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Snackin' & Yakkin'
Some episodes are planned. This one feels like it happened because a comedy show ended, the lights came up, and nobody wanted the hang to stop. On Snackin’ & Yakkin’ Ep 38, Ben Kennedy links up with Courtney Lee Ann from Frothy Beard Off-World in Summerville, South Carolina for salty snacks, a mango fix, and a craft beer lineup that ranges from “easy sipper” to “this might make you confess secrets.”
There’s Cheddar Chex Mix, a surprisingly good sparkling apple-mango drink, and a seasonal cranberry sour that Courtney swears is dangerously drinkable. Add nerdy bar decor, trivia nights, and a sincere love for soft pretzels, and you’ve got a pretty perfect low-pressure night in.
How a New Year’s Eve comedy show turned into a brewery hang
Ben first met Courtney at a New Year’s Eve show at Frothy Beard Off-World, where he proudly became the last person standing (not on stage, just hanging around because he doesn’t get out much). The place itself helps. It’s the kind of taproom that encourages conversation with strangers, not the “everybody stare into your phone until the check drops” vibe.
Off-World also leans hard into its theme. Think Stormtrooper helmets, Star Wars nods, and a room that used to have a wall of lightsabers (now it’s alien ships). It’s “properly geeky,” even if Ben keeps accidentally calling it “outer space” and getting corrected by actual fans. If you want a sense of the spot, start with Frothy Beard Off-World’s Summerville location page.
Then there’s the part where Ben grabs soft pretzels to-go and still pulls off the real mission of the night: making it home for the New Year’s kiss. He drives from Somerville to West Ashley and walks in with about 10 seconds to spare, hearing the TV hit “10…9…” as he’s coming through the door.
The pretzels don’t even make it to the oven. His family tears into them immediately, no reheating required, full pretzel chaos.
Cheddar Chex Mix, missing rye chips, and a mango drink worth hunting down
The snack table is classic “talk show, but make it a kitchen counter.” They crack open Cheddar Chex Mix and immediately notice what’s missing: the rye chips. According to their snack math, rye chips mostly survive in the original mix now, not the cheddar bag.
The conversation takes a left turn into “are these Cheez-Its?” territory. The bag calls them “cheese crackers,” which is basically a witness protection program for a Cheez-It. They even check who makes Cheez-Its (Kellogg’s), while Courtney casually admits she’s not big on pretzels as a snack ingredient. This episode still respects pretzels as a food group, though.
Ben also brings a sparkling apple-mango drink because Courtney’s on a mango kick. He skips the thick smoothie-style option and goes for something light, bubbly, and easy to sip while talking. The best part is the attitude behind it: no gatekeeping. If something’s good, share it. Courtney agrees, and ties it to her own growth from “boss mode” management days to a calmer, better teammate at Frothy Beard.
The Frothy Beard beer lineup, plus Courtney’s seasonal Sour Cran obsession
Courtney shows up with a stack of beers and the energy of someone who actually wants you to try the fun stuff. The tasting run includes:
- Sip Sip Pass: a hazy IPA (6.8% ABV) that Ben clocks as citrus-forward, with an orange vibe that reminds him a bit of Blue Moon.
- Out at Third: a Belgian tripel with big popularity and higher ABV (they call out 8.8%). Ben tastes banana, but the clove note is what throws him off.
- Critical Hit: a kölsch that Courtney describes as a step up from a pilsner, and her go-to suggestion when someone wants something light.
- Walhallaweisse: a hefeweizen (German wheat beer) that rounds out the flight.
If you like checking what’s on tap before you show up, Off-World’s drink menu is the rabbit hole.
Then comes Courtney’s favorite: Sour Cran, a seasonal cranberry sour that’s tart, light, and “doesn’t even taste like beer” in the most dangerous way. She jokes she’s basically responsible for a keg herself since Thanksgiving, and she loves that it’s priced fairly (she quotes $15 for a six-pack). Ben immediately gets it after one sip.
They also shout out other staples and seasonal ideas, like Zap Brown Again, Back from the Dead, a Harry Potter-inspired winter warmer called 9 and 3/4, and a tangerine-themed sour with a Mandalorian pun.
On the food side, Courtney’s “perfect night” pitch is trivia plus either the Smashburger or the Chicken Parmageddon wrap. The pretzels still get love, along with buffalo Brussels sprouts and dipping sauces. If you like reading the damage before ordering, start with Off-World’s food menu.
The personal stuff that makes the episode work
This episode isn’t just tasting notes. Courtney talks openly about changing her mindset at work, learning to apologize when she’s wrong, and refusing to live by the “this is who I am, deal with it” motto.
Ben matches that with stories about parenting two totally different kids, and why he doesn’t drink and drive (paramedic brain, plus New Year’s Eve roads full of chaos). They also swap weirdly relatable life moments, like garlic bread regret and the universal truth that “mean” can be funny when it isn’t malicious.
And yes, Courtney’s cow obsession makes an appearance: cow shoes, cow bag, cow beanie, cow phone case, the whole herd. It even reminds Ben of an old friend who loved cows so much she used a cow-shaped hole punch and left little paper cows in his briefcase for him to find years later.
Conclusion
If you’re anywhere near Summerville, this episode plays like a blueprint for a solid night out: nerdy taproom, good prices, trivia, and a Sour Cran that disappears way too fast. Follow along with new episodes on Snackin’ & Yakkin’ on YouTube, then go see what Frothy Beard Off-World is pouring and what kind of conversations you bump into at the bar.
