My Favorite Beer Podcasts

Podcasting is a simple and inexpensive method for broadcasting your expertise, your passion or simply your opinion on a subject of your choosing. If you're not quite sure what it is or how to do it, here are some AC articles to get you started: How to Make a Podcast; Podcasting - the Wave of the Future is Now. For simplicity's sake, we'll just briefly describe it here as Internet radio. They can be talk shows or music shows or whatever you like.

Many subjects are addressed via podcasts; in this article we'll focus on beer related shows. Here's my favorites.

CRAFT BEER RADIO

Hosted by: Jeff Bearer and Greg Weiss

Format: Jeff and Greg review four beers during the course of the show. Both give their impressions of the beer. During the reviews, they talk about news and events in the craft brewing world. Sometimes they have interviews, some times they'll read email. At the end of the show, Jeff and Greg both rate their beer from #1 to #4.

What makes it good: Jeff and Greg have a good rapport. Listening to them debate descriptors for their beers is enlightening for your beer vocabulary and usually very humorous. Both are willing to learn about craft beer and pass it on. They've been able to attract pro's in the brewing industry. The show sounds very professional.

BASIC BREWING RADIO

Hosted by: James Spencer

Format: James leads a discussion on homebrewing subjects. Usually he reads through emails, answers questions and then will chat with a guest. The guest may be a homebrewer or a professional brewer. The discussion usually centers on brewing techniques and processes, though tastings do occur.

What makes it good: It's focus on technique makes it an educational show. Hearing the expertise of professional and amateur alike gives listeners a balanced view. It's short, to the point and well written. They offer instructional DVD's, too.

BIG FOAMY HEAD

Hosted by: Rick Hagerbaumer

Format: Rick and his friends review three to five craft beers. Also included is music - they say Memphis blues, sometimes it veers into other genres. They like to talk about food, too. It's a very loose format.

What makes it good: These guys are funny. They are definitely not beer snobs, just a bunch of guys who enjoy drinking - oh, and when they remember they talk about the beers they drink. The conversation roams, but it's usually humorous. Very down-to-earth approach.

There are certainly other beer pod casts out there: The Brewing Network hosts at least three shows, then there's Pacific Brew News, Craft Brewer Radio from Australia and let me not miss a shameless plug for my very own beer podcast, the Llama Growler.

Grab a pint and enjoy the broadcasts.