Beer and Bullsh*t

#45 - Ren Navarro

Ben and Chris chat with Ren Navarro, the founder of Beer. Diversity. about the Craft Brewers Association, equity, diversity, and inclusion in beer, and the definition of “craft” (again, sorry). Plus we debate the merits of watching the world burn and Ben eats a burrito mid-podcast!
Mentioned on this episode:
- The Hundred Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman- High on the Hog by Jessica B. Harris

#44 - Aaron Prothro

Ben chats with Aaron Prothro, owner of Mascot Brewery, about carving out a niche for his business as Canada's first Black brewery owner, building a culture of inclusivity, his plans for the newly-acquired Kensington Brewery, and how experience in hollistic dog care may have helped along the way.

#43 - Walking by cool places

Ben and Chris discuss recent brewery closures and openings and the merits of Toronto's Liberty Village, weigh the benefits of solitude, debate being stinky vs celibate, and Chris continues to champion the understated legacy of Mark Chapman.

#42 - Beer and Bullshit sells out

Ben and Chris talk about selling out in pursuit of big classic rock money, rednecks dumping Bud Light and craft breweries embracing it, the 1990s, Micheal Bublé and more.

#41 - Carmen Vicente

Ben and Chris chat with Carmen Vicente, the Head of Marketing for Bellwoods Brewery in Toronto, about the path from brewer to marketing, developing a brand voice, chasing limited edition Milk Sharks, and why she doesn't really get to name beers anymore. We also debate pools, kids with pierced ears, and going topless. Recommended on this show:
- Dune by Frank Herbert- The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes- How to do Nothing by Jenny Odell- City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit by Elmore Leonard- @Dick_Graffiti by Pat

#40 - Kevin Freer

Our first returning champion, Kevin Freer of Block Three Brewing returns to the show to chat with Ben and Chris about bringing your kids to the tap room, ordering the haziest beer on tap, why brewers probably don't need to worry about AI taking their jobs, and stinker tinker time.
Recommended on this episode:
- WWE Rivals on A&E- Begin the World Over by Kung Li Sun- Madison Cunningham- Remi Wolf- Canada's Ultimate Challenge

#39 - Beer Rep Confessions

Ben and Chris chat with sales reps Barry Pletch from Indie Alehouse, Jenna Harkness from Sonnen Hill Brewing, and Tory Maitland from Left Field Brewery and discuss converting those "craft curious" bars, the 11pm service calls, and having to occasionally get completely naked to sell beer.

#38 - Justin da Silva

Ben chats with Justin da Silva, co-founder of Matron Fine Beer in Bloomfield, about the difficulty and reward of brewing with local ingredients, the importance of branding, and learning how to run a brewery when all its owners become parents within four days of each other. Ben rants about St. Patrick's Day.Recomended in this epiosde: - Eat Like a Fish by Bren Smith- On Purpose with Jay Shetty

#37 - Dave Reed and Andrew Peters

Ben sits down with Andrew Peters and Dave Reed of Forked River Brewery to talk about opening a brewery in Labatt's town, their approaching 10 year anniversary, why Dierks Bentley is a fan, and, of course, that magic hose.
Also, Ben rants about the service industry.

#36 - Steve Abrams

Ben and Chris chat with Steve Abrams, the co-founder of Mill Street Brewery, about launching a craft brewery before people even called them craft breweries, what it's like when the biggest beer company in the world backs a truck of money into your driveway, and his new venture, Harmon's Non-Alcoholic Craft Brewery