prompts a discussion about serving in the beer industry. Through a conversation that includes nostalgia, moonwalking in kitchens, Spike TV, the magic of connecting across the bar, the guys end up where they usually do: right where they started. However, there's at least a slight chance that you just may want to become a butler after listening. They are the moving target of hospitality, after all.

#14: Tobias Parkhurst | Cushnoc Brewing Sep 09, 2019

Recording from the state's capital, the boys break bread (pizza) with Tobias Parkhurst of Cushnoc Brewing Company. To put it lightly, Tobias is an interesting dude. After spending all of his 20s traveling the country as a professional skateboarder, he moved back (considerably less spry) to his hometown of Augusta to take over his family's commercial glass business. Ever since, he's been "selfishly" playing a large entrepreneurial role in Augusta's steady evolution into a town that attracts more than grade school field trips. His perspective is fresher than a Men's Warehouse three-piece, and there's much to be learned from how his brewery reflect both the people behind it and the space it exists in. Apparently, it's all about roots, baby.

#13: The Fruit Route Sep 01, 2019

With the '19 Maine berry crop starting to roll into the brewery, the guys decide it's as good as time as ever to talk fruit. Matt - channeling his inner Thoreau following a recent trip to a blueberry farm - inquires about how sourcing works and how brewer/grower relationships evolve. Across the table, Noah does his best Atticus Finch impression in defending the superiority of whole fruit over aseptic puree, even in the barren tundra of Maine. The struggles of living in a world of distractions are discussed, the pains of fruit processing lamented, and any future sponsorship potential from Oregon Fruit Products destroyed. Get jiggy with it if you're in the pursuit of happiness.

#12: Greg Norton | Bier Cellar Aug 26, 2019

This week, Matty and Noah talk beer retail with Greg Norton of Bier Cellar. Greg's store is arguably the most respected bottle shop in Maine, and the perspective and insight he shares makes it very easy to see why. Despite Matty forgetting a big chunk of pertinent equipment, some bootstrapping (and a very patient guest) allowed us to have a conversation we felt genuinely honored to be a part of. Greg reflects with the guys on how quickly beer culture continues to change, the wide range of people constituting the "beer customer", the balance between catering to and guiding them, and the complicated relationship between taprooms and retailers. On top his articulate navigation of these nuanced topics, he cements his place as one of our best guests yet by making lemonade out of on of the most avant-garde Three Bay Sinks we'll hope to ever have.

#11: Fifty Shades of Homebrewing Aug 19, 2019

After a brief recap of Foam's Funk on the Water festival, the conversation dives straight into homebrewing. Matty takes the stance that it is the hobby of Satan himself; Noah is curiously unable to explain where his interest in it even came from (malevolent forces?); and both guys fail to determine why anyone homebrews in the first place. Whether making beer at home is true witchcraft or merely a laborious pastime remains a mystery, but thankfully, the episode is saved from falling too deeply into the dark fog by the divine power of '90s R&B.

#09: Conversations in Magical Fermentations Aug 04, 2019

Noah and Matty decide to go down the rabbit hole that is spontaneous fermentation. The conversation bounces between why lambic-style beers are the top of the mountain for so many brewers, experiences and thoughts on the style, philosophy on how a coolship (R) should be used, and ultimately why it's worth bowing down to Belgium. Through Matty's relentless questioning, he discovers his employer may very well be completely full of crap (anyone hiring?). Lastly, it'd be a be shame not to mention that God finds his way onto the golf course on this podcast about "beer".

#08: Evan Richardson | Eaux Restaurant Jul 29, 2019

This week, Matty and Noah had the pleasure of getting southern hospitalitized by Evan Richardson, chef and owner of Eaux in Portland. Evan made his way to Maine from the Big Easy and is tirelessly proud of that fact. His restaurant serves food that pays deep homage to Louisiana and Creole (NOT Cajun) cooking while also embracing the indigenous flavors of Maine. The concepts of fusion, balance, and adaptation run throughout our conversation, and we find parallels between kitchens/restaurants and breweries/taprooms, and also find time to judge inter-episode mullets. Ultimately, some genuinely inspiring perspective is shared from a guy that hates trash, loves fast casual chains, and just wants to "Do what he does, and do it well".

#07: Kookiness as a Brand Jul 22, 2019

The guys sit down and recap a beef-squashing collaboration brew with Novare Res and attempt to dissect the deep love of Taras Boulba from Noah and brewers at large. The eccentricities of Belgian breweries also comes up, which leads to a surprisingly decent conversation about how branding - intentional or incidental - influences everyone's beer drinking decisions, whether they realize it or not. Weaved throughout the episode are hints that Matt may be illiterate and that Noah may soon legally change his name to "Like".

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