The Straight Beef Podcast #18
Meet a man who earned his PhD in Fragrance and Flavor Chemistry. And yes—that’s a thing.
Subscribe to our podcast through iTunes or download the episode directly through Libsyn.
Burger Truth
Meet a man who earned his PhD in Fragrance and Flavor Chemistry. And yes—that’s a thing.
Subscribe to our podcast through iTunes or download the episode directly through Libsyn.
Should non-beef burgers be allowed to exist? Find out in The Straight Beef Podcast #17.
Test-tube burgers: miracle meats or monstrosities with cheese? The Straight Beef decides.
Download the podcast here.
Warning: Everything you know about Kobe beef is a lie. Take a listen.
Podcast 13
BURGER HISTORY, PART 1: SADDLE MEAT
How was the first hamburger invented? Look under your saddle, pardner. Download here.
Podcast 14
BURGER HISTORY, PART 2: FUN ON A BUN
Where was the hamburger really invented? The Straight Beef explores the six leading theories and determines which is the least insane. Download here.
Editors’ top pick: TSB Podcast #12. What are the top 10 burger side dishes–in order? Find out by downloading our podcast from iTunes or Libsyn.
The Straight Beef Episode 11 is super-sized for your listening pleasure. A decadent discussion of the top 10 toppings as determined by a burgiatric conclave. Download the episode here or subscribe to us using iTunes.
The Straight Beef celebrates Halloween in January as it looks back on its five most horrifying burgers. You can download it via our Libsyn feed or you can subscribe here.
What’s better than a good burger and cold beer? The Straight Beef and the NCBeer Guys on the same podcast. Belly up! Download from iTunes or from the Libsyn feed.
Man, podcast #9—featuring our buds Glenn and Dave, the NC Beer Guys—is a good one, frothing with craft beer wisdom aplenty. Download it from iTunes or directly from our Libsyn feed.
As a special holiday bonus, here’s some stuff that doesn’t appear the podcast (including our verdict on the Village Draft House). It’s just like the podcast, except the content is completely different, and it’s less about the listening and more about the…you know…looking.
Glenn and Dave introduced us to Deep River Brewing’s 40-42 Stout, a rich, creamy stout with hints of chocolate and a bit of residual sweetness. A huge hit with everyone at the table.
For Chad’s Maxmillian burger (with bleu cheese and bacon), Glenn and Dave recommended an IPA to cut the richness. The Maxmillian also paired very nicely with Highland Gaelic Ale.
Devil’s Tramping Ground Tripel from Aviator Brewing in Fuquay-Varina drew mixed reviews. Glenn gave it high marks, while Chad—not a fan of the bubblegum and clove flavors found in some Belgian beers—was less enthusiastic.
Feeling nostalgic for 80s techno-rap, Michael, Scott, and Dave opted for the Der Kommissar Burger, which featured dark ale mustard and sauerkraut on grilled rye. Scott reported that his was well balanced, while the other two felt overwhelmed by sauerkraut. All three agreed that the massive rye slices made the burgers too bready. All in all, a good burger that would be better with more consistent construction and a better burger-to-bread ratio. Scott gave his a 4.0 on the five-point scale, while Michael and Dave both ended up in 3.5-town.
Glenn opted for the Chicago Burger, a classic pub-style cheeseburger with bourbon-cured bacon. He gave it 3.75.
Chad’s Maxmillian burger delivered salty hot goodness in the form of bleu cheese, Frank’s Red Hot sauce, and bourbon-cured bacon. Glenn was skeptical of the burger’s pretzel roll, but Chad appreciated the flavor and structure it brought to the burger. Chad scored the Maxmillian at 3.75.
We were very pleasantly surprised when the manager of Village Draft House, upon learning of the presence of the state-renowned NC Beer Guys, comped our meals. Good beer and no bill? Now that’s a pairing.*
On the beers: An excellent array of craft beers, with NC breweries making up a good portion of the tap list.
On the burgers: Solid renditions of pub-style burgers, both classic and inventive. With a TSB score of 3.75, the Village Draft House ranks 23 out of our 48 official reviews.
Podcast listeners know that Hot Pistol—the NC Beer Guys’ brew that won Best in Show at the Top of the Hops pro-am competition—was headed to Denver for an exclusive debut at the Denver Rare Beer Tasting. So how’d it go? Sounds like the chocolate raspberry habanero stout was extremely well received. And while there is nothing definite yet, the brewers at NoDa have hinted that it may return to the lineup as a seasonal offering next year.
*Faithful readers know that we have never asked for — nor will we ever ask for — anything for free. It was a very kind gesture on the part of the manager. We will always be absolutely transparent when something like this occurs.