Brooke Franus and Lee Schmidt, the couple behind the Pittsburgh-based Stewards of Beer, join the Drinking Partners and drop their tagline in the opening minutes: We’re here for your beer. During the first half of the podcast, Brooke and Lee explain the concept behind Stewards of Beer, one that aims to educate, promote, and assist the thriving beer culture in Western Pennsylvania. Up first on the expansive sample of beers they have brought to the studio is a collaboration beer from New Belgium that features a Mexico-inspired fruit infusion. As the Drinking Partners sip, Brooke and Lee discuss their upcoming class offerings, which teach everything from beer and food pairings to keg line maintenance, with many topics in between. The classes will be held at Hal’s Bottle Shop in Ross Township, and enrollment for the 6-week class can be accessed through www.stewardsofbeer.com. After a break for Ed and Day to give advice on how to be a relationship wingman, the group tastes an earthy sour and a chocolate stout, and a thorough, beer-centric debate follows before the group finishes with a 14% milk stout. An extensive and educational listen that shows what the Stewards of Beer do best.
