Funkytown Brewery gets funky in Chicago. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns about a new local Black-owned brewery called Funkytown from co-owners Richard Bloomfield, Zachary Day, and Gregory Williams, discusses the loss of affordable housing in Chicago with executive director of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University Geoff Smith, and discovers the Secret History of the local country rock band Ouray. And Mike recounts his standoff with a Chicago rat, since the city has once again been named the “rattiest” in America. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout Army. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the impact of Goose Island Brewery’s sale 10 years ago with Chicago Tribune reporter Josh Noel, learns the Secret History of saxman Gene Barge, and plays a clip from 2013 that features one lucky “phan’s” experience on stage with Phish. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin recap the show and share their thoughts about Goose Island products. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

This week we take a look at housing instability in the wake of the pandemic. (Photo Credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses the pandemic’s affect on housing instability with Michelle Layser of the University of Illinois, talks to the John Howard Association of Illinois‘ Jennifer Vollen-Katz about how prisons are beginning to open up to more oversight, and finds out how Burning Bush Brewery has survived the pandemic so far from owner Brent Raska. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin recap the show, offer some takeaways, and offer words of encouragement for one another’s March Madness brackets. The local music this week comes from Cranes & Mirrors. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Posted 5 years ago Tagged

Remember 2017? Good times.

Mike Stephen gets the lowdown about this year’s Bourbon County Stout lineup from the Chicago Tribune’s Josh Noel, talks to ProPublica Illinois reporter Melissa Sanchez about immigrant teens working dangerous factory jobs in the suburbs, and chats about the empowering work of Girls on the Run Chicago with executive director Jill Eid. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show, including describing recent barrel-aged beer experiences. The local pandemic tunez come from Treesleeper. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page or RSS feed.

Posted 6 years ago Tagged