This week on Beer Sessions Radio™ on the Heritage Radio Network (a.k.a. “The Free Beer Show”), host Jimmy Carbone welcomes Ohio-native Josh Bernstein back to the studio, along with Matt Barbee of Rockmill Brewery, whose Belgian-style brews are part of a craft beer resurgence in the Buckeye State. Matt tells of his journey from wine guy (his grandfather owned a vineyard and Matt formerly worked as a sommalier in Chicago) to failed film producer to successful brewer (his beers are being introduced to NYC starting this month).
Matt’s evolution into craft beer was largely based on how it paired with food. Thus, his brewery built on a former horse farm is creating beers from a water source similar in its mineral content of water found in Wallonia, Belgium. As the first great craft beer he drank was Dupont Saison, Matt decided to create beers in the Belgian Farmhouse tradition.
Also joining in is regular guest and Happy Hour Guy, Jimmy Ludwig. He and Josh debate the merits of growing up in the midwest, where Family (the new “f-word”) is a key part of identity, and hard work is a core value. Josh offers food pairing tips (to compare tastes, cut the flavor, or contrast) and cites the tired maxim (his words), “If it grows with it, it goes with it.” Matt’s more eloquent assessment: “Wine and cheese is like arm wrestling; beer and cheese is like holding hands.”
Finally, surprise guest Mark Muecke of Singlecut Beersmiths previews the Astoria brewery’s spring Kim Hibiscus Sour Lagrrr!, a Berliner Weissbier. And the whole gang toasts to Matt’s newly departed pooch, Scooby, who will have a beer named after him. Rockmill is coming to NYC soon, so be on the lookout for it.
Listen to this week’s episode here.