Boats, Beers and Backroads

What happens when you mix dockside chats, early morning casts, local brews, and winding backroads?You get real conversations, good laughs, and an unapologetic love for country & cottage life.🎙️ Hosted by Jamie Allison, this isn’t about curated perfection — it’s about the unfiltered joy of weekends away, the kind of stories you share by the fire, and the beauty of slowing down.✨ If you’ve ever paddled at sunrise, grilled on a stormy day, or found your peace on a backroad bike ride… this one’s for you.

Boats, Beers and Backroads is a leisure podcast hosted by Hosted by Jamie Allison, with 23 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Hosted by Jamie Allison hosts Boats, Beers and Backroads, a leisure show with 23 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #24

  5-Time Canadian BBQ Champion Janice Smella on Competition BBQ, Backyard Tips & Cooking Without Limits

  Jul 24, 202632 minS1

  What does it take to become one of Canada's most decorated competitive barbecue teams? This week on Boats, Beers & Backroads , Jamie Allison sits down with Janice Smella , head cook of SmellaQue BBQ and a five-time Canadian BBQ Team of the Year . From humble beginnings with a single smoker in 2014 to competing on some of the biggest barbecue stages in North America, Janice shares what it's really like behind the scenes of championship barbecue. She talks about the camaraderie of the BBQ community, how her cooking has evolved over the years, and why she believes mastering the basics will always beat buying the latest gadget. Janice also shares practical tips every backyard pitmaster can use—from why pork shoulder is one of the best meats to learn on, to the one inexpensive tool she says every griller should own. The conversation also explores her passion for food science, experimenting with unusual ingredients, learning from chefs around the world, and why the barbecue community feels more like family than competition. Whether you're firing up the smoker at the cottage, grilling for friends, or dreaming of competing one day, this episode is packed with stories, laughs, and tips you'll want to try on your next cook. How SmellaQue became Canada's BBQ Team of the Year five times What it's really like competing at world-class barbecue contests Why pork shoulder is the perfect meat for beginners ️ The one BBQ tool Janice says everyone should own ⏱️ How modern smokers have changed competition barbecue The science behind great barbecue Why Janice loves experimenting with unusual cuts and international cuisine Winning back-to-back competitions in Idaho Life on the competition BBQ circuit What's next for SmellaQue, including the American Royal World Series of Barbecue Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads YouTube: Boats, Beers and Backroads Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you listen www.smellaque.com Instagram: @janie_smellaque

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  Episode #23

  Julia Godden: Small-Town Roots, Honest Songs & Finding Her Voice

  Jul 14, 202625 minS1

  What happens when a emerging musician from a small Ontario town starts playing restaurant gigs and simply keeps going? On this episode of Boats, Beers & Backroads , Jamie sits down with singer-songwriter Julia Godden to talk about growing up in a small town, building confidence through live performance, and finding her voice through honest indie-folk songwriting. Julia shares how her father helped her land her first restaurant gigs, the musical influence of her family and older brother, and the turning point that came when she started releasing her own music. The conversation dives into the vulnerability of sharing personal songs, the thrill of hearing people sing your lyrics back to you, and why Julia prefers intimate rooms filled with listeners who are actually there for the music. She also opens up about balancing university, work, and a growing music career, the lessons she learned from years of busking, and the artists who continue to shape her songwriting—including Joni Mitchell and Noah Kahan . With plans to record a new EP, Julia is still early in her journey—but she's already spent nearly a decade learning how to connect with an audience one song at a time. 🎶 Growing up in Acton, Ontario 🎸 Playing her first restaurant gigs at 14 🎤 The lessons learned from busking and performing live 📝 Writing vulnerable, personal songs 🎶 The feeling of hearing fans sing her songs back 🏫 Balancing university, work, and music 🎧 The influence of Joni Mitchell and Noah Kahan 🔥 Why intimate, engaged audiences mean the most 🎵 Plans for a new EP and what's coming next Whether you love indie-folk, Canadian singer-songwriters, intimate live music, or simply discovering an artist at the beginning of an exciting journey, this is a great conversation. 📸 Instagram: @juliagoddenmusic 🎵 TikTok: Julia Godden @juliagoddenmusic 🎧 Stream her music on Spotify and Apple Music 📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads 🎥 YouTube: Boats, Beers and Backroads 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you listen

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  Episode #22

  Karly Kryski: The Country Music Star Bringing Happy Hour Back After Heartbreak

  Jul 2, 202621 minS1

  From growing up in a hockey family in Vancouver to performing on some of Nashville's most iconic stages, Karly Kryski is quickly becoming one of Canada's most exciting emerging country artists. In this episode of Boats, Beers & Backroads , Jamie Allison sits down with Karly to talk about her journey into country music, developing her authentic songwriting voice, and why some of the simplest stories often become the songs people connect with most. Karly shares what it was like playing Nashville's famous Whiskey Jam, the Cloverdale Rodeo, how she channels a completely different personality once she steps on stage, and why her newest single "Happy Hour After You" has become the perfect soundtrack for moving on after heartbreak. If you love country music, cottages, summer road trips, and discovering the next generation of artists, this episode belongs on your playlist. Growing up in Vancouver in a sports-focused family Learning piano, guitar, the sax and songwriting Building songs from titles and stories Stage nerves vs. stage confidence Behind the story of Happy Hour After You Beaches, hiking and happy hour Follow Boats, Beers & Backroads 📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads ▶️ YouTube: Boats Beers & Backroads 🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen. @karlykryski Website: www.karlykryski.com

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  Episode #20

  Honky Tonk Summer Jam: Building Muskoka's New Country Music Tradition with Jason MacKenzie

  Jun 23, 202620 minS1

  What happens when a local guy sees a need in his community and decides to do something about it?In this episode of Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie sits down with Jason MacKenzie, co-founder and organizer of the rapidly growing Honky Tonk Summer Jam, taking place this July 3-4 at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds in the heart of Muskoka.What started as a one-night charity concert supporting Andy's House (Muskoka Hospice) has quickly evolved into one of Ontario's most exciting grassroots country music events. After raising more than $21,000 in its first year, the festival returns bigger than ever with two days of music, camping, line dancing, food vendors, community spirit, and an all-Canadian lineup of country artists.Jason shares the story behind launching the festival, the challenges of building an event from the ground up, why supporting Canadian country artists matters, and his vision for creating a Muskoka tradition that brings people together while giving back.Whether you're a country music fan, festival lover, camper, cottage-goer, or simply someone who loves seeing communities rally around a great cause, this conversation is for you.In This Episode✅ Raising $21,000 for Andy's House in year one✅ Why the event focuses exclusively on Canadian country talent✅ Camping, line dancing, vendors and festival experiences✅ Building a community-first event in Muskoka✅ Future plans for Honky Tonk Summer Jam✅ Why supporting local artists mattersEvent Information📍 Bracebridge Fairgrounds📅 July 3-4, 2026🏕️ Camping Available🎸 11 Artists🤠 Line Dancing🍔 Food VendorsFollow Honky Tonk Summer Jam and grab your tickets 📱 Instagram: @honkytonksummerjam🎟️ Tickets & Event Information:https://honkytonksummerjam.caFollow Boats, Beers & Backroads📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads▶️ YouTube: Boats Beers & Backroads🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen.

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  Episode #20

  From Pita Pit to Pints – Building Lightcaster Brewery One Community at a Time

  Jun 17, 202627 minS1

  What do you do after helping build one of Canada's most successful restaurant franchises?If you're Nelson Lang, you build a brewery.This week on Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie Allison sits down with entrepreneur Nelson Lang, co-founder of Pita Pit and now Managing Partner of Lightcaster Brewery & Tap House.Nelson shares the incredible story of launching Pita Pit in Kingston in 1995 and helping grow the brand from a single location into a global franchise with more than 600 locations across 18 countries. After stepping away from that chapter, Nelson found himself drawn to a completely different industry—craft beer.Today, alongside brewmaster Jim Gorey and his partners, Nelson is helping build Lightcaster Brewery into one of Ontario's fastest-growing craft brewery brands, with locations in Bowmanville, Kingston, and Orangeville, and plans for future expansion.The conversation explores what makes the craft beer industry unique, why community matters more than ever, and how Lightcaster is creating neighbourhood gathering places built around great beer, live music, and local connection.In This Episode🍺 The story behind Pita Pit's explosive growth📈 Lessons learned from franchising and entrepreneurship🍻 Why Nelson chose craft beer after exiting Pita Pit🏭 Launching and growing Lightcaster Brewery🎵 Creating brewery spaces focused on community and live music🍺 How craft breweries collaborate instead of compete🚤 Cottage life on Stoney Lake🍺 Nelson's favourite Lightcaster beers🎙️ Why local gathering places matter more than everWhether you're an entrepreneur, beer lover, cottage owner, or someone who enjoys hearing how great Canadian businesses are built, this episode delivers plenty of insight and inspiration.Follow Boats, Beers & Backroads📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroadsFollow Lightcaster Brewery📸 Instagram: @lightcasterbreweryhttps://linktr.ee/BoatsBeersandBackroads

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