Thirsty Business Podcast
Stagione 1
di Jennifer Hauke
Every brewer obsesses over making great beer. But what happens after it leaves the brewery? In this episode, Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Matt Meadows, Director of Field Quality at New Belgium Brewing, co-author of the Brewers Association Draft Beer Manual, and one of the industry's leading authorities on draft beer quality. Matt has spent his career solving a problem most beer drinkers never think about: making sure the beer they receive tastes exactly the way the brewer intended. The conversation explores why draft quality isn't just about cleaning beer lines it's about building systems, creating accountability, educating partners, and protecting every pint served. Matt explains why beer quality is everyone's responsibility, from the brewery to the wholesaler to the retailer, and why prevention will always outperform reaction. They also discuss the evolution of draft quality programs, the importance of data-driven decision making, and why field quality teams should focus on coaching rather than catching people doing something wrong. One of the most fascinating parts of the episode dives into Japanese beer pouring techniques. Matt shares how these traditional methods transform the drinking experience by changing foam structure, aroma, mouthfeel, and presentation—showing that even something as simple as the way a beer is poured can dramatically elevate hospitality. Whether you're a brewer, distributor, bar owner, draft technician, or simply someone who appreciates a perfectly poured pint, this episode is packed with practical insights from one of the most respected voices in the industry. ⭐ Sponsored by: 🍺Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com 🍺Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast 🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/ Connect with our guest, Matt Meadows: 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmeadows/ If this episode gave you a new appreciation for everything that goes into delivering the perfect pint, share it with a brewer, distributor, bartender, or beer lover who's committed to raising the standard. #Beer #DraftBeer #CraftBeer #NewBelgium #BeerQuality #Hospitality #Brewing #DraftSystems #BeerEducation #CraftBrewing
In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Beer Institute President and CEO Brian Crawford for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces shaping the future of beer, hospitality, and the businesses that depend on them. From the Beer Institute's "It's Me Beer" and "Stand With Beer" campaigns to the relaunch of the CHEERS Act, Brian explains why advocacy matters for everyone in the beer ecosystem, from brewers and distributors to bars, restaurants, draft technicians, and hospitality operators. They explore how public policy impacts the industry, why beer remains one of the most powerful drivers of social connection, and what happens behind the scenes on Capitol Hill to protect an industry that supports millions of jobs. The conversation also dives into why maintaining strong relationships between policymakers and industry leaders is critical for the future of hospitality. Whether you're in beer, hospitality, foodservice, distribution, or simply curious about how policy influences business, this episode offers a fascinating look behind the curtain at the people working to protect and grow one of America's most important industries. ⭐Featured Campaigns: 🍺 https://standwithbeer.org/ 🍺 https://www.cheersact.org/ ⭐ Sponsored by: 🍺Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com 🍺Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast 🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/ Connect with our guest, Brian Crawford: 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-crawford-b538504/ 🔔 If this episode changed the way you think about beer, share it with someone who still thinks it’s “just beer.” #ThirstyBusinessPodcast #BeerIndustry #CraftBeer #HospitalityIndustry #BeerBusiness #DraftBeer #BeerInstitute #RestaurantBusiness #HospitalityLeadership #BeverageIndustry
What does it take to build a business that survives nearly 200 years? In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jennifer Hauke sits down with Jennifer Yuengling, sixth-generation owner and operator of Yuengling, America's oldest brewery. From its founding in 1829 to navigating Prohibition, economic downturns, changing consumer tastes, and modern expansion, Yuengling's story is one of resilience, patience, and unwavering commitment to quality. Jennifer shares how the family has preserved its values across six generations while continuing to grow responsibly into new markets. She explains why the company refuses to chase growth for growth's sake, the importance of long-term distributor partnerships, and how a people-first culture has created remarkable loyalty among employees and consumers alike. Beyond beer, this conversation is about legacy, leadership, grit, and building a company designed to outlive its founders. Whether you're building a brewery, running a family business, leading a team, or simply trying to create something that lasts, this episode is packed with practical lessons on culture, leadership, and legacy. Because the greatest businesses aren't built for the next quarter. They're built for the next generation. 🍻 ⭐ Sponsored by: 🍺Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com 🍺Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast 🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/ 🔔 If this episode changed the way you think about family businesses, leadership, or what it really takes to build something that lasts, share it with someone who's building a legacy of their own. #ThirstyBusinessPodcast #Yuengling #JenniferYuengling #FamilyBusiness #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BeerIndustry #Hospitality #BusinessGrowth #LegacyBusiness
What happens when one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the world starts treating beer like a food product instead of “just beer”? In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, hosts Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Zoe Riccio of Athletic Brewing to break down the science, systems, and obsessive quality control behind modern non-alcoholic beer. From food safety and microbiology to draft line cleaning, carbonation science, and brewery operations, this conversation goes far deeper than most people realize. They also dive into why Athletic invested heavily in its own breweries, how the company maintains consistency across multiple facilities, and why draft quality matters more than most bars understand. If you’ve ever wondered how non-alcoholic beer actually works, why Athletic is growing so fast, or what really happens behind the scenes in beverage manufacturing, this episode is packed with insider insights. ⭐ Sponsored by: Draftline Technologies https://www.draftlinetechnologies.com Micro Matic https://www.micromatic.com Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast 🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/ Connect with our guest, Zoe Riccio: 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-riccio-5a7a46bb/ 00:00 – Intro to Athletic Brewing & Zoe Riccio 02:10 – How Zoe got into food science 06:05 – The challenge of labeling non-alcoholic beer 09:12 – Why Athletic built its own breweries 17:15 – The science behind beer safety 33:28 – The difference between quality vs safety 41:15 – Athletic’s approach to quality control 45:06 – The science of consistency in brewing 53:02 – The future of draft beverages 56:18 – Final thoughts on beer, science & quality 🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Thirsty Business Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the future of beverage, brewing, hospitality, and business. And if this episode changed the way you think about beer, share it with someone who still thinks it’s “just beer.” #AthleticBrewing #NonAlcoholicBeer #CraftBeer #BeerPodcast #FoodScience #DraftBeer #BeverageIndustry #QualityControl #BrewingScience #ThirstyBusiness
Every great pint starts long before the pour. In this episode of Thirsty Business, Guinness ambassador Ryan "Wags" Wagner joins Jen Hauke for a fascinating conversation about beer quality, draft systems, faucet cleaning, nitrogen pours, and the unseen work that shapes every guest experience. From the role of a well-maintained draft system to the science behind a perfect Guinness pour, Ryan explains why the details behind the bar matter just as much as the beer itself. Along the way, they explore exploding Guinness faucets, the psychology of hospitality, and the emotional storytelling that has helped make Guinness one of the world's most iconic brands. Part beer science, part operational insight, part hospitality philosophy, this episode reveals how great experiences are built one pint at a time. If you care about bars, restaurants, hospitality, beverage programs, Guinness, or creating memorable guest experiences, this episode is for you. ⭐ Sponsored by: Draftline Technologies www.draftlinetechnologies.com Micro Matic www.micromatic.com Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast Connect with our guest, Ryan Wagner: 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-wagner-43a4b384/ 00:00 Welcome and Cheers 01:17 Preakness TV Perfect Pour 03:16 First Guinness Memories 04:03 From Theater to Beer 07:16 Laid Off Then Guinness Call 09:13 Career Dots Connect 12:33 Why Chicago Brewery 21:16 Guinness Ad Legends 23:32 John Gilroy Menagerie 25:30 Michael Ash Draft Science 30:58 Perfect Head and Foam 32:55 Beer Clean Glassware Rules 42:23 Quality Culture and Training 49:36 Guinness Growth and Moments 52:20 Converting a Tap to Guinness 01:01:40 Hospitality as a Career 01:10:22 Final Cheers and Wrap Up 🔔 If this episode changed the way you think about draft beer, hospitality, or customer experience, send it to someone who owns a bar, runs a restaurant, or works behind the stick. And if you’re building experiences people come back for, subscribe for more conversations about beer, business, hospitality, and the systems behind great service. #Guinness #DraftBeer #Hospitality #BarOwner #RestaurantBusiness #BeerCulture #CraftBeer #BartenderLife #BeerQuality #Micromatic
There’s the version of the beverage industry most people see from the outside… and then there’s the version insiders actually live in every day. In this first episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, hosts Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Jenn Litz-Kirk, Director of Content at Beer Business Daily and host of Beer Net Radio, to unpack what’s really driving beer, RTDs, and beverage alcohol right now. From Beer Summit takeaways to distribution pressure, regional brand power, and the rise of RTDs like vodka tea and Surfside, this conversation breaks down how trends actually form, and why most “winning brands” don’t win because of strategy decks… but because something just clicks in the market. At its core, this episode is about an industry that is still deeply human. Relationships matter more than systems. Timing matters more than theory. And great branding is still something you recognize instantly, even if nobody can fully explain why. Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast Connect with our guest, Jenn Litz-Kirk: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-litz-kirk-6b2749129/ 00:00 – Intro: Inside Thirsty Business & Beer Media World 03:10 – Why Jen starts every day with beer headlines 06:45 – The pressure of daily trade journalism 10:20 – Reporting on your own industry: the insider problem 14:05 – Embargoes, leaks, and how beer news actually breaks 17:50 – Why beer is still a relationship business 21:40 – Beer Summit recap: what the industry is really talking about 26:15 – Craft beer’s evolution and shrinking middle market 30:40 – RTDs, vodka tea, and the new growth engine 34:55 – Surfside, NOCA, and breakout brand patterns 38:30 – Why design is more important than people admit 42:10 – “You know it when you see it” branding instinct 45:45 – Why the middle of beer is disappearing 49:20 – Local brands vs national rankings reality check 52:55 – Distribution consolidation and industry pressure 56:40 – What big suppliers are doing right now 59:10 – Final thoughts on authenticity and survival in beer If you’ve ever looked at a brand and thought “why does this work… and that doesn’t?”. This is your kind of conversation. 🔔 Subscribe to Thirsty Business Podcast for more unfiltered industry conversations where the real stories don’t sound like press releases.And share this with someone who still thinks branding lives in a deck… not in the real world where products either click or disappear. #BeerIndustry #BeverageBusiness #CraftBeer #RTDDrinks #BeerMarketing #BrandStrategy #Distribution #ThirstyBusiness #BeverageTrends
There’s a version of the beverage industry most people see from the outside… and then there’s the version that actually built it. In this special episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jen Hauke sit down with his dad, Chuck Thomas, a veteran of the beverage dispensing industry whose career spans over five decades across Hudson Industries, Michigan Carbonic, Leonard Syrups, Berg Liquor Control Systems, and the early foundations of modern draft beer infrastructure. From basements and syrup rooms in Detroit to stadium-scale installs at Comerica Park and Ford Field, this is the untold history of how beer, soda, and liquor systems actually evolved in America. Before dashboards, apps, and analytics… this industry ran on instinct, relationships, field experience, and pure problem-solving in real time. This is not a theory. This is the operational history of how drinks actually get from the brewery to your glass. If you’ve ever wondered how the beverage industry really works, this episode will change how you see every tap handle, bar top, and stadium pour. 00:00 – Origins of the Beverage Industry 04:10 – Hudson Industries & Early Soda Systems 09:35 – First Field Service Experience 14:20 – Navy Service & Life Direction Shift 18:55 – Michigan Carbonic & Industry Training Ground 24:30 – Early Draft & Carbonation Systems 29:40 – Early Craft Beer & Microbrew Installations 34:10 – Starting Custom Beverage 39:25 – Line Cleaning & Recurring Revenue Shift 44:50 – The Sherrod Story 50:35 – Stadiums, Casinos & Major Install Projects 55:20 – What Makes a Proper Install 59:10 – Walking Away From Big Deals (MGM Story) 1:03:05 – Advice for the Next Generation 1:06:00 – Legacy, Relationships & Final Thoughts Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast 🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/ 🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside the beverage industry where the stories don’t come from press releases… they come from the people who built it. Share this with someone who thinks beer systems are simple. They’re not. #BeerIndustry #DraftBeer #BeverageIndustry #BeerSystems #BeerLineCleaning #CraftBeerBusiness #DetroitBusiness #FoodAndBeverage #HospitalityIndustry #BeverageTech #Entrepreneurship #ThirstyBusiness #Micromatic #Perlick #BergLiquorControl
What happens when you bring together decades of Detroit beverage industry experience, underground install stories, and the kind of jobsite chaos you can only learn the hard way? On this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, Jen is joined by her brother Phil Thomas, her husband Drew Hauke, and guest Jim Bonnell, owner of World Beverage and a veteran beverage technician who spent his entire career in the Detroit industry. From crawling through old theaters and finding time capsules… to dangerous installs in abandoned buildings… to overloaded trucks, electrocutions, and beer systems gone wrong, this episode is packed with real stories from people who lived it firsthand. But beyond the chaos, there’s a deeper conversation about craftsmanship, work ethic, and how the beverage industry has evolved over time in Detroit and beyond. This is what it really looks like behind the scenes of an industry most people never think about… until something goes wrong. 00:00 Detroit neighborhoods & dangerous old days 03:12 Why Detroit is making a comeback 06:08 Discovering hidden time capsules in old theaters 10:02 Dangerous installs in historic buildings 14:28 Crazy underground beer line jobs 18:11 Beverage companies running on no resources 21:47 The “Barnstormers” snowstorm story 26:35 Bartering jobs for dinners & entertainment 30:04 Detroit New Year’s stories & bullet holes 33:15 How beer systems changed over the years 37:40 Why AI can’t replace skilled trades 42:18 Detroit work ethic & craftsmanship 46:55 The best installers in the business 50:33 Electrocution stories & overloaded trucks 56:41 How restaurant installs changed over time 1:01:12 The beginning of Michigan’s craft beer boom 1:06:08 Why massive tap systems became a problem 1:10:42 The disgusting reality of dirty beer lines 1:15:26 Why proper line cleaning matters 1:19:34 Final thoughts & listener story submissions Connect and Follow Thirsty Business Podcast across platforms: 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstybusinesspodcast/ 👉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thirsty-business-podcast/about/ 👉TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thirstybusinesspodcast 👉Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/ThirstyBusinessPod/ 👉YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyBusinessPodcast 🌐Visit our website: https://www.thirstybusinesspodcast.com/ 🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations from inside the beverage industry where the stories don’t come from press releases… they come from the people who built it. Share this with someone who thinks beer systems are simple. They’re not. #BeerIndustry #DraftBeer #Detroit #BlueCollar #CraftBeer #Tradesmen #SmallBusiness #WorkEthic #ThirstyBusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship