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[Adam]

Yes I hate Monday Sessions, but don't hold them agains the BN crew. I just enjoy participating in the live show and can't do that on Mondays ... my problem, not the BN's. Yes there are times when a show comes accross as "rushed" ... leaving listeners to make all sorts of unfavorable interpretations of the reasons (disinterest, boredom, would rather head across the street and drink a beer, etc). It could just as easily be a very justifiable reason (having network issues that had to be fixed in order for a show to even happen leaving little to no time for show preparation, poor interviewees making for a difficult interview, guests backing out last minute and scrambling to have show, etc). On the same note, there are many shows where the BN crew is absolutely engaged, having a lot of fun, providing us with a ton of information and entertainment, and staying on air well longer than normal. I think a lot of bitching stems from the fact that we truely enjoy the BN shows and it is hard not to be a bit dissappointed when there is no live show.

Totally agree.

[Adam]

This guys is just trolling.

No, I'm trying to win Douche of the Year 2013. Probably the only award I have a chance at receiving because I'm so good at it.

None of this bullshit will make me lose any sleep. It's just beer and the BN is still the best place to learn, hear, and discuss beer. Period.

[Datamike]

Another fucking shitty IPA in the market in some capacity, yawn about club of the year, DVDs got fucked up, AHA candidates were collectively the worst radio on the BN. Boring as fuck.

Datamike's charge was that pro-brewing is the "focus of the entire show". I was pointing out some of the content that refutes that claim. Whether or not Adam from Upper Michigan likes that content is irrelevant.

Adam, why do you even listen? Per your own comments, you hated basically every broadcast in 2012, with the exception of the cask ale episode. You got very little out of any of the homebrew topics, you hate the pro-brewer interviews, and you can't stand Jamil's shows.

You've deleted Brew Strong out of your iTunes, perhaps it's time to delete The Session too - you'll have more time to find content for which you don't have such disdain.

First off, I'd like to say that you've (Moscow) been a great addition to the BN. Seems like you do a great and very professional job. I'd much rather hear your opinions and jokes than JP's, but maybe that's just me. I didn't even mind the "Whaaaat?!?"

"What is the disconnect here, Datamike? This isn't a matter of opinion. Either your assertion is correct, that we don't update our website and social media outlets to inform listeners of upcoming shows - or mine is, that we do. We can't both be right."

I'd say it is an opinion. You say you update the website/feeds by Thursday. I say that's too late, especially when Justin states that your schedule is months out. Our opinions vary. And BTW, retweeting JP's stupid pontifications doesn't count as "updating social media outlets". If I wanted to follow him, I would.

Regarding the "focus of the entire show" comment, I'll stand by it. Obviously it's a relative comment. Relative to earlier shows. I challenge anyone to listen to shows from the first three years and compare them to the current shows and not come to the same conclusion. During those early years, Justin was excited about BREWING and creating the best beers possible. I can still remember the excitement he had when he and Daniella (sp?) entered their first comp. JP worked at MoreBeer and was also excited about the homebrewing scene.

Today, Justin rarely brews and JP no longer works at MoreBeer and makes comments such as "90% of all homebrew sucks". The passion, respect and adventure of brewing and being involved with the homebrew community is gone. The show has changed. That's the reality. Some may prefer the way it is now. Some new listeners may not know any better, but it has changed. Anyone with an ability to listen would have to agree.

The current shows seem like the Thursday episode of the Daily Show - the week is over, we don't feel like doing much, fuck it, get somebody in here to interview during the stints between commercials. As you well know as a producer, talking to people is a hell of a lot less work than finding/organizing information, planning segments, etc.

You might disagree with Adam about the quality of the homebrew content, but he makes an interesting point: the BN has fucked up quite bit in the recent past and that has led to a perception of not caring - about brewing, shows, listeners or quality in general. True or not, that's the perception. The IPA comp was a trainwreck. No rules released before people brewed the kit, and then another two weeks of uncertainty about the yeast. The DVD was fucked up - who knows why. It doesn't really matter, it looks bad.

The bottom line is that some of us that have been around since the beginning really miss the passion, the information and the sense of "we're all in this together" that was at the forefront of the old shows.

As to BrewStrong/Brewing with Style, I quit listening long ago. Jamil is a nice guy and I am sure provides lots of information, but I don't have the patience to listen to an hour of "you know" and "like" being used in every sentence. If I wanted to hear that I'd stand outside the local Tilly's and listen to the skate rats. Moscow, as a radio professional, I don't know how you stand it.

To Adam:

"- Pumpkin beer (October 29) stupid show about a stupid beer style using stupid ingredients. I'd rather tongue fuck Hillary Clinton's asshole than listen to that piece of shit show again"

That made me spit out my cereal this morning in laughter and may be the most accurate and hilarious thing on the internet. Well done!

Anyway, I am done. I've given my thoughts, and they're just my thoughts. Maybe it's just me. I think Moscow is right, if I don't like it, stop listening. Sad, but that day has come.

Michael

[theobrew]

The bottom line is that some of us that have been around since the beginning really miss the passion, the information and the sense of "we're all in this together" that was at the forefront of the old shows.

I think that is the basis of the issue here. As a new listener I kind of take resentment to this statement too. The show has changed... this 'we're all in this together' feeling was necessary to grow the show. It was a small grassroots group and much of the time spent by the BN was building that listener base. Now they have a large listener base and have needed to switch gears focusing their time on building the content and running the day to day aspects that are behind the scenes and we don't even see.

So there has been a shift. Many of these comments are very indicative of having a favorite local band. You were one of the original fans and went to many local concerts. You got to know them and would have some beers with them after the show. Eventually they made it big, signed a record deal and started touring the US. Now you complain that they've sold out and you no longer like them. When in reality they were just chasing their dream to make a living from it. No... because they now have a larger fan base and more responsibility they are not able to put the same amount of time into certain things. When they do finally have a local show they have to pack up and leave right after. They hardly even recognize you any more. So you stop buying their albums and stop supporting them. Or you continue to support them but only minimally and complain talking about the good old days.

If you had your way that band would be stuck playing 100 dollar gigs barely even able to buy a new drum head because it was a better experience for you personally.

This is very similar to what is happening at the BN. Its grown. I re-listened to a recent show where Justin was saying they were have hundreds of thousands of downloads a month. The BN has grown and has more listeners and more responsibilities because of that growth. However, their staffing hasn't changed so it gets spread more and more thin. Even with this growth they still provide the BEST free and MOST entertaining beer information available anywhere. There isn't even an option that is better that you could pay for if you wanted it.

In short... your right Datamike the show has changed from the beginning. In order for it to grow it MUST change. They don't claim to be the homebrewing network but the brewing network. At the beginning they probably did more homebrewing topics because they were not a name in the industry and couldn't book as many brewers on the show. Now they have the recognition so brewers want to be on the show.

Also, the argument that their attitudes on the show have changed is BS... early shows used to, on average, be less than 3 hours. In fact the Destruise show was hailed as being so stinking long it was crazy!!!! and it was only 4 3/4 hours. We've had 4 shows longer than that in the past year and many more that come very close! This is evidence of a staff who wants to be on the air providing a great listener experience, not people who don't care and want to just get off. This is also the reason the attitude towards callers has changed. In the early shows they would hold a conversation with Bub for 30 min or more... and still the show was only 3 hours. Now they need to be quicker with callers in order to fit everything in and it not become a 6 hours show.

As to the IPA comp... your are true that was a mess up on their part. I'll bet it has something to do with this spreading the workload way too thin that I was talking about earlier. The BN doesn't currently have the staffing to do a competition well and I think they learned that. But hey... it was an experiment and it didn't make my listening experience any worse and I pay them monthly and listen in to hear a great show not for them to host competitions.

I'm sorry if you feel that the BN is selling out. But your comments and your opinions of how the BN should be run do not allow the BN to move forward or are just a flat out lie. The show is moving forward. They have had some growing pains (ie new studio missed shows (which I still contented was amazing that they only missed 1 show), poor running of IPA comp, show communication etc...) But I don't think they're going to go back to being that small local band. They've grown and if you want to grow with them I hope you do but yea if what your looking for is that same high you got at the beginning you'll just be chasing the high and might need to switch to a different drug.

[theobrew]

Also!!! take this thread for example. They have grown and still they take time to come here on the forum to answer things personally. Sure they might not post on here as much as they used to but when they need to they come and reply personally to you.

If that's not caring for the listener I don't know what is!

[NervousDad]

Also!!! take this thread for example. They have grown and still they take time to come here on the forum to answer things personally. Sure they might not post on here as much as they used to but when they need to they come and reply personally to you.

If that's not caring for the listener I don't know what is!

So true, there are far too many pay radio services that take off way more days and charge way more money and just don't give a fuck!

The BN is Great!

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

Nicely pt, theobrew. I think that you've hit the nail on the head.

[animaldoc]

The passion has always been for good beer. Beer radio. Not Homebrew Radio. That hasn't changed.

Two things have changed since the show started - the only way Justin could afford good beer then was to have his friends brew it for him (hence the higher proportion of homebrewing topics) and Justin had no street cred to enable him access to interviewing craft brewers (hence the higher proportion of homebrewing topics).

I started listening somewhere around Christmas 2008 when my wife got me an iPod, for which I had absolutely no interest as I preferred listening to my classic Rock station that I have been listening to for 20 years. Then I found the BN. I started listening with the new shows and would work backwards towards the beginning between new shows. Took me a while, but I did it. And it was painful. The early shows were horrible in comparison to the shows of the (then) current time. I almost couldn't do it. The homebrewing information in those early shows had already been improved upon in later shows and a fair amount was significantly outdated, incomplete, or wrong. The production was poor ("I think the information is awesome and the audio sucks"). Justin was a giddy schoolgirl squealing with delight when a rockstar brewer waved to him from across the room (Sorry J - exaggerating (a bit ) to make a point). But I found the shows entertaining and for the most part just cringed my way through the homebrewing crap. I was able to pull enough useful information out of if that it reignited my passion for beer and brewing (I had about a 14 year hiatus form brewing). The (then) current shows going forward were worth it.

When the show started, there was nothing like it in radio or podcasting. It survived because of that.

In the last 8 (?) years, Justin has grown into a professional broadcaster. He has surrounded himself with like-minded hard working entertaining empl ... ... errr ..... people. The BN has grown from a cheesy high-school-quality radio station into a (reasonably) professional organization. The listenership has grown extensively. Brewers seek out opportunities for Justin to wave to them across the room (ok, that's going too far ...... again, exaggerating to make a point).

Growing up involves change. Business growth requires change. Businesses that don't grow or change with the times do not survive. People change. Not all change is good but not all change is bad either. Friends either grow together accepting that changes occur or they drift apart because they resent the change. Such is life.

Eight years in, there is nothing like it in radio or podcasting. It thrives because of that.

I donated in chunks when I could and then became a sergeant in the army ........[end lovefest]............. despite the fact that I vehemently disagreed with Justin's position on the cancellation of the AHA's TechTalk digest; despite the fact that I get pissed every time I'm listening to sponsor bits and hear Paxton's schtick "When I'm not preparing for the Home Brewed Chef, I'm writing articles for ......" when there hasn't been an HBC in well over a year; despite the fact that I'm not enjoying the new format of the Jamil show (but hope it will improve) .......

I only listen to my classic rock station when the kids are in the car. It's the best beer-based entertainment money can buy. Oh yeah, it's free. It's the best of the free stuff too.

I think I dealt with those fucking feelings AND stayed true to the thread ........