On this special Valentine's Day edition of Taproom Talks, Chef Katherine Clapner of Dude, Sweet Chocolate stops by talk about one of our favorite power couples, beer & chocolate! We get the stories behind her Dude, Sweet creations, some hot takes on the world of chocolate today, and tips on how to pair your less obvious craft selections with the sweet stuff this February 14th.

Taproom Talks

Beer & Chocolate w/ Chef Katherine Clapner

This month on Taproom Talks, Bart Watson (Chief Economist of the Brewers Association) visits to talk the year in beer! 2016 was a wild ride for craft, and there's none better than Bart to tell what yesterday's news means for today, tomorrow, and 2017! Huddle 'round the crystal ball everyone- The future is now!

2016 Beer in Review w/Bart Watson

This month, LBC brewer & barrel wrangler Tommy Gutierrez joins Wim, Craig & Zach in the booth as they sit down with Bruery Terreux Production Manager, Jeremy Grinkey! The conversation turns sour quickly as Jeremy and the guys chat about wood quality, the best vessels for aging, and the funky faire of the Bruery Terreux. It's a wide-ranging and informative discussion on how a little time, a little beer, and the right container can make something truly marvelous.

Barrel Aging w/Bruery Terreux's Jeremy Grinkey

We return today with Part 2 of our Trailblazers panel event- The Q&A segment. Our audience had some excellent questions and the panelists brought some real insight to their responses. This is a live, outdoor recording, and as such there is a bit of rustling microphones, background noise, and an errant truck backing up on tape. We've done what we can to minimize the interference. 3 small letters. 1 big beer. BBT day is December 10th. Stay tuned for details!

Trailblazers Panel Pt. 2 - Q&A

We're pre-empting your regularly scheduled podcast to bring to you... a special live recording of our Trailblazers NTX Beer Week panel! We assembled an all-star summit to discuss the past, present & future of craft beer in North Texas: Fritz Rahr of Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., Dennis Wehrmann of Franconia Brewing Co., Jamie Fulton of Community Beer Co., Tim Deemer of Lakewood Brewing Co., Dan Heinzerling of Humperdinks Restaurant & Brewery, Keith Schlabs of Flying Saucer Draugh Emporium, Rick Ali of Lone Star Beverages & Brian Brown, Beer Historian & Co-Author of North Texas Beer:: A Full-Bodied History of Brewing in Dallas, Fort Worth and Beyond! From brewpubs to buyouts to bubbles, these veterans covered it all! This is a live, outdoor recording, and as such there is a bit of rustling microphones and unavoidable background noise caught on tape. Don't let it deter you from listening, though! Our panelists brought some excellent insight, and this is a conversation worth hearing for any craft beer fan in the NTX area! This is the opening panel discussion segment, the audience Q&A will be in your feed tomorrow!

Trailblazers Panel Pt. 1

This month, Wim, Craig and Zach get schooled by two of the best in the business! Ray Daniels, Founder & Director of the Cicerone Certification Program, and Duvel USA Field Quality Training & Technical Support Manager Neil Witte stop by and chat about where the rubber really meets the road in craft beer— serving it. A bad suggestion or a poor pour can ruin the craft experience, and these two are on the front lines, ensuring craft beers are every bit as good the moment they reach the customer as the moment they leave the brewery. It's a fascinating discussion on an oft-overlooked side of craft brewing. 100 Breweries. 400 Beers. The best live music. Untapped Dallas, November 12th. http://untapped-festival.com/dal/

QA Q&A w/Ray Daniels & Neil Witte

This month, Wim, Craig and Zach huddle up with Damon Lewis, Head Brewer of Cedar Creek Brewery, Kelly Harris, Chief Proprietor of Homebrew Headquarters, and Desiree Holt, Vice President of the Rockwall Homebrewer's Association to talk the joy of home brewing! All the what, how, who and why you need to start brewing, plus- The absolute worst beers out guests ever concocted. Hey, at least they got a good story out of it. Weird bands, weirder sights, and some of the weirderest beers we've ever released! Get your tickets to the 5th annual Let's Get Weird halloween party! bit.ly/getweirdwithlbc

Homebrew Homies

This episode, we step into the ring with Lt. David Swavey, Executive Director of the Guns & Hoses Foundation of North Texas! Wim, Lt. Swavey and the rest of the podcast crew talk the formation of Guns & Hoses, their history with LBC, and why breweries & charities go hand in hand. Plus, 3-time fighter Don "The Ragin' Cajun" Alexander on training and what it means to compete. Get your tickets now to the 15th Annual Guns & Hoses Boxing Tournament! http://bit.ly/2bPFq3U

Going the Distance w/Guns & Hoses

This month, Peter Bouckaert of New Belgium Brewing Co. and Steven Pauwels of Boulevard Brewing Co. call in to chat with us about brewing, Belgians, beers, and brewing Belgian beers! Listen as these industry giants weigh in on what craft brewers can learn from the big guys, why obsessing over beer styles is missing the point, and the market potential of a particular ‘only legal in certain jurisdictions’ herbal additive. This episode goes to some... dank places. Email: podcast@lakewoodbrewing.com Lakewood Brewing is turning 4, and we’re throwing a 2-day party to celebrate! Get your tickets to the 4th Anniversary Get Down- https://lbcturns4.eventbrite.com/

Belgians on Belgians w/Peter Bouckaert & Steven Pauwels

This month, Wim, Craig and Zach sit down with Tyler Coenen of Scardello Artisan Cheese to learn how to pair beer & cheese like a pro 'monger. Summer snack pointers and classic movie references abound. Email:podcast@lakewoodbrewing.com Get your tickets to our tasting event! 5 Beers, 8 Cheeses, and a souvenir glass! - http://bit.ly/LBCcheese

A Fellowship of Fermented Foodstuffs

On this inaugural episode of Taproom Talks, Wim sits down with EVP Brenda, Head Brewer Shawn, Creative Director Craig and Art Director Zach to discuss the formative years of Lakewood Brewing, and what brought them all into the craft brewing field. Email:podcast@lakewoodbrewing.com

The Early Years of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Taproom Talks is an insider's look at the culture of craft and the business of beer from one of the fastest growing craft breweries in Texas, Lakewood Brewing Company. Each month, President & Founder Wim Bens sits down to talk with the people driving today's craft beer renaissance— from the nationally known, to the hometown homebrew heroes in your own backyard. So grab a pint and tune in, because Taproom Talks is your craft brewing podcast, for whichever neighborhood you call home.