Hop Cast

In episode 142 of the Hop Cast Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder open up three Imperial Porters from Captain Lawrence. These three beers come from Hop Cast fan and friend Lee Williams, AKA Hoptopia. Brad and Ken had a hard time deciding which of the these smoke from oak beers to jump into first. But... View Article

In this episode of the Hop CastKen Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski decide to dig deep into Brad’s cellar and find a couple beers that likely should have been consumed a long time ago. Many craft beer fans with a cellar have run into this issue where a beer somehow got over looked in their cellar... View Article

In Hop Cast episode 140 Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder do something they have never done before. No, this is not the nude episode you’ve all been waiting for… at least not yet. The two of them revisit a beer that they previously reviewed on another episode. The beer they revisit is the the Black... View Article

Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder are out on the the back deck cracking open a couple of canned beers in episode 139 of the Hop Cast. The first beer they open is one they haven’t seen in cans before, the Avery IPA. This 6.5% ABV India Pale Ale is usually found in the bottle or... View Article

In Hop Cast episode 138 Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are hanging out at the newest production brewery in Chicago, Finch’s Beer Company. The two of them chat first with owner Ben Finch as he fills some kegs. They discuss how the brewery got started and its future plans. They then catch up with Brewer... View Article

In Hop Cast episode 137 Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder are hanging out at Finch’s Beer Company. Before talking with the team at Finch’s the two of them decided to open up a couple imperial stouts from a couple great breweries. They of course shared the stouts with everyone at Finch because these were some... View Article

In episode 136 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are joined by Greer Davis to sample a couple interesting sour ales. The first one they open is the Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale, a 5.5 % ABV Flanders Oud Bruin. The Red Poppy is brewed from a brown ale base and then... View Article

Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder are joined by two special guests in episode 135 of the Hop Cast; Charlie Drews and Greer Davis. The four of them decide to open up two different beers from a couple Florida breweries. If you’ve been watching the Hop Cast for a while you might remember Brad and Ken... View Article

In episode 134 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are joined by Charlie Drews to taste one of the most sought after beers in the world, Westvleteren 12. But before jumping into that one they open two bottles of the Rochefort 10. Both had been aging for different lengths of time and... View Article

While in San Francisco for the Craft Brewers Conference, Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder had a chance to sit down with brewer / owner Shaun O’Sullivan at 21st Amendment. Over a year ago Shaun O’Sullivan was in Chicago and was on episode 67 of the Hop Cast talking about the new release of Monk’s Blood.... View Article

In episode 132 of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski sit down with Untappd co-founder Tim Mather to talk about his highly successful service and craft beer. The three of them open a couple beers that Ken and Brad picked up at a corner liquor store in Santa Monica. The first one is... View Article

While in San Francisco for the Craft Brewers Conference, Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder had a chance to sit down with Daniel Del Grande from Bison Brewing. Daniel is the perfect guest to have on for the first episode of April since it is organic beer month. The three of them sample four different beers... View Article

In this episode of the Hop Cast, Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are in California at The Bruery. Joined with them at The Bruery are John Holzer and Stephen Johnson from New Brew Thursday. This episode was filmed a few days before the Craft Brewers Conference so most of the staff of The Bruery were... View Article

Ken Hunnemeder and Brad Chmielewski are at Xoco with Dan Jones talking local ingredients and local craft beer. Xoco is one of Rick Bayless’s restaurants and prides itself on providing that feeling you’d get if you were eating great Mexican street food. At Xoco you get to pair those great flavors with fine craft beer.... View Article

Brad Chmielewski and Ken Hunnemeder are at Haymarket Pub & Brewery talking with Steve Mosqueda and Sean Benjamin about Drinking and Writing. Joining them on the Hop Cast is Jamie Budzick and head brewer at Haymarket, Pete Crowley. Steve and Sean created Drinking and Writing to preserve the spirit and devotion of the hard drinking... View Article