Craft Beer Republic

Ongoing Game Day Beer Research

Welcome back to your favorite beer podcast, where Greg and Flex conduct important game day beer research, argue about tortilla chips, and try to process a beer made with bear poop all in one episode. There’s Super Bowl talk without much Super Bowl excitement, snack rankings that draw some heat, a voicemail that turns into a travel guide, and multiple reminders that not every brewery idea needs to exist. We’ve got research at a closing brewery, game-day math, and some brewery news that hits close to home. Grab a light lager, maybe avoid the ketchup keg, and hang out for a bit.Beers We’re Drinking:Greg and Flex both got their hands on Howdy Beer. An easy-drinking American pilsner with light hop presence and a clean finish.With the Super Bowl happening this week, we’ve got an appropriate game-day beer, Super Bowl (drunk) fun facts, and the top 10 snacks to have at your big game party! The number one snack does not sit well with Flex. Chew calls in to double down on Paperback Brewing and to share his brewery expansion anxiety. And Greg does a little local research…one last time.Booze News:Casa Agria announces its final pour window after weeks of uncertaintyHeinz releases a 114-ounce ketchup keg just in time for the Super BowlColumbia Sportswear backs a lager brewed with water infused with bear droppingsTopa Topa reportedly lays off upper management amid sale speculationFormer Rogue employees file lawsuit over sudden shutdownGABF announces an outdoor Denver location for 2026Trillium auctions off its $200,000 outdoor bathroomsFollow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beerCraft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.comInstagram: @CraftBeerRepublicFacebook: CraftBeerRepublicPodThreads: CraftBeerRepublicVoicemail: (805) 538-2337Follow & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyMore links

Buttloads of Beer

Welcome back to Craft Beer Republic, where Greg and Flex settle into the groove early, shout out the neighbors, and immediately prove that kids picking your beer can either go very right or very wrong. There’s a disco ball IPA, a listener confession that brings back the beer horror story era whether anyone asked for it or not, and a real discussion about why some brewery memberships feel like math homework. Somewhere along the way, we learn that “buttload” is not just a phrase, rice lagers get official recognition, and having a dead snake on your wrist might actually get you out of a DUI. Probably.Beers We’re DrinkingFlex is drinking Disco Beer from Evil Twin Brewing, a double IPA with Sauvignon Blanc grape juice and Citra and Nelson hops.Greg is drinking Culture Vulture Hazy IPA from Fall Brewing, citrus-forward with orange zest leading the way.A listener email drags the show back into beer trauma territory with a bottle-conditioned saison that smelled like a barn and finished like a wet dog with hobbies. Greg and Flex compare worst-beer memories, including a stout that tasted like iron filings and a Firestone release that somehow still has thousands of positive ratings. The conversation turns into a full-on debate about brewery memberships, mug clubs, and why doing the math sometimes ruins the vibe, especially when the perk is a mug nobody asked for. Somewhere in there, Flex admits he respects anyone who keeps pre-cut limes ready for parking lot Modelos, Greg confesses his complicated relationship with movie theater beers, and both agree that late-night happy hour is one of humanity’s greatest achievements.Booze NewsLeinenkugel’s leadership stays in the family as the presidency changes hands.Goat Patch Brewing has a new spot in Colorado. Rice lager officially joins the Brewers Association style guidelines.Iowa man pulled over with open Modelos and a lime ready for action.Drunk driver in India allegedly escapes police by threatening them with a dead snake.Follow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beerCraft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.comInstagram: @CraftBeerRepublicFacebook: CraftBeerRepublicPodThreads: CraftBeerRepublicVoicemail: (805) 538-2337Follow & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyMore links

Let the Kids Pick the Beer

Welcome to your favorite craft beer podcast. Flex lets his kids pick his beer at the bottle shop, which leads to a very pink can and a reminder that not everything good needs to be an IPA. There’s a listener message that brings back the Yule Log, Greg gets outside for some very official beer research, and a discussion about why hard cheese deserves more respect. We’ve also got a drunk guy in the wrong house, the oldest bars in America still pouring drinks, and a gentle nudge that it’s okay to just drink now.Beers We’re Drinking:Flex is drinking Memory Loop from Phase Three Brewing, a West Coast-style extra pale ale with blueberry, mango, and fresh hop notes.Greg is drinking Lucky & Cheeky’s Escape IPA from Beachwood Brewing and Green Cheek, a dry West Coast IPA with bright citrus and an easy finish.Flex talks about his field trip to the bottle shop with his girls and how that led to an extra pale ale that actually rules. Greg hits up his new favorite spot for a couple beers and some very official research with Deb and Brian. A listener leaves a podcast review that somehow turns into a conversation about personalized license plates and whether anyone else is supposed to understand them. There’s also a message from a listener that proves some traditions still land, even when you’re just trying to survive a Costco run. Things wrap up with a run of drunk stories involving the wrong houses, the wrong rooms, and a few very bad bathroom decisions.Booze News:New federal drinking guidelines say just drink less, no more gender limitsSycamore Brewing moves toward a rebrand after co-founder arrestOskar Blues shuts down its Colorado Springs taproom after eight yearsFlorida man arrested after trying to break into the wrong house while drunkAmerica’s oldest bars that are still open and still servingFollow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beerCraft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.comInstagram: @CraftBeerRepublicFacebook: CraftBeerRepublicPodThreads: CraftBeerRepublicVoicemail: (805) 538-2337Follow & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyMore links

Some Beer That I Used To Know

Grab those beers and join us with arms wide open. Greg and Flex get into boozing on a budget, a listener writes in to set Flex straight, and Greg finally tries Beatboxes so everyone else doesn’t have to. There’s a voicemail about getting wrecked on fruit punch, a Costco beer that smells like banana candy, and a reminder that Florida is still Florida. Add tacos, onions, and some beers that we used to know to get your favorite beer podcast.Beers We’re Drinking:Flex is drinking Breakfast at Tiffany’s from Mikerphone Brewing, a Berliner-style weiss with blueberry and maple syrup.Greg is boozin’ on a budget with Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale, a 12% barrel-aged budget bomber.We’re taking polls: what are beers you used to love and just can’t do anymore? A listener writes in to set Flex straight on his “my sister-in-law’s husband” phrasing, and the ruling does not go his way. The guys get into tacos, why onions matter, and the emotional damage left behind by ground beef tacos pretending to be real tacos. Greg reports back after finally trying Beatboxes at Total Wine, confirming that free samples can still feel overpriced. BuzzBall sightings make an appearance, along with holiday memories no one asked to relive. There’s also talk of new international listeners, which has Greg wondering if it’s time to gas up the jet and go say hi.Booze News:New Mexico’s largest brewery shuts down taprooms after a bankruptcy filing gets denied.Brewery closures continue to outpace openings as survival matters more than expansion.GLP-1 medications hit drinking tolerance harder and last longer than expected.Florida man blames DUI on a medical condition he cannot pronounce.Florida man allegedly attacks a Publix manager with a Salvation Army donation kettle.Follow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beerCraft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.comInstagram: @CraftBeerRepublicFacebook: CraftBeerRepublicPodThreads: CraftBeerRepublicVoicemail: (805) 538-2337Follow & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyMore links

SORRY, I BEEN DRUNK

Happy New Year, Republic of Craft Beer. Flex returns from the brink of death with a cough, a doctor bill, and a sour IPA that immediately changes his mood. Greg rolls out new music, new merch, and a fresh fear that Hong Kong might be stealing their voices for AI. There’s a listener review that weaponizes the phrase “craft beer podcast,” a voicemail from Psycho Bear that somehow includes brewery hopping and Bears trash talk, and a holiday recap that proves staying up for midnight is mostly about spite. Toss in a trip to Disneyland, a drunk mandolin thief with a conscience, and two beers that kick off the year the right way, and you’ve got a proper reset for 2026.Beers We’re Drinking:Flex is drinking Glitterbug from Young Blood Beer Company, a sour IPA with blackberry and cashmere hops.Greg is drinking a West Coast IPA collab from MadeWest Brewing and Beachwood Brewing with mango, peach, and pineapple notes.We’ve got some fresh music for a fresh start for this fresh beer podcast! Flex explains how four weeks of being sick ended with a doctor calmly confirming he was dying and then sending him home. Greg shares why glitter is banned from his house, unveils new merch, and reacts to a surprise spike of listeners in Hong Kong. A voicemail from Psycho Bear turns into equal parts local brewery talk and NFC North trash talk, while holiday stories cover brutal work schedules, forcing kids to stay up until midnight, bacon-wrapped chestnuts, and surviving family gatherings. Greg finally makes it back to Disneyland, pilots the Millennium Falcon, and learns that blinking buttons are apparently not obvious to everyone.Booze News:Sycamore Brewing closes its taproom following serious criminal charges against a former owner.Heineken plans new non-alcoholic flavor extensions and a zero-everything option.GhostFish Brewing takes over the former Pike Brewing space in Seattle.Malibu Brewing announces a future location at Universal CityWalk.A women-brewed pale ale highlights outdated beer laws around the world.A stolen mandolin gets returned with a note that reads, “sorry I been drunk.”Follow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beerCraft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.comInstagram: @CraftBeerRepublicFacebook: CraftBeerRepublicPodThreads: CraftBeerRepublicVoicemail: (805) 538-2337Follow & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotify