Grab those beers and join us with arms wide open. Greg and Flex get into boozing on a budget, a listener writes in to set Flex straight, and Greg finally tries Beatboxes so everyone else doesn’t have to. There’s a voicemail about getting wrecked on fruit punch, a Costco beer that smells like banana candy, and a reminder that Florida is still Florida. Add tacos, onions, and some beers that we used to know to get your favorite beer podcast.

Beers We’re Drinking:

• Flex is drinking Breakfast at Tiffany’s from Mikerphone Brewing, a Berliner-style weiss with blueberry and maple syrup.
• Greg is boozin’ on a budget with Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale, a 12% barrel-aged budget bomber.

We’re taking polls: what are beers you used to love and just can’t do anymore? A listener writes in to set Flex straight on his “my sister-in-law’s husband” phrasing, and the ruling does not go his way. The guys get into tacos, why onions matter, and the emotional damage left behind by ground beef tacos pretending to be real tacos. Greg reports back after finally trying Beatboxes at Total Wine, confirming that free samples can still feel overpriced. BuzzBall sightings make an appearance, along with holiday memories no one asked to relive. There’s also talk of new international listeners, which has Greg wondering if it’s time to gas up the jet and go say hi.

Booze News:

• New Mexico’s largest brewery shuts down taprooms after a bankruptcy filing gets denied.
• Brewery closures continue to outpace openings as survival matters more than expansion.
• GLP-1 medications hit drinking tolerance harder and last longer than expected.
• Florida man blames DUI on a medical condition he cannot pronounce.
• Florida man allegedly attacks a Publix manager with a Salvation Army donation kettle.

Follow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

• Instagram: @CraftBeerRepublic
• Facebook: CraftBeerRepublicPod
• Threads: CraftBeerRepublic
• Voicemail: (805) 538-2337

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Happy New Year, Republic of Craft Beer. Flex returns from the brink of death with a cough, a doctor bill, and a sour IPA that immediately changes his mood. Greg rolls out new music, new merch, and a fresh fear that Hong Kong might be stealing their voices for AI. There’s a listener review that weaponizes the phrase “craft beer podcast,” a voicemail from Psycho Bear that somehow includes brewery hopping and Bears trash talk, and a holiday recap that proves staying up for midnight is mostly about spite. Toss in a trip to Disneyland, a drunk mandolin thief with a conscience, and two beers that kick off the year the right way, and you’ve got a proper reset for 2026.

Beers We’re Drinking:

• Flex is drinking Glitterbug from Young Blood Beer Company, a sour IPA with blackberry and cashmere hops.
• Greg is drinking a West Coast IPA collab from MadeWest Brewing and Beachwood Brewing with mango, peach, and pineapple notes.

We’ve got some fresh music for a fresh start for this fresh beer podcast! Flex explains how four weeks of being sick ended with a doctor calmly confirming he was dying and then sending him home. Greg shares why glitter is banned from his house, unveils new merch, and reacts to a surprise spike of listeners in Hong Kong. A voicemail from Psycho Bear turns into equal parts local brewery talk and NFC North trash talk, while holiday stories cover brutal work schedules, forcing kids to stay up until midnight, bacon-wrapped chestnuts, and surviving family gatherings. Greg finally makes it back to Disneyland, pilots the Millennium Falcon, and learns that blinking buttons are apparently not obvious to everyone.

Booze News:

• Sycamore Brewing closes its taproom following serious criminal charges against a former owner.
• Heineken plans new non-alcoholic flavor extensions and a zero-everything option.
• GhostFish Brewing takes over the former Pike Brewing space in Seattle.
• Malibu Brewing announces a future location at Universal CityWalk.
• A women-brewed pale ale highlights outdated beer laws around the world.
• A stolen mandolin gets returned with a note that reads, “sorry I been drunk.”

Follow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

• Instagram: @CraftBeerRepublic
• Facebook: CraftBeerRepublicPod
• Threads: CraftBeerRepublic
• Voicemail: (805) 538-2337

Follow & Subscribe:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

A Craft Beer Republic Christmas Story

Welcome in.

The fire is crackling, the lights are down low, the cocoa is hot while the beer is ice cold. Each year brings its own traditions, and this season, Craft Beer Republic invites you to gather close for a Christmas story.

This is a tale meant to be shared the way holiday stories always have been — comfortably, unhurried, and in good company. Settle into the moment, enjoy what’s been poured, and spend a little time with us by the fire.

From all of us at Craft Beer Republic:

Thanks for drinking. Thanks for joining.

And as always — stay hydrated.

If this story becomes part of your holiday listening, feel free to pass it along to someone who enjoys Christmas traditions, warm rooms, and a well-chosen drink on a winter night.

Follow your favorite beer podcast on the socials:

Flex: Instagram: @flex_me_a_beer

Craft Beer Republic: CraftBeerRepublic.com

• Instagram: @CraftBeerRepublic
• Facebook: CraftBeerRepublicPod
• Threads: CraftBeerRepublic
• Voicemail: (805) 538-2337

Follow & Subscribe:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• More links