Beers with Nigel

Mac Lamken co-founded Diametric Brewing and built something bigger than a taproom — he built a community. On Episode 135, recorded live at Diametric in Lee's Summit, Blake McCarter and Courtney and Dave Lamken join Nigel and Nick to preview "Worth the Climb," a 20-brewery collaborative lager series honoring Mac's life and raising money for veterans and first responders through the Battle Within. It's a beer release, a tribute, and a testament to how much one person can matter.

Steve Holle spent decades in real estate investment before walking away at 55, moving back to his Kansas City hometown and opening KC Bier Co. — one of the region's most distinctive breweries. Now 12 years in, Steve sits down with Nigel and Nick to talk about the brewery's German roots, the Reinheitsgebot purity law it follows, and why imported Bavarian malt changes everything in the glass. He also breaks down the realities of running a craft brewery today: tariffs on German ingredients, a softening wholesale market, and why the tasting room model is quietly winning. Plus — a second KC Bier Co. location is coming to Lenexa, Kansas, complete with a beer garden, live music stage, full scratch kitchen, and yes, an off-leash dog area. Three mystery beers round out the episode, including a Krampus winter warmer and a West Coast IPA that earns some genuine praise from a certified beer judge.

It's the 5th annual Beer Karma release at Transparent Brewing! Nigel and Nick celebrate this year's experimental stout featuring spruce tips and figs (yeah, we went there) while catching up on a year of massive changes at one of Kansas City's best breweries. Brewery owner Nolan Brown joins to discuss stepping away from brewing after five years, the transition to head brewer Chris Ham, expanding into canned distribution across Kansas and Missouri, and the addition of their Series Beers lineup. Plus, Nolan reveals his new role focusing on sales and distribution growth during a challenging time in the craft beer industry. New head brewer Chris Ham shares his fascinating journey from Air Force aircraft mechanic to pharmaceutical scientist to professional brewer, including his time at Flying Fish Brewing in New Jersey and brewing school. Chris discusses his brewing philosophy, the story behind Transparent's unique Grisette, and the infamous "Bollocks Up" brown ale that started as a recipe mistake. Special segments include Mystery Beer with Boulevard's Vanilla Imperial Stout, Chad's homebrewed "Flying Blind" Caramel Stout from Last Flight Brewing in Jefferson City, and the crew's honest reactions to this year's polarizing Beer Karma recipe. 🍺 Beers Featured: Beer Karma #5, Boulevard Vanilla Imperial Stout, Flying Blind Caramel Stout, Transparent Grisette 📍 Recorded live at Transparent Brewing Company, Kansas City

In this episode of Beers with Nigel, hosts Nigel Woodberry and Nick Parker clink their glasses to the scene in Platte City and Barley & Vine brewery and wine store. Recording from the Barley and Vine taproom, they dive into the expansion of the Ales West beer festival and have a hoppy chat with local brewer and festival maestro, Billy Campbell, about self-distribution, community collaboration, and the transformation of Platte City’s downtown. From sipping on standout brews to sharing yarns of how local businesses are giving the area a fresh brew, this episode is a toast to craft beer lovers and the lively spirit of local brewing.

What happens when you combine a couple of foolish beer nerds and a food wizard? Gold, Jerry... wait, that's not our show. What happens is anentertaining conversation with Chef Taylor Jones about his journey from food prepping for his kids to the successful business that is Burn Theory Fire Kitchen. Taylor joins hosts Nigel Woodberry and Nick Parker to spill the beans... errrrr totz, on his approach to food and what drives him to deliver "Instagram-worthy" trays to every customer at any of the three Kansas City area breweries offering up the goods from his kitchen — Diametric, Grains & Taps or Strange Days Brewing. Between sips, bites and off-topic banter, the conversation highlights the role food concepts play in the business of breweries and taprooms and reminds us, Nigel and Nick should've been eating during each of the previous 126 episodes. Prepare your ear holes — and your pie holes — this is a good one!

She is, as we say, a force of nature. Celina Tio has long been a presence in Kansas City's restaurant and bar scene as a critically acclaimed and award-winning chef, restaurateur, bar owner and distiller. Act 125 was all over the place as Nigel and Nick had fun trying to keep up with this big personality committed to providing people with the best experiences possible surrounding her food and curated beer and spirits offerings. Viewers beware because when she walks in the room — Boom!

If we've learned anything in 123 episodes it's that the beer community includes people of all backgrounds and all talents. This week, Daelyn Schellhaas joins the show. How did she get into the beer game? Well, first she was a professional ballerina for 20 years, then she was a chef and mixoloigist. Somewhere in the middle she took up hunting and is now the assistant brewer at Pittsburgh's Altered Genius. Oh, and she's a rabid Buffalo Bills fan recording the episode just hours before her team kicked off against Nick's beloved Kansas City Chiefs. They may have made a bet during the show. Nick may have lost that bet. At least the show was fun!

In this episode of the Beers with Nigel podcast, hosts Nigel Woodbury and Nick Parker welcome special guest Billy Conway from Squints Apparel. The conversation kicks off with a light-hearted discussion about the show's rules. They reminisce about past collaborations and the impact of COVID on their activities, including a mention of brunch offerings at a local bar. Billy shares his journey from working in sports to launching the Squints Apparel brand, highlighting the mentorship he received from his friends at Stuey McBrew's. The episode features humorous anecdotes, discussions about local beers, and the creative processes behind branding and design in the beverage industry. Overall, it's a fun and engaging episode that blends beer culture with personal stories and insights into entrepreneurship.

The Beers with Nigel podcast is an official beer collaborator at this year’s Barrel & Flow Fest. Of course Nigel & Nick are always extra, so why not go do the collab in person. Once the brew day at Helicon Brewing was done (we brewed a tropical stout) we sat down with head brewer Sean & owner Chris. Helicon is a staple in the town of Oakdale, PA & the story of how a brewery has more than 30 pinball machines & no a/c is an interesting one for sure. You’ll hear us taste mango purées headed for the collab beer. Riveting content for sure!

There's a lot of sensory engagement when drinking a beer. It all matters — the look, the aromas, the flavors, the mouth feel — all of it. But every now and then it's also a feeling, a memory and sense of nostalgia to a treasured time and relationship. For Dan Paustian, the memory is equally important to the taste. Dan dropped by The Vault to talk with Nigel and Nick about his quest to recreate his grandfather's beer glass and give beer drinkers, brewers and taprooms the perfect drink every time.

Summer is here, folks. Do you have your vacation tuxedo purchased yet? If not, our guest has you covered. Meet, Lyndsey Fliehs, Nigel's new neighbor and all-around purveyor of party attire and general awesomeness. Lyndsey is the owner of Team Cocktail, a drinking company with a clothing problem. Nick rolled the recording gear down to "Nigel's Alley" for some outdoor patio time to hear the story of how a simple cruise changed their lives forever and sparked her journey into the world of party gear. Also, pickles continue to be evil.

Holy beer and barbecue, Batman! Nigel and Nick are still a little shook up from the amazing week of beer, barbecue and beer family in Kansas City. Partnering with Annie and the gang at Vine Street Brewing, the show brought in the filmmakers and much of the cast from the One Pint at a Time documentary for a Kansas City screening and craft beer party like our midwest metro hasn't seen in a while. Act 113 is from the live show on the Vine Street patio. Big thank you to all our KC friends for helping show off this incredible city. And we can't thank our friends One Pint and Barrel & Flow friends for taking the time to visit KC and help us party.

Kemet Coleman's passion is music. First, and always, he says he's a rapper and a musician. But on this episode of the podcast we learn the long-time Kansas City entertainer is so much more than that. Kemet joins Nigel and Nick (and Katie, too!) in The Vault for a conversation about his role as co-owner of Vine Street Brewing and how everything always comes back to music. Oh, and he also plays Prague Rock?