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Beer, Billionaires, and Bad Business Decisions
This week on Beer Guys Radio, we're talking beer gadgets, brewery buyouts, and a billionaire who might not be a Guinness fan.
Shock Top and Auntie Anne's have teamed up to create a tailgating vest that keeps your beer cold and your pretzels warm. Is it genius or just another solution to a problem nobody had? Either way, we kind of want one.
Speaking of questionable beer experiences, Mark Zuckerberg went viral after taking a sip of Guinness and making a face that launched a thousand memes. He claims that's just how his face looks. Fair enough, Zuck.
We've also got the results from the 2026 Great American Beer Festival, where more than 7,200 entries competed for medals. We'll check out some of the winners and talk about the festival's new outdoor format.
There's plenty happening on the business side of beer, too. Hardywood and Starr Hill are joining forces in Virginia, while Stone Brewing's original founders are stepping in to keep the iconic Escondido restaurant alive. That leads us into a bigger conversation about brewery acquisitions and why buying a brewery doesn't always work out so well for the buyer.
We'll also take a look at the world's largest brewers, another historic German brewing operation shutting down, and how researchers are turning spent brewing grain into a potential water filtration solution.
Finally, we're talking about changing expectations for breweries and taprooms. It used to be enough to make great beer and have a place to drink it. Now customers want food, entertainment, atmosphere, and a whole lot more. Are breweries becoming restaurants and entertainment venues that happen to make beer?
All that and more this week on Beer Guys Radio. Grab a pint and join us!
Cheers!
This week's stories
- Shock Top's TWIST Tailgater Vest
- Zuckerberg's Viral Guinness Moment
- 2026 Great American Beer Festival Results
- Hardywood Acquires Starr Hill Brewery
- Grain Waste: Water Filtration Innovation
- World's Biggest Brewer & Other Production Stats
- Historic German Brewery Closing
- Stone Founders Taking Over Escondido Restaurant
- Brewery Buyouts Rarely Go Well for the Buyer
- Changing Expectations About Beer & Taprooms
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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