AG Craft Beer Cast 8-31-25 Gary Monterosso

·45 min·4 clips

A young brewery employee tells Gary Monterosso that beer is 'my dad's drink,' highlighting a generational divide.

The episode opens with host Al Gattullo introducing the show from a private backyard bar called Poor Choices. He previews an upcoming interview with Gary Monterosso and shares news items, including Founders Brewing's new Cosmickey's Collection Czech dark lager and Indeed Brewing's Apple Crisp Ale hybrid. Al reports on Mark Anthony Brands closing its Hillside, New Jersey facility, affecting 143 jobs. He promotes local beer festivals like Beer, Bacon, Barbecue and Blocktoberfest. The host then dedicates a segment to a Gallup poll revealing that only 54% of U.S. adults drink alcohol, the lowest rate in nearly 90 years, with 53% now believing moderate drinking is unhealthy. He discusses factors like health warnings, mocktails, and generational shifts, noting his 21-year-old son doesn't drink. Gary Monterosso joins to talk about the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame voting, highlighting five landmark beers: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Anchor Steam, Sellis White, and Anchor Liberty Ale. They explore why younger generations are drinking less, with Gary sharing an anecdote about a young brewery employee calling beer 'my dad's drink.' The conversation covers brewery closures, attributing them to poor management and bad beer. Gary updates on his show's expansion to Detroit and Knoxville radio stations. Al concludes with Suds and Duds, reviewing beers like Icarus's Sticky Icky IPA and Kane's 14th Anniversary IPA, and ends with promotional spots.

As heard by us

A Labor Day beer chat becomes a relaxed, grounded look at changing drinking habits and bar culture.

A Labor Day beer with friends leads Al Gattulo into a relaxed discussion of who drinks, who opts out, and what those choices could mean for bars.

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Why you'd press play

You get a Labor Day beer hang that turns from backyard-bar ease into a quick read on how drinking habits are changing.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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