Home Brew Rock Stars Podcast

A podcast about home brewing and the people that brew beer. Craft beer and home brew news, music reviews, beer tastings and interviews with some of the top brewers at home, and at breweries throughout the world.

E85 Trippin' on a Bicycle Day 04/30/2022

E85 Trippin' on a Bicycle Day “Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.” ― Terence McKenna Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 85 “Trippin on Bicycle Day”. In this episode we talk about Bicycle Day and we don’t mean the celebration of the two wheeled, pedal driven device although there is a bicycle involved. We are discussing the discovery by Swiss scientist Dr. Albert Hoffman of the effects of Lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD as it is more commonly known as, on the human body. Here is a hilarious clip from the movie to get ya in the right frame of mind. There are many forms of psychedelics such as LSD, Psilocybin (commonly known as magic mushrooms), MDMA (ecstasy) and DMT to name a few. In the last decade these mind-altering drugs have come out of the shadowy underground world into the mainstream as possibly valid tools to help with depression, addictions (including nicotine and alcoholism) and overall better mental health as an alternative to the chemical compounds traditionally used that have undesirable side effects. Code writers from the Silcon Valley use a method known as to help them focus. As we journey through out trippy episode, we list some bicycle inspired beers and sampled some fine beers. On the tasting table we have a homebrew from Sears he calls ‘Old Skool IPA’ a traditional American IPA generously dosed with with a 6.5% ABV. We also have a non-alcoholic IPA with 5mg of THC from our friends at . Kent brought a ridiculously good Bavarian Lager called Zwickle from of St. Louis, MO. If you in the St. Louis area stop in to their Bierhall in , you will not be disappointed! We rounded out with a White Stout from an area brewery named of Beloit WI. A different but tasty brew that has granola, toasted coconut and vanilla. It reminded us of a hiking trip except it has a 7% ABV that would not be conducive to walking the trails! If any of you listeners have a home brew you want to have the guys sample on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our or . We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. As always, we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see still rocking it! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Also stop in and see our good friends at and try the fine libations Alex and Heath proudly pour…YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED! Want to get some of Chicago area’s finest craft beer without the travel into the Windy City? Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/22962587

E84 The Hazy History of 420 04/20/2022

E84 The Hazy History of 420 “Sativa to change the things I can, Indica to accept the things I can’t.”- Bob Marley Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 84 “Hazy History of 420”. In this episode we visit the origins of ’420’. There are many versions, but we have the real deal detailng some Cali teenagers in search of free weed unbeknown to them that they would carve out a piece of modern folklore and an unofficial holiday. In fact, brews a seasonal beer artfully named The Waldos, commemorating those crazy teens. The guys also talk about a list titled ‘9 Beers with a 420 Twiist’ So, grab a beer, roll one up if you wish and settle in for some fun history that they never taught you in school. This is an appropriate time to queue up some and before ya ‘hit’ the podcast. We sampled some beverages during our fact-finding venture. Starting off with an offering from a local brewery named aptly name Prairie St IPA. This is a 68 IBU / 6.4% ABV easy drinker with floral, grapefruit and pine notes. The hops are locally sourced from in Amboy, IL. Nice job gents! Sears brought his Belgian Wit with a Kick, which is generously dosed with THC tincture. Brent found a CBD beverage from of Chicago IL. A light, sugar free cherry-lime caffeinated drink with CBD that we all though was very tasty and refreshing. Great for a warm summer afternoon. There was a canned non-alchol Black Coffee drink from to keep our energy up. If any of you listeners have a home brew you want to have the guys sample on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our or . We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. As always we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see still rocking it! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Also stop in and see our good friends at and try the fine libations Alex and Heath proudly pour… YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED! Want to get some of Chicago area’s finest craft beer without the travel into the Windy City? Or seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/22856699

E82 St. Paddy's Day & The Irish Pub 03/17/2022

E82 St. Paddy's Day & The Irish Pub Happy St. Patrick’s Day, or is that St. Paddy’s Day? Either way, when it comes to beer and brewing, perhaps the real Saint we should be admiring could very well be St. Brigid (more on that in this episode). Speaking of episodes, we start this shindig off by tasting some excellent Irish/St. Paddy’s themed beers and then give it a lash to discuss the history of the Irish Pub, learning about Ireland’s patron saints, Publicans, Barmen, Alewives, Spirit Grocers, SheBeens, Patrick Cavanaugh and Brendan Behan “dog days to drink” legend, and the lot that brought us into the era of the Public Houses we so fondly adore and frequently adjourn to. As for theater on the table, we start with Mike’s home brewed Red Ale, a tasty, roasty, clean, easy drinker, if there ever was one ;) that finished off fast (1.5 weeks) at 4.5 ABV. We also sip on Urban Forest Landmire Spring, a zest black IPA that warms the soul. Then on to more traditional fermentations from Smithwick Red Ale (the most consumed ale in Ireland…ever!) and Guinness Extra Stout, a beer that some have called the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, smooth and dry with a yummy creamy head, first brewed in 1821. Happy listening…we’re off to the pub! While we’ll miss out on the ultimate Irish authenticity on this March 17, we have a nice selection of traditional ale houses to drink until we’re gilded green with envy. Special shout out to our sponsors, especially the boys at who are always brewing for perfection! If you’re seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift, then stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. And of course, the aforementioned , hard at work making awesome moments for your taste buds. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup 00000097 00000097 00007424 00007424 0011EA87 0011EA87 00007E86 00007E86 00023E49 00023E49 /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/22484477

E81 Wish You Were Beer - Joe Mongan 01/15/2022

E81 Wish You Were Beer - Joe Mongan “Did they get you to trade, Your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change? Did you exchange, A walk-on part in the war, For a leading role in a cage?” Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 81 “Wish You Were Beer”. In this installment we have our old friend and past Forest City Brewers President, Joe Mongan call in. Joe is now a resident of a.k.a. Florida. Since packing it up and leaving the state of Illinois (lucky SOB) Joe has been busy! He has set up his home brewery, formed a home brew club in the retirement community, and had his almost famous F-Bomb IPA brewed at one of the area breweries… Whew, he’s been busy. While visiting with Joe we sampled some fine beer. From one of our sponsors, we quaffed a chocolate porter named Sock Monkey which is nod to the originating in Rockford IL . A tasty roasty and chocolaty brew with a 6.4% ABV, well done Alex and Heath! We then turned our tastebuds to a brew that we talked about on Why Dr. Villa Brews with Cannabis. This was the Belgian Wit named Grainwave, an alcohol-free beer with 5mg of THC from . Nice job Keith! If any of you listeners have a home you want to have the guys sample on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our or . We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. As always we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see still hanging tough in these trying times of ever changing ‘rules’, mandates and general bullshit. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup 000000C2 000000C2 00005D0D 00005D0D 002B45DB 002B45DB 00007E86 00007E86 000EE697 000EE697 /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/21785714

E80 WHAT WILL BE - 2022 BEER TRENDS 01/02/2022

E80 WHAT WILL BE - 2022 BEER TRENDS “Still don't know what I was waitin' for, and my time was runnin' wild. A million dead end streets. And every time I thought I'd got it made, It seemed the taste was not so sweet” – An appropriate line for this show from one of my favorite artists, Ziggy Stardust A.K.A. David Bowie. Welcome to Episode 80 – What Will Be - 2022 Beer Trends, where we talk about and forecast he year ahead in the craft beer world. We also have one of our favorite guests sitting in with us, Cory Kuczynsk, to help us kick off a new year of podcasts! So, what do you, our beloved listeners, think will be the biggest beer trends in 2022? We found some obvious predictions and some surprising ones. Cleaner and simpler beer should be popular trends that emerge, riding the coat tails of hard seltzers, low alcohol and lager beers in 2021. Have we seen the run of hazy IPAs begin to fizzle and the demand for sour beers looking to reunion for another gig? For some of the surprising trends we found… Smoothie and rosé beers should have a bigger presence along with fresh hop beers. Craft malts or Branded malt beverages get a nod as craft brewers are trying to separate themselves from the brands acquired and made by the mega breweries. The smaller breweries are also trending to what is known as ‘no style’ beers as they try to make their own mark among the mega brewery dominance. The resurrection of the taproom concept is a trend that we find appealing. There is nothing better than sipping some fine fresh local beer in a beer garden on a nice day or inside the taproom on a cold winter night. Hell anytime is a good time to be drinking good beer, especially local…or home brew…HAH! And speaking of sipping some fine beer we had the following beers to sample. From one of our sponsors we had the always delicious IPA, Sweep the Leg. As for home brews Kent brought in a Kölsch style that was a good representation. Sears brought a holiday spice beer that is a clone of a style he loved during the holidays but is now difficult to find so he took a stab at it. Sears also brought a Belgian Wit that is infused with THC. A tasty beer with an additional ‘kick’ inspired by our with Dr Keith Villa of . Speaking of home brews if you want to have the guys sample your beer on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. As always we are thankful for our sponsors who we are glad to see hanging tough in these trying times of ever changing ‘rules’. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/21650399

E79 Beer Festivus for the Restivus 10/30/2021

E79 Beer Festivus for the Restivus “Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.” – Frank Costanza Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars episode 79 - Beer Festivus for the Rest of Us! In this podcast we unabashedly borrow from the where George and his father celebrate an alternative holiday, Festivus. So grab a couple of beers, prepare a Festivus dinner (meatloaf on a bed of lettuce is key to stay true to the holiday), get a Festivus pole, air your grievances and join in the feats of strength then settle in for the show. HAH!! On this episode we have the pleasure of having Scott Walker (no, no not the former Governor of Wisconsin) sit in with us. Scott is the current Vice President of the of Rockford, IL. He discusses with us planning, prepping, setting up and tearing down for a beer festival. There is plenty of home brew beer to sample. Scott brought a delicious Amber ale @ 6% ABV using Bravo and East Kent Golding hops. He also shared a New England style IPA that has a 6.2% ABV using Citra, Strata and Azacca hops. Both were great beers! Kent brought his first attempt at an Oktoberfest with a modest 5.4% ABV, golden orange in color and a good malt flavor, very tasty. Kent also made a 5.5% ABV IPA using strictly Loral hops which offered a unique combination of floral, citusy and peppery notes. A very enjoyable session IPA, nice job Kent! Sears went with the high octane and brought a 12% ABV cherry cyser. Cysers are fermented from honey and apple cider then aged to smooth out the flavor. This one was back sweetened and sour cherry puree added for flavor. A sneaky drink that will “grab ya by the Boo Boo” (nod to Cheech and Chong) as the alcohol is well hidden. We also tried Totally Caked is a pastry style stout at 11% ABV using coco nibs, vanilla and marshmallow. This was a very good beer even for those of you that are not pastry beer fans. If you have not figured it out WE LOVE BEER and if you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands. Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great suggestions. Looking to jump into indoor gardening? Stop in to Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/20992049

E78 Screwing Around with Aaron Sleger 09/04/2021

E78 Screwing Around with Aaron Sleger Festivals are happy places, and you don’t really want to enjoy them on your own.– Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars Episode 78. Festivals are back…oh yea! In this episode we bring back our longtime friend and cofounder of Rockford IL Aaron Sleeger to talk about the 2021 Screw City Beer Festival coming back after being shit canned due to the COVID mandates of 2020. Aaron is the ideal person to organize a craft beer festival. He is a graduate of , resident beer guy at our sponsor and a genuinely great dude that has his finger on the pulse of the Chicago and Illinois area craft beer scene. The guys and Aaron talk about the upcoming Screw City event (is this the 10th or 11th annual?), the cancelling of the 2020 event, temporary changes to this year’s festival, who’s the new breweries coming in and the old favorites that will be back and the anxiety of who was making the cut. We sampled some beers from breweries that will be at the festival this year. They are in no particular order… - This is a hearty 11.5% Imperial Stout with great flavor and enough body that I think you can chew it Cherried Enough – also an Imperial Stout (10% ABV) except this one has cherries in it. Plenty of chocolate and cherry to remind us of a chocolate covered cherry candy… Nummy! – Another dark one that has some great coffee flavor that is not overbearing and a respectable but sneaky 8% ABV. So grab a couple of beers, settle in and check out the show! And if you are one of the lucky ones that scored tickets to this year’s Screw City Festival stop by the tent and say ‘High’. Sears will have a beer on tap there named Tangerine Dream. If you have not figured it out WE LOVE BEER and if you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands. Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great suggestions. Looking to jump into indoor gardening? Stop in to Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/20367848

E77 Why Dr. Villa Brews with Cannabis 08/14/2021

E77 Why Dr. Villa Brews with Cannabis “Put a lime in the coconut and drink 'em both together; Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better; Put the lime in the coconut, drink 'em both down; Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning” This popular novelty song from the 1972 album Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson finds a girl in tummy trouble after drinking a concoction of lime and coconut. She calls her exasperated doctor in the middle of the night, who suggests she take a little of the hair of the dog that bit her. Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars Episode 77 and although we are not putting limes in coconuts we are putting orange slices in Belgian White beer and THC & CBD’s in beer and that sounds like much more fun! In this episode we have the privilege and honor of having Dr. Keith Villa call in to our show. Keith has a Ph.D. in brewing science and fermentation biochemistry. If the name is not familiar to you it should as Keith was the brew master that brought to the masses. After 32 years as brewer at MillerCoors (now named Molson Coors) Keith retired in 2018. Not long after his retirement he and his wife Jodi co-founded to fulfill their dream of creating THC/CBD infused beers. Keith is an interesting guy that loves to talk about beer. The Home Brew Rock Stars crew enjoyed visiting with Keith about his journey into brewing, his time at MillerCoors and his new venture with Ceria Brewing Co. CERIA’s claim to fame is infusing THC and CBD’s into great tasting no alcohol beer. No alcohol beer is absolutely necessary to infuse THC into it as federal law still recognizes cannabis as a , unlike the 18 states and the District of Columbia that have legalized recreational use. I know, I know, great tasting no alcohol beer? But yes Keith has a proprietary technique that removes all the alcohol but still has great taste. Come on man ya gotta trust the guy that brought us Blue Moon. He also tells us how to make any homebrew a great tasting low alcohol (0.5% ABV) beer. Check out Keith’s brand new book titled , he shares great tips on brewing beer, low alcohol beer, growing cannabis and more. If you have not figured it out WE LOVE BEER and if you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands. Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great suggestions. After you finish reading Dr. Villa’s book we’re sure you want to start your own cannabis garden and when you are ready stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/20139617

E76 Let's Play Beer pt.2 Roundtable 08/07/2021

E76 Let's Play Beer pt.2 Roundtable “. – What a great song! It’s one of those that take me back to my teen years, not a care in the world. Long hair, cruising around town, throwing the Frisbee, getting high and a kegger party every weekend. Just like the 1993 movie . Oh those days of misspent youth… I really dig the warm summer breeze on a summer evening. I spend most of the summer nights on my deck enjoying the weather usually listening to Pat Hughes calling the Cubs games; it’s my living room in the summer! Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars Episode 76 we are calling ‘Let’s Play Beer!’ The gang’s back to continue on our roundtable conversations, ball busting, and drinking beer. We are including a new format we will be using occasionally with Pete Domino and Jason Sears (to avoid confusion will refer to Mike as Sears the Elder and Jason as Sears the Sune) to sit in with us in round table fashion (actually it’s a pool table with maroon felt). We just discuss what’s on our minds based on summer and of course beer! Sears the Elder brought his Special Bitter a 4.5% ABV easy drinker brewed with marris otter, munich and crystal 60 grain and a combination of fuggle and cascade hops. Sears the Sune and Pete brought their Blood Orange Gueuze. A delicious kettle soured beer using hallertau mittelfruh hops and fermented with London Ale III 1318 yeast complimented by the blood orange, perfect summer sipper at 4.5% ABV. If you have not figured it out WE LOVE BEER and if you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands. Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great suggestions. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/20066171

E75 Let's Play Beer - pt.1 On the Roundtable 07/04/2021

E75 Let's Play Beer - pt.1 On the Roundtable “Summer nights and my radio. Well that's all we need, baby, don'tcha know? We celebrate when the gang's all here. Ah, hot summer nights, that's my time of the year.” Summer Nights/ Van Halen- 5150 I don’t know about you listeners but for me summer is the best season of the year! Cookouts, drinks with friends on warm summer nights under the stars, watching a thunderstorm light display on the canvas of a dark summer sky, listening to a ballgame, outdoor music events, and beer…oh my. Welcome back to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 75 we are calling ‘Let’s Play Beer!’ And the gang’s all here. On this episode we are introducing a new format and invited Pete Domino and Jason Sears (to avoid confusion will refer to them as Sears the Elder and Sears the Sune) to sit in with us in round table fashion (actually it’s a pool table with maroon felt). We just discuss what’s on our minds based on summer and of course beer! Sears the Sune and Pete brought their IPA featuring Zythos hops. This is a sneaky 7.5% ABV that gives no clue to its strength, we agreed the next one could use a bit more Zythos to give it a bit more hop punch but a fine beer as it is. Watch out drinking this one in the summer heat! Kent brought an IPA as well. This one features Sorachi Ace, Simcoe and Citra fermented with Omega’s West Coast yeast. This has a great hop aroma and flavor. Kent was not sure of the ABV, a well done IPA. If you have not figured it out WE LOVE BEER and if you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands. There is a spirited discussion on the proper order to build a burger, MLB ballparks rated for their craft beer selection and a story about Colonial beer in 1776. We also talked about what music we’ve been listening to lately. Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great suggestions. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/19699292

E74 Beer Questions and a Hangover - pt.2 04/17/2021

E74 Beer Questions and a Hangover - pt.2 “Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck” – George Carlin Hello everybody! Welcome to episode 74 this is part 2 of 2 ‘Beer questions and a hangover’. Things get a bit boozier in this episode as the guys seem to be having a very good time. Believe me they did! The discussion swerves all over the road talking about round numbers, late season winter weather, speed limits and bugs in your grain. See if you can follow along, we dare ya. It may help to be intoxicated too, ha ha! The guys pulled more questions from our ‘listeners’ and gave their responses. Some questions are funny others have philosophical roots but the answers were totally spontaneous. Let’s keep the pressure on those who are supposedly ‘in charge’ and ‘the experts’ to stop the madness and worshipping at the altar of the mask and open our cities, counties and states to freedom once more! In case you forgot America is a free country. The guys sampled Sears' Irish Red home brew; A smooth and malty beer with a 5% ABV. Kent brought an Amber Ale, a very good example of the style and very similar to a Fat Tire with an ABV of 5.6%, nice job gents! The crew sampled a very interesting beer from of Beloit WI. It is a 6.8 ABV mango habanero IPA conveniently named Pick-A-Pepper Mango Habanero IPA. The mango complimented the habanero flavor with a touch of heat and crisp fruity hop bitterness. Well done, can we have another? They also sampled a stout Brent brought in from located in Maryland Heights MO a suburb of St. Louis MO. This beer is named Dad’s Oatmeal Cookie Stout; this 5.9% ABV stout is reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie in a glass. Cheers. And by the way if you want to have the guys sample your beer on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. We would be remiss if we did not mention our sponsors. Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Brent’s band is booked to play at Pig Minds in early June. The band has been writing a lot of new material while they been off the live circuit. Grab your partner and friends and Go check em out!! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help.Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. ;) As always, we appreciate if you please be sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/18759803

E73 Beer Questions and a Hangover - pt.1 03/23/2021

E73 Beer Questions and a Hangover - pt.1 “Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.” – Alan Dundes Hello everybody! Welcome to episode 73 (can’t believe we have not been ‘cancelled’ yet) this is part 1 of 2 we call ‘Beer questions and a hangover’. The guys pulled questions from our ‘listeners’ and gave their responses. Some questions are funny others have philosophical roots but the answers were totally spontaneous. By the way some of you have some interesting names, just listen you will get what we mean. How about a big shout to the states that are opening up or have never shut down. By “Opening up” is to those places that are letting their citizens decide how they want to live their day to day lives with no more restrictions. The guys sampled a home brew that Kent brought, it was a nice White IPA. As well as Kent can remember it has 50% wheat and was fermented with the Omega Chico yeast. We also tried an excellent beer from (big hello to our friend John Rocco) called Car Bomb Stout a 5.5% ABV flavor bomb. Great job! And by the way if you want to have the guys sample your beer on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. A big hello to our sponsors who we are glad to see are still hanging tough in these trying times of ever changing ‘rules’. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help.Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/18444590

E72 pt.2 Zymurgy with the Great O - Lance Shaner from Omega Yeast 02/13/2021

E72 pt.2 Zymurgy with the Great O - Lance Shaner from Omega Yeast “Malt is the soul of a beer, hops are the personality and yeast is the heart” - Unknown Welcome! This is HomeBrew RockStars Episode 72 which is part 2 of our conversation with . In this episode we continue with Lance Shaner of Omega Yeast and his path to opening Omega Yeast. Lance is the co-owner of Omega Yeast headquartered in Chicago, IL. Lance, as we found out throughout our interview is a funny guy and we enjoyed talking with him. We endorse and encourage you to try some of the great strains propagated by Omega Yeast. Before we get to Lance we would like to take a few minutes to remind everyone why we call our podcast ‘Home Brew Rockstars’. Home brewers are remarkably like young musicians aspiring to become rock stars, honing their craft in garages and basements until eventually some emerge as rock stars. It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock ‘n’ roll or brew. Prost to all of you and for those about to rock/brew WE SALUTE YOU!! The guys sampled some commercial beers that have been fermented with Omega Yeast. A big hello to our sponsors who we are glad to see are still hanging tough in these trying times. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. Brent, Kent, Lance and Sears talk about what they have been listening to lately. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/17938823

E71 pt.1 Zymurgy with the Great O - Lance Shaner from Omega Yeast 02/02/2021

E71 pt.1 Zymurgy with the Great O - Lance Shaner from Omega Yeast “They say there is more to life than beer. Who is ‘they’ and why the hell would I trust them??” - Unknown “Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about” (remember the theme song?)This is HomeBrew RockStars Episode 71 which is part 1 of 2 with . In this episode we visit with Lance Shaner of Omega Yeast about his roots as a homebrewer. Lance is the co-owner of Omega Yeast headquartered in Chicago, IL. Chicago is a fitting location for a yeast propagation company based on the explosion of craft breweries recently in the metropolitan Chicago area. Is Omega’s presence a contributing factor to this growth or a coincidence? We’ll let you decide. The guys sampled a home brew provided by one of the members, Cory Kuczynski which is coincidentally a sour fermented with the OLY-211 strain from Omega. We damn near spit out our beer in laughter listening to Cory tell this hilarious story of how this beer was forgotten, started, forgotten, then forgotten again! After all of that it turned out to be a damn fine beer, Prost Cory! And by the way if you want to have the guys sample your beer on the show like we did with Cory’s give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. The guys also sampled some commercial beers that have been fermented with Omega Yeast! A big hello to our sponsors who we are glad to see are still hanging tough in these trying times of ever changing ‘rules’. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard-to-find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help.Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/17783195

E70 Bring it on Home-Brewer pt.2 w/Jon Lambert of Hairy Cow 01/10/2021

E70 Bring it on Home-Brewer pt.2 w/Jon Lambert of Hairy Cow “Give a man a beer, waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and waste a lifetime!” – Bill Owen Welcome and glad to have you back! This is HomeBrew RockStars Episode 70 part 2 - “Bring it on home-brewer” (Cue up the ). In this episode we continue our conversation with Jon Lambert. Jon is the head brewer at located in the town in Byron IL overlooking the scenic Rock River in Ogle Co. just celebrated their 2nd anniversary! We discuss Jon’s home brewing roots and his journey to going pro and how much he misses home brewing. The guys share what they have been listening to lately during brew sessions. The guys brought some of the home brews to sip on they talked about in Episode 69. Brent’s dark hoppy ale he calls “Phunky Cold Medusa” is a tasty IPA featuring and a bold 7.2% ABV (all-grain). Kent brought his IPA (brewed on his Brewzilla system) which features some tasty hops, this has a respectable 6.5% ABV. Mike weighs in with his Christmas ale based on the Boston Beer Co’s Old Fezziwig featuring ginger, sweet orange peel, cinnamon & honey with an ABV of 5.7% (Grainfather). Good beers gents! And by the way if you want to have the guys sample your beer on the show give us a shout either via e-mail, our web site or Facebook. We would love the opportunity and get ya to call in and share with us, we promise we will be nice. We would be remiss if we did not mention our sponsors who we are glad to see are still hanging tough in these trying times. Keep up the good work! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. And don't forget to swing by for some of the most creative craft beers anywhere! Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/17483972

E69 Brewin' Til The Cows Come Home 01/01/2021

E69 Brewin' Til The Cows Come Home “You can't share your magic with everyone. Your job is to live within your magic. And if other magical people find you, then let’s go and make a brew”. - Happy New Year and Welcome back to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 69 part 1 - “Brewin till the cows come home”. It’s been a bit since our last show but we are all fired up for the 2021 year! The guys Brent, Kent & Mike discuss what they currently have on tap & on deck on the home front and in the Bat Cave, sounds like they have been busy! Sears also wonders if he has truly damaged his … In this episode we chat with member on hiatus of the and now pro brewer Jon Lambert. Jon is the head brewer at located in the town in Byron IL overlooking the scenic Rock River in Ogle Co. Hairy Cow just celebrated their 2nd anniversary! We discuss Jon and Hairy Cow’s journey through the hills and valleys of opening a brewpub/restaurant in a small community, their business plan adjustments along the way and Jon’s relationship with friend and business partners Todd McLester and Jim Orlando. Jon also touches on the local pro brewing community, , Chicago area yeast producers and distilleries that have their spirits proudly featured at the Hairy Cow full bar. The Hairy Cow is worth the drive down scenic route 2! Jon brought a couple of beers to enjoy during our visit. The first is Dos Dookies (fun name!) a milk stout with an ABV of 6.4% and IBU of 25. It is a rich and full-bodied beer with strong chocolate and hints of roast. A perfect beer for the cold mid-western nights, “Life is brewtiful”. The second beer we sampled is Hairy Cow’s anniversary beer aptly named Artdus II, a winter lager with an ABV of 7.2% and 30 IBU. A very drinkable spiced Christmas lager brewed with ginger, orange peel, cinnamon, and local . This brew will guarantee to make the Christmas season last a bit longer! A big Happy New Year to our sponsors who we are glad to see are still hanging tough in these trying times. Keep up the good work gents! If you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. And don't forget to swing by for some of the most creative craft beers anywhere! Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/17393474

E68 Be Still - Shinin' and Brewing 11/22/2020

E68 Be Still - Shinin' and Brewing “My playground is full of moonshine, mason jars, beer bottles, and bonfires”- Big Smo Welcome back to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 68 “Be Still- Shinin’& Brewin” So here we are STILL in the thick of a “pandemic” with more threats of lockdowns, masks and God knows what else; so to help us keep our sanity amongst this madness we are moving to some stronger drink, good ol’ moonshine. The song by George Thorogood titled is more true than ever these days, Ha Ha! In this episode we chat with our home brew club’s new President Ron ‘Legend’ Derry about the upcoming challenges for home brew clubs n 2021. We then head to the New England territory and chat with Jon Zajac from The Distillery Network and talk about the business of manufacturing stills and ‘Saving the planet 1 still at a time’. His father, Steven manufactures larger size stills, check them out at Stillz. Along with making liquor a still is able to produce potable (purified) water from undrinkable water sources, Alcohol based antiseptics such as hand sanitizers, herbal based medicinal compounds and oils (marijuana based too) and ethanol to power internal combustion motors. It’s a ‘preppers’ dream! Jon shares with us his moonshine recipe using beer. You can check out his videos on YouTube . We sampled Brent’s IPA, a tasty 6.2% brew using Sabro hops, very tasty! Sears shared his hard cider fermented from cider he purchased from Curran's orchard this is a 6% cider that was back sweetened with 100% frozen apple concentrate. He also brought some moonshine made in the back country of South Carolina. Not sure the proof but it was very tasty and smooth for ‘white lightning’. We are glad to see our sponsors are still hanging tough in these trying times, big shout out to them! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try and check out the new addition that opened just recently, looks awesome guys! Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. And don't forget to swing by for some of the most creative craft beers anywhere! Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always, we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/16907870

E67 Not Outa the Woods Yet pt.2 w/Urban Forest 08/30/2020

E67 Not Outa the Woods Yet pt.2 w/Urban Forest Q. How far can you walk into a forest? A. Half way, then you start walking out. Welcome back to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 67 “Not outa the woods yet”. This is part two of a two part episode where we revisit (has been almost 2 years?!) with the creators of , in this episode we delve further into brewing during a pandemic, brewing with weird hops, mixing beers (a.k.a. blending) and beer cocktail’s (and why they are on the menu at Urban Forest Craft Brewing) Sears shared his popular home brewed Robust Porter. This was a practice run for this recipe on his which turned out very well with chocolate and coffee notes, a creamy mouthfeel and a not bashful 7% ABV, opening the door for the almost famous bacon porter which has been served at past & at Home Brew Island. Kent also served a tasting of his Belgian session (Brewed on the Brewzilla sustem), a lighter sipper keen for a hot summer day and some brats off the grill! If you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands. Alex and Heath brewers/owners of brought a crowler of their Time & Materials for us to sample. This is a delicious and low gluten Oatmeal Stout based on Heath’s winning home brew version; Silky smooth from the oats, with layers of roast and chocolate with a sneaky 6.7% ABV. A very drinkable and enjoyable beer, well done! Look soon for a rum barrel aged with vanilla version in the works. We also talked about what music we’ve been listening to lately featuring a plethora of artists from James Brown to Courtney Marie Andrews. Alex shared a fin story about recording on a song with Iggy Pop for the Freddy Got Fingered soundtrack! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. In case you missed it… feedspot.com (updated on 8/21) has rated HomeBrew Rockstars podcasts as one of We always knew this but hey it’s nice to get some confirmation. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US, or hate us, but do something already! Prost! #drinkitup 0000004E 0000004E 00006355 00006358 001A4997 001A4997 00007EC1 00007EE7 00121DF5 00121DF5 /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/15808031

E66 Into the Forest We Go! - pt.1 w/Urban Forest 08/22/2020

E66 Into the Forest We Go! - pt.1 w/Urban Forest “The forest is not a resource for us, it is life itself. It is the only place for us to live.” –Evaristo Nugkuag Ikanan Welcome back to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 66. Unlike our last episode (#65) where we recorded from Kent’s porch we are back in the Batcave… Home Sweet Home! This is part one of a two part episode where we revisit (has been almost 2 years?!) with the creators of Craft Brewing, but unlike last time, we’ll be discussing their long anticipated grand opening, AND...in thick of a pandemic. You just can’t make this stuff up. We sampled a VERY appropriate commercial beer from of Madison WI called FVCK COVID 2.0. They get a wink of approval on this on as they incorporated the ‘V’ in COVID instead of a ‘U’ to get this through the federal label review process. A pleasant and sessionable (5% ABV) hazy IPA featuring Idaho 7, Ekuanot, and Trident hops. The brewery refers to it as a “Hazy American Pale Ale” and the flavor profile is described as being soft and bright. Brent shared with us his home brew Pale Ale creation featuring Amarillo hops as flavoring and aroma, a tasty treat as always. Alex and Heath brewers/owners of brought some crowlers of various beers for us to try, the first being a real nice pilsner named Glass Slipper at a very reasonable 4.8% ABV. This is a beer you can enjoy all afternoon or evening without getting blasted. We also played a game trying to guess which COVID beer names are ‘real’ or ‘fake’, as usual Sears did horrible (LOL!) Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys! And… it looks like HomeBrew Rockstars has secured an additional sponsor; listen for the announcement in the near future! Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Their outside seating in the beer garden is perfect for these late summer afternoons and evenings. Maybe you are seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. If you have a homebrew that you would like us to try and review on the podcast contact us and we will make arrangements to get it into our thirsty hands And as a reminder feedspot.com (updated on 8/21) has rated HomeBrew Rockstars podcasts as one of We always knew this but hey it’s nice to get some confirmation. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/15714302

E65 The unGreatest Hiatus ... Ever 06/22/2020

E65 The unGreatest Hiatus ... Ever "You don’t need to be burned out to go on hiatus." This quote rings so true. Welcome back to HomeBrew Rockstars EPISODE – 65 were calling unGreatest Hiatus. This welcome back has a special meaning to us as we took almost 3 months off during the mandatory lockdown which we explain why in the podcast. We missed all of you! We hope you missed us! In this podcast (apologies for the skippy sound, it was windy!) we ease back into our podcast shenanigans and covering the world of homebrewing. Brent, Kent and Mike sip beers on Kent’s deck and talk about how we (and people we know) wrestled with the obstacles of COVID-19 rules and regulations and anything else that crosses our alcohol addled minds. Our sponsor , provided us with the always reliable and tasty Southy Bitch Slap; a 5.2% ABV American/Irish Red with caramel sweetness and a mild bitterness. A great summer eve sipper! Brent treated us to one of his homebrew creations he named Zappa Haze, an IPA using 6 row barley and the funky Zappa hops (just like their namesake). Very nice beer Brent. We tried an excellent beer from the newly opened Urban Forest named Got Rye. Officially named "Got Rye with a Little Help From Our Friends". This Red Ale/American Amber is a 5.4% ABV beer with crispy bitterness and a hint of citrus notes followed by a spicy dry finish from the rye. Another good beer from our friends Alex & Heath, Thanks guys! Sears brought his attempt at a Founders Brewing, Two Hearted clone. A pretty good rendition of this famous American IPA but needs a bit more hoppiness to be a bit closer to its commercial namesake, nevertheless a good beer featuring the popular and tasty Centennial hops. Kent offered up a beer one of his customers, David Westervelt, brewed along with a funny story about it. It is David’s first attempt at all-grain brewing and is a Cigar City Jai Alai clone. Jai Alai (pronounced HY – UH - LY) is an American IPA from the Florida brewery that has quite the reputation and is a much sought after beer. Not bad for David’s first all-grain attempt. Looking forward to seeing some more beers from David, Nice job! Big thanks to our program sponsors , , and for all their suds and support, we love you guys and hope to see you soon and glad you survived the great American lock down. We actually have been able to see Bob as he has been at full business mode since the lock down. Looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line? Try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift? Stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. When you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/14926577

Can You Take Me Higher? Brewing with Cannabis 03/31/2020

Can You Take Me Higher? Brewing with Cannabis Being basically socially locked down and spending waaaay too much time at home, I am tiring of such things as videos of Hollywood celebrities singing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ to ‘entertain’ me, instead I have been brewing quite a bit and of course listening to music. This has started me daydreaming about brewing a beer with weed. My version of ‘Imagine’ I guess. HA! As of March 2020, 11 states (including my home state of Illinois as the newest state on the roster) and the District of Columbia have laws on the books that allow . However, under Federal law it is still an illegal substance and because it is an illegal substance brewing beer with alcohol and THC is not commercially legal anywhere in the United States. This is because federal law supersedes state law. Due to these legal hurdles, THC infused beer with alcohol can currently be made as home brew projects legally in these states only. Over the years I have tried a few of these attempts offered from some of my home brewing acquaintances. The beers were good but most missed getting the psycho active THC into the brew, what a tragic waste of good weed. This was not their fault, as the science of THC extraction was not available back then. Until the Feds get their act together we’re going to have to tackle this on our own! Hey, that’s what home brewers do...am I wrong?! So the question some may ask, "Why brew a beer infused with THC?". Well as you probably know (or maybe you don't), . That right there is a great reason to try it...experimental hops! (hell, where do you think the term came from?) How about the sheer sport of it? Call me a (whew, dating myself here) or in this case a nice shade of marijuana green. Maybe smoking is not your thing; this could be a form of an edible, while slaking your thirst, win-win. Finally, how about the challenge of trying something new and pushing boundaries on brew day? The first hurdle is securing enough weed. This is based on how much THC infused beer you want to make and I’ll leave that decision up to you. The next question – what style? The first style that comes to mind is an IPA. Double IPA, Hazy, traditional IPA; all would pair well with the aroma and taste of some dank weed. The problem with hoppy beers is that the flavor and aroma of the hops fades fairly quickly so it needs to be drunk fairly fresh. This is ok if you were to make a small batch but 5 gallons would be challenging to drink it all before the freshness diminished, I guess this would not be an issue if we’re still sheltering-in-place (fuck that term irritates me) in the near future. Cooped up at home drunk and stoned, yeah that’s never happened to me. HA HA HA! I have some other style ideas I will float by ya but for now let’s get to the process. THC is alcohol soluble at a level of 8 percent ABV or higher, so if you want to use a dry hop method stick with a double IPA—the higher the alcohol content, the better the THC extraction. Extraction efficiency is a concern based on the high (pun intended) cost of weed from a legal dispensary. A possibility is if you live in a state like Illinois where a marijuana medical card holder can legally grow up to 5 plants at a time, and you know one of these individuals, to keep costs low you could co-brew a weed beer? I mean it is still illegal to sell weed if you are not a dispensary but you’re helping out a person in need, right? Cannabis strain selection is the next thing to figure out. strains for the most part have uplifting and mental focus characteristics, a good match to offset the alcohol in my opinion. strains have the more relaxing & mellow and possibly couch lock effects. There are many sources available that will help you find a cannabis strain that’s right for you. A source I have found helpful is Now hold on, don’t just go throwing that precious weed into the secondary! There are some things we need to do to get all that THC goodness into our brew. So let’s review these. is the process of removing the chlorophyll (grassy flavors) from the green plant material. It also removes the nutrient salts without removing the THC, remember THC and the resin glands are only dissolvable in alcohol or fats. That is why THC stays in our system so long; it binds with the fat cells in our bodies until they are flushed over a period of time. is the process of heating or aging cannabis to activate THC, the component of cannabis that produces a “high.” Without this process, the cannabis won’t have any psychoactive property thus you will get only flavor from its use. Sadly, the down fall of my home brewing acquaintances as I stated previously. Ok now that we have some weed ready for our beer, there are a few ways to get it into the beer. Dry Hop method is similar to selecting hops for a normal beer recipe. Fruity, bright, melon hops work well for the dry hop method such as Citra. Others that would tend to complement the flavors of dry hopped cannabis are Lemondrop, Motueka, Ekuanot, and Amarillo. Try to avoid dank, catty and grassy types such as Simcoe, CTZ, Crystal, Fuggle. Try two separate dry-hop doses will help minimize the grassy/weed flavors, just like hops. There are many dry hop to weed formulas along with suggested amounts of weed to use based on your weed’s THC strength and desired buzz level, so I’ll let you do the research on that. Tinctures are made with high percentage alcohol, they usually come in glass bottles with droppers. As a result, the cannabis tincture is one of the best methods of consumption for precise dosing. By using a tincture, you can custom dose each bottle with the precise amount of THC you want. Maybe the bulk of your bottles are a mild dose so you can share a couple without getting wasted. Then dose a few bottles (or more, it’s up to you) with a higher amount of tincture for those special occasions. You can see how to make a tincture at home by going to THC tincture. Reminder: since tinctures are edibles, the cannabis used must be decarboxylated to ensure all the ingredients are active. This would be my preferred method as I could dose a scotch ale, robust porter or stout all of which have a much longer shelf life than a highly hopped beer. Follow standard packaging practices with kegging or bottling. Cannabis beer tends to maintain freshness longer (from many months) and the hops/cannabis flavors stay vibrant for much longer even in the bottle. Use good packaging practices and minimize oxygen as usual in your process to get the best results. If you decide to make a THC infused beer, drop us a message here at and let us know how it went and the results. Hey maybe send us a bottle for us to sample on one of our podcasts. Good brewing to all and PLEASE… Like us, rate us and follow us! Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/13779401

Home Brewing in Strange Times 03/26/2020

Home Brewing in Strange Times Most of us are spending a lot more time at home than we’re used to, and that has unintended implications; Such as too much one on one time with our spouse/significant other. I guess there is something to the saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Normally a humorous adage but for people that are quarantined, furloughed, laid off, or sick during these unprecedented times of coronavirus, that's just not humorous. I am fortunate to be employed with an essential manufacturer so I do get out of the house for a purpose... but damn, the last week has seemed like a month. I truly feel for those that are shut in. If I hear the catch phrase “social distancing” again it will be much too soon. Every time I read or hear it I get extremely agitated. Hell, I’m pissed at myself for typing it! I gotta grab another home brew and relax (thanks Charlie) HA HA HA! I make sure to unplug and relax as much as I can, we need distractions and to be reminded about what makes our lives worth the time we are here, in this plane of the cosmos. One of my distractions is music and the other? Well beer of course! Or to be more specific craft beer and home brewing craft beer. Here are some ways beer lovers out there can pass the time: Support Your Local Breweries and buy beer. Bars, restaurants, and taprooms shut their doors per municipal and state mandates to prevent gatherings. Many are selling gift cards and have adopted selling packaged to-go, anything to keep some semblance of cash coming into the business. Here in my home state of Illinois, for example, officials are temporarily allowing breweries to do just that. Make your neighbors and friends day better; leave a sixer or growler on their porch. Order beer to your doorstep. Delivery apps such as , , and make it pretty easy to get great beer sent to your house, especially if you live in a large city. Other delivery options can bring you beer along with restaurant food. I have also heard of people having virtual happy hours via an app called . I guess that’s ok but not for me, as in the words of blues artist , “You know when I drink alone, I prefer to be by myself”. But for me I have been home brewing; and for those of you that have not brewed for a while maybe it’s time to reconnect with your favorite hobby? How many of you have wished for more time to be at home and make beer? Hell yea, let’s do this! Think of all those projects or unusual recipes you’ve been meaning to give a shot. How about setting up that kegerator? Brew your first lager? Barrel-aging? Historically home brewing tends to pick up during an economic downturn. With our countries fantastic economic success the last three and a half years the has reported home brewing in slight decline. So it’s safe to speculate that home brewing will trend up again as some homebrew shops are seeing at least a small uptick in business. Our local home brew store also sells indoor gardening supplies so he can remain open as an essential business. How’s that possible you ask? Well in Illinois indoor gardening supplies are essential for our cannabis medical card holders as they can legally grow up to 5 plants at a time. Homebrewing need not be a complicated or expensive hobby. Despite all the cool and helpful gadgets out there, you don’t need much more than a pot, a bucket, and some ingredients to make good beer. You can brew great stuff with extracts in your kitchen. There are a ton of websites and videos out there to help the newbie and experienced brewer hone their craft. Most of the homebrew shops I’ve been in sell kits to get started, and even those lower-priced, simpler kits like can be adapted to brew more complex beers. I believe Mr. Beer can be purchased at some retailers or at Amazon or click on Mr. Beer to go to their website. Take a look at the article Hot-Rod Your Beer-Making Craft Beer & Brewing Kit by going to . Speaking of Mr. Beer, listen to our podcasts # 63 & 64 with David Benson, he talks about ‘hot rodding’ his Mr. Beer kit. Hopefully you will find some time to brew and if you do drop us a line and tell us about it, we would love to hear from you! Prost!#drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/13716902

E64 Jazzin’ Up with Mr. Beer - Part 2 03/21/2020

E64 Jazzin’ Up with Mr. Beer - Part 2 Yo! So how’s everybody doing? COVID-19 continues to change our routines and lifestyles as we are now facing mandatory ‘shutter in place’ and closings. Hopefully everybody has plenty of home brew and brewing supplies to ease their minds. If you’re like us, you’re most likely filled up on coronavirus news reports and getting all streamed out on television, so why not change it up; pour a home brew, settle in and listen to Home Brew Rock Stars as we try to get through. In Part 2 of “Jazzin’ Up with Mr. Beer” we continue with David Benson talking about home brewing, Mr. Beer & other non-traditional types of brewing and his Jazz music recordings. David, Brent, Kent and Mike taste and review a home-brewed Tank #7 (Boulevard Brewing) clone brewed by David. A 7.7% farmhouse ale brewed in David’s Pico brew system. We also sampled an Imperial Rye Cream ale David made weighing in at a hefty 9% ABV (it's bigly!) - great back story here! Our sponsor provided us with a peaty & smoky Wee Heavy they call Smokeness Monster. This 8.1% ABV beer was just what the doctor ordered. Warning...with these big beers we’re drinking the podcast gets a bit slurry, but don't worry, it's all about having fun! Big thanks to Bryan, Shane and Dustin at we are thinking of you during this trying time for the restaurant/bar business. Shout out to Anthony and Aaron at , for all their suds and support, we love you guys and keep the alcohol sales going to help us all get through! Now is a great time to start indoor gardening with the extra time, stop in and see Bob at for your supplies and brewing needs. Please think about these businesses first when you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line; seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer or wine and spirits to take home or as a gift. And when you are ready to brew up one of your favorite homebrew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project. was recently nice enough to rank Home Brew Rock Stars as a Top 10 HomeBrewing Podcasts - kudos to them...they are some really smart people ;) And as always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Really... we do listen to you and WANT to hear from you. Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/13641041

E63 Jazzin' Up with Mr. Beer - part 1 03/15/2020

E63 Jazzin' Up with Mr. Beer - part 1 Dia Duit, (PRONOUNCED - dee-ah gwit) and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Welcome back to HomeBrew Rockstars. A fitting greeting as it is Irish meaning "God to you". We Hope you are enjoying your St. Patricks Day. Since our last few episodes a lot has changed in our world, as COVID-19 seems to be in all the news and on our minds. “Social distancing” has become a catch phrase along with hoarding of disinfectants, hand sanitizers, masks and… toilet paper? What the hell is everybody going to do with all the toilet paper? Come on people, really? I’m more worried about having enough home brew! Since there are no sports to watch it’s time to just “relax and have a home brew” (thanks Charlie); so crack open a good one, start up a new brew, or just settle in and listen to Home Brew Rock Stars. In Part 1 we call “Jazzin’ Up with Mr. Beer” we invited David Benson to the Bat Cave studio to talk about home brewing, Mr. Beer & other non-traditional types of brewing. David is also a jazz musician and we play some of his music as we visit and drink beer. Man, I like my job! David, Brent, Kent and Mike taste and review a home-brewed Saison Blanc made by David. We also tried a cider David fermented from store bought (no preservatives) apple, peach and mango juice. Our sponsor provided us with a tasty Belgian Strong Ale aptly named Drunken Rook. Full bodied with hints of plum and fig make this 9.3% ABV beer a real treat that loosens the tongue and forget about Corona...let alone any virus, Hah! Be watching for Part 2 of our chat with David and his eccentric world following this episode. Big thanks to Brian, Shane and Dustin at , Anthony and Aaron at , for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Also to Bob at for "supplying" us. Please think about these businesses first when you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line; seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer or wine and spirits to take home or as a gift. And when you are ready to brew up one of your favorite home brew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project. As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Really we do listen to you and WANT to hear from you. Prost! #drinkitup 00000061 00000061 00005A64 00005A64 002473BC 002473BC 00007EC1 00007EC1 000A9C6D 000A9C6D /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/13553564

E62 Newness of HomeBrewing (part 2) 03/04/2020

E62 Newness of HomeBrewing (part 2) How hops it? Welcome back to HomeBrew Rockstars! All home brewers, no matter what level we are at were once newbies to home brewing. At first it seemed daunting to just get a finished drinkable product, but the more we brew the more comfortable we become. We gain new brewing knowledge and tricks with each brew session along with discussing with other home brewers. Some lessons we derive from our mistakes, those setbacks are usually remembered the best! In this podcast we call the Newness - Part 2, we continue with our guest Pete Domino to talk about ‘newness’ of home brewing, relocating back to the Midwest (right next door to Sears, the poor bastards!) Pete, Brent, Kent and Mike taste and review a home-brewed Brown Ale made by Pete and his brewing partner in crime, Jason Sears, that they brewed for the Forest City Brewers February club competition. This was a cool event where 19 brewers received identical brew kits consisting of set grains, hops and yeast to then they let their own ‘brew flags’ fly and make theist brown ale to BJCP style guidelines. We also sipped on a cider that Mike fermented and brought in, which was very nice, sweet and dry the way most like their hard ciders. Our sponsor , provided us with a very nice New England DIPA named Kloude (pronounced Cloudy) This is a tasty NEDIPA with strong notes of pineapple, mango and grapefruit. With a sneaky ABV of 8.1% it will make you feel like you’re on cloud 9! Well done gents. If you’re looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line, then try . Seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer, wine or spirits to take home or as a gift, stop in to , Anthony and Aaron have plenty of great ideas. And when you are ready to brew up one of your favorite home brew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project stop in to , Bob will be happy to help. Big thanks to our program sponsors - we love you guys! Tell them that HomeBrew Rockstars sent ya….and as always, we appreciate our listeners and encourage you to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! Prost! #drinkitup 0000007A 0000007A 00005B2C 00005B2C 00151192 00151192 00008271 00008271 001FCF44 001FCF44 /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/13401665

E61 Newness of Home Brewing (part 1) 02/27/2020

E61 Newness of Home Brewing (part 1) Greetings and welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars! We come out of a short hiatus while Sears took a long overdue trip to the Yucatan Peninsula for some much-needed R&R. Plenty of sun, sand, ocean and of course beer. Doesn’t get much better than that while the snow and cold assaulted our home turf. Now that we’re all back in the Midwest and Sears has had an attitude adjustment (the jury is still out), we have a new episode of Home Brew Rock Stars. Be sure to listen in as we are in the process of tweaking our format and focusing more on home brewing based on what you listeners have been telling us. Really we do listen to you and WANT to hear from you. Some exciting podcast news was published recently. On February 19th included Home Brew Rock Stars into their top 10 list as A Top Home Brewing podcast! Go here to see who we stack up against As always we appreciate if you make sure to Like us, Follow us and RATE US! In this podcast (part 1 fo 2) we invite Pete Domino to the Bat Cave studio to talk bout the “Newness” of home brewing. Although Pete has been only been brewing for about a year, he already has dozens of brew sessions under his belt. He has also had the pleasure of relocating from sunny Charleston SC to the snowy, cold Midwest which we will touch on in part 2. The guys talk briefly about a new trend in the brew world, Nitro Coffee. If you have not tried Nitro Coffee, you may want to give this tasty version a shot. Pete and the guys taste and review a home-brewed hoppy hefeweizen made by Pete. We also sip on Sears’ home-brewed cider, and imbibe with a glass of Sir Pigglesworth ESB, a 4.7% English style pub ale that is highly sessional, boasting strong malt flavors of toasted shortbread from our sponsor . Be listening for Part 2 with our continued chat with Pete, posting soon. Big thanks to , , for all their suds and support, we love you guys! Speaking of sponsors we have added to our list of local businesses supporting us. Please think about these businesses first when you are looking for a great craft beer and some of the best vegan food in the state line; seeking a hard to find commercial craft beer or wine and spirits to take home or as a gift. And when you are ready to brew up one of your favorite home brew recipes or start a new indoor gardening project. Prost! #drinkitup /episode/index/show/homebrewrockstars/id/13333853

E60 State of Home Brew, Xmas Beers 12/27/2019

E59 STARTUP: Home Brew Supply Shop 12/21/2019

E58 Extreme Beer Collectors 12/02/2019

E57 Honey and the Homebrewer 11/17/2019

Home Brew Rock Stars Podcast

TOPICS