Have you ever been so excited about a project, hobby or passion that it momentarily consumes your life?

This is currently where I am right now. A little more than fourteen days ago, I had an idea that I thought might generate some interest in the craft beer nerd/snob/geek/stud communities, as well as just give me something to do in the evenings. Since getting that idea, I’m very happy to say that I have acted on it. I created and now host The Building Breweries Podcast. Creating something like this is really liberating as I have full control over something that provides me with a fun and creative outlet which I can express myself with and I recommend anyone else with the means to do so to try and host a podcast of their own. In fact, with access to a readily available podcast editing service, you are already a huge step of the way there.

What? I’m a craft beer podcaster? Kind of.

I think I’m a fraud at the moment. My set-up involves a phone on speaker, Audacity, and a Blue Yeti Microphone. I don’t do much editing. I’m stumbling around a lot, if I’m being honest. But I’m having fun. And the opportunities I’ve had so far (and will continue to have with your help) are amazing.

My goal is to interview a new craft brewery representative each episode regarding the brewery’s history, culture, original flagship beers, and other general facts about the brewery itself. Essentially, this podcast would serve as a tour for those around the country that may not have the opportunity to visit a certain brewery, and perhaps pique their interest enough to then visit and learn more about the people responsible for all of the good times we have because of the good craft beer we drink.

Since I first had my idea, I have had the opportunity to interview representatives from Anderson Valley Brewing Company (owner Trey White), Rhinegeist (Co-Founder Bryant Goulding), and New Glarus Brewing Company (Brewmaster and Co-Founder Dan Carey).

While I encourage you to listen to all three episodes released thus far to learn more about the Boontling language spoken in Anderson Valley and maybe hear about the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood that hosts Rhinegeist, I’d like to speak with you, briefly, about New Glarus and Dan Carey.

If you’re unfamiliar, New Glarus Brewing Company, situated in the village of New Glarus, Wisconsin is the one of the biggest small breweries in the United States. While they are independently owned and refuse to distribute outside the great state of Wisconsin, they somehow manage to be one of the top 40 largest breweries in the country.

Dan Carey, who I will forever picture as a mad scientist brewer, has to be one of the brightest brewers in the industry. Not only is this true when it comes to his brewing abilities, but it also manifests in his understanding of the beer market and his customers. On top of this, he’s just a downright pleasant guy to speak to. In the podcast, Dan talks a lot about his past as a brewer and New Glarus Brewing Company’s history.

If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t get New Glarus’ Serendipity, Moon Man, or Spotted Cow outside of Wisconsin, I would encourage you to listen to this episode and learn. Dan shares a lot of his opinions on the Beverage Industry as a whole and breaks it all down on why he believes local beer tastes better.

I have been given the incredible and fortunate opportunity to become a contributor on the Brew Studs blog. In the future, when I release a new episode, there will be a post here to introduce you to both the guest and the topic, which is always going to be craft beer related. My hope is to give you a holistic dive into the stories that tell the history and suppose the future of your favorite local craft brewers and breweries.

I would think the world of you if you could be so generous and rate/review my episodes on iTunes. That way, if you like The Building Breweries Podcast or have critiques, you can help me grow as an interviewer and give me better ideas on where to go, who to interview, and what craft beer to drink next.

I am new to this…and I look forward to sticking around. Feel free to follow me on Twitter and the Podcast on Facebook.

Thanks, y’all. Here’s the Episode with New Glarus’ Dan Carey.