American Beer Review LIVE! Review 34 - Talladega Flights with Michael Waltrip Brewing Co.
May 10, 2024Season 3
Alec, Brian, and Chad
Buckle up and pop the top on a cold one, because we're about to take you for a wild ride through the thrilling intersection of NASCAR excitement and craft beer expertise. I recently had the chance to clink glasses with none other than Michael Waltrip, and let me tell you, the stories and brews flowed faster than cars at Talladega. We're bringing you the inside scoop on the latest NASCAR races, where underdogs like Bubba and Ben Gisberg are shaking up the standings and fueling the fandom fire. Then, we switch lanes to taste-test the best of Michael Waltrip Brewing, including the crisp Talladega Light Lager and the zesty Bristol Sunshine tangerine ale. You'll hear firsthand accounts of our epic trackside escapades and get the lowdown on how these hop-infused creations are crossing the finish line into the hearts of racing and beer enthusiasts alike.
Get ready to hear tales from the pit and from the tap as we explore whether Dale Earnhardt Jr. might just be the next big name to cause a stir in the craft beer circuit. We'll dissect the complex flavors of Michael Waltrip Brewing's Checkered Past and Two-Time High Banks Wheelman, and ponder the rise of NASCAR-inspired taprooms at every curve. All the while, we'll pepper in hilarious anecdotes about the legends of the track and their drinking preferences, ensuring you're well-equipped to pick the perfect pint to pair with the pulse-pounding spectacle of race day. So grab your favorite koozie, find a comfy seat, and join us for a session of storytelling that's as refreshing and bold as the ales we adore.
If you'd like to reach out to the American Beer Review LIVE! crew to give us a beer suggestion or to tell us we suck, you can reach us on any of our socials (in order of how often we check it).
Buckle up and pop the top on a cold one, because we're about to take you for a wild ride through the thrilling intersection of NASCAR excitement and craft beer expertise. I recently had the chance to clink glasses with none other than Michael Waltrip, and let me tell you, the stories and brews flowed faster than cars at Talladega. We're bringing you the inside scoop on the latest NASCAR races, where underdogs like Bubba and Ben Gisberg are shaking up the standings and fueling the fandom fire. Then, we switch lanes to taste-test the best of Michael Waltrip Brewing, including the crisp Talladega Light Lager and the zesty Bristol Sunshine tangerine ale. You'll hear firsthand accounts of our epic trackside escapades and get the lowdown on how these hop-infused creations are crossing the finish line into the hearts of racing and beer enthusiasts alike.
Get ready to hear tales from the pit and from the tap as we explore whether Dale Earnhardt Jr. might just be the next big name to cause a stir in the craft beer circuit. We'll dissect the complex flavors of Michael Waltrip Brewing's Checkered Past and Two-Time High Banks Wheelman, and ponder the rise of NASCAR-inspired taprooms at every curve. All the while, we'll pepper in hilarious anecdotes about the legends of the track and their drinking preferences, ensuring you're well-equipped to pick the perfect pint to pair with the pulse-pounding spectacle of race day. So grab your favorite koozie, find a comfy seat, and join us for a session of storytelling that's as refreshing and bold as the ales we adore.
If you'd like to reach out to the American Beer Review LIVE! crew to give us a beer suggestion or to tell us we suck, you can reach us on any of our socials (in order of how often we check it).
Well, ben Gisberg, he was up in first and now he's in the 20s.
Speaker 1:
Well, that was half a stage ago. All right, I need points or a win here, buddy.
Speaker 2:
You're a f***ing Logano.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to another episode of the American Beer Review Podcast.
Speaker 2:
Good times with good friends requires good beer. Lucky for us, we know how to pick all three.
Speaker 4:
We're a group of friends who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, giving us a jump start on our craft beer journey.
Speaker 1:
Join us today. While, brian, I pride myself on not getting to know other people, so do not put that on me.
Speaker 4:
Alec. So the bananas up until the 60s were an entirely different species of banana.
Speaker 2:
And Chad.
Speaker 1:
It hit me like a beck and bob Review some beer, talk about beer topics and whatever else comes up.
Speaker 3:
We invite you to pour yourself a drink and hang out with us.
Speaker 4:
So this time, uh, we can say this isn't a NASCAR podcast, nope, but this time around it very NASCAR adjacent.
Speaker 1:
So it's a podcast.
Speaker 4:
Let's go race. What are we drinking today?
Speaker 2:
Chad, it's a day from our friend two-time Daytona winning driver Champion, daytona 500 champion, not a race winner.
Speaker 1:
Do they really call them champions For the?
Speaker 4:
Daytona 500,. You're a Daytona 500 champion.
Speaker 2:
It's like Indy 500.
Speaker 1:
I guess it's a crown jewel. Never thought about it for that.
Speaker 2:
From Michael Waltrip Brewing. We have in honor of today, we're watching Taldega. We have Taldega Light Lager.
Speaker 1:
Which is such a perfect name.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, Like come on and then, following that up, we have Bristol Sunshine, a tangerine ale, both coming in at 5%. I did not expect that tangerine one.
Speaker 1:
I didn't either when I saw it.
Speaker 2:
This was another Bavonna drop.
Speaker 4:
Oh right, had Bristol Sunshine. Let me make sure I got the right one Bristol Sunshine that I saw was a Helles Lager.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it was listed as that on TAP.
Speaker 1:
I wonder if they switched like, kept the branding and changed the style.
Speaker 2:
But you know what? As DW says, it's boogie-dee-boogie-dee-boogie boys.
Speaker 1:
Are we starting with the lager Sure? Why not Talladega Light?
Speaker 4:
Yeah, it's called Tangerine.
Speaker 1:
I have a friend who is down at Talladega. Yeah, I was checking in on the weather this morning with him. He was like, uh, rained all night. Cleared up should be good for the racing. I'm very hungover, Sounds about right.
Speaker 2:
When the Talladega lights go down, get ready, cause there's a party coming to town, baby.
Speaker 4:
So Michael Waltrip won me the belt yeah we did. He's one of four, I think, nascar drivers that actually met like in person and either shaking their hands, got a picture with I don't know if I've met any actually now that I think of it he seems. Uh, oh, he was in a hurry because he was actually recording uh working, working, but he was yep when.
Speaker 2:
Yep, but when he's working on the, when you see him on the Working on the broadcast, yeah, he doesn't look like he's working, he's just having fun.
Speaker 4:
Oh, he was trucking and he's a tall man. He is a very tall man.
Speaker 1:
Hey, can I get?
Speaker 4:
a picture he's like yes, but I'm not stopping.
Speaker 1:
I don't know if this is somebody, this shows that it's connected to his brewery. When I scan it for untapped, it definitely listed as 0%.
Speaker 2:
There's a lot of shenanigans on untapped on these, yeah, but this is at 5%.
Speaker 1:
I do appreciate that. I do see people right now in Talladega drinking this beer out of cans, checking it in and posting pictures, as you should, yeah, yeah, if you're Michael Waltrip and you have not figured out how to make sure that at least this beer is not at every stand in.
Speaker 4:
Talladega like it's a fail when they brew in like Bristol.
Speaker 1:
I thought it was north carolina, yeah, newton, north carolina, yeah, but um, in partnership with bivana. Oh, this listed as 4.2. You said it was a fiver it said it on on tap.
Speaker 3:
But whatever it is, this is a very tasty light lager that I would love to crush if I was sitting in Talladega right now.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, this would be perfect for that.
Speaker 2:
If only my driver in this week's NASCAR Fantasy League, Mr Martin Truex Jr, could pull his head out of his ass and get up in the top ten, please.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's not going to happen, man, so I did a little bit of the.
Speaker 2:
Has his car had a terminal case of not being? I haven't seen him all day. No, he's just struggled.
Speaker 4:
He's on the struggle bus, he's on one of the teams that are winning this season, though, yeah, but he's not. He's not, but at least he's got equipment under him. So I did a little bit of research not a ton to figure out where this came from, because this just popped up end of last year, early this year. Right, it's been around for a little bit.
Speaker 1:
He talked about it a few years ago. I can't remember if he was on Dale's podcast.
Speaker 2:
Dale Earnhardt Jr for those of you that this is not an NASCAR podcast.
Speaker 1:
He was on there, I think, initially talking about it a couple years ago now it has been.
Speaker 4:
It's been for a little bit, but reading about like, about us, they're like hey, we're just three guys. We were talked about making a beer. We looked at whatever, hired a head brewer to like come up with some stuff and do spot checks. We looked at making a brewery here we're offering. That's where I saw um, so they must not be, but they, they were in Bristol at one point. But yeah, just three guys liked beer and whatever.
Speaker 2:
I'm like hmm, I wonder if it like no, just say 4.2.
Speaker 1:
Then licensed Michael Waltrip's name once they were in Bristol or something like that, oh Right, like what it took how far along until they got him involved. And then you scroll down a little bit further and the founders are michael waltrip and then two other so he just casually talks about it, like me, and somebody is just really into beer and decided to do it, but it turns out it's him. He's one of the three guys.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I suppose that'll do it well, and when you have a name that's known, you might as well uh uh, if anyone wonders why any one of the three of us start staring into space, it's because gaga is on on the screen right now um apologies for our youtube uh watchers I wonder, though.
Speaker 4:
I mean, it's got to be somewhat beneficial to start with a name like oh 100, like that you're coming out and already have bought a light lager and a tangerine ale from wherever it ends up actually coming from the East Coast? Yeah, just randomly. No.
Speaker 2:
No, this was a happy accident when I popped on the getting the Bavonna for the Giggle Juice last week. No, two weeks ago, two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, the episode that episode dropped for 20 episode. I might be still high. Oh three weeks ago, whatever it is, but yeah, this. And then I saw Talladega light and I went that's odd. Then it's Michael Walter brewing, oh yeah, so I got a six. I got a six of each.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, I got a six, I got A sixer of each I got two six packs each.
Speaker 2:
Oh nice, oh geez. So there's a six pack coming down to Portland for the Xfinity race, oh nice.
Speaker 4:
So these are their signature beers, but then their specialty beers all in the same vein, checkered Past, two Time High Banks Wheelman.
Speaker 1:
Bristol, virginia. That's where they according to Untapped where they are.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, so that tracks Slide Job Thunder Valley.
Speaker 1:
Two-time Vamanos Mexican Lager. Ooh, there you go. There's a lot of two-time references.
Speaker 2:
They are Well, if you, if you are a two-time Daytona champion winner and you started your own brewery, I yeah like if I started my own brewery. As the two-time nascar fantasy league champion, I would call it. I'd call myself two-time as well, so two-time slide job they.
Speaker 4:
That's what she said. I don't know how up to date it is, but they have plans to open over 100 michael walter taproom locations.
Speaker 1:
I I will leave it when I see it Partnering with whatever.
Speaker 2:
One would look great in the South Sound region of Washington, I think.
Speaker 1:
I think your best bet is opening them within a stone's throw of every major racetrack and then every short track that's known.
Speaker 4:
I don't know anything about what the distribution agreements look like at tracks. I'm pretty sure that's what I'm saying. One of your locations was at each race track? Yeah, how many units?
Speaker 1:
are you going to move? Phoenix has the bar in there, the barn bar, but you just get yourself to be the beer of that If you can. Yeah, that, I don't know if you're, but you just get yourself to be the beer of that, like if you can.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, that's what.
Speaker 2:
I'm saying yeah because most but what happens when Junior starts his own brewery company? Are we going to have shake and bake nights at the track? He?
Speaker 1:
won't. He's already got an alcohol partner Vodka you should make a beer. He was talking about smoking. He's already got an alcohol partner.
Speaker 2:
Vodka.
Speaker 1:
Oh, he should make a beer. He was talking about smoking ripping heaters and chugging beers on a Tuesday night.
Speaker 2:
Get ready for the racing boys.
Speaker 1:
He was talking about how he didn't even really like beer and then he realized he should probably start drinking beer because, I don't know, his main sponsor was Budweiser.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, that would do it. He got after it in the day because I don't know his main sponsor was Budweiser.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that would do it, he got after it in the day that's what he was talking about in his podcast was basically like that he and his buddies would get after it. And then he was like so then I went to Hendrick and I was like, oh, this is what people are supposed to be, like he goes. And then I sucked because I stopped hanging out and partying went back to it all these nerds with their workouts.
Speaker 1:
He's like I went back to having, you know, a throwdown on a tuesday or wednesday night and turns out, yeah, basement of his house.
Speaker 4:
Yes, you have built a nightclub downstairs oh the life.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it's a. It's an easy drinker drinking yeah, beer I mean that's to have a pack of these to take to the track or to do you know if you're buying them at the track. Great Perfect.
Speaker 2:
It's I would put it in the same vein, as it's a little more flavorful, Coors.
Speaker 1:
This is more like a banquet.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I'm getting a little sweetness in the back end.
Speaker 1:
Get a little more banquet style than a light.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, but 4.2, that's a great. I would love it in a 16. Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Perfect 16. I mean realistically for the track. That's what I want Actually. Here let's my beer's in.
Speaker 2:
The highest honor you can give a Crushing it.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, crush it All right. Well, I'm going to crack. Just did crack.
Speaker 1:
Tangerine. Tangerine ale.
Speaker 4:
Bristol sunshine.
Speaker 1:
The only BS I need is Bristol sunshine. Oh, it smells fruity. It smells fruity.
Speaker 4:
Uh-oh.
Speaker 2:
At 4.5.
Speaker 1:
That is a uh, it's a seltzer-flavored beer T tastes like it's trying to be na yeah not trying, but it's got that I think it's because we're so used to a tangerine, something you're used to like it being an ipa like you're used to also getting the bitter.
Speaker 2:
You're getting like an overload of the and I've got I think I've got still got half a case of the fremont wit, the wit that orange.
Speaker 1:
I think that orange citrus flavor does lend itself to, and would I feel better drinking this far sitting outside in the heat watching race getting pelted by rubber? Yeah, would it maybe would it hit a little bit better, would it?
Speaker 2:
no, it's kind of it's fine this is a nice, it lasts longer yeah, this is a nice break in between a couple of these guys. Yeah, if I'm out at the track crushing, them.
Speaker 4:
It's going to be warm by the time I finish it if I'm sitting outside in the sun, yeah but it's probably going to be better.
Speaker 2:
It's going to hold up getting warm, then Could be a normal year.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, we'll see. I'll leave it on the table here and try it in a couple of episodes.
Speaker 1:
Like we said, though, it was originally listed as a hell is a lager. I'm intrigued to figure out what the deal is, Cause most of the people checking them in here I feel like the tangerine ale ones.
Speaker 2:
I feel like somebody mislabeled it once and then everyone just went on and kept posting under that one and it just took over. Checkered Pass grapefruit.
Speaker 4:
IPA Okay, sounds good, right Okay.
Speaker 2:
There were some other ones on the site. They weren't available for purchase.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, honey blonde ale.
Speaker 1:
If this is their One brewery they actually have open, that's a cool spot.
Speaker 4:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I mean, I'm only seeing it as the tangerine they're throwing down.
Speaker 4:
They have their slide job. Yeah, they're claiming it as the tangerine. They're throwing down. They have their slide job, yeah.
Speaker 1:
They're claiming it as a West Coast IPA. Say what so? I did not see that on here.
Speaker 4:
The two-time slide job. I don't know. I'm on their website.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, West Coast style IPA.
Speaker 4:
Those are fighting words, if it doesn't stop.
Speaker 2:
You think they're going to have that at Sonoma when they do the West Coast swing.
Speaker 1:
They should. Yeah, it looks like people getting flights. The only thing I'm seeing is just on draft At the, and I think that's what it is.
Speaker 4:
The signature beers, the ones we have today, are the ones that they distribute Just these two. Yeah, these are just the only two signature beers. And it looks like have today are the ones that they distribute Just these two. Yeah, these are just the only two signature beers. And then it looks like the specialty beers are in just their tap room, or potentially 100 tap rooms.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I mean. I will say, though, if you're going in person, they got a few. They also do have some two-time seltzers, and you can also get Michel mickelob, ultra bud, light, course light, bush light or apple.
Speaker 2:
you gotta stay hydrated, yeah but my, my question is um do uh, when you order a flight, do they come out in fire suits and pour it out of a miniature?
Speaker 1:
gas can does not appear to be so.
Speaker 4:
Damn? Yeah. How would your tap handle not be?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, what do you do? What's your? I mean, or like, do you do some kind of checkered flag thing? Do you shift? Or not, I mean he, he definitely seems to be leaning. There is this, this I mean he's already got the logo and it's not that. So I mean I guess you're doing, I mean you put that at the top with like a, you got the classic uh pinstripe.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, but I'm saying you do this, this guy I guess I'm showing you guys, not the camera you do this one with the yeah pole part, whatever so intriguing.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, I like it for a celebrity owned brand yes yes, fully serviceable. And it's interesting to see, because I figured at least they're doing a ton of beers. Well, and I figured that he just slapped his name on it. Yeah, but he's been involved in the entire process. That's kind of cool.
Speaker 2:
I I would expect nothing less from a two-time daytona champion I drink the lights.
Speaker 1:
I'd like to try some of the other ones, though two-time I do see that did you did that come with? Yes, it did oh there you. I'm just now realizing that it also has the like. Waltrip's autograph as well, and that it has the logo on there, that's nice.
Speaker 4:
Yeah, I missed that part mainly because it's facing the opposite direction of me. Yeah, what it's got 2021 and 2023. Beer shipped to your door.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I haven't. Oh, and yes, I will be attempting that to get us loaded up for.
Speaker 1:
Portland so about just over two years ago yeah depending on when, august.
Speaker 4:
So closing on three yeah, the.
Speaker 1:
It does kind of remind me of that orange wit, the NA one oh, jeez, oh god what cars wrecking it's like it's like being at the Husky Stadium and they run like an ad for I forget what, and it runs a yellow stripe around the whole stadium and I'm like there's a flag, what's the flag for? And they're like no, it's like Woffhead Bank. And I'm just like really.
Speaker 4:
Pick a different color. Yeah Well, that's when they wore Chad's shirt. The Nextel Cup? Oh yeah, anytime. The Nextel banner. You're like caution for what?
Speaker 1:
Nope, this is just our logo.
Speaker 2:
All right, oh, and they get rid of the scoring pylons at Talladega.
Speaker 1:
More than Talladega, also Bristol.
Speaker 2:
Oh, you just need to use the Wi-Fi Dude. I have not been able to get rant over. I haven't been able to get any Wi-Fi at a NASCAR track.
Speaker 1:
Is that the tangerine?
Speaker 4:
That's the tangerine, so it looks more loggery than it could be ale.
Speaker 1:
I mean it's probably an ale, but like 4.2,.
Speaker 2:
It's a nice sippable, yeah, but like Taldega Lite is getting my crushed stamp of approval. Stamp of approval, it's fine, which one?
Speaker 1:
The Tangerine. It's just I would not. Yeah, I think if you're like with someone that are like I don't really drink beer, like yeah just I don't know that I would go with that If you what are your options At the race? What are your options If they have Michael Waltrip Coors Light? What did they have? Last time we were there they had Bush Light, regular Bush 805 from Firestone Walker when we were in. California, it's California. They were doing a big push. Then I thought you meant Portland 805.
Speaker 2:
Oh God no.
Speaker 1:
What did they have at Portland? I forgot about that. I don't know because we just went to the cooler yeah.
Speaker 2:
No, I went on a couple wanderings we did.
Speaker 1:
I think I always go and at least get one.
Speaker 2:
You got to see what they have. A whole bunch of seltzer last year. Oh, Christopher Bell. That sucks to be you, oh, and you had the nice wrap this weekend too. Sucks to suck.
Speaker 4:
All right, any more thoughts on these?
Speaker 1:
I'll drink some more lights, yep.
Speaker 4:
Well, you will drink some more lights in about a month, fair enough.
Speaker 1:
You can, I guess, bring a couple of these tangerine ones. Oh, we would finish them off, I'll try them out, hopefully with nice weather.
Speaker 3:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
But yeah, Hopefully with nice weather, but yes, with the lights we had to taste two beers from two-time Daytona champion, michael.
Speaker 4:
Waltrip, absolutely. Two times for the two-time. Well, we're not out of glasses, so they're not empty. I've got to finish off some of these cans. Chad's can is crushed, so if you can grab yourself some Michael Waltrip brewing, wad it up.
Speaker 2:
Wad it up and turn four baby.
Speaker 4:
I would suggest doing that and support your favorite driver, but support a driver, wait whoa whoa, whoa, hold on real quick.
Speaker 1:
I'm sorry I'm interrupting this.
Speaker 2:
Support a future. Is he in the Hall of Fame yet? Not yet. No, is he in?
Speaker 1:
the Hall of Fame. Yet no, is he a future Hall of Fame? They have two different percentages on here. The side says 5%, the bottom Where'd it go. I see 4.2 underneath the barcode. Yes, 4.2 under the barcode, 5% on the serving facts. Well, folks, we're going to get to the bottom of this 5% on the serving facts. Well, I also did not need to notice.
Speaker 2:
Folks, we're going to get to the bottom of this.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, ways and means. It's not on this one, though. This one has your serving, whatever Serving facts this one does not.
Speaker 2:
Goodyear made the labels this week. Sorry, this is not a NASCAR podcast.
Speaker 4:
All right, we'll catch you. Nascar podcast. All right, we'll catch you guys next time. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
Oh my ears.
Speaker 3:
If you've enjoyed what you just heard, make sure you subscribe to get new episodes when they drop, and don't forget to leave us a review. If you want to see what we're drinking when we're not on the pod, you can follow us on social media at A Beer Review. Feel free to send us any beer suggestions that we can make. Chad go buy off of Tavor. Thank you.
