The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast
We love craft beer! Each week we will taste a number of beers from around the country and give you our thoughts, not only will we talk about the flavor, but also the artwork and anything else that comes to mind.
We will also go on location and visit breweries and try a number of their offerings and give you our thoughts as well.
Come sit around the campfire and join in on the fun!
Episodes
150 episodes
Ep 150 - From Flannel Browns To Winter Whites: A Candid Craft Beer Review
Ever crack a winter beer that promises cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel, and coffee… then wonder where the flavor went? We lined up eight seasonal cans—four Lift Bridge Fireside Flannel variants and four from the Sam Adams Winter Break pack—to sep...
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Season 4
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Episode 150
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1:01:22
Ep 149 - Two Podcasters Walk Into A Missouri Brewery And Learn Why Color, Style, And ABV Aren’t What You Think
A quick detour turned into a full-on craft beer adventure at Crossroads Brewery in O’Fallon, Missouri. We teamed up with Spencer from Maybe An Interview to taste through two flights that covered the spectrum: an easygoing American Pale Al...
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Season 4
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Episode 149
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35:11
Ep 148 - Where A 19th-Century Brewery Meets Today’s Craft Palate
A quick beer run turned into a full-on discovery. On our way to grab Barrel Society releases at 3 Sheeps, we swung into Fond du Lac Beer Company and found a revived 1800s-era space, a friendly crew, a legit kitchen, and nine house beers begging...
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Season 4
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Episode 148
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30:56
Ep 147 - From Honey Kolsch To Bourbon Barrels: A Mason City Tasting Tour
Twelve pours, one taproom, and more surprises than we expected. We posted up at Fat Hill Brewing in Mason City and worked through a full lineup that stretches from honey kolsch and American wheat to a Belgian golden strong and multiple barrel-a...
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Season 4
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Episode 147
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32:46
Ep 146 - Beer Of The Year, Poured And Proven
Five rare blends. Twenty-two finalists. One crown. We crack open a vertical of Firestone Walker Anniversary ales and use them as the perfect lens to examine what makes a barrel-aged beer truly special: thoughtful blending, patient aging, and cl...
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Season 4
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Episode 146
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1:04:42
Ep 145 - Nine Cans, Bold Flavors: Thesis Beer Project Review
Ever cracked a can and thought, wait… is that Thanksgiving stuffing? We did—and it actually worked. We set out to spotlight one small brewery and ended up with nine distinct beers from Thesis Beer Project in Rochester that never once felt phone...
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Season 4
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Episode 145
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1:09:21
Ep 144 - Inside Callahan Lake Resort Through Craft Beer
The air hurt our faces, so we made the weather our beer fridge. From there, it turned into the perfect Northwoods night: eight carefully chosen beers, one runaway favorite, and a deep dive into a small, family-first resort that lives bigger tha...
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Season 3
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Episode 144
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1:53:40
Ep 143 - Winter Dark Beers That Actually Warm You Up
A cold night. Six dark beers. Zero mercy for labels that overpromise. We open with a “Mexican hot chocolate” milk stout that whispers cinnamon but forgets the heat, then pivot to a peanut butter chocolate porter that finally smells like the rea...
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Season 3
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Episode 143
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1:19:09
Ep 142 - Cold Cans, Warm Laughs: A Holiday Beer Ride
A snowy day calls for a mixed pack and a little mischief. We cracked open eight winter beers that promised cookies, spice, and holiday cheer—and found a spectrum from burnt-roast stouts to a bourbon-kissed gem that actually delivers the season ...
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Season 3
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Episode 142
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1:15:15
Ep 141 - We Celebrate 1,000 Reviews By Tasting Our Way Through Christmas Beers And Surprising Flavor Twists
The snow hit early, the grill smoke curled over the pines, and we crossed a big milestone: our 1,000th beer review. To celebrate, we poured an ambitious holiday lineup that proves December beer can be more than cinnamon and nutmeg. Think cookie...
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Season 3
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Episode 141
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1:10:07
Ep 140 - Touring Tumbled Rock: 17 Beers In Baraboo
Seventeen taps, one table, and a promise to try them all. We dropped into Tumbled Rock Brewing in Baraboo with fresh palates and open notebooks, then worked our way from malty staples to modern haze and a final flight full of sours, spice, and ...
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Season 3
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Episode 140
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30:02
Ep 139 - From Resort Dreams To Reality BK's New Venture
It’s 12:55 a.m., the first flurries are flying, and our quiet plan to record turned into fifty people at the bar, a late dinner, and a lineup of beers too good to skip. We share what it’s really like to buy a Northwoods resort, reopen a bar on ...
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Season 3
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Episode 139
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1:04:03
Ep 138 - Bourbon County Night: Big, Bold, And Barrel-Aged
Five Bourbon County pours, one 20% curveball, and a table full of strong opinions. We line up the 2022 Goose Island Bourbon County variants—Original, Coffee, Biscotti, the 30th Anniversary Reserve with Knob Creek’s small-batch family, and the T...
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Season 3
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Episode 138
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1:13:55
Ep 137 - Barrels, Blueberries, And Big Bottles
A house band, wax-dipped bombers, and six barrel-aged beers later, we walked away surprised by what truly stood out—and what didn’t. We lined up a spectrum: a 5.1% blueberry pastry sour from 608 Brewing, a Russian imperial stout from Bad Weathe...
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Season 3
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Episode 137
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1:08:45
Ep 136 - Tasting Through Al Ringling Brewing’s Circus-Rooted Lineup
Ever balanced a flight so big it looks like a train car? We headed to Al Ringling Brewing in Baraboo, Wisconsin, home of circus lore and a taproom built with reclaimed bowling-lane wood, to sample all sixteen taps and rank them from easy sipper...
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Season 3
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Episode 136
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37:14
Ep 135 - Stouts, White Stouts, And A Brandy Barrel Surprise
Think stout has to be dark, heavy, and bitter? We crack open a lineup that challenges the stereotype—white stouts that drink silky and bright, classic nitro smoothness, and a surprise brandy barrel lager that channels a Wisconsin old fashioned....
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Season 3
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Episode 135
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1:04:23
Ep 134 - Fall Beers, Found Flavor
The fall beer slump finally met its match. After weeks of thin American Oktoberfests, we lined up a smarter tasting: Sam Adams’ Fall Legends variety pack, a side-by-side of 3 Sheeps’ classic vs. bourbon barrel-aged Oktoberfest, and two high-ABV...
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Season 3
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Episode 134
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1:00:24
Ep 133 - Warm Fall, Cool Beers
What happens when you line up eight American Oktoberfests—NA to 6.1% ABV—and go searching for that rich, toasty, German-style soul? We found drinkable lagers, a few surprises, and a lot of restrained flavor that made us ask why so many U.S. tak...
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Season 3
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Episode 133
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48:00
Ep 132 - When rye barrels outshine bourbon and pumpkin learns new tricks
Forget sugar-bomb pumpkin beers—this tasting tour is all about balance, craft, and a few bold surprises. We line up six fall pours that couldn’t be more different: a rare pumpkin lager, a chili-spiced ale that warms on the finish, a silky nitro...
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Season 3
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Episode 132
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51:12
Ep 131 - What Makes a True Oktoberfest Beer?
The line between tradition and interpretation blurs when American breweries tackle the iconic Oktoberfest beer style. After recently sampling authentic German Märzens and Festbiers, we now turn our attention to seven American interpretations to...
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Season 3
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Episode 131
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39:32
Ep 130 - Pumpkin Season Showdown
Fall brings not just changing leaves but an exciting shift in the beer landscape. While Oktoberfest brews dominate shelves, we decided to explore the oft-maligned but increasingly sophisticated world of pumpkin beers.Our journey began w...
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Season 3
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Episode 130
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37:40
Ep - 129 - Munich's Finest: Comparing Authentic German Marzen and Festbiers
Ever wondered what sets authentic German Oktoberfest beers apart from their American counterparts? We embarked on a flavor journey through seven genuine German brews to find out!This special "Septoberfest" episode features something we'...
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Season 3
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Episode 129
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42:34
Ep 128 - Craft Beer Tasting at Pal's Brew Pub
Wisconsin's craft beer scene takes center stage as we embark on a 12-beer tasting adventure at Pal's Brew Pub in Wisconsin Dells. Joined by my brother Brian (the mad scientist), my dad Dave, and Uncle Larry, we dive into flights spanning tradit...
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Season 3
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Episode 128
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31:28
Ep - 127 - The brothers sample unique brews from Iowa's Five Alarm Brewing.
Pull up a barstool for an exclusive tasting session with Brian "the mad scientist," head brewer at Five Alarm Brewing in Lake Mills, Iowa. This special episode takes you behind the scenes of a firefighter-owned brewery making waves with inventi...
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Season 3
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Episode 127
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45:25
Ep 126 - High-Octane Barrel-Aged Masterpieces: A Journey Through 10-15% Beers
When Mike and Jim decided to "up the ante" from their previous session of easy-drinking beers, they weren't kidding. This episode dives headfirst into the world of high-octane brewing artistry, featuring eight beers ranging from 10% to a mind-b...
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Season 3
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Episode 126
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1:17:23