Ready To Drink Podcast

In this episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, Nate Fochtman sits down with Gordon Whelpley, Co-Founder of Float House CAN-NA-BREWS, to break down what it actually takes to build a compliant, scalable THC-infused beverage that doesn’t fit neatly into existing categories.

CAN-NA-BREWS was designed to drink like beer without being classified as a malt beverage, creating a new lane inside the hemp beverage market that requires precise formulation, intentional process design, and a deep understanding of regulatory structure.

This conversation focuses on:

ho...

Duration: 00:51:22

Opening a craft brewery in 2025 takes more than good beer - it takes clarity, discipline, and real strategy.

In this episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, Nate Fochtman sits down with Kyle Underkoffler, co-founder of Berg Brewing Company in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to break down what it actually takes to build a brewery from scratch in today’s crowded beer market.

This conversation covers:

How Berg Brewing transformed a historic building into a working breweryWhy European beer styles, simplicity, and quality still matterThe realities of running a small brewery and wearing every hatBuilding a bu...

Duration: 00:27:56

In this episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, I sit down on site in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with Yianni Barakos, Founder of Mason Dixon Distillery - for a raw, unscripted conversation about heritage, resilience, and what it really means to build something that lasts.

Yianni shares the deep roots behind Mason Dixon Distillery, tracing his family’s Greek immigrant story, the culture of hospitality that shaped his upbringing, and the work ethic passed down through generations. We talk about learning how to build a still at age 11, growing up in and around his father’s diner, and how...

Duration: 00:34:21

Justin Hoak didn’t set out to build one of the most unique brewery models in Pennsylvania - but that’s exactly what Yah Brew has become. In this episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, Justin breaks down how Yah Brew grew from selling crowlers at pop-ups to launching a full production facility, multiple taprooms, and a completely original 90s-themed brand experience that’s pulling people in for more than just beer.

We talk about the real decisions behind expansion, how to avoid the traps that shut breweries down, why nostalgia still sells, and how a one-ba...

Duration: 00:41:36

On this episode of Ready To Drink Podcast, I sit down with Pete Olander, founder of Happie Beverages, for one of the most candid and grounded conversations we’ve had on the show. Pete walks through the early spark that launched Happie, the years he spent in nutrition and regulated cannabis, and the unexpected realities of building a beverage company from scratch in an industry that shifts under your feet.

We get into the origin story of both lines under the Happie umbrella - the THC beverages built on clean labels and tight compliance, and the functional mu...

Duration: 00:21:59

Moon Flower Hemp isn’t just another hemp brand - it’s a family legacy built by three generations of Appalachian women, rooted in the moment the 2018 Farm Bill cracked the door open for innovation. In this episode, I sit down with co-founders Riley and Macie Queen to talk about their beginnings, “their father’s early vision”, and the moment their one-acre experiment turned into a vertically integrated craft cannabis business trusted across the country.

We dig into why transparency matters, what it takes to control every step from soil to final product, and why “regulate don’t eliminate” i...

Duration: 00:27:02

On this episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, host Nate Fochtman sits down with Paul Lemley, founder of Battlefield Brew Works in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - one of the most unique brewery and distillery destinations in America.

Paul shares how he transformed an abandoned barn on the historic East Cavalry Field into a thriving brewery and distillery nearly 30 years ago, long before the craft beer boom. From battling township regulations and limited utilities in the ‘90s to becoming Pennsylvania’s first dual-license brewery/distillery, Paul’s story is one of grit, innovation, and true American entrepreneurship.

Th...

Duration: 00:20:05

In this episode of Ready To Drink Podcast, host Nate Fochtman sits down with JR Heaps, founder of South County Brewing, to unpack the 15-year journey from a 300-square-foot homebrew setup in Fawn Grove to a 30,000-square-foot destination brewery in York, Pennsylvania.

JR shares how the 2008 housing crash pushed him to chase his brewing dream, the early days of welding tanks and hand-filling bombers, and how South County became a cornerstone of Central PA’s craft scene. From the hazy IPA boom to the rise of small-scale canning, this conversation dives deep into what it takes to su...

Duration: 00:25:55

Meet Mike Podlogar and Peri Higgins, Co-Founders of More Love, a hemp-derived THC sparkling beverage based in Hatfield, PA. In this episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast with host Nate Fochtman, Mike and Peri share their journey from successful careers (including investment banking and co-packing) to creating a nationally available alcohol alternative.

More Love is designed to be the ultimate social substitute for alcohol, offering great flavors like Sun Berry, Orange Tide, and Pineapple Colada, without the hangover.

In this deep-dive, you'll learn:

The Power of Federal Legality: How their hemp-derived THC...

Duration: 00:09:46

Step back in time with us at Bube’s Brewery in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, one of the most historic breweries in America. In this first episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, we sit down with Sam Allen, owner and storyteller, who shares the fascinating 19th-century origins of the brewery, its role during Prohibition, the evolution of craft beer, and the living history preserved within its walls.

Learn how taverns shaped America’s beer culture, why lagers were once seasonal, and how food became central to keeping this 1850s landmark alive.

Plus, discover chilling ghost stor...

Duration: 00:58:01

Corey Wolfe's journey is a masterclass in turning long-term vision into reality. 

In this compelling interview on the Ready To Drink Podcast with host Nate Fochtman, Corey, the founder of Woof Bar in York, PA, dives deep into the decade-long evolution of his dream.

Starting with zero connections and a server job, Corey leveraged public art projects (like the incredible, backwards window murals he developed to navigate city regulations), community volunteering, and fierce local networking to build the social equity that made his business possible. He shares the ingenious sourcing of everything from bar stools t...

Duration: 00:19:05