In this episode we chat with Brad Clifford, founder of Clifford Brewing, who was recently awarded Canadian Brewery of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Brad and I chat about how he started in brewing and his stops along the way to starting Clifford Brewing in East Hamilton.

Bar Towel Radio, Ontario's Premier Beer Podcast

Brad Clifford of Clifford Brewing

In this episode we have a round-table chat about London, Ontario's emerging beer scene with Dave Reed of Forked River Brewing Company, Gavin Anderson of Anderson Craft Ales and award-winning beer writer Ben Johnson.

London, Ontario's Brewing and Beer Scene

In this episode we visit the impressive Cowbell Brewing in Blyth, Ontario and have a chat with Stephen Rich, their Brewmaster and Director of Brewing Operations. We chat about Stephen's start in beer and how he got involved in Cowbell, the beer program and some of the unique methods and equipment that Cowbell employs at the brewery, and what's in store for Cowbell now and in the future.

Stephen Rich of Cowbell Brewing

In this episode we share a few beers and many beer memories with acclaimed beer writer Stephen Beaumont. Catching up at Toronto beer hall WVRST, we chat about how Stephen got into beer, the past and present state of the beer industry, his beer travel adventures crossing the globe, his writing and publishing and more.

Stephen Beaumont

In this episode we have a chat with Ryan Morrow, head brewer of Collective Arts and Nickel Brook, at Collective Arts' Liquid Art Fest which took place in June 2018.

Ryan Morrow of Collective Arts and Nickel Brook

In this episode we have a chat with longtime friend Carl Milroy, founder and partner of the Red Thread Brewing Co. We share a beer and discuss how Red Thread came to be, and what it's like to launch in Ontario without a bricks and mortar brewery.

Red Thread Brewing Co.

We have a beer and a chat with longtime friend of The Bar Towel, Michael Hancock, who was the brewer at the famed Denison's brewpub in Toronto and currently brewer and ambassador at Side Launch in Collingwood.

Michael Hancock of Side Launch and Denison's

In this episode we have a beer with famed beer author Pete Brown at the Camden Town Brewery in London, England, chatting about his background in marketing and beer, his latest book Miracle Brew, the Beer and Cider Marketing Awards, the craft beer and food scene in the U.K., and more.

Pete Brown

In this episode we have a chat with beer historian Gary Gillman and brewer Cody Noland about Amsterdam's 1870 AK Bitter, a special collaboration beer between Gary and Amsterdam that was a recreation of an historical recipe from nearly 150 years ago.

Amsterdam 1870 AK Bitter

This special episode was recorded live at the launch of Upper Canada Repatriation, a recreation of the original Rebellion Lager by the famed Upper Canada Brewing Company, brought back by Henderson Brewing of Toronto. We chat with Steve Himel, General Manager of Henderson and Oliver Dawson, former head of marketing at Upper Canada about how the brand originally came to be, what it was like to create "craft" beer brands in the 1980s and 1990s, and how it returned in 2018.

Upper Canada and Henderson's Repatriated Rebellion

In this episode we pay a visit to the long planned and newly opened Kensington Brewing Company in Toronto's Kensington Market. We chat with Mike Gurr, KBC's VP Operations along with Johnny Briggs, KBC's head brewer, about the brewery's history and road to opening, their past and present beers and their relationship to the neighbourhood.

Kensington Brewing Company

In this episode we visit the new Goose Island Toronto Brewhouse and have a chat with Head Brewer Bernard Priest and Assistant Brewer Marc Mammoliti. We have a great discussion about their backgrounds in the beer industry, all about the brewery and the beers they've developed for Goose Island Toronto, and their relationship to Goose in Chicago.

Goose Island Toronto

In this episode we have a beer with Greg Koch, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Stone Brewing of San Diego, California. With special guest host Jason Fisher, the Founder of Indie Alehouse, we chat with Greg about his recent visit to Toronto and the beer scene in Ontario, Stone's foray into Europe, the evolving beer scene of southern California and more.

Greg Koch of Stone Brewing

In this episode we chat with Buffalo's Mike Shatzel, owner of Thin Man Brewery, Cole's, Moor Pat, Colter Bay, Allen Burger Venture (and more) about the beer and brewing scenes in Buffalo and Ontario, Mike's history in the bar and beer industry, how Thin Man got started and about their beers, and some other beery reminiscing and storytelling.

Mike Shatzel, Buffalo's Beer King

In this episode we chat with Peter Bulut and Mike Lackey of Great Lakes Brewery on the occasion of their 30th anniversary, about their favourite GLB and collaboration beers from the past and present, some memorable stories from the brewery's past, about their new pilot brewing system, and their thoughts about how the Ontario beer scene has evolved and where it's going.

Great Lakes Brewery

Bar Towel Radio, a show focusing on craft beer and culture in Ontario and beyond.