Hopped: Sound On 🔊

Join Gary in this LIVE episode of HopTalk, recorded at the recent LA Beer Week kickoff festival, where he chats with renowned beer writer, Tomm Carroll about the beer scene’s evolution in the city over the past two decades. This isn’t your typical beer chat; it’s a detailed exploration of the LA beer community’s journey from its humble beginnings to the thriving scene it is today. Tomm gives a front-row view of the rise and metamorphosis of LA’s beer culture. We cover the evolution of brewing styles, the influence of global beer trends on the local scene, and the significance of landmark events like LA Beer Week in shaping the city’s beer identity. Our discussion also ventures into brewing trends, from the popularity of Hazy IPAs to the emergence of Cold IPAs, illustrating the constant evolution and dynamism of LA’s beer scene. It’s a comprehensive chat that epitomizes the spirit of innovation and exploration that LA breweries are known for. Listen in!

Join Gary in this LIVE episode of HopTalk, recorded at the buzzing LA Beer Week kickoff festival, where he sits down with Tom Kelley of El Segundo Brewing. This isn’t your typical beer chat; it’s a deep dive into the LA beer scene’s journey from a handful of breweries to over a hundred. Tom, who began his craft beer journey as a bartender at Library Alehouse and has helped grow El Segundo Brewing into one of LA’s best breweries, shares his first-hand experience of the growth of LA’s beer culture. We cover the rise of the craft beer market, the impact of social media, and the importance of community events like LA Beer Week. But it’s more than a history lesson; it’s about the bonds formed over a shared passion for beer. Tom highlights how the LA beer scene isn’t just about the number of breweries, but the community that’s formed around them. We also delve into their collaboration project with Smog City, ‘Squirrel Tooth Tiger,’ a distinctive brew that shows the creative spirit of LA’s breweries. It’s a brief chat, but one that encapsulates the innovation LA’s beer scene is known for.

In this LIVE episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Sam Tierney of Firestone Walker and Andrew Bell of Radiant Beer Co. at the release party for their collaboration, Camp Blanket. Camp Blanket is a s’mores-inspired imperial stout brewed with cocoa nibs and Tahitian vanilla beans brewed at Firestone Walker’s Propagator location in Venice, CA. We chat all about the origin story behind this beer, how the recipe was inspired, the ingredients they selected, the brew day itself, and then taste through the beer paired with an actual s’more. We also talk about the other half of this dual collab, It’s Not That Far Kölsch-style ale brewed at Radiant and inspired by Sam’s recent trip to Cologne. And we also explore the origins behind Sam and Andrew’s longstanding friendship, as they started out as geeky homebrewers, then navigated through their professional brewing journeys to where they are today. It’s a super fun and interesting chat about great beer, great brewers, and great friends. Grab cans of Camp Blanket while supplies still last at Firestone Walker and keep an eye out for their exciting slate of 2023 Propagator Series releases this upcoming year!

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Carey Jonker, owner and head brewer of Transmission Brewing Company. If you’re outside the city of Ventura, there’s a decent chance you haven’t heard of Transmission Brewing. That’s because it’s pretty rare to find their beers outside of their taproom, Toppers Pizza locations, and a handful of local accounts. But Transmission has impressed us since day one, earning a placement on our Hopped 25 list of the best craft beer in Southern California. Basically, we think they’re killing it and that you should know more about them. So in this conversation, Gary digs into Carey’s background, his connection to Toppers, the buildout of their incredible brewery and taproom, their exceptional lager program, his hobbies of restoring vintage trailers and racing dwarf cars, the future of Transmission Brewing, and much more. Keep up with Carey and Transmission Brewing at transmissionbrewing.com and visit their brewery taproom in Ventura at 1098 E Front St.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Chris & Andy of Three Weavers Brewing Company ahead of the brewery’s eight-year anniversary. We dig into the story behind Three Weavers’ longest-tenured employees, Chris Gonzalez, who is now the Director of Brewing Operations, and Andy Manoushagian who is now the Marketing Manager. Follow along as we track the eight-year history of Three Weavers Brewing Co. and its evolution along the way. We touch on collaborations, hops, their brewing program, the upcoming brewpub, their experience joining and splitting off of CANarchy, innovation, experimentation, and sooooo much more! If you’re reading this before Sat, Nov 12th, 2022, grab tickets to Three Weavers’ eight-year anniversary party at their taproom in Inglewood at hopped.com/3weavers8. You can keep up with Chris, Andy, and the Three Weavers crew on Instagram at @threeweavers. Thanks to our sponsors at Hi-Lo Liquor Market and Malibu Brewing Company for making this episode possible.

In this extended episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Hal Mooney of Your Beer Friend. We dig into the ins and outs of tasting beer, the benefits of the Cicerone program, the magic of beer and food pairings, how beer reviews are killing the beer industry, and much more! Hal also walks us through the story behind Oktoberfest, his undying love for Märzens, and sensory analysis of a local Oktoberfest beer. Keep up with Hal and Your Beer Friend’s private tastings and monthly beer club at yourbeerfriend.com. Thanks to our sponsors at Hi-Lo Liquor Market and Malibu Brewing Company for making this episode possible.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with James Bardeen & Bryce Lowrance of Far Field Beer Company. Coming up on Far Field’s 1-year anniversary in Lawndale, we dig into their homebrewing roots, their journey to opening the brewery, collaboration and community in LA’s South Bay, their plans for year 2, and soooo much more. Paired with this episode are Far Field’s Hyper Link, a wonderfully clean and flavorful hoppy pils, and Mind Cradle, a bold and modern West Coast Double IPA, both shining examples of their growing beer program. Cheers to one full year of Far Field Beer Company! Visit them this Sunday 7/31 and celebrate in style at their taproom in Lawndale.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with the legendary Matt Brynildson, Brewmaster at Firestone Walker Brewing Company. Coming off the heels of the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival 2022, we dig into the history of the Invitational, recap the latest fest, and I get his thoughts on the evolution of the Central Coast beer scene. We talk about collaborating with some of his favorite brewers, the significance of Pilsner beer, the one-of-a-kind barrel-aged beers included in their Brewmaster’s Collective membership club, his time brewing in Belgium, and sooooo much more. Stay up to date on everything Firestone Walker, including next year’s Invitational, upcoming releases, their three California locations, and everything else at firestonebeer.com.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Chase Dipple, beer program manager of Hi-Lo Liquor Market. We dive deep into Chase’s journey from beer blogger to beer buyer and all the steps he’s made along the way. We also chat about his approach to curating Hi-Lo’s on-premise and off-premise beer program, training their staff on the latest and greatest in craft beer, how to prioritize freshness as a retailer, designing the perfect beer trip, and diving into Hi-Lo’s brand new store coming soon at The Camp in Costa Mesa. Check out Hi-Lo Liquor Market and their amazing retail locations in Culver City, Long Beach, and coming soon to Costa Mesa.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Kurt & Kyle Leingang, co-founders of new beer delivery and marketplace startup, Beergang. We chat all about their journey of launching Beergang, how they built up their list of brewery partners, the growth of the Southern California beer scene, their inaugural beer festival coming up on May 21st, and so much much! Hit up Brews & Crews, a beer festival featuring unlimited pours from 15 Beergang breweries, plus live music, food, games, and more, all going down Saturday, May 21st at 14 Cannons in Westlake Village. Get $5 off your tickets with promo code Hopped using this link. Big shout out to our sponsor, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, who consistently brings in the best curated craft beer selection in Southern California, with shops in Culver City and Long Beach and an online store.