Last year the Good Beer Seal welcomed Long Island into the fold, an on this episode of Beer Sessions Radio™ on the Heritage Radio Network, host Jimmy Carbone welcomes COO Phil Ebel and assistant brewer Mike Peterson of Great South Bay Brewery. They’re talking about launching a brewery on Long Island and how a doctor went to being a professional brewer (founder Rick Sobotka is also an anesthesiologist). They talk about the difficulties of self distribution and growing their business in the city and beyond. Long Island beer writer Niko Krommydas recently collaborated with the brewery, and his “Niko Weisse” is now offered at several GBS Bars (including Jimmy’s No. 43).
Plus, “Pioneer” Ed Berestecki of Mugs Alehouse talks about having 22 years of Sierra Nevada on tap (Jan Apanich is in the studio representing the west coast brewery) and the stalwart beers that remain house staples. With 32 draft lines, Mugs Alehouse has the ability to keep the traditional while bringing in many new beers that “push the envelope.” As Ed says, “People can explore, but they also can fall back on a favorite.” Mugs is one of the first stops on the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Tour, with 12 beers brewed by Sierra Nevada and various brewers ranging from 3Floyds to Victory Brewing. They’re doing a seven-city beer festival leading up to the grand opening of their East Coast brewery expansion on August 1st.
Listen to the full episode here.