"Beer America" Segments Heard on "Left Jab"

In addition to our own podcasts, there are a number of beer topic interviews that have be done for the radio program, "Left Jab", hosted by Mark Walsh and David Goodfriend.

(The weekly program may heard on Sirius-XM Channel 167, Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. - Times Eastern).

Podcasts of these interviews may be found at http://leftjabradio.com - Go to "Media Library", Podcasting Archives and then to the "Hidden America" logo. Push "click here" and scrioll down to the appropriate segment (they are not just beer, but also include Americana, Canadiana, etc.)

Journeys into Beer: A Christmas Ale from St. Louis

No - it’s not from that brewery.

Rather it’s from the hometown American owned St. Louis Brewery.

The beer is from Schafly Beer (yes, it’s connected distantly with Phyllis Schafly).

We speak with Dan Kopman, along with Mr. Schafly, a co-founder of the St. Louis Brewery, about his seasonal ale, about the history of his brewery, and just what it’s like to be the “other” brewery in the home of the “King of Beers”.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access December, 2008)

Murketing Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer

In this “Journey into Beer” (Beer America) segment, we speak with Robert Walker, New York Times Magazine “Consumed” columnist. He is also author the book, “Buying In”, The Secreet Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are, Random House, 2008.

In it he writes of “murketing”, a practice that blends the terms of murky and marketing and reflects our changing cultural landscape.

One story he tells in the book is that of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, an old-time brand that suddenly found itself re-invented for reasons it’s corporate marketing suits at first did not understand. Rob Walker shares that Pabst story with us and just what it might mean in the bigger scheme of things.


At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com/ (Access October, 2008)

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters

Picture this:A bear singing “From the land of sky blue waters…comes the beer refreshing, Hamms the beer refreshing”.

If you’re of a certain age and from a certain part of the country (Upper Midwest heading to the Pacific), you probably recall a classic beer ad about a classic beer (and a classic bear).

Decades later this ad and the beer continue to evoke good feelings.

We speak with Kirk Schnitker from Minnesota. Kirk is President of The Hamm’s Club, and has devoted a website and a club to preserving the artifacts, stories and spirit of Hamm’s Beer, its hey day and advertising.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access August, 2008)

Eco-Brewing in Vermont

It’s an exciting time in the world of beers. There are new variations, old standards are being revised. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

And in Vermont at the Long Trail Brewery, they are involved in something called “Eco-Brewing”.

Eco-Brewing is defined as the act of placing environmental considerations at the forefront of a brewery’s decision making process. It is actively seeking out ways to eliminate negative impact the brewery has on its natural surroundings and engaging in an constant on-going process to review current operations to find new ways in which the brewery may live in symbiotic harmony with its local environment.

But that’s just the start of it. For more listen in to this segemnt which recorded in August, 2007. You can also go to http://longtrail.com

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access June, 2008)

Dad's Beer

I’m a Dad and these days Father’s Day is different than it used to be. Not only am I on the receiving end now, but separated by decades, some of the propos of the day have changed.
Back then (1960’s), baseball doubleheaders and beer played as much a role as the cards, the barbecue and the obligatory gifts.

There are no longer doubleheaders, and the beers are mostly brands that did not exist back then.

In this Conversation on the Road, we speak with Dave Gausephol, a beer writer, collector and historian, about an article he wrote a few years back entitled, “Your Dad’s Beer: Sipping a Generation”.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.allaboutbeer.com/features/223dadsbeer.html


At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com/ (Access June, 2008)

Travels with Barley

That’s the name of a book describing the journey prize winning journalist and author Ken Wells set out on a quest for “the perfect beer joint”.

We talk with Ken Wells about his quest - just what was he looking for and did he find it ? It’s about a lot more than beer.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access May, 2008)

“Happy Days Are Here Again”: The End of Prohibition After 75 Years

April 7, 2008 marked the 75th anniversary of the official beginning of the end for Prohibition. On the date in 1933, legal beer production resumed in the United States, sparking celebration among brewers and imbibers alike. Historian William Rorabaugh, author of Alcoholic Republic, puts the event into historical context.

Make sure to also check out Mr. Rorabaugh as he spoke with NPR’s Robert Siegel on this subject on All Things Considered:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89441573

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

Beerdrinker of the Year

From our archives, we bring you a “Beer America” feature about the “Beerdrinker of the Year” as awarded by the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver.

Do you have what it takes to be a Beerdrinker of the Year ? Listen in and find out for yourself.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access March, 2008)

About A Brewing Tradition in Indiana

In this "Beer America Extra" podcast, we speak with Bob Ostrander of the Indiana Brewer’s Guild about the history of beer making in Indiana, and about the diversity of brews on the scene these days.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access January, 2008)

The Stubby Beer Bottle: A Canadian Icon Resurfaces

Back in the 1960’s, one of the symbols of Canada was beer - be it Molson, Labbatt, O’Keefe, or Carling. And the beer back then was always to be found in brown stubby beer bottles.

Then they were gone.

Now they are back.

Ontario brewer Jim Brickman shares with us the history of the Stubby Beer Bottle, and what he has done to bring it back.

These days Molson and Labbatt are�foreign owned, so it is brewers like his Brick Brewing Company of Waterloo, Ontario that carry the torch for indigenous Canadian brewing and the very Canadian stubby beer bottle.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access August, 2007)

Introducing Journeys into Beer

There is much diversity to the United States. Eric Model through Hidden America (Canada) has unveiled this diversity for over 20 years.

One interesting subgroup of this diversity can be seen through the recent rise in micro-brewing.

Journeys into Beer as an exploration of the offbeat, off the beaten path, overlooked and fogotten through regional beer cultures.

That means a journey into the diversity of brewing. Segments profile a region and, microbrewery by interviewing a micro-brewmaster.

For example, such exploration might include:

* The Story of Micro-brewery

*The Story of the micro-brewer

*History of Beer making in that area

*History & culture of that area

*Regional specialty foods that might accompany the beer

*Any festival that best highlights the region where the beer can be
Found or bought

*More info. about the brewery and where the beer can be found

* Events, competitions involving the beer


He hope you enjoy our Journeys into Beer. We welcome your suggestios and feedback.
We propose a program that taps into the diversity of this subgroup and the stories the many stories that come from it.