“Sponcon” is influencing our food-purchasing decisions. Do we notice when it starts creeping into our newsfeeds? And with co-branding on the rise, what do we make of Carhartt-brand beer and Tabasco-sauce-flavored Jelly Bellies? Finally, why is it so hard to get a decent meal at a brewpub? Answering the hard questions this week are Jeff Alworth, an award-winning writer and podcaster covering beer, cider, and occasionally, politics; Lucy Burningham, Certified Cicerone, food and travel writer, and author of two books on beer; and Andy Kryza, a journalist and a former senior editor at Thrillist.