The Drinking Buddy Show - Craft Beverages & Artisan Snack Pairings

😀 Welcome back to The Drinking Buddy Show. Buddies of the show Greg Beck of Sake Secret and Paul Nakayama of Nankai Shochu are back to sip and snack with me.🍶 Support Sake Secret's Kickstarter Campaign🍶 Grab a bottle of Moonbloom SakeAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop. Summary (TLDR)Greg Beck has been running a sake bar pop-up out of Long Beach Beer Lab called Sake Secret, sharing his passion and knowledge with sake lovers new and old. Paul Nakayama recently expanded from importing and sharing vacuum-distilled Nankai and Nankai Gold Shochu, to a new whiskey-barrel aged shochu and some incredible new nihonshu from Moonbloom Sake. Grab a pack of Drinking Buddy snacks and join us while we sip and snack.Learn MoreGet a copy of The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks*We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*

😀 Welcome back to The Drinking Buddy Show. It's wine o'clock.  Use code BUDDYSHOW to get 10% off Ume Zarame Karinto, addictive plum sugar bites. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop. 🍶 See the latest wine releases on Instagram🍶 Check in with Wine, Cheese, Etc. on Facebook🍶 Order your own bottles and bites at Wine, Cheese, Etc.Summary (TLDR)On today’s show, chef Stephen Murray joins us to introduce some bottles and bites at his new shop Wine, Cheese, Etc. in Long Beach. Chef Stephen worked his way up from culinary school to fine dining, paying his dues along the way. After years of sacrificing holidays, weekends, and dinners at home, he recently opened up a wine, cheese, snack, and accessory shop on Clark in Long Beach. I got to sample a couple of the wines and taste some amazing and unique snacks.   Learn MoreGet a copy of The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks*We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍶 See what Greg is sipping on Instagram🍶 Check in with Sake Secret on Facebook🍶 Book Greg for your next event Sake SecretSummary (TLDR)I wanted to get Greg’s thoughts on some new sake pairings while we ring in the new year. We prepped cheese, salami, senbei, and walnuts, then got down to finding our favorite combinations.  Learn MoreGet a copy of The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks*We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🐔 See what Torisho is up to on Instagram🐔 Check in with Safu Sake on Facebook🐔 Order from Torisho Long BeachSummary (TLDR)Ken grew up between Japan and the US with a passion for music. He climbed his way up and was producing music for top artists in Japan before the age of 30. Looking for a new challenge, Ken founded Golden Foo, an entertainment company, in Los Angeles with two partners. A highly successfully fried chicken shop chain from Japan had caught his eye while working in New York, so he urged his partners to jump into the food business, right here in Long Beach.Learn MoreGet a copy of The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks*We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍶 See what Safu Sake is up to on Instagram🍶 Check in with Safu Sake on Twitter🍶 Learn more about Safu SakeSummary (TLDR)Dr. Paul Dohrenwend decided to head back to school for his MBA after years as a physician in San Diego. During his time at Wharton, he started piecing together a sake brand based on his experiences skiing and drinking in Hokkaido. I chatted with him about his love for premium sake, how he connected with food and beverage broker Reina Watanabe, and their combined efforts to launch Safu Sake in the midst of the unrelenting pandemic.Sake15% ABV Fuji Shuzo Style Junmai Daiginjo by Safu SakeOrigin: Usuki City, Oita, JapanNotes:  Aromas of melon, pear and hints of rose, bright and clean finish, silky mouthfeelLearn MoreGet a copy of The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks*We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍺 Get a copy of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization by Edward Slingerland *We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*🍺 Learn more about Edward SlingerlandSummary (TLDR)Professor Slingerland fell in love with Chinese philosophy and language at an early age. He eventually completed his studies at Stanford and Berkley in Northern California, and is currently a professor of philosophy at the university of British Columbia. His latest book Drunk delves into the world of intoxicants, exploring the origins, detriments, and benefits of our ancient dance with Dionysus. I spoke with Professor Slingerland to learn more about his fascinating research and the surprising results he uncovered.   LinksGet a copy of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization by Edward Slingerland 

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🎨 See what LaJon is up to on Instagram🎨 Send LaJon a commission requestSummary (TLDR)On today’s show, artist LaJon Miller joins me in Long Beach, California.  LaJon began drawing at an early age, copying his favorite graphic novel artists in notebooks. But what brought LaJon from sketches to the murals and paintings he’s known for today? How did art, something he was told couldn’t be a career, become his full-time passion? I sat down with LaJon to hear about his journey. Timestamps

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍶 See what Ambitious Ales is up to on Instagram🍶 Check in with Ambitious Ales on Facebook🍶 Learn more about Ambitious AlesSummary (TLDR)Ambitious Ales started when five friends decided to leave their careers behind and take their homebrewing hobby to the professional level. I sat down with Garrett to learn about their journey from winning a couple of brewing awards to opening their doors on Atlantic Avenue in a local landmark. We chatted about their goal of being a community hub, their plans for the future, and their latest lineup of craft beers.Timestamps1:17 Garrett Carroll7:00 Switching from music to craft beer11:01 The five founders of Ambitious Ales15:32 Surviving the pandemic18:14 The Ambitious brand20:03 A community hub21:41 Expansion24:16 Current beer lineup29:45 Where to learn moreBeer6.8% ABV Mandrake Falls West Coast IPA by Ambitious AlesHops: Triple Dry Hopped with Rakau, Motueka and The BruceNotes: Approachable, clean, modern West Coast profile with tropical fruit and soft citrus5% ABV Gandalf the Crisp New Zealand Style Pilsner by Ambitious AlesHops: Motueka Notes: Lime zest, clean profile, balanced bitternessLearn MoreGet a copy of The Oxford Companion to Beer *We receive a small commission when you use the link above. We only provide books that we have personally read and believe valuable to you.*

The Isbell Family has been farming in central Arkansas for generations. They gained international attention when they began growing premium Japanese rice, eventually bringing bus loads of visitors to see their farm. I chatted with two generations of the Isbell Family to learn about their history, sustainability practices, current sake and table rice varieties, and their plans for the future. 

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍶 See what Greg is sipping on Instagram🍶 Check in with Sake Secret on Facebook🍶 Book Greg for your next event Sake SecretWelcome to our the second part of our first Sips and Snacks episode! This is our last episode recorded during the pandemic shut down. We go over a few more sake and dream of visiting an izakaya.

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍶 See what Greg is sipping on Instagram🍶 Check in with Sake Secret on Facebook🍶 Book Greg for your next event Sake SecretWelcome to our first Sips and Snacks episode! I’m sitting down with friend of the show Greg Beck to sip on sake and umeshu, snack on some potential pairings, and learn a thing a two. 

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.🍶 See where iPourIt shows up next on Instagram🍶 Check in with iPourIt on Facebook🍶 Learn more about iPourItDarren Nicholson joins me from iPourit, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA.As breweries, restaurants, and now bars reopen in Long Beach and LA County, I wonder what permanent changes we’ll see to the food and beverage scene.iPourit caught my eye with their unique self-service beer & wine experience.They started off as the garage project of founder Brett Jones in 2012 and were growing steadily through 2019. The pandemic created an opportunity for them to take the self-serve model even further and introduce a touchless tap system.I sat down with Darren Nicholson to learn more about this trend that is sure to expand rapidly in the near future.

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop. Listeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on handcrafted, local sake and beer, available only at shop.novabrewingco.com. Use code DRINKINGBUDDY to get 10% off your order now.🍶 Check out Nova Brewing Co.'s latest craft beer and sake releases on Instagram🍶 Check in with Nova Brewing Co. on Facebook🍶 Shop the latest releases from Nova Brewing Co.Emiko Tanabe and James Jin are back from Nova Brewing Co. in Los Angeles to share more of their awesome line up, plans for the future, and their thoughts on what brewing means to them. 

Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your beer glass collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop. Listeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on handcrafted, local sake and beer, available only at shop.novabrewingco.com. Use code DRINKINGBUDDY to get 10% off your order now.🍶 Check out Nova Brewing Co.'s latest craft beer and sake releases on Instagram🍶 Check in with Nova Brewing Co. on Facebook🍶 Shop the latest releases from Nova Brewing Co.Emiko Tanabe and James Jin join us from Nova Brewing Co. in Covina, CA. Its hard to believe, but LA only recently got its first sake brewery. New York, Oakland, Seattle, San Diego, even Holbrook, AZ had sake breweries pop up. Nova Brewing Co. owner Emiko Tanabe spotted an opportunity to bring the craft of sake making to the biggest city on the west coast, and partnered up with aspiring brewer James Jin to make it happen.

On today’s show, digital marketer Mark Auyoung joins us from Costa Mesa, CA. I often have on entrepreneurs in the craft beverage space, but I wanted to start off 2021 with Mark to get his insights into a skill set that all entrepreneurs need – digital marketing. Mark has helped hundreds of small business people get their products and services online, using a data-driven process to grow brand awareness and conversion. If you’re running a business, or even just thinking of starting one in 2021, then you need to listen in.   Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.Listeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on LB Hats, available only at lbhats.com. Use code BUDDY to get 10% off your order now.🍸 Follow Mark for more tips on Instagram🍸 Find out more about Mark on his website 🍸 Connect with Mark on LinkedIn 

Beer educator Proper Josh joins us from San Diego, CA. Proper Josh is a self-educated beer and wine aficionado. He posts craft beer reviews daily, highlighting the craftsmanship required to make a truly great brew. We sat down to talk about how he got into craft beer, how he judges what he drinks, staying healthy while imbibing, and his holiday beer recommendations.  Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.Listeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on LB Hats, available only at lbhats.com. Use code BUDDY to get 10% off your order now.

Peter Kim joins us on behalf of Kizakura USA.  Peter shares the unique beer and sake offerings from Kizakura Brewery in Kyoto with retailers across the United States. He joined us to share the history of this unusual dual brewery, along with their line of flavored sake, and the Kyoto and Lucky craft beer series. Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.Listeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on LB Hats, available only at lbhats.com. Use code BUDDY to get 10% off your order now.

Claire Kim and Brandon Sugano join us from Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House and Fine Feathers Kombucha in Long Beach, CA.  Claire and Brandon recently made news as the new owners of Long Beach’s own Fine Feathers Kombucha. The husband and wife team had purchased Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House six years ago and were looking to expand their business. We chatted about how they ended up owning two local businesses, Brandon’s craft beer tap list, and some recommended kombucha flavors and Korean dishes.  Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comAdd a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.Listeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on LB Hats, available only at lbhats.com. Use code BUDDY to get 10% off your order now.

I’m going to introduce you to a unique earthenware beer mug handmade in the Bizen area of Okayama, Japan.Add a one-of-a-kind Bizen beer mug to your collection now. Available exclusively from The Drinking Buddy Shop.Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comListeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on LB Hats, available only at lbhats.com. Use code BUDDY to get 10% off your order now.

On today’s show, Mark Tigchelaar joins us from Solid Coffee Roasters in Artesia, CA. Mark is a transplant from Michigan. He got into craft coffee (and craft beer) when he and his wife moved to San Diego, and his interest grew as they moved up to LA County. He eventually met the original founders of Solid Coffee Roasters and proposed joining as their managing director. Mark shares how they opened up a second spot at Steel Craft, the Solid Mile collaboration with Ten Mile Brewing, how Solid Coffee is getting through the pandemic, and a couple of recommended blends from their roastery. Support the Drinking Buddy Show!  www.thedrinkingbuddyshop.comListeners of The Drinking Buddy Show get an exclusive 10% discount on LB Hats, available only at lbhats.com. Use code BUDDY to get 10% off your order now.Links☕⁠ Get the latest updates from Solid Coffee Roasters on Instagram ☕ Get to know Solid Coffee Roasters on Facebook☕ Grab yourself a bag of fresh roasted coffee