Drinking Partners

Welcome to Drinking Partners Live at Barrel and Flow 2023! Ed and Day kick things off with a lively introduction, setting the stage for an exciting discussion. Proudly reminding everyone that Barrel and Flow is the number one brew festival in America—not just in Pittsburgh or among black brew festivals, but across the entire country. Founders of Funkytown Brewing from Chicago, Illinois: Richard Bloomfield, Greg Williams, and Zach Day share their inspiring journey from childhood friends to successful brewery owners. They cover their early days of drinking beer in college, their trip to Thailand in 2017, and how it sparked their desire for financial independence and a deeper involvement in the beer industry. The Funkytown team highlighted their unique approach to brewing, focusing on low bitterness and low astringency to create palatable beers that appeal to a wide audience. They also shared their experiences with the Sam Adams American Dream initiative and the challenges they faced, including a two-year tradem

Welcome to the 262nd episode of the Drinking Partners podcast, recorded live at the vibrant Emerald City. In this episode, Ed and Day dive into the importance of homeownership and building generational wealth with special guest Mary Hester, founder of Life Venture Real Estate Solutions. Mary shares her expertise on how her advocacy firm helps individuals become successful homeowners by providing education and connecting them to valuable resources like subsidies and grants. The discussion covers the psychological barriers and trauma related to money that many people face and how Life Venture addresses these issues through education and support. Mary emphasizes the importance of having a good credit score, consistent work history, and some savings to get started on the path to homeownership. The episode also touches on the significance of understanding equity, the dangers of predatory lending, and the necessity of post-purchase counseling to ensure long-term success. Mary highlights the collaboration with Catap

What does the name “Drinking Partners Podcast” tell you? It’s probably some guys who appreciate a stiff drink (and maybe T-Pain), chopping it up with guests. Now take “Artist Talk Mental Health”: this week’s guest, Sydney Davis began to host gatherings especially for Black artists and creatives after recognizing so many of her artist friends struggling with their mental health. “It’s giving an opportunity for artists to get up on a platform and be like, not only is this my art, but this is the story behind it,” she tells Ed and Day. ATMH prides itself on creating a safe space to allow vulnerability while fostering community, solidarity, and connecting artists with mental health resources. Davis is also the creator of Niplids: a line of nipple-printed hats, from which 20% of the proceeds go toward The Young Women’s Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation. Right on! Guest: Sydney Davis of Artist Talk Mental Health and Niplids. Location: Emerald City, Pittsburgh. Produced by: Epicast.   Watch #EdandDay in The Burgh

  “I’m tired of tearing shit down,” says Montae Russell. “Let me build something up.” This kind of constructive, uplifting mindset is often heard on the Drinking Partners podcast, but never quite so literally. Montae is one-half of the husband and wife duo behind Russell General Contracting (5:50). He’s lead carpenter; Alexis works as consultant. Together, they have helped to preserve Pittsburgh, and the nation’s, cultural heritage, working on both the National Negro Opera House and the August Wilson House. Not only are Alexis and Tae savvy small business owners, but they’re parents, too. (They even have some chickens.) Their personal journey is intertwined with their entrepreneurial path, and they share their one-of-a-kind tale over drinks with Day and Ed.    Guests: Montae and Alexis Russell of Russell General Contracting. Location: Emerald City, Pittsburgh. Production: Epicast. Watch #EdandDay in The Burgh Season 2 | verylocal.com/ed-and-day-in-the-burgh-how-to-watch/   Aug 12 | Barrel & Flow 2023 | ba

“You got a can with your face on it,” says Ed Bailey, to this week’s Drinking Partners guest, DaShawn Boring. It’s Boring’s first time on a can. The beer is from Altered Genius, where he brews. His face is next to Day’s face. And their faces are next to Daelyn’s face. It’s a “3 Day Weekend”–a highly drinkable, dark kolsch-style altered ale, perfect for MLK Day, or any other righteous occasion. Ed, Day and DaShawn talk about the beer collab, the perils of dating a vegan, and the Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe. This one’s for the Beaver Countians.   Guest: DeShawn Boring, brewer at Altered Genius Brewing Co. Location: Emerald City, Pittsburgh. Production: Epicast.   #EdandDay in The Burgh Season 2 | verylocal.com/ed-and-day-in-the-burgh-how-to-watch/   Thursdays in Pittsburgh | Ed & Day in The 'Burgh Season 2 Watch Party | barrelandflow.com/events   Aug 12 | Barrel & Flow 2023 | barrelandflow.com  

The Drinking Partners are kind of a big deal now. Buses in their hometown have Ed and Day’s faces on the side of them. But has the fame gotten to their oversized, 6-foot tall heads? Hardly. They’re still men of the people–certainly not the types to turn down booze out of a mason jar. Which is good, because that’s how Erika Turner [4:50], co-founder and CEO of TLC Libations, has prepared some in-studio cocktails for this week’s episode. Turner is the daughter half of the mother-daughter ownership team behind Western PA’s first Black-owned woman distillery. The interview swings from bartending for picky martini drinkers, to making sangria for First Friday art crawls, to moving cocktails by the kegful, with ingredients like tequila, pomegranate, and cranberry thyme honey syrup. It’s a classic conversation with the Drinking Partners, proving the pair remain, as Ed puts it, “upstanding citizens who like to uplift our community and drink while we're doing it.”  All that has changed is that they’ll accept shots of G

“I feel like the best art in the world creates conversation,” says artist Corey Ochai [4:17], founder and CEO of 1028 Studios, and there’s no pair better to chop it with than the Drinking Partners. Ochai, who listeners might recognize as the creative director of America's best Black arts and craft beer festival, Barrel & Flow, reveals to Day and Ed why he briefly lost his joy for painting: “I was trying to create something that people would like, instead of creating from something that was inside me.” The comment prompts a conversation about what inspires real, meaningful artistry, no matter the form. Alongside a Black beer history month six-pack from Chicago’s Bitter Pops, these creative professionals go on to discuss everything from Basquiat, to summers at the Braddock Beach, to why you shouldn’t schedule a podcast recording on your anniversary.   Guest: Corey Ochai Location: 1028 Podcast Studio, Sharpsburg, PA.  Production: Epicast.   #EdandDay in The Burgh | verylocal.com/ed-and-day-in-the-burgh-how-t

Just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in. “I don’t do Cajun style or Creole style,” – it’s authentic New Orleans taste in the North. Mike Barnes, aka Big Easy, tells the Drinking Partners that after 20 years working in kitchens down South, he thought his days as a chef were over. Then word of his home cooking got out among friends. A few years and $10 pans of jambalaya later, he’s got his own spice collection and catering company, Roux Orleans, where he’s making catfish, crawfish, and gumbo so good that all you can say is “fam.” Laissez les bon temps roulez. And remember: if you see the Drinking Partners out in public, tell them you love them, buy them shots of Hennessy, but please, don’t touch them.   Guest: Roux Orleans owner Mike Barnes. Location: 1028 Podcast Studio, Sharpsburg, PA.  Production: Epicast.  

If there’s anything the Drinking Partners do, it’s drink, and celebrate Black excellence. It’s a package deal. And this episode has plenty of both. From Sharpsburg’s swanky 1028 Podcast studio, Day and Ed welcome Kenyan Hicks, owner and distiller of Pittsburgh’s Noire Expedition distillery. Theirs is a 90-proof, floral, American gin, with notes of lavender, citrus and juniper. The three take theirs neat, while they discuss the finer points of gin, the craft beverage industry’s pay-it-forward mentality, and a long-lost uncle named Lumpkin. It’s a journey and an episode so Black - it’s Blackity-black Black.

Before a studio audience at The Stacks at 3 Crossings, in Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District, the Drinking Partners are live from Barrel & Flow, the country’s premiere Black arts and craft beer festival. Before the 75 breweries and a crowd of thousands arrive, Ed and Day sit down with two New England brewers who are redefining how beer is made and who it is for. The first guest is Alisa Bowens-Mercado [7:00], CEO and brewmaster of Connecticut’s Rhythm Brewing Co. She discusses how contract brewing is “a beautiful thing,” and how hard it can be to find Black folks and “beer-flavored beer” in New England. Then, the group is joined by Sam Adams Boston head brewer, Megan Parisi [34:57]. She and Bowens-Mercado discuss representation in the craft beer industry, how the unlikely relationship between their discrepant breweries emerged, and their recent, Pink Boots-benefitting sparkling lager collab. It’s a perspective on the industry that’s not always told, and there’s no better place for this vital discussion.

Tucked inside a big ol’ barn at picturesque Freedom Farms in Valencia, Butler County, The Drinking Partners welcome listeners to Pittsburgh Mixed Culture, Cinderlands Beer Co. and Trace Brewing’s inaugural celebration of all things saison and sour-centric. The show kicks off with Christian Gregory(9:29), representing Belgium’s Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen. He talks about blending authentic lambics - “the drink of the people'' - and how the beloved brewery outside of Brussels maintains a consistent standard in their spontaneously-fermented beers year after year. Then, they take their taste buds on a “trip along the Oregon Trail” (29:45) with Matt Van Wyk, one of the co-founders of Eugene, Oregon’s Alesong Brewing & Blending, who discusses what it takes for a brewery to stand out in a competitive, top-tier craft beer market. Finally,looking fresh with his ankles out, the “famous-famous” Michael Kaiser, founder of Good Beer Hunting. He talks about taking the site from a personal blog to an acclaimed global media ve

The Drinking Partners, having moved up to “boardroom material,” welcome head brewer Lauren Hughes from Necromancer Brewing. She joins to discuss the three B’s: business, beer, and bikes. After a career in music and arts education, Lauren’s focus shifted back to her interest in brewing, which led to a career change. With Necromancer, she explores “dead styles” of beer, finding ways to modernize old and traditional brewing for new drinkers. Did you know that beer was once brewed without hops? Listen in as Lauren explains the ingredients behind the older styles and why it’s so hard to make a good Pilsner. “There’s nothing to hide behind,” she adds. Stay tuned for an important conversation about the culture of beer and what steps Necromancer is taking to lead the industry forward and how to create an inclusive brewery and industry. To wrap up the interview, Ed and Day ask for an explanation on beer naming. This latest episode is an informative roundup of all things brewing, from recipes to culture, and a necessar

Tune in for the latest Drinking Partners podcast as Ed and Day chat with Cinderlands head brewer Paul Schneider and Trace Brewing’s Head of Marketing Aadam Soorma about their newest collaboration: Pittsburgh Mixed Culture (www.pghmixedculture.com). This saison-centric festival will feature breweries from across the country and Belgium by, “bringing dozens of world-class brewers together … to demonstrate our love for the Belgian brewing traditions that inspire us, make a clear connection between local agriculture and beer, showcase fermentation-driven beer, and highlight the complementary roles of brewer and nature in making mixed-fermentation beer.” The July 30th event will take place at Freedom Farms in Valencia, PA. Spontaneous comments from Ed and Day pair well with Paul’s detailed explanation of the spontaneous process of mixed culture brewing in Day’s favorite type of conversation: edutainment. This rare to Pittsburgh style gets to shine with its own festival, although Ed’s suggestion that an essay prais

From a new location – Emerald City in Pittsburgh, Pa – the Drinking Partners podcast returns with a double dose of dynamic duos. Ed and Day welcome Jacquea Mae and Byron Nash of NASH.V.ILL in this energetic and exciting interview. Self-described super-fan Day and an inquisitive Ed listen in as Byron recounts his first introduction to Jacquea: “The spirit took over” and she joined in, from the audience, during his last song. The impromptu duet was so impressive that they teamed up to form NASH.V.ILL. There is never a dull moment as Ed and Day drop jokes in between questions and stories, proving that the Drinking Partners comedic magic has not faded. Jacquea’s advises on how important making mistakes are to better one’s skills, and Byron explains how their on-stage improvisation that often results in unexpected and thrilling performances. Byron’s advice, midway through, is a must listen: “If you are brave enough to suck in front of people, you fix it way faster.” It wouldn’t be a true Drinking Partners episode

Just popping in with an update. New episodes are on the way. We'll be back recording on location around the city at some of our favorite spots with some of our favorite people. 

After seven years podcasting from the Work Hard Studio, the Drinking Partners record their last interview in the basement they’ve come to love, and much to Ed and Day’s sadness, the couch won’t be moving to their new space with Epicast Network. For this final interview, they welcome Mike Hitt from MCM Studios, or as he describes himself, “the most known unknown person.” In this high energy episode, Mike explains his rise in the Pittsburgh music industry after a car accident changed the trajectory of his path. As both a musician and music producer, he shares multi-angled insight into the industry, including how 90% of his work happens behind the scenes and that passion is the necessary push when people aren’t watching. This “throw himself into the fire” approach began when he was 14 and starting out as a deejay and continues now as he releases his hit, “Think and Grow Rich.” Listen in as Mike speaks on how to run a successful studio; tip one: he shows up no matter what. Keep tuned in as he offers further tips,

The Drinking Partners relaunch with this newest episode and welcome a political powerhouse duo – Wilkinsburg Mayor-elect Dontae Comans and Ashley Comans, a candidate for PA House District 24. Listen in as the Comans describe their entries into politics, from Ms. Comans motivated by Barak Obama’s speeches to Mr. Comans learning how to run for political office after years spent in community services and activities. A positive and intentional focus on how young people view a community is a central concept in the discussion on how to improve an area and its schools. In the spirit of the Drinking Partners, a detailed conversation around the benefits that breweries and bars add to a community is explored, with Wilkinsburg engaged in these changes with their new leadership. An essential question that is examined throughout the interview is: How to get a community to believe in itself? Mayor-elect Comans offers parting advice on how to remain optimistic as advocates for change: keep your work life separate from your

The Drinking Partners release this live podcast recorded outside of the Two Fray’s Brewery in Pittsburgh, PA. A collection of tastings makes this episode lively as Ed and Day interview Mike Onofray, one-half of the husband and wife-owned brewery. In the early minutes, Mike explains how they managed to open Two Frays during the pandemic and how a canning line was a significant reason for why they were able to quickly adapt. Importantly, Two Frays ownership speaks on how they want to be community partner and are working hard to creating a safe and welcoming environment for people of color, while also having “super crushable beer.” What happens when two engineers open a brewery? Listen in as Mike explains the science behind brewing. Visit Two Frays and learn more about their newly opened brewery: www.twofraysbrewery.com In the second half of the live podcast, the Drinking Partners welcome Marcus Wyatt, who gets immediate props from Ed for his sneaker choice. After an embarrassing moment ordering a Heineken,

Aaron Hosé, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and co-founder (his wife is his other half) of 2Hands20Fingers, joins the Drinking Partners for their latest release. Listeners might recognize his work as he has followed and filmed Ed and Day over the course of the last several years. In the coming weeks, his documentary, “One Pint at a Time,” will be released. The film features the rise of Fresh Fest, the transition to Fresh Fest Digi Fest, and now Barrel & Flow Fest. One Pint at a Time is best described as, “four years in the making, this eye-opening film details the highs and lows of the Black experience in American craft beer as told through the eyes of Black brewers, brand owners and influencers across the country.” Aaron explains how the film came to be, how he switched careers from computer engineering to filmmaking, and how the stories expanded and adapted during the course of filming. Asked why he made the film, Aaron answers, “No one looked like us,” when his wife and he visited breweries. A s

The Drinking Partners welcome Jervonne Singletary, Community Relations Manager of goodblend PA for this latest release. As Pennsylvania’s newest medical cannabis provider, goodblend promises, “We're here to make sure you're good.” Their approach is one centered on community engagement and initiatives and extends far beyond their high quality products to include job opportunities, expungement services, and other community-based initiatives. Listen in as all aspects of the medical cannabis industry are examined, including how minority communities have been adversely affected and what changes can be expected as legalization efforts expand. Ed and Day explore their own histories in typical style, with entertaining asides and immense interest in all that is being discussed! Of particular interest is the “design your own strain” concept, with both Ed and Day excited about the naming prospects. Tune in until the end to hear Jervonne’s thoughts on being a Black woman in the medical cannabis industry and, unsurprising