WILK Friday Beerbuzz – 30 July 2020 (Benny Brewing Co Hopenstein IPA and Wit)

It’s been a lot of fun having guests on the Friday Beerbuzz, especially three weeks in a row.  I think it’s important for us to talk to our local brewers and let you hear from the men and women that brew your beers.  Stay tuned for more guests (local and not-so-local) in the future AND please feel free to contact us with suggestions for guests.

This week we welcomed Ben Schonfeld from the new Benny Brewing Co in Nanticoke.  And not only is Benny Brewing Co new, it is in fact so new that it’s not even officially open yet.  We’ve been very lucky to get to taste some pre-release beers on previous shows, and today we were lucky enough to taste two.  We sampled Ben’s Wit (a spiced Belgian-style wheat ale) and his Hopenstein IPA, and we really enjoyed both.


It was also fun to hear about the process of opening a brewery.  All too often I think people just assume you simply start brewing and selling beer, but there is a lot more to it than that.  Months, sometimes years worth of paperwork and approvals with the PLCB and TTB, not to mention the branding, marketing, packaging and sales plans.  It’s quite a process, so believe me when I say that anyone brewing and selling beer has gone through a LOT of work to do so.

Benny Brewing Co will be sold exclusively from Marty’s Blue Room in Nanticoke on tap and bottles…and stay tuned for details on further distribution.      You can find details on mybeerbuzz as well as the Benny Brewing Co website.  There will also be a Beernauguration event on Aug 17th 5-8PM @ Marty’s Blue Room to launch the new beers.

We had a lot of fun visiting and tasting with Ben today. 

I want to say t

hank you to Ben, John, Nancy, Joe & Bosco for yet another fun Friday. 

The Friday Beerbuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. 

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday Beerbuzz page by clicking HERE

Friday Beerbuzz – The Teaser (7/30/2010)

We had a lot of fun AND tasted a really great beer last week with our guest Beau Baden from Fegley’s Brew Works.  Not only is the history of Arctic Alchemy a great story, and the motorcycle ride (now already well in to Canada) a great project…but the beer itself is amazing.  We really enjoyed the Alchemy and I can’t wait to see how this beer ages.  Thanks again to Beau and everyone involved.

This week we have yet ANOTHER surprise. 

Hint: We will not only be sampling one beer that I guarantee none of our listeners have ever purchased, but even a 2nd beer that none of our listeners have ever had! 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday Beerbuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. 

(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com).

WILK Friday Beerbuzz – 23 July 2010 (Brew Works Alchemy Ale)

I know I overuse this sentence, but we really did have a great time on the Friday Beerbuzz today  First off we welcomed Scranton’s own Beau Baden, brewmaster for Allentown Brew Works, Bethlehem Brew Works and Brew Works on the Green in the Lehigh Valley area.  Beau not only brews some fantastic beers but a wide variety of beers AND some really special beers…and today we were lucky enough to sample one.

Back in 1852 Allsops Brewery in England brewed a beer called Allsops Arctic Ale and this beer was sent off with Sir Edwin Belcher in search of the northwest passage to the Canadian Arctic.  Fast forward to 2010 and Chris Bowen, Dick Gethin, and John Chay are working with Brew Works to commemorate the voyage and more importantly the beer.  Chris Dick & John are departing on a 2000-mile motorcycle ride on Sunday July 25th from Bethlehem, PA to the Canadian Arctic where they will use primitive brewing equipment to brew a batch of Arctic Ale based on the Allsop’s recipe.

So how does this all relate?  Well as it turns out our beer of the day is Arctic Alchemy, a brew that Beau and Chris Bowen brewed at Allentown Brew Works in commemoration of the 1852 Allsops Ale and the 2010 motorcycle ride.  Needless to say at 12% ABV this beer is big and flavorful like a classic English Barleywine, but rich like a classic olde ale.

Bethlehem Brew Works will be holding a special event this Sunday (July 25th) to send the riders off on their journey and release the Brew Works Arctic Alchemy beer.  Check out thebrewworks.com for details.  Also bottles will be released and sold only at the brewery….and take my word for it….this is a beer well worth seeking out.

This was a wonderful beer and a very fun visit by Beau Baden. 

All in all a very fun show and

once again I want to say t

hank you to Beau, John, Nancy (we missed you Nancy!), Joe & Bosco for yet another fun Friday. 

The Friday Beerbuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. 

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday Beerbuzz page by clicking HERE

Friday Beerbuzz – The Teaser (7/23/2010)

Last week we welcomed our first guest on the Friday Beerbuzz.  It was exciting to have Bavarian Barbarian brewmaster Mike Hiller in the studio with us to sample and talk about his 2x4 IPA.  We all had a great time, but more importantly we helped MIke get some much deserved recognition.  Now it’s up to you.  Please check out Mike’s beers and please ask for them when you visit your local bottle shops and craft beer distributors.  All too often we sit back and wait for things to happen…well we can make a difference so be sure to check out Bavarian Barbarian beers.

So what are we tasting this week on the Friday Beerbuzz? Hint: This is not only a brand new beer but also a very historical beer…and it comes with a surprise. 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday Beerbuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. 

(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com).

WILK Friday Beerbuzz – 16 July 2010 (Bavarian Barbarian 2x4 IPA)

Today’s show was a “first” for the Friday Beerbuzz and a first for me.  We’re 11 shows in, and today we featured our first live guest in the studio.  Mike Hiller, Brewmaster for Bavarian Barbarian Brewing, joined us in the studio to sample his new 2x4 IPA.  Bavarian Barbarian comes to us from Williamsport, PA and Mike was kind enough to not only make the early morning drive up, but to also being us some beer to sample.

This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to try Mike’s 2x4 IPA and I really enjoyed it.  This is Mike’s 2nd IPA recipe out of Bavarian Barbarian and this one is definitely my favorite of the two.

It was a lot of fun having a guest on the show and it brings a whole new dynamic to live radio that I really enjoyed.  It’s also a lot of fun to talk beer and sample a beer with the person who brewed it…and Mike is no exception.

Our big news of the day was Mike’s announcement of the “mystery” beer he and Terry Hawbaker from Bullfrog Brewery are brewing together.  Here’s a little snapshot of the beer as it is “slumbering” in oak.  These are Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels and the beer will be slumbering for quite some time (October-ish).  Mike tells me the final gravity pre-barrel is 6.66 degrees Plato so it will be an interesting un-holy collaboration.  Mike also tells me the beer will be a Dark Lager and named Gothika.  We also plan to ask Mike to come back up when this beer comes out of the oak and hopefully sample some with us on the air so stay tuned.

All in all a very fun show and

once again I want to say t

hank you to Mike, John, Nancy, Joe & Bosco for yet another fun Friday. 

The Friday Beerbuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. 

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday Beerbuzz page by clicking HERE.

Friday Beerbuzz – The Teaser 7/16/2010

We had quite the fun Friday last week in the studio…and I can assure you it NEVER gets old calling everyone GUBNA.  If I had a dollar for every “alow GUBNA” I heard at Happy Hour Friday night I’d have eaten for free.  All in all a fun time and a really tasty (and underrated) beer.

So I’ve been asked by a few people to name the best of our show beers.  Of course I love them all, BUT I can tell you the beer that people most mention to me in person and in e-Mail is Ommegang Three Philosophers.  Everyone just seems to love this beer, and it is by far the most talked about beverage we’ve featured….so far.

So what are we tasting this week on the Friday Beerbuzz? Hint: This will be the first time we’ve not only tasted this beer but another significant “first” on the Friday Beerbuzz.  Truth is if you dig around enough (not on my site) you’ll find that the beer has been posted and the secret is out. 

Tune in and see what beer we sample on the Friday Beerbuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.

Tune in this Friday at 8:30AM on WILK (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com) and see what beer it is!

WILK Friday Beerbuzz – 9 July 2010 (Oskar Blues GUBNA)

I know it’s a very minor anniversary, but given that today was our 10th show, I wanted to do something that recognized this minor-milestone.  Now I know most people have cereal that is older than 10-weeks, but I still think a 10-show mark deserves recognition.  In honor of our 10th show, I of course chose a 10% ABV beer (with 100IBU).  I also chose this beer based on the fact that in the UK (my recent vacation destination), they use “GUBNA” like we use “dude.”  So after hearing it spoken a few times in London, it suddenly hit me what beer I should choose.



Now this is a big beer and a beer that no one should take lightly.  Don’t let the can or small packing fool you.  GUBNA starts with a big citrus-hoppy-hit, and never eases up all the way up to it’s 100IBU.  But fear not new beer lovers.  GUBNA masks it’s potency with some wonderful flavor and body.  This is a great beer and a great double IPA.  If you’re not a hop lover yet (and notice I say YET), this may not be for you, but DO give it a try.



So what about the name.  The common theory is that it comes from a

scene from Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles Mel Brooks played a crazy governor in Blazing Saddles, and his cabinet meeting generated a lot of harrumphing. When Brooks caught a crony not complying, Harvey Korman chastised him with, “Give the GUBNA a ‘harrumph.’” You’ll read something similar on every can of Gubna.  After speaking with Dave Chichura, I found that it was originally named after the slang greeting “Gubna” by the brewmaster Dale Katechis based on some work shirt’s Dale’s brother used in Alabama with “Gubna” on them.  As you can see the can features not only the Blazing Saddly quote but a quote from a Lynrd Skynrd song (Sweet Home Alabama).

In Birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

The can only features the last line but you get the idea.  Quite a funny name for quite a wonderful Imperial IPA…so do check it out.

So with a fond 10-week anniversary wish, I once again say t

hank you to John, Nancy, Joe & Bosco for yet another fun Friday. 

The Friday Beerbuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. 

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday Beerbuzz page by clicking HERE

Read more...

Friday Beerbuzz – The Teaser 7/9/2010

It’s been a somewhat chaotic month of July so far.  I’m not sure how apparent it was on the radio, but I’ve been out of the country in the UK on a beer-vacation, and literally returned right before our Friday show last week.  I planned the beer of the week ahead of time and I think it ended up being a good choice.  First off nothing says “jet lag” like a barleywine, and of course given my vacation destination an English Barleywine seemed appropriate.

My friends know full well that the pronunciation of “Blithering Idiot” is a struggle for me even on a good day, but thankfully I only messed it up once on the show Friday (check out the video on wilknewsradio.com and see if you can spot it).  It was a LOT of fun doing the show this week not only because of the jet-lag-delirium, but also the pure party weekend atmosphere in the studio.  We really did have a party in the studio (and outside the studio), and it made for a great kick-off to the July 4th weekend…and hopefully we helped start your weekend off right as well.

So what are we tasting this week on the Friday Beerbuzz? Hint: I got used to hearing this beer’s name on vacation.  See if you can figure it out. 

Tune in and see what beer we sample on the Friday Beerbuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.

Tune in this Friday at 8:30AM on WILK (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com) and see what beer it is!

WILK Friday Beerbuzz – 2 July 2010 (Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot)

Today’s show was perhaps one of the more entertaining shows we’ve ever done.  The only problem is I suspect it was only entertaining in MY head.  First off today’s show very closely followed my return flight home from London…so can you say “major jet lag?”  Second today’s show featured, in my find holiday tradition….a Big Beer.

Our beer of the week is no stranger to local beer lovers as it comes from just down the road in Easton PA.  Today we featured and sampled Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot.  As my friends know, this is a beer title that even prior to sampling, I have a terrible time pronouncing…not to mention after sampling.  Now I’m not thinking I butchered it too badly today, but I’m sure there was probably steam coming out of my head as I struggled through the jet lag to concentrate on the pronunciation.


A Barleywine style beer is about as serious as the normal styles of beer can get.  Yes there are crazier beers out there, and with aging and other brewing trickery you can get a lot more ABV out of a brew, but in terms of “normal” beers, a Barleywine can be one of the biggest.  Idiot goes into the bottle around 11%ABV, so don’t let the small bottles fool you.  I also suspect as it ages, it gets stronger, so think of 11% as only a starting point.

With all of this said I should say please don’t let this prevent you from trying one.  Barleywines are very flavorful, very drinkable and very enjoyable, but remember these are sipping beers.  I also tend to feature big beers on big weekends as celebration beers and this is no exception.  Enjoy this beer as a celebration beer and Happy 4th of July Weekend to everyone from all of us on the WILK Friday Beerbuzz team.  Please celebrate safely and please find time to relax and raise a glass to your family and friends.

So what beer should we taste next Friday?  You beer-input is always appreciated so please comment or e-Mail us.  Thanks to John, Nancy, Joe & Bosco for yet another fun Friday. 

The Friday Beerbuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. 

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday Beerbuzz page by clicking HERE