Mike and Brandy talk with Elliot Johnson III, the owner of Soul Mega, about how the brand blends beer, art, music, and community into one culture-first project.

They cover his collab-heavy brewing approach, the story behind Mega Fest, and what winning Sam Adams’ Brewing the American Dream competition could mean for Soul Mega’s next stage of growth.

In this episode:

• Elliot Johnson III explains that Soul Mega is a brand centered on creative culture and the pursuit of passion, not a traditional brick-and-mortar brewery.

• The conversation kicks off with recent beers, including Soul Mega’s Echo Bloom with Cinderlands, a dry-hopped pilsner with Simcoe, Superdelic, Motueka, and orange blossom honey.

• Elliot reflects on Barrel and Flow in Pittsburgh and how beer festivals are evolving into broader beverage festivals with mead, cider, cocktails, sours, and seltzers.

• He walks through several notable collaborations, including work with Port City, Stone, New Belgium, Trogues, Green Bench, Funky Town, Blue Jacket, City State, Lost Gen, Red Bear, and others.

• Elliot says the most memorable collab experience was the Port City and Stone project because it gave him a behind-the-scenes look at Stone’s production facility in Richmond.

• The group discusses how Soul Mega “remixes” beer and city culture by combining beer-fest energy with block-party energy, music, and visual art.

• Elliot describes Mega Fest as Soul Mega’s answer to the lack of spaces where beer culture, DJs, house music, and socializing naturally overlap.

• He says each Soul Mega can label features local mural artists, reinforcing the brand’s link to creative communities.

• Elliot shares that he started homebrewing in 2011, officially launched Soul Mega in 2019, and chose contract brewing as the lowest-barrier way to enter the market.

• He talks candidly about challenges from launching just before COVID to navigating capital constraints, logistics, and shifting consumer behavior.

• The Sam Adams competition win is presented as a growth opportunity, with a collab beer with Boston Beer Company planned for Q1 2027.

• Elliot says the story people miss most is Soul Mega’s meaning and the intentional way he prepares brand messaging for the press.