What's your favorite brewing podcast?

***WARNING*** The following includes a few of my opinions. As benign as I believe they are, I understand some folks are easily offended. My intent in posting this is not to express negative judgement, just merely to hear what others think about the topic. Please, please, please do no take this post personally... if you do, please don't reply. Thanks

My drive to work is 1 hour 15 minutes, which means I spend 2.5 hours sitting alone in my truck 4 days per week (4 x 10 schedule is great). One thing that helps the time go by is listening to brewing podcasts... and I listen to a s*itload, between 4 to 8 per week. I'll list the podcasts in my rotation, and I'm hoping others might suggest some I'm not currently listening to.

First off, of the 5 podcasts I listen to regularly, 3 are from The Brewing Network. In general, these are good podcasts, each with their pluses and minuses. One thing I don't like much about all TBN podcasts is the long commercials... I understand, though, that these are what fund the shows, so I can't complain. More specifically...

The Brewing Network Presents The Jamil Show: I like this podcast. This is the "Can You Brew It" show where Jamil Zainasheff and Mike "Tasty" McDole (+ others) interview craft brewers and then try to clone a specific recipe. Good stuff, interesting, often entertaining, and generally chock-full of useful information.

The Brewing Network Presents Brew Strong: In this podcast, Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer usually focus on a single brewing topic, such as mash pH for example, for the entire show, making sure to throw in some often rather juvenile humor along the way. Again, this is an enjoyable podcast for me to listen to... despite the 4 minute advertisement for adamandeve.com... goodness.

The Brewing Network Presents Sunday Session: This is easily the longest podcast I listen to, usually around 4 hours. The BN's Justin, JP, and Tasty, along with a cast of others, get together and... well... talk... a lot. It's usually about brewing stuff, but often tangents into other topics. This show occasionally offers great brewing information (IMO), such as the Hop School show that recently aired, but much of the time I feel like I'm listening to a bunch of college freshman competing to say the next funny thing. It's a live show where they take calls and such, so that's cool. Again, not a bad podcast, but certainly my least favorite of the BN bunch.

Now, my two favorite podcasts, since they tend to be much more home brew focused, are:

Basic Brewing Radio: Home brewing topics are focused on for about 45 minutes, experiments are suggested, and results are presented. This is a greatly informative podcast that has decent entertainment value. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the hosts friends, but they are certainly growing on me. I secretly look forward to every new episode.

BeerSmith Home Brewing: In this podcast, Brad Smith, creator of the wonderful BeerSmith program, discusses a home brew topic usually for about 45 minutes. He'll often bring in great guests to talk about their expertise (e.g., Charlie Bamforth, Jamil Zainasheff, etc.). The only thing I wish about this podcast is that it were longer... I really like this one!

Thoughts? Suggestions? All are much appreciated.

Cheers!!!

Love Basic Brewing Radio....especially for the video podcasts that they do.

I have downloaded Beersmith, but have not had a chance to listen yet.

E-Mursed said:

Love Basic Brewing Radio....especially for the video podcasts that they do.

I have downloaded Beersmith, but have not had a chance to listen yet.

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Ah, I should check out the videos!

I'm pretty much aligned with what you say about the various shows. Although I always find myself disappointed by the "experiments" on BB. Great ideas, not well executed IMO.

I got reamed out on TBN once when someone asked if you would be supporting the website with donations and I said no and explained my position on the suitability of the show (Sunday Session)for listening to in the car with my children. Several took offense (I guess I should not have explained my reasoning).

But there are many out there who not only appreciate the occasional interesting guest, but also very much enjoy the frat boy style humour that is prevalent. I can put up with it, but I didn't like being called names for having a different opinion on how to raise kids.

I don't really miss the show since I really enjoy podcasts actually about brewing more, and there are others that fit the bill better anyway.

I too have a 1 hour and 20 minute drive to work. While I totally agree why Homercidal wouldn't listen to it with his kids in the car, The Brewing Network is incredibly entertaining for solo to work travel. I use Downcast on my iPhone and either stream them or download a whole episode to listen to later.

These are my top 3 podcasts:

The Sunday Session - Yes they BS a lot but the interviews with the brewers are entertaining. I think without the BS, it might actually get kinda boring. I dig it for the entertainment value and brewing knowledge blend without just constant info info info. Also, the Session provides information that relates to competitions, events, and beer festivals that are going on around the country.

Jamil Show/Can You Brew It - Also good, usually starts with general chit chat about anything and everything and then they get to the point of the show where they attempt to clone a commercial beer. Not really into the whole Pro-Am show's they've been doing lately but there is definitely something to learn from each one.

Basic Brewing Radio - I think if you go back to their first 20 shows or so you'll see a variety of topics that focus on the basics and have good interviews with people who provide professional advice on hops, water, yeast, malting. The base of my knowledge started with this podcast and I feel like it answered a lot of questions new brewers have when getting started. Super informative.

I know what you mean, I've tried listening to the BN Sunday Session, but it's just too Juvenile to finish an episode. By the last hour it's just ridiculous and off the deep end.

The Jamil show and Brew Strong are usually pretty decent most of the time, and especially if I'm out to make a certain style of beer.

That said, I've gone off podcasts entirely lately.

The problem with the Brewing network shows is that they think they are funny, but none of them are. Tasty and Justin are Ok, but Jamil's toilet humor was played out after a few episodes Oh and burping into the mic is just annoying. That being said there are some nuggets that can be extracted from each episode.

I'm a sales rep, and I spend a LOT of time behind the wheel. Sometimes more than 10 hours per day. I listen to a LOT of podcasts, and I mean a LOT.

I generally like the BN stuff. I'm a loyal listener to all three shows and a monthly donor.

Sunday Session - you kind of have to accept that this is more an "entertaining radio program" than an informational beer podcast. They don't intend it to be be strictly informational, so you shouldn't expect it to be. A lot of times I think they are funny, and a lot of times I think they are goofy and immature. I also don't appreciate a lot of their distasteful "humor." Take the good with the bad. A lot of good info on there. It's fun - let it be fun.

The Jamil Show/CYBI - the original Jamil Show series of style shows was and still is my favorite. I think I've listened to them all, and I often go back and listen to specific episodes when I'm focusing on a particular style. I do enjoy Can You Brew It as well, though I think they've gone downhill over the past year. I really don't like the Pro-Am series. I also sometimes don't appreciate the first 10 minutes of chit chat, which anymore is generally a commercial for Heretic Brewing. All of that being said, I cannot even begin to show my appreciation for the amount of stuff I've learned from Jamil over the years. What a resource that guy is.

Brew Strong - I've learned a lot from this show. Some episodes can be pretty dry and boring. A great resource overall. While mildly interesting, I'm not loving the new Going Pro series they are doing.

Basic Brewing - I listen to this one here and there. I like it. It's got an old school public radio kind of feel, and James can be a bit dry. I appreciate that the episodes are shorter and more to the point. Some really great episodes in there.

BeerSmith - I just started listening to this one. I like it a LOT. Excellent guests. Very informational. Short episodes. Not a lot of goofiness.

There are a few others here and there that I've listened to a few episodes of over the years, but I never really got into them.


I also listen to a few food and cooking podcasts. I really like The Splendid Table from APM. I've enjoyed some of the Food Philosophy shows, though she's not actively doing them anymore. Always looking for more.

I like Basic Brewing Radio/Video

I've given them all a chance but only listen to Basic Brewing Radio and the Beersmith podcast, of which I have heard all the episodes. I must say I have learned a great deal from listening to both of these shows.

One I just found last week called Homebrew Talk sounds sort of promising, but I have only listened to part of one episode so far. I have just been too busy at work to listen, to be honest.

Homercidal said:

I'm pretty much aligned with what you say about the various shows. Although I always find myself disappointed by the "experiments" on BB. Great ideas, not well executed IMO.

I got reamed out on TBN once when someone asked if you would be supporting the website with donations and I said no and explained my position on the suitability of the show (Sunday Session)for listening to in the car with my children. Several took offense (I guess I should not have explained my reasoning).

But there are many out there who not only appreciate the occasional interesting guest, but also very much enjoy the frat boy style humour that is prevalent. I can put up with it, but I didn't like being called names for having a different opinion on how to raise kids.

I don't really miss the show since I really enjoy podcasts actually about brewing more, and there are others that fit the bill better anyway.

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I couldn't agree more.

There were a couple mentions about The Jamil Show, particularly the 10 minute chit-chat to start and the seeming move downhill for the show in general. Amen! I always fast-forward through the first commercial break to get to what I'm actually interested in- the interview with the brewer of the beer they are trying to clone (and I've never even cloned a beer). And I, too, have noticed the show going downhill... hey, I'm cool with all the Heretic talk, but Jamil's constant fart/penis/vagina jokes got old a long time ago. Even at 8 pints, I don't laugh at those jokes.

Yes, the dude from Basic Brewing can get a tad dry, but I'll take that to the seemingly pretentious approach the BN has started taking... well, I still listen to that too

(on my 4th pint)

Whippy said:

I've given them all a chance but only listen to Basic Brewing Radio and the Beersmith podcast, of which I have heard all the episodes. I must say I have learned a great deal from listening to both of these shows.

One I just found last week called Homebrew Talk sounds sort of promising, but I have only listened to part of one episode so far. I have just been too busy at work to listen, to be honest.

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Is that one in iTunes???

I don't know, BrightSpot, I have not used itunes in quite a while. You can click that link, however, and manually download then and add them to your itunes library if you wanna.

Ale heads is pretty good for general craft beer info, but bn is better for technical brewing info. How old and stuffy are you guys that you're complaining about burp/fart jokes on the session? Don't like some off the stuff they say, don't listen.
Also i think all of jz's jokes are tongue in cheek and lampooning himself as he has to do reads for adam and eve.

I listen off and on to all of the above mentioned podcasts. I'm not put off by any of the humor but I don't have kids and my sense of humor is often fairly juvenile. I do tend to fast forward through a lot of it but I get that a four hour show needs some levity and personality.

I like a lot of the topics on BBR but the "experiments" tend to be more like a homebrewer saying what he or she did (which is equivalent to reading somebody's blog) and the results are often given without any specificity or accuracy that would be more helpful. Like the recent bourbon stout episode. Interesting info but it didn't seem like the homebrewer had enough experience to really speak about the subject from a place of expertise or sufficient experience to say definitely what different amounts of bourbon yielded. Maybe wait until he's done a few different batches before you bring him on.

ReverseApacheMaster said:

I listen off and on to all of the above mentioned podcasts. I'm not put off by any of the humor but I don't have kids and my sense of humor is often fairly juvenile. I do tend to fast forward through a lot of it but I get that a four hour show needs some levity and personality.

I like a lot of the topics on BBR but the "experiments" tend to be more like a homebrewer saying what he or she did (which is equivalent to reading somebody's blog) and the results are often given without any specificity or accuracy that would be more helpful. Like the recent bourbon stout episode. Interesting info but it didn't seem like the homebrewer had enough experience to really speak about the subject from a place of expertise or sufficient experience to say definitely what different amounts of bourbon yielded. Maybe wait until he's done a few different batches before you bring him on.

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That's sorta what I like about BBR...

I'm a big fan of TBN shows and don't mind the potty jokes so much, I just wish they weren't so misogynistic. There's a ton of great female brewer out there and their numbers are growing. It just reminds me of what the macro brewers do in their commercials and I think craft beer should be better than that and still be able to have a good time.

BrightSpot said:

Is that one in iTunes???

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I see a podcast called homebrew talk in the iTunes store but it only has 4 episodes so I'm not sure if it's the same. You can subscribe manually by copying the address of there rss feed (the big orange button in the upper right of the page) then in iTunes click on Advanced -> Subscribe to Podcast... and paste the URL into the box.

If you're interested in podcasts unrelated to brewing there are a lot of free audiobooks out there. Scottsigler.com is a good place to start. The nerdist podcast is also good.

Right now The Session.

I'll have to give some of these a listen.

Personally, I enjoy the Sunday Session and the other shows. I listen to the session during my commute and I'll listen to the other shows if I'm planning a beer that could benefit. Most recently, the two Ron Jeffries interviews. On another note...

I love these threads, they all go the same. Every time someone posts about the Sunday Session being "too juvenile" or "frat boy" or the like, I picture them with a cup of tea, pinky out, and sitting in a little room smelling their own gaseous excretions. Yes, yes, you are just that much smarter than everyone else that you are above a fart/male extremity joke. Thank you for posting, we are all in awe of your superior intellect.

Ever wonder why no one likes a beer snob? I'm not saying you have to like the humor, but making critical remarks that put you on some pedestal just makes you sound like a dick. Of course if that's what you were going for, carry on.

ndsgr said:

Personally, I enjoy the Sunday Session and the other shows. I listen to the session during my commute and I'll listen to the other shows if I'm planning a beer that could benefit. Most recently, the two Ron Jeffries interviews. On another note...

I love these threads, they all go the same. Every time someone posts about the Sunday Session being "too juvenile" or "frat boy" or the like, I picture them with a cup of tea, pinky out, and sitting in a little room smelling their own gaseous excretions. Yes, yes, you are just that much smarter than everyone else that you are above a fart/male extremity joke. Thank you for posting, we are all in awe of your superior intellect.

Ever wonder why no one likes a beer snob? I'm not saying you have to like the humor, but making critical remarks that put you on some pedestal just makes you sound like a dick. Of course if that's what you were going for, carry on.

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Your presumptions couldn't be further from the truth.

BrightSpot said:

Your presumptions couldn't be further from the truth.

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What presumptions? The tea thing, smart thing or you sound like a dick thing?

I agree with the OP, and everyone else (edit: except ndsgr; SS is stupid).

For those that commute, audible.com is an essential.

passedpawn said:

I agree with the OP, and everyone else (edit: except ndsgr; SS is stupid).

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Cool, at least you didn't put down the folks who do enjoy it or are a part of it. Still missed my point, but whatever. Cheers!

I like them all!

Some have more information than others, but I give them all a listen when time permits. Learned quite a lot from the podcasts - haven't checked out Basic Brewing Radio yet, but have a ton downloaded into iTunes.

ndsgr said:

Personally, I enjoy the Sunday Session and the other shows. I listen to the session during my commute and I'll listen to the other shows if I'm planning a beer that could benefit. Most recently, the two Ron Jeffries interviews. On another note...

I love these threads, they all go the same. Every time someone posts about the Sunday Session being "too juvenile" or "frat boy" or the like, I picture them with a cup of tea, pinky out, and sitting in a little room smelling their own gaseous excretions. Yes, yes, you are just that much smarter than everyone else that you are above a fart/male extremity joke. Thank you for posting, we are all in awe of your superior intellect.

Ever wonder why no one likes a beer snob? I'm not saying you have to like the humor, but making critical remarks that put you on some pedestal just makes you sound like a dick. Of course if that's what you were going for, carry on.

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Don't be a disingenious jerk. If you're going to slam someone, don't follow it by mugs.

passedpawn said:

Don't be a disingenious jerk. If you're going to slam someone, don't follow it by mugs.

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So you finally read my post. I was confused by your last one, since I didn't actually defend SS.

It's just beer. Don't take it so seriously.

I guess we could say the same about emoticons, but to go into that would be too far off topic.

I'm about ready to stop listening to Jamil. I don't mind "frat boy" humor, fart jokes, sex jokes, hell, that's all we do all day at work. The problem is, Jamil just isn't funny to me in the slightest way. Tasty's dry style is a little better, but he gets drowned out IMO. The other problem is, he's extremely knowledgeable about brewing and I can't stop listening because of the occasional gems that I end up texting to myself while I'm driving so that I don't forget them.

I've listened to every single BBR, and love what James does, but he's focused mostly on beginners (not a knock at all, so don't jump on me), and I moved beyond that point a while ago. I still listen though because I enjoy his style and some of the topics. I have a really hard time listening when Chris Colby is on though, man he is just horrible. My only dig on BBR is that the experiments never really solve anything and rarely even have usable information. It would be great to see a podcast take the group experiment idea and use it more professionally.

BN Sunday session

Knock off the rudeness and cussing.

Just to be clear, I listen to and generally enjoy all of the podcasts I mentioned.

I frequent all of the ones mentioned, they all have their ups and downs. BBR James is a bit cheesey, but its a nice break from the frat boy nature of whats on the BN. I listen to them both, but tend to lean towards the casts on TBN, even if they seem to poke fun at this forum. I can deal with the commercials because they are actually entertaining at times. Thniking about Jamil's pudgy face reading the adam & eve comercials just seems to crack me up.

I too do not have much taste for the BBR/BYO experiments. Great ideas, but too little control, and too much "this is my opinion of my results". What I think would improve them is maybe a side bar explanation of what the individual homebrewer's process was and how that could lead to the results he/she found.

I like the beer Smith podcast too, it's sort of the middle ground between the two. Good info, mature, it does miss a bit of the humor of TBN,.

Has anyone ever given yeast slurry a go? I though the host lack personality, and the information was weak

What about the following, I haven't checked them out but have any of you?
Brew Crazy
Home Brewer TV
New Brew Thursday

New brew Thursday is more about drinking beer than brewing.

asidrane said:

New brew Thursday is more about drinking beer than brewing.

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Ehh...