Beer gurus Matt McLaren (Orcas Distributing), Ron Swarner (Peaks & Pints) and Bethany Carlsen (The Funk Busters) explore and celebrate the craft beer industry, community, and history in Tacoma, Washington, and surrounding Pacific Northwest region, with assistance from opinionated beer industry insiders. Engineered by Doug Mackey of Channel 253, you can hear the three India Pale Yale graduates and featured guests every Friday as they think and drink in a room completely devoid of oxygen as not to degrade the beer.
BETHANY CARLSEN is a professional brewer and the co-owner of The Funk Busters, a draft system cleaning and maintenance company. She was the head brewer at Pacific Brewing & Malting and got her start in the industry in 2010 brewing for The Ram. She is a Nationally ranked BJCP judge and has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. When she’s not busting the funk out of draft lines at local Tacoma restaurants and bars, you can find her raising her two small kiddos or rollerblading on the waterfront to funk music.
MATT MCLAREN is an Advanced Cicerone and a Sales and Brand Manager at Orcas Distributing, with industry experience that stretches back to his stint as a keg washer at Harmon Brewing as teenager. An epicurean with no reservations, McLaren emcees the podcast like he’s orchestrating a boujie farmers market meal.
RON SWARNER is co-owner of Peaks & Pints, and a journalist for more than 35 years, including founding the Weekly Volcano alternative newsweekly where he wrote the New Beer Column, launched Tacoma Restaurant Week, Best of Tacoma, and food tournaments. With a voice like Grandpa Simpson, and a ridiculous lumberjack wardrobe, Ron curates the beer at Peaks, as well as runs the yearly Tournament of Beer.