Tag: A Podcast & A Beer

Posted on

A Podcast & A Beer – My Unsung Hero

Since it is the month for giving thanks, there is no more fitting choice of podcast than My Unsung Hero hosted by Shankar Vedantam.

“Each episode reveals what the news ignores: everyday acts of kindness and courage that transformed someone’s life. Listen — and renew your faith in humanity.” Boy do we need that in our lives.

For a craft beer to pair with this, I would suggest asking the beertender at your local brewery what beer needs a little love on the tap list, one that needs a craft beer drinking hero to come to the rescue. Oh, and then make a generous tip as well.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for November 2024

It is peak holiday season with Halloween decor still up (probably) and Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching. As with previous years, the elves, reindeer and I will start highlighting holiday beers, but only AFTER Turkey Day.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries inside airports for those flying this holiday season

~ special featured reviews of two beers from The Rare Beer Club

~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events

~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark

~ A Book & A Beer reads Wool by Hugh Howey

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to My Unsung Hero

~ Sports & A Beer returns with the coaching carousel

~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month

~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Posted on

A Podcast & A Beer – Blocks with Neal Brennan

Blocks with Neal Brennan is part of the large industry of comedians talking to comedians that also includes the likes of the Marc Maron podcast, Jerry Seinfeld’s TV show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee or even live events like Smartless.

The hook for this one is in the title, Brennan adds a component of mental health and self-help to the proceedings so that it doesn’t become just a softball type of show. The shows run a bit long for my taste but there are helpful nuggets that the guest share about how they deal with what life can throw your way.

For craft beer pairing, I would make a list of beer styles that you have tried but were either m’eh on or didn’t like and go back and see if the 2024 you has the same opinion on it.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for October 2024

We have entered Q4 of 2024. As always, the year just swings by before you know it. Before the calendar switches, we need to pack in fun like a trip to Colorado, which I will be posting about later.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries that won at this year’s GABF

~ special featured reviews of Halloween inspired beers

~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events

~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark

~ A Book & A Beer reads The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Blocks with Neal Brennan

~ Sports & A Beer returns with WNBA and NBA expansion to Portland and maybe Seattle

~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month

~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for September 2024

Here in Los Angeles, September is the last real dry and hot month and I am so happy to see fall on the horizon. Except that fall brings the always too soon Fall Y’all Pumpkin Spice nonsense, followed concurrently by always too soon Christmas. So let’s do our best to stay in the present and keep our eye on all things Oktoberfest.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries in Colorado in anticipation of GABF

~ special featured reviews of Oktoberfest beers + tips on Fest Biers to buy in SoCal

~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events

~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark

~ A Book & A Beer reads The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to the NPR 4th Grade Podcast Challenge

~ Sports & A Beer returns with beer prices in the Premier League

~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month

~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Posted on

A Podcast & A Beer – The Ringer-verse / Deadpool & Wolverine

The long anticipated and long hyped Deadpool 3 is in theaters now and for this month’s edition of A Podcast & A Beer, instead of focusing on an ongoing series or a podcast season, the featured podcast is just that, one podcast.

It is the Ringer-verse and the story of how Deadpool and Wolverine is the summer of 2024 blockbuster.  Ringer staff writer Daniel Chin does a deep dive on these two iconic (now fellow MCU) characters.

For an 1 1/2 podcast, the pacing is brisk with, thankfully, minimal commercial breaks for Mint Mobile.  The timeline is laid out well so that even a non comics fan can follow from point D to point W.  And there is also a good though discussion of why Marvel is at a low point and could really use that Deadpool mystique.

For beer, well you could skip beer and find bottles of red or yellow branded Aviation Gin but I would suggest looking to the year 2009 when X-Men Origins: Wolverine arrived and brought them together for the first time.  It might take a little sleuthing where you live and it might bring back memories of long lost breweries but the easy thing to look for is a brewery that just turned 15.

For Los Angeles that would have been Eagle Rock Brewery and Ladyface Brewing.  The former just called it quits but you might find some last remainig cans around.  So instead head to Agoura Hills and Ladyface to have a draft and a 4-pack.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for August 2024

There was a lot going on in July out in the wide world, August promises no respite for that. But in BSP World, there is a lot of fun, including….

~ e-visits to (3) new breweries in Pennsylvania from listening to Lew Bryson’s Seen Through a Glass podcast

~ special featured reviews of beers from Lagunitas, remember them?

~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events

~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark

~ A Book & A Beer reads You Like it Darker by Stephen King

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to The Ringer-Verse for Deadpool and Wolverine

~ Sports & A Beer returns with Hard Knocks

~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month

~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Posted on

A Podcast & A Beer – Finally! A Show About Women That Isn’t Just a Thinly Veiled Aspirational Nightmare

Do not shy away from Finally! A Show About Women That Isn’t Just a Thinly Veiled Aspirational Nightmare because despite the lengthy name this is a simple podcast premise. 

Produced by Jane Marie, of “This American Life”, and Joanna Solotaroff, of “2 Dope Queens”, Finally! are half-hour episodes that follow a day in the life of a wide swath of American women. From people who sing or skydive.  Catch cats or catch the final moments of life.  These are portraits of people and what they do and it is quite affecting.

Your beer choice is just as straightforward.  Find a beer brewed by a woman or a brewery owned by a woman and have one of their beers.  Preferably a simple, straightforward beer style such as a porter or an amber to match the simplicity of the show.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for July 2024

For me, May Gray and June Gloom are the best time in SoCal but I know that I am in the minority and that most people love the sun. Whichever Angeleno you are, please make July – Visit a brewery month. It is really needed beer fans.

~ e-visits to (3) new breweries in my home state of Oregon

~ special featured reviews of barrel-aged beers from Lough Gill Brewing in Sligo, Ireland

~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events

~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark

~ A Book & A Beer reads The Napoleon of Crime by Ben MacIntyre

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Finally! A Show About Women That Isn’t Just a Thinly Veiled Aspirational Nightmare

~ Sports & A Beer returns with Sports and climate change

~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month

~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Posted on

A Podcast & A Beer – The Curious History of Your Home

You reach into a drawer and pull a fork out.  Common place.  No big deal.  But did you know that the Catholic Church at one point banned the use of them?  Obviously fork use leads to sin.  That is just one fact from The Curious History of Your Home hosted by domestic historian Ruth Goodman.

Screenshot

This is just a cool and fast paced jaunt through history via things in your home like the dishwasher or your cat and it is super fun and weird to see the evolution of wallpaper or coffee. Or specific to this blog, the May 27th episode about beer!

To pair with this podcast, you can go one of a couple routes.  You could go historical beers.  Find a Scotch Ale or a Witbier.  Or you could go further down the rabbit hole and pair a beer to each specific episode.  Gardening could you lead to a beer with say lavender or strawberry or other small garden items.