Year of Podcasts – Brew Bloods

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Podcasting is simple to a certain degree. Talk legibly into a microphone and you are halfway home. But it can be devilishly hard to really do it well. After listening to long chunks of a few recent episodes from Brew Bloods, I can hear a duo (Marc & Dustin) that with time and some editing could become a fun podcast listen.

It is a simple beer review show with banter but that banter is a bit meandering. Why people seem afraid of short podcasts is bizarre to me. Brew Bloods episodes are in the hour long region and that is just too much. Most of the ramblings fall a bit flat but a few jokes really hit and had me giggling.

The lack of tightness also shows that the research could be a bit better too. I know they are aiming more for an “everyman” vibe but the episode about Russian River seemed to keep going until they entered territory that they did not know the answers too. For example, they discussed the distribution of Pliny the Elder but had to Google on air about the precise states they were in. They also didn’t know the difference between Younger and Elder. If they had just reviewed the beer and given a bit of backstory, the mistakes would have vanished.

The reviews are solid and it is where the show hits a good stride as the differences develop in what each host likes. I will be interested to see how they develop the podcast because I think a Texas craft beer vantage point is a needed one to hear about.

In the Tap Lines for October 2015

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You are now free to roam about the cabin and talk about pumpkin beers. The embargo can be lifted because we are in the actual month of Halloween, also the NBA season kicks-off! So let’s look at what else to come….

~ e-visits to three breweries that you may not have heard of that won Gold at GABF
~ special reviews of beers new to bottles from Ladyface Ale Companie including their new Flanders Red, Flamberge
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ Beer-centric podcast review, Brew Bloods
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 104 will converge bloggers onto a single topic, this month on hiatus.

Here are two events to get your October started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) October 1st – Elysian Pumpkin Beers @ the Federal Bar
2) October 3rd – Sunset Beer 4th Anniversary Party

P.S.You may have noticed that the Golden Road logo is no longer part of the “My Locals” graphic. I made that decision due to the fact that Tony Yanow is not involved anymore. That departure saddens me because, for me, he was the beer lover/IPA fan in the ownership group. That is gone and been replaced by ABInBev. That crater sized hole, I am afraid, will not be filled by people with that same Tony attitude.

I did not make this decision lightly and I know that it won’t matter a whit in their popularity but I have to draw line for myself and Golden Road crossed it, and crossed it without apology in their awkward video and other interviews that instead of promoting craft beer became salvos against home brewing and playing for the winning team. It’s as if they were sneering at where they came from instead of celebrating it.

Their beer may not suffer in quality and yes, it will be available in more and more places but it has lost the “craft” and become just “beer”.

Now, where can I find a “Craft Beer is the Winning Team” t-shirt?