Welcome to Craft Beer Republic! Greg is still recovering from a champagne-fueled blackout, Flex forgot he even had a podcast to record, and somehow, there’s a hidden Smirnoff Ice lurking in Greg’s house, just waiting to ruin someone’s day. The guys break down the math behind those too-good-to-be-true dollar pints, brainstorm ways to keep breweries alive (spoiler: trivia night is fine, but bingo might mean you’re doomed), and discuss why non-alcoholic beer had its best Dry January ever—much to their disappointment.

Beers We’re Drinking

• Greg is drinking Congress Street IPA from Trillium Brewing Company.
• Flex is sipping on Off Season Imperial Hazy IPA from Three Sheeps Brewing Company.

Episode Highlights

Greg survived (barely) a Champagne Around the World birthday party for Deb, and let’s just say champagne drunk is a special kind of drunk. There were spreadsheets involved (Flex was impressed), sideline bottles, surprise DoorDash deliveries, and an ungodly amount of bubbly consumed. The aftermath? A raging champagne headache and a desperate need for sweet potato fries. Meanwhile, Greg also made a highlystrategic Smirnoff Ice purchase, setting up a hidden ice attack on unsuspecting guests. The boys also dive into the fine art of brewery marketing—why collabs are the key, trivia is timeless, and why breweries throwing comedy nights might need to re-evaluate their business plan. Oh, and Flex flexes his ability to recite the alphabet backwards, just in case the need ever arises (Greg, on the other hand, does not have this talent).

Booze News:

• 🍺 Dry January Just Got Worse – Non-alcoholic beer claimed a record share of the grocery store market last month. Civilization is crumbling.
• 🍑 Georgia Breweries May Finally Catch a Break – A new bill could open the door for self-distribution. About time?
• 💰 Sapporo’s Regretful Beer Shopping Spree – Stone Brewing’s new owners just admitted they massively overpaid… again.
• 🚔 Ravens Lineman Blows a .178 – At 6'6" and 360 lbs, this guy needed way more than “three or four beers” to get there.

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

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Welcome in, thirsty friends! Greg went full beer tourist and drank his way through Austin, and he’s here to spill all the boozy details. Meanwhile Brewing served up his favorite beer of the trip—so good it forced him to break a years-long Untappd dry spell! Flex, on the other hand, is freezing his mustache off in the Midwest, sipping on a Toppling Goliath variety pack and confirming what we already knew: people on Untappd have no taste. The guys also dig into the absurdity of TSA screenings, the power of food truck barbecue, and the ongoing battle against Big Beer’s nonsense. Plus, why is Michelob Ultra so damn popular?

Beers We’re Drinking

• Greg – Meanwhile Brewing's Tender Robot. A gold medal winning hazy out of Austin.
• Flex – Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue – the Nectarine Hop Variant, jammed with tangerine goodness.

Greg went on a Valentine's weekend trip to Austin, which quickly turned into a full-blown beer pilgrimage. From Meanwhile Brewing’s award-winning haze to Zilker and Lazarus Brewing, it was one tasty stop after another. Flex, meanwhile, has been battling negative temperatures and living in a hoodie. The guys discuss TSA’s fascination with Greg’s “oversized package” and reminisce about the best airport snacks (Southwest’s Maui onion pretzels for the win). Greg also recounts a wedding night in Asheville that ended with gin-fueled regrets and a long nap on the cold bathroom floor. Meanwhile, Flex reveals his grandma’s secret to beer drinking (spoiler: salt) and the guys dunk on Michelob Ultra drinkers.

Booze News (Revised)

• Big Beer Strikes Again – Another craft brewery is calling out Molson Coors for some sneaky marketing. Haven’t they learned their lesson from that $56 million lawsuit?
• Super Bowl Beer Sales Fumble – While the Chiefs took home the trophy, draft beer sales took a hit. But somehow, Michelob Ultra is thriving. We have questions.
• New DUI Limit Proposal: Will It Change Anything? – North Carolina wants to lower the legal limit to .05. But will it actually stop drunk drivers, or just ruin happy hour?
• Guam’s Most Honest Drunk Driver – When asked how much he had to drink, his answer was… refreshingly straightforward.

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

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Greg and Flex are back, beers in hand, ready to talk about all the important things—like how much Michelob Ultra dominated the Super Bowl (gross), why THC drinks might be too much for Flex’s delicate balance, and whether dropping $10K for $1 beers for life is a genius move or a financial disaster. Plus, Greg catches an old drinking buddy in the ultimate beer hypocrisy, and we dive into some truly ridiculous booze news, including yet another Japanese government worker losing sensitive data while drunk. Crack one open, because this one’s a ride!

Beers We’re Drinking

• Greg – Frost Quake by Smog City Brewing – A hazy IPA with a surprising bitterness and a touch of old-school malt.
• Flex – Jinxproof Lager by Three Floyds Brewing – Crisp, crackery, and crushable with a touch of noble hops.

Greg’s Super Bowl involved beer, Mario Kart, and absolutely zero emotional investment in either team. Flex’s was a mix of a sick kid, some pretzel nuggets, and the stunning realization that his dad might actually be a white Samuel L. Jackson. But the real shocker? Greg caught an old drinking buddy slamming a certain beer that they swore off years ago!

Flex also dabbled in some THC experimentation, confirming that 6mg is his sweet spot but 10mg had him straight-up wobbly. Greg, on the other hand, revisits a dispensary freebie that was so bad it tasted like pure regret. And just when you thought things couldn’t get worse, we break down the tragic beer choices from Super Bowl Sunday (seriously, Michelob Ultra??).

Booze News:

• Super Bowl Shotgun Showdown – Saquon Barkley just put on a beer-chugging clinic, but did he really finish it?
• $1 Beers for Life? – A brewery is offering lifetime $1 pints—if you’re willing to shell out some serious cash first. Worth it? Let’s do the math.
• Super Bowl Beer Wars – The top-selling beer in Kansas City and Philly might surprise (and disappoint) you.
• Another Drunk Government Worker Loses Sensitive Files – When are they going to learn their lesson?

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

• Instagram: @CraftBeerRepublic
• Facebook: CraftBeerRepublicPod
• Threads: CraftBeerRepublic
• Voicemail: (805) 538-2337