Bienvenidos amigos! This week on Craft Beer Republic, Greg and Flex are celebrating Cinco de Mayo in peak craft beer fashion—with tacos, questionable Spanish, and beers that made them emotional. Greg relives a hilariously overpriced glass of hotel wine, Flex gets gifted a beer born from Arbor Day insanity, and they both spiral into stories about painkillers, Vicodin-induced brother fights, and how not to behave on an airplane. Plus, they dish on the proper tipping etiquette, bobble some beer history, and maybe crown Wisconsin as the birthplace of beer (move over, monks).

Beers We're Drinking

• Greg is sipping on Enlightened Energy from Radiant Beer Co.—a hazy pale, bursting with tropical juice.
• Flex cracks open Our Bar Day from Explorium Brewpub—an American lager brewed in celebration of Arbor Day.

It’s a full-on fiesta as Greg and Flex record on Cinco de Mayo and try to remember the actual meaning behind the holiday (spoiler: not Independence Day). Greg shares a wild hotel wine story that ends with a $28 glass of regret and a serious tipping debate. Flex talks Arbor Day beers and celebrates a friend-turned-beer-delivery-guy who dropped off a hometown special. The two dive into past Vicodin adventures—including Flex falsely accusing his brother of theft during withdrawal sweats—and laugh through the horrors of wisdom teeth surgery. They also dish on the reaction from last week’s episode with Steph, clear the air about Flex’s “mad” vibes, and theorize about Utah’s new hockey team names (sadly, not the Sister Wives). And yes, they do their best to avoid sounding like drug addicts. Mostly.

Booze News

• Belgium Swaps Eggs for Beers in Giant Easter Hunt
• Boston Beer Rides Twisted Tea to a Big Q1
• Iconic Sour Brewery Blue Owl Gets Bought Out
• A Beer Can Just Sold for $111K… Yes, Really
• Drunk Ex-Cop Slaps a Flight Attendant and Drops Trou on JetBlue

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

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Welcome to the Taco Guy Industrial Complex

Welcome in, beer nerds! This week is packed with laughs, swishes, and suds as Flex may or may not swirl his stout, Greg brags about his elite-level taco guy, and Steph returns to shake things up with her crispy takes and Kolsch-fueled wisdom. Steph also drops her wisdom from the brewers guild and is knee-deep in beerfest planning while Flex is letting his kids pick out his beer and Greg gets classy drunk (again).

Beers We’re Drinking

• Flex is sipping on Teddy Bear Kisses by Upland Brewing, a boozy, bourbon-barreled stout that's shockingly smooth and deeply chocolatey.
• Steph is enjoying a Kolsch from Bohemian Brewery in Salt Lake City—crisp, traditional, and unapologetically coffee-free.
• Greg cracks open Here’s to Feeling Good All the Time by Bissell Brothers, a dank and piney DIPA that could use a little less malt and a little more chill.

Steph crashes the party again, and things immediately derail—mostly thanks to Flex’s stout-swirling scandal that launches an all-out war over what actually counts as a “swish.” Greg tries to keep order but gets sidetracked bragging about his personal taco guy (yes, that’s a thing), sparking a full-blown culinary class divide. The gang confesses to drinking more wine and seltzer than beer these days, which might be blasphemy on a craft beer podcast, but hey—hydration matters. And Steph tells us all about the planning of her upcoming beer festival: the Great Beer Mashup!

Booze News

• 🍸 California distillery sues New York for playing hard to ship—just let the booze flow already.
• 🍺 Utah’s got a beer fest where actual brewers pour the beer—imagine that.
• 🛒 Texas okays boozy RTDs in gas stations, because nothing says “road trip” like 17% ABV.
• 🧾 Colorado caps liquor licenses at 36 grocery stores—because nothing fixes a problem like weird math.
• 🎶 Brewpubs under attack by the music mafia—a Rick-Roll cold really cost them.
• 🍻 We’ve got the Top 10 Craft Breweries—and some NA beer snuck onto the list.

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

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Welcome to Utah, Where the Beers Are Weird and the People Are Funnier

Welcome in, hydration nation! This week’s episode is bursting at the seams with hilarious stories, awkward encounters, and beer nerd gold. Greg and Flex are joined by the always-awesome Steph, executive director of the Utah Brewers Guild and part-time chalice queen. From the depths of WrestleMania weekend to a seltzer-fueled solo Vegas trip and a hilarious Riverside takedown, the gang covers it all. We’re talkin’ collab-heavy beer fests, weird assless cowboy encounters on the Strip, the Florida party that should’ve been a movie, and whether or not Flex's jorts have enough flower embroidery. It’s the perfectly ridiculous mix of craft beer talk and complete nonsense you didn’t know you needed.

Beers We're Drinking

Greg & Flex – Blind Pig IPA – Russian River Brewing. A crisp West Coast classic that sparked a hoppy debate between the boys.

Steph – Brainless Belgian Ale (Sake Barrel Aged) – Epic Brewing. A boozy, berry-packed beauty with a sake twist that Steph couldn't resist.

Greg's solo Vegas adventure quickly turned from adulting to Topo Chico chugging while dodging cowboy strippers in assless chaps. Meanwhile, Flex got dragged for his questionable jorts, though his “apple bottom” did earn some respect. Steph gave us the inside scoop on planning Utah’s most exciting beer fest, where brewers team up for one-time-only collabs and serve their own creations—it’s like beer nerd Comic-Con with more yeast. There was also a heartfelt shoutout to salty pretzel necklaces, a heated debate about malt bombs, and the tragic tale of Flex’s friend whose girlfriend dumped him immediately after listening to the podcast. Honestly, we can’t blame her—it was probably during the "Tipsy on Tits" segment teaser.

Booze News

• Hop Valley Gets the Axe – Tilray shuts down Eugene brewery in the latest round of cuts.
• Monster Kills More Than Your Energy – Squatters and Wasatch say goodbye to Utah.
• Henhouse & Fort Point Tie the Knot – The Bay Area breweries merge into Fort Point Henhouse, Inc. (yes, seriously).
• LeBron Swaps Vodka for Tequila – Ciroc's out, Lobos 1707 is the new MVP.
• Walmart Launches Beer for the Bargain Buzzed – “Brewmaster’s Selection” hits shelves for the budget-conscious drinker.
• Florida Educators Throw Rager for Minors – Principal and teacher charged after hosting a house party for over 100 kids.

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

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