Hosts
Craig is a middle school teacher in Chicago, hence his “enthusiasm” for craft beer. Craig likes to travel to find the best brews around, so he is frequently at local events and breweries far, far away.
Ryan is also a middle school teacher. He does not believe in trading or waiting in lines for beer, but he’s happy to reap the benefits of Craig doing so. When not producing and editing the show, Ryan can be found relaxing in the comforts of suburbia with his wife, daughter, and son.
Our theme song is done by Inclement Weather. They’re the worst.
Guest Hosts
Dennis Lee is a food writer for Serious Eats, owner of The Pizzle, and a general pain in the ass on Twitter. (Episode 4 – Double IPAs, Episode 9 – Half Acre, Episode 14 – Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Episode 43 – Barrel Aged Pipeworks, Episode 48 – Holiday Special, Episode 70 – Night Shift Barrel Society, Episode 72 – The Mostly ME Show, Episode 85 – Beer For Breakfast, Episode 97 – Bourbon County 2015, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015)
Chris Ferguson is the owner and sole proprietor of Bee’s Knees Food Company. They specialize in small batch beer snacks and are available in most places that specialize in craft beer in Chicago. (Episode 17 – Bee’s Knees and Chicago Brews)
Marie Cummins writes about Chicago and other Midwest craft beers at Downthehatchbeer.com. She is witty, sophisticated, extraordinarily knowledgeable and it’s quite possible that she composed this bio herself. (Episode 21 – Chicago Growlers, Episode 27 – Toppling Goliath, Episode 48 – Holiday Special, Episode 74 – New Glarus Fruit Beers, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015)
David Sullivan is awesome. If by awesome you mean liking Arsenal, music, and beer, then, yes, he’s awesome. (Episode 24 – Side Project, Episode 48 – Holiday Special)
Paul Leamon is the owner of Beermiscuous, a craft beer cafe in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. (Episode 29 – Beermiscuous)
Austin Hayes is the head “beerista” at Beermiscuous, tasked with maintaining the drafts and bottled beer offerings. (Episode 29 – Beermiscuous)
Ken Getty is the President of the C.H.A.O.S. Homebrew Club, a homebrewer, and a bunker aficionado. (Episode 30 – Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, Episode 48 – Holiday Special, Episode 51 – Cantillon, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015)
Chris Betts is responsible for Transient Artisan Ales and Buckley. (Episode 31 – Transient Artisan Ales, Episode 48 – Holiday Special, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015)
Neil Byers is the owner and head chef of Horse Thief Hollow. (Episode 32 – Horse Thief Hollow)
David Williams is the head brewer at Horse Thief Hollow and the former president of C.H.A.O.S. Homebrew Club. (Episode 32 – Horse Thief Hollow)
Chris Costin likes beer, but really likes Louisville athletics. Kentucky sucks! (Episode 35 – Abraxas)
Kim Leshinki runs Hail To The Ale and is part of the Chicago Beer Gals collective. She is a BJCP judge, homebrewer, and branding and packaging specialist. (Episode 37 – The Great Pumpkin Beer Show!, Episode 48 – Holiday Special, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015, Episode 109 – Cider House Rulez)
Nick Barron, Jacob Sembrano, and Jon Naghski are the men responsible for all of the beer coming out of Goose Island Clybourn. (Episode 41 – Goose Island Clybourn)
Matthew LaFleur is a freelance artist, homebrewer, and label designer. His labels and art have been on bottles for Transient Artisan Ales, Arcade, and Middle Brow, as well as his homebrews. (Episode 46 – The Art of Beer, Episode 48 – Holiday Special)
Nick Burica is one-third of Middle Brow Beer Co. and an outspoken critic of EVERYTHING. (Episode 48 – Holiday Special, Episode 57 – Middle Brow Chocolate Homebrew Contest, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015)
Bryan Grohnke is also one-third of Middle Brow Beer Co., but much less opinionated. (Episode 57 – Middle Brow Chocolate Homebrew Contest)
Patrick and Julie Bisch are the owners of The Open Bottle. They like to hide things on Craig. (Episode 65 – The Open Bottle)
Grant Hamilton, Brett Semenske and Chris DiBraccio are the trio behind Imperial Oak Brewing. (Episode 68 – Imperial Oak Brewing)
Claudia Jendron is the head brewer of Temperance Beer Company in Evanston. (Episode 69 – Temperance Beer Company)
Edgar Goluch is a college professor with a PhD who loves sour beer. So why is he haning out with us? (Episode 70 – Night Shift Barrel Society)
John Rubio, Anastacia Kelly, and Mike Lambert are 75% of The Beerists Podcast and very mean people that drank all of Craig’s rare beer. (Episode 73 – The Beerists Cellar Invasion)
Colin Joliat runs Boozist and is also the Director of Magic for Open Heart Magic. (Episode 91 – Night of the Hunter)
MC Johnsen runs Worth 1000 Beers and went to art school. Buy her prints at her etsy shop! (Episode 92 – Gueuze Crueuze, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015, Episode 109 – Cider House Rulez, Episode 116 – Trillium, Again)
Matt Johnsen brews at Horse Thief Hollow, works at The Beer Cellar, and runs too much. (Episode 92 – Gueuze Crueuze, Episode 100 – Holiday Party 2015)
Steph Byce is the girl behind the camera (and computer) at The Girl and Her Beer beer blog. (Episode 108 – Side Project II: The Secret of the Booze)
Mike Zoller is the Chicago editor for PorchDrinking. (Episode 112 – Speedway Stout Grand Prix)
Guest Contributors
Patrick Archambault is a law student by day and craft beer aficionado by night…and day. New England born and raised, he refined his palate by working as a chef, managing a restaurant, and traveling to Europe to stay on farms.
