Episode 26 - When you think about traveling to Italy, craft beer probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Wine, pasta, pizza, and historic cities? Absolutely. But finding a great Italian IPA? That's where our adventure gets interesting.

We're taking you along on our weeklong journey through Tuscany, Verona, and Lake Garda, where we discovered incredible food, local breweries, and a drinking culture that was quite different from what we're used to in Arizona.

We start things off with Lunchbox Legend from More Brewing Company, a 7.5% peanut butter and jelly-inspired sour ale. Adam thinks it's one of the best PB&J beers we've tried. Dedra isn't completely convinced, although she wouldn't turn one down.

Then we're off to Italy!

Our first major food discovery was Ale's Pizza in Marina di Massa. One Diavola pizza was all it took to set the standard for the rest of our trip, and no other pizza managed to measure up.

We also explore the marble quarries of Carrara, enjoy fresh seafood along the Tuscan coast, and discover that even someone who doesn't particularly enjoy tomatoes or calamari can have their mind changed by Italian cooking.

Of course, we needed to find some craft beer.

From Birrificio Apuano's Brezza to Birrificio Forte's La Mancina, we sampled a range of Italian beers before discovering Radical Brewery at a beach club. Hop's Bound, Heavy Tune, and Daft Bock turned that unexpected stop into one of our favorite beer discoveries of the trip.

Our travels eventually take us to Verona for Amarone risotto, steak, truffles, and tender beef cheek, followed by an excursion to Sirmione on Lake Garda.

Along the way, we talk about navigating Italian traffic, accidentally searching for closed bars, finding beer with our phone flashlights, and why Dedra's ankle wasn't particularly happy with all those cobblestones.

Whether you're planning a trip to Italy, curious about Italian craft beer, or just enjoy a good food-and-travel story, come along for the adventure.

Follow The Adam & Dedra Show for more brewery visits, memorable meals, and unexpected discoveries.

Craft Beer. Food. Fun.

Cheers!

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Episode 25 - Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! Giant beers, traditional German food, massive beer tents, and a train system that nearly defeated us before we even got started.

After a few weeks away from the microphones, we're back and ready to share some stories from our European adventure.

This time, we're taking you to Munich for Oktoberfest, where we discovered that a liter of German beer is no joke, the beer tents are practically the size of warehouses, and apparently Germans love singing "Sweet Caroline" just as much as Americans do.

But Oktoberfest wasn't our only stop.

We explored Munich's famous English Garden on a bicycle tour, stopped for traditional German sausages, pretzels, and giant beers, and visited Schneider Weisse, where Adam tried the 12% Aventinus Eisbock.

We also revisited one of Adam's longtime favorite beers, Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock. He's been a fan for nearly 20 years, but Dedra isn't quite as convinced.

Things got even more interesting when a waiter invited Dedra to try a beer poured directly from a small barrel, leading to a slightly awkward but memorable encounter.

Then there's the Oktoberfest experience itself.

We found our way into the Paulaner tent, enjoyed traditional Oktoberfest beer, and somehow ended up sharing a table with another couple from Phoenix. Thousands of miles from home, and we still found Arizona people.

Of course, no Adam & Dedra adventure would be complete without a few mishaps. This trip included a missed train stop, a painfully confusing train station, a hotel that rewarded us with free beer for skipping housekeeping, and an unexpectedly successful 3 AM trip to the airport.

We're drinking Juicefulness, an 8.5% hazy double IPA collaboration from North Park Beer Co. and Everywhere Beer Co., as we relive the adventure.

Pour yourself a beer and join us for the stories, laughs, and discoveries from our first Munich Oktoberfest.

Craft Beer. Food. Fun.

Cheers!

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Episode 24 - Sleepy Whale’s Phoenix location gave us a new place to work through a ridiculous amount of craft beer without having to make the trek all the way across the Valley.

We start this episode with a strawberry and rhubarb crumble Berliner-style Weisse from Energy City Brewing. At first, rhubarb seemed like the dominant flavor. Then the beer warmed up and Dedra decided it tasted like strawberry applesauce. Strangely enough, Adam couldn't completely disagree. Apparently alcoholic applesauce is a thing now.

From there, we recap our visit to Sleepy Whale near Central and Camelback. Our afternoon started with four hazy IPAs from Everywhere, North Park Beer Co., Hop Butcher, and RAR Brewing, ranging from relatively easy-drinking to a 9.1% double New England hazy IPA.

Because we were there with a group, those four beers quickly turned into tastings from all over the tap list.

We also get into the food, especially some seriously meaty hickory-smoked dry-rub wings that had us questioning what kind of workout routine these chickens were following. The brisket sandwich was good, although Adam wanted a little more seasoning and smoke.

Then came the can coolers.

Adam found Juice and Stampede from Ten Barn Brewing, Dedra went straight for Drekker’s Mango Orange Banana BRAAAAAAAINS, and a shared bottle of Pure Project’s Campfire Classic became one of Adam’s favorite beers of the afternoon.

Sleepy Whale combines a big draft lineup, hard-to-find cans, smoked food, and the kind of atmosphere that makes it very easy to stay longer than planned.

Join us for another round of Craft Beer. Food. Fun., and send us the breweries, beers, and food spots you think we need to visit next.

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