05 - Ben Leon
The Explore84 Podcast
English - April 16, 2019 07:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBSociety & Culture Business personal growth entrepreneur wellness soul body mind healthy goals explore health topics self improvement Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
"A dandy is someone who's not bound by style or trends, and approaches life through their own passions." This week we're joined by Ben Leon, co-founder of The Dandy Brewing Company, and we learn what makes Ben a dandy.
Not to be constrained by styles or trends, Ben's story is a journey from punk rocker to teacher to home brewer, and today he and his partners operate The Dandy Brewing Company, the very first licensed small brewery to open in Calgary after the 2013 law change allowing for smaller batches. Today, Dandy is known for their unique brews including their famous Oyster Stout, as well as the fine dining experience in their taproom. Ben tells us "Look at the Google reviews for the first few months!" Many of their early patrons were shocked to discover Dandy's menu was a departure from the usual pizza n' burgers you'd expect.
But this isn't just a beer story, Ben recounts his time in punk bands The Nymphettes and Jeremy Clarkson, a near scuffle with Billy Corgan's security detail, his mandatory reading list, and why being a dad is the best thing on earth.