Join Gary in this LIVE episode of HopTalk, recorded at the recent LA Beer Week kickoff festival, where he chats with renowned beer writer, Tomm Carroll about the beer scene’s evolution in the city over the past two decades. This isn’t your typical beer chat; it’s a detailed exploration of the LA beer community’s journey from its humble beginnings t…

Join Gary in this LIVE episode of HopTalk, recorded at the buzzing LA Beer Week kickoff festival, where he sits down with Tom Kelley of El Segundo Brewing. This isn’t your typical beer chat; it’s a deep dive into the LA beer scene’s journey from a handful of breweries to over a hundred. Tom, who began his craft beer journey as a bartender at Librar…

In this LIVE episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Sam Tierney of Firestone Walker and Andrew Bell of Radiant Beer Co. at the release party for their collaboration, Camp Blanket. Camp Blanket is a s’mores-inspired imperial stout brewed with cocoa nibs and Tahitian vanilla beans brewed at Firestone Walker’s Propagator location in Venice, CA. We chat a…

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Carey Jonker, owner and head brewer of Transmission Brewing Company. If you’re outside the city of Ventura, there’s a decent chance you haven’t heard of Transmission Brewing. That’s because it’s pretty rare to find their beers outside of their taproom, Toppers Pizza locations, and a handful of local accou…

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Chris & Andy of Three Weavers Brewing Company ahead of the brewery’s eight-year anniversary. We dig into the story behind Three Weavers’ longest-tenured employees, Chris Gonzalez, who is now the Director of Brewing Operations, and Andy Manoushagian who is now the Marketing Manager. Follow along as we trac…

In this extended episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Hal Mooney of Your Beer Friend. We dig into the ins and outs of tasting beer, the benefits of the Cicerone program, the magic of beer and food pairings, how beer reviews are killing the beer industry, and much more! Hal also walks us through the story behind Oktoberfest, his undying love for März…

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with James Bardeen & Bryce Lowrance of Far Field Beer Company. Coming up on Far Field’s 1-year anniversary in Lawndale, we dig into their homebrewing roots, their journey to opening the brewery, collaboration and community in LA’s South Bay, their plans for year 2, and soooo much more. Paired with this episode…

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with the legendary Matt Brynildson, Brewmaster at Firestone Walker Brewing Company. Coming off the heels of the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival 2022, we dig into the history of the Invitational, recap the latest fest, and I get his thoughts on the evolution of the Central Coast beer scene. We talk …

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Chase Dipple, beer program manager of Hi-Lo Liquor Market. We dive deep into Chase’s journey from beer blogger to beer buyer and all the steps he’s made along the way. We also chat about his approach to curating Hi-Lo’s on-premise and off-premise beer program, training their staff on the latest and greate…

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Kurt & Kyle Leingang, co-founders of new beer delivery and marketplace startup, Beergang. We chat all about their journey of launching Beergang, how they built up their list of brewery partners, the growth of the Southern California beer scene, their inaugural beer festival coming up on May 21st, and so m…

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Sam Tierney, manager of Firestone Walker’s R&D brewhouse in Venice, CA. We talk all about The Propagator as it approaches its six-year anniversary, how the space and the brewing program have evolved over that time, Sam’s recent run of all-star beer collaborations, what it’s like to visit other breweries a…

We are excited to announce season 2 of #thehopshow! Hosts Daniella Lopez and Javi Gonzalez interview Blanca Quintero of Highland Park Brewery for their Big Game special! Listen in as we speak to Blanca about the return of festivals, the origin story of Schwarzmas, and stuck mash…all while having a wing and beer pairing, culminating with one of the …

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with John Garcia, Head Brewer of King Harbor Brewing Company in Redondo Beach, CA. In this conversation they dive into: How John launched a beer podcast to get his start in the craft beer industry. Brewing 300+ different beer recipes over the course of a year. His journey to becoming King Harbor’s Head …

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Sam Tierney, manager of Firestone Walker’s Propagator R&D Brewhouse in Venice, CA. In this conversation they dive into: Sam’s transition from Firestone Walker’s production cellar in Paso Robles to the R&D brewery in Venice. Experimenting with new ingredients, new processes, and new styles. How he d…

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Adam Kestel, co-founder and Head Brewer at Frogtown Brewery in Los Angeles, CA. They dive into the backstory of the Frogtown neighborhood, their journey from homebrewing to opening a brewery, their connection to the tiki world, and their plans for celebrating their upcoming 5-year anniversary befor…

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Chris Enegren, co-founder and head of brewing operations at Enegren Brewing Co. in Moorpark, CA. They dive into the origin story behind Enegren Brewing Co., how they’ve grown a German-style lager-focused brewery in the modern beer market, Chris’ connection to the city of Moorpark, and reflections o…

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Mike Richmond, Brewmaster at Tarantula Hill Brewing Co in Thousand Oaks, CA. They dive into the origin story behind Tarantula Hill, Mike’s journey in craft beer, and his philosophy in brewing before cracking open the light, bright, and hoppy IPA and how this unique and crushable beer fits in alongs…

In this Season 2 premiere episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Julian Shrago, co-founder and Brewmaster of Beachwood Brewing to break down ten years of Beachwood and their special anniversary releases, Hoptical Telescope and Barrelogensis. They dive into everything from Julian’s homebrewing background, the art and science of brewing, building…

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Antonio Sanchez of Wort Wrangler. Javi and Antonio dive into the story behind Wort Wrangler, the ins and out of the beer industry meme game, the crossover to stand-up comedy, his love for interacting with the beer community, launching The Mash Pit podcast and Jiggle Juice Fruit Puree, and so much mor…

On today’s episode, Laurie and Tyler chat about planning your brews along with the seasons! Whether you’re dealing with restrictions in fermentation temperature control, wanting to have specific beers on tap in certain months, or interested in using seasonal ingredients in your brews, we’ve got the perfect brewing calendar for you. Thanks as always…

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Corissa Hernandez, co-founder of Baja-inspired craft beer bar, Xelas in Boyle Heights, and authentic-chic Guadalajara-inspired bar and restaurant, Nativo in Highland Park. Javi and Corissa dive into her Latinx roots and how it’s inspired her journey, putting together culturally authentic food and bev…

We’re back for part 2 of our Dr. Andy’s Pale Ale brew experiment! Laurie, Tyler and Andy try the now finished and carbed beers blindly IRL, to see if there are any distinguishable differences between the three. As a reminder, they each brewed the same pale ale recipe on their own respective systems. Stayed tuned after the episode for some fun bonus…

This week Laurie and Tyler have the honor to chat with Brittany Brouhard (Pronounced “Brew Hard”) who is opening her own brewery, Naughty Pine Brewing Co. out in Westlake Village, CA in 2021. Many will know her from her days crafting German style crispies at Enegren Brewing Co in Moorpark, CA. Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe,…

Laurie and Tyler reminisce about their Pink Boots Hop Blend collab brew day at Brewjeria with Esme and Lulu! Esme is the assistant brewer at Brewjeria and Lulu is a beertender at Brewjeria, 1/2 of @twosomebreweries and fellow Cervecera. The girls also try some Pinks Boots beers from Trademark, Frogtown, Claremont Craft Ales, and Common Space! Thank…

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Chalonda White of Afro.Beer.Chick, a Chicago-based craft beer blogger and host of the This Chick Talks Beer podcast. Javi and Chalonda dive into her journey into craft beer, why she started Afro.Beer.Chick and Chicks Talk Beer, talking shit on Twitter, holding breweries socially accountable, the role…

Macleod Ale is easily one of the best breweries in LA County so we were super pumped to sit down with Jennifer Boase, co-owner of Macleod Ale and Van Nuys Beer Co. for a candid chat over a curated flight of cask and draft ales. We learn the amazing story of how the brewery started and have fun comparing the beers. Thanks as always for listening! Pl…

This week Laurie and Tyler had the pleasure to speak with homebrew legend, Andy Carter. He is the current president of the California Homebrewers Association and contributor to both the Brulosophy Podcast and The Full Pint Podcast. The three discuss plans for a homebrew experiment they will put into action for part one of this two-part series! Than…

This week Laurie and Tyler discuss a massive trend in commercial brewing and homebrewing alike; the Hard Seltzer! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers …

In this episode of Hop Talk, Gary chats with Jimmy Smith who is the beer buyer at The Glendale Tap, one of the best beer bars in Los Angeles. Jimmy talks us through how he got into craft beer and broke into the industry, what it takes to keep a beer program at the top of its game in 2021, what he’s seeing in up and coming beer trends, pairing hype …

On this episode of Brew’d Up! Laurie and Tyler discuss their brew day experience with none other than, The Grainfather! Hot Take: It’s sexy as hell and has so many features! The Grainfather is an incredible piece of homebrew equipment, shout out to BSG HandCraft for the hookup. Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review, and fol…

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Jason Harris, fellow West Coast IPA lover and member of the Four Brewers podcast. Javi and Jason dive into what it’s like doing a beer podcast in a pandemic, the post-COVID future of beer fests and bottle shares, why breweries should stop brewing Triple IPA, and so much more! Listen in and as always …

This week Laurie and Tyler had the pleasure to speak with the AHA National Homebrew Competition Director, John Moorhead! John gives A LOT of insight on how the NHC operates (especially this year) and provides amazing tips to those who are considering entering the NHC or any local homebrew competitions. They also do a live beer judge tasting of a de…

This week Laurie and Tyler do a deep dive into the endless possibilities of yeast to use for homemade cider! They also taste a few delectable ciders from none other than Cimarrons Streets Finest 🙂 Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review, and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’…

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with San Diego-based freelance craft beer writer & journalist, Beth Demmon. You may know Beth as the award-winning journalist who’s written for publications like CraftBeer.com, Good Beer Hunting, VinePair, and Craft Beer & Brewing, the host of the San Diego Brewers Guild’s weekly “Happy Hour at Home” show…

This week Laurie and Tyler had the pleasure to speak with Gary from Hopped LA! His brand is dedicated to championing LA County breweries so please follow him for the ins and outs of the LA brewery scene everywhere at @hoppedla. Brew’d Up! is also happy to announce we are now officially part of the Hopped LA team! More to come! Thanks as always for …

We’re back with Part 2 of our end of the year episode! Gary is once again joined by special guest, Russell Hainline of TheBeerTravelGuide.com to go through the top half of their 10 best LA beers they drank in 2020. If you missed Part 1, go here and check out that episode first. Then come back here where we’re running through rankings #5 to #1. Here…

In this end of the year episode of Ranked, Gary is once again joined by special guest, Russell Hainline of TheBeerTravelGuide.com to go through the 10 best LA beers they drank in 2020. This monster of an episode is broken up into two parts, running through our #10 to #6 rankings in this episode and then coming back next week with rankings #5 to #1 …

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Nic Bortolin, Co-Founder & Head Brewer at 14 Cannons Brewery in Westlake Village, CA. They taste through a flight of lagers and a flight of IPAs while talking about how a stint in Prague sparked Nic’s love for beer, his background as a professional musician, the showroom concept behind 14 Cannons, th…

In this episode of HOPTALK, Noey chats with Ray Ricky Rivera of Norwalk Brew House and SoCal Cerveceros. They chat about how Ray transitioned from working in the music industry to his start in craft beer, his path to homebrewing and starting the largest all-Latino homebrew club in the country, his future plans for his beer brand, Norwalk Brew House…

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Josie Becker, Assistant Brewer at Common Space Brewing in Hawthorne, CA. They talk about the state of the local beer industry here in LA, the birth of the award-winning Josie’s Wit, how the beer industry should approach diversity and the Black Lives Matter movement, her wrestling alter ego, and much …

In this episode of HOPTALK, Emily chats with Kirk Nishikawa and Sherwin Antonio, co-owners of Brewyard Beer Company in Glendale, CA. They chat about how Kirk and Sherwin got into craft beer, their early days homebrewing in the backyard, ale’d lagers and the versatility of lager yeast in their beer program, what it’s like brewing beer in Glendale, a…

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we chat with El Segundo Brewing Co’s Tom Kelley about the philosophy of El Segundo Brewing, their Day One program, the Broken Skull phenomenon, and so much more. We also open up cans of their recent seasonal release, The 105 IPA, and talk about what that beer is all about and drink through it together. Pick up El …

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Teo Hunter, co-founder of Crowns & Hops, a Black-owned craft beer lifestyle brand and brewing company based in Inglewood, CA. They chat about how Teo’s “Black People Love Beer” brand transitioned into “Dope & Dank”, creating a brewery taproom space in Inglewood, the current Black is Beautiful…

Welcome to a brand new episode of Ranked, where Gary is joined by special guest, Russell Hainline of TheBeerTravelGuide.com to walk through their rankings of the top 10 breweries producing West Coast IPAs in Los Angeles. Here’s a quick rundown of the breweries featured in this episode, but to get the fully ranked list, you’ll have to listen in to f…

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Brian Herbertson, head brewer over at The Brewery at Simmzy’s in Burbank, CA. They chat about Brian’s transition from homebrewer to pro brewer at Wick’s Brewing in Riverside, 5-hour commutes and sleeping on grain sacks, making cheese wheels during quarantine, what it’s like to be a part of LA…

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we dive into the story behind “Mas” Farmhouse Ale with Kevin Osborne, the owner, brewer, and blender behind Cellador Ales in North Hills, CA. Kevin walks us through the story behind Cellador Ales and what makes them such a unique brewery. Then, we talk through the history of Mas, a very special collaboration beer …

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Ryan Demarest, comedian, podcaster, and beer slinger over at Wingwalker Brewing in Monrovia, CA. They chat about Ryan’s journey in the stand-up comedy scene, how to get free beer by inviting brewers on as podcast guests, why working in a brewery taproom is the perfect job for a comedian, and …

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we dive into the story behind Tyrannicide IPA with Nic Bortolin, head brewer at 14 Cannons Brewing in Westlake Village, CA. Nic walks us through the story behind the brewery and what they’re all about, then talks us through the origins of Tyrannicide IPA, how it’s evolved over time, why it’s different from other W…

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we dive into the story behind Amarilla Gorilla IPA with Jonathan Porter, co-owner and brewmaster at Smog City Brewing in Torrance. Porter talks us through the concept behind Amarilla Gorilla from when they first started brewing it back when they first opened, how the recipe helps it stand out from other IPAs in th…

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Megan Paige, Social Media & PR Director of Pacific Plate Brewing in Monrovia, CA. They talk about Megan’s early beer education as the president of the Association of Beverage Professionals at Cal Poly Pomona, their epic Bluesapalooza road trip, her past accomplishments as a competitive accord…