On International Podcast Day, we’re honoring one podcast that prioritizes not only “indie” beer, but also bringing craft beer lovers together in a way that is unique to other podcasts. The Perfect Pour isn’t your standard beer education podcast but instead fosters a community unlike any other, bridging craft beer lovers across states and even countries. The Perfect Pour calls itself the “beer geek fun podcast,” and to be fair there are quite a few shenanigans, but you will be sucked into the Perfect Pour world within a few episodes, establishing yourself as the newest show rep and organizing a “Get It.” Take a quick tour with Mikey, Matt, and Nick down Memory Lane. These beers below either have contributed to the general ethos of the podcast or have been recommended by a listener as “the beer that sums up The Perfect Pour.” Enjoy!

Pliny the Elder | Russian River Brewing Company

It’s a downright staple on the podcast, and Mikey’s podcast studio (read: garage) has about a hundred empty Pliny bottles proudly displayed on his shelves. Russian River’s Pliny the Elder was a highly sought-after commodity until the expansion of their distribution, and now Russian River’s popular offerings are easily accessible in the Fresno area. Because of his extensive experience with imbibing this pinnacle of a DIPA, it gives Mikey a chance to use his Annoying Beer Geek Voice by exclaiming, “HAD IT.”

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General Sherman IPA | Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company

We couldn’t avoid mentioning a beer from Tioga Sequoia Craft Brewery. It is, after all, where Matt works, and just about every variation of General Sherman is consumed on the podcast. Let’s also not forget when Chew Your Beer decided to temporarily boycott the podcast voicemails until he received some DDH General Sherman, and fellow podcasting followers named the event “Brew 4 Chew,” and many called in and left voicemails for the podcast simply shouting “BREW 4 CHEW, BREW 4 CHEW!”

From listeners Ant & Robin: “Well, my husband and I gave this some thought and the beer that we came up with was the General Sherman IPA from Tioga Sequoia. This is a beer that not only do they drink often, they all enjoy it, we hear about it almost weekly, but it’s got a lot more to it than just that… the name entails far more than just any old beer. Located not far from Fresno is the Sequoia National Forest and [there is] this huge, beautiful tree named General Sherman… General Sherman is also the name of a tank that helped defeat the enemies in World War ll.

“Both the tree and the tank stand for strength, durability and long-lasting beauty. All of these things sum up and embody the Perfect Pour. We have three very knowledgeable men coming together, standing strong and enduring, each and every week to bring the beauty, like the tree, of beer drinking to their listeners. Those of us that have listened for several years have now found a community that is more like a family due to these in strong, enduring fellows.”

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Narwhal | Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Among some of the unique quirks of Mikey, Matt, and Nick, probably the most prominent is Nick’s beer preferences. Nick is a notorious anti-hazeboi and prominent advocate for clear IPAs. His other vice? A great stout. Sierra Nevada’s Narwhal is at the top of his list as a go-to stout for any season, but preferably #narwhalseason.

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Sculpin | Ballast Point Brewing Company

***Note: Picture was taken right after the buyout! It’s indie beer now!

Let us never forget when Ballast Point was bought out by Constellation in 2017 but in just two years went back to indie with the Kings & Convicts acquisition. The guys mourned the buyout, only to be delighted to be able to purchase the beers again. Now that the beer is Indie again, the boys have given their unofficial seal of approval to grab it without worrying if it’s a situational beer.

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Chocotaso | Zack’s Brewing Company

It’s so infamous, it even has a song written about it (thanks, Paul from Fairfax!). Chew Your Beer is an avid homebrewer and lover of all beers, and he brewed it with Stephen Zack, the owner of Zack’s Brewing, before they had ever opened the brewery. Zack’s is now open and lives right across from Tioga Sequoia, and they proudly incorporate Perfect Pour jargon and Chocotaso in their taproom. You’d have to ask the creators for more of the story, but don’t worry – Chew will love sharing it!

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805 | Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Ah, 805. The beer is notorious among the Perfect Pour listeners, who created a holiday around this “bro” beer. On August 5th (8/05) at 8:05 PM (or AM, for the avid 805-ers), pop open this can and snap a selfie of yourself drinking it next to your clock or with a timestamp. Don’t have an 805? Make sure your truck has a light bar and you’ll mysteriously find your fridge stocked with ’em. You could even be like the Florida Reps, who don’t get 805 but do have access to Proof Brewing Company‘s EightFive-0 APA and celebrate 805 day at 8:05 and 8:50.

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Honorable Mentions (from the listeners)

Brian – “It had to be an IPA… It had to be something that’s approachable, smooth, flavorful, and barrel-aged as well. So I thought Gigantic Brewing‘s Pipewrench, which is a gin-barrel-aged Triple IPA. I’ve had it a few times. It’s delicious, flavorful, approachable, not too strong, not too hoppy – I think that many different palates can appreciate it. So it’s my beer to describe The Perfect Pour.”

Jim – “If I was to pick a beer that reminds me of the Perfect Pour Podcast, I’d pick Torpedo by Sierra Nevada. My first thought was Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale. Its a classic beer, available nearly everywhere and still a go-to despite its age, but Torpedo is closer to a Double IPA, at an ABV of 7.2%. Its also the same price as its little brother Pale Ale at a crushable 5.6%, so my Perfect Pour Podcast beer is Torpedo due to its classic West Coast style, availability, and value for the budget-conscious [beer drinker].”

There you have it, folks. If you’re looking for an amazing craft beer community that spans the whole of the US and a few other countries, look no further than the weekly podcast by three dudes from Fresno who love beer the community that it fosters. Keep up the good work, guys!

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