285 Happy New Year

Dry January Doesn’t Mean Ditching Your Local Brewery Happy New Year! I kick off 2026 with a Dry January check-in and a reminder that taking a break from alcohol doesn’t mean abandoning your favorite breweries — especially during one of the toughest months of the year. I'll share smart, simple ways to support breweries without drinking, including buying merch and gift cards, ordering NA beers or hop waters, showing up for events, grabbing food, leaving reviews, and being the designated driver for friends. The episode also touches on the most unexpected beer news of the week: the Pop-Tarts Bowl, complete with beer and pastry pairings. Plus, I went down a tech rabbit hole after testing ChatGPT’s ability to generate a Midwest-style hazy IPA recipe — raising the question of whether AI should ever play a role in brewing. 🍻 Beer Reviews

• Sierra Nevada Trail Pass Golden (NA) – Looks the part but falls flat on flavor.
• Central Waters Rift IPA – A well-balanced, flavorful IPA with great hop character and a clean finish.

As always, I'll wrap things up by encouraging listeners to keep showing up for local breweries — pint or no pint.  Sometimes the beer in front of you is the best one yet.

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