“Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.” ― Terence McKenna Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 85 “Trippin on Bicycle Day”.  In this episode we talk about Bicycle Day and we don’t mean the celebration of the two wheeled, pedal driven device although there is a bicycle involved. We are discu ..read more

“Sativa to change the things I can, Indica to accept the things I can’t.”- Bob Marley   Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 84 “Hazy History of 420”. In this episode we visit the origins of ’420’. There are many versions, but we have the real deal detailng some Cali teenagers in search of free weed unbeknown to them that they would carve out a piece of modern folklore and an unofficial holiday. In fact, Lagunitas Brewing Co. brews a seasonal beer artfully named The Waldos, commemorating those crazy teens. The guys also talk about a list titled ‘9 Beers with a 420 Twiist’ S ..read more

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, or is that St. Paddy’s Day? Either way, when it comes to beer and brewing, perhaps the real Saint we should be admiring could very well be St. Brigid (more on that in this episode). Speaking of episodes, we start this shindig off by tasting some excellent Irish/St. Paddy’s themed beers and then give it a lash to discuss the history of the Irish Pub, learning about Ireland’s patron saints, Publicans, Barmen, Alewives, Spirit Grocers, SheBeens, Patrick Cavanaugh and Brendan Behan “dog days to drink” legend, and the lot that brought us into the era of the Public Houses we ..read more

“Did they get you to trade, Your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change? Did you exchange, A walk-on part in the war, For a leading role in a cage?”  Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd  Greetings and welcome to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 81 “Wish You Were Beer”. In this installment we have our old friend and past Forest City Brewers President, Joe Mongan call in. Joe is now a resident of Gator Country a.k.a. Florida. Since packing it up and leaving the state of Illinois (lucky SOB) Joe has been busy! He has set up his home brewery, for ..read more

“Still don't know what I was waitin' for, and my time was runnin' wild. A million dead end streets. And every time I thought I'd got it made, It seemed the taste was not so sweet” – Changes / David Bowie  An appropriate line for this show from one of my favorite artists, Ziggy Stardust A.K.A. David Bowie. Welcome to Episode 80 – What Will Be - 2022 Beer Trends, where we talk about and forecast he year ahead in the craft beer world. We also have one of our favorite guests sitting in with us, Cory Kuczynsk, to help us kick off a new year of podcasts! So, what do you, our beloved listeners ..read more

“Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.” – Frank Costanza Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars episode 79 - Beer Festivus for the Rest of Us! In this podcast we unabashedly borrow from the Seinfeld episode where George and his father celebrate an alternative holiday, Festivus. So grab a couple of beers, prepare a Festivus dinner (meatloaf on a bed of lettuce is key to stay true to the holiday), get a Festivus pole, air your grievances and join in the ..read more

Festivals are happy places, and you don’t really want to enjoy them on your own.– Christine and the Queens Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars Episode 78. Festivals are back…oh yea! In this episode we bring back our longtime friend and cofounder of Rockford IL Screw City Beer Festival Aaron Sleeger to talk about the 2021 Screw City Beer Festival coming back after being shit canned due to the COVID mandates of 2020. Aaron is the ideal person to organize a craft beer festival. He is a graduate of Ray Daniels Cicerone Certification Program , resident beer guy at our sponsor Artale & Co and a ..read more

“Put a lime in the coconut and drink 'em both together; Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better; Put the lime in the coconut, drink 'em both down; Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning” Put the Lime in the Coconut  This popular novelty song from the 1972 album Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson finds a girl in tummy trouble after drinking a concoction of lime and coconut. She calls her exasperated doctor in the middle of the night, who suggests she take a little of the hair of the dog that bit her. Welcome back to Home Brew Rock Stars Episode 77 and although w ..read more

“Summer breeze makes me feel fine. Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind. Summer breeze makes me feel fine. Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind. – Summer Breeze/Seals & Croft  What a great song! It’s one of those that take me back to my teen years, not a care in the world. Long hair, cruising around town, throwing the Frisbee, getting high and a kegger party every weekend. Just like the 1993 movie Dazed & Confused. Oh those days of misspent youth… I really dig the warm summer breeze on a summer evening. I spend most of the summer nights on my deck enjoying the weather usually ..read more

“Summer nights and my radio. Well that's all we need, baby, don'tcha know? We celebrate when the gang's all here. Ah, hot summer nights, that's my time of the year.” Summer Nights/ Van Halen- 5150 I don’t know about you listeners but for me summer is the best season of the year! Cookouts, drinks with friends on warm summer nights under the stars, watching a thunderstorm light display on the canvas of a dark summer sky, listening to a ballgame, outdoor music events, and beer…oh my.   Welcome back to HomeBrew RockStars Episode 75 we are calling ‘Let’s Play Beer!’ And the gang’s all here. On ..read more