[DrewG]

I've found podcasts to be a great resource, and I have a 45 minute commute to work so I have plenty of time to listen. My favorite is Brewstrong. What are some of yours?

[chezteth]

+1 to Brewstrong.  I always get a lot out of that one.  I also really like the Jamil Show.  The Sunday Session is fun to listen to but sometimes find it difficult to dedicate 4 hours to one podcast.

[dmtaylor]

There is a ton of good stuff in the Brew Strong and Jamil Show archives from 2006-2008, although personally I don't listen to the current shows hardly at all anymore from about 2009 onwards because they're constantly off topic and it drives me nuts wading through 4 hours of garbage to get nearly zero nuggets of good information.

The most informative and creative podcasts I think are Basic Brewing Radio with James Spencer (Arkansas), and the now defunct Craft Brewer Radio with Graham Sanders (Queensland, Australia).  Craft Brewer podcasts are available only if you know the secret handshake.  The website was torn down when he got himself into some legal issues back in 2009 or so.  But Basic Brewing is going on all the time and they run a lot of cool experiments.  James can be dry in his humor and presentation, but every episode is chock full of good lessons and information.  As for Graham, he had a zany sense of humor and a big ego, but when it came down to it, he truly had the most kickbutt show, I think, with a lot of good ideas that were largely outside the box / non-conventional.  If you can seek and find those podcasts, it's well worth a taste.  I really wish he'd start up another show.  But I believe he said he's retired for good, and he'll just laugh at you if you ask him where to find the old episodes and tell you to find them yourself if you really care.  What a guy, eh?!

I also enjoy Brew Bubbas with Craig Belanger, Jerry Jackson, and very often Todd Parker (Detroit).  They aren't quite so deeply technical as other shows (though they do try).  They also tend to talk more about the sheer enjoyment of beer and homebrewing and what's going on in their lives at the time as it relates to their love for beer.  Kind of cool.  Right now they are in the process of learning to become recognized BJCP judges, so that really is cool.

And now I just have started listening to Brad Smith's BeerSmith podcasts (or I guess I don't know exactly what he calls it).  It seems he's been able to gather full panels of very well reknowned guests and they share their knowledge on specific topics in a very professional, straight-forward, no-nonsensical manner, which seems like it will work if you can do entirely without the occasional stupid joke from any of the other podcasts.  Personally, I like a little humor so I don't know if I'm going to come to love this podcast or not, but it is certainly very informative and doesn't contain any fluff.  No advertisements or promotional stuff or any of that jazz... nice.

In the end, try them all and see what works for you.  If you are a complete nerd (like so many of us), then you'll listen to and enjoy all of them eventually.

[kgs]

I also like Basic Brewing. It's a very accessible podcast,  and nearly every episode is both interesting and useful. The broadcasts are very well-produced and astutely edited, and the humor is never anything I would think twice about sharing with others. (The farthest they ever went was the running joke about "dry-porking" beer with bacon, which I found very funny.) 

I also like the Beersmith podcasts.

I occasionally listen to Brew Strong and the Jamil Show, but I too find it hard to listen to hours of Beavis & Butthead to capture a nugget or two of good advice.

[euge]

I've been doing the Brewing Network and Brew Strong in particular lately. Yes it's a yuk yuk fest but still good info. Kinda entertaining on long roadtrips.

Thanks for the guide on the other casts. Sometimes I just want solid info not entertainment.

[bluesman]

I've been doing the Brewing Network and Brew Strong in particular lately.

+1

The Brewing Network has a lot of real good info...the catch is that you have to weed through the entertainment to get it...that being said I really like the BN!

Two mugs up for the BN! 

[DrewG]

There is a ton of good stuff in the Brew Strong and Jamil Show archives from 2006-2008,

The most informative and creative podcasts I think are Basic Brewing Radio with James Spencer

Couldn't agree more. I learned quite a lot from the early shows from both. I've gone back and re-listened to quite a few of them too. Just finished the 3 parter Dave Logsdon from wyeast did with James Spencer. Good stuff. 

On the video podcast front, love me some brewing tv. Funny and informative.

[phillamb168]

+1 on Basic Brewing. I tried listening to BN a few times, but the ads (sex shops? really?) and the low brow humor, etc etc just got too grating. It's like Howard Stern but with beer, and I guess if you're into that, good for you, but it's just not my thing.

[tygo]

+1 on Basic Brewing. I tried listening to BN a few times, but the ads (sex shops? really?) and the low brow humor, etc etc just got too grating. It's like Howard Stern but with beer, and I guess if you're into that, good for you, but it's just not my thing.

The BN isn't going to turn down any advertisers.  It could be a business selling corpse storage services to serial killers and if their check clears Justin will give them a live read.

But you're right, the Session, at least, is more like a morning zoo drive time radio format with a craft beer/homebrewing focus.  I listen to it more for entertainment not really technical brewing information.  And they do have some great interviews with craft brewers.  One episode of the Session more or less covers my weekly commute.

And I agree that I'm not getting much out of the more recent episodes of Brew Strong.  But I did get a lot of great and useful information from the earlier episodes of that show.

[nateo]

There are a handful of really exceptional Brewing Network podcasts, and a lot of unlistenable garbage. If you haven't checked them out yet, all of the interviews with Charlie Bamforth are amazing. There are a handful of other expert interviews that were good, but I can't think of them right now, except for the Shea Comfort one, which was amazing too. I've listened to the Shea Comfort interview probably 6 times now. 

I also really like the Beersmith podcasts. Consistently good content, probably because he doesn't make very many and isn't just trying to fill up air-time.

[theDarkSide]

I think there is probably no doubt where my loyalties lie ( see signature ).

When I started listening to brewing podcasts, Basic Brewing Radio was one of the first I found.  It is very informative, but too dry for my tastes.  Now call me a low-brow, knuck-dragging heathen if you wish, but to each their own. 

I think getting a list of podcasts should be your first step, weed out all the opinions from others, and give them a listen.  Then make your own decisions.  If the BN or BBR aren't your thing, at least you gave them a fair shake.

[gmac]

Well, I'm trying my first Basic Brewing podcast right now (learning how those industrious and frankly, darn handsome Canadians brew in the cold).   So far I'd say it was a little bland but maybe that's because I've become accustomed to the BN (sort of like how Pilsner tastes after drinking a lot of IPA...)

I usually listen to the appropriate Jamil Show podcast a day or two before I brew a new style.  For example, I'm gonna try a milk stout so I listened to that yesterday.  I find Brew Strong OK, I started listening to those and I've found some good info and wasted some time on them.  I wish that you knew what topics were covered in the generic Q&A podcasts.

I listen to the Sunday Session when I have a long drive which I do fairly frequently.  The interviews with craft brewers are good, the rest is just crap but I did almost wet myself during the Alabama Legislation peice that they did (Loftus Ranchus Hops I think was the episode).  I also can't stand the shameless appeals to send them cash.  I listen to lots of other podcasts and none of them beg for money like these guys do (and this guys one of our AHA representatives???)

So, I have little to add but this has turned me on to BBR so we shall see.

[DrewG]

all of the interviews with Charlie Bamforth are amazing

+100

He did one or 2 on Beersmith that are great too.