Episode 186 of the Tap Room Podcast with host Mike and guest Miguel Santoyo of The Bear Trap Beer (Big Bear Lake). Miguel shares the family-driven origin story of turning an abandoned steakhouse into a celebrated taproom, the role his wife, brother and father played, and the legacy of his late mother as the taproom’s spirited hostess.Topics include craft-beer discoveries, sourcing rare cans (Monkish, Highland Park, Harlan), collaborations and can releases, taproom operations (line cleaning, hand-washed glassware), menu highlights like the Spice Mountain pizza and smash burgers, and the challenges of staffing and running a seasonal mountain business.Listeners can expect warm family anecdotes, practical lessons on launching a taproom, beer style talk (pilsners, hazies, West Coast), and why The Bear Trap has become a must-stop in Big Bear.

Episode 185 of the Taproom Podcast: host Mike visits Lake Arrowhead Brewing and sits down with owner Travis Lanthier to explore the brewery’s origin, its stunning mountain setting, and the beer that defines it. They cover Travis’s path from screen printing to craft beer, finding and renovating a long-vacant lakeside building, opening during COVID (the crowler pivot), production and seasonality challenges on the mountain, and the brewery’s core and rotating beers — including Coldy mountain lager, Golden Hour Czech Pils, Rattler, Switchback XBA and the Lake Days Hazy Double IPA. Travis also discusses collaborations (Synth), branding and merch, and the role his team (including brewer Victor and his wife Megan) plays in daily operations. The episode highlights the taproom vibe, community focus, local food vendors and events, beer education and hospitality, plus light moments (a brazen skunk story, Buzz Balls confession) and music tastes in the taproom. Key takeaways: how to balance creativity with consistency, build a location-based brand, and pivot under pressure. Listeners can expect an upbeat, candid conversation with practical brewing and small-business lessons.

Host Mike sits down with Kevin Wright, Beverage & Operations Director at Firemaker Beer (Atlanta), to trace his brewing journey from Portland and Kona to Chicago and back to Georgia. They discuss Firemaker’s taproom culture, community-driven approach, and unique beverage portfolio — beer, cider, non‑alcoholic sparkling waters, protein water prototypes and more.Key topics include brewing styles (lagers, West Coast IPAs, hazy IPAs), recipe development and scaling, pilot systems, quality and consistency, and creative one-offs. Kevin shares hands‑on stories from Kona, tips on consumer education, and how Firemaker balances experimentation with reliable distribution (including a PGA partnership and multiple locations).Listeners can expect candid industry insight, tasting and style preferences, behind‑the‑scenes product development, and the role of community in brewery success — plus a few personal touches (music, cats, and favorite drunk food) that make this episode a lively, informative conversation for beer lovers and aspiring brewers alike.

Episode 183 of the Tavern Podcast with host Mike features Sam Mickles of Irrelephant Brewing. Listen for Sam’s journey from music and dancing into craft beer, his first industry breaks at Ritual, contract brewing with Three Iron and other local breweries, and how his creative background shapes unique recipes like Mama’s Dessert, his strawberry golden ale, and the signature African‑American Ale made with sorghum and cultural inspiration. The conversation covers brewing technique and business (contract brewing, building a main menu, recipe development), Sam’s passion for community and representation, and practical advice—don’t sit on ideas; move when inspiration hits. Sam also shares favorite situational beers, what calms him at the end of the day, and how music fuels his brewing energy. Key takeaways: how creativity and culture inform recipe choices, the importance of building community and representation in craft beer, Irrelephant’s goals to expand (including plans for multiple locations and aspirations in Africa), and encouragement for listeners to try new styles and pursue their own projects. Expect candid storytelling, concrete brewing insights, and an uplifting discussion about identity, inclusion, and the role of craft beer in bringing people together.

Host Mike sits down with Kyle Thomas of Reformation Brewery to trace Kyle’s journey from growler shop work to running the canning line and rising to the brew stand. They cover Reformation’s roots and community-first mission in Woodstock and Canton, signature beers like the beloved "Cold One" and a creamsicle-style slushy, and why the taproom focuses on bringing people together. The episode digs into brewing styles Kyle loves (West Coast IPAs and lagers), the creativity of the Woodstock five-barrel brew house, collaborations with Abstracts, Creature Comforts and others, and recent awards including a CBC Skunk Works win and national medals. Along the way Mike and Kyle chat baseball (Braves stories), college football, touring brewery scenes (San Diego, Asheville), life in the brewery, staff culture, and how competitions and collabs shape regional craft beer. Expect an honest, personal conversation about craft, community, and what it takes to make great beer.

Host Mike sits down with Jeremy Schultz (owner) and Matt Bolden (head brewer) of 1852 Brew Co. in Visalia to tell the story of their ‘‘footy & brews’’ concept: indoor soccer fields paired with a family-friendly taproom and a locally rooted brewery. They talk brand origin, community-first design, and how soccer shaped the DNA of the business.Matt shares his path from homebrewer to head brewer, the brewery’s pilot system and brewing philosophy, and highlights core beers like the West Coast "Unite & Strengthen," Breakaway Blonde, the Bumpy Pitch pale ale and the red ale "Never Walk Alone." Jeremy and Matt discuss consistency vs. creativity, self-distribution, local food-truck partnerships and signature projects like the Todos Juntos/Unity on Tap fundraiser beer that funnels proceeds to local nonprofits.Episode takeaways: the importance of team and community, how a niche experience (soccer + beer) creates reliable foot traffic, the work behind the taproom and brew house, and the founders’ growth and franchising ambitions. Expect warm storytelling, brewing details, and practical insights for anyone building a local hospitality brand.

Episode 180 of the Taproom Podcast features hosts Mike with guests Jenna Marquez and Matt Taylor of Tap Yard (and Drybox) in Tulare. They discuss opening and building a family-friendly taproom, adding Drivebox golf simulators, the 5,000 sq. ft. patio and LED Brewview wall, and curating a local craft beer lineup featuring 1852, Salty Walrus, Crow & Wolf, Firestone and more.Key highlights include their Tap Yard Lager collab with 1852 that donates $1 to a new local nonprofit each month, rotating food trucks and events (karaoke, dueling pianos, line dancing, comedy), the penny-covered bar contest, memorable guests like David Walker, and how Tap Yard supports and revitalizes downtown Tulare.Expect stories about community-first hospitality, scheduling challenges during big events like the World Cup, and practical details for visitors—what to drink, where to sit, and why Tap Yard has become a local hub for beer, music and family-friendly fun.

Host Mike sits down with Jeremy "Jerm" Rodriguez of Beachwood Brewing to trace his decade-plus journey from bartender to brewer, blender and distiller. They discuss Beachwood’s IPA roots, the long-game patience behind the blendery’s lambic-style sours, building a distillery from scratch, and awards that validated their work. The episode also touches on brewery culture, customer experience, family life, nerdy hobbies, situational beers and behind-the-scenes stories from the brew deck.

Episode 178 of the Taproom Podcast: a thank-you episode hosted by Mike with co-host Luis. They recap recent brewery visits, brewroom updates and the festival run — including stories from TapYard Tulare, 1852 brewco aka Footy & Brews, Salty Bear and many more guests and breweries featured throughout the year. Topics include Level Up’s expansion and taproom plans, competition wins and entries (Brewer’s Cup, California State Fair, GABF submissions), road trips to Russian River, Morgan Territory and other standout taprooms, and behind-the-scenes talk about brewing, collabs and secret seltzer experiments. Key points: gratitude to the craft-beer community and listeners, the sacrifices of running a brewery, upcoming two-year anniversary plans and merch, ways to support the show, and a preview of future collabs and recordings on the road.

Join Mike for episode 177 of the Taproom Podcast recorded live at the L.A. Independent Beer Fest in Long Beach. Mike chats with brewers and brewery reps from Beachwood, Feathered Serpent, Old Stump, Gladiator, Beer Paper, Ambitious Ales, La Bodega, Tapyard, and more. Expect tasting notes on pilsners, West Coast IPAs, rice lagers, fruited sours, and unique beers like Secret Stash, People Pills, and specialty Japanese lagers.The episode features interviews with Jeremy (Beachwood), Jerome (Peachwood), Chew, Garrett (Ambitious Ales), Abraham (La Bodega), Steven (Gladiator), Jeff (Old Stump), Yvette (Feathered Serpent), Alex Lucio (Smog City/Lucio Brewing) and others. Topics include festival memories, favorite beers of the day, collab wishes, beer style debates (hazies vs. West Coast), pool-day beer picks, and tips for new podcasters.Expect a lively, informal vibe with on-site festival ambience, behind-the-scenes chat about pouring and brewing, shout-outs to local taprooms, and a few sloppy, slurred moments that capture the day’s fun. Perfect for craft-beer fans who want brewmaster insights, festival recaps, and recommendations for what to drink next.