Beer Me Cast
The go to craft beer podcast! Tune in for carbonated conversation.
Beer Me Cast
New Brewery Review Balance Beerworks and AI in Craft Beer
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This week the boys talk about the new kid in town, Balance Beerworks which opened on 6/13/2026 within once of the corpses left by Device Brewing. They also call out Knee Deep Brewing for its shameful AI use and discuss AI use in craft beer overall.
I mean, I think that uh I just got to so we're in the hunting grounds. And uh they just blew up a giant frog thing. So I'm kinda here for this.
SPEAKER_02You might have just surpassed me then, because uh in my I've my reading is dipped. Um I've I've listened before, but um I'm I'm at I'm at the part where they just did the uh the show with a debt. Oh okay. And there's the special guest.
SPEAKER_03Where are you in uh GFL?
SPEAKER_02Um I'm still on where am I? I started listening to another book in between books on that series, and I am on The Champion. I'm like I'm like a I'm like almost a halfway through.
SPEAKER_03Oh, okay. Yeah, that's uh that's a good one. There's man. I th I need to go back through and refresh because it's been so long since I've read them all.
SPEAKER_02The thing is, like, with where I'm at in The Champion, it's like to not give spoilers to people who might find the series, um the stakes are like over football or high, but like I'm not as interested in it anymore. Like I'm not like it's just like I I sure like the it's either gonna play out like in a heroic type way or it's gonna be a tragic thing and everyone's gonna like die, but like it's not gonna go that route. So I almost feel like it's almost it's almost formulaic just for how it has to go. But I still want to go for that ride.
SPEAKER_03I'm just not yeah, I mean what's happening in the world is just like holy shit, there's so many things bigger than football, right?
SPEAKER_02Which like mirrors life in a way, but at the same time definitely doesn't, because man, if that was if that was mirroring life, we we have it bad already, but holy crap. It'd be like it'd be like if World War III broke out, but with other planets too.
SPEAKER_03Well, also religion has literally taken over entire planets, like not just countries or you know.
SPEAKER_02And everyone has like a truce, kind of like a Christmas Day truce, but every Sunday for football.
SPEAKER_03But you know, with the World Cup and all the positives and negatives that come along with that, it's you know, the the sports can be a very unifying thing.
SPEAKER_02Scots and Boston have been great.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Koreans and Mexico, even though at last uh check uh Mexico had just scored a goal and the crowd was going insane because they are on home turf.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, it's it's it's the World Cup has been. It's been fun.
SPEAKER_03I have not watched this much soccer in a long time.
SPEAKER_02There you go.
SPEAKER_03Like I'm very excited to go see uh our our local team play even.
SPEAKER_02That's right, though.
SPEAKER_03Day after tomorrow, Republic and Beer Fest, and we'll be coming live to you with a Beer Fest review post uh post FC Republic Beer Fest.
SPEAKER_02I was saying we could. We could do like a a video there too. Yeah. We could do a little little thing.
SPEAKER_03Um we are starting with our uh but but we have to we have to do the introduction.
SPEAKER_02Who I was gonna say because Mark tried to jump into the podcast, let me tell you introduties at favor. You're here with us at the Beer Me Cast. My name is Jackson, I'm accompanied as always by Mark Zanfordino, so uh we've been talking a little bit. How how are you doing as well the things?
SPEAKER_03Uh my son decided he wanted to head butt a couch today and break his lip open. And then uh while I held him screaming, trying to stop the bleeding and making sure he didn't split it beyond, you know, general repair. Uh yeah, that was fun. That the kid leaks a lot of blood, man. Lip injuries are no joke. But no, he did not need any stitches or super glue, so we're good.
SPEAKER_02I mean, did you go to an emergency room with them or did you just determine?
SPEAKER_03I sat him down, I took the paper, I inspected the lip, and it was just a good scuff, you know. Okay. You know, the kids with, you know, four or four teeth and uh ability to headbutt things will once in a while break a lip open. But yeah, no, we're we're good.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, just like just like a football player, four teeth and will headbutt stuff.
SPEAKER_03Um I mean, honestly, he's got the same pedigree as Cam Scadabo at this point.
SPEAKER_02Probably probably more uh more brain cells, you know, more more higher IQ points as well. Um, but because we're talking about Cam Scatterburg, let's talk about what we're gonna talk about. We're gonna have beer of cast, then we're gonna talk about a new brewery, and then we're gonna talk about artificial intelligence and craft beer. But first, we're talking about beer of cast. What do you have? I want I'm curious if you have the same thing I have. I tried to make it so it wasn't, because I think I know what you picked.
SPEAKER_03I actually have um I'll probably be drinking what you think I'm drinking after this beer, but I was in the mood for an IPA, so I grabbed my last can of original pattern and the Lagonitas Club, the $900 reduce. Uh this one caught my eye immediately, one, because it's original pattern, one of the breweries that will be at the beer fest next week, or actually in two days, sorry. Yep. And uh it's Lagonitas, who historically I've been a fan of, um, even despite their sales to Heineken and then subsequent sale to Heineken in full. They have maintained a good quality of beer. Um their location's always fun, albeit crowded with people at the wrong time. And that's what caught me off guard is I I have not seen a Laganinus collab. I don't even remember if I I saw them at the height of their brewing do much in the way of collabs. Maybe with a Firestone Walker.
SPEAKER_02It could have been like a one of those big corporate ones that almost seemed like a ploy that it was almost like you didn't know it was or like I know Stone did. Oh you I mean, they obviously did the uh they they did the uh the beer for um the the the fire, the uh I was for the pink.
SPEAKER_03Oh yeah, the camp. Um but that I don't view the camp fire beers or like the ailes for ALS as collaborations, more so as a form of fundraising. Yeah. Um or the Pink Boots Society is another popular one. So yeah, in California we see a lot of the yeah, the pink boots uh and the ales for ALS, which are both phenomenal causes. Um but yeah, as far as just you know putting your logo on a can of beer with another person's logo, uh to to have original pattern collab with Legonidas, there has to be a story there, and I'm curious, you know, what the connection is. Is it yeah they're they're relatively close proximity, Oakland, uh Petaluma. I mean not not crazy far, but I mean the amount of breweries in that general area alone is a lot. So how that collaboration came to be would be an interesting story. Yeah. But yeah, overall, um how's the beer? My rundown.
SPEAKER_02You said it's a West Coast?
SPEAKER_03Just as double IPA. It drinks it drinks like a West Coast. Um pretty good clarity, a little opacity to it. Um nice yellow-orange color. Um good hop bitterness, almost like um a passion fruit. Maybe kind of like a grassy. Let's see if they have the hops here. Simcoe Dyno Boost, Simcoe, Simcoe Cryo, uh Nelson Sauven, Crush Crush Cryo, and Australian Eclipse hops. So yeah, that's uh that's a hell of a hop lineup.
SPEAKER_02Not bad, not bad, not bad.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but uh overall, yeah, very tasty. Um like I said, a little bit of the bitterness up front, a little bit of bitter linger, definitely a West Coast uh double IPA sitting in at 8.3%. And uh yeah, the can is just, you know, some some money falling around. $900 redues. I feel like that's a bluey reference. But uh yeah, overall, just a nice, nice beer. Uh rating. I'd say my rating is probably gonna match its alcohol. Uh uh an 8.3. I'll I'll keep it with the ABV here. Um very good. Something I'd grab again. Not the best of the style I've ever had, but very drinkable and a very interesting hot profile. A little bit of that grassiness, a little bit of that passion fruit.
SPEAKER_02I am having a double IPA. And uh because I want to be different. And it's by Balance Beerworks. Um it's called Gravity Lifter. This is the brewery we're gonna talk about today, the new brewery that we we checked out on its first day. Yes, um, it's an 8.5% double IPA.
SPEAKER_03Oh wow, you gotta up me about point two, huh?
SPEAKER_02Uh-huh. And it tastes fine. It's fine. It's good. It's a good beer. Um It's just fine. Like it's it's I can tell that it's a double APA when I drink it, and I couldn't tell you what hops there are in it. Um It's definitely it's got a good clear finish. Like they did a good job at brewing it. Like it it it's it's done well in that regard, but yeah, when I when I I don't get something that makes me go, yeah. Like it's it's fine. And I don't want to get into into the the brewery yet to get my other my other thoughts on their other beers, but um I would give this one a 6.5 because it's just fine. It's not bad.
SPEAKER_03It's doesn't have a standout.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and uh and it it's it it is a beer and it's a double APA. Um I appreciate that their label is like the like a circle cut out kind of like um uh faction? Faction. Humble C.
SPEAKER_03Oh oh no, I know what you're talking about. The style of faction, how their logos are mostly can with like a sticker on it.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. So I mean it's fun. That's that's something different for Sacramento, I'll give them that. Um for like the can art the can art is a space guy whole like in space looking to grab this hop out of the so I feel like with a name like that it has to have Galaxy in it now. Maybe I I I mean there's no it doesn't say anything. Um also I think I I will say like for their label, it there's a lot going on in a small area like here. I was just looking for the style of beer, and it's not here, it's actually over here. Um, but all of this, like this green box, I was like, oh, that must say what it is. It says double the fun. Like, okay. Defy gravity, get the lift you deserve. That's not the name of the beer, it's just like a blurb to go with the name of the beer. Yeah, I appreciate a blurb. Brood and came. Um, find your band like the logos up here. I fam like I just it's too much.
SPEAKER_03It's too stickerboardy, which you know, I don't hate. I think it's very eye-grabbing, but like maybe one of those boxes, throw the hops in there.
SPEAKER_02I like down here, yeah. Put the hops, put something that's necessary. I like that they have a drawing of the the brewery in the corner. Like I enjoy that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, but uh I don't want to get I don't want to put the horse ahead of the the carriage or whatever the carriage is. Yeah, um, but yeah, uh I stand by whatever I gave it. I gave it a six point something. Six five, yeah. Six point five, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um yeah, I mean I don't think that was my favorite beer of the lot when we were trying stuff there. And again, this is their opening weekend, you know, recipes get cakes out, you know, you're gonna get some feedback and do some maneuvering, but uh do we want to transition into the brewer review?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, let's just go into it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, um headlong in. I what were your first impressions?
SPEAKER_02I feel like I might be more negative on it, so maybe I should go first. Um it was the space is what they've done to the space is great. Walking into the the old device location off of 14th in SouthSac. I guess you can call it SouthSack. Uh near Power Inn, it they've they've done a lot with a little. They painted the walls which into like one uniform bluish-green type color. Um they've clean everything just looks cleaner and crisper in there. Yeah. And the fact that they used shorter tables and shorter bench seating across the whole wall made this and made it feel bigger, made it feel like there was more space in there.
SPEAKER_03Completely agree.
SPEAKER_02Um very long bar. Yeah, long bar, which they had before, but I mean they kept it. Good job. Um they had a cute little brewery dog walking around. That was great. Yeah. Um they had uh, you know, they had an IPA, a double APA, uh a farmhouse pale, uh Pilsner, a nitro creme ale, uh two uh seltzers on tap. Opening day. That's a pretty good lineup. I might be missing one of them.
SPEAKER_03That's an ambitious lineup. Um I think maybe there was a another IPA or so, but yeah, they they have at least eight uh beerslash seltzers on.
SPEAKER_02And a lot of them were available in four packs already, and they were thinking about putting the seltzers in cans, which would be great because one of the best beverages they had was this gen and tonic seltzer.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, I think the uh the outstanding beer that you're gonna have in a little bit is the farmhouse pail. Um but when it comes to to this point, I get a little negative. I feel like the IPA was okay. Very similar to the double IPA. The nitro cream ale was pointless. It it was not it, it was it was a beer, it was fine, it wasn't a cream. I don't think it was a cream ale to me. It tastes like a Pilsner. Um, it didn't have that characteristic of a cream ale. It being on nitro made it smoother, but it didn't have that cream ale sweetness in the back, like that that smoothness, that creaminess. The Pilsner I thought was was good, maybe the third best thing on tap there.
SPEAKER_03Um definitely top three.
SPEAKER_02But they were just and not everything has to be uh like amazing and like changing the game, but I thought they were they were just solid at best, and that started me down the rabbit hole of like, okay, well they just opened, they're new. What else we got? I feel like their branding is a little blackluster. I think it's it's just kind of beige. It's very like safe, very done before, and done so many times before. Um I mean they're called balanced beer works versus balanced brewing because there is a balanced brewing, but beer works is kind of fun, but I that's as far as it goes. I feel like it's very vanilla, very beige, very it is what it is. It's a brewery. Family-owned, but that's great. They say they're a community brewery. I don't know that what what that exactly means, but good for them. Um I just I don't I I find myself hard pressed to want to go back. Um I feel like I I mean obviously I will, I want to to give them the benefit of the doubt. They're also, oh my god, I know that they had a an event space permit for the parking lot, so they were outside as well, which they were told they couldn't use glass, like glassware, so they'd use plastic cups. Something about drinking a beer from a plastic cup at a brewery was not great. I would have I would have hoped that if they said you are you sitting inside, like offer a glass. Um, but that leads, and that's that's a that's such a small gripe, but we ordered half pores. And man, were those the s the sh they were if half if they were half pores, they were barely. Like I I feel like they were underpouring the half pores. I know for sure my um my IPA was like in the the plastic cup was lower than half, and it gets narrower towards the bottom, so that's definitely less than half. And I just felt like that just puts a bad taste in my mouth of like the first time I'm trying your beer, you're you're being very quote-unquote stingy about the pour when you don't do a flight. You're not doing a flight, so it's not like I'm being that guy that's making you pour a weird pour. You're either doing a full pint or a half pint, and you're not offering flights. If I'm gonna just gonna try your stuff on the first day, I want, you know, pour them out. Just I don't know. Just little the little things that all came together into me going, like, you know, I will try it for the sake of being a a quote unquote craft beard uh enthusiast, and I want to give every small business its due. Plus, they didn't like offend me in any way, shape, or form, but I just I I would give them like a four out of ten as a as a new brewery if I had to give a out of ten rating of a brewery. It's it just the the mix of uninspired and beige and some okay good things, it just it doesn't give me the same I don't know, passion that going into like Geist House the first time gave me. When I it they had something going on, you know, like they had a vision that's a little different, nailed it, like a 100% went for it. This is a this balance is just like a brewery. But like to the that's it it it is vanilla plug-in play. I want to open a craft brewery, here you go. And then they opened it. Like it that there's no soul to it. I think that's what I'm looking at. There's no like I don't feel the passion that they have, and they probably do. I'm I'm absolutely sure if you're if you're opening up a business, especially a brewery in 2026, yeah. You've gotta have a passion, but man, do I not see it. Do I not feel it? I looked for it, maybe in that farmhouse uh pale, because it is reminiscent of like a very popular beer out there, but like at the same time, your most inspired thing is something that's you know from something else.
SPEAKER_03Like Well, I mean, I feel like in this day and age being something truly original is a very hard thing to do, right? I think execution is important. I think there are there are definitely parts they miss on execution for the opening weekend. I'm not looking at like a grand opening, it felt like a soft opening, which is not a bad thing in my opinion. I I but also, and here's where, you know, I'll well I'll let you do your finishing thoughts, then I'll run through my.
SPEAKER_02So ultimately, I feel like I didn't I didn't want it didn't have to be a Geist House, it didn't have to be a the magic when Addie is first opened was great. Um it didn't have to be that. It didn't have to be finding the torpedo room and going, oh my god, this is incredible. Not that that's a brewery, but like an experience. Like it didn't have to revolutionize anything, but I feel like it was lacking enough to where I am genuinely worried for it. I I just don't see how it fits and how why it's needed in the Sacramento Craftyer landscape. Um and I think that I think that about does it. I will obviously want to talk more more words about it, but I'm very curious to know how you felt because I don't think we really discussed how we felt about the brewery, even though afterwards we went right to Geist House together. Yeah, so I'm curious. What do you think?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so so like you said, the last brewery that we saw open in Sacramento was Geist House, and logistically, Geist House had a year and a half run-up before opening.
SPEAKER_02Backsta was it backstage?
SPEAKER_03Oh, backstage, true, true, true. Backstage was the last one. Um, which, you know, we we thought was a very cool event space and like very lively place. Um well three three very different breweries, I will say. Three very different breweries. Yeah, but to our point, guys Geist House, one we love and we're hooked by instantly. We were talking about millions and not may well probably at this point millions, at least a million plus dollars in initial startup cost, an entire renovation, uh a vision, and a year and a half of prep work. What impressed me about Balance was how quickly they turned around and opened. The fact that I walked into what felt like a brand new brewery, what five months, six months after Device closed?
SPEAKER_02I mean it was it was at the was it at the turn of this year or was it last year? I don't I don't I don't remember.
SPEAKER_03Device closed last year. We we talked about our closures.
SPEAKER_02Um I think there was whispers of balance last
SPEAKER_03year but yeah I mean it's been a little over half a June it's yeah it's I mean this is a six month turnaround and uh not only did they hide what was uh a a monument to a failed experiment in the hood that was in the center of that brewery and open up the space. Um I will say when I walked in it did feel very very sanitized very new and I think that is a great place to start um I'd say walking in was very welcoming. I think the opening weekend was probably a bit of an outlier considering they think they had pretty much all the owners in so it did feel like a lot of a lot of staff.
SPEAKER_02Yeah and we came out there was more staff than than people like and we were in the first half hour so you know there like I said I think to me at opening yeah yeah at 11 to me it felt like a a cold open and in that sense I was a little bit um not off put but honestly kind of drawn back to to the roots of going to these tiny breweries with no budgets that and and trying an beer.
SPEAKER_03I think having such a large beer lineup is both a pro and a con because you you haven't necessarily dialed in you know two or three things super well but for the fact that they had eight on tap that we had three beers I would drink again is a good starting point. For me it all felt very we're we're we're trying to figure it out. And I I think that that's not a bad place to start. I do think they they need a lot of fine tuning um with uh you know staffing with uh bringing some personality into the place yeah all I saw as far as decorations were concerned um the space is very very blue it's very monotone which makes it feel bright and makes you feel open which I love um but then on on that uh sorry just cause it they used to hide the hood they had like the smallest TV which if you put a giant TV right there already you've kind of brought in a focal point for you know watching sports you know bringing people in to enjoy a game or something I think that's a possibility to expand there that they kept the same TVs from device like hey take take saving cost but the thing is and I don't want to hijack you but I was at Costco I was at three different Costco's this week because I don't want to get into it but it was a fiasco TVs aren't that expensive these days you can get an 80 inch TV for 400 bucks yeah damn really just yeah spacecast TV like the whatever brand but I mean it looks fine. No it's it it it's like kind of one of those those rings but still who cares in a brewery yeah 80 inch 400 if you give me a blue TV uh like Oak Park it'd work there it would work with their aesthetic it's all blue in there it'd be like ah get the vibe to go back I I think it felt like a soft opening I don't think that was off putting for me I didn't go into it expecting um a refined product for me I think I walked in you know expecting to see hey this is obviously a ragtag group of owners who are you know opening this because it's something I'm passionate about it's it's definitely going to be I think a very community based brewery where you know you're you're coming in because you know you you have a regular trivia night or you have you know you want you like the owner you're coming to say hi or you like the dog or you're you know it's you know on your commute from work or whatever. I think that's the space they're going for and I think they have a great template for the space. I think there's a lot of room to inject more personality to to inject a little bit more of you know what they are. I didn't get the sense of who the owners are when I walked in uh as much as I did from you know their their Instagram posts which they did a lot of intro and staff and whatnot. Everything about family yeah feels very family based. I think translating that to the consumer translating that to the the people who show up on a Wednesday or you know is gonna be the key. And as far as the beer goes I am excited to try the beer out of real glass. I think if you come with eight beers out of the gate I think flights are a great option to start with to kind of get let people taste and see what you're about I think that was a you know maybe a missed choice but also maybe it was something they just didn't have the glassware for yet or you know just like I said it felt like a soft opening. This felt like hey what can we do better?
SPEAKER_02Where can we improve what's working what's not let's build from that interesting when you we did ask for a flight that they didn't immediately say no there was confusion.
SPEAKER_03Yeah they hadn't talked it through completely with whoever was or like placing that you place the order with and I thought that was a little interesting but again first day things I felt a little bit too many cooks in the kitchen a little bit but I mean when you've got six people right behind the taps it's a lot of bodies wild I was like who am I looking at who's gonna pour the beer who's gonna chew what is happening I I think they're good that'll that'll work the kinks out who's gonna be there regularly you know um yeah there's more things I've talked about I'll let you I w I want to hear your your thoughts all your thoughts I like the the template I think it's a great template to work from uh I think the amount of taps is a good number of taps I think a little bit of refinement um you know as we move into maybe winter uh I'm hoping to see some stouts maybe some browns skipping fall buddy you're skipping fall you're skipping marts in the season or no well I they did do logger so they had two they had at least one logger on taps so loggering is uh something they have the capability to do. So yeah you're right. And the blue, I mean you start throwing some white jacket flags around we're we're already in the mood for some Oktoberfest so I'm curious to see I would like to go in a month or two and kind of see what's kind of shaken out and how they've settled. Uh the first day of brewery opening where you're not even using your glassware you're you're expecting a huge space you've got all the owners in there's a lot of jitters um I I think I think it's a good template.
SPEAKER_02I like the space um for me you know if you held a gun to my head and or you know just said hey I'm gonna buy you a beer where you want to go here or New Glory you know I'm gonna go to New Glory but New Glory has a decade of personality of changes of you know space uh it's been three four different spaces at this point multiple logoing changes like these these things settle out let's pitch those two together for for their first when they first opened let's think about what they presented because New Glory presented there's no art there's no it was just a building their logo was like New Glory with like a red star and like it looked like a kind of like a military like a fight there were like there were like three beers. It was like the French Saison the pale ale I think maybe an IPA wasn't a lot going on but um it but it was soon after Device and it was something a little different.
SPEAKER_03It was something to change up the integral IPA and pin cushion like it gave us something else and we're like yeah it was it built off of device and so let's think of device when they first opened their logo was very different when they first opened too they had that like elegantly written device and um they opened up out the gate with the Brits in Moscow and Integral and Pincushion they opened up they came out just oh yeah and then they talk about triple IPAs the basilisk one of the first triple IPAs I ever had I mean the beer's important and I will say credit to balance they had a beer that is I'd say unique to Sacramento um it's a style that was relatively unique and niche to the greater craft beer world um if you've ever had a New Glare Springs spotted cow um they've come out with a beer called Happy Cow and Happy Cows live in California I think that's brilliant a brilliant name for it and right away I was able to kind of identify that farmhouse pale ale that kind of funky slightly hopped beer and uh that's what I'm drinking now is the Happy Cow. And I will say that was one of the first beers I tasted from balance and for me that was hey this is a good staple let's let's build on this and make more good beer and and they had other good beers on tap. They had other uh I'd say beers worth buying four packs of and they had some that didn't you know maybe hit the mark but nothing was bad. Nothing was off flavored the brewing was clean.
SPEAKER_02I think uh yeah I have some recipe adjustments maybe some some playing around but I make you have one beer that yeah uh the cream ale I know you're cream ale connoisseur just make it a cream like I I do appreciate that they didn't throw vanilla and lactose into it make it a golden ale but you know make the cream cream ale that's all I want make cream ale's great again just make cream ales accurately again like make them that's true like so maybe uh that'd be a maybe a good one to do like bring in bring some cream ales do a taste test you know or just yeah maybe maybe maybe don't brand it as a cream ale maybe brand my birthday is in October if you want to do a cream ale flight if you want to assemble me creme ales I would get you want to get real creamy I'll get some me all some some other some uh some ghost town ghost town absolutely just get a get a get a ghost town cream ale I'm gonna be creamy with you okay I want that ghost town cream ghost town great great brewery um uh overall I think there's a lot of room for for it to be a great brewery I think it's it's I give it an arbitrary uh rating out of ten what what's your arbitrary rating out of ten after visiting once on their opening day in the first hour I I'd say seven it's pass wow you're gonna you're gonna graduate uh it's you know it's not a fail I don't think it was a fail by any means so it it lacks I'm gonna so my four out of ten arise because if they do not change things I don't think they're gonna last you're saying by giving them a seven out of ten that if they maintain this course that they're fine I think they have I think what they have is passable.
SPEAKER_03People will show up they will they will have a logger they'll have a gen and tonic seltzer they're gonna watch a game on TV maybe play some trivia I think it's it's passable I don't think for me to say something it's a six is like that's something I'm not gonna go back to I think I think a C is you know I go academic grades.
SPEAKER_02Well C is passive and and I give it a fail by giving a four out of ten. But the I I don't look at that as like a you're doing a are you doing a semester grade not a five grade with with regards to the overall craft beer scene I see it compared to the rest of the craft beer scene as a four I think that there are some twos out there I think there's some nines out there and I think they land the four and just because they're a four doesn't mean I'm not gonna give them another chance and go back and be able to go oh you know what I was wrong eight you know like oh I was wrong five like but from the product they put out I would have given them a four and that's not like it I don't yeah but I I I I feel like giving them a seven out of ten a seven out of ten brewery to me is new glory right now.
SPEAKER_03Really yeah because because then you have an eight out of 10 repeat for me you have an eight out I mean seven out of ten I guess I guess I need to go off the academic scale I was gonna say a seven out of ten a repeat brewery uh then an eight out of ten a lot of room for failure in an academic scale huh yeah an eight out of ten can be like a uh all right I'll I'll change I'll go six I I think uh maybe a D. D needs improvement but this is a semester grade.
SPEAKER_02So maybe I'm being a little harsh maybe a five out of ten because it was the literally the first hour they're open. I'll give them a five so we're we're working closer.
SPEAKER_03But we're still in we're still in an intro course right we're not in the this is your you know final project uh the we've been in we've been in school for four years you know we're we're like I give Geist House a nine and I give like Farsenal Walker a nine so I a ten out of ten I don't think there's a ten out of ten brewery I I think that that is something that is always to be pursued. I don't and I I feel comfortable saying that well I I think uh the Sierra Nevada torpedo room days hit 10 out of me 10 out of 10 for me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah yeah that was that was an era I'll take I'll I'll agree with that there. Also the New Glory days where there was a new release every week and we were just I was going there weekly say some flight says on flight yeah I that was around the same time that was in the same time like that was when they were doing real inspired stuff just just great great stuff. There were times of 10 I think when Addies first opened man that that first lineup it was just it hit so good and I kept going back. Like I was there three days out of the first week um they had the Presidio they had a Saison they had a a uh a lemon cranger weed they had a Pilsner and they had um a red and it was just like alright and they were doing flights and you could do a five flight for just like a dollar more true I think my final my final opinion my final piece of advice is a consumer you know take it leave it grain of salt this is an opinion podcast uh you you don't have to like our opinions no this is actually I'd prefer if you yelled at us believe it or not what we say is law in fact you have to go Venmo and give Jackson Randall $500 I think they've they've they've done well with the space now it's time to to fill it um I I love the the peepholes into the brew house I I'd say maybe do some I don't know brewhouse seating if you have the space and permitting for it maybe just a like like claim stake when they're open they have seating which is right next to the fermenters I love that feel because when you're in the main room it's beautiful it's open but it it does feel I mean I I don't even know it it just feels like you're you're in a very blue box and I don't think the blue box is a bad thing.
SPEAKER_03I think the blue box just needs more more of their personality. I think that'll be imparted as the time goes on.
SPEAKER_02Well it makes it feel like you're in a place that is a like you're a part of the business. You know you are in the where the magic happens. Yeah. And there's something to be said about that vibe.
SPEAKER_03And I think the the portholes are a good window into the brewery. I think a little more maybe brewer decor a little bit more a little bit more on the walls a little more it it it still feels empty. The space feels feels a little empty. I think that's what felt bad about it. And I think there's obviously they were open for half an hour when we got there so there's plenty of room for the I'm curious to see how the vibe the vibe I hate that word.
SPEAKER_02I'm curious to see how it it feels once they don't have the outdoor patio like because we were there though they had the outdoor patio um so it felt like there was a lot of places you could have sat but when it's just the inside because when it was deviced last they had more seating because they had that extra brew house area open that's closed off like they the the walkway's gone. So I want to know how it feels on a Thursday at 7 p.m and I say that specifically because I feel like that's when that kind of brewery should have its most business. I want to see when the when the regulars are there and they're doing their thing for that night. Maybe I should reach out about Tube um and see how how they how they do their their thing.
SPEAKER_03I want to see a big 80 inch TV and I want to watch some sports. I want to go post up on that bench seating and I wanna I want to get a flight. I want to watch some sports. I I think if you're not a sport loving brewery that's fine but I think they have with that shed they have and that big wall which is basically viewable from anywhere on that bench seating an opportunity to be a really great viewing brewery which honestly not a lot of in Sacramento.
SPEAKER_02There's not a lot of places to go watch a big TV with football at a brewery give me a name give me a name place that has one big TV to watch some football on when you said brewery that's where it brewery Backstage Backstage has massive TV. They have massive TVs but do they use them for sports I would hope so yeah when were there those sports everywhere that's all that was happening we're talking to the guy about the AIDS game and shit yeah all sports in your face what I think that's an opportunity they have the phenomenal seating for it all those bench seats face that big wall where that little TV is Moxa.
SPEAKER_03Put a big TV Moxa has big TVs and a lot of them yeah yeah but they're very airy and I don't think you can airy high ceiling sparatic one big space yeah I mean you have a lot of TVs but at balance the way their seating is located right now if you think about it it's that big long bar that surrounds that wall and it's the backbench and tables you could have so many naturally TV facing seats that face that specific wall between bars see a possibility for having two maybe three TVs in there whereas I know Mox has like six and they all have good viewing angles for a lot of those TVs already. You could go big at big yeah if you have a big TV I want one big SL I will be there on Sundays. I will be there with my children it seems like I don't think they're gonna go for that vibe.
SPEAKER_02I think that's I don't think they are either they seem like a more nature type I could I could see them being like a uh have you been to Mindscape for Mitations I have and it did feel a little Rockland on their TVs they have like nature going on like they've got that's how I feel like balance would they'd have like Nat Geo with like stuff going on. I feel like that that's more of like their their aura uh I mean although they did have world cup on in they but I mean who doesn't have world cup I'm sure Mindscape has a world cup on I was walking by Rock and Soul uh diner which is supposed to be closed after like 3 p.m at like six and they were playing freaking World Cup. Everyone's playing World Cup.
SPEAKER_03I mean if it's not their bad that's fine. I think that it is an opportunity just based on how spacious they are and how their layout is I think that that is that is something I would look for personally.
SPEAKER_02Again so if we're talking about improving them specifically a part of your improvement plan for them is being that place to go see get a bigger TV and be that place to go see the games on Sundays, Monday night uh Sunday night football.
SPEAKER_03Yeah or even if you did a trivia or something you could use that screen for for trivia questions for you know other things of that sort I think it's a great focal point for a potential focal point to bring in a lot of people and have a comfortable viewing area. If you were doing Tomplatoon and you wanted to you know throw your hint up on the TV and have everyone looking at you you could be behind that bar operating to all eyes. I mean as a you know trivia person you could have your trivia questions on set TV everyone could see them. I I think it's a just a great option it doesn't obviously have to be the the goal or the the the main draw but it is an option for entertainment in many forms to have a focal point like that and have everyone comfortably be able to see it. Sometimes you're in a brewery and you're looking over your shoulder you're bent you're twisted you're you know what what's going on like not all spaces have a good natural focal point. And I think that is something that balance could easily do just having been there.
SPEAKER_02A good balance um that that would be my it my my initial reaction to the space I feel like if I were gonna try to take advantage of of what it's got going to turn the brewery into like more of a staple to make it Something I'd want to go back to. You gotta have gotta have this music recognition game there. Call Toon Platoon, at least every Thursday. Um, I I I honestly think that there needs to be an identity. They need to find what they are. Right now, they are a brewery. But unfortunately, in 2026, it's not gonna fly anymore. They need to have that that next thing, that next level thing that makes them different. Why would I choose you over someone else? Why am I not going to New Brewery? Why am I not going to Geist House? Why am I not going to other places? What what makes me go there? And it's it used to be that you are a new brewery, you're new and interesting, you've got new possibilities because it's just booming. But right now we don't have that. We have a surplus of craft breweries, especially in the Sacramento area. So what brings me to you? And I I don't and I guess I don't really have that answer. I d I mean, sure, having becoming that place for like viewing the game would be good.
SPEAKER_03But I don't know if that's well, I mean, look let's look at the old location, right? Look look at Device. Device was a very community brewery. The people that worked in the area, it had trivia nights. And that that worked for them. I don't think they were insolvent or failing in any way. I think that was a case of you know the owner just kind of being done with the whole thing, um, which is a very unfortunate way to go. I I think it's sad when a business fails, not for you know, being a bad business, but just having the passion kind of fall off. Um it's obviously it obviously can be successful. I mean, we've seen spaces like uh American River slash old republic slash now movement. Yeah, I don't think movement has you know a particular identity per se, but they have a great space and a great community and solid beer and it draws people in.
SPEAKER_02You know, no no no they they have a lot of those beers where it's like it's it's it's like sports base. A lot of their label art will be like half giants, half A's, half Raiders. I've got one on my fridge.
SPEAKER_03I've got I've got a I've got a Giants Dodgers one on my fridge.
SPEAKER_02They they they go for they're they're the people in that area. They go for the they're sports people who like to have barbecue and I I look at them and I and I get what they're what they're all about. They're kind of like more of like a a conservative brewery. Ah, I wouldn't even say you can be in Sacramento.
SPEAKER_03But I think it's a rancho brewery. It's it's families come here to to sit at tables, playing.
SPEAKER_02And it's IPAs, and it's IPAs.
SPEAKER_03And that's why kids outs, too. Um they're almost a moxa light.
SPEAKER_02And then if you go down the street, you know, Burning Barrel is more of the sour, hazy, more laid back, kind of relaxed, but they do they do watch the games because it's got Gado and Rancho.
SPEAKER_03Um, you're right. Burning Barrel is probably one of the breweries that has the biggest TVs or one of the slash couch lounge.
SPEAKER_02Log off. Log off has T no, they don't have TVs, do they? I thought they did. They've got a couple, I think. But I think their whole thing is like log off, don't be on screens. Um Claimsteak at TVs.
SPEAKER_03We need to revisit the corridor.
SPEAKER_02Claimstake at TVs.
SPEAKER_03Maybe we should create a a a brewery style guide.
unknownYeah, my.
SPEAKER_03I can think of I can think of a couple breweries that have very clear identities. Bike dog. They do their their shred dog, you know, they're about riding your bicycle, loving animals, coming to the brewery for a drink, but uh, you know, earning that, having a bike ride. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Happy family rich white person.
SPEAKER_03I mean, they started in Westsack. Come on.
SPEAKER_02And uh even their Broadway location was oozing white dude in polo, like white dad in polo.
SPEAKER_03Um it's next to the kitchen for God's sakes.
SPEAKER_01It's next to the project, even their caddy corner. That's that's that's that's part of gentrification, Jackson. They're not allowed yet.
SPEAKER_03I'm just saying uh if the boot fits, it's also next to one of the Michelin start restaurants in Sacramento.
SPEAKER_02If the boot fits.
SPEAKER_03And then you have Jackrabbit, which does their community share days, you know, weekly, there's family movie nights. Like I I think building on what works is important, and I don't think balance is going to find their balance until they've had some trial and error. I think they're gonna have to figure out what their community likes. What what yeah, what kind of brewery are they?
SPEAKER_02Like, what do they fit into?
SPEAKER_03I look forward to seeing them find their balance. I do.
SPEAKER_02But that being said, what I look forward to is breweries stopping the fucking use of AI. I'm up to my my ears in it. If you follow not Timplet, follow BeerMecast on Instagram, you'll see that I had a run-in with knee deep brewing because knee deep brewing posted AI, like an AR art of their I think this is the first time I've ever seen them use it.
SPEAKER_03I actually was very mad about it.
SPEAKER_02You gotta get them quick. You gotta get them quick. I uh you know, since I've ever since I got into a row with New Glory, I haven't seen that much uh AI art from them. Just saying. I had a I had a thing with New Glory as well. Um, because they responded to me and they said we'll see you soon. Um when I said like stop using AI.
SPEAKER_03Well they probably had an AI assistant answering your comment.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, right. It did sound like that. Um but no need to posted a picture of their hop tall just with a uh like a cow, like a like a long-haired cow because they're giving the beat.
SPEAKER_03This was promoting an event, not their can art.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but but you know, how long until because um so they slippery slope is AI a drug, Jackson. And I said, hey, don't it's a it once you like, hey, we had really good engagement on this thing that cost us nothing to do, we don't have to pay an artist for this? No licensing, nothing like that. Do that again. So I said, like, AI is gross. Um I'm gonna pass.
SPEAKER_03You said hard pass, if I recall.
SPEAKER_02Hard pass.
SPEAKER_03Which is kind of an aggressive comment checks.
SPEAKER_02Hey, fuck AI, man. Fuck them. Um, but they responded knee deep brewing responded to me saying um something along the lines of 350 signed up with the shrug emoji. Like what?
SPEAKER_03I think they were trolling your slightly aggressive comment checks.
SPEAKER_02No, I I but that's it just obviously okay, almost 350 tickets sold, shrug. Um, so I said congratulations. You're pushing away a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates breweries, not AI, who show they truly they are truly craft through and through. Because again, my my thing there as well is if you're doing if you're using AI for like something like this, where I'll start using it, I'm gonna assume that you might be using that shit for for coming up with recipes and whatnot. I don't want that that garbage. I and then eventually it's gonna bleed into the can art, but and I'll get to that. I'll get to that. I know that this was one post. Someone else also posted um a comment on this saying, please don't use AI for your art and marketing with like a not a frowny face, like a concerned upside down, like no, no, no. And then they answer they replied with what is wrong with this.
SPEAKER_03Well, I to that's the thing. This is the response that's going on through the nation right now. And then AI they no not everyone is as in tuned with the problematic parts of AI, right? A lot of people were introduced to this as oh, it's a fun tool. We have means like companies like Facebook or or Instagram that just like, hey, look at this fun AI filter. And you know, we had this with Snapchat. Snapchat filters were oh, just a fun thing.
SPEAKER_02AI filters, Snapchat filters didn't create these crazy data centers that are fucking up also like but hardware sales, and I can't fucking buy Netflix if I wanted to.
SPEAKER_03This is still a if it's not impacting your community, it might not be on your radar.
SPEAKER_02I said stop using AI easy pass now. Because it's easy for me to pass on that because like I don't want you to use AI, I'm not gonna go.
SPEAKER_01Still sounds so crazy.
SPEAKER_02I I I and I and I also get from from a business standpoint of times are hard if we can use less money to do stuff, especially if we're just advertising for an event. Sure.
SPEAKER_03Oh, yeah, one event, why not?
SPEAKER_02Like, but I don't want it to become the fucking norm. So if I see it, I'm gonna nip that in the bud because I can see where that shit might go. I know it's a slippery slope, and the slippery slope, in my opinion, here is possible. So I I went all out on that. I said, but not all out. I I I went out and I posted my response and that response onto our socials, onto my socials, because I and you know, after I did that, I'm I'm so happy with the people that I follow. Like, 10 more people liked my comment. They went in and they liked it. Like, it is something that threatens a lot to do with our world. Like, just from a simple aspect of like we were talking about video games earlier today. I'm like, oh, it'd be great to play Ground Theft Auto 6 when it comes out, but we have a couple friends in the friend group, not looking at you, but you're one of them, that don't have an Xbox Series X or a PlayStation 5. And by now, it's six years into this console cycle. They shouldn't be more expensive than when they were launched, they should be $200, $300. They're $700. How much are Switch 2s? It's insane.
SPEAKER_03And the Switch bought a Switch 2 at the start. Yeah, the Switch 2 is more expensive.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, they're more expensive than $550 now. Yeah, like $450. It is insane. And and it has a lot to do with AI, it has a lot to do with with Trump's Trump's failed war, but at the same time, a lot of it has to do with AI, with with it driving the price of ram and and all birds changing from making shoes to making AI models. Like, but uh one thing I want to get to.
SPEAKER_03Let's go back to the let's go back to the oh go ahead. Sorry, go ahead.
SPEAKER_02So, one thing I want to get to is because it seemed like, oh, my my thought, my my worry here is a slippery slope of knee deep going from doing one advertisement to can art. And I have proof because a brewery that has done can art with AI that we love. There's two of them, and we already talked about both of them tonight. A new glory has made can art with AI and movement. Not movement, um, moonraker. Moonraker had this can AI art that was like a cat with like human hands, and it was just like it was the most obvious AI slop I've ever seen on a can that they released, and it's and it's just it just it's like a slap in the face. It is it is so stupid. And someone and not not until I stupid, he's a co-worker, he's a really good guy. He was like, Well, you know, when they worked with an artist, it they uh the bigger the brewery, the more expensive they have to pay the artist, the more they have to they have to determine licensing for art that in a couple years they won't own anymore and they won't be able to print it in a couple years. I'm like, well, most of these are limited run. And also, if a beer gets a tr gets enough traction that in two years people still want it, it doesn't matter the can art anymore. Look at Uber Inc. The can art's changed so much. But people want that beer. Gummy worms, that was another one, and both from New Glory. But they still and they used to have really fun art and stuff, and now they they have used AI, and it's just so mind-shatteringly stupid. I know they've stopped. I've seen their their more recent things, they've they've moved away, but I don't want big breweries thinking it's okay and people just clamoring for it, and so that's why I get so mad when I see this shit, even when it's just a one-off maybe. I I can't stand it.
SPEAKER_03So uh I'm gonna so the the let's let's go off in EDP's comment. Why is it bad? Where what what do you say the comment was to the follow-up tears? Like, what's wrong with it?
SPEAKER_02Um so it wasn't this was to someone else. They said, what is wrong with this? Because they the person said, please don't use AI for your art and marketing. And they said, what is wrong with this?
SPEAKER_03So let's let's start there. What is wrong with this? What is wrong with the use of AI? So we have to, I think, back up to you know the the what is of AI. AI are basically limited learning models, they're essentially programs that kind of help predict or gather information. Uh at its surface, it is an extremely useful tool. I can tell you right now, I know three small business entrepreneurial businesses of close friends.
SPEAKER_02Beatles back, Beatles back talking on the podcast. Lorenzo, you got your wish. He jumped up and he wanted to say hi.
SPEAKER_03So I got the same vocal box I heard from my apartment on the second floor when he was in an engine block. Uh I will say, I know three three small businesses that use AI to their advantage. They my brother, when he opened his brewery, he used an AI assistant to keep track of his licensing.
SPEAKER_02Your brother opened up actually he didn't open up a brewery.
SPEAKER_03A barber shop. So so his use of AI was for um, you know, scheduling for himself, for you know, his groceries. He basically used an AI assistant, which is a great tool to track your your needs, track your ordering, you know, tr for him it was tracking what date do I need to submit this business license by. It was essentially an assistant.
SPEAKER_01Like an assistant.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So so you've taken a job that as somebody starting a business from scratch probably can't afford to do, and and you've used this tool to your advantage. I have another friend who uses AI for um you know, basically as a sounding board. Um use clawed AI, open claw, and they I have two friends that have both individually started peptide businesses, that's a whole different conversation. Sorry, what? But peptide businesses. It's like the GLP ones, but okay. Again, not gonna go into that. Regardless, they used it for you know, website development, you know, basically a tool to help you take away three jobs. You know, it could be ordering, could be scheduling, could be a lot of these things.
SPEAKER_02Um I have a friend who uses it for basic email prompts, you know, as jobs, but in when it comes to anything artistic, which is what we're kind of what I was really focusing on.
SPEAKER_03I know, we're getting there, we're getting there. Let me let me let me let me let me give it a positive.
SPEAKER_02I'll let you I'll let you I'll let you cook the pasta, the sauce going, let me cook together, so make sure you garnish that shit with some parameters.
SPEAKER_03AI as a tool is extremely helpful for a small business. And as we know, in California, being a small business owner is a pain in the fucking ass. And not not un and my opinions on this are different than obviously people that own small businesses. It's it's it's hard because there are regulations, and I think regulations play an important part, but again, deeper conversation. Where I think we run into problems with AI are the volume in which they are trying to produce it and the fact that the infrastructure hurdles alone are now being fast tracked and detrimental. I mean, look at the AI data centers in a lot of the US right now that are facing such community backlash due to their water and cooling needs, and the fact that there are real environmental impacts. Yeah. I mean, there are real real power, real infrastructure. All these things that sound great on paper still require these basics, these the irrigation, the water usage. You want to talk about being a brewery? Water is one of the most important things to a brewery. Imagine you're a small brewery and they open a data center next to you, and now you need to worry about one, the quality of your water, two the cost of said utility. So for these communities that are gonna be directly impacted by these genuine infrastructure issues, that's one threat to small businesses, one that one threat to agriculture, one threat to cost of living. That's the data center itself for AI, right? We've seen costs rise. We've seen cost rise for, like we said, uh GPUs, for processing units, or the cost of yeah, all these things that we've got to do.
SPEAKER_02I want to inject in there really quick too. People have this theory, this thought that, oh well, this is just a ramp up. This is just getting the data centers created once they're made, everything's set up, like we're we're chilling. They have to be switched out every year, if not every two years. Those those those GPUs and CPUs and RAM, they deteriorate they don't last in these farms. So it's not like a temporary increase in the demand, um, which is why NVIDIA is just like shitting themselves right now. And Intel and and you've got all birds changing from making shoes to making AA models because they see a perpetual need. It's something that's gonna continue going on should we head in this this direction.
SPEAKER_03Um there are real real infrastructure problems with the rapid implementation of AI. The the I think the biggest thing for craft beer and the the thing that we don't like to see is the use of AI art. Anything that is AI art is inherently scraping and taking from art that exists out in the wild. I mean, this is a form of kind of un yeah, it's an unprecedented form of plagiarism, but it's also weirdly distinct. I mean, if you watched the the NFL commercial that had that weird Raiders baby, that weird float, that was for personally super fucking off-putting. Um we have AI advertisements, and we also have AI fakes, which has its own set of ramifications in the general geopolitical landscape. I think what sucks when you talk about a community brewery, you know, narrowing our focus here into why we don't like to see AI in artwork is that you're kind of taking the the soul and the art out of craft beer. I have a tattoo on my arm, and the only reason I have this tattoo on my arm is because I saw an artist's work on a beautiful, beautiful bottle of beer by Bike Dog Brewing, uh Babaris, the badass bear-legged Russian Imperialist out. Uh Nick Fulmer is the artist. Uh look him up on Instagram, he still does can art for monkish brewing down in Los Angeles. He did artwork for a can, and I love the style, and I I think a lot of artists have, you know, a certain look or certain style. And now we're seeing even tattoo artists and and people kind of coming into the art scene that are not bringing anything original or meaningful. They're bringing slot. You know, I type something into a a prompt and we're we're kind of just to create.
SPEAKER_02It kind of looks like Pixar, but it kind of looks like DreamWorks.
SPEAKER_03Kind of looks kinda looks like an air balloon or a balloon animal. Yeah, it kind of looks gloss. Yeah, it's always extra fingers, and then illegible words, ill.
SPEAKER_02But then if you feed in like the trailers from the Harry Potter TV show that are gonna come out and you tell it to make it high fashion, then it's like photo real people that never did what they're doing moving in weird ways because AI doesn't get movement exactly and and Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean, look at the the D you see the article on the the fake Republican AI only fans that was created. No. That this Indian student made a ton of money off of. That's weird. Because a lot of the uh people susceptible to AI are unfortunately in uh a right-leaning classification.
SPEAKER_02Unf unfortunately.
SPEAKER_03Well, unfortunately because to show well, 'cause to show the lack of our education systems in America, unfortunately, and this is something that um will be taught in colleges uh going forward now, unfortunately, because we have to teach AI recognition in Schools probably. But as a graft brewery, I think you are uniquely positioned to have artists from your communities contribute to your product. Uh I mean, hell, even from a cause standpoint, you could support a kindergarten artist, and I would rather buy that can than seeing a piece of AI art.
SPEAKER_02I'd rather have a and that's why I hope that people can recognize shit when they see it and not just go after it because they want that next hazy from from uh Moonraker. Like it's it's it it is more detrimental than the simple disdain for how it looks. Like there's so much that goes into it.
SPEAKER_03The fact that it's taking the job of an artist, and again, like just that, just it's it's kind of soulless. It's it's just it lacks it lacks identity.
SPEAKER_02So when you see a brewery do that and make that decision to to allow their product to be represented like that, it makes me wonder, is there product like that? You know, like and and it sucks because I know there's so much, there's so many steps between the brewer of a brewery and the tapers. Like there it is a whole different world, but they get represented by marketing, and they don't have really a say in that. And I would be so mad if I was out a brewery that was like doing AI marketing and I was the craft brewer. Oh my gosh, to represent like my passion in craft with a freaking prompt into like chat GPT would send me because at the same time, most of these breweries they get paid minimum wage, these brewers get paid minimum wage or are flat wage that's usually lower than what even the poorers make.
SPEAKER_03And yeah, it it's you're taking something that we wanted to support for the love of art and creativity, and you've you've cheapened it essentially, is what it boils down to. It feels cheap, and it feels like I'm looking at a Facebook ad and it it's off putting it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's it's it's it's it's shit, and don't support it. That's what I I want to say of the Rumi Cast. If you see a craft brewery, a local brewery, maybe maybe be nicer than me. But I don't have a bad internet comment like Jason. I was also having a great time at work at that point, and I was ready to just like take my frustration out on like the next thing. Um just say that you are not okay with what you're seeing, you know, like or just let them know like this use your wallet to do it. But if it's a brewery that you like, and I will say this, I don't care that much for Needee anyway, but if it were if it were my my baby addies, if if they were using AI, I would be distraught. And I would come at come at it a whole different way. Look, but then again, uh if it was it uh Geisthouse starting to do stuff, I'd be like, guys, you can't you can't do this. You cannot. I as as a as a huge fan, you can't do this. If Farstone Walker started doing it, I would be I would send an email, I think.
SPEAKER_03You know, like I I see I see Capital Bear and Tavern do it a lot, but again, they're not so much they're not so much a producer. They're just putting events on, and there's a time of place, there's a time and place for I just need to put a prompt out that's gonna draw an eyeball to say we have an event, right?
SPEAKER_02I have a love hate with Cat Top because I love them, obviously. I've said many times it's like my favorite place to drink beer. But damn, are they are they hard asses for getting like new breweries? Because Adias has tried so much to get like one beer on top there, and they always just play hard to get out. No, still same same thing. Hasn't changed. And it's just like they still chase a little bit of the hype. Yeah. Guys, well, freaking the I'm telling you that pot too, the pale ale that was aged on oak. Like, hmm. Anyway, um, don't use the eye. If it and and if you can tell those around where art is needed.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Where where where art is needed? If it's an innocuous post about an event, maybe don't complain. But it no for can't art for me.
SPEAKER_02Complain. I'm sorry, if they're using it. Or just voice, yeah.
SPEAKER_03If they're using it at all. Maybe maybe voice your opinion nicer than Jackson did.
SPEAKER_02I I will agree with that. But if they're ever using it, I it I just I just I cannot not think that if they're using it in one place that they're not going to continue elsewhere. I just I wouldn't. And AI also has its fallbacks. It isn't always correct. So even in the data-oriented world, be super careful because it it is a language learning model, LLM. It wants to give you the answer that you're most happy with, and that doesn't 100% of the time mean that's the correct answer. Now, it does a lot of good analytical things, right? Especially if you give it a good prompt, but if you are slipping in any way, shape, or form and telling it what you need, it will give you what you want. And AI psychosis is real. I know no one listening to this podcast is that stupid, but there are stories of people who really thought that they were like geniuses. I know one this one this one YouTuber made like a joke about it, made a video where it was like, what if a guy believed this? But there was a person who honestly thought that he had found like the math the the this math equation that could solve um like uh how to get power from splitting the atoms safely or something, and he was like going to hiding. Huh?
SPEAKER_03I say self-fusion.
SPEAKER_02I don't I don't remember what it was. But still, like he had this idea and in chat Chat GBT, it was like, no, no, you're right. Don't tell anybody, like um keep the secret, go underground, you gotta c you can't go to work. The the government knows they're gonna come out for you.
SPEAKER_03It's just let just let let artists shine in one of the mediums that they are good at shining at, and that is can art. I mean, I want I want my can art to be art. I don't want it to be just another cheap prompt.
SPEAKER_02And I want to do a whole you know episode on can art, and I I don't want it to be like a oh it's almost done, can art will one day go away.
SPEAKER_03But Shout out Monkish, shout out Nick Fulmer.
SPEAKER_02Shout out anybody that takes passion and makes it a lot of things.
SPEAKER_03What's Browry West that has like the exploded fox? Oh, there's a famous, a famous CanArt, uh, I think it's Browery BRO.
SPEAKER_02It's like a it's not from Flying Dog. Flying Dog has some sick art.
SPEAKER_03Flying Dog also has some sick art. I think it was like Browry West or something. They have this like exploded fox, and it's like they have some other art that's phenomenal.
SPEAKER_02Well the art from um from uh Inchorage Brewing. Oh Skulljack is the artist. Oh, it is some of the sickest stuff I've ever seen.
SPEAKER_03And I think I think the the crux to kind of wrap up our argument is craft beer is supposed to be about community. Uh it's something that balance wants, it's something a lot of breweries have achieved, and it's something some breweries seek out. But I think at the art the crux of community is you know, one coming together, but two, celebrating art, celebrating creativity, celebrating humanity. And when you kind of take the human element out of that, I think you lose a lot of people and a lot of what makes you unique or you know interesting. Yeah. Yeah. You can't convert and become a few.
SPEAKER_02Um but I think those I think that's a good unless you have another wrap-up thing you want to wrap up with artificial intelligence.
SPEAKER_03I could I we could go into a whole AI podcast, but uh that's that's uh that's uh another another day.
SPEAKER_02But then I'd need another beer, and I there's no way I could make it without a shot of whiskey or something.
SPEAKER_03I don't I don't want to drink my last uh Brits in Moscow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I want to drink that. Um winner pre-game before the game.
SPEAKER_03I'm not pre-hamming a beer fest with the Brits in Moscow. We're not trying to go as hard as Scotland is over on the East Coast right now, okay? Shadow World Cup, shout-out Scotland fans. Yeah, shut up. I just love all the stories. I love all the stories about Scotland fans right now coming out of.
SPEAKER_02Um, but with that, you know, I think we've gone over good stuff. Um, if you'd like to chime in with what you think about AI in the craft beer industry, um, you know how we feel. So you can reach us at BeermeCast at uh on Instagram at BeerMeCast. Uh BeerMecast at gmail.com for emailsing. And uh we we're gonna be coming back to you in just a little bit. Post Republic game, post beer fest, maybe a little little video out on the Instagram, so so follow that. Um because I think it'd be fun to go live for a little bit and that'll be up on the Instagram. I got lavalier mics for us.
SPEAKER_03Um cute cute drunken drunken IG stories, let's do it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, you know you want it. Um but you know, uh as much as uh I was down on balance brewing, go go try that new brewery. Go go try them. Um support local business, support craft beer, go out there and try some beer. Thanks for listening, guys. Cheers.
SPEAKER_03Cheers.