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On this episode of The Session, Justin hits the road and heads up to South Lake Tahoe, CA. to visit South Lake Brewing Company. Chris and Nicole Smith followed their dream to open a brewery in their beautiful home town and, with more than a fair share of adversity, have become one of the best craft breweries around. Tune in and learn about how this year's 'Snowmaggeddon" affected the town and their brewery, as well as how last year's fires nearly shut them down entirely. We also learn about how amazing Tahoe water and a high elevation present challenges and advantages alike for this small town brewery. Cheers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jean-Claude Tetreault from Trillium Brewing Company joins Justin on The Session this week. Originally hailing from Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood, Trillum has grown into a powerhouse of a brewery, with the mindset of homebrewer, a farmer, and a hospitality fanatic. J.C. tells about their expansion over that last 10 years, teaches us techniques for world class New England style IPA's and talks about his passion for farm brewery agriculture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adair Paterno from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales joins us in the studio to talk about their unique brewery and brews. We discuss the upcoming California Craft Beer Summit, as well as her time on the board of the California Craft Brewers Association. We also dive into their incredible mixed fermentation beers and learn about their expansion to three locations throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brewmaster and Co-Owner Julian Shrago from Beachwood Brewing joins The Session this week. We discuss the upcoming California Craft Beer Summit, at which he is a speaker. We also talk about current supply chain issues facing the brewing industry and how Beachwood has grown over the last several years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we welcome several of the best West Coast brewers from the Bay Area and beyond into the studio! Tune in and hear from Riip Beer, Faction Brewing, Ghost Town Brewing, Wondrous Brewing and Pizza Port as they discuss our favorite style of craft beer. We also discuss the future of AI's role in making beer and how robots could actually bring consumers closer to brewers through collaboration and information sharing. To facilitate that, a new project from Deep Liquid is working to use AI to help brewers make better beer. Robot beer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Berkland of Narrative Fermentations out of San Jose, CA. joins us on The Session to discuss starting up his brewery during the pandemic. Jon brews amazing lagers and ales, including some controversial slushy beers, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homebrew heroes Nathan Smith and Vito Delucchi join us on The Session this week to discuss homebrewing the perfect Pale Ale! Nate spent a lot of quarantine time during the pandemic trying to find the perfect Pale Ale recipe. Along the way he ran into a few hiccups, including the elusive hop creep. Using tips he's learned from the past, as well as a stable of pro brewer friends, Nate found some techniques to help along with his journey. Listen in while Nate and Vito share their knowledge on the subject and outline best practices so you can brew the perfect West Coast Pale Ale. Check out the Firestone Walker Pale Ale homebrew kit and DVD HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Great American Beer Festival 2022 Brewery of the Year, Ghost Town Brewing, joins us on The Session this week. Hailing from Oakland, CA. these guys know there stuff, especially when it comes to IPA's and hops in general. They won Gold in the Imperial IPA category two years in a row, and several other medals in the last few years alone. Tune in and find out some of their secrets, as well as how they put in a new brewhouse right along side their old one, only to find out it didn't work... Yeah, it's a doozy of a story and a great time with the Ghost Town crew. Also, check out the Ghost Town Gold Medal Winning recipe for Nose Goblin HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Co-Owner & Lead Schmoozer Chris Ritter and Brewer Stephen Ruddy from Oakland United Beerworks join Justin in-studio on The Session this week. We get to taste through and learn about their stellar classic style brews, including a GABF Silver Medal winning Schwarzbeer, a fabulous Baltic Porter and mouth watering Nitro Dry Stout. Along the way, we also learn about the tragic story of how ALS rocked the Ritter family, and the heartwarming tale of a family keeping their sons dreams alive in the brewery they own and run. This one is a must listen folks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we welcome the three brothers (well, sorta...) from Movement Brewing Company. Hailing from Rancho Cordova, California, these guys brew up great beer and a ton of fun. You can tell this family likes to party as much as they like making great beer, and that's our kinda brewery! Tune in and learn all about the movement, from Movement! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special edition of The Session, Justin heads across the pond to France to attend the 11th anniversary block party of Brasserie Outland, a brewery he helped inspire back in the day. As part of the festivities, brewers from across Europe came to celebrate and Justin was able to sit down with three of the most prominent brewers in France. Tune in and learn about the French Craft Beer scene, both past and present, and find out why you too should be headed to France for world class craft beer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Founder Steve Sartori from Altamont Beer Works returns to The Session to talk hops and yeast! Now a favorite of Justin's, the crew discuss how they get so much juicy hop flavor in their highly quaffable brews. You'll be surprised at how they do it and you'll want to listen all the way through for the best tips and tricks that you can use in your beers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River Brewing Company returns to The Session to talk hop creep, canning lines, TPO and more! As always, we learn a ton from the legendary brewer and have a great time while we're at it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session, Jamil Zainasheff and Jason Ledford (from True Symmetry Brewing) bring us beer from Moersleutel Craft Brewery in the Netherlands. On a recent trip through Europe the pair went to Moersleutel and met Head Brewer, Jorge Tomé. Jorge, originally from Spain, relocated to the Netherlands to work at the brewery and now makes some of the most interesting and unique beers we have ever tried. Listen in to learn about his original take on ingredients, styles and balance. Jorge knows his stuff and it shows in every beer we tried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we are joined by Ryan Frank and Austin Sharp from Headlands Brewing Company to discuss their current growth and how a new location saved the brewery. With a new home in Lafayette, CA. and a new (to them) production brewery in Pittsburg, CA. the brewery is ready to take on a new life. We learn about their commitment to the outdoors and the plane itself, as well as a few of their wonderful beers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Session we welcome back to the studio, Christian Kazakoff. Christian has been on the show a few times over the years, and each time with a different brewery. His latest home is at Canyon Club Brewery in Moraga, CA. Christian has always been able to nail classic styles, but also bring in new hops and techniques to the fold to compliment his extensive brewing chops. Tune in and learn from one of the best the Bay Area has to offer as we dive into the brews of Canyon Club! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owners Josh Kopp and Chrissie Pinney from Hana Koa Brewing Company from Honolulu, HI. join The Session this week. Tune in and learn about their hard work and humble beginnings at small breweries and even our very own Hop Grenade Taproom in California, to their amazing brewery in Hawaii. All along they've kept to their roots and mission to make the world a better place through great beer and philanthropy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris White and Kara Taylor from White Labs Yeast & Fermentation come back on The Session to talk yeast, fermentation and Pure Pitch® Next Generation technology. These two are The Brewing Network's official yeast guru's and we always learn a ton when they are on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Obert, Founder of Seven Stills Brewery & Distillery from San Francisco, CA. joins us this week on The Session. They've experienced a rapid rise from their humble beginnings in a rented storage you unit to a 17,500 square foot state of the art facility in San Francisco's Mission Bay District. They're also America's first licensed brewery and distillery, starting a trend that continues to grow today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamil Zainasheff returns to The Session for the first time since selling his brewery, Heretic, and subsequent firing from the company. Jamil tells his side of the story and discusses the state of the brewing industry along with friends from True Symmetry Brewing Company from Suisun City, CA. Tune in and get the scoop! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices