BeerWise Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Barrel-aged legends. Shorter lines. Bigger flavor. We sit down with Angry Chair Brewing’s Ryan Dowdle to unpack how Tampa Bay Beer Week thrives when events are curated with intention and rare beers are made more accessible without losing the magic. From shifting away from 25.4-ounce bottles to crafting an event calendar that meets people where they are, Ryan shares how Angry Chair protects its stout and barleywine DNA while expanding the program for Space Grass IPA, crisp Cze...

Send us Fan Mail A crumbling Ybor firehouse. Three brick walls and a floor of dirt. A bronze bat that sparked a movement. We sit down with Danielle Vergnaud-McKinnon of Sky Puppy Brewing for a vivid look at how design, community, and patience turned near-ruins into one of Tampa’s most thoughtful taprooms. Danielle shares how her retail and visual design background shaped the brewery’s “brewhouse vista,” a mezzanined stage that lets guests see stainless, follow the process, and connect the do...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when rare treasures become everyday finds? Jimmy DeFrank, beer buyer for Lukens Liquors since 2001, takes us on a journey through craft beer's evolution from obscurity to mainstream and beyond. When Jimmy convinced his boss to let him stock $9.99 Belgian beers in 2001, skepticism quickly turned to amazement as weekend beer sales surpassed typical weekly numbers. Those early days—when Sierra Nevada Pale Ale constituted a "good beer section" and outdated bottle la...

Send us Fan Mail Tampa Bay's beer scene continues to evolve in remarkable ways, with the Halfway There Beer Festival marking its 11th year and an exciting new Cask Festival joining the calendar. Sean Nordquist of the Tampa Bay Brewers Alliance shares the vision behind both events, detailing how they showcase the region's maturing craft beer community. Halfway There transforms the historic St. Petersburg Coliseum each August into an air-conditioned beer lover's paradise. This year features a ...

Send us Fan Mail Brad Clark, the brewing mind behind Private Press Brewing Company, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable journey from homebrewing enthusiast to barrel-aging virtuoso in this deeply personal conversation about craft beer evolution, artistic brewing philosophy, and entrepreneurial courage. From his teenage experimentation with imported beers to his formative years at Jackie O's Pub and Brewery in Athens, Ohio, Brad reveals how a scrappy brewpub in Appalachian coal country b...

Send us Fan Mail From late-night homebrew sessions to downtown Tampa's newest craft beer destination, Jordan Copher's journey with Late Start Brewing embodies the passion and persistence that defines Florida's craft beer scene. The name "Late Start" began as a joke about how Jordan and his cousin Tyler Sankey would begin brewing after 9 PM, continuing until sunrise. Over time, it evolved into a wry commentary on their decade-long path to opening a brick-and-mortar location. Now, as the curre...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to succeed in Florida's craft brewing industry today? Attorney Trevor Brewer pulls back the curtain on the business challenges facing brewery owners across the Sunshine State in this revealing conversation with Florida Beer News editor Mark DeNote. Trevor's journey into beverage law began when he noticed a local brewery's prolonged "Coming Soon" sign and later learned the owner had sold his prized toy collection to finance his dream. This entrepreneu...

Send us Fan Mail Join us as we celebrate the vibrant Tampa Bay Beer Week! This episode explores the fascinating journey of beer enthusiasts as they immerse themselves in a unique week of craft beer events, seminars, and tastings. Host Mark DeNote interviews Sean Nordquist, the Director of the Tampa Bay Brewers Alliance, who emphasizes the exciting changes taking place this year due to a new partnership with Beer Week organizers. Sean outlines the variety of new events designed to engag...

Send us Fan Mail Wayne Wambles, the founding brewer of Cigar City Brewing, joins us for an engaging conversation that promises an enlightening exploration of the craft beer world. Wayne talks us through his career from his beginnings in Dothan, Alabama, to becoming synonymous with Tampa's beer scene. Hear about his journey through unique legal hurdles and professional challenges, all the way to his innovative work at Griffin and Sphinx in Brevard, North Carolina. It's a story of passion, resi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark is joined by Geordi Rauch, Vic Falck, & Jason Thompson of Calusa Brewing. Calusa Brewing is a powerhouse in the Sarasota area – the brewery that always seems to have something new and something traditional on tap. In this episode, the guys discuss the origins of Calusa, opening day, and leaving the original taproom on Derek Ave for their new digs on McIntosh Road in Sarasota in early 2024. This episode was recorded in February of 2024 when the ...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the BeerWise Podcast, I am joined by Tim Ogden, owner and brewer of Deviant Libation, one of Tampa’s newest brewers helmed by one the area’s most experienced brewers. Tim has been a part of the Tampa Bay Brewing scene since the Hops Brewpub chain hired him early on in Florida’s craft beer renaissance. Then his job shifted from brewing beer to closing brewpubs as the chain lost momentum and had to close its restaurants. From there, Tim’s journey ...

Send us Fan Mail Hello, and welcome to the BeerWise podcast, I’m your host, Mark DeNote, and I am the editor of Florida Beer News. This episode, I am joined by Josh Aubuchon, the Lobbyist and General Counsel of the Florida Brewers Guild. Josh has held this position for many years and serves an advisor and lobbyist to the craft brewers in the State of Florida. Josh has been a part of each legislative session ever since joining the guild, lobbying on issues like 64oz growlers, brewe...