Today’s BSR is a true session. Jimmy has arranged a soirée at Roberta’s to celebrate local beer bars, craft brews, and traditional German styles: Weissbier, Rauchbier, Pilsner… Attending the evening’s affair are a host of beer bar guests and various experts: some familiar, some fresh, and from all around the globe. Miguel Rivas AKA The Beer Trekker is back with his friend Beinat Gutierrez all the way from the Basque Country; Zach Mack, owner of ABC Beer Co, is also back in the studio for the...

The good times roll like the Rocky Mountains with Jimmy and the Bowl of 'Zole festival! Em Hutto of RadCraft Beer arranged another mighty show while Jimmy was out west, focusing on the good folks at Bruz Beers in Denver, CO. Joining Jimmy today are the two owners of Bruz: Charlie Gottenkieny and Ryan Evans. Em has Jimmy’s trust implicitly after arranging so many interesting BSR rendezvous, and so Jimmy hopped on this show with no questions asked! Tune in to find out how Bruz Beers are doing...

Today Jimmy’s celebrating Transmitter Brewing’s upcoming 10 year anniversary with a bunch of friends at the studio in Roberta’s! Join the party to recount Transmitter’s rockin’ ten years: brewing Belgian-inspired farmhouse-style ales, operating a bustling tasting room and beer garden in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and making it all look cool. Today’s starting line-up includes Ian Kalmes, head brewer at Transmitter; Bob Weyersberg, sales guy for Transmitter (and former WFMU DJ); Jen Gratereaux,...

Jimmy’s on the road in Cambridge, Massachusetts! He’s at Lamplighter Brewing Co’s special CX Outpost to bring us the first of two episodes on spent grain! Get the lowdown on everything from the importance of freshness, the fundamentals of upcycling grain, and a focus on craft malt. Joining Jimmy is returning guest Tyler Fitzpatrick from Lamplighter to give us some updates on their work with spent grain over the past couple of years. Also on the show is Kyle Fiasconaro from Brewer’s Foods,...

Jimmy is on the horn with Read Spear, President of Origen Imports inc. in Oaxaca, Mexico.  Read is a pioneering mezcal importer, and Origen Imports incorporates several brands including Cuentacuentos Agave Spirits. The key to marketing mezcal made using 400 year old traditions is getting out of the way of those traditions. The philosophy behind the Cuentacuentos “Real Mezcal” brand is to cut out as much of the filler between the consumer and the authentic origins of these agave...

Jimmy serves up an in-depth episode on the history of mouth watering whiskey from Mexico. Learn about the ancient corn that makes the whiskey so special, live with a suite of experts at the HRN studio in Roberta’s! Joining the discussion today are Clay Risen, NYT contributor and author, who reports on whiskey and other spirits; Zack Wangeman, founder and chef at Sobre Masa and Tortilla Factory, proud corn nerd; and Tiffany Collings, a founder of Las Chingonas Imports, who source fine...

NYC Beer Week 2024 is off with a bang! Live from the scene, Jimmy is at Gun Hill Publick House at Industry City following the Opening Bash event held on Saturday, February 24. This episode is going to include a barrel of useful information on everything from how to make a good lager to how to open a good brewery. Riding along with Jimmy is returning guest ​Pete Lengyel-Fushimi of Rockaway Brewing Company and Nick Meyer of Eckhart Beer Company, soon to open in Bushwick. Together, they'll try...

Like a phoenix from the ashes, the legendary Beer Bar, Deep Ellum in Waltham, MA, has been reborn! Just outside of Boston, Jimmy is at Deep Ellum beer bar to chat about the new location and the myth behind the legendary neighborhood establishment. Here to chat with Jimmy are Max Toste, one of the owners of Deep Ellum, and Matt Steinberg, co-founder and head brewer at Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing. The best lagers from Germany, the best cask from England, the best local craft beers. Name it, and they...

We are live from the mothership for episode 700 of BSR! It’s fitting to be in the place where it all started, Roberta’s Pizza, to bring you this jam packed episode of great food and beer pairings for our 700th Beer Session. Experience tantalizing tastings live with Jimmy and friends as they chow down and pour up, straight from the HRN studio in Bushwick. Here to join the celebration are two Master Cicerones and a familiar Beer Acolyte who have carved out their own spaces in the beer world...

We hope you’re hungry! Jimmy is wrapping up his Copenhagen series by chatting with a pastry chef turned innovative hot dog vendor. John Michael Jensen, or Sausage John, makes a hell of a lot of dogs at Johns Hotdog Deli, and hot sauce too! This is a mouth watering episode jam packed with magical street dogs (including Christmas duck confit sausages), beer collaborations, and Copenhagen’s own hot sauce! Get ready for some spice. Also joining John and Jimmy is Lasse Görlitz, or The...

We’re taking a trip back to Jimmy’s romp through København with our second special ‘on the road’ episode of the year! This week, we’re talking “bean to bar”, as Jimmy visits Friis Holm Chokolade, located on the farm and brewery property of Herslev Bryghus just outside of Copenhagen. There, Jimmy spoke with Mikkel Friis Holm, founder and chocolate maker at Friis Holm, and Nethe Plenge, cookbook author, chocolate lover, and gracious host who introduced Jimmy (chocolate eater!) to many Danish...

In this episode, brewer meets hop farmer to find what they have in common… and it’s a bunch of goats! Jimmy welcomes Averee Dilday and Darren Baze of Goat Patch Brewing Company, along with Audrey Gehlhausen of Billy Goat Hop Farm. Em Hutto has brought along some great new friends from Colorado for Jimmy to session with. Topics of discussion include beer, farming hops, goat yoga, drinking, and more goats! Learn about what it takes to start up a hop farm from scratch and what it’s like for a...

Come along with Jimmy on his trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, as he meets with some interesting folks doing some very Danish things with beer and more! On this stop of the journey, Jimmy sits down with Saimon Skurichin, proprietor of BRØL (Broel) Brewing, where surplus bread from bakeries is converted into amazing craft beers “BRØL” means beer + bread, and since 2007 Saimon and his crew have been merging sustainability and innovation to make quality beverages. Every beer they make incorporates...

Jimmy is kicking off 2024, the 15th year of BSR, from Roberta’s with a heavy hitting crew! In the hot seats tonight are Brandon Hoy, co-founder and owner of Roberta’s; James Tai, principal of Beer Acolyte Consulting and Gun Hill Publick House; Mike Amidei director of operations at Roberta’s; and Jaime Ojeda, Restaurateur and Brew Pub operator from Chile. What’s hot in New York this year? Roberta’s has been a melting pot and genesis point for food and drink culture since the restaurant opened...

We’ve made it to our last episode of 2023, and what a year it’s been for beer! Jimmy has assembled another crew of experts on the ground who helped bring him the favorite beers of 2023, and helped prove once and for all that craft malt is sexy! Find out why from this esteemed group including Tod Mott of Tributary Brewing Co Kittery, Maine; Joel Alex of Blue Ox Malthouse of Lisbon Falls, Maine; Tyler Fitzpatrick of Lamplighter Brewing Co. in Cambridge, Mass; and Ian Goering, Account Manager...

It doesn’t get much better than a Colorado-meets-New York show. For this week’s episode, Jimmy is diving into IPAs from two spectacular beer states with a couple special guests. Joining Jimmy are Geoff Wenzel, R&D brewer at Industrial Arts Brewing Co in Beacon, NY, and Dave Thibodeau, president and co-founder of Ska Brewing in Durango, Colorado. Great brewers and great guests, Geoff and Dave have sent Jimmy some awesome beers for a remote, coast-to-coast tasting. Each brewer will...

Back to Beers! Jimmy has commissioned a convocation of NYC beer bars experts for this very special episode! The point of discussion is Courtney Iseman’s Good Beer Hunting article regarding the scene, and this group of key players from this very special time are here to dive into this retrospective on NYC beer bar history. In the studio tonight are Courtney Iseman, freelance beer writer with Good Beer Hunting; Chris O'leary, editor of Brew York beer blog and newsletter; Jen Maslanka, GM and...

It’s a very special night at the Roberta’s studio! Jimmy is joined by HRN’s The Speakeasy host Greg Benson to co-pilot this ruckus, rockin’ episode! Also joining them are Danny Mena and Arik Torren, co-founders with Jimmy of Bowl of ‘Zole. The group has assembled in honor of October's Bowl of ‘Zole event, along with the recent announcement of HRN’s new executive director, RJ Bee. But that’s not all! It’s truly a party tonight, including Cameron Holck, Arik’s partner at Lot 001 Brands...

One of Jimmy’s favorite guests, Julia Herz, is back to talk about the recent Learn to Homebrew Day Celebration! Julia Herz is the Executive Director of the American Homebrewers Association, and has been busy since she last spoke with Jimmy. Having started as a hobbyist before her lauded career in beer, she is still homebrewing today. Held on November 4th, Julia has the lowdown on the Learn to Homebrew Day Celebration. The day is all about fostering community and helping curious...

Joel Shelton is back to take Jimmy and his merry gang on another ICB Tour! Joining the party this week is BR Rolya, BSR MVP and Joel’s partner in crime on Inner Circle Beer Tours; Bob Weyersberg of Transmitter Brewing and ICB co-conspirator; James Tai, advanced cicerone of Beer Acolyte and Gun Hill Publick House, and aspiring attendee of ICB; Pete Lengyel-Fushimi, brewer at Rockaway Brewing Company and ICB special guest; Robin Fowler of Wild East Brewing, Certified LUKR Tapster, and recent...

What in the world is scrumpy cider? Close out Cider Week New York 2023 with a history lesson from Elizabeth Ryan, fermenter, pomologist, cider maker, and NY State Cider Pioneer at Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider’s Breezy Hill Orchard; and also Fee Doyle, bartender, beertender, cider drinker, beer writer, folk musician, and Beer Witch ambassador. With Cider Week coming to a close, this episode is a great accounting of all things cider: Growing apples, making, selecting, and selling cider, and...

Always so good to be back at Roberta’s! Joining Jimmy in the studio today are returning guests Shinobu Kato, sake brewer and founder of Kato Sake Works, and Peter Lengyel-Fushimi, beer brewer at Rockaway Brewing. The crew will dive into all things rice, sake, koji, burgers, fermentation, ABV, pairings, and more! What makes what’s in your glass so good? These craftsmen have some unique insight. From Shinobu’s expansion of the sake brewing scene in NYC, to Pete’s advice to producers on what...

Back to Roberta’s! Being in the studio always gives Jimmy a chance to bring in his favorite folks from the NYC beer community. This week he does just that with Brett Taylor, Co Founder and Head Brewer at Wild East Brewing Company, and Ted Kenny, owner of Top Hops Beer Shops. Every brewery is different, and NYC is home to some very special beers. In this episode, learn about the myth behind Wild East, while tasting some great styles beyond the world of hazy IPAs. Easy drinking, very...

Cider Week New York is closer than ever! Want to be ready for the event before ​​October 6? Check out this special episode featuring Paige Flori of Boutique Wine, Spirits and Cider from Fishkill, NY, and returning guest Scott Ramsey, Executive Director of the New York Cider Association. Get the scoop from these Cider Week veterans on how the changes to the program over the past 12 years have changed the event for the better. Learn about who is at the cutting edge of New York cider. Hear how...