Do you have a Hennessy holster? If so, the Drinking Partners want to marry you, which they admit in the opening minutes of their latest podcast. Soon after, Ed and Day act more wholesome with Fresh Fest sponsor Farm to Table Western PA and Erin Hart who brings a sampling of exciting local finds, including raw milk. When Day chases a beer with the raw milk, Ed draws a very interesting conclusion about what might happen next. Ed doesn’t stop going at Day, either, which makes for some entertaining moments! Give Ms. Hart credit for listening and laughing as the two go way off topic! There are moments of importance, especially when Ms. Hart explains how a 10% increase in buying locally can reenergize a local economy. From a beer-based chicken jerky to lamb sausage to Maggie’s Farm spiced rum, Ed and Day get to experience a Western Pennsylvania feast. Mixed in with the raucous Drinking Partners antics and wide sampling of food is a collection of extremely useful information and ideas that make buying locally easier and more approachable. To learn more about buying locally and buying fresh, visit: https://farmtotablepa.com. Catch the Drinking Partners August 10th at Fresh Fest!
Beertender Christine Hallenback and Michelle McHugh, quality control manager, for Union Craft Brewing out of Baltimore stop by the studio in the newest Drinking Partners release. After sampling a ginger sour from Union’s “Rough Draught” series, Ed and Day tried a double IPA infused with fresh orange (Orange Double Duckpin) and outrageously analyze the decision making that goes into recipe development. In the studio, they try Divine, Union Craft Brewing’s newest IPA, one that promises to be as “free spirited and full of character as Charm City itself.” They take a break from brewing talk to discuss how to avoid parking tickets (you can’t) and for Ed to drop some bars. Listen in as beertender Christine teaches how to order a beer properly and Michelle explains how Union develops their experimental beers and their more traditional ones. And then Ed goes on a loud and lengthy tribute to Rueben sandwiches. And that is how your Drinking Partners roll! To learn more about Union Craft Brewing, visit: https://www.unioncraftbrewing.com.
Dennis Hock, founder of Strange Roots Experimental Ales, joins the Drinking Partners and discusses his approach to brewing “liquid art” and the experimentation his brewery is known for. He explains how his past career as a natural scientist heavily influences his current brewing career as the conversation gets deeply scientific. Listen in as Ed and Day sample a barely legal honey ale, one that was made by pushing “wild yeast as far as it could go.” The APV? 17.3%. The effects seem nearly instantaneous as wild laughter spreads across the studio. Once they settle, the conversation returns to a science-based one, as they talk about spontaneous fermentation and how to control their final products. Of course, Ed and Day interrupt to offer their own non-scientific thoughts. The podcast is a unique chance to learn how Strange Roots continues to push the limits of brewing. For more info about their “wild by design” beers, visit: www.strangerootsbeer.com.
In the latest Drinking Partners podcast, there are “So many syllables in the introduction” that Ed starts sweating as he welcomes Bill Flanagan and Jeff Broadhurst, the Chief Corporate Relations Officer and the Co-Chairman, respectively, of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development’s Our Next 75 summit. What follows is an in-depth conversation about the economic development of the Pittsburgh region and an explanation of the Our Next 75 summit, which brought over 1000 leaders from across a 10-county region together to strategize on how to move the area forward. Mr. Flanagan and Mr. Broadhurst patiently explain, despite Ed and Day’s interruptions, the scope and reach of the Allegheny Conference, although the Drinking Partners add their own, humor-centered touches on everything from transportation issues to the best icebreakers. As always, the Drinking Partners mix the serious with the absurd. This latest release offers an important and entertaining glimpse into what the future of the Allegheny region looks like. For more information about the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, visit: https://www.alleghenyconference.org