United We Drink
Food
About
With years of experience under their belts Mike, Kevin and Tim discuss the beer industries highs, lows and everywhere in between.
Episodes
- 164 - Hiring
Hiring for brewery positions is typically a very different process than other industries. Tie and jackets are typically traded out for t-shirts and trucker hats. Some places won't even get qualified candidates even if that's what they are…
- 163 - Firestone Buys Stone
While the Craft Brewers Conference was taking place in Philadelphia word came out of California that Firestone Walker had purchased Stone Brewing from Sapporo. The guys discuss this huge deal and what they think it means for the embattled…
- 162 - Distributor Worries
With news of a major Bud distributor closing shop in Colorado, the guys talk about the delicate dance of putting a ton of trust into distributors, who may be hurting just as much as breweries. Cook like a pro with Made In Cookware . Follow…
- 161 - Unrealistic Expectations
In the beer world people can often have unrealistic expectations of how things work. Consumers may think that a certain beer should be available everywhere and year round. Retailers may think they can sell more beer than they actually can.…
- 160 - Grocery and Chains
Getting your beer into grocery stores and chains isn't an easy task. Even when you accomplish that your work isn't done. You have to keep it. Mike, Kevin and Tim discuss what it takes to get into these larger volume retail stores. Cook lik…
- 159 - Oops...All Last Calls
- 158 - Failing Sales
Heineken recently dropped a little line in their end of 2025 report about sales being down in the US among Hispanic drinkers without any follow up. The guys take the opportunity to discuss this and why that might be. cough ICE cough Get co…
- 157 - Beer Fests
It's beer fest season in Florida and with the recent announcement of a major overhaul to the Great American Beer Fest the guys decide to talk about the changing landscape of beer fests. Support People in Minnesota by donating to the follow…
- 156 - 2026 Predictions
Back with the first episode of the new year, the guys offer up their predictions for the general beer industry in 2026. Take a break from alcohol with Athletic Brewing . Follow United We Drink on their social media channels. BlueSky Instag…
- 155 - 2025 Awards
For the final episode of 2025 the guys decide to hand out some very not physical awards in some very real and serious categories. Take this all seriously. At all times. Get coffee delivered to your door with Trade . Follow United We Drink…
- 154 - Siebel and Rogue and Weed Drinks, Oh My!
A lot has been going on in the adult beverage world over the last couple weeks and the guys discuss some of the bigger ones including Siebel moving their school to Canada, Rogue abruptly closing shop and the feds put the ban hammer down on…
- 153 - Shootin' the Shit with Tom Barris
Tom Barris has been selling and marketing beer in Florida for over a decade. From working for local Florida breweries to selling beer for a Spanish, family owned brewery to now being at the helm of an importer that brings in some of Europe…
- 152 - Marketing at a Small Scale
Small breweries usually don't have the budget for a marketing person, let alone a team. What's it like to try to get word out about your brewery when your skillset doesn't include marketing and neither does your budget. The guys discuss ma…
- 151 - Crowd Funding
In the early 2010s it seemed like every aspiring brewery was crowd funding to kick start their businesses. After some businesses on the brink of closing tried to capitalize on crowd funding the method seems to have dried up for businesses.…
- 150 - Brewpubs
In the early days of craft beer the brewpub was a popular spot in many cities. Maybe they were known more as a restaurant that brewed beer than a brewery with food but chains of brewpubs were popping up all over the place. Today the days o…
- 149 - The News
A lot has happened with some of the US's larger breweries. The guys tackle some of the big news items such as 21st Amendment's closure, Jim Koch retaking the reigns of CEO at Boston Beer and Sierra Nevada's release of Pils. Cook like a pro…
- 148 - Shootin' the Shit with Sam Harriman
Sam Harriman of Sisyphus Brewing , in Minneapolis, joins the show to talk about how his brewery's taproom became just as well known as a stand-up comedy venue as it is a brewery. Sisyphus has had albums and specials recorded there, nationa…
- 147 - State of the Industry with Phil Palmisano & Eric Hild
The show is joined by a couple former guests. Phil Palmisano is the Director of Innovation for Monster Brewing Company and a former co-host of the podcast. Eric Hild is the Head Brewer for Blackstack Brewing. Two very different jobs at two…
- 146 - Retail Contraction
Total Wine and More appears to be shrinking their beer section and that's not totally unexpected. The guys talk about the contraction of beer sections in the off premise retail segment. Cook like a pro with Made In Cookware . Follow United…
- 145 - We Build a Bar
Mike and Kevin get hypothetical and talk about how they would open a bar in today's world. Location, theming, food and drinks are all on the table. What would they do to make a great bar? Cook like a pro with Made In Cookware . Follow Unit…
- 144 - Styles
It's become increasingly clear that beer style names don't mean as much as they used to. IPA has become a seeming catch all along with Lager. Do consumers even care about true definition of style or do they just want flavors descriptors? T…
- 143 - The Next Big Thing
For a few years now when the "next big thing" for beer comes up the topic is rarely beer related. THC, coffee, spirits and seltzers are all things that breweries are getting involved in that are, in fact, not beer. The guys discuss these a…
- 142 - Shootin' the Shit with Adam Feingold
Adam Feingold is the former owner of Bangin Banjo Brewing. He sold the company he started and it still exists today, albeit under a different name. We talk him about how he came to the tough decision and what made him sell instead of closi…
- 141 - Sponsorships
Major venues and companies want sponsors and the big beer companies have long been traditional players in these areas. When craft breweries start to get involved the price tags to play can be mind boggling. What do small breweries do to tr…
- 140 - The Last AI One
The guys decide to break the AI out for one more go. First, they ask it to revitalize an existing brand and what it would to increase sales and visibility. Second, they inquire with it to revive a closed brand. What does it think would wor…
- 139 - AI Makes Us a Brewery
AI is making so much stuff and a lot of it is controversial. So the guys decide to try using AI to plan out a brewery. Both Kevin and Tim input the same prompts and get two different brewery concepts. The results include branding, beer nam…
- 138 - Shootin' the Shit with Joe Ploof
Joe Ploof runs Hanging Hills Brewing, a company that was a brewery and then became a contract brand. He is about to take another new step and he will get to that but only after he, Mike, Kevin and Tim talk about a lot of other things. Get…
- 137 - What Changed?
Today's episode is interesting, in that it develops as it goes. The original idea heads out the window as Kevin and Mike discuss how they viewed the industry change over the last decade and what their own experiences during that were, both…
- 136 - Growth
When a brewery sees growth there is a lot of money that has to go into scaling up operations. New equipment and employees are needed. You need to order more ingredients. The increase in sales can offset those costs eventually. But what hap…
- 135 - Tariffs
Tariffs are coming and they are going to impact breweries, distilleries, wineries and consumers. Mike, Kevin and Tim discuss the aspects of booze making that consumers might not know about and how the prices at retail are going to be affec…
- 134 - Shootin' the Shit with Mike Jurewicz
Throughout the history of the show every co-host has been a guest on the show at some point, except one. Mike has been on every single episode of the show except for one and has never been interviewed. Tim and Kevin grill Mike about his st…
- 133 - Charities
It's not uncommon for breweries to work with local charities to help raise money for certain causes. The guys discuss the pros and cons and things that make you think a bit more when dealing with charitable causes. Cook like a pro with Mad…
- 132 - Alcohol Causes Cancer?
Back in 2025! The US Surgeon General released an announcement that consumption of alcohol can lead to cancer and recommends a potential warning statement be put on labels. The guys discuss if this is needed and if it would actually hurt sa…
- 131 - Holiday Banter
It's the final episode of 2024. The guys discuss holidays--including Tim's disertation on Celebration--among many other things. Take a break from alcohol with Athletic Brewing . Follow United We Drink on their social media channels. BlueSk…
- 130 - Give Thanks...Kinda
The holiday season is upon us. The guys give thanks to what they are thankful for. Maybe with a backhanded comment or two. Plus they offer up their must haves for their family Thanksgiving. Cook like a pro with Made In Cookware . Follow Un…
- 129 - Shootin' the Shit with Neil Witte
Neil Witte has literally written the book (or manual) on draft beer. Between his years at Boulevard/Duvel to the Cicerone Program and his own company, Craft Quality Solutions he knows how to design and manage proper draft systems. The guys…
- 128 - Tim's Mistakes
After missing the last episode, Tim is back to talk about his mistakes in the beer world. Take a break from alcohol with Athletic Brewing . Follow United We Drink on their social media channels. Twitter Instagram Facebook
- 127 - Mistakes
We can often times sound like we are sitting on a high horse of perfection in the industry but the truth is that everyone makes mistakes. Mike and Kevin dive into some of those they have made over their careers. Take a break from alcohol w…
- 126 - Shootin' the Shit with Luis Brignoni
Luis Brignoni founded one of the original Miami breweries at Wynwood Brewing. Today Luis is the CEO for The Tank Brewing, also in Miami. How did this come to be? Listen to his crazy journey. Get coffee delivered to your door with Trade . F…
- 125 - THC Beverages
As the Beyond Beer segment of adult beverages continues to climb a surprising entry into the game has been seeing some significant leaps. THC beverages (seltzer, tonics, sodas, etc) have been catching people's interest in states that allow…
- 124 - Shootin' the Shit with Kelly McKnight and Matty Smooth
New Belgium has found ways to reinvent itself time and time again in an every changing beer market. Kelly McKnight and Matty Gilliland (aka Matty Smooth) have been integral parts to those changes. Kelly and Matty join the show to talk abou…
- 123 - Shootin' the Shit with Spencer Wills
Spencer Wills, Head Brewer at Sceptre Brewing Arts, joins the show to talk about being a former Florida brewer, his struggles with mental health and bad brewery owners to finding a place in the industry. It's a great conversation filled wi…
- 122 - All the Rules Out the Window
Prepare for a wild ride as Mike takes Kevin and Tim to task on their beer knowledge with BREW YOU KNOW! Then after the wheels come off that ride the guys talk about the news. Take a break from alcohol with Athletic Brewing . Follow United…
- 121 - Shootin' the Shit with Joel Suarez
Joel Suarez , of Niche Brands NYC , is a kid from the Bronx with a dream. His love for craft beer may only be exceeded by his love of community and the people that make them. We talk with Joel about his rise through the beer world and how…
- 120 - Sustainability
The beer industry contributes, both directly and indirectly, to a lot of environmental issues that we often overlook. Some of these things aren't accounted for because of the sheer cost of implementation while others might be pure ignoranc…
- 119 - Craft Beer is the New Balance of Alcohol
The Brewers Association provided a state of the industry at the Craft Brewers Conference that included the grim news that 2024 has reported more brewery closures than openings for the first time. The guys digest this news and talk about so…
- 118 - More Horror Stories
The show has covered horror stories working in the brewery and dealing with customers but today's episode takes a different direction to frustrating stories. The guys talk about dealing with vendors, solicitors and other folks that think t…
- 117 - Events
There was a time when you could find beer related events going on almost every day of the week at local bars and restaurants. A tap takeover here. A pint night there. Today those events seem almost extinct. The guys talk about these events…
- 116 - Pay
Pay for brewery employees has been a subject talked about in circles for years. In comparison to similar trade and manual labor jobs many brewery salaries don't match up. High overhead, low margins and poor market portrayal (affordable lux…
- 115 - Grab Bag
Grab bag time! The guys talk about a variety of topics including hefeweizens, branding and Cigar City. Get coffee delivered to your door with Trade . Follow United We Drink on their social media channels. Twitter Instagram Facebook