Barrel to Bottle, The Binny's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Binny's Beverage Depot
Binny's Beverage Depot is the Midwest's largest wine, spirits and beer superstore. If you can't find it at Binny's, it's probably not worth drinking.
As the days get hotter and hotter, we're firing up the slushi machine once again to cool you off. We've got cocktails from the complicated to the RTS (ready to slush).
Check out the recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Maggie Kruse is only the second winemaker in the history of Jordan Winery. Jordan makes textbook California wine. You might even say it's category-defining. But it's also approachable luxury.
- Jordan Chardonnay 2022
- Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
- Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Library Selection 2012
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
What's new in beer? In a word: everything. New beers from classic breweries, classic beers making a return, the latest trends and a style we've never tried before on Barrel to Bottle.
- Hopewell Pocha Korean Lager
- Dogfish Head Grateful Dead Citrus Daydream Lager
- Stunt Double Strong Lager
- Lagunitas Trooper collaboration with Iron Maiden
- Bell's Citrus Hopslam
- Revolution Brunch Hero
- Sierra Nevada Porter
- Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry Stout
- Destihl Spicy Pickle Sour collaboration with Suckerpunch
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
AI is everywhere these days; it's even made its way into the aisles of Binny's. Gabe and Jon, members of our crack wine team, compiled a list of questions they regularly receive. We'll ask AI for its answer and then ask Gabe and Jon to clean those answers up.
- Jean-Max Roger Menetou-Salon Morogues Le Petit Clos 2022
- Day Wines 100 Years a Lady Pinot Meunier 2022
- Alois Lageder Misto Mare Vigneti delle Dolomiti Bianco 2025
- Chateau Malartic Lagraviere Pessac Leognan Rouge 2014
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Dan loves Scotch. While he will drink it all year, not everyone is the same. This week he brought a sample box brimming with Summer Scotches. Perfect for hot days and ice-cold Highballs. Or maybe for cool summer nights around the fire.
- Auchentoshan 12-Year-Old Lowland Single Malt
- Fettercairn 12-Year-Old Highland Single Malt
- Glen Scotia 10-Year-Old Campbeltown Scotch
- Glenmorangie Single Malt Harrison Ford Edition
- Jura 12-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch
- Lochlea Our Barley Lowland Single Malt
- BenRiach 10-Year-Old Speyside Single Malt
- Glenglassaugh Portsoy Peated Highland Single Malt
- Torabhaig Taigh Isle of Skye Single Malt
- Highland Park Cask Strength Heather Limited Release 2025
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Kölsch, the beer of Cologne, Germany and a favorite among Chicago-area drinkers for several decades now. This week we're trying authentic German Kölsch, local favorites, and the beer that made Chicago fall in love with Kölsch. Plus an NA version for good measure.
- Früh Kölsch
- Gaffel Kölsch
- Reissdorf Kölsch
- Goose Island Summertime
- Three Floyds Calumet Queen
- Pollyanna Dawgma Kölsch
- Dovetail Kölsch
- Old Irving Della
- Best Day Brewing Kölsch-Style Non-Alcoholic
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Will it slush? This is the age-old question we will finally answer on Barrel to Bottle. Somehow, we got a slushie machine and every time we think of something that might be better as a semi-frozen drink, we fire up the machine and the record and answer the question, will it slush?
See the cocktail recipes that worked, on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
All Things Agave is Binny's yearly celebration of tequila, mezcal and other agave spirits. As we did for World of Whiskies, Barrel to Bottle set up our podcast equipment to grab interviews with industry folks who are passionate about all things agave.
Lizzy Lopez, Tequila 1349 Founder and CEO
- Tequila 1349 Blanco
- Tequila 1349 Reposado
Lucia Narez, La Catrina Imports Co-Founder
- Lucy Pistolas Mezcal Artesanal
- Lucero Mezcal Ensamble Verde + Chino + Mapisaga Binny's Handpicked
- Lucero Mezcal Ensamble Verde + Mapisaga Binny's Handpicked
David, PM Spirits
- PM Spirits Project Tequila Still Strength
- NETA Ensamble Bicuixe + Espadin Capon Mezcal
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
The icons of Belgian beer are the perfect gateway for new beer drinkers. They're also great for veteran beer drinkers who have grown tired of the current offerings. The also pair great with all manner of foods.
- Hoegaarden Witbier
- Allagash White
- Saison Dupont
- Boulevard Tank 7
- Leffe Abbey Blond Ale
- Duvel
- Duchesse De Bourgogne
- Chimay Cinq Cents
- Unibroue La Fin du Monde
- Westmalle Trappist Dubbel
- Trappistes Rochefort 10
- Lindemans Framboise
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
At Barrel to Bottle, we have always preached the importance of quality in cocktail ingredients. High quality spirits, fresh-squeezed juices and of courses. Mixers make up a huge percentage of cocktails, which is why we upgrade to a brand like Q.
This week BreakThru's Beverage Development Manager Lisa Selman joins us to make five cocktails with Q mixers and refreshers.
Check out all the recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
It's been a while since someone from the Whiskey Hotline rolled into the podcast studio, arms full of new and interesting things to try. This week we're trying the latest tequilas, bourbons, whiskies, scotches and RTDs.
- Dos Hombres Tequila Blanco
- Mijenta Añejo Tequila Symphony Series No. 3
- El Mexicano Añejo Tequila
- Cambridge Distillery Three Seasons Gin
- Cambridge Distillery Truffle Gin
- Ben Lomond Scottish Dry Gin
- WhistlePig 12-Year-Old Rye Shafer Cabernet Cask Finish
- Yellowstone 8-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon Recollections Bottle
- Thornton Distilling Company Signature American Single Malt
- Thornton Distilling Company Prairie Peat American Single Malt
- Bladnoch 8-Year-Old Lowland Single Malt
- Lagavulin 11-Year-Old Sweet Peat
- Handy & Schiller Paper Plane Premixed Cocktail
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Rosés are a perfect summer wine; crisp, refreshing, light, pairs well with the kind of foods you want in warm weather. This week Lexi and Jim did the shopping while Chris walks us through some frizzy, fizzy, off-the-beaten path wines.
- Anne Amie Cuvée Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025
- Domaine Le Galantin Bandol Rosé 2025
- Txomin Etxaníz Txakoli Rosé 2025
- Broadbent Vinho Verde Rosé
- Lingot Martin Rosé of Gamay Petillant Naturel Cuvée Josephine
- Lini 910 Labrusca Lambrusco Rosato
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Farm distilleries are becoming a frequent topic on Barrel to Bottle. This week we're welcoming Russell Wedlake, master distiller at Frey Ranch, another Nevada farm distillery.
- Frey Ranch Estate Distilled Straight Bourbon
- Frey Ranch Estate Distilled 5-Year-Old Rye Bottled in Bond
- Frey Ranch Estate Distilled Farm Strength Uncut Straight Bourbon
- Frey Ranch Estate Distilled Farm Strength Uncut Straight Rye
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, we're showing Central Illinois some love. We asked our Central Illinois stores (Peoria, Springfield, Champaign and Bloomington) to bring their favorite local beers to Dan, who muled them back to Chicago.
- Analytical Brewing Kolngeist
- Triptych Chip It on the Green
- Triptych Dank Meme
- White Oak Rippin' Lips
- Riggs Hefeweizen
- Riggs Black IPL
- Hand of Fate Double Bean Dream Cream Ale
- Keg Grove Brewing Holey Jeans
- Destihl Deadhead TourBus Double Dry Hopped Hazy IPA
- Destihl ILL-IPA
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
We had too much content for one episode of World of Whiskies Speed Dating, so we're back for part two this week.
- Rob Wallace, Whiskey Acres
- Joe Henry, J. Henry & Sons
- Meghan Fritz and Erik Ogershok, Three Floyds Distilling
- Christian Huber, Huber's Starlight Distillery
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Binny's has been hosting World of Whiskies, the Midwest's largest whiskey tasting, for over twenty years. For the first time, Barrel to Bottle set up our podcast equipment nearby to grab interviews with some of the distillers and founders in town for the event.
- Whitney Spence, Coal Pick Distilling
- Alex Chasko, Teeling Whiskey
- Owen Martin, Angel's Envy
- James Jefferson Brother Justus
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Spirits buyer Jeff only appears on the podcast twice a year and since it's not winter, it means it's time for Canapalooza. Every year, we sample hundreds of canned beverages from new brands and new innovations from existing brands. This week on Barrel to Bottle we're trying some of the highlights from Canapalooza that you can look forward to this spring and summer.
- Mom Water Iced Tea
- Surfside Lemonade & Vodka Variety Pack
- Good Boy Blueberry Vodka Lemonade Cocktail
- Good Boy Prickly Pear Vodka Lemonade Cocktail
- Super Lyte Vodka + Ade Variety Fruit Punch and Orange
- Founders Water Hazard Vodka Cocktail
- Long Drink Zero Raspberry
- On the Rocks Sparkling Watermelon Margarita
- Tia Linda's POG Margarita
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Binny's is in the list business! Our yearly 50 Under $50 and 30 Under $30 lists are always popular with both Binny's staff and customers. This week on Barrel to Bottle we're tasting highlights from this spring's 30 Under $30 list with wine managers Gabe and Jon.
- Anselmi San Vincenzo 2024
- Breaking Bread Marmalade Orange 2024
- Patz & Hall Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2024
- Ponzi Pinot Noir Tavola 2023
- Stolpman Vineyards La Cuadrilla Ballard Canyon 2023
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
It's no secret that we love cocktails on Barrel to Bottle. We also love fruits, and fruit juices. With warm-weather approaching it's the perfect time for fresh, zippy cocktails that go perfect with outdoor brunch, or a lazy Sunday on the patio.
Check out all the recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
There are always new trends in beer, and surprisingly the latest trend are breweries making "premium American lagers" or low-calorie beers. Thing macro lagers like Miller Lite or Bud Light. Roger gathered twelve beers that are craft, craft-adjacent or macro, for a blind taste test.
- Miller Lite
- Short's Local's Light
- Montucky Cold Snacks
- Coors Light
- Old Style Light
- Miller High Life Light
- Shiner Light
- Garage Beer Light
- Yuengling Light Lager
- Bud Light
- Half Acre Light Lager
- Busch Light
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
March is Bottled in Bond Month, but if you're anything like the Barrel to Bottle crew you live every month like it's Bottled in Bond Month. If you don't know what it is, we're going to tell you, and sample thirteen Bottled in Bond spirits.
- High Wire Distilling Jimmy Red Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Clark & Sheffield Bottled in Bond Bourbon
- Wilderness Trail Distillery Black Label Small Batch High Rye Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Evan Williams White Label 100 Proof Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Larrikin 8-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Angel's Envy Bourbon Bottled in Bond Limited Edition
- Switchgrass Spirits Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
- New Riff Distilling Kentucky Straight Rye Bottled in Bond
- Maplewood Distilling Fat Pug Whiskey Bottled in Bond
- Three Floyds Distilling Bubblegumhead Straight Malt Whiskey Bottled in Bond
- Laird's 100 Proof Straight Apple Brandy
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
This week, we're schooling you on the wines of L'Ecole No 41. David Rosenthal is the new Director of Wine Making for the longtime Washington winery. They were pivotal in establishing the Walla Walla AVA, literally putting Washington wines on the map.
- L'Ecole No. 41 Semillon 2023
- L'Ecole No. 41 Frenchtown Red 2023
- L'Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2022
- L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Take the rocky road to Dublin with the Whiskey Hotline as we explore the latest innovations in Irish whiskey, as well as revisit some classics. From blended to single grain to single pot still, the Emerald Isle has a lot to offer spirits drinkers. Whack-follol-le-dah!
- Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
- Jameson Blended Irish Whiskey
- Teeling Whiskey Small Batch Irish Whiskey
- Two Stacks Double Barrel Single Grain Irish Whiskey
- Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Single Grain Whiskey
- Dunville 10-Year-Old PX Cask Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey
- The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey
- Dingle Distillery Single Malt Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey
- Teeling Whiskey Single Malt Irish Whiskey
- Teeling Irish Single Malt ex-Tequila Cask Binny's Handpicked
- Powers Three Swallow Release Single Pot Still Whiskey
- Redbreast 12-Year-Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
- Redbreast Iberian Series Moscatel Edition Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey 2026
- Teeling Blackpitts Peated Irish Single Malt
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Minden Mill Distillery does not take the easy way out. This estate distillery grows all their grains in the mountains of Nevada, which has a 90-day growing season. Master Distiller Joe O'Sullivan lays out the challenges of distilling in the high desert, making vodka with rye and being part of the nascent American Single Malt movement.
- Minden Mill Distillery 4-Year-Old Nevada Straight Bourbon
- Minden Mill Distillery 4-Year-Old Nevada Straight Rye
- Minden Mill Distillery 5-Year-Old American Single Malt
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Every February the Beer Buzz celebrates the great flagship beers from some of our favorite, long-running breweries. These are the beers that keep the lights on, that are reliable, that win awards. This year we're celebrating flagships from Chicago, the suburbs and just over the border.
- Two Brothers Domaine Dupage
- Three Floyds Gumballhead
- Goose Island 312 Wheat Ale
- Half Acre Daisy Cutter
- Revolution Anti-Hero IPA
- Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn
- Off Color Apex Predator
- Maplewood Son of Juice IPA
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
The games of 2026 are taking place right now in the Alpine regions of Italy. Specifically, Lombardy, Veneto and neighboring areas. You may have noticed watching the games that the area looks very German, and the wines often reflect that influence. So, sit on your couch, watch some stupendous athletic feats and enjoy these gold medal wines (and one aperitif) at bronze medal prices.
- Campari Aperitif
- Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco Superiore
- Bellavista Franciacorta Alma Assemblage 1 Extra Brut
- Ca dei Frati I Frati Lugana 2024
- Pieropan Soave Classico 2024
- Abbazia di Novacella Schiava 2024
- Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2021
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
So long, Dry January. Hello Dry February! If your time exploring NA drinks has come to an end, kick things off by dialing back the sweetness. We're trying dry wines, cocktails, ciders and beers.
- Laherte Freres Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature
- Zind Humbrecht Muscat Turckheim 2023
- Valdespino Inocente Fino
- Right Bee Dry
- Art History Bauhaus
Check out the cocktail recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Every January the French come to town. Specifically, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux. UGC is your chance to try the newest Bordeaux vintage, and to buy these wines before they hit our stores shelves. This year, the 2023 vintage is featured, and we have wine managers Gabe and Jon to walk us through the event and some highlights from the vintage.
- Chateau Carbonnieux Pessac Leognan Blanc 2023
- Chateau Giscours Margaux 2023
- Chateau Clinet Pomerol 2023
- Chateau Doisy Daene Barsac 2023
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
So you bought a bottle of absinthe? Maybe you wanted to make Sazeracs for Mardi Gras. Maybe you were watching Moulin Rouge and got curious. But you used your rinse of absinthe, and you still have most of the bottle left? Now what? We've got cocktail ideas for you beyond the Sazerac, from the basic to the complex.
Check out our blog for cocktail recipes
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
It's been a few years since Barrel to Bottle strolled down the NA beer aisle. The options have never been better for Dry January, and beyond. There are more styles than ever, from breweries of all sizes.
- Samuel Adams Just the Haze Non-Alcoholic IPA
- Go Brewing Disarm Non-Alocholic Hazy IPA
- Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic
- RationAle Non-Alcoholic Japanese Style Dry
- Sapporo Premium Non-Alcoholic
- Years Non-Alcoholic Pilsner
- Pipeworks Non-Alcoholic Ninja vs. Unicorn
- RationAle Non-Alcoholic West Coast IPA
- Best Day Brewing Dark Diamond Non-Alcoholic Mexican-style Dark
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Every year, we're seeing more bottles from Whisky Advocate's Top 20 hit our shelves. Throughout the year these bottles come and go, and this year is no different. The Whiskey Hotline grabbed five from the list to sample, and they'll countdown the entire list.
- Lochlea Fallow Edition Lowland Single Malt
- Lux Row Small Batch Bourbon PX Sherry Finish
- Glendronach Ode to the Ember Peated Highland Single Malt Master's Anthology
- Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Legacy Series 4th Release Isle of Skye Single Malt
- New Riff Distilling Balboa Rye Bottled in Bond
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
We're back with part two of Binny's Buyers' Picks for 2025.
Jeff M. – Spirits Buyer
- Cutwater Spirits Margarita Variety (seasonal)
- Old Fitzgerald 7-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Kyle F – Beer Buyer
- Yuengling Traditional Lager
Mark S – Wine Buyer
- Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2021
Barb H – Wine Buyer
- Chateau Doisy Daene Barsac 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
The end of the year means a chance to welcome Binny's expert team of wine, spirits and beer buyers. They try thousands of things every year, but what is their pick of the year?
Bill N. – Wine Buyer
- Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino 2023
- Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino 2020
Jack S. – Cigar Buyer
- Cohiba Rubicon
- Four Star Society The Architekt
Tübr Gordo and Stash Can
Brett P. – Spirits Buyer
- New Scotch Distilleries Opened in the Last Ten Years (Lochlea, Ardnamurchan, Torabhaig, Clydeside, Nc'Nean, Ballindalloch, Lindores Abbey)
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Stephanie Macleod is the Master Blender of Scotch Whiskey for Bacardi, and this week we're talking to her about her history with Bacardi and the innovations at Dewar's and Aberfeldy.
- Dewar's 12-Year-Old Double Aged Scotch
- Dewar's Double Double 21-Year-Old Ruby Marsala Cask Finished Binny's Handpicked
- Aberfeldy 15-Year-Old Single Malt Finished in Bolgheri Red Wine Casks
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Ross Cornelissen is the Master Distiller at Barton 1792. From a background in cereal engineering, he became obsessed with fermentation. That eventually led him to Barton 1792, where Binny's partnered with them for our line of Clark & Sheffield bourbons.
- 1792 Small Batch
- Bottled in Bond 1792
- Small Batch 1792 Cognac Finished Limited Release Bourbon
- Small Batch 1792 Sweet Wheat Limited Release Bourbon
- Clark & Sheffield Barrel Proof Bourbon
- Clark & Sheffield Barrel Proof Bourbon Binny's Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Remember Espresso Martinis? They're back! It's never been easier to get great coffee, which means it's never been easier to make delicious espresso martinis, or buy some of our favorite ready-to-drink espresso martinis.
- Tip Top Espresso Martini
- Moth Drinks Espresso Martini
- Straightaway Cocktails Nitro Espresso Martini
Check out the cocktail recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card!
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Do you like collecting things? Or do you want to start? Do you have an empty wine cellar or a new fridge that needs filling? Should you even start collecting and aging, or just drink when you buy? Either way, Binny’s has you covered. This week we’re talking to spirits and wine experts about the dos and dont's of collecting.
- Trimbach Pinot Gris
- Chateau Potensac Medoc 2010
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Pumpkin Spice Latte Season (PSL SZN) is upon us. For beer and cider drinkers, that can sometimes mean big gloppy messes. But this week’s lineup features a selection of some of Roger’s favorites, that are all exercises in subtly and the art of balance. Also, a listener question about the status of a beloved Scottish lager.
- Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
- Cigar City Good Gourd
- Avery The Kaiser
- Pipeworks Pumpkin Spice Latte
- 2 Towns Hollow Jack
- Schilling Maple Moment
- Southern Tier Maple Warlock
- Ommegang All Hallows Treat
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Another episode, another multi-generational Italian liqueur producer named Matteo. This week, Barrel to Bottle welcomes Matteo Luxardo, Global Export Director, and Gareth “G” Franklin, Global Brand Ambassador.
- Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- Luxardo Herbal Liqueur del Santo
- Luxardo Bitter Bianco
- Luxardo Espresso Liqueur
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We love amaro on Barrel to Bottle, but shockingly, we’ve never spoke to an Italian Amaro maker. That changes today as we welcome Matteo Meletti. For nearly 155 years, the Meletti family has been making anisettes and amari in the Le Marche region of Italy.
- Meletti Anisette
- Meletti Amaro
- Meletti Fernet
- Meletti Coffee Liqueur
- Meletti 1870 Bitter Aperitivo
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s Bourbon Heritage Month, so this week we’re trying…tequila, Scotch, rum, whiskey and of course bourbon. Dan from the Whiskey Hotline is here with a round-up of the latest offerings from the world of spirits.
- Manuscrito Tequila Chapter One Blanco
- FEW Breakfast Bourbon Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels
- Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Ryder Cup Limited Edition
- Coopers’ Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- 2XO 2 Times Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon the Gem of Kentucky
- New Riff Distilling Single Barrel Bourbons and Ryes
- Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Single Barrel Binny’s Handpicked
- GlenAllachie 10-Year-Old Cask Strength Batch #8 Speyside Single Malt
- E. León Jimenes 1903 Rum
- la Maison Velier Hampden Estate 1753 Jamaican Rum
- Smith & Cross Navy Strength Rum
- Penelope Black Walnut Old Fashioned
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s the prost wonderful time of the year for beer geeks! The dog days of summer are probably over and it’s time to get your malt on. Specifically, the malty beers of Munich and the surrounding areas. This week we’re trying copper-colored Marzens and their paler but still strong Festbier counterparts.
- Spaten Oktoberfest
- Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier
- Victory Festbier
- Revolution Oktoberfest
- Off Color Waddle
- Great Lakes Oktoberfest
- Ayinger Oktoberfest Märzen
- Weinhenstephaner Festbier
- Bell’s Octoberfest
- Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest collaboration with Stortebeker
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Steve Nally is the master distiller at Bardstown Bourbon Company. His “schooling” came during 17 years at Maker’s Mark before becoming master distiller. At Bardstown Bourbon Company, he made dozens of recipes per year contract distilling, while also creating collaborative blends and the company’s own line of bourbons.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 (coming soon)
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Wheated
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Bottled- in-Bond Bourbon
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Maison Ferrand Cognac Finish (coming soon)
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What have they been up to in the cluttered Whiskey Hotline office? As usual, there’s always something new on our shelves and it can be hard to figure out what’s what. This week Dan brought a box of new releases; new handpicked tequilas and Irish whiskies, single barrel Scotches and other fun stuff.
- El Tesoro Reposado Single Barrel #B067-1355 Binny’s Handpicked
- El Tesoro Reposado Single Barrel #B084-1355 Binny’s Handpicked
- Old Grand Dad 7-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Booker’s Bourbon 7 Year 2025-2 By the Pond Batch
- Calumet Farm 17-Year-Old Decanter Bottle Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Teeling Irish Single Pot still ex-Calvados Cask #79286 Binny’s Handpicked
- Teeling Irish Single Malt ex-Marsala Cask #97357 Binny’s Handpicked
- Teeling Irish Crystal Malt ex-Moscatel Cask #97511 Binny’s Handpicked
- Signatory Linkwood 11-Year-Old 100 Proof Edition 2013
- Signatory Speyside M 13-Year-Old 100 Proof Edition 2011
- Laphroaig Cairdeas 10-Year-Old Cask Strength 2024
- Three Floyds Distilling Sea’s Cruelty Banana & Coconut Rum
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Somehow, in the nearly 8 years of doing this podcast we have never had a guest from Lagunitas. That’s because we wanted Jeremy Marshall or nothing. Lagunitas’ brewmaster (head brewmonster) has been with the company for 18 years and has seen almost everything in craft beer.
- Lagunitas Hazy IPA (coming soon)
- Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’
- Lagunitas Yakimopolis
- Lagunitas Lupulin Affair
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Old Forester is one of the oldest whiskey brands in America, steeped in history but still innovating. Melissa Rift is the Master Taster at Old Forester. What is a Master Taster? We’ll find out this week, while tasting some Old Forester.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Old Forester Rye 100 Proof
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Roger loves Fourth of July. He loves most holidays because it’s an excuse to make holiday-themed cocktails. Unfortunately, we had to record this episode without him, but he’s here in spirit. Celebrate the long weekend with these themed cocktails from the easy to the complex.
Check out all the recipes on our blog
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This week we’re catching up with Ryan Maybee and J. Rieger & Co., who was last on the podcast in 2018. A lot has changed since then; they’re bottling their own juice and they have a visitor’s center with four bars and a 40-foot slide. We’re also joined by Rieger Master Distiller, Nathan Perry.
- J. Rieger & Company Rieger’s Kansas City Whiskey
- J. Rieger & Company Monogram Whiskey Oloroso Sherry Bota Finished Limited Release 2024
- J. Rieger & Company Straight Bourbon
- J. Rieger & Company Straight Rye
- J. Rieger & Company Extra Fine Midwestern Dry Gin
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Seattle Cider's Imperial Guava Citrus is new for summer and perfect for a quick tiki cocktail. We're trying it this week on the latest B2B Quick Sip.
What’s new in beer? Oops, it’s all collabs! We have had a slew of beer collabs in the last couple of months, so this week we’re trying them; from crispy and refreshing to big barrel aged stouts, there’s something for everyone here.
- My Cousin Binny vol. 4 West Coast Pilsner collaboration with Binny’s
- Sketchbook Holzschnitt Franconian Red Lager collaboration with Binny’s
- Noon Whistle Hop Prism Opal collaboration with Binny’s
- Off Color Barrel Aged Growl Royale collaboration with Binny’s
- Mikerphone Three Bourbon One Rye One Beer collaboration with Binny’s
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Léon Bañuelos Jr. is a third generation tequilero. His father and grandfather founded Cazadores, so he grew up around a distillery. Securing the name El Mexicano was all it took to get his father back into the business making tequila again.
- El Mexicano Blanco Tequila
- El Mexicano Hi-Proof Blanco Tequila
- El Mexicano Reposado Tequila
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Martini was a once simple cocktail that then became very complicated. At some point the definition of a martini changed and it became more about the vessel and the ingredients were anything you wanted them to be. But there’s also nothing wrong with a “martini” that has no gin and no vermouth either.
This week we’re making a slew of martinis, from the simple to the complex. You can find the recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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When the Whiskey Hotline isn’t traveling the world looking for the best spirits at the best prices, they’re joining us on Barrel to Bottle to talk about the best spirits at the best prices.
- El Tesoro Reposado Single Barrel #B072L342 Binny’s Handpicked
- Lobos 1707 Reposado Tequila Triple Oak Finish Binny’s Handpicked
- El Dorado 10-Year-Old Single Barrel 080/2023 Binny’s Handpicked from Coffey Savalle and Wooden Pot Stills
- El Dorado 12-Year-Old Single Barrel 082/2023 Binny’s Handpicked from Coffey Savalle and Wooden Pot Stills
- Teeling Irish Single Pot Still ex White Wine Cask Binny’s Handpicked
- Teeling Irish Single Malt ex Tequila Cask Binny’s Handpicked
- WhistlePig Farmstock Rye Bottled-in-Barn Binny’s Bespoke
- WhistlePig 15-Year-Old Straight Rye Single Barrel Ace Binny’s Handpicked
- WhistlePig 18-Year-Old Straight Rye Single Barrel Empress of Blandings Binny’s Handpicked
- Whiskey Acres ex Cognac Barrel Finished Bourbon Binny’s Handpicked
- Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-Old Ruby Marsala Cask Finish Binny’s Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Summertime: when trends are born from the most unexpected places. Every summer, we at Barrel to Bottle are surprised by the hot sellers in beer, wine, spirits, RTDs, hard seltzers, hard teas…the list goes on. This week we're sampling what we think might be hot this summer.
- Owl’s Brew Hard Teal Seltzer
- Hopewell Sharp Japanese-Style Dry Lager
- Off Color Beer for Hell
- Firestone Walker Wandering Don collaboration with Odell Brewing Co.
- Hand on Heart Non-Alcoholic Rosé
- Kutjevo Grasevina High Quality Slavonia 2023
- Bodegas Godeval Godello 2022
- Domaines des Carlines Poulsard Cotes du Jura 2022
- Nectar Hard Juice Variety 12 pack
- Dillon’s Variety Gin Cocktail
- On the Rocks Sparkling Lime Margarita
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The weather is warming up, which means the Whiskey Hotline becomes the Gin Hotline. If you aren’t sure about gin, don’t worry because there’s probably something for you. We’ll be sampling new gins, while thinking about which one works best in one of three classic gin cocktails: the Negroni, the Gin & Tonic and the Martini.
- Tinkerman’s Curiously Bright & Complex Gin
- Tinkerman’s Citrus Supreme Gin
- Koval Distillery Thresh & Winnow Citrine Gin
- Koval Distillery Thresh & Winnow Foret Gin
- Inverroche Classic Gin
- Inverroche Verdant Gin
- Bayab African Grown Classic Dry Gin
- Bayab African Grown Gin African Rose
- Bayab African Grown Gin Orange & Marula
- Bayab African Grown Gin Palm and Pineapple
- Wonderbird Spirits Dry Gin
- Wonderbird Spirits No 61 Gin
- Wonderbird Spirits No 97 Magnolia Gin
Check out our blog for this episode's cocktail recipes
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Daniel Estrin is an Oregonian who makes Oregon wines. As winemaker and vineyard manager for Cristom, Daniel has put his stamp on this iconic brand that’s a favorite of Binny’s wine buyers and customers.
- Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée 2022
- Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard 2021
- Cristom Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard 2021
- Cristom Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard 2021
- Cristom Pinot Noir Paul Gerrie Vineyard 2021
- Cristom Wines Chardonnay Estate Eola-Amity Hills 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Paloma is a great warm-weather cocktail; zippy and refreshing and easy to drink. But do you prefer the simple preparation or the complicated one?
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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From his days with Seagram’s to his current role as Master Blender for Sazerac, Drew Mayville has worn a lot of hats in the spirits industry. He witnessed the rise (ryes) of the Buffalo Trace brand and continues to oversee Sazerac’s new and existing projects.
- Benchmark Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Benchmark Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Benchmark Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Sazerac Straight Rye
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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You might not know much about Alsatian wines and it’s likely you know even less about Alsatian beers, but we’re here to change that and tell you why you should check out this underappreciated region of France.
- Goldfinger Bank of the Rhine collaboration with Pollyanna and Binny’s
- Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc
- Leon Beyer Pinot Noir 2019
- Camille Braun Cremant d’Alsace Brut
- Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2022
- Marcel Deiss Complantation Alsace Blanc 2021
- Hugel Riesling Classic 2023
- Emile Beyer Pinot Gris Tradition 2023
- Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Cuvee Altenbourg 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What’s new, and newly returned in beer? For every brewery that’s innovating, there’s another brewery revisiting classic styles, or resurrecting classic beers.
- Newcastle Brown Ale
- Noon Whistle Fortunate Day
- Revolution DDH Nelson Hero
- Off Color Sibling Rivalry
- Avery The Reverend
- Pollyanna Czech Dark Lager
- Phase Three Kastalia collaboration with Binny’s
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Binny’s wine consultants always have great wine to recommend, at any price point, in any style. For the spring season, we asked all 46 stores to hold their own blind tastings of their favorite wines under $30.
The first and second place wine from each store were blind tasted by wine consultants throughout the chain at our quarterly wine meeting and narrowed down to the top 30. Alicia grabbed 11 highlights from that list to try this week on the podcast.
- Thomas Labille Chablis 2023
- Chateau Ducasse Blanc 2023
- Andis Wines Semillon Bill Dillian Vineyard 2023
- Presq u’ile Pinot Noir 2023
- Jean Foillard Beaujolais Villages 2022
- Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Rouge 2023
- Vietti Dolcetto d’Alba Trevie 2023
- Palacios Petalos 2022
- Marques de Murrieta Reserva Rioja 2019
- Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
- Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé Cremant d’Alsace
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Barrel to Bottle is back with another blind tasting, just in time for summer tequila season. Dan brought 12 tequilas under $40; four each of blanco, reposado and añejo. These are perfect for mixing with your favorite tequila cocktail, but you might find a few you just want to sip on as well.
Blanco
- Lunazul Blanco Tequila
- Cimarron Blanco Tequila
- Aguasol Blanco Tequila
- Lalo Tequila Blanco
Reposado
- Tequila Arrette Reposado
- Lunazul Reposado Tequila
- Cimarron Reposado Tequila
- Teremana Reposado Tequila
Añejo
- Pueblo Viejo Añejo
- Gran Centennario Añejo
- Corralejo Añejo Tequila
- Agave Trails Tequila Añejo
Bonus
- Libelula Joven Tequila
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Binny’s is constantly getting new products, and Chris always has his eye on different, interesting and fun wines for us to try. After taking a stroll through the domestic wine aisles, he found eight new wines for spring.
- Andis Wines Semillon Bill Dillian Vineyard 2023
- Presqu’ile Chardonnay 2023
- Left Foot Charley Riesling Le Caban Old Mission Peninsula 2023
- Giornata Orangotango Orange 2024
- Turley Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard 2023
- Capiaux Pinot Noir Chimera 2023
- Arnot Roberts Red Blend 2022
- Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Kevin Aslan is Head Distiller for Hirsch Whiskey as well as the other Hotaling brands like Old Portrero and Junipero Gin. Starting at the beloved Anchor Brewing (RIP), Kevin moved over to Anchor Distilling (now Hotaling) and spent ten years resurrecting the Hirsch brand with former guest of the pod Bruce Joseph.
- Hirsch ‘The Horizon’ Straight Bourbon
- Hirsch ‘The Bivouac’ Straight Bourbon
- Hirsch White Label Straight Bourbon Single Barrel #19-32768
- Hirsch White Label Straight Bourbon Single Barrel #19-32777
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We at Barrel to Bottle have long maintained that blind tasting is the best way to taste anything. It can be a bit terrifying, but it’s the only way to get an unvarnished opinion on anything.
Roger has long been an advocate of high proof, budget bourbons and whiskies, so we’re blinding 12 American whiskies under $30 and readily available at your neighborhood Binny’s.
- Old Grand-Dad 100 Proof Bonded Bourbon
- Jim Beam Black 7 Year
- Old Forester 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Evan Williams White Label 100 Proof Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Mellow Corn Bottled in Bond Corn Whiskey
- Old Fitzgerald Prime Bourbon
- J.W. Dant Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Bourbon
- Clark & Sheffield Small Batch Bourbon
- Wild Turkey 101 Proof Bourbon
- Larceny Bourbon
- Rebel Bourbon 100 Proof
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Kimio Yonezawa is the President and Toji (master sake distiller) at Akashi Tai Brewery, and master distiller at the Kaikyō Distillery. This week we're sampling sake and learning from an expert about the best ways to enjoy it and what you can pair it with. We're also sampling their Japanese whiskies and gin.
- Akashi Tai Junmai Ginjo Sparkling
- Akashi Tai Tokubetsu Honjozo Sake
- Hatozaki Finest Japanese Whisky
- Hatezaki Small Batch Pure Malt Whisky
- Akashi Tai Shiraume Ginjo Umeshu
- Hatozaki 12-Year-Old Whisky Finished in Umeshu Barrels
- 135° East Hyogo Dry Gin
- Hatozaki Triple Barrel Reserve Whisky (coming soon)
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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On this B2B Quick Sips, we're whipping up the official cocktail of New Orleans; no it's not the Hurricane. The Sazerac has a long history, as twisty as the lemon garnish this famous cocktail calls for. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Check out the recipe on the Binny's blog.
Do you like juicy IPAs? How about some actual juice? Hard cider was likely America’s first alcoholic beverage, but the industry was destroyed by Prohibition. Nearly 100 years later, cider is finally starting to recover.
- Original Sin Dry Rosé
- JK’s Farmhouse Ciders Scrumpy
- Right Bee Cider Semi-Dry
- Stormalong Cider Farmstand Unfiltered
- Schilling Excelsior Imperial Apple
- Seattle Cider Raspberry Blossom
- Blake’s Triple Jam
- Blake’s Big Jam Imperial Cider
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Have you suffered in silence during the hazy days of craft beer IPA? Well, Roger has some good news! The hazy crazy is not over, but more and more people are embracing both old school and modern West Coast IPAs. Bitterness and balance are back!
- Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
- Roadhouse Interstellar Kush collaboration with Half Acre
- Half Acre Sunrise Vallejo
- Half Acre Drip Castle
- Revolution West Coast Hero
- Great Lakes Chillwave
- Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf
- Avery Maharaja
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 Whiskies of the year list is always fun to sample through. This year we have 12 ½ of the top 20 to try. This year’s list is heavy on Islay whiskies, interesting barrel finishes and as always, old timey candies.
#20 - Westland Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey #18 - Bushmills 10-Year-Old ex-Bordeaux Cask Irish Single Malt Limited Release #17 - Virginia Distillery Company Highland Malt Finished in Hardywood Ginger Stout Cask #15 - Compass Box Crimson Casks #14- 2XO Kentucky Straight Bourbon The Kiawah Blend #13 – Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye #12 – Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Limited Release #11 – Ardbeg Spectacular Ardbeg Day Release 2024 #4 – Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Amrut #3 – Lagavulin 12-Year-Old Cask Strength Special Release The Ink of Legends 2023 #2 – Bruichladdich 18-Year-Old Islay Malt Re/Define Eighteen #1 – Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Long Ferment
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Yes Mex!co, it’s more than tequila! Tequila has been popular for decades, and mezcal has gained in popularity over the last decade but that barely scratches the surface. With over 200 varieties of agave, plus many native plans loaded with potentially fermentable sugars, there’s way more than just tequila in Mexico.
- Casa Dasylirion Sotol Coyote Durango
- Mazot Sotol Palmilla Blanco
- Quechol Sotol Wheeleri
- Quechol Sotol Texanum
- Bacanora Aquamiel
- Siglo Cero Pox
- Sierra Sonora Prickly Pear
- Nixta Licor de Elote
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Binny’s wine, spirits and beer buyers sample thousands of products every year. Every year Barrel to Bottle asks them to pick their favorite or favorites. This is the best of the best that Binny’s has to offer, chosen by the discriminating palates of our buying team.
Spirits Buyer Jeff
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Wheated Tip Top Cocktails
Wine Buyer Bill
Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Shiraz 2022 Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2021 Mount Langi Ghiran Talus Shiraz 2022
Wine Buyer Barb
Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino 2019
Wine Buyer Mark
Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve
Beer Buyer Douglas
More Barrel Aged Henna Binny’s Select Vanilla Caviar
Wine Buyer Mike
Hyland Estates Pinot Noir Binny’s Reserve 2022
Spirits Buyer Brett
Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-old Ruby Marsala Cask Finished Binny’s Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The holiday season means one thing for Roger: winter and Christmas beers from around the world. These are big, spicy beers sometimes with crazy adjuncts so buckle up!
- Gouden Carolus Christmas Ale
- Schlafly Christmas Ale
- Southern Tier 2XMAS
- Victory Merry Monkey
- Sierra Nevada Celebration
- Ommegang Everything Naughty
- Allagash From Maine with Love #38
- Great Lakes Cookie Exchange Milk Stout
- Left Hand Nitro Candy Cane Stout
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Every year, the Barrel to Bottle crew is lucky enough to get an early preview of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout. This year’s line-up is focused on the importance of barrels, and revisits some favorite recipes from the past with new twists.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The third Thursday of November is Beaujolais Nouveau Day. It also happens to be a week before Thanksgiving, which is convenient because this wine is easy to pair with the vast array of flavors on your holiday table. Take a quick sip of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2024 with Barrel to Bottle.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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For the second year, Binny’s presents its list of the Top 50 Wines Under $50. Wine consultants from every Binny’s location conducted their own tasting of their top wines of 2024; from favorites in crowded categories to esoteric, off-the-beaten path offerings, this list has something for everyone.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, we’re highlighting ten to try from this year’s list, in no particular order.
- Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis 2022
- Trefethen Dry Riesling 2023
- Turley White Zinfandel 2023
- Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022
- Domaine Jean Marc Burgaud Morgon Les Charmes 2022
- Girolamo Russo a Rina Etna Rosso 2022
- Raul Perez Ultreia St. Jacques 2021
- Domaine Drouhin Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022
- Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Telegramme Chateauneuf du Pape 2021
- Jansz Premium Rosé
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Master Blender Ashley Barnes is a super taster with an analytical mind. With a background in molecular biology, she consults with distilleries on quality control and other aspects of their business. This week we’re sampling some of her favorite releases.
- E.J. Curley & Company Small Batch Bourbon
- Lucky Seven ‘The Frenchman’ French Oak Finishing Barrel #20 Binny’s Handpicked
- Lucky Seven ‘The Holiday Toast’ Double Oak Finish Binny’s Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Dr. Rachel Barrie is the Master Blender for Glenglassaugh, BenRiach and Glendronach. On this episode of Barrel to Bottle, Dr. Rachel meditatively guides us through the sweet side of Speyside. Then we meditatively guide her through a Scotch and flavored popcorn pairing.
- Glenglassaugh Sandend Highland Single Malt
- BenRiach Cask Edition 10-Year-Old ex-Tennessee Whiskey Barrel #6247 2009
- BenRiach Cask Edition 10-Year-Old Virgin Oak Barrel #7731 2010
- Garrett Popcorn Caramel Crisp
- Garrett Popcorn Cheese Corn
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s never been easier to flex your mixology skills at home than it is now. The ingredients are better, the equipment is more advanced, the techniques are easy to master. This week on Barrel to Bottle we’re going to teach you how to impress your friends and family with five cocktails, along with recommendations for accessories and ingredients you can purchase or make yourself.
Check out all the cocktail recipes on our blog.
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If you can’t handle the tannins, get out of Montalcino. Or grab some rich, fatty foods like pecorino toscano, fennel-rich finnochiona, butter and crusty Tuscan bread.
This week we’re highlighting Tuscan wines from Montalcino and the surrounding area.
- Altesino Rosso 2022
- Caprili Rosso di Montalcino 2022
- Caprili Brunello di Montalcino 2019
- Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2019
- Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino 2019
- Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino White Label 2019
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s Pumpkin SZN! It’s been here for a while because seasonal creep starts earlier and earlier. At the height of the pumpkin craze, our stores were packed with pumpkin and pumpkin-spiced beverages. But after a bit of a lull, pumpkin is on the rise again and the great news is all our favorites are still around. We’ve got a whole patch of pumpkin beers, wines and spirits to try this week. If you like pumpkin, you’re not basic! Drink what you like!
- Big Muddy Pumpkin Smasher
- Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale
- Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
- Schlafly Vanilla Pumpkin Ale
- Off Color Pumpkin Beer for Cafés
- Southern Tier Caramel Pumking
- New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
- Leelanau Cellars Witches Brew Spiced Apple
- Prairie State Pumpkin Wine
- St. Julian Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Fulton’s Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur
- Buzzballz Pumpkin
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Pinot Noir can sometimes seem daunting to some wine drinkers, but it’s not. This week, Chris has five wines from the Willamette Valley 2022 vintage. Originally, experts thought 2022 was going to be a continuation of a run of bad vintages, but things turned around with high quality fruit and better yields than predicted. * Maison Noir OPP Other People’s Pinot 2022 * Hyland Estates Petit Pinot Noir 2022 * Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2022 * Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvee 2022 * Patricia Green Pinot Noir La Belle Promenade Vineyard 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Summer may be drawing to a close, but it’s going to stay warm for a while. That means there’s plenty of time to fire up your blender and rethink frozen cocktails. They don’t need to be sweet and overbearing, they can be balanced and still refreshing and delicious.
You can check out all the cocktail recipes on our blog.
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Rum: underappreciated and misunderstood. That’s why we keep doing rum episodes, because it deserves the attention, Plus, it’s the Summer of Rum. Pat has brought in a treasure trove of new and new-to-Binny’s rums that run the gamut from lighter to funky, blended to single barrel, flavored to full-proof, sweet to estery.
- Virago Four Port Rum
- Virago Ruby Port Cask Rum
- DeHart Grander Trophy Release Small Batch Single Origin Panama Rum
- Diplomatico Selección de la Familia Rum
- Planteray Mr. Fogg Sail Navy Rum Sail no. 1
- Rhum JM 8-Year-Old ex-Bourbon Barrel #0001 Binny’s Handpicked 2014
- Rhum Clement 5-Year-Old ex-Scotch Barrel #0034 Binny’s Handpicked
- Holmes Cay Fiji Single Origin Blend Rum
- Holmes Cay Reunion Island Grande Arome Rhum
- Worthy Park Single Estate 109 Proof Jamaica Pot Distilled Rum
- Worthy Park Estate White Overproof Pot Still Jamaica Rum
- Planteray Rum Cut & Dry Coconut
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Like the Quadrennial Summer Sports Competition, Binny’s shelves have representation from all over the world. Pat didn’t bring a bottle from every country, luckily, but he, Roger and Chris brought spirits, beer and wine from around the world.
Let the games begin!
- South Korea: SoonHari Apple Mango
- Switzerland: Chateau de Trevelin Chasselas Aubonne 2022
- Canada: Unibroue Don de Dieu
- China: Kweichow Moutai (coming soon)
- Serbia: Vinarija Deurić Severna Morava 2020
- Germany: Flensburger Pilsner
- Turkey: Tekirdag Rakisi Gold Series Aged 100% Grape Raki
- Mexico: Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc
- Mexico: Mezcal Vago by Tio Rey Binny’s Ensamble
- Poland: Zywiec Porter
- South Africa: Bayab African Grown Classic Dry Gin
- Georgia: Kakhuri Gvinis Marani Mukuzani Dry Georgian Red
- Czech Republic: BrouCzech Dark Lager
- Sweden: Åhus Akvavit
- North Macedonia: Ezimit Vranec 2020
- Jamaica: Dragon Stout
- Japan: Suntory Hakushu 12-Year-Old Peated Japanese Single Malt Whisky
- Armenia: Tree of Life Pomegranate Wine
- Belgium: Trappistes Rochefort 8
- Scotland: Laphroaig Cairdeas 10-Year-Old Cask Strength 2024
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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America’s Founding Fathers loved Madeira, and so does our own Roger Adamson. Regular listeners will know how much he brings it up and how much he’s been wanting to do a Madeira episode.
Who better to talk Madeira with than Chris Blandy? His family has been involved in making Madeira on the island for seven generations.
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Viral cocktails have been on Pat’s radar for years now, and we finally have a Gen Z co-host in touch with what the kids (21+) are drinking these days. This week Lexi does all the work for Pat and mixes Tik-Tok worthy cocktails for her unenthusiastic co-hosts.
Grab all the recipes on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Every winter, Binny’s spirits buyers gather all the new ready-to-drink canned cocktails for a massive tasting. This event, known as Canapalooza, is where they narrow down hundreds of products to the ones that are worth drinking.
For every can you find on the shelf, there are probably 10 or more that were rejected. Are you stilly, or bubby? These are this year’s standouts.
- Good Boy Vodka John Daly Cocktail
- Surfside 8 Pack Cans
- Vosa Vodka Water
- Vosa High Line
- Minus 196 Vodka Seltzer Variety
- Carbliss Passion Fruit Vodka Cocktail Carbliss Margarita
- Three Floyds Vodka Splash Orange, Lemon & Pineapple
- The Long Drink Company Peach Cocktail
- Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop
- Cutwater Grape Vodka Transfusion
- Pusser’s Rum Painkiller Cocktail
- Tip Top Bees Knees
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We’re back with the second part of our two-parter highlighting some of the many new arrivals to our stores. Last week we covered beer, cider, and wine. This week, we’re on to spirits.
- Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-Old Ruby Marsala Cask Finished Binny’s Handpicked
- Santa Teresa 1796 Limited Edition Arabica Coffee Cask Finished Rum
- Mount Gay Eclipse Navy Strength Rum
- Patron Cristalino Tequila
- WhistlePig CampStock Wheat Whiskey 2024
- Ardnamurchan First Fill ex-PX Sherry Hogshead #1322 Binny’s Handpicked Highland Single Malt
- Lagavulin 11-Year-Old Offerman Edition Finished in Caribbean Oak Casks Limited Release 2024
- Sunshine Punch Orange Cream Cocktail
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Things are never quiet at the receiving dock of your local Binny’s. New items are coming in constantly and it’s hard to keep track of everything. As usual, Barrel to Bottle is here with some helpful recommendations.
We have so many new arrivals that we had to do a two-parter. First up is beer, cider, and wine.
- Urban Chestnut Old Maibock collaboration with Old Nation
- Roaring Table Holiday Romance
- Hopewell Noble Device collaboration with Binny’s
- JK’s Farmhouse Ciders Patriotic Paw Paw
- Three Floyds Battle of the Barbarians collaboration with Binny’s
- Three Floyds Bubblegumhead Straight Malt Whiskey
- Luis Pato Vinho Espumante Maria Gomes
- Francis Blanchet Pouilly Fume Calcite 2023
- Attems Pinot Grigio 2023
- Chateau Trinquevedel Tavel Rosé 2023
- Turley Zinfandel Juvenile 2022
- Chateau Poujeaux Moulis 2015
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Have you ever had Danish whisky? Neither have we! Lasse Vesterby is one of nine co-founders of Stauning Whisky. At Stauning, they distill Danish-grown rye and barely and floor malt everything at their facility.
- Stauning Rye Whisky
- Stauning Bastard Rye Whisky Finished in ex-Mezcal Barrels
- Stauning El Clasico Rye Whisky Finished in Vermouth Barrels
- Stauning Kaos Blended Malt Whisky
- Stauning Smoke Single Malt Danish Whisky
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Half Acre’s Matt Young has been with the brewery for almost as long as Daisy Cutter has been around, which happens to be 15 years this summer.
Daisy Cutter put Half Acre on the map, but they have never been only about big hoppy beers. They’ve always been just as committed to brewing delicious lagers.
- Half Acre Hollywood Beach
- Half Acre Kernza Lager
- Half Acre Italian Pilsner
- Half Acre Daisy Cutter Fifteen
- Half Acre Daisy Cutter Select collaboration w/Sierra Nevada
- Half Acre Reef Knot
- Half Acre Pony Pilsner
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The World Beer Cup calls itself the “Olympics of Beer”. As the name implies, the World Beer Cup is open to breweries all over the world. This week on Barrel to Bottle, Roger tracked down WBC 2024 winners that we carry from local and global breweries.
- Horse Thief Hollow Little Wing
- Noon Whistle Bruski Traditional Lager
- Allagash Tripel
- Unibroue La Fin du Monde
- Weihenstephaner Vitus
- Old Irving Beezer
- Roaring Table Easy Hour
- Deschutes Black Butte Non-Alcoholic
- Hamm’s Beer
- 21st Amendment Brewery Amendment Lager
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Porch Pounders, Gazebo Guzzlers, Barbecue Bangers…call them whatever you want, but make sure your patio is stocked for the summer months. Chris has assembled 18 wines that are perfect for relaxing in your Adirondack chair or pairing with your favorite summer meal.
- Biohof Pratsch Grüner Veltliner 2022
- Domaine Labbe Abymes Vin de Savoie 2021
- Suavia Soave Classico 2022
- Nortico Alvarinho 2022
- Champalou Vouvray 2022
- August Kessler R Riesling QbA 2022
- Domaine Meyer Fonné Edelzwicker 2022
- Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Val de Garrigues Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2023
- Lynfred Rhubarb Wine
- Gulp Hablo Orange Natural Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rosé 2023
- Jean Foillard Beaujolais Villages 2021
- Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2022
- Feudo Santa Tresa Frappato 2022
- Lindquist Syrah 2020
- Quivira Zinfandel 2019
- The Fableist 373 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We love cocktails on Barrel to Bottle. We love classics, and we love riffs. We might love riffs more. This week, we’ve got three mixologists riffing on three classic cocktails for Greg and Jim to judge.
Check out our blog for all the recipes.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Firestone Walker’s Matt Brynildson returns to Barrel to Bottle. He’s in Chicago to launch a collab with our friends at Half Acre for the annual Firestone Walker Invitational. You can hear all about that event on our previous episode with Matt Brynildson.
Matt loves returning to Chicago and we love having him on the podcast to share his extensive knowledge of brewing, particularly hops. There’s always something new to enjoy from Firestone Walker, but we appreciate revisiting some of their classics as well.
- Firestone Walker Trailing West Pils collaboration with Half Acre
- Firestone Walker California IPA
- Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion
- Firestone Walker Hopnosis
- Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
- Firestone Walker Parabola
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Ivo Jeramaz is the winemaker at Grgich Hills Estate. His uncle, Mike, started the winery shortly after his Chardonnay won the 1976 Paris Tasting for Chateau Montelena. Ivo passionately believes in regenerative farming of grapes, without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, Ivo explains the process of regenerative farming and why he believes it makes the best wine.
- Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc Fume Blanc 2021
- Grgich Hills Chardonnay 2021
- Grgich Hills Zinfandel 2019
- Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Pat, our resident Crispy Boi, has spent the last half decade extolling the virtues of Hamm’s. When he’s not drinking Hamm’s, he’s still drinking crispy lagers both macro and micro. Now he’s getting the chance to redeem himself after his Hamm’s-related failure in our Macro Lager Blind Tasting.
This week on Barrel to Bottle we’re blind tasting thirteen crispy bois, from big brewery lager classics to the new wave of craft crispies. And what better to pair with these crisp, refreshing beers than salty snacks, straight from your local Binny’s snack section.
- Montucky Cold Snacks
- Riggs American Lager
- Founders Solid Gold
- Shorts Local’s Light
- Miller High Life
- Revolution Cold Time
- Art History Krausened
- Pabst Blue Ribbon
- Bells Lager For the Lakes
- Deschutes Crispy King
- Coors Banquet
- Shiner Light Blonde
- Hamm’s
Snack Along At Home:
- Binny’s Golf Club Mix
- Great Lakes Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips
- Herr’s Buffalo Blue Cheeze Curls
- Pop Daddy Beer Cheese Pretzels
- Utz Hoops Mix
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Provence might be the epicenter of Rosé but you can find the style all over the world. If you can grow grapes, you’re probably making Rosé.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, with warm weather approaching, we are checking out Rosés from around the world. The grapes and methods are different everywhere but they’re all great in spring, summer and really all year round.
- Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli Rosé 2023
- Day Wines Pinot Noir Rosé Lemonade 2022
- Charles Gonnet Rosé Vin de Savoie 2023
- The Pale Rosé 2023
- Domaines Ott by Ott Cotes de Provence Rosé 2023
- Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Rosé 2023
- Hatziyiannis Roditis Rose
- Sierra Cantabria Rosé 2023
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Binny’s has a vast resource of knowledgeable wine associates, probably the best in the business with arguably the biggest selection. While it is possible to stumble onto a hidden gem, Pat and Rog wanted to tap into our vast resources by engaging with our passionate staff members.
Join us for Pat & Rog’s Excellent Wine Adventure. Be excellent to each other, this will not be a bogus journey.
Also, a listener question about the difference between white, red and dry vermouths.
- Paul Prieur Sancerre 2022
- Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis 2022
- Punta Crena Mataossu Vigneto Reine 2021
- Tsiakkas Xinisteri Cyprus White 2022
- Hyland Estates Riesling 2022
- Li Veli Askos Susumaniello 2022
- Les Vins Pirouettes Ultra Violet de David
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What’s New in Beer? As always, the beer shelves are constantly changing and we’re here to help you make sense of the new brands, styles, returning favorites in new packaging and special releases.
- Firestone Walker XPA
- Weihenstephaner Braupakt collaboration w/St. Bernardus
- Maplewood Belle La Vie
- Stormalong Cider Unfiltered
- Southern Tier Orange Twist collaboration w/Perry’s Ice Cream
- Deschutes Black Butte NA Porter
- Maplewood In Dark Trees
- AleSmith Speedway Stout New Orleans Café
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Take a trip to Northern Italy with Barrel to Bottle this week. Chris brought wines from the broader Langhe Hills, along with some everyday drinking wines from the region, and wines from the much-hyped 2019 vintage. As with much of what we feature on the podcast, these wines pair great with a wide variety of food.
- Ca del Sarto Barbera d’Alba 2021
- Vietti Dolcetto d’Alba 2022
- Paolo Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo 2022
- Bruno Giacosa Nebbiola d’Alba 2020
- Silvio Grasso Barolo 2019
- GD Vajra Barolo Albe 2019
- Broccardo Barolo Bricco San Pietro 2019
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Celebrities, they’re just like you: they love wine. In some cases they like wine so much they create their own brand or buy an existing brand. Taking us down this Hollywood Walk of Fame of celebrity wines is Ray Denton, from our Elmwood Park store.
- Viarae Prosecco
- Invivo X SJP Sauvignon Blanc Sarah Jessica Parker 2023
- Plumpjack Chardonnay Reserve 2020
- Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio Ramato 2021
- Avaline Rosé
- Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2020
- Z Alexander Brown Ole Smoky Whiskey Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
- Inglenook Rubicon 2018
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We’ve covered bocks before on Barrel to Bottle, but as interest in lagers continues to grow at a rapid pace, Roger thought this was the best time to revisit the style.
- Ayinger Maibock
- Roaring Table Maibock
- Weihenstephaner Korbinian
- Goldfinger Złotonator Doppelbock
- Maplewood Dark Trees
- Sketchbook Illustrator Doppelbock
- Boulevard Dark Crator
- Pollyanna Jötunheimr
- Pollyanna Double Frozen Bourbon Barrel Aged Jötunheimr
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Whiskey Hotline is constantly bringing in new and interesting single barrels from your favorite distilleries. Some even Whiskey Hotline Handpicks are the best value in spirits. This week we’re sampling Tequila, Irish Whiskey and Bourbon. Also this week, a question from a listener about adding water to your bourbon or whiskey.
- El Tesoro Reposado Single Barrel #B024L323 Binny's Handpicked
- El Tesoro Reposado Single Barrel #B077L315 Binny's Handpicked
- Teeling Irish Single Malt finished in Virgin Chestnut Wood Cask #77557 Binny's Handpicked
- Teeling Single Pot Still finished in ex Ginger Beer Cask #79298 Binny's Handpicked
- Wilderness Trail Wheated Bourbon Single Barrel #771359 Binny's Handpicked
- Dark Arts Whiskey House Straight Bourbon Barely Legal Finished in ex Madeira Cask #MBL1 Binny's Handpicked
- Dark Arts Straight Rye Finished with Toasted Amburana Staves in Single ex Maple Syrup Barrel # RM1 Binny's Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Even the Barrel to Bottle crew can walk the aisles of Binny’s, with our thousands of bottles and cans, and wonder “What the Hell Does That Taste Like?” Occasionally it behooves us then, to do an episode dedicated to answering this question.
Roger, Chris and Pat have assembled a line-up of beer, wine and spirits that are a little esoteric, a little off the beaten path or just plain odd. Plus, a special treat: the first-ever Binny’s Barrel to Bottle Handpicked.
- Three Floyds Jinx Proof Lager
- Hopewell Tankbeer
- Mount Saint Bernard Abbey Tynt Meadow
- Donna’s Pickle Beer
- Martin House Brewing Best Made Sour Pickle Beer
- Destihl Suckerpunch Dill Pickle Sour
- Evolucio Furmint 2022
- Domaine Ostertag Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes 2021
- Domaine Chevillon Bourgogne Rouge Passetoutgrains 2020
- Domaine Bernard Fleuriet Sancerre Rouge Tradition 2020
- Bodega Garzon Marselan Reserva 2020
- Elena Walch Lagrein 2022
- Koval Organic Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Jackfruit Barrels Binny’s Barrel to Bottle Handpicked Single Barrel
- Three Floyds Bubblegumhead Straight Malt Whiskey
- Divine Distillers Pandan Rum
- Empirical Spirits Doritos Spirit
- Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka
- North Shore Distillery Amaro Bakamaro
- Jean Paul Mette Spiritueux de Ail
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This week, we head to Germany for the second in our series of dark larger podcasts. Get ready for Dunkels and Schwarzbierss and Emmenthalers and Thuringers. Roger brought the goods with a Brophy’s worth of beer and the finest meats and cheeses to pair with them. Prost!
- Hofbräu Munchen Dunkel
- Hofbräuhaus-Freising Dunkel
- Weltenburger Barock Dunkel
- Dovetail Dunkel Lager
- Flensburger Dunkel
- Roaring Table Dunkel
- Ayinger Bavarian Dark Lager
- Urban Chestnut Dorfbier
- Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel
- Goldfinger Dunkel
- Goldfinger Black Lager
- Köstritzer Schwarzbier
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Bill Foley has irons in a lot of fires. He owns the Las Vegas Golden Knights and AFC Bournemouth in the English Premiere League. More relevant to Barrel to Bottle, he also owns Foley Family Wines, Charles Goodnight Bourbon in Texas, and Lighthouse Gin in New Zealand.
This week on Barrel to Bottle we’ll cover the ins and outs of the wine and spirits world as well as the NHL and the EPL.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We like to get esoteric on Barrel to Bottle, but this might be our most esoteric topic yet: Shochu (not to be confused with Soju). What is it, how is it made, what does it taste like and what do you do with it?
This week we welcome Jay, Binny's resident Shochu expert/enthusiast, to answer these questions. He’s here to guide us through Shochu 101, sampling Shochus from four different styles.
- Furusawa Motoko Honkaku Shochu Made With Rice
- Yokka Ryukyu Awamori Made With 4 Day Koji
- Iichiko Shochu
- Tensei Mugi Hokka Honkaku Shochu Made With Barley
- Furusawa Masako Honkaku Shochu Made With Barley
- Mizu Shochu Saga Barley
- Fukano Cask Strength Japanese Whisky 2023 Edition
- Shoro Colorful Honkaku Shochu
- Nishihira Kana Kokuto Sugar Rice Shochu
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Head on down to the RUM SHOW! Over the busy holiday season, we quietly got shipments of six Binny’s Handpicked rums and you’re in luck because we still have them in stock!
Forget everything you think you know about rum, because you’ve been missing out on some of the best bang for your buck in the category of aged spirits.
- El Dorado 10-Year-Old Single Barrel 032/2023 Binny’s Handpicked from Coffey Savalle and Wooden Pot Stills
- El Dorado 11-Year-Old Single Barrel 031/2023 Binny’s Handpicked from Coffey Savalle and Versailles Wood Pot Stills
- Foursquare Rum Distillery Single Blended Rum Aged 12 Years in ex-Bourbon Casks Binny’s Private Select
- Rolling Fork 9-Year-Old Barbados Rum Port Cask Aged #22 4031 Binny’s Handpicked
- Rolling Fork 13-Year-Old Jamaican Rum Worthy Park Weller Barrel Finished #22 4144 Binny’s Handpicked
- Rolling Fork 12-Year-Old Brazilian Rum Epris #22 4057 Binny’s Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Whose Wine Is It Anyway? Are You Smarter Than a Podcast Host? Wine, Lose or Draw! This week on Barrel to Bottle, Pat, Greg and Roger are competing to see who knows the most about wine.
Your hosts, Alicia and Chris, brought along some wine to sample just so Pat wouldn’t get too bored and start complaining.
- Mary Taylor Cahors 2020
- Barista Pinotage 2022
- Marc Ollivier Domaine de la Pepiere Clisson Muscadet 2020
- Rombauer Chardonnay 2022
- Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Icewine 2019
- Pra Amarone della Valpolicella 2016
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We're back with part 2 of our two-parter covering Whisky Advocate's top 20 of 2023. Check out part 1 on our blog.
- Glendronach Cask Strength Batch #12 9. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Foursquare Rum Cask Finish 8. Glenmorangie A Tale of Forest Limited Release #9 Botanical Infusion 7. Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-Old Mizunara Cask Finished 6. Maker’s Mark 11-Year-Old Cellar Aged 2023 Limited Release4. Little Book Chapter 7 In Retrospect Blended American Whiskey 2023 Limited Release3. Westland Garryana 2023 Edition 8 Native Oak Series2. Highland Park Cask Strength Release No. 41. Glenglassaugh Sandend Highland Single Malt
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Every year, Binny’s sees more and more bottles from Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 on our shelves. With seventeen bottles this year, we had to make this a two-parter.
We’ll be counting down from 20 to 11 this week, check back next week for the final ten.
- Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey 99 Proof18. Teeling Single Pot Still Portuguese Oak Wonders of Wood17. Crown Royal Noble Collection Barley Edition15. Old Elk Port Cask Finished Bourbon Limited Release14. Glenfiddich 12-Year-Old Sherry Cask 13. Hemingway Rye Signature Edition Blend of Straight Rye Finished in Rum Seasoned Oloroso Sherry Casks12. Blue Run Trifecta 2023 Limited Release 3 Barrel Bourbon Blend11. Barrell Bourbon Batch 035 Aged 6, 7, 8 & 13-Year-Old From IN, KY and TN
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What’s new in beer? There’s ALWAYS something new in beer, because beer drinkers have become accustomed to breweries releasing a new beer every week. One positive that comes from this onslaught of new beers is breweries revisiting classic styles.
Roger brought in a slew of new releases, re-releases and one rebrand, plus none of them are Czech Dark Lagers!
- Urban Chestnut Czech Pilsner
- Pollyanna Rustic Route collaboration with Goldfinger and Binny’s
- Three Floyds Return of the Ancients
- Firestone Walker Mind Haze
- Firestone Walker Mind Haze Brain Melter
- Firestone Walker Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher
- BuckleDown Barbaric Blood Red Ale collaboration with Vault Comics
- Revolution Repo Man
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s yet another Whiskey Hotline episode, this must be some kind of record. Owen Martin is master distiller at Angel’s Envy, but his career in the beverage alcohol industry goes back years and covers both brewing and distilling.
Studying distilling at the illustrious Harriet Watt and working in Stranahan’s cask-finishing program was a natural precursor to working at Angel’s Envy. Angel’s Envy just released their cask-strength rye to go along with the cask-strength bourbon. We also have five new Binny’s Handpicked single barrels in stores now.
- Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon
- Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Rye
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Angel's Envy 2-Year Cask Stout
- Angel's Envy Bourbon Barrel Select #231237
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Mark Reynier has a lot to say about terroir, but this isn’t a wine episode. While Mark does have an extensive wine background, his passion now is spirits terroir. After re-establishing Bruichladdich, he founded Waterford Whisky in Ireland and the Renegade Rum Distillery in Grenada. This week on Barrel to Bottle, we’re sampling Waterford single malts and Renegade rum, while Mark shares his thoughts on barley and sugar cane terroir.
- Waterford Single Farm Origin Dunbell Irish Single Malt Edition 1.1
- Waterford Single Farm Origin Dunmore Irish Single Malt Edition 1.1
- Waterford Peated Fenniscourt Irish Single Malt
- Waterford The Cuvee Irish Single Malt
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Czech Dark Lager is a thing, Roger isn’t just willing it into existence. Over the past year many local breweries have paid homage to the style.
This week, Roger brought in a Brophy’s worth of Czech Dark Lagers, both local and imported, for a blind taste test. We’re also pairing these beers with walnuts, Arkansas Black apples, smoked goose breast and two kinds of cheese. Na zdraví!
- Lev Lion Dark Lager
- Dovetail Czech Dark Lager
- Praga Dark Lager
- Half Acre Czech Dark Lager
- Off Color Ten Crowns Czech Dark Lager
- BrouCzech Dark Lager
- Art History Vařitace
- Revolution Pragueress
- Samson Dark Lager
- Hopewell Certified Czech Dark Lager
- Art History Wenceslas
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Last week, we welcomed Binny’s team of experienced buyers and asked them to pick their favorite or favorites from 2023. Now, it’s Barrel to Bottle’s turn to tackle this difficult question. Wine, spirits and beer, what are Barrel to Bottle’s favorites from 2023?
Roger’s Picks
- Off Color Beer for Dealing With Your Family
- Bell’s Black Note
Chris’ Picks
- Robert Weil Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese 2021
- Val de Garrigues Cotes du Rhone Black 2022
Pat’s two and only two Picks
- Teeling 17-Year-Old Single Malt Finished in Loupiac Cask #16549 Binny’s Handpicked
- George Remus 6-Year-Old Highest Rye Bourbon 51% Corn 39% Rye 10% Malted Rye
Jim’s Picks
- Ommegang Gnommegang
- Noon Whistle Your Gummy Vol. 4 collaboration with Binny’s
Alicia’s Picks
- Paul Lato Pinot Noir The Matinee 2021
- Pierre Moncuit Millesime 2008
Jenna’s Pick
- Forge Cellars Riesling Classique 2021
Greg’s Pick
- di Padrino Rosso Sweet Vermouth
- Cappelletti Mazzura Aperitivo Bitter
Jim’s Honorable Mention
- Great Lakes Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Every year, Binny’s wine, spirits, beer and cigar buyers sample thousands of products to find the best stuff for the best price. Also every year, we at Barrel to Bottle ask the buyers to answer a nearly impossible question: what was at the best thing you had this year?
- Heaven Hill 7-Year-Old Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge Cuvée Classique 2020
- Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2020
- Sierra Nevada Celebration
- New Scotch, including Lochlea, Ardnamurchan, Torabhaig, Lindores Abbey, Clydeside, Kingsbarns, Nc’nean and The Lakes
- Lost & Found Cream Machine
- Alec Bradley Lake Shore Drive
- Four Star Society Colibri V-Cutter & EVO Lighter Gift Set
- Val de Garrigues Cotes du Rhone Rouge
- Ruinart Rosé
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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John Campbell might be a familiar name to Scotch drinkers because of his 27 years at Laphroaig. Now he’s the master distiller of Lochlea, which is part of a wave of new single malt Scotch distilleries that have opened in the last few years.
Lochlea grows 100% of the malt for their distillate, making them a true farm distillery. As a lowland distillery, Lochlea doesn’t make peated whisky. It wouldn’t be true to their environment as it is mostly farm land and rolling hills.
- Lochlea Our Barley Lowland Single Malt
- Lochlea Sowing Edition Lowland Single Malt
- Lochlea Fallow Edition Lowland Single Malt
- Lochlea Ploughing Edition Lowland Single Malt
- Lochlea Cask Strength Lowland Single Malt
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s a Whiskey Hotline episode, which means were at the Lincoln Park store with Brett. More importantly, we’re welcoming Dr. Don Livermore master blender at one of the largest distilleries on the continent, Hiram Walker.
So, what is Canadian Whisky and why should you drink it? Dr. Don is here to answer these questions and explain the process of blending Canadian Whisky.
- J.P. Wiser's 10-year-old Blended Canadian Whisky
- J.P. Wiser's 18-year-old Canadian Whisky
- J.P. Wiser's 27-year-old Canadian Whisky
- J.P. Wiser's Signature Series Binny's Custom Blend #AA1677 High Rye
- J.P. Wiser's Signature Series Binny's Custom Blend #AA1782 30% 10y Corn 30% 14y Corn 25% 5y Malt 15% 5y Wheat
- J.P. Wiser's Signature Series Binny's Custom Blend # AA1783 25% 10y Corn 25% 14y Corn 25% 8y Rye 15% 5y Wheat 10% 5y Barley
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Barleywine! All the cool kids are drinking it. It’s a perfect food beer, especially with the holiday season approaching. Our third Barleywine episode is finally being recorded during appropriate weather, and Roger couldn’t help but bring a delicious spread of cheeses, dried fruits, and crackers.
Barleywine used to be all the rage with beer nerds, but sadly it has fallen by the wayside. But the style is so much more than an old man beer that Pat buries in his backyard.
Featuring:
- White Oak Barrel Alley Wheat Wine Collaboration with Binny's
- Revolution Straight Jacket
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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As sprawling as the Binny’s Handpicked Single Barrel program has become, it all started with a single cask of Scotch in 1997. The Whiskey Hotline’s 2023 Signatory Handpicked Single Barrels have hit stores and this week we’re sampling all eight offerings.
Signatory labels are very information-heavy but leave a lot to be desired stylistically. The liquid inside is far from boring though because with Signatory picks, the Whiskey Hotline strives to find distilleries that are not usually available in the US.
- Signatory North British 13-Year-Old Single Grain 1st Fill ex Bourbon Barrel # 260514 Binny's Handpicked 2009
- Signatory Royal Brackla 14-Year-Old 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel # 305113 Binny's Handpicked 2008
- Signatory Auchroisk 11-Year-Old 1st Fill Hogshead #809654 Binny's Handpicked 2011
- Signatory Glen Keith 29-Year-Old Hogshead #82774 Binny's Handpicked 1993
- Signatory Edradour 10-Year-Old 1st Fill Sherry Butt #409 Binny's Handpicked 2012
- Signatory Mortlach 10-Year-Old 1st Fill Sherry Butt #7 Binny's Handpicked 2012
- Signatory Caol Ila 11-Year-Old Finished in Madeira Hogshead #10 Binny's Handpicked 2011
- Signatory Staoisha 8-Year-Old Dechar/Rechar Hoggie #10605 Binny's Handpicked 2014
Bonus Tasting:
- NULU Bourbon Finished in Peach Brandy Barrel #B1222 Binny's Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s that time of year again, when we at Barrel to Bottle have the opportunity to visit the Goose Island Barrel Warehouse and sample the new line-up of Bourbon County Stout. Then we race back to the studio to record our thoughts on this year’s beers.
Before we get into it though, we grabbed some of Goose’s new Christmas IPA because Roger knows it’s right up Greg’s alley. It’s a West Coast IPA! It’s got bitterness and a malt backbone!
Bourbon County Stout 2023
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Original 2023
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Backyard Stout
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Bananas Foster Stout
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Proprietor’s Stout 2023
Goose Island’s 2023 Bourbon County Brand Stout goes on sale at all Binny’s locations on Friday, November 24th
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Binny's Tasting Panel and wine consultants from all 45 Binny's locations have curated a list of the top 50 wines under $50 for 2023.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, we wanted to draw your attention to 10 wines that we really think you should check out, especially as the holidays approach.
- Trimbach Riesling 2020
- Sigalas Santorini 2022
- Lange Chardonnay Three Hills Cuvee 2021
- Delille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc 2021
- Champagne Palmer Brut Reserve
- GD Vajra Langhe Rosso 2022
- Sandhi Pinot Noir 2021
- Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Ranch 2019
- Pingus PSI 2020
- Details by Senegal Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
You can check out the full list on our blog.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Byron Copeland has worn a lot of hats at the Jack Daniel's Distillery. He started in their cooperage, where he led teams in various points of the barrel making process from making heads, to hoops, to toasting, charring, and seasoning of barrels. He’s now an ambassador for Jack Daniel’s and Manager of Leadership Acceleration and Maturation Innovation.
Byron is also a master taster and conducts barrel selections, including Binny’s Handpicked single barrels with the Whiskey Hotline. Luckily for Greg, Byron brought along some bottles to taste.
- Jack Daniel’s Bonded
- Jack Daniel’s Triple Mash
- Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We’re opening some big Napa wines that are always popular around the holidays, along with some other Napa favorites that are perfect for gifts or holiday feasts. These aren’t outrageously-priced and they aren’t hard to find.
Today, we’re tasting wines side-by-side from the Napa area to prove that there is a lot of diversity in this region.
Featured this week on Barrel to Bottle:
- Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2021 Frank Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2019 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2021
- Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis 2020 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- Chappellet Signature Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2018 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Whiskey Hotline has a tough job; traveling the globe for the best spirits at the best price sampling all these spirits, making the hard decisions about which ones meet their high standards.
That also means you, the customer, always have something new and unique to try. Sometimes it can be hard to make a choice, and that’s where Barrel to Bottle steps in. We’re here to round up some of the latest Whiskey Hotline offerings that we think you won’t want to miss.
- Clark & Sheffield XO Cognac
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Rye Finished in Vino de Naranja Wine Cask #21-2294
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in Vino de Naranja Wine Cask #22-2149
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in Tokaji Cask #22-2547
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in Blueberry Port Cask #22-2470
- Old Potrero 7 year 10 month old Cask Strength Straight Rye Single Cask #1 11-14/3
- Old Potrero 9 year 3 month old Cask Strength Straight Rye Single Cask #2 2-13/4
- Old Potrero 7 year 11-month-old Cask Strength Straight Rye Single Cask #3 8-14/3
- Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey Single Barrel # PSB-012 Binny's Handpicked
- Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey Single Barrel # PSB-013 Binny's Handpicked
- El Tesoro Añejo Single ex-Laphroaig Barrel # 21 Binny's Handpicked 2023
- High West Double Rye Finished 15 Months in ex-Cognac Cask Binny's Handpicked
- Barrell Private Release Whiskey Ruby Port Cask Finished Single Barrel # CQ25 Binny's Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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All the way from Scotland, Stewart Buchanan is the Global Brand Ambassador for Glenglassaugh, BenRiach, and Glendronach. Stewart is one of the few global brand ambassador’s Pat knows that worked in a distillery.
Stewart brought three bottles of the latest offerings from Glenglassaugh. The distillery had previously been mothballed from 1986 to 2008 but since its reopening it has been subsequently sold to Brown-Forman. Since then, they’ve reopened and begun distilling again, as well as reviving their floor malting program.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Chris brought too much sherry, too much food and made too many cocktails and we didn't want you to miss out so here's a bonus episode from our recent deep dive into sherry. You can see all the cocktail recipes on our blog.
Sherry, what is it? What do you do with it? What does it go with? The answers to these questions are much simpler than you might think. Sherry isn’t just for Brits. It’s actually very popular with tapas, so next time you’re digging into some small plates, skip the sangria and go for some PX, Manzanilla, or Cream.
Like a bunch of sardines in a can, Chris has packed a lot into this week’s episode. We’re trying sherry, we’re pairing them with a delicious array of meats, cheeses, nuts, fruits, and canned fish, then we’re mixing up an array of sherry cocktails. You can find all the cocktail recipes from this episode on our blog.
- Emilio Lustau Solera Reserva Manzanilla Sherry Papirusa
- Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Palomino Fino
- Valdespino Tio Diego Amontillado
- Emilio Lustau Solera Reserva Oloroso Sherry Don Nuno
- Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry
- Emilio Lustau Solera Reserva Pedro Ximenez Sherry San Emilio
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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If it feels like we’ve done multiple episodes about amaro, it’s because we have a loud guy on the show who always has some amaro on him. It’s actually been almost four years since we had an entire episode dedicated to Pat’s favorite bitter Italian liqueur.
Last time we had twelve amari, and that was only scratching the surface. Roger is back, to have his taste buds tortured by these Italian bitter digestives.
- Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto Liqueur
- Cardamaro Vino Amaro
- Cappelletti Mazzura Aperitivo Bitter
- Matchbook Distilling Day Trip Strawberry Amaro
- Caffo del Capo Amaro
- Paolucci Amaro Cio Ciaro
- Ramazzotti Amaro
- Fred Jerbis Amaro 16
- Nardini l’Amaro
- Luxardo Amaro Abano
- Francoli Antico Amaro Noveis
- Santa Maria Amaro
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Chartreuse has been around for centuries and always popular with mixologists. It took a global pandemic to make the French herbal liqueur a household name though. Carthusian monks have been making it by hand since the 1700s and were always able to keep up with demand. In the last few years, they have decreased production to focus more on being monks instead of liquor executives. Now you can pretty much only get it in the US if you own a bar.
Roger has poured samples of Chartreuse and six alternatives. Additionally, he made seven Last Word cocktails with each of the seven samples. We’re blind tasting these seven samples, hoping to find an alternative to Chartreuse that is just as good and readily available in our stores. After we try all of that, Roger will whip up two more Chartreuse cocktails.
Check out all three cocktail recipes on our blog.
- Dolin Genepy des Chamois Bitter Liqueur
- Escorial Green
- Chartreuse
- Enrico Toro Centerba 72 Digestif
- Boomsma Claerkampster Cloosterbitter
- Elixir Spirits Ver Liquore d’Erb
- Faccia Bruto Centerbe
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Brent Elliott has been master distiller since the legendary Jim Rutledge stepped down in 2015. Brent was hired as a chemist 20 years ago, when Four Roses was only available overseas and in Kentucky. Because it was a skeleton crew, they needed help everywhere, so he was able to learn about multiple facets of production.
- Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Four Roses Elliott’s Select Limited Edition Barrel Strength Single Barrel
- Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2022 Release Barrel Strength
- Four Roses 135th Anniversary Limited Edition
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It seems like Oktoberfest beers come out earlier and earlier every year, which means we’re recording our regular Oktoberfest beer podcast earlier and earlier. This year we’re tasting these blind, with producer Jim as our dungeon master. We’re sampling 12 Oktoberfest Märzens, both import and domestic, along with a line-up of delicious meat sticks from Pat’s favorite butcher.
- Great Lakes Oktoberfest
- Hopewell Oktoberfest Lager
- Spaten Oktoberfest
- Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Festbier
- Half Acre Lager Town
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen
- Samuel Adams Octoberfest
- Goose Island Oktoberfest
- Ayinger Oktoberfest Märzen
- Three Floyd’s Munsterfest
- Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen
- Metropolitan Afterburner Oktoberfest
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What’s new in beer? New bottles and cans are constantly showing up on our shelves, so it can be difficult to keep track of everything. Fatigue is certainly setting in because of the pervasiveness of certain styles. Luckily some brewers are stepping up to resurrect forgotten styles and put new spins on existing ones. Roger is here with a slew of new (and two old) brews to try from some of our favorite breweries.
- More Pub Ale
- Maplewood Country Mile
- Maplewood My Cousin Binny Vol. 2
- More Morever
- Sierra Nevada Flipside Red IPA
- Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner
- Off Color Beer for Bags
- Off Color Tour de Biere Radler
- Revolution Lucia
- Revolution Caramel Crisp collaboration with Garrett Popcorn
- Off Color Beer Prime Cut collaboration with Binny’s Beverage Depot
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s Sangria Season! Following our episode on easy-going outdoor drinkin' wines, Chris threw together four sangria recipes at the last minute, which is impressive. Part of the process of making sangria is fine-tuning the sweetness, the strength or anything else you might want to add or subtract. Follow the recipes on our blog or make them your own.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Legendary director, producer and writer Steven Soderbergh is passionate about Singani63. But what is Singani? This week on Barrel to Bottle, Steven and Casa Real distiller Luis-Pablo Granier will answer all our questions. What is it? How is it made? What does it taste like? How can you use it?
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The wine department finally brought in a respectable amount of wine for a podcast. It’s not quite a full Brophy’s worth, but they’re stepping up their game for tasty summer wines that will go great with picnics. Don’t say porch pounders though! These are easy-going, outdoor drinkin’ wines that are off the beaten path.
- Pascal Arnoux Bourgogne Aligoté 2021
- Mr. Brightside Gamay Noir Blanc 2022
- Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc 2022
- Brooks Amycas White 2022
- Domaine Confuron Gindre Coteaux Bourgogne 2020
- Caruso e Minini Frappato 2021
- Domaine de Saint Just Saumur Rouge Les Terres 2021
- Meinklang Prosa Rosé Frizzante Natural 2022
- Renardat Fache Initiale Cerdon de Bugey
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What’s new in Binny’s Handpicked Casks? This is an episode we could probably do every month, because the Whiskey Hotline is always scouring the globe for unique and interesting single barrels. It’s time for the Hotline Handpicked Round-up!
- JP Wiser’s Signature Series Binny’s Custom Blend #AA1782
- JP Wiser’s Signature Series Binny’s Custom Blend #AA1783
- The Whistler Irish Single Malt Finished in ex-Premier Cru Bordeaux Wine Casks Binny’s Handpicked
- Copper & Cask Bourbon Barrel #MF-763 Florida-aged 6-Year-Old MGP 21% Rye Binny’s Handpicked
- Rabbit Hole Cavehill Single Barrel #4
- Penelope Bourbon Toasted Char 5 Heavy Toast 6-Year-Old #23-1057 Binny’s Handpicked
- Penelope Bourbon Toasted Char 1 Heavy Toast 5-Year-Old #23-1058 Binny’s Handpicked
- NULU Bourbon Finished in Amburana Barrels Binny’s Handpicked Small Batch
- Plantation Rum Single Cask Barbados 11-Year Maury Cask Finished Binny’s Handpicked 2011
- Duncan Taylor GlenAllachie 14 year old Single Sherry Cask Binny's Handpicked 2008
- Duncan Taylor Laphroaig 11 year old Single ex Bourbon Cask Binny's Handpicked 2011
- Duncan Taylor Dalmunach 7 year old Single ex Bourbon Cask Binny's Handpicked 2015
- Mezcal Vago Ensamble 40% Tepeztate 40% Mexicano 20% Espadin by Joel Barriga Binny's Batch
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Hot cracker, it’s another edition of BOOZE IN THE NEWS! Our correspondents have traversed the globe to bring you, our listening public, fresh off the presses news about suds, hooch and vino!
[prod. note: this episode was recorded before Sapporo announced that it would be completely shuttering Anchor Brewing]
- Big news from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco
- New Belgium has changed both the packaging and recipe for their flagship Fat Tire beer
- Hahn Winery sells to Gallo
- A movement in Beaujolais for Premier Cru status
- A push in the Rhone to double production of white and rosé wine
- August is Washington Wine Month
- Whiskey fungus encrusts a Tennessee town
- The Supreme Court rules against the makers of Bad Spaniels dog toys
- The makers of Fireball were sued for false advertising
- American Single Malt comes of age
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Firestone Walker’s Matt Brynildson is a legend in the brewing community. Roger is a big fanboy but this won’t be an episode of the Chris Farley Show. Not only is Matt an award-winning brewer, he’s a hop evangelist.
This week on Barrel to Bottle we’re talking brewing and hops with a craft beer icon, as well as sampling Firestone classics and new releases.
- Firestone Walker Pivo Pils
- Firestone Walker Double Hopnosis
- Firestone Walker Cali Squeeze Blood Orange
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s another Whiskey Hotline episode! Bruce Joseph is the master distiller at Hotaling & Company, formerly Anchor Brewing & Distilling. Hotaling is best known for their Old Potrero ryes.
Bruce started working at Anchor Brewing straight out of college in 1980. He was a brewer for 13 years until they got licensed to distill and he switched over. Fritz Maytag was interested in making rye whiskey, particularly its historical ties to Colonial America. Also he liked taking on products that were unpopular and at the time, rye wasn’t very popular.
- Old Potrero 6-Year-Old Straight Rye
- Old Potrero Cask Strength Straight Rye Finished in Single Sherry Cask 8 14 #1 Binny’s Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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How did an outwardly Italian man end up in Eugene, Oregon making amaro? This week we’re talking to Andrea Loreto, co-founder of Elixir Spirits about his journey to making botanical liqueurs in the Pacific Northwest.
Andrea’s love of cooking led him to discover liqueur recipes in his grandmother’s cookbook. After three years of tinkering he had his first product, Calisaya.
- Elixir Spirits Calisaya Chinchona Liqueur
- Elixir Spirits Ver Liquore d’Erb
- Elixir Spirits Fernet dei Fratelli Loreto
- Elixir Spirits Iris Root Liqueur
- Elixir Spirits Caffé Corretto
- Elixir Spirits Féte Vodka
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s summer, the perfect time to drink hot coffee and barrel-aged coffee stouts, right? This is part three of Roger’s coffee beer trilogy. This time, we’re trying four classic coffee beers that have stood the test of time. Roger still loves tea, but he has gotten really into coffee even if he doesn’t like the fussy process of brewing it.
Just like previous episodes, we’re going to try the beers then drink the coffee that was used to make the beer.
- Founders Breakfast Stout
- Founders KBS
- Central Waters Cassian Sunset
- Off Color Brewing Coffee Dino S’mores
Also today, we crack open the mailbag for a question about American Single Malt Whiskey.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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A few weeks ago, Roger had us trying different beers out of different glasses. It was an enlightening experience and inspired Pat to do a similar episode with various spirits in three different glasses, along with a control plastic tumbler.
The Spirits:
- Clark & Sheffield Bottled in Bond Bourbon
- Rye & Sons Rye Whiskey
- Bruichladdich Scottish Barley ‘The Classic Laddie’
- Lagavullin 8 Year Old
- Terralta Tequila Reposado
The Glasses
- Glencairn Crystal Blenders Malt Nosing Glass
- Glencairn Malt Mixer
- Glencairn Spirits Copita
Also this week, a listener wants to know what about the upper limits of aging beer in wood.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Roger is always reliable for predicting the latest trends in beer and beer-adjacent drinks, having previously predicted Ranch Water and Long Drink. Now, declaring this will be the Summer of Chelada. Micheladas have already been popular for a while, but now cheladas are all the rage.
We’re going to try a Brophy-sized quantity of ready-to-drink versions, then we’re going to make one from a mix and finally make one from scratch. Get ready for a lotta chelada, all summer long.
Cheladas
- Modelo Chelada Limón y Sal
- Dos Equis Lime & Salt
- Shiner Sea Salt & Lime
- Cruz Blanca Lime & Sea Salt Chelada
- Half Acre Green Torch
- Stone Buenaveza
- Modelo Chelada Variety Pack
Micheladas
- Modelo Chelada Original
- Bud Light Chelada
- Budweiser Chelada Picante
- Victoria Vicky’s Chamoy
- Michelada Love! Michelada Mix
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Saké, don’t sleep on it. That’s the theme of our first ever saké episode. To help us dive into the world of rice wines, we’re welcoming wine consultant Neeve from our Lincoln Park store. Greg sat next to the saké buyer for four years, tried a bunch of saké, and never retained anything so she has her work cut out for her.
Saké is made from rice, water, yeast and koji which is a type of mold. Koji was naturally occurring on rice, but these days there are special starters. For yeast, they have many common strains that give the saké different aromas and flavors. We’ll be tasting saké by how polished the rice grains are for each batch.
- Manotsuru Junmai Ginjo Nigori Countless Visions 30204
- Tentaka Kuni Junmai Hawk in the Heavens 360605
- Fukucho Seaside Junmai Sparkling Saké 967144
- Toko Sun Rise Junmai Ginjo 978876
- Toko Divine Droplets Junmai Daiginjo 978877
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Chris is making daiquiris, we’ve got a table full of rum, several rum enthusiasts and most importantly, Marc Farrell. Marc is the CEO and founder of Ten to One Rum.
Marc was frustrated with the public perception of rum, so he decided to do something about it. Ten to One is a blended rum brand that sources from Caribbean distilleries. He combines pot and column still rums, Agricoles, dark and white rums and rums of various ages into his blends.
- Ten to One Caribbean Dark Rum
- Ten to One Caribbean White Rum
- Ten to One Black History Month Artist’s Edition 2023 Limited Release Caribbean Dark Rum
- Ten to One Caribbean Dark Rum Finished in ex-Uncle Nearest Casks
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Binny’s is committed to finding world class wines for its customers, so every year we send a small group of wine consultants and buyers to En Primeur. Here, at a marathon pace, we sample hundreds of wines still in barrels to make the difficult decision of what to offer our customers as Bordeaux Futures
This week on Barrel to Bottle, we’re welcoming Bordeaux buying legend Barbara Hermann, along with wine buyer Bill Newton, Wine Educator Alicia Barrett, and Lincoln Park wine consultant Ben Madeska. Fresh off their trip to France, they’ll tell you everything you need to know about the 2022 Bordeaux vintage, and about Binny’s robust futures program.
While the 2022 wines aren’t available yet, there are still some great, affordable wines that are relevant to this year’s vintage:
- Le C des Carmes Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Rouge 2019
- Haut Bailly II Pessac Leognan 2020
- La Dame de Montrose Saint Estephe 2019
- Chateau Berliquet Saint Emilion 2018
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Barrel-aged beer, lots of cheese, warm weather; that seems like a perfect combo. This week on Barrel to Bottle, we’re revisiting the 2022 Bourbon County Stout line-up with some fun easter eggs and easy food pairings.
We sent Roger on a treasure hunt to track down the single-distillery variants of Bourbon County Brand Stout that saw limited release in 12-ounce four packs. Beer aged in barrels from those distilleries-Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey and Willett-was blended and bottled for the majority of 12-ounce four packs. Additionally, this is a different blend then what was in the 16.9-ounce bottles. Confused? Don’t worry, we’re going to walk you through it.
When you’re pairing food with any alcohol you can go one of two ways; complimentary or contrasting. Roger brought some examples of each, with bleu cheese, chèvre, fig butter, dried apricots, and Fig Newton-like fig cookies. All these pair with today’s beers in different way.
While some of these bottles might take a little work to track down, Sir Issac's is still out there and tasting great. Don’t like the concept fool you into thinking it’s just another pastry boy. It’s stands well enough on its own, but Roger has brought a few food pairings to take it to another level.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Here at Barrel to Bottle, we’re big proponents of tasting blind. We’re also big proponents of additive-free tequilas, which are becoming more and more popular with consumers. Without a government oversight body, it’s up to producers disclosing it and tequila fans tracking it.
Pat has brought nine blanco tequilas and two reposado tequilas. Additive-free, no crap on tap, all bangers.
Blind taste along at home with the following additive-free tequilas
- Tequila Ocho Plata
- Don Fulano Blanco 80 Proof Tequila
- Villa Lobos Blanco Tequila
- PM Spirits Single Oven Blanco Tequila
- Tequila Codigo 1530 Blanco
- El Gran Legado de Via Blanco Tequila
- Volans Blanco Tequila
- Primo Tequila Blanco
- Atanasio Tequila Blanco
- Siete Leguas Reposado Tequila
- Mijenta Reposado
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This week, Alicia has nine wines that showcase the variety and incredible value of California's Central Coast.
Monterrey County
- Cru Wine Company Unoaked Chardonnay Arroyo Seco 2021
- Tatomer Riesling Steinhugel 2021
San Luis Obispo County
- Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Wolff Vineyard 2020
- Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Blanc
- Cherry House Red Blend by Villa Creek 2020
- Vina Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Road Reserve 2019
Santa Barbara County
- Margerum Sybarite Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Sandhi Pinot Noir 2021
- Beckmen Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard 2020
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed the importance of glassware. But today we’re doing a deeper, more scientific dive specifically on beer glasses.
We at Barrel to Bottle firmly believe you should always drink your beer out of a glass. But will one of those straight-sided pint glasses suffice, or is it worth spending some money on a beer glass that had fluid dynamics test performed on it? We’re here to definitively answer that question today.
Roger brought in three beer glasses that we will be comparing to the straight sided shaker pint control glass:
Sam Adams Perfect Pint Glass Duvel Chalice Dogfish Head IPA Glass
We’ll be sampling these three beers in each of the four glasses:
Sam Adams Golden Pilsner Duvel Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
After our scientific sampling, we’ll also try some of the new innovations from Sam Adams, Duvel and Dogfish Head, each in their brewery’s respective glass:
Sam Adams Boston Lager (Remastered) Duvel 6.66 Dogfish Head Citrus Squall
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This week on Barrel to Bottle, we’re sitting down with retiring wine consultant Gregory Fulham. Gregory has been with Binny’s for the better part of the last four decades. In that time, he’s become both a Binny’s institution and a Hyde Park institution.
In celebration of his retirement, we’re opening wines from two of his favorite varieties: Riesling and Port.
- Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese 2019 – This one is still a baby, but it’s drinking great. You could also sit on it for years.
- Taylor Fladgate 30-Year-Old Tawny Port – We took the years Gregory has worked for Binny’s and rounded up a bit and decided on this 30- year port. Both Riesling and Port are incredible values, relatively speaking. What would you pay for a 30-year-old Scotch?
Gregory's other recommendations include:
- Xoriguer Gin de Mahon
- Clark & Sheffield Bottled in Bond Bourbon
- Koval Cranberry Gin Liqueur
- Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco 2020
- d’Arenberg Viogneir Marsanne The Hermit Crab 2021
- Nolet Gin
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This is a Chris episode, which means it’s esoteric but fun and someone will probably get well actually’d. What's more esoteric than port cocktails? It's probably not as far-fetched as you think though. We cracked open a bottle of Clark & Sheffield 10-Year-Old Tawny Port for these cocktails that range from simple to complicated and would be perfect for Elevenses, brunch or even a night cap.
Check out all the cocktail recipes on our blog.
The Q&A portion of Barrel to Bottle is back this week! Today's question comes from Michael, who wants to know everyone’s favorite method to transport cans and bottles. He really just wanted to show off a picture of his Hamm’s Sack, for storing Hamm’s.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Because Pat is Pat, we had to turn What Does That Taste Like vol. 3 into a two-parter. For part two, Pat has brought a wide range of spirits from all over the world.
What the hell do these taste like? Find out!
- Honkaku Reserve Special Selection Amagi 9-Year-Old Rum Single Cask #3094 Binny’s Handpicked
- Honkaku Reserve Special Selection Amagi 9-Year-Old Rum Single Cask #3097 Binny’s Handpicked
- Nevada Distilling Smoke Wagon Straight Rye Bottled in Bond
- Nevada Distilling Smoke Wagon Malted Straight Rye
- Alpine Distilling Lafayette Spicy Bourbon
- Vice Rei Ginjinha
- Select Aperitivo
- Opal Icelandic Liqueur
- Elixir Spirits Ver Liquore d’Erb
- Boomsma Claerkampster Cloosterbitter
- Laphroaig 8-Year-Old ex PX Sherry Hogshead #807494 Binny’s Handpicked
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s time once again to answer the world’s oldest question, “What the Hell Does That Taste Like?” Have you ever seen a bottle of some wine, beer or spirit at Binny's and wondered what it is? This is the episode for you. And because Pat can’t help himself, this ended up being a two parter.
Roger’s Beers:
- Weihenstephaner Vitus
- WarPigs Divine Huntress
- Weihenstephaner Korbinian
- Maplewood Silver Morning Winter Lager
Chris’ Wines:
- Pardevalles Albarin 2021
- Zlatan Otok Pošip 2021
- Pilizota Winery Babić 2016
- Stone Hill Norton
- Terrassous Hors d’Age 12 Ans Rivesaltes
That’s it for beer and wine. Join us next week for part two, What the Hell Does That Taste Like? Spirits.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Elliot Hughes of is the managing distillery director for Dingle Distillery. What started as a bar outside of Dublin has become a distillery in Dingle, in the southwest corner of Ireland. Dingle is far-flung, but it’s also a popular tourist destination with mild weather perfect for aging whiskey.
Dingle’s yearly releases pay homage to the town’s connection to Celtic pagan traditions, which include various festivals, equinoxes and solstices.
This week on Barrel to Bottle we sampled:
- Dingle Distillery Samhain Single Malt
- Dingle Distillery Lá Le Bríde Single Malt
- Dingle Distillery Bealtaine Single Malt
- Dingle Distillery Single Malt
- Dingle Distillery Original Irish Pot Still Gin
- Dingle Distillery Vodka
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The last time we took on a major celebrity and their absurd cocktail, it was Stanley Tucci’s shaken Negroni with vodka. Things didn’t so great for The Tooch, but will America’s Dad fare better? Earlier this year, Jim sent the group an article about Tom Hanks appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Hanks is not a big drinker, but he will add a splash of champagne to his Diet Coke. And that’s how an episode topic is born.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Whenever Pat brings bottles in for an episode, you can safely assume he's going to bring way more than we can ever get to. After tasting through the Whisky Advocate Top 20 of 2022, Pat pulled out two mystery bottles; something he would have added to the list, and something he's not quite sure what it is but it has a memorable taste.
Once again, we're running down the list of Whisky Advocate's top 20 whiskies of the year and sampling the ones we have available. What was once a list of unobatnium bottles has now expanded with more readily available products and better price points.
#20 – Craigellachie 13-Year-Old Armagnac Finish #19 – Teeling Single Pot Still Virgin Chinkapin Oak Wonders of Wood #18 – Hardin’s Creek Colonel James B. Beam 2 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Limited Release #17 – Indri Trini The Three Wood #11 – Sweetens Cove Kennessee Kentucky & Tennessee Bourbon Finished with Toasted Sugar Maple Wood #10 – Nelson Brothers Bourbon Reserve #8 – Limavady Single Malt Irish Whiskey #5 – Westward Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey #4 – Dewars 12 Year Double Aged Scotch #3 – Barrell Bourbon Vantage Finished in Mizunara, French, and Virgin Oak Barrels #1 – Jack Daniel’s Bonded
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This is probably our most ambitious episode ever. We’ll be eating well-known New Orleans dishes, along with Abita beer, and then making New Orleans cocktails and pairing them with paczkis. We apologize in advance for all the mouth noises.
Abita is the classic New Orleans beer and a lot of their offerings pair great with local cuisine. Mardi Gras Bock is a more of a Maibock than a doppelbock, which makes it a clean, easy-drinking beer. It pairs perfectly with the shrimp étoufée, red beans & rice and jambalaya.
Check out the full recipes on our blog:
- Vieux Carré w/Custard Paczki topped with Chocolate Fudge
- Pimm’s Cup w/Rose Petal Jelly Paczki or Strawberry & Whipped Cream Paczki
- Hurricane w/Passionfruit Jelly Paczki
- Sazerac w/Plum Butter Paczki
- Ramos Gin Fizz w/Apricot Preserves Paczki
In addition to all that, Pat brought Cheramie Rum. Made in New Orleans from fresh-pressed cane juice. It’s a bit like an Agricole rum but not as funky.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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As the premiere producer in the Rhone, you would assume Guigal has been around for centuries. Guigal is in their third generation, which is relatively young for the Rhone and France overall. Joining us today is Patrick Will, brand development director at Vintus, importer of Guigal. He has worked with the Guigal family for 26 years.
featuring these wines:
- Guigal Cotes du Rhone White 2021
- Guigal Cotes du Rhone Red 2018
- Guigal Condrieu 2019
- Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2019
- Guigal Saint Joseph
- Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2017
- Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde 2018
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This week we welcome Rob Dietrich, master distiller of Blackened Whiskey. If you’re not familiar, Blackened started as a collaboration between Metallica and distilling legend Dave Pickerell.
Drink along at home with the following whiskies:
- Blackened Straight Whiskey Finished in Black Brandy Casks
- Blackened x Wes Henderson Bourbon Finished in White Port Casks
- Blackened Rye the Lightning
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We're back with part 2 of our Barrel to Bottle Q&A episode. Check out part 1 on our blog or wherever you download podcasts.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We used to tackle listener questions on a regular basis, but over the years the episodes kept getting longer and longer. We miss the listener interaction, and we miss giving away $20 Binny’s gift cards, so periodically we do these all Q&A episodes. It’s time for us to A your Qs.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We haven’t done a Non-Alc episode in two years, and a lot has changed in that time. The entire category has exploded; not only are there more options than ever, but the options are better than they’ve ever been.
This week, Roger, Alicia, and Pat have brought the newest and best options for Dry January and beyond in beer, wine, and spirits.
Roger’s NA Beer/Seltzer Options: * Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher * Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher Variety * Noon Whistle Hop Water * Big Drop Paradiso Non-Alocholic IPA * Big Drop Galactic Extra Dark Non-Alcoholic * AleSmith NA IPA
Alicia’s NA Wine Options: * Freixenet 0.0 NA Sparkling Wine * Giesen Brothers Zero Rose Non-Alcohol Wine * Giesen Brothers Zero Riesling Non-Alcohol Wine * Fre Cabernet Sauvignon
Pat’s NA Spirits: * Lyre’s Dry London Spirit * Martini & Rossi Vibrante Aperitivo * Spiritless Kentucky 74 Bourbon Distilled Non-Alcoholic Spirit for Bourbon Cocktails * Spiritless Whiskey Sour & Spiritless Old Fashioned
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Coffee: the original beer adjunct before that became a dirty word. We only just did a coffee episode in late 2022 but there are so many coffee stouts being released, especially in the winter months, that it makes sense to do another one.
This time in addition to drinking coffee beer, and the coffee these beers are made with, Roger has baked several cookies that pair great with the beer and the coffee.
- Half Acre Big Hugs
- Lagunitas Willettized Coffee Stout
- Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout
- Dogfish Head Wake Up World Wide Stout
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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And now for the epic conclusion of Barrel to Bottle’s Picks of the Year 2022.
- Alicia’s PickChateau Beychevelle Saint Julien 2018
- Pat’s One and Only PickPinhook Vertical Series Bourbon War 7-Year-Old Bourbon 2022
- Jim’s Second Pick Destihl Wild Sour Series Elima Hua
- Greg’s Second Pick Field Recordings Aqua Pazza Organic Pink Sparkling
- Jenna’s Third Pick André Cluet Brut Grand Reserve
- Pat’s One and Only PickBordiga St. Hubertis Amaro Reserva
Honorable Mentions * AleSmith Barrel Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout * Art History Bella Strada * Classic Breweries (especially European ones) finally canning their beers * Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Two-Year Barleywine * Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Biscotti * Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Cuvee Laurene 2018 * Hofgut Falkenstein Kabinett Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett * Keeper’s Heart * St. Agrestis Amari
It’s time for the Barrel to Bottle Pick(s) of the Year. For the first time ever, we have seven people on mics, so it should be obvious why we had to split this into two episodes.
- Pat’s One and Only PickPenrose Fantasy West collaboration with More Brewing
- Jenna’s First PickMichter's US 1 Single Barrel Straight Rye
- Jim’s First PickOff Color Beer for Lounging
- Pat’s One and Only PickBenromach 9-Year-Old First Fill Sherry Hogshead #719 Binny’s Handpicked/Benromach 11-Year-Old First Fill Bourbon Barrel #595 Binny’s Handpicked
- Greg’s First PickSurly Abrasive
- Chris’ First PickTrimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile 2011
- Roger’s First PickBoulevard Barrel Aged Wheat Wine collaboration with Firestone Walker
- Pat’s One and Only PickSignatory Glenlivet 15-Year-Old First Fill Sherry Butt #900788 Binny’s Handpicked
- Jenna’s Second PickGoose Island Neon Beer Hug
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It's time to check back in on Chris and Pat's respective aged eggnogs. We last checked in on these over a year ago, but how are they now? Will the Barrel to Bottle Crew survive or is this the last episode?
We’re back with part two of our yearly Binny’s Buyer’s Picks episode.
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Bill, Wine Buyer:Alion, 2018 Clark & Sheffield 10 Year Old Tawny Port
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Mike Baba, Wine BuyerCliff Lede Claret 2019
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Mark Senal, Wine BuyerInspiration 1818 Brut by Billecart
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Kyle, Beer Buyer Goldfinger Brewery
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s December, which means we’re once again talking with Binny’s category buyers about what they were most impressed with this year. These people taste everything, so this is the best of the best for 2022.
- Jeff, Spirits Buyer:Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Goose Island BCBS Barrel Finished Bourbon
- Douglas, Beer Buyer: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2022
- Barbara, Wine Director: La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou Saint Julien 2019
- Jack, Cigar Buyer:Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary
- Brett, Specialty Spirits Buyer: Porchjam Distilling Cheramie Rum
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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There are a lot of guidelines and rules around drinking wine that may or may not apply anymore and Lincoln Park wine manager Ben is here to smash them. Or confirm them.
Shatter some myths with the following wines:
- Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs 2019
- Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner Kremstal 2021
- Vietti Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne 2020
- Chateau Peyrabon Haut Medoc 2009
- Laurent-Perrier Harmony
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Brian Nation (formerly of Midleton) and David Perkins (formerly of High West) are two heavy hitters in the spirits industry. So, Pat was quite shocked when he heard that an upstart distillery in Minnesota had hired both of them, he had to check them out. That lead him to Keeper’s Heart, where they’re making Irishized American Whiskey and Americanized Irish Whiskey.
Right now, Keeper’s Heart is sourcing bourbon and rye from MGP in Indiana. Since last year they’ve also been laying down their own distillate. The first thing they’ve produced is an American Single Pot Still.
Drink along at home with the following whiskies:
- Keeper’s Heart Irish + American Blended Whiskey
- Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon Blended Whiskey
- Keeper’s Heart Irish + American 110 Proof
- Keeper’s Heart 10 Year Single Malt
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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What are you drinking for Thanksgiving? We’ve got recommendations for spirits before, during and after dinner, beers that pair with a wide range of dishes and wines to pair with specific types of guests at your dinner table.
Check out Pat's Thanksgiving Picks: * Huber’s Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in Armagnac Barrel #21-2315 Binny’s Handpicked * Huber’s Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Barrique #22-2060 Binny’s Handpicked * Riaz Oaxaca Cuishe Mezcal * Koval Cranberry Gin Liqueur * Amaro Montenegro * Cappelletti Amaro Alta Verde
Check out Roger's Thanksgiving Picks: * Allagash Tripel * Allagash Curieux * Schilling Excelsior Imperial Apple * North Coast Old Stock Ale
Check out Chris and Alicia's Thanksgiving Picks: * Caruso e Minini Inzolia 2021 * Anthill Farms Pinot Noir North Coast * Ridge Geyersville 2020 * Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Cuvee Laurene 2019 * Dr H Thansich Bernkasteler Graben Riesling Spatlese 2019
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Coffee. It’s probably one of the most popular adjuncts in craft beer. Most of the coffee Roger drinks is through beer because he’s a tea guy. But he assembled some coffee guys for today’s episode. Then he picked some great coffee beers and also sourced the coffee used in the beers so we could try it all side-by-side.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- AleSmith Speedway Stout
- AleSmith Barrel Aged Vietnamese Speedway Stout
- Founders KBS
- Founders Maple Mackinac Fudge KBS
- Revolution Brewing Café Deth
This week’s listener question comes from Bill, who loves the show. This is more of a comment than a question, but he wants to know why Abita changed the Turbodog label from the adorable puppy to the generic-looking black and yellow label.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Marsha Milam is one of the founders of Milam & Greene, a Texas distillery that makes their own juice, but also blends and ages sourced liquid. Marsha started the distillery after having an epiphany while on the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky. She recruited world-renowned spirits expert Heather Greene to be her partner and blender. Then she brought in Marlene Holmes, formerly of Jim Beam, to be her Master Distiller.
Drink along at home with the following bourbons:
- Milam & Greene Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Milam & Greene Triple Cask Bourbon
- Milam & Greene Port Casks Finished Rye
- Milam & Greene Distillery Edition Straight Bourbon 2022
- Milam & Greene Unabridged Bourbon Volume 1
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Pat loves Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch. We haven’t done an episode on Handpicked Scotches in a while, so to recap the process: Brett, and sometimes Pat and Joe, travel to Scotland once or twice a year and visit as many distilleries as possible every day. If it’s at an independent bottler, the entire day is spent crawling around in barrel warehouses picking casks they want to try.
Binny’s has carefully cultivated relationships with independent bottles going back nearly twenty years. What they taste in Scotland gets narrowed down to around 30 candidates. They sample those 30 samples again back home and then choose which casks they want to buy. Because of these relationships, Binny’s gets access to some special stuff.
Drink along at home with the following Handpicked Scotches:
- Signatory Mannochmore 11 year old Dechar/Rechar Hogshead # 7611 Binny's Handpicked 2010
- Signatory Mortlach 14 year old Hogshead # 709084 Binny's Handpicked 2007
- Signatory Pulteney 13 year old First Fill Bourbon Bourbon Barrel # 800114 Binny's Handpicked 2008
- Signatory Craigellachie 12 year old First Fill Bourbon # 306163 Barrel Binny's Handpicked 2009
- Signatory Glenlivet 15 year old First Fill Sherry Butt # 900788 Binny's Handpicked 2006
- Gordon & Macphail Tamdhu 25 year old Refill Hogshead # 6496 Binny's Handpicked 1996
- Signatory Whitlaw 8 year old Refill Sherry Finishing Butt # 108 Binny's Handpicked 2013
- Benromach 9 year old First Fill Sherry Hogshead # 719 Binny's Handpicked 2011
- Benromach 11 year old First Fill Bourbon Barrel # 595 Binny's Handpicked 2010
- Signatory Staoisha (Heavily Peated Bunnahabhain) 7 year old Dechar Rechar Hogshead # 10770 Binny's Handpicked 2014
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s the end of October, which means it’s time to taste some Bourbon County Stout. Our friends at Goose Island were good enough to invite the Barrel to Bottle crew to their Barrel House and taste through the 2022 line-up. We took copious notes and then raced back to the Barrel to Bottle Studios to record this episode.
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout – The original always changes slightly and this year, like last, it was a mixture of Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey and Buffalo Trace barrels, but they also added Four Roses barrels to the mix. This is still the defining beer for the category, and it will be plentiful. And also, some of it will be in four packs!
Goose Island Bourbon County 30th Anniversary Reserve Stout – It’s the 30th anniversary of Bourbon County Stout and this one returns to where it all began. Greg Hall was talking to Booker Noe, which led to putting stout in Jim Beam Small Batch Bourbon Collection. They used a variety of Booker, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden and Baker’s barrels that were then purposefully blended.
Goose Island Bourbon County Two-Year Barleywine Reserve – It’s hard to tell from looking at it that this is a barleywine and not a stout. Two years in the barrel have made it darker, but it tastes like a barleywine. It’s aged in Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Decanter Series barrels.
Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout – Coffee is back! Greg couldn’t be happier for this one, the original BCBS variant that returns after a 5-year hiatus. This was once again brewed with Intelligentsia coffee. Goose used a liquid coffee concentrate as well as whole beans from Burundi for this beer.
Goose Island Bourbon County Sir Isaac’s Stout – This beer is inspired to Fig Newton cookies. Figs can be sweet, sometimes too sweet. Goose’s solution was to go with dried figs, specifically Black Mission. Roger loves these figs for beer pairings. The beer was circulated through 10,000 pounds of figs, then the beer sat on those figs for two weeks. After that they added graham cracker flavoring.
Goose Island Bourbon County Biscotti Stout – Italian finger pinch gesture This one went a little heavy-handed on the anise, and there are a lot of other Italian cookies that have even more anise, such as pizzelles. The anise is balanced though, with almonds and cocoa nibs.
Goose Island Bourbon County Proprietor’s Stout – This beer was inspired by the Jungle Bird cocktail and features banana, coconut, lime and pineapple. Roger got hung up on the missing Campari, although he’s also not sure how that would work in a beer.
But wait, there’s more! Two years ago, Goose released Bourbon County Kentucky Fog, which featured tea and honey. Greg was a big fan, Pat was not. We should have drank this 18 months ago, but Greg never did.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Celebrities, they love tequila just like you! They love tequila so much in fact that they started their own brand of tequila! Sixteen to be exact, or at least that’s what we have today, in our blind tasting of 16 celebrity tequilas. Blind is best, that’s what the Whiskey Hotline always says. It’s the only honest way to taste anything, so leave your preconceived notions at the door!
As the Barrel to Bottle crew tastes along at home, blind, Future Pat will tell you the listener which tequila we are sampling.
Drink along at home with the following celebrity tequilas:
- Jaja Reposado - (F**k Jerry and The Chainsmokers)
- Gran Coramino Reposado Cristalino Tequila – (Kevin Hart)
- Lobos 1707 Reposado – (LeBron James)
- 818 Blanco – (Kendall Jenner)
- Teremana Reposado Tequila – (The People’s Champ)
- Flecha Azul Añejo – (Mark Wahlberg)
- Casamigos Reposado Tequila – (Cloon Dog)
- Santo Fino Blanco Tequila – (The Mayor of Flavortown)
- La Gritona Reposado – (Andy Coronado)
- Cincoro Anejo Tequila – (Michael Jordan etc…)
- El Bandido Reposado Tequila – (Chris Chelios)
- Calirosa Tequila Añejo – (Adam Levine)
- Codigo Reposado – (George Strait)
- Don Ramon Tequila Reposado – (Pierce Brosnan)
- DeLeón’s Reposado Tequila – (Diddy)
- Dos Primos Blanco Tequila – (Thomas Rhett)
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We’ve done new wines and new spirits, so obviously we’re following the rule of threes and doing an episode on new beers (and ciders). This category is very different though. New beers and ciders come and go so quickly. In craft beer, it’s “sure this is great but what have you got that’s new?”
There’s constant turnover as more and more breweries have abandoned the concept of year-round and seasonal flagships. But Roger was undeterred and found six beers and two ciders that should be sticking around all year or will be brewed again next year as a seasonal.
Drink along at home with the following beers and ciders:
- 3 Floyd’s High Speed Steel
- Off Color Brewing Beer for the Top Shelf
- Founders Ultimate Oktoberfest
- Revolution Caramel Crisp collaboration with Garrett Popcorn
- Goose Island Blackhawks Pale Ale
- Lagunitas Stereohopic vol. 6
- Schilling Excelsior Mango Supernova
- Misbeehavin’ Caramel Apple Cider
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Once again, Pat was asked at the last minute to assemble a spirits podcast on a Friday afternoon. And once again, he assembled enough bottles for four podcast episodes.
Last week, we covered wines that are new to stores but might have fallen through the cracks because of the sheer volume of product we receive. The spirits category is no different; we see thousands of new products every year from Irish Whiskey, Tequila, Mezcal, Bourbon…the list goes on. We’re going to set the timer for 50 minutes and see how much we can try this week.
Drink along at home with the following spirits:
- Keeper's Heart Irish & Bourbon Blended Whiskey
- Keeper’s Heart Irish Single Malt Whiskey
- Grey Coast Irish Whiskey
- Drumshanbo Sausage Tree Vodka
- Tres Generaciones la Colonial Batch Reposado
- Fosforo Tobalá Mezcal
- Fosforo Tobalá Penca Mezcal
- Raíz Oaxaca Espadín Mezcal
- Raíz Oaxaca Ensamble Espadín + Tobalá Mezcal
- Raíz Oaxaca Cuishe Mezcal
- Raíz Oaxaca Tepeztate Mezcal
- Whistlepig Smokestock Whiskey
- Calumet Farm 16-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Pinhook Vertical Series Bourbon War 7-Year-Old Bourbon 2022
- Stella Rosa Smooth Black Brandy
- Stella Rosa Honey Peach Brandy
- Stella Rosa Tropical Passion Brandy
- Craigellachie 13-Year-Old Armagnac Finish
- Mijenta Añejo Tequila
- St. Agrestis Paradiso Aperitivo
- St. Agrestis Inferno Bitter
- St. Agrestis Amaro
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Binny’s has a lot of wine. A LOT. This year, we’re on pace to add over 4,000 new wines. That means you could come into Binny’s every day for a year, buy a mixed case, and not taste the same wine twice.
There’s no way around it though, some of this stuff is going to fly under the radar. We can’t talk about all of it, so this week Chris put together a tasting of 9 wines that are worth checking out.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Pierre Boniface Les Rocailles Apremont 2021
- Produttori di Manduria Zin Fiano 2021
- Domaine du Closel Savennieres Papillon 2019
- Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Sonnenberg Riesling Kabinett Troken AP 9 2021
- Bass Phillip Bin 17k Pinot Noir 2019
- Jeff Cellars Petite Sirah Sweetwater Springs Vineyard 2018
- K Vitners The Deal Syrah Sundance Vineyard 2019
- Scacciadiavoli Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito 2017
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Most of the time when a Binny’s Handpicked Single Barrel comes in, it’s gone within a few weeks. Sometimes even quicker. The good news is the Whiskey Hotline picks hundreds of barrels every year, and because of there are a lot of hidden gems that get lost in the shuffle. Pat brought Joe, and a box of hidden Irish Whiskey, Bourbon, Rye, Armagnac, Rum and Scotch gems.
The Binny’s name goes on these bottles because the Whiskey Hotline is excited about them. They turn down barrels all the time if they don’t meet their standards. And contrary to internet chatter, the Whiskey Hotline samples everything before buying a barrel, they don’t just let a Master Distiller picks a cask and then slaps a Binny’s logo on it. Sometimes there are so many Handpicked bottles in stores that it can become overwhelming, and they slip out of consciousness.
Check your local Binny’s for all these hidden gems:
- Kilbeggan 16 year old Single Grain Select Batch # K05/218 Binny's Handpicked
- Teeling 15 year old Single Malt Finished in Amburana Cask # 6203 Binny's Handpicked
- Teeling Pure Pot Still Virgin American Oak Cask # 58518 Binny's Handpicked
- Teeling Pure Pot Still ex Sherry Cask # 67909 Binny's Handpicked
- Pinhook Bourbon Small Batch Binny's Handpicked Distilled at Castle & Key
- Jack Daniel's Single Barrel # 22-1519 Binny's Handpicked
- Rebel Distiller's Collection 120 Proof Wheated Bourbon Single Barrel # 7655464 Binny's Handpicked
- Rebel Distiller's Collection 120 Proof Wheated Bourbon Single Barrel # 7784813 Binny's Handpick
- Ezra Brooks Distiller's Collection Barrel Proof Single Barrel # 7851151 Binny's Handpicked
- Ezra Brooks Distiller's Collection Barrel Proof Single Barrel # 7849788 Binny's Handpicked
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in White Port Barrel # 21-2190 Binny's Handpicked
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Bourbon Finished in Apricot Brandy Barrel # 21-2240 Binny's Handpicked
- WhistlePig 18 year old Straight Rye Single Barrel Sir Oinks-A-Lot Binny's Handpicked
- Delord 12 year old Single Cask # 2130 Binny's Handpicked Vintage Armagnac 2009
- l'Encantada Domaine du Pouy Cask # 100 Binny's Handpicked 1998
- Chairman's Reserve Rum 15 year old ex Bourbon Barrel # 24012000 Binny's Handpicked 2005
- Trois Rivieres 14 year old Single Cask Rhum Agricole 2005
- Signatory Edradour 10 year old Refill Sauternes Barrel # 127 Binny's Handpicked 2011
- Compass Box Gold Standard Binny's Anniversary Selection
- Highland Park 11 year old Refill European Oak Sherry Butt #6249 Binny's Handpicked
That brings us to the Q&A Portion of Barrel to Bottle (yes, we still do these). Listener Kim wants to know if light can damager spirits bottles.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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TIYL. If you’re stuck in a rut with your wine purchases, but are looking to get adventurous, this is the episode for you. Today we’ll be tasting well-known wines or wines from well-known regions; if you like those wines, we can recommend something to elevate your wine game and move your palate into new and exciting things.
If you like these wines try these wines:
- Foxglove Chardonnay 2018
- Pieropan Soave Classico 2021
- A to Z Pinot Noir 2020
- Graci Etna Rosso 2019
- Paul Jaboulet Aine Parallele 45 Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2018
- Alvaro Palacios’ Camins del Priorat 2020
- Donati DVF Claret 2018
- Muga 2017 Reserva
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Usually, the beer styles near and dear to Roger’s heart get no love. That’s not the case this week, as we delve into Vienna Lagers. Over the last few years, several local breweries have added Vienna Lagers to their line-ups. There are also some craft stalwarts that you might not have even realized were Vienna Lagers.
If you’re a fan of Oktoberfest beers, and want them year-round, you’ll love Vienna Lagers. Viennas and Märzens were created at essentially at the same time, by a pair of friends who engaged in a little industrial espionage.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Ottakringer,
- Brooklyn Lager
- Dovetail Vienna Style Lager
- Goldfinger Vienna Lager
- Pollyanna Roselle Red
- Great Lakes Eliot Ness
- Spaten’s Oktoberfest Märzen
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Mahalo! Here at Barrel to Bottle, we’ve been touting rum for years. This week, we’re sitting down with Bob Gunter, President and CEO of Kolo’a Rum. Hawaii’s remoteness presents challenges in sourcing equipment and ingredients. Environmental standards in Hawaii also mean using molasses for the rum is not a viable option.
Drink along at home with the following rums:
- Koloa Kaua'i White Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Coconut Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Gold Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Dark Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Spiced Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Coffee Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Cacao Rum
- Koloa Kaua'i Reserve Single Barrel 5 Year Aged Barrel Strength Hawaiian Rum
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Barrel to Bottle Crew has never shied away from spicy food, so it’s kind of hard to believe it’s taken us this long to do a hot sauce episode. Jenna recently attended a hot sauce festival, which Greg was prevented from going to by his significant other, and she brought back a slew of sauces, then added some of her own, along with one from producer Jim.
The plan is simple: crack open a selection of beers, wines and spirits and sample sauces from mild to hottest and attempt to find which, if any of these beverage alcohols pair with spicy, vinegary, fruity, garlicky hot sauces.
Pair along at home with the following:
- Avery Island Rascal
- Roaring Table Vienna Style Lager
- Bell's Porter
- Dry Creek Chenin Blanc 2021
- Banshee Pinot Noir 2019
- Elio Perrone Bigaro 2021
- Vamanos Riendo Mezcal Joven
- Sweetens Cove Kennessee Bourbon
- Fernet Branca
- Cappelletti Amaro Alta Verde
- Jeppson's Barrel-Aged Malört
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Chances are, if you make a pop culture reference on Barrel to Bottle, Jim will laugh at it, off mic. Tapping into his vast knowledge of useless information, Jim has crafted seven fictional cocktails from TV (and one book). From small town Indiana to medium city Pennsylvania to a bar where everybody knows your name to the deepest reaches of space, these cocktails are definitely liquid and they won't make you sick.
Before the cocktails though, a little house cleaning; the Barrel to Bottle Crew made good on their promise to try Pakistani Mangoes.
Visit the Barrel to Bottle blog for these recipes.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Every day at Binny’s, our inboxes are flooded with beverage alcohol news. This week, we’re going to look at some of the latest word in wine in a new series we’re calling Booze in the News.
This week, we'll cover two newly created American Viticultural Areas, in Oregon and California. We'll also look into the state of Napa Valley as more and more family-owned wineries sell to large corporations. Finally, there's a new trend on Tik-Tok, fresh cut jalapeõs in rosé: gross or great?
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Illahe Pinot Noir 2020
- Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2020
- Chalk Hill Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2020
- Joseph Phelps Insignia 2018
- Betz Cabernet Sauvignon Pere de Famille 2017
- La Vidaubanaise Rosé Le Provencal Cotes de Provence 2021
- Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rosé 2021
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
It’s that time again…time for the Barrel to Bottle crew and producer Jim to take a break from podcasting. Luckily, we’ve been compiling clips from episodes that ran too long, segments that felt out-of-place and montages galore!
But these clips are no mere castoffs. They are artfully curated segments that let the Barrel to Bottle crew dig deeper, get more esoteric, or say “Smooj” way too many times in a ten-minute span.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Jack Summers is the founder of Jack From Brooklyn and Sorel Liqueur. He’s the first African-American man, after prohibition, to be granted a license to produce liquor in America. People have been drinking hibiscus flower tea for centuries. He's the first to bottle Sorel, a hibsicus-based liqueur.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Ruben Aceves is the global brand ambassador for Tequila Herradura. The family sold to Brown-Forman in 2007 but before that there were seven generations working at the hacienda. Tequila Herradura has the last remaining hacienda in the tequila industry.
Ruben has been in the industry for several decades now, but where does he see it going? How does Herradura expand around the world? What will happen to all of the celebrity tequila brands?
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Jack’s back! Binny’s cigar buyer Jack Spethman makes his annual visit to the Barrel to Bottle studios to talk sticks with Pat and Roger. Roger wanted to focus on golf course cigars, even though he doesn’t really golf. But it is warm out and that’s when Roger smokes cigars (and pipes).
Check out this guide to some great cigars for summer, along with new accessories and a pairing with Calumet Farms 16-Year-Old Bourbon.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Welcome to part two of Old Ales and Barleywines. In part one, we covered old ales, this week, we’re exploring the American side of these styles. Barleywine used to be huge among craft beer nerds, it was the hot beer style and was often viewed as a thank you from breweries to their hardcore fans.
Drink along at home or start your own vertical with the following beers:
- Anchor Old Foghorn Barleywine
- Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
- Three Floyds Barrel Aged Behemoth
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Pat considers himself an adventurous guy. Drinking a bunch of old ale and barleywine when it’s 100º is not his idea of adventurous though. Luckily the studio is cold, and the fan is on so he should be quite comfortable drinking all these heavy, high alcohol beers.
Roger has been planning this episode for a very long time. He has verticals, he has barrel-aged variants. He even has a beer that he had to hunt down and bring into our Willowbrook location. Chris is a barleywine aficionado, who had the foresight to age barleywines.
Start cellaring your own North Coast Old Stock ale now.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Canned cocktails are all the rage right now, but Dogfish Head has been perfecting their own recipes for the last twenty years. In part 2 of our interview with Sam Calagione we’re sampling through some of their vodka-based cocktails.
When we first started tasting cocktails at Barrel to Bottle, we asked the question “if you were served this at a bar, would you order another one?” But now that the category has exploded, we have different parameters for how to judge them.
Some beers in the Dogfish line didn’t quite take off with customers, because they were a little bit too out there. And speaking of that vast portfolio, how do they balance producing old favorites with continuing to innovate?
Drink along at home with the following cocktails:
- Dogfish Head Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda
- Dogfish Head Vodka Crush
- Dogfish Head Gin Crush
- Dogfish Head Cocktails Bar Cart
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Roger has been working on getting Sam Calagione for an in-person podcast basically since the last time he was on, several years ago. We made the most of this in-person opportunity and ended up with a two-part podcast. In part one, the Barrel to Bottle crew samples through some of Dogfish Head's most well-known beers, and discusses innovation in craft beer.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Dogfish Head SeaQuench
- Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
- Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
- Dogfish Head Utopias Barrel-Aged World Wide Stout
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Summer is the time for white wines, rosés and Beaujolais. That’s right, you don’t need to drink Beaujolais in late November because they’re also great summer wines that you can drink chilled on a hot day. Beaujolais is technically part of Burgundy, and it’s made up of three categories. Today we’re focusing on the 2020 vintage.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages 2020
- Jean Marc Burgaud Beaujolais Villages 2020
- Janodet Les Fines Graves Moulin a Vent 2020
- Julien Sunier Morgon 2020
- Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouily 2020
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Lexie Phillips, assistant distiller at Jack Daniel’s, stops by the Lincoln Park tasting room to sample a line-up of the famous Tennessee Whiskey with the Barrel to Bottle Crew. There’s a lot of innovation coming out of Lynchburg these days, but there’s still the classic Old No. 7 Drink along at home with the following:
- Gentleman Jack
- Jack Daniel's Old No. 7
- Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select
- Jack Daniel's Bonded
- Jack Daniel's Triple Mash
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Rosés are popular, in fact they’re one of our most popular items. They’re often gone before you know it. Some people drink Rosés year-round, while some prefer to drink them when they weather gets warmer. Lincoln Park wine manager Gabe is back with four bottles of Rosé and a box. Drink along at home with the following Rosés
- Quadrum Rosé 2021
- Cuvelier los Andes Rosé of Malbec 2021
- Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rosé 2021
- Ravines Rosé of Pinot Noir 2021
- Domaines Ott Cotes de Provence Rosé 2021
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Cue the Meatballs theme song…are you ready for the summer? It’s a Roger episode, specifically summer beers. And while it’s still spring, we record this episode when it’s swelteringly hot. Seasonality means almost nothing in beer now, which means we have summer beers already (and we’ll have Oktoberfest beers in July).
Summer beers should be-as a guest once said- “CRUSHABLE”. That means they’re very drinkable, which is probably why breweries love summer beers so much. After sneaking in an 8.5% hard cider during last year’s Summer Beer episode, Roger understood the assignment this year. Some of these beers are seasonal offerings, while some of them are year-round beers that fit the general idea of an easy-drinking beer that you want to load into a cooler and drink very cold.
Drink along at home with the following crushable summer beers:
- Brooklyn Summer Ale
- Saison Dupont
- Off Color Beer For Golf
- 21st Amendment Hell of High Watermelon
- Bell's Tropical Oberon
- Great Lakes Tropicoastal
- Goose Island 312 Lemonade Shandy
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Joining us all the way from Down Under are Stu and Cam, co-founders of Australian gin distillery Four Pillars. After working in the Australian wine industry for about twenty years they decided that they could make a bigger impact in spirits. They landed on gin because they were drinking a lot of gin.
Drink along at home with the following gins:
- Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
- Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin
- Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin
- Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Flavored Gin
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Jason Lede (LAY-DEE) grew up around wine. Living in Canada, his father Cliff was a Bordeaux collector. Eventually Cliff’s collecting turned into opening a winery in Napa. Soon Jason was visiting the winery during summer breaks, then he was taking semesters off school to work the harvest. At that point, he was fully in on working in wine and that led him around the world before settling back at Lede Family Wines as Director of Communications.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc 2019
- FEL Chardonnay 2019
- FEL Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard 2019
- Cliff Lede Napa Valley Claret 2019
- Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 2018
- Clife Lede Poetry 2018
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The last time Binny’s wine consultant Emily visited the Barrel to Bottle studios, she brought snacks. Her pitch for that episode was pairing wine with junk food, which eventually spun off into a second episode with classier wine pairings and popular Asian takeout foods.
Today’s episode pitch from Emily is pairing wine and music. It might seem like it’s too abstract to make any sense, but the more we thought about how music and wine are made and experienced, the more it made sense to tackle this topic.
Drink and listen with the following wines:
- Field Recordings Skins Orange 2021
- Casa Silva Carmenere Cuvee Colchagua 2019
- Buck Shack Zinfandel Bourbon Barrel Aged 2019
- Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes 2020
- Syltbar Prosecco Brut
- Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Chris Cottrell is the partner/consigliere at Bedrock Wine Company, where they’re dedicated seeking out and preserving vineyards all over California. He met future owner/winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson while working at a wine shop in New York. Morgan eventually opened Bedrock in a converted chicken coop in California. Chris joined Morgan in 2012 officially, after being an unofficial advisor for him.
Drink along with the following wines:
- Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel 2020
- Bedrock Wine Co Heritage Red Evangelho Vineyard 2020
- Bedrock Wine Co Zinfandel Schmiedt Road 2019
- Bedrock Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard 2020
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
One episode just wasn’t enough to cram in all the flavor-blasted products on Binny’s shelves. So we’re back with part two, focusing on spirits.
Drink along at home with the following spirits:
- Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka
- Yu Gin
- Apologoue Persimmon Liqueur
- Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux
- Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
- Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
- Jameson Orange Whiskey
- Leopold Bros. New York Apple Flavored Whiskey
- Dead Drop American Pecan Whiskey
- Huber's Starlight Distillery Blackberry Whiskey
- SAP 56 Maple Whiskey Liqueur
- Sortilège Maple Liqueur
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
We use the phrase “Flavor Blasted” a lot, usually in jest. But more and more, we are seeing products that are catering to fans of candy and desserts. Basically, almost everything is flavor blasted these days from beer to seltzers to ciders and meads. So many beers, ciders and meads have fruit in them; to the point where a “plain” beverage is the oddity. Drink along at home:
- Revolution Freedom of Speach
- Revolution Freedom of Expression
- Noon Whistle Passionfruit Face Smack
- Noon Whistle Guava Gose Smack
- Energy City Bistro Crumble Raspberry & Blackberry
- Hubbard's Cave Milk of the Murder Hornet Blackberry and Raspberry
- Schilling's Passport Pineapple Passionfruit
- Original Sin Black Widow
- Wyldewood Elderberry Mead
- Schramm's Blackberry Mead
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We’ve assembled our wine, beer and spirits experts for another Q&A episode. No, we aren't out of ideas! We still get questions from listeners all the time, but our episodes always run too long and we can never fit them in. So we're dedicating an entire episode to getting to the bottom of some of your queries.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Greg. Loves. Manhattans. That should be clear to most Barrel to Bottle listeners. Two years ago we did an episode called Vermouths and Manhattans where we tried a bunch of different vermouths and a few bitters, then we mixed up some Manhattans. The episode devolved into mixing and matching bitters and vermouths in whiskey. We promised to follow that up with a bitters tasting and we’re finally getting around to it. Greg pulled nineteen bitters from our shelves, then batched up Manhattans in adorable mini Ball Jars. Each Manhattan is two parts whiskey and one part vermouth. They combine to make a relatively neutral, easy-going Manhattan that will allow the bitters to shine through more.
Try your own Manhattan experiment at home:
- Angostura Aromatic Bitters
- Peychaud’s Bitters
- Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cocktail Bitters
- Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters
- Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-aged Bitters
- The Bitter Truth Old Time Aromatic Bitters
- Scrappy’s Aromatic Bitters
- Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters
- Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla
- Bittermens Burlesque Bitters
- Bittercube Jamaican #1
- Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
- Angostura Orange Bitters
- Bittercube Orange
- Regan’s Orange Bitters
- Fee Brothers Peach and Cherry (The Brophhattan)
- Fee Brothers Molasses Bitters
- Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
- Angostura Cocoa Bitters
- Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
- Clark & Sheffield Small Batch Bourbon
- Carpano Classico Vermouth
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Boxed wines have been around for decades, and they’ve always been popular without ever completely taking off. Boxed wines have long been associated with cheaper wines, and there are a lot of bargains still be had, but higher end wines are ending up in boxes now.
Taste along at home with the following wines:
- Franzia Pinot Grigio
- GameBox Pinot Grigio 2020
- Folonari Pinot Grigio
- Peter Vella Delicious Red
- Bota Box Redvolution
- Chateau Maris Red Blend
- La Vieille Ferme Red box and bottle
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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IPAs can be a bit polarizing. Some people love them, some people hate them. Some people miss the classic bitter IPAs, while some people love searching out the latest hazy IPA with some new, experimental hop combo they’ve never had before. The good news is there’s still plenty of IPA out there for all tastes.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Lagunitas Stereohopic vol. 4
- 3 Floyd's 50 Million Dollar Man
- Oskar Blues Western Mutant
- Goose Island Tropical Beer Hug
- Noon Whistle Your Gummy vol. 3
- Sierra Nevada Powder Day
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s March, which means it’s once again time to talk about all things Irish, the new and the old. Last year we talked about some Irish whiskies and Irish creams and there have been even more innovations in the category. Will Roger be able to find something to replace his beloved Declan’s Irish Cream? Drink along at home with the following:
- Guinness Draught
- Guinness Draught Zero
- Murphy's Irish Stout
- Three Floyd's Brian Boru
- Kilbeggan Single Grain 16-year-old Single Grain Select Batch #K05/218 Binny's Handpicked
- Limavady Single Malt Irish Whiskey
- Method & Madness Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
- Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin
- McGrath's Irish Cream
- The Whistler Irish Cream
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew about wine, spirirts or beer email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Geneviève Janssens and Chrissy Whittmann started in different places on their journey to becoming winemakers at Robert Mondavi and The Prisoner, respectively. They did both take similar paths to get there though, starting in the lab.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019
- Unshackled Red Blend 2019
- Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2016
- The Prisoner 2019
Barrel to Bottle is your weekly dose of alcohol esoterica, and the Long Drink is a very deep dive into esoterica. The Long Drink, or Lonkero, was invented for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Finland. This simple, two-ingredient cocktail is easy to make, but you can now get them as a canned cocktail, or as a malt-based beverage. Drink along at home with the following:
- Kyro Gin
- Fever Tree Grapefruit Sparkling Water
- Squirt
- The Long Drink Company Traditional
- The Long Drink Company Zero Sugar
- The Long Drink Company Strong
- The Long Drink Company Cranberry
- Bevy Long Drink Hard Citrus Refresher
- Bevy Long Drink Berry Refresher
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew about wine, spirirts or beer email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Flagship February is a yearly opportunity to revisit some craft beer classics. These are the beers that keep the lights on for their respective breweries. They often reflect the period of craft beer history during which they were conceived. Some of these are relatively new flagship beers, while others have been going strong for decades. Flagship February started as a viral tweet and has grown into one of Roger’s favorite times of year. These beers are classics for a reason, and they’re also great examples of their style. If you’re serious about beer, you need to know them.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Alaskan Amber
- Anchor Steam Beer
- Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale
- Three Floyds Zombie Dust
- Deschutes Black Butte Porter
- North Coast Old Rasputin
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew about wine, spirirts or beer email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Maybe Dry January wasn’t your thing, but you still want to cut back a little on the alcohol? Luckily, there have always been wines that were naturally low in alcohol, and infrequent contributor Jason brought five wines that are packed with flavor but not high too high in ABV. These are wines you can drink a couple of and not need to take a nap. These aren’t gimmicky wines, they’ve always existed at this lower alcohol level. If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew about wine, spirirts or beer email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
Just how much more do you want to learn about the Barrel to Bottle Crew? If the answer is "lots" then this episode is for you. This is a Greg Episode, so he has compiled the list of questions both shallow and deep, alcohol-related and not.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The temperatures are plummeting after a relatively warm start to the winter season. There’s no better time to whip up some hot cocktails to get you through the grey winter days and long, dark winter nights. It's Quarantoddy Time! While many cocktail recipes have so many origin stories, riffs and variants but with Toddies, it really can be any spirit mixed with some sort of hot liquid.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Every year, Whisky Advocate releases their list of the Top 20 Whiskies of the Year. Invariably, we get many customers coming in looking for bottles on the list and unfortunately, we have to tell them “You can’t have this”, because we never had the bottle, or had six bottles months ago. This year is different, because you can get more than half of the Whisky Advocate Top 20 whiskies at a Binny’s near you.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Pat is constantly extolling the virtues of aromatized wines. Finally, we have a guest who will actually agree with him and won’t just make fun of him. Jake Parrott is a friend of the pod and the Whiskey Hotline and is also the national sales director of Haus Alpenz. What Jake sells, and Pat loves, is woefully esoteric. But Binny’s customers, and Barrel to Bottle listeners, are enthusiasts.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The end of the year means year-end lists. You’ve heard from the Binny’s buyers over the last two weeks, now it’s Barrel to Bottle’s turn. The entire team has assembled with their favorites of 2021. Everyone was supposed to pick two, but of course that didn’t happen. So thanks for listening to all these long episodes lately.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We’re back for part two of Binny’s Buyer’s Picks for 2021. This week, we welcome wine buyer Bill, beer buyer Kyle, cigar buyer Jack and specialty spirits buyer Brett.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The buying teams at Binny’s try thousands of wines, beers and spirits over the course of a year. They pick the best of the best and always keep pocketbook in mind. Getting these very busy people to record a podcast is like herding cats, but Pat was able to get it done.
In part one we welcome Binny's Wine Director Barb Hermann, wine buyer Mike and spirits buyer Jeff.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Last year on our Batch Cocktails episode, Pat and Chris made big batches of eggnog and aged them for 12 months. Now it's time to try them and hopefully not get sick. Additionally, Roger has cooked up a really easy cranberry simple syrup and has three cocktails to try out.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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You may have heard that there's a Champagne shortage going on. First, we all drank too much of it during the early stages of the pandemic. Then supply chain issues caused even more problems. Luckily, Binny's crack team of buyers saw the writing on the wall early and made some big purchases for all of our thirsty customers around the holidays. Alicia has selected five Champagnes today that are available in our stores right now at great prices. Cheers!
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Acclaimed actor William H. Macy is a bourbon fan. Luckily his neighbors are a distillery, specifically Woody Creek. They used one of his fields to grow potatoes for their vodka and that’s how Bill became their spokesguy. David Matthews, master distiller at Woody Creek had a goal to make to make the best potato vodka in the world. Since then they’ve been able to get some aged whiskey out into the market as well.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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The Barrel to Bottle crew is always excited to talk about wine, beer and spirits. Sometimes we talk too long and stuff gets cut out. Sometimes Pat brings seven different bottles when everyone else brings two. Sometimes we start riffing on cocktails and things get crazy. Enjoy this bonus episode of more Thanksgiving pairings.
This year for Thanksgiving, the Barrel to Bottle crew wants to make it simple to buy beer, wine, and spirits for your feast. Instead of pairing individual drinks with dishes, we’ve selected some items that pair with nearly everything you might eat on Thanksgiving.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Greg 2.0 is the other Greg at the Binny's offices. He's a longtime listener and he jumped at the chance to come on the podcast. He wanted to share his passion for gin, specifically local gins that are more in the Modern American style.
We’re going to sample five gins today on their own, then mixed with tonic water. After that we’ll determine which gins would work best in classic gin cocktails like the Negroni and Martinez.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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This week, our guest is David Phillips, co-owner of Michael David Winery. While in town to run the Chicago Marathon, he stopped by the Barrel to Bottle Studio to talk about his popular winery and the Lodi AVA.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s been nearly two years since we answered the question “What the Hell Does That Taste Like?” For every Jack Daniels, Bud Light or Apothic Red, there are even more products in our stores that most customers aren’t familiar with. Another Lithuanian beer, German bubbly with gold flakes, a Mexican corn whisky and most importantly: Smooj.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We were lucky enough to get a sneak preview of this year's Bourbon County Brand Stout line-up. Goose Island sent us all eight beers and walked us through the process of creating and brewing these beers. Then we jumped on mic to share our thoughts on each of this year's offerings. For more information on how to sign-up for this year's raffle, click here.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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It’s the spooky time of year, so it’s time to talk about Halloween beers and Halloween cocktails. A cocktail episode means that Greg and Pat get to hang out while Roger makes them cocktails. And Chris will make his own while spending way too much time crafting the garnish.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Roger put some real time and effort into this week’s episode of Barrel to Bottle, all about Czech Pilsners. He’s also asking Greg to be on his best behavior since he usually doesn’t like these kinds of beers. Roger has long encouraged listeners to check out lagers and more and more local breweries are making pilsners, so it’s never been easier to czech these beers out.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Uruguay is a wine region you may have not heard of before. Luckily, we have two special guests to introduce you to this category. Alec Griffiths, export manager of Bodega Garzón came all the way from Uruguay to do the podcast. Also joining Alicia is Bill Newton, Binny’s wine buyer for Uruguay.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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We have twelve…yes twelve…100 proof bourbons to sample today on Barrel to Bottle. Pat just couldn’t help himself; once he started picking, he just couldn’t bear to leave something out. Once again, we’re blind tasting, which is the best way to taste anything. Once again, producer Jim is conducting the tasting and as we go, Future Pat will be telling you, the listener, which bourbon is being sampled so you’ll be in the know.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Pat and Greg are notoriously...difficult...about the current state of IPAs. So Roger tailor made today's selection of IPAs to hopefully satisfy them. He's selected seven IPAs that offer a snapshot of the current state of IPAs in craft beer.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Robert Eden is the winemaker and co-owner of Chateau Maris and considered to be the grandfather of the biodynamic movement in the Languedoc. His journey has taken him from England to Australia to the South of France. Join the Barrel to Bottle crew as we sample some of his wines and learn about his commitment to biodynamics.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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Rye Whiskey, it’s a category that is a mystery to a lot of people. “Spicy” is the main descriptor most people have for rye, but there are also sweet ryes and fruity ryes. Join the Barrel to Bottle crew as they blind taste six ryes that run the gamut.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
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A few weeks ago, Binny’s wine manager Emily joined us for a junk food and wine pairing. When Binny’s Wine Director Barb Hermann heard about that episode, she wanted in on the action. Barb is fundamentally a red wine drinker, especially when she’s sitting down with food. But very often, white wine is the standard recommendation for her favorite Thai, Indian and Chinese dishes. Today, she’ll help solve this dilemma. We’re also joined by wine manager Scott Becker, a classically trained chef in a previous life.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reaceh out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, where you can also rate and review us. Keep tasting!
Welcome to Barrel to Bottle, the podcast where Roger forces his strange, obscure interests on the listening audience. We’re changing things up this year though, and not sampling the same six Märzens and Festbiers. This week’s episode is a peek into the Adamson Oktoberfest Celebration, which is much more than just beer. We do have some beer, but also wine, Brophy-approved cocktails, and some digestifs to help you reset after a long day of partying.
When you think savory cocktails, the Bloody Mary is probably the first thing to pop into your mind. But there's more to Bloody Mary's than just the standard brunch fare with a giant garnish, and there's more to savory cocktails too! This week, our resident Fancy Mixologists Roger and Chris, along with our Lazy Mixologist Pat, are whipping up some umami bombs.
Check out our blog for all of the cocktail recipes featured in this episode.
If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reaceh out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you’ll get a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
If you like our podcast, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, where you can also rate and review us. Keep tasting!
We at Barrel to Bottle have always advocated for treating yourself to high quality ingredients. Sugars are no different. Simple syrup is simple to make, it’s right in the name. But the sugars you can use to make simple syrup have deep, complex flavors that will elevate your cocktails.
We all knew that at some point, Producer Jim would need to take a vacation. We ended up with a bunch of outtakes from over the years, and he compiled them in one place for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!
Not every meal is sitting down with five courses that took hours to prepare. Sometimes you're just vegging out on the couch with whatever you have in your kitchen. Microwave nachos, grocery store donuts, cheap ramen, cheap pizza. That doesn't mean you can't pair those up with some delicious, reasonably priced wines. Wine Manager Emily takes the Barrel to Bottle Crew through some of her favorite junk food and wine pairings.
Jack's back! Binny's Cigar Buyer Jack Spethman joins Pat and Roger to talk all things sticks. Jack has put together a sampling of some of his favorite cigars right now. Pat and Roger checked out some breakfast cigars, as well as some for everyday smoking. Plus some tips on accessories and humidor maintenance and a preview of some upcoming Binny's collaborations.
Summer is here and Roger has a line-up of fruity, spritz, easy-to-make cocktails for the hot days ahead. When you Google “summer cocktails”, the usual suspects come up. Roger wanted to shake things up with some similarly refreshing and simple cocktails that maybe you haven’t heard of before. The great thing about summer is all the fresh, on-hand fruit and herb ingredients that you can get from the store or even your backyard garden.
For all the cocktail recipes, check out our blog.
If you’re a regular Barrel to Bottle listener, you may have noticed that Pat Brophy likes Hamm’s beer. A lot. Possibly in an attempt to illicit Pavlovian response in listeners and co-hosts alike, Pat brings up Hamm’s-the beloved, the crispiest of Crispy Boys-in nearly every episode. If you haven’t noticed his ubiquitous mentions of Hamm’s, in a way we envy you.
With this massive target on his back Pat (along with Greg, Roger and Shannon) partakes in a blind tasting of macro lagers, administered by producer Jim.
Drink along at home with the following crispy boys:
- Budweiser
- Alarmist Crispy Boy Pilsner
- Schlitz
- Miller High Life
- Hamm’s
- Miller Genuine Draft
- Pabst Blue Ribbon
- Old Style
- Modelo Especial
- Coors Banquet Beer
Subscribe to our podcast and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle crew, email comments@binnys.com or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question on a podcast, you’ll win a $20 Binny’s Gift Card!
The Wellness Movement has blown up over the last year and a half. Gabriel Z, wine manager at Lincoln Park, joins the Barrel to Bottle crew for a "run" through four examples of "better for you" wines on our shelves. This is just the kind of topic Pat can get behind, the light beer episode of wine podcasts. But he still remains skeptical of the entire category, because alcohol is calories. Is this all just marketing BS or is there more to it? What's going on to make these wines low calorie?
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Kim Crawford Illuminate
- Kendall-Jackson Avant Chardonnay
- Cupcake LightHearted Rosé
- Fit Vine Cabernet Sauvignon
You've probably heard us mentioning Porch Pounders, in passing, on Barrel to Bottle. But what are they? Wine Manager Jenna is here with some recommendations to help you pass the long, hot summer days. Sit back in the shade and check out these inexpensive, easy-to-drink wines. Plus, a listener q&A about preparing your palate for tasting wine, beer and spirits.
Drink along at home with the following Porch Pounders and Gazebo Guzzlers:
- Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet 2020
- Forge Cellars Riesling Classique 2019
- Rogue Vine Jamon Jamon Orange Wine 2020
- Anne Amie Cuvee Rosé of Pinot Noir 2020
- Rinaldini Lambrusco Vecchio Moro
What are summer beers, exactly? The good news is, summer beers can be almost anything you want. Whether you're looking for a crispy boi, a quenching sour or a wheat, there are tons of options available. You'll also get some recommendations for Witbiers and Hefe Weizens, plus an informative lesson about how you've been mispronouncing "Kölsch"
Drink along at home with these warm weather beers:
- Ommegang Idyll Days Pilsner
- Früh Kölsch
- Founders All Day Vacay
- Sierra Nevada Summer Break
- Odell Sippin' Pretty
- Schilling Excelsior Imperial Apple
Celebrities have been getting into the adult beverage game for a while now. But are these drinks worth paying the celebrity tax? Who better to give you their honest opinion on celebrity libations than four cynics who don't care that much about pop culture?
Grab your selfie stick, pick your favorite Insta filter and drink along at home with the following:
- Loverboy White Peach Tea
- Cacti Seltzer Variety Pack
- Unibroue À Tout le Monde collaboration with Megadeth
- Invivo X SJP Sauvignon Blanc 2019
- Maison No. 9 Rosè 2020
- Z Alexander Brown Uncaged Proprietary Red Blend North Coast 2018
- Chopin Vera Wang Vodka
- Blackened Blend of Straight Whiskies Finished in Black Brandy Casks
- Teremana Reposado Tequila
- Dos Hombres Mezcal Artesanal Joven
Spirits come in a wide range of prices. Sometimes it can be hard to know if it's worth spending the extra money on something. The Barrel to Bottle Crew is here to help make your decision a little easier. Pat has prepared blind samples of four categories: Whiskey, Single Malt, Gin and Mezcal and this week we'll answer the question (insert echo sound effect here) SAVE OR SPLURGE?
Drink along at home with the following spirits:
- New Riff Distilling Kentucky Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond
- Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Macallan 12 year old Traditional
- Mortlach 12 year old "The Wee Witchie"
- Bombay Dry Gin
- Nolet Silver Gin
- Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
- Mezcal Vago Ensamble en Barro by Tio Rey
The Barrel to Bottle Crew is heading back to Burgundy and we've got two heavy hitters to take us on this journey. Wine Director Barbara Hermann has been buying Burgundies for Binny's since the 80s. George Molitor, owner of Fine Vines, has been importing Burgundies since the 90s. Who better to hold your had through this daunting wine region?
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Domaine Pavelot Bourgogne Rouge 2018
- Domaine Bachey Legros Santenay Les Champs Claude 2018
- Domaine Bart Marsannay Les Longeroies 2018
- Domaine Parent Pommard La Croix Blanche 2018
- Jerome Castagnier Gevrey Chambertin 2017
Ranch Water is hot right now, but what it is it? It's not agricultural runoff, nor is it a new style of IPA that mimics the Midwest's favorite dip. Ranch Water is a refreshing, three ingredient cocktail popularized in Texas. Now it's crossing over into the seltzer and ready-to-drink categories just in time for the hot weather. The Barrel to Bottle Crew tries a few of the latest offerings and also mixes up their own Ranch Water from scratch.
Drink along at home with the following:
- Clark & Sheffield Blanco Tequila
- Topo Chico Mineral Water
- Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Tangy Lemon Lime
- Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Exotic Pineapple
- Texas Ranch Water Co. Blue Agave Hard Seltzer Lime
- Texas Ranch Water Co. Blue Agave Hard Seltzer Grapefruit
- Cantina Especial Ranch Water Tequila & Soda
- Cantina Especial Grapefruit Paloma Tequila & Soda
- Onda Lime Sparkling Tequila
- Onda Grapefruit Sparkling Tequila
- Mamitas Lime Tequila & Soda
- Mamitas Paloma Tequila & Soda
- Mamitas Pineapple Tequila & Soda
- Fever Tree Tonic Water
The Barrel to Bottle crew takes on the daunting task of dissecting white Burgundy. Pat learns that it's not just for obnoxious people and Greg's anxiety eases as Alicia and Chris take them on a journey from Chablis to Pouilly-Fuisse. Plus, Alicia shares her picks for the best "Bargain Burgundy." Drink along at home with the following wines: * Domaine Servin Chablis Vieilles Vignes Selection Massale 2018 * Paul Pernot et Ses Fils Bourgogne Cote d'Or 2018 * Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Saint-Aubin 2016 * Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Grand Charrons 2018 * Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse 2019
Chris couldn't pass up an opportunity to talk about the unique foods of the Piedmont region, which of course all pair well with the wines discussed in last week's episode. Also some tips from Chris on how to cook with Piedmont's famous white truffles.
Travel out to Whiskey Acres in DeKalb for a Whiskey Hotline/Barrel to Bottle field trip. Pat, Brett and Alicia have the tough job of tasting barrel samples and selecting upcoming releases for the Binny's Handpicked program. Plus, get an inside look at the past, present and future of Whiskey Acres from Nick and Rob.
Sixteen rounds, 16 categories, 4 teams. It's the Barrel to Bottle Home Bar Draft. Home bars have become more relevant than ever lately, and people have been stepping up their game. Who will have the best draft day, as judged by Pat Kiper Jr, and who will be Cleveland?
Join the Barrel to Bottle crew as we celebrate Malbec World Day and take a closer look at the wines of Argentina. Though Argentine wines have gained momentum on the export markets in the last 20 years, they are certainly not new to winemaking. In fact, #MalbecArgentino arrived in Argentina in 1853 in the hands of Michel Aimé Pouget (1821-1875), a French agronomist. Malbec has become Argentina's flagship grape, and while it's grown throughout the country, we focused our attention on the prized Uco Valley region within Mendoza. With a greater emphasis on terroir than ever before, Argentina is producing a range of styles and expressions that Alicia and Chris unpack in this episode. Plus a look at Torrontes and Cabernet Sauvignon, which Chris claims is Argentina's secret weapon. Drink along at home with the following wines: * Colomé Torrontes 2019 * Catena Zapata White Stones Chardonnay 2018 * Susana Balboa Malbec 2018 * Familia Zuccardi Concreto Malbec 2017 * Cuvelier Los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Roger and Chris' day has finally come, and not just because Pat is on vacation. Bocks, the original G.O.A.T. beer, are back! Local breweries are producing both traditional and modern American takes on the style. Take a journey around the world with bocks of all kinds.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Weihenstephaner Vitus
- Off Color Beer for Burgers
- Shiner Bock
- Seipp's Columbia Bock
- Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
- Schlenkerla Urbock
The 1980s were a time of excess, and that included the cocktails. The drinks were overly sweet and overly proofed. The Barrel to Bottle Crew is here to elevate some of the classic cocktails from the Me First Decade, or maybe just to drink them in their original, gaudy form. Plus, a bonus segment on the Shooters of the 80s.
Merlot deserves a second chance, and the Barrel to Bottle crew is here to give it one. This wine was huge in the 90s, but was already trending in the wrong direction by the time Sideways turned it into a punchline. Alicia and Lincoln Park wine manager Ben are here to open your eyes to the world of Merlot that you've been missing out for these past 17 years. Plus a listener Q&A about laying down wine for a newborn's 21st birthday.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Bogle Merlot 2018
- L'ecole No. 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 2016
- Duckhorn Merlot Napa 2017
- Nickel & Nickel Merlot Bear Flat Oak Knoll 2017
- Mondot Saint Emilion 2016
Pat is a lazy mixologist, so Roger thought he'd do him a favor with a Beer Cocktails episode. There's nothing easier to make than beer cocktails. Plus, all the hip kids are doing it. From the modern Spaghet to the classic Radler, the Barrel to Bottle crew has some tasty and easy-to-make beer cocktails for you to try out. Find all the recipes on our blog.
We were lucky enough to spend a lot of time a few weeks ago with Bo Barrett. So much that we were able to get a bonus episode out of it. We're jumping into your feed with a deeper dive into the AVA, as well as the past, present and future of Chateau Montelena.
In the early 70s, when Bo Barrett and his father James started at Chateau Montelena, wine hadn't been made there since before Prohibition. A few years later, their Chardonnay would beat out French Chardonnays at the Judgment of Paris. It's the kind of scrappy, underdog story that Hollywood loves. Alicia, Greg and Chris taste through four wines with Bo and talk about the history of his game-changing winery.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Chateau Montelena Riesling 2019
- Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2018
- Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2017
- Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2018
It's March, which means the Barrel to Bottle Crew is contractually obligated to talk about Irish spirits. Last year, we tackled some of Pat's favorite Irish whiskies. This time around, Pat has some new and notable Irish whiskies-along with the always popular Irish cream liqueurs-for Greg and Roger to blind taste. Plus, a preview of some upcoming Binny's Handpicked Irish Whiskies.
Drink along at home with the following:
- Bailey's Irish Cream
- McCleary Irish Cream Liqueur
- Five Farms Single Batch Irish Cream Liqueur
- Declan's Irish Cream Liqueur
- West Cork Distillers Bourbon Cask Irish Whiskey
- Busker Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
- Writer's Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey
- Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Every February, for the last few years, the Beer Buzz has celebrated some of the classic beers that helped establish the American craft beer scene. In celebration of Flagship February, Roger has selected six beers that defined their styles in American craft.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
- Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
- Bell's Amber Ale
- Big Sky Moose Drool
- Founders Dirty Bastard
- Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Binny’s received 50 cases of 2018 Bordeaux samples, which were shared across the chain so wine staff from all stores could better understand the vintage. Whether you’d like to drink now or cellar for later, there are some outstanding 2018 Bordeaux wines to discover.
Listen to our wine team, including our Director of Wine (and buyer of Bordeaux), Barbara Hermann, as we talk En Primeur, how to barrel taste, Barb’s aggressive Bordeaux tasting schedule, the original garagistes and, of course, the 2018 vintage.
The Q&A segment used to be a regular segment on Barrel to Bottle, but our hosts and guests are so interesting that episodes started running long and we ran out of time. So we put out the call and assembled the best questions for a somewhat rapid fire question and answer episode. We're giving away so much of the boss' money this week. If you have a question for a future episode, reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
The Barrel to Bottle crew digs deep this week with Russell From of Herman Story. Herman Story does things a little differently, but their goal is to make the best wine while having a great time. Russell discusses the process of making Herman Story wines, from the concept to the unique methods to the eye-catching labels.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Herman Story Late Bloomer Grenache 2016
- Herman Story Casual Encounters 2018
- Herman Story First Time Caller Petite Sirah 2018
- Herman Story Bolt Cutter 2018
This week, the Barrel to Bottle crew is answering a question we regularly get in our stores, "If I like this wine, what else should I try?" We'll use some of our best selling wines as a jumping off point to explore other wines of the same or similar style.
If You Like Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, try:
- Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling 2019
- Nora Albarino 2019
If You Like Mark West Pinot Noir, try:
- Nadler Zweigelt 2016
- Palacios Petalos 2018
If You Like Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon, try
- Tinta Azul Red Blend 2019
- Vina Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2017
It's been about a year since the Barrel to Bottle Crew tackled non-alcoholic beverages. We decided to revisit the topic though, because the category has blown up since then. This week, we'll taste through some products that prove you don't have to sacrifice flavor and quality if you're looking for non-alcoholic options.
Drink along at home with the following:
- Gruvi Dry Secco Non Alcohol Wine
- Gruvi Bubbly Rosé Non Alcohol Wine
- Giesen Sauvignon Blanc Zero NA
- Heineken 0.0
- Boulevard Flying Start NA IPA Collaboration with Athletic Brewing
- Athletic Brewing Run Wild Non-Alcoholic IPA
- Lagunitas IPNA Non-Alcoholic Dry Hopped IPA
- Seedlip Garden 108 Non-Alcoholic Spirit
- Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative
- Lyre's Italian Orange (coming soon)
- Lyre's Aperitif Rosso (coming soon)
- Lyre's Aperitif Dry (coming soon)
- Dhōs Bittersweet Aperitif (coming soon)
- Dhōs Triple Sec (coming soon)
Think of Armagnac as Cognac's country cousin. It's an older, more rustic style that predates Cognac. Pat, Greg and Alicia are joined by Armagnac enthusiast-and Mousquetaire d'Armagnac-Brett Pontoni. Who better to guide you through this somewhat mysterious category.
Drink along at home with the following armagnacs:
- Marie Duffau Hors d'Age Armagnac
- Delord XO 15 Year Old Armagnac
- Artez 100% Baco Armagnac
- Artez 100% Folle Blanche Armagnac
- Artez 100% Ugni Blanche Armagnac
- Dartigalongue 40 year old Vintage Armagnac
The Barrel to Bottle Crew heads to Piedmont for a deep dive beyond the traditional Nebbiolo variety. Piedmont isn't obscure, but it might be a little unfamiliar to wine novices and we're here to help. Piedmont produces some of the finest wines in the world, but also wines that are great with pizza and takeout pasta.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Vietti Roero Arneis 2019
- Franco Molino Barbera d’Alba 2017
- Paolo Scavino Dolcetto d’Alba 2017
- Produttori del Barbaresco 2016
- Paolo Scavino Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata Riserva 2013
Just like with our Binny's Buyer's Picks episodes, the Barrel to Bottle Crew couldn't be contained in just one episode. We here at Barrel to Bottle loved a lot of stuff this year and we want to make sure you know all about our favorites of 2020.
Roger's Picks * Founders KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge
Greg's Picks * Teremana Reposado Tequila * Greg's Infinity Bottle
Pat's Picks * Pat's Beloved Hamm's * Plantation Isle of Fiji Rum
Alicia's Picks * See part 1
Chris' Picks * Chateau Thivin Brouilly Reverdon 2019 * Max Ferdinand Richter 2017s
You've heard the buyer's picks the last two weeks, but now it's time for the true authority, your beloved friends from the Barrel to Bottle Crew. We've assembled some wacky 2020 picks for you to check out as the year comes to a close. This is in no particular order of rank, or how they stack up to Hamm's.
Roger's Picks * Metropolitan Stromhaus Helles Lager * Cappelletti Aperitivo
Greg's Picks * Viator Red Blend 2017 * Continuum Estate Red 2017 * Half Acre Alive in its Jaws
Pat's Picks * Aberfeldy 20 year old Sauternes Cask, Finish Exceptional Cask Series
Alicia's Picks * Chanin Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict 2018 * Chanin Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict 2017
Chris' Picks * Check back next week for part 2
We couldn't fit all our Buyer's Picks into one episode, so we had to do a two parter. This week we'll continue Brett's long list of picks and then move on to the rest of our buyers. Check out last week's episode for part 1.
Specialty Spirits Buyer Brett, continued * Siembra Valles Ancestral Blanco Tequila * Nixta Licor de Elote
Wine Buyer Barb * Ridge Lytton Estate Petite Sirah 2018
Beer Buyer Kyle * Founders Big Luscious * Lagunitas Born Again Yesterday
Private Label Buyer Mike * Baron Fuente Grande Reserve Brut
Cigar Buyer Jack * CAO Vision 2020 Limited Edition * Lotus Viper V-Cut * Four Star Society Expo
When the Barrel to Bottle crew wants to know what to drink, they turn to the Binny's buyers. Our buyers try thousands of products every year and have, collectively, hundreds of years of experience in this business. Greg, Pat and Roger sat down with wine, beer, spirits and cigar buyers and asked them for their pick of the year. Drink along at home with the following products: * Crafthouse Cocktails * Plantation Isle of Fiji Rum * Cristom Pinot Noir Mt Jefferson Cuvee 2018 * Renato Ratti Barolo Conca 2016 * Penley Estate Tolmer Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 * Bourbon County Brand Stout 2020 * Superstition Peanut Butter Jelly Crime * La Luna Mezcal Cupreata * Highland Park 12 year old First Fill European Oak Sherry Hogshead # 5046 Binny's Handpick 2006 * Mezonte Raicilla Japo by Hildegaro Joya
Sometimes there's too much content for a regular episode, so once again we're dropping into your feed with some bonus content. Chris has some vintages of Anchor Christmas, as well a very very old bottle of something very special. We've also got some great cheese pairings to go along with these holiday beers.
"It's the holiday season (the holiday season)" and that means it's time for the holiday releases from some of our favorite breweries. We could probably do one of these episodes every year because these beers are always changing. But they reliably deliver bold flavors that are perfect to pair with holiday dinners and holiday desserts. Drink along at home with the following wines: * Victory Winter Cheers * Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale * Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale * Anchor Christmas Ale * Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Roger is a beer and spirits guy, so wine is usually a little overwhelming for him. The one area of wine he has delved into a bit are fortified wines. The methods around the world might be similar, but each country interprets them differently. Take a tour of these sweet wines with Roger, Alicia and Chris, they're the perfect pairing for many holiday desserts. Roger is a beer and spirits guy, so wine is usually a little overwhelming for him. The one area of wine he has delved into a bit are fortified wines. The methods around the world might be similar, but each country interprets them differently. Take a tour of these sweet wines with Roger, Alicia and Chris, they're the perfect pairing for many holiday desserts. Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Chateau Guiraud Sauternes 2015
- Vinum Regum Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos Sweet White 2013
- Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Icewine 2016
- Rare Wine Company Barbeito Historic Series Boston Bual Madeira
- Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny
Batch cocktails are always a good idea, even if this year's holiday season features much smaller gatherings. That also means this is a great year to experiment with some recipes and methods you've never tried before. Pat, Roger, Alicia and Chris have you covered with tips and tricks to take your cocktail game to the next level. Check out all the cocktail recipes on our blog.
Roger was recently asked about his "Aha Moment" in beer; that one drink that makes you realize what beer (or wine, or spirits) is capable of. For him, it was tripels. The beer scene is dominated by bold flavors, and tripels are not lacking in that department. Bold, complex and very easy to pair with food. Take a trip from the Trappist breweries of Belgium to a walled city in Canada, to America's best takes on the style. Drink along at home with following beers:
- Westmalle Trappist Tripel
- Tripel Karmeliet
- Unibroue La Fin Du Monde
- Victory Golden Monkey
- Allagash Tripel
- Allagash Curieux
Add another country to the ever-growing whisky/whiskey producers available to Binny's customers: Australia. David Vitale, founder of Starward Whisky, joins Pat and Greg to talk about defining Australian whisky. Also a preview of the upcoming Starward Single Cask Handpicked. Drink along at home with following spirits:
- Starward Two Fold Double Grain Australian Whisky
- Starward Nova Single Malt Australian Whisky
- Starward Solera Single Malt Australian Whisky
The weather is turning colder, so it's time to move away from negronis and tiki drinks to something that warms you up. And no, we're not talking about pumpkin cocktails. From Colonial classics to modern favorites, there's something for every palate and every level of home mixologist.
In this very special bonus episode of Barrel to Bottle, the team shares a sneak peek at Goose Island's 2020 Bourbon County lineup. From the special barrel finishes of the highly limited Birthday and Anniversary variants, to the caramel apple wheatwine Caramella, and the artfully flavored Kentucky Fog, Proprietor's and Special #4, there's a lot to love in this year's variant lineup. And don't sleep on the OG BCBS, it's a classic.
For more info on this year's socially distanced drawing head to our BCBS info page, and check out the conversation over on the Binny's Blog BCBS post.
Seipp Brewing Co. was known as the Beer that Built Chicago, and at one time it was the best selling beer in America. It survived the Chicago Fire, but like many other Chicago breweries, couldn't survive Prohibition.
Laurin Mack, Conrad Seipp's great great great granddaughter joins the Barrel to Bottle Crew to talk about reviving her family's brewery.
Fever Tree is a favorite of the Barrel to Bottle Crew. Pat samples a lot of mixers so he would know. But we want to know, why does Fever Tree have so many varieties? Alex Brick is here to answer that question, and mix up a range of cocktails from the traditional to the unique.
Chardonnay is a versatile grape that can be grown almost anywhere by almost anyone. That means you can coax a wide variety flavors out of the grape. Many listeners might know Chardonnay for being buttery and heavily oaked, but the Barrel to Bottle crew is here with some more subtle expressions. Plus a listenera Q&A about identifying corked wine.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Domaine Servin Chablis Vaillons 2018
- Evening Land Chardonnay Seven Springs Eola Amity Hills 2017
- Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2018
- Ramey Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2017
- Vina Cobos Bramare Arbolitos Vineyard 2018
- Domaine Bachey Legros Puligny Montrachet 2016
Tiki cocktails are one of Roger's passions. But some members of the Barrel to Bottle Crew don't want to go through the hassle of mixing a 15-ingredient cocktail. Maybe you're the same way? If you don't want to stock up on multiple fruit juices, syrups, liqueurs and types of rum, this is the perfect episode for you.
Check out our blog post for all the Quarantiki recipes featured in today's episode.
Canadian Whisky is still a bit of a mystery to many drinkers, including some Barrel to Bottle hosts. The Whiskey Hotline is here to help, blind tasting six bottles from the Great White North, to prove that Canadian Whisky is more than just big plastic bottles you find in your grandparent's liquor cabinet. Plus an in-house Q&A about barrel charring.
Drink along at home with the following whisky:
- J.P. Wiser's Triple Barrel Rye
- Canadian LTD
- Signal Hill Canadian Whisky
- Lot 40 12 Year Old Cask Strength
- Pendleton Midnight Blended Canadian Whisky
- Alberta Premium 20 Year Old Limited Edition
We asked Lincoln Park wine manager Gabe what topic he could talk about for a half an hour. Besides video games, Gabe's passion is Bordeaux. Not only does he love Bordeaux, but he's been there for En Primeur. Gabe takes the B2B through some of his favorite Bordeaux selections and gives a behind the scenes look at En Primeur.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Chapelle de Potensac Medoc 2016
- Chateau Pedesclaux Pauillac 2016
- Chateau Lagrange Saint Julien 2016
- Chateau Ferriere Margaux 2016
You might think that all Oktoberfest beers are the same, but Roger is here to show you that's not the case. The Barrel to Bottle Crew will help you clear up some of the confusing aspects of Oktoberfest, starting with why it's in September. They'll run through a sampling of German and American offerings, as well as give you some great food pairings. Plus, in a very convenient Q&A session, a listener wants to know the best glass for serving Oktoberfest and Festbiers. Prosit!
Dink along at home with the following beers:
- Weinhenstephaner Festbier
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier
- Great Lakes Oktoberfest
- Metropolitan Afterburner
- BuckleDown Oktoberfest
- Ayinger Oktoberfest Marzen
Resident wine guy Chris takes the Barrel to Bottle Crew through some of the lesser known appellations of the Rhone Valley. The Rhone Valley offers wines that are easily accessible or very complex, so it's the perfect region to start your wine journey.
Dink along at home with the following wines:
- Domaine Vincent Paris Crozes Hermitage 2018
- Jean Louis Chave Selection Saint Joseph Offerus 2017
- Xavier Vignon Vacqueyras 2015
- Domaine de Piaugier Gigondas 2017
Stanley Tucci has a lot to learn about making a Negroni. The question is, does he hunger for knowledge on this classic cocktail, or does he just want to play games? As Roger runs through all the ways in which The Tooch screwed up this cocktail, the Barrel to Bottle spends their big night screwing up this cocktail. But the great thing about a Negroni is you can transform it into almost anything.
Mix up some Negronis at home by visiting our blog for all the recipes featured in this episode.
At this point it's pretty obvious that hard seltzers are more than just a passing fad. One of the biggest questions we get at Binny's is "what are these things exactly?" Hard Seltzers can be made many different ways , as Odd Side Ales' plant manager Joel Brower explains to the Barrel to Bottle crew. After the interview, Roger, Pat and Chris sample through different brands and flavors of hard seltzer.
Drink along at home with these hard seltzers:
- Odd Side POG Hard Seltzer
- White Claw Black Cherry Hard Seltzer
- Truly Black Cherry Hard Seltzer
- Bud Light Black Cherry Hard Seltzer
- PRESS Seltzer Blackberry Hibiscus
- 2 Towns Seek Out Raspberry Meyer Lemon
It's hard to believe Half Acre Brewing Co. is now considered a veteran of the Chicago craft beer scene. But 14 years will change a lot of things. Co-founder Gabriel Magliaro sits down with the Barrel to Bottle crew to discuss the history of the brewery and the challenges they've faced over the last decade plus.
Drink along at home with these beers:
- Half Acre Bodem
- Half Acre Tome
- Half Acre Fully Saturated Double Daisy Cutter
- Half Acre Lagertown
- Half Acre Logue
We couldn't fit all our time with Geoff and Marcy Larson into our weekly episode, so we're sliding into your feed with a bonus ep. Hear about some of the other creative ways Alaskan Brewing has survived and thrived in the Last Frontier.
Geoff and Marcy Larson have faced many unique challenges brewing beer in landlocked Juneau, Alaska. In addition to a stable of core beers, they've branched out and kept up with the latest trends in craft beer.
Drink along at home with these beers:
- Alaskan Amber
- Alaskan Smoked Porter
The Barrel to Bottle Crew is looooooooong overdue for this episode. Luckily, we've got someone to guide us through this unexplored category; Binny's Buyer Jack Spethman. Jack takes us through the basics, including some tips for cutting and smoking. Then Pat and Roger run through a few sticks that Jack gave them to sample. Also, a listener Q&A about how to pair with spirits.
It's You Don't Know Jackfruit, the Barrel to Bottle game show. Your contestants this week are Pat, Chris and Greg, who go head to head taking on the hardest fruit questions presented by your host, Roger. Fruit notes are frequent descriptors in the world of wine, spirits and beer. But why do your favorite beverages have these tasting notes? Play along and see how you stack up against the Barrel to Bottle team.
Is this the Summer of Rosé pt. Deux or should it be Rosé All Year? Alicia and Chris take us on a journey around the world of Rosé. From California to France and back again, these refreshing wines (porch pounders, really) are great in the warm weather, but they're excellent to drink year-round as well.
Drink along at home with the following rosés, all day or all year.
- Tables Creek Patelin de Tables Rosé 2019
- Blackbird Vineyards Arriveste Rosé 2019
- Belle de Provence Rosé Coteaux Varois en Provence 2019
- Chateau de Manissy Tavel Rosé Cuvee Les Lys 2019
- Domaine Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Rosé Les Jeunes Vignes 2019
- Hermann Wiemer Rosé 2019
The Highball is the ultimate lazy cocktail. By definition, it should only be two ingredients. Pat's not even sure it deserves its own episode. But-not ones to leave well enough alone-Roger and Chris are here to prove that you can get a little fancy with a Highball, elevating it from a two-ingredient cocktail to something a little more complex.
Mix along at home with the following cocktail ingredients:
- Akashi Ume Plum Flavored Whisky
- Fever Tree Club Soda
- Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18 Year Old
- Ransom Old Tom Gin
- Tanqueray London Dry Gin
- Luxardo Sangue Morlacco
- Hendrick's Gin
- Fever Tree Tonic Water
- Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water
- Top Note Classic Tonic Water
- El Doado Single Barrel Binny's Handpicked
The beer scene is dominated by flavor-blasted IPAs and stouts, but the German Helles style has been making a quiet comeback. Roger and Chris, the masters of nuance, are here to show you that subtle does not equal boring. The Barrel to Bottle crew has 5 refreshing beers that are perfect for the hottest summer days. In the listener Q&A, the Barrel to Bottle crew tackles the loaded question of beer expiriation/born-on dates.
Drink along at home with the following light and crispy boys that aren't Hamm's:
- Spaten Premium Lager
- Krombacher Hell
- Krombacher Pils
- Dovetail Helles Lager
- Metropolitan Stromhaus Helles Lager
OK, so maybe you aren't going to brunch very often right now. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy these cocktails on your own, whatever time of day, wherever you are. Greg, Roger, Alicia and Chris take you from the basics to the more advanced. As always, the Barrel to Bottle crew is more than willing to offer up a few variations to suit your ingredient list.
Drink along at home with the following brunch cocktail ingredients
- Maplewood Spruce Gin
- Baron Fuente Grande Reserve Brut
- Segura Viudas Brut
- Lucid Absinthe
It doesn't get any cheddar than this. It's unbrielievable that it took this long, really. The Barrel to Bottle Crew is finally doing cheese pairings. Chris has some bonafides in this department, so he'll be leading us through a selection of wine and cheese pairings. Roger isn't forgetting about the beer-loving curd nerds either, he's got some great IPA, Belgian, sour and cider pairings. We promise you'll have a gouda time listening to this episode.
The Quarantini series rolls on with a twofer: The Gold Rush and the Margarita. While Greg and Pat stick with the basics, Roger and Chris get very fancy with several variations. It wouldn't be a cocktail episode without The Fruit King making an appearance to Tiki things up. Then, a listener wants to know the Barrel to Bottle Crew's favorite champage cocktails.
Mix along at home with the following cocktails:
Pat's Gold Rush INGREDIENTS: * 2 oz bourbon or rye * 3/4 oz lemon juice * 3/4 oz honey simple syrup SIMPLE STEPS: To make honey simple syrup, combine three parts honey and one part water, heat in sauce pan until combined. Try Chris' version with an egg white. Or with ginger beer and lime juice instead of lemon juice. Roger substituted Laird's Apple Brandy with bourbon and also added a dash of All Spice Dram.
The Mrs. Versch Margarita INGREDIENTS: * 2 parts Milagro Reposado * 1 part Grand Gala Triple Orange Liqueur * juice of one lime
SIMPLE STEPS: Build in a measuring cup with ice, mix with a knife. Do not rim the glass. Try Chris' version with Key lime juice and Herradura Blanco.
Pat's Spicy Paloma INGREDIENTS: * 4 oz Top Note Sparkling Grapefruit Soda * 2 oz El Tesoro Añejo * splash of lime juice * Tajin Habenero garnish
SIMPLE STEPS: Build in a shaker over ice. Rim glass with tajine and salt. Add pinch of Tajine to cocktail.
Roger's Rum-a-Rita INGREDIENTS: * 2 oz Plantation OFTD * 1 oz lime juice * 1 oz Grand Gala Triple Orange Liqueur
The Lange Family are pioneers of Oregon and Willamette Valley wines, an aisle that continues to grow in our stores. Jesse is the winemaker and general manager at Lange, taking over from his father, and the founder of Lange Family Vineyards, Don Lange. Stick around for a listener Q&A about the conundrum of White Zinfandel.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Lange Pinot Gris 2019
- Lange Chardonnay 2019
- Lange Pinot Noir 2017
- Lange Pinot Noir 2018
We're all kind of on our own desert islands right now, so it's a great time to run through the Barrel to Bottle crew's desert island beers. These cans and bottles have stood the test of time, be they tall cripsy boys from the land of sky blue waters, or malty and spicy Belgian classics. These are the beers that mean something, the ones that we'd want to be stranded with. During Q&A, a listener wants to know what the Barrel to Bottle crew looks for when cellaring beer.
Presented in no particular order, drink along at home with the following beers:
- Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn
- Hamm's
- Metropolitan Krankshaft Kölsch
- Duvel
- Trappistes Rochefort 8
- Half Acre Bodem
- Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
- Ayinger Jarhundert Bier
- Bells Oberon
- Boon Mariage Parfait
Barrel to Bottle is dropping into your feed with another bonus episode. We had a little extra time with Mr. Black co-founder Tom Baker, so Roger wanted to play "Ask an Australian".
Mr. Black is the best coffee liqueur the Barrel to Bottle Crew has ever tasted. So it was a no-brainer to have Tom Baker, co-founder of Mr. Black, on the podcast. This is our first international and intercontinental episode of Barrel to Bottle as Tom is dialing in all the way from Australia. The crew will also be making cocktails using Mr. Black. Plus a listener Q&A about what makes whiskey so special.
Mix along at home with the Coffee Negroni
- 1 part Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur
- 1 part your favorite/available gin
- 1 part Campari or Aperol
Everyone is making quarantinis, which can really be anything (including a can of PBR if you're Pat). The Barrel to Bottle Crew was inspired to go back to the actual old school martini, which itself can be almost anything these days. Roger runs through some of the classic recipes including the original martini with sweet vermouth, the Vesper and more. Plus, a rousing listener Q&A about guilty pleasure drinks.
We're jumping into your podcast feed with a bonus episode of Barrel to Bottle. We've been hosting a series of virtual tastings on Zoom. In this week's bonus episode Alicia and Barb, along with Lincoln Park wine manager Gabriel, taste through their favorite canned wines and canned wine cocktails.
For more information about our virtual tastings, please visit our website.
Beaujolais is gonna work for you. They're not in plastic bottles any more and they're not your father's Beaujolais. This week on Barrel to Bottle, Pat is joined by Binny's educator Alicia along with wine manager Ben to help set the record straight on Beaujolais. The Barrel to Bottle Crew will taste through the entire Beaujolais region while discussing its history and sharing Beaujolais food pairings.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Domaine de la Prebende Beaujolais 2018
- Guy Breton Beaujolais Villages 2018
- Chateau de Poncie Fleurie 2016
- Anthony Thevenet Chenas
Make do with what you have, that's the theme of this week's episode. You might not have all the ingredients for your favorite cocktail, but there's almost always a substitute you can make. This week the Barrel to Bottle Crew scours their respective basements for ingredients that will still make an excellent cocktail. At the end, Greg, Roger, Pat and Alicia each put their own quarantini spin on a negroni.
You can find all of our Barrel to Bottle Quarantini recipes on the Confessions of a Mixologist page.
Alsace, an underappreciated wine region and the Barrel to Bottle Crew would love for our customers to know more about. Alsatian wines are food-friendly and budget friendly. Binny's Wine Educator Alicia tastes through five wines from Alsace, and throws in some trivia along the way. She also has some excellent food pairings. Plus, a customer wants to know what to do with a bottle of wine they don't really like.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Hugel Gentil 2018
- Meyer-Fonne Riesling 2018
- Trimbach Reserve Pinot Gris Reserve 2013
- Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Turkheim 2018
- Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose
Since we're all at home looking at all the beers we've been collecting for years, it's a good time to open some more of them. Because of the breadth of their collections, the Barrel to Bottle Crew was lucky enough to have some overlap. Except Greg, who likes to actually drink the beer he buys.
We asked for questions and you asked us questions. Lots of questions. This week the Barrel to Bottle Crew will answer 19 of your burning questions. What's the best way to store wine? Is this bottle worth anything? Does lactose effect a beer's shelf life? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Mezcal, it's not just smoky tequila with a worm in the bottle. On this special Whiskey Hotline & Friends edition of Barrel to Bottle, Pat, Brett and friend-of-the-pod Monique Houston are going to help demystify mezcal.
Drink along at home with the following mezcals:
- El Buho Mezcal Espadin
- El Buho Especial Tepeztate
- Siembra Metl Don Mateo Cupreata
- Mezcal Don Mateo de la Sierra Pechuga
- La Luna Mezcal Manso Sahuayo
- La Luan Mezcal Chino
- La Venenosa Raicilla Tabernas Maximiliana White Label
- Mezonte Tepe Agave Spirit
This week on Barrel to Bottle we're doing another blind taste test. Because that's the best way to test anything, in the opinion of the Whiskey Hotline. Speaking of which, we've got a Whiskey Hotline quorum this week, with Pat and Brett Pontoni stepping up to the mics. Also along for the ride is longtime Binny's buyer Mike Baba. Greg and Roger round out the panel. Five hosts, 10 whiskeys and only you'll know what they're tasting.
Blind taste along at home with the following spirits:
- Old Forester Statesman
- Cream of Kentucky 11 1/2 year old
- Evan Williams
- Maker's Mark Private Select Whiskey Hotline
- Clark & Sheffield Small Batch
- Redemption High Rye Bourbon Binny's Handpicked Barrel 11
- Sam Houston 12 Year Old
- I.W. Harper
There's more to Cabernet than Napa and France. Jason Palma steps back into the Barrel to Bottle studios for a Cabernet world tour. Cabernet is grown on six continents and each one has it's own unique flavors and aromas.
Drink Along at Home with the Following Wines:
- Daou Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
- Antinori Guado al Tasso Il Bruciato 2017
- Primus Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
- d'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon The High Trellis 2016
- Meerlust Rubicon 2015
- Chateau Musar Hochar
Barrel-aged beers are still a hot commodity, but Roger is here to show that you don't have to wait in line or pay a lot for a high quality barrel-aged beer. Breweries are also moving behind traditional bourbon barrels to age all sorts of beers in different spirits barrels. Also a listener Q&A that isn't really a Q&A but proves Pat was wrong. Drink along at home with the following beers: * Odd Side Ales MacDougal's Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Scotch Ale * Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Narwhal * Greenbush Delusion Barrel Aged Imperial Cream Stout * Boulevard Rye on Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Ale * Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half
What's the craic? It's the time of year to brush up on all that our Irish Whiskey aisle has to offer. Barrel to Bottle's resident Irishman (and whiskey expert) Pat Brophy has brought in six of his favorites to help you change your perception of this style. Plus, listener Q&A is back with question about the best crowd-pleasing beer to serve at your wedding. Drink along at home with the following whiskeys * Slane Irish Whiskey Triple Casked * The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey * The Whistler 10 Year * Glendalough Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey * Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey * Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey * Powers John's Lane 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey
You know the classics. You know your favorites. But what about the rest? Our stores are home thousands of bottles of spirits, wine and beer. There are so many bottles that even the Barrel to Bottle Crew haven't tried all of them. Liqueurs with milk and eggs, Hungarian wines, 16% ABV beers! If you've ever wandered our aisles wondering "What the hell does that taste like?" this is the episode for you. Drink along at home with the following oddballs and headscratchers: * Rujero Singani * Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto * Becherovka Carlsbad * Gilka Kummel * Casa d'Aristi Xtabentun * Rompope Vanilla Liquer * Donausonne Blaufrankisch 2018 * Cherry Kijafa * Fuggin' Awesome * Schlenkerla Marzen
Glassware. It's an essential part of the drinking experience, but there are so many options in wine, spirits and beer. Stemmed or stemless? Big bowl or small? Shaker pint or tulip? And what about ice? Big cube, small cube, sphere? Filtered water or tap? The Barrel to Bottle crew is here to help you sort through this madness and also prove that despite all the pretension it really does make a difference in how your drink tastes. Throughout the episode Pat will also be measuring how fast (or slow) the ice cubes are melting into the drinks with his fancy/ridiculous laser thermometer. Drink along at home with the following wine, spirits and beer: * Bear Path Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 * Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon * Half Acre Bodem IPA * Odd Side Ales Rye Hipster Brunch (Binny's Handpicked)
With the following glasses and ice cubes: * Glencairn Nosing Glass * Glencairn Spirits Copita * Three Floyds Pokal Glass * Quari Ice Cubes
Laissez les bon temps rouler! It's Mardi Gras season and Barrel to Bottle's resident mixologist and New Orleans enthusiast, Roger Adamson, is here to give you an authentic taste of the French Quarter. Get yourself set up for Fat Tuesday with two easy New Orleans cocktails plus some strong opinions on paczkis. Mix along at home with the following spirits and bitters: * Rittenhouse Rye 100 Proof * Dolin Sweet Vermouth * Peychaud's Bitters * Angostura Bitters * Hardy VS Cognac * Dom Benedictine Liqueur
That's not a podcast! THIS is a podcast! Binny's Wine Manager Mike Bach spent two weeks in Australia last May, and this week he's joining the Barrel to Bottle Crew to share some of his favorites wines from the land down under. Forget about throwing a shrimp on the barbie, because Mike has wine and kangaroo pairings. Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Yalumba Y Series Shiraz Viognier 2018
- Alpha Box & Dice Tarot Grenache 2018
- D'Arenberg High Trellis 2016
- Mollydooker Shiraz The Boxer 2018
What is vermouth? Where does it come from and why does Pat Brophy love it so much? This week, the Barrel to Bottle Crew will be sampling through an array of vermouths, while Pat tries to find one that will pry Greg away from his beloved Cocchi di Torino. After that, we will take all those vermouths, combine then with a variety of bitters and see who can craft the best Manhattan. Will it be The Greghattan? El Broph? The Rogehattan? Mix along at home with the following vermouths and bitters: * Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth * Cocchi Vermouth di Torino * Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth * Noilly Prat Sweet Vermouth * Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge * Martinez Lacuesta Vermut Rojo * Comoz Vermouth de Chambery Blanc * Byrrh Grand Quinquina * Angostura Bitters * Angostura Orange Bitters * Peychaud's Bitters * Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters * Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters * Fee Brothers Peach Bitters
If you're not quite ready to commit to Dry January, how about Lo-Cal January? Specifically, low calorie beer options that still taste good. Roger has assembled 9 flavor-packed beers, ciders and hard waters from some well-known breweries, plus one surprising stalwart that has been making low-calorie, flavorful beer for decades. Plus, listener questions are back and this week we've got a controversial topic: aging whiskey in small barrels. Drink along at home with the following beers
- Saint Archer Gold
- Shiner Light Blonde
- Lagunitas Daytime
- Goose Island So Lo IPA
- Oskar Blues One-y
- Vander Mill Brut
- 2 Towns Seek Out Pineapple Passion
- Oskar Blues Wild Basin Black Raspberry Boozy Sparkling Water
- Odell Good Behavior
- Guinness Draught
This week the Barrel to Bottle team covers the basics of the world's most prestigious region: Bordeaux! Doug Jeffirs, Director of Wine Sales for Binny's, joins the team to help demystify the topic and cover a few wines that provide excellent value. Drink along at home with the following wines
- Chateau La Platus Bordeaux 2016
- Chateau Saby Bordeaux 2016
- Chateau Montlandrie Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux 2015
- Chateau Lanessan Haut Medoc 2016
- Chateau Ducasse Blanc 2018
- Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes 2016
Are you doing Drynuary? Dry January? Non-Alc New Year? Whatever it's called, there are many reasons our customers seek out non-alcoholic offerings. Non-alcholic beers have been around for several decades, but now craft breweries have begun producing them in addition to the old stalwarts. Meanwhile, Pat has a whole new category for the Barrel to Bottle crew to sample, whiskey and gin alternatives.
Drink along at home with the following non-alcoholic beers and spirits:
- O'Doul's
- Pabst Blue Ribbon Non-Alcoholic
- Heineken 0.0
- Clausthauler Non-Alcoholic Dry-Hopped
- Brooklyn Special Effects NA
- Krombacher Weizen Non-Alcoholic
- Wellbeing Coffee Stout
- Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher
- Seedlip Garden 108
- Seedlip Grove 42
- Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative
- Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative
Michael Eddy is the first winemaker at Louis Martini that doesn't share a last name with winery's founder. In his tenure with Louis Martini, Michael has witnessed a huge transition for this legacy brand. He's been presented with the unique challenge of growing the winery and moving it in new directions, while also maintaining the standards wine drinkers have come to expect.
Drink along at home with the following wines:
- Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2016
- Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2016
- Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2016
- Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monteroso Vineyard 2014
- Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Cypress Ranch 2016
- Louis Martini Gnarly Vine Zinfandel 2015
It's a special Whiskey Hotline edition of Barrel to Bottle with David Carpenter of Redemption Whiskey. As the master blender, David likes to focus on the grains because they're the star of the show. David is also master blender for Bib & Tucker, a Tennesee whiskey brand that focuses more on the barrel than the grain. Finally, the Barrel to Bottle crew heads north of the border to try some 100% rye Canadian whisky, but it's not your typical Canadian whisky. Don't forget to check out our Redemption Handpicks, which are still available in limited quantities.
Drink along at home with the following spirits:
- Redemption Bourbon
- Redemption High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Redemption 9-year-old Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey
- Redemption 10-year-old Barrel Proof High Rye Bourbon Whiskey
- Redemption 10-year-old Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey
- Bib & Tucker 6-year-old Small Batch Bourbon
- Masterson's 10-year-old Straight Rye Whiskey
'Tis the season for malty, spicy beers with a little extra kick to them. Just don't call them old man beers. Roger has brought the good stuff; from longtime classics to new takes on the holiday style. From Germany to California and everywhere in between, Happy Holidays from the Barrel to Bottle Crew.
Drink along at home with the following beers:
- Hofbrau Winter Spezial
- Anchor Steam Christmas Ale
- Revolution Fistmas
- Three Floyds Alpha Klaus
- 21st Amendment Fireside Chat
- St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
The last time Bob Calamia stopped by the Barrel to Bottle studio, it was to talk about something he loves but doesn't know, amaro. Now he's here to talk about something he both knows and loves: Champagne and bubbly. The holidays are a perfect time to have Binny's longtime Champagne buyer on the podcast. Although we here at Barrel to Bottle feel that every time of year is a good time for Champagne. Plus, we'll teach you how to taste and how to find what you like. Pop the cork on this vintage dated episode.
Drink along at home with the following Champagnes and sparkling wines:
- Nino Franco Prosecco Rustico
- Georges Laval Garennes
- Gramona La Cuvee 2015
- Roederer Estate Brut
- Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve
- Vilmart Cuvee Grand Cellier Brut
- Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose Brut
Fortified wine, it's not just for grandma's post-dinner drink. Binny's Wine Educator Alicia Barrett joins the Barrel to Bottle to Crew this week to share her passion for fortified wines, particularly Madeira. Roger loves Madeira too and he is very eager to discuss it. So what is it? Why should you drink it? Where does it come from? All your questions will be answered on this week's Barrel to Bottle.
Drink along at home with the following Madeiras:
- The Rare Wine Company Charleston Sercial Madeira
- The Rare Wine Company New York Malmsey
CH Distillery has arguably the widest ranging portfolio in the Midwest. At CH, they can only serve what they make, which has presented unique challenges but also allowed them to offer an incredible breadth of spirits. Owner and distiller Tremaine Atkinson was good enough to bring some spirits for the Barrel to Bottle crew to sample. Most importantly, CH is now the shepherd of Malört, favorite child of the Barrel to Bottle podcast. They're trying all sorts of new things with Malört, including barrel-aging. But can it live up (down?) to the Malört legacy?
Drink along at home with the following spirits:
- ch Distillery Vodka
- ch Distillery Key Gin
- ch Distillery Bourbon
- Jeppson's Malört
Your Gummy, our exciting new collaboration with Noon Whistle Brewing Company is finally here. Earlier this fall, we asked our customers to select three hops to use in this New England-style IPA. The people spoke and selected Citra, Mosaic and Lemondrop. Roger selected a few beers that highlight the individual hops and brought in hop samples for us to waft and quaff. Plus, stick around for a very relevant customer question about fresh hops vs. wet hops.
Cellared beer everywhere but too afraid to drink it. What are we waiting for exactly? The Barrel to Bottle crew has cleaned out our basement fridges and cellars. Some of these beers are among the rarest of the rare and some of them can still be found on Binny's shelves. Did we wait too long to drink them, or is it just the right time? Should you even bother aging beer at all? Join us as we try to answer these questions.
What can you get for around ten dollars? You can get a lot of quality wines for (around) a Hamilton. Barb and Alicia, Binny's Wine Educator, have selected ten wines that you can get for around $10. They'll also help you identify grape varietes and winegrowing regions that offer quality wines at great prices. Don't throw away your shot at these quality wines for such a great price.
Jay Erisman loves Cincinnati Chili, but don't hold that against him. As co-founder of New Riff Distilling, Jay has helped turn this young distillery into one of the most exciting brands we carry. It's not common for a new distillery to make Bottled in Bond bourbon, but they wouldn't do it any other way at New Riff. Join the Barrel to Bottle Crew as we sample through our three Binny's Handpicks, as well as the new barrel proof rye and even a Kentucky terroir-driven gin.
Pat Brophy loves amaro, and so does our special guest, longtime Binny's wine buyer Bob Calamia. Amari are more than just bitter beverages that make Roger miserable, they serve a real, biological puprose. Pat samples out 11 amari with the Barrel to Bottle crew and the gastric juices get flowing.
"If you ever accidentally drank your dad's cologne as a child and want to relive that experience..." - Roger Adamson
Roger had the pleasure of attending this year’s Bourbon County sneak peek, and he's happy to report there are some stunning releases in this year’s lineup. Here are his initial impressions, along with some suggested dessert pairings. We're looking forward to greeting all the thirsty devotees at Binny’s Lincoln Park on Black Friday!
Jean-Charles Boisset's visit to the Barrel to Bottle studios was a whirlwind. He couldn't be contained to just one episode, so we're releasing a bonus episode. Jean-Charles has also began dabbling in spirits, and he was nice enough to bring his three vodkas with him.
Ladies and gentlemen, bon jourfrom the heart of Burgundy! The Barrel to Bottle crew has welcomed many guests over the last few years, but none of them have been quite like Jean-Charles Boisset. Trying to summarize this episode couldn't possibly do it justice. This flamboyant Frenchman walks the Barrel to Bottle team through his sparkling offers from Burgundy, and his award winning California property, Raymond Estates and more.
A few weeks ago, the entire Whiskey Hotline crew joined Barrel to Bottle to pick out four new Binny's Handpicks from Old Elk Distillery. Now they're finally hitting stores.
As the Master Blender at Maison Ferrand, Alexandre Gabriel has been producing quality French spirts for 30 years. When he's not redefining Cognac and grape distillates with new and unique cooperage, he's preserving the incredible history of the Ferrand family.
At Barrel to Bottle, we're all about giving the people what they want. And what you wanted was more Rum. To start things off, Pat brings in five special rums for all the rum geeks out there. Do not sleep on these rums. Then, Roger "The Tiki King" Adamson prepares not one, not two, but fourrum-based tiki drinks. If you'd like to impress your friends with your tiki cocktail skills, all the recipes are available on our blog.
Garnacha, Grenache; no matter how you say it, it's the grape you love to hate; it's the grape that has it all and is well traveled. It's the Most Interesting Grape in the World. From Spain to Australia, Binny's resident Garnacha/Grenache-lover, Jason Palma, takes the Barrel to Bottle Crew on a tour of everything this grape can do. Stick around for a customer Q&A about wine etiquette at dinner parties.
Wine royalty visits the Barrel to Bottle studios once again. This week, it's Courtney Foley, winemaker at Chalk Hill Estate. She discusses the challenges of jumping from a 4,000 cases to a 40,000 case production facility, implementing a sparkling program across the Foley Portfolio, and what "Estate Bottled" means at Chalk Hill. We've got more hockey talk then we've ever had, too! Stick around for a customer Q&A about grape stomping.
The haze craze isn't just a phase. At long last and by popular request, we are tackling Hazy IPAs. Also known as New England IPAs. Or Juicy IPAs. Producer Jim, long just a background laugh, hops (pun!) on the mic to blind taste the Barrel to Bottle Crew on six Hazy IPAs. Will the holdouts finally be convinced of the validity of this style? Download to find out.
The industry has fallen in love with Binny’s Handpicked Casks, but how does the Whiskey Hotline pick spirits for the legendary program?
This episode of Barrel to Bottle is your chance to be there for the handpicking process. The Whiskey Hotline is joined by Greg Metze, Master Distiller at Old Elk Distillery and formerly of Seagram’s Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, one of the world’s largest distilleries. Together they’ll pick four new barrels of Binny’s Handpicks.
Listen for industry secrets from Old Elk and insider dirt on MGP. Plus a customer Q&A about whiskey on the rocks.
So it's come to this, another Barrel to Bottle Q&A episode. It's the holiday weekend and the Barrel to Bottle Crew felt like taking a break, luckily we've got a huge backlog of listener questions to tackle. Vacation, we had to get away
Did you know that Binny's can also help you plan the biggest moments of your life? Binny's event planner, Alex Tornai joins the Barrel to Bottle Crew as they throw out some common party-planning scenarios he might encounter. Alex also shares a few tips and secrets, then stick around for a customer Q&A question about an engagement whiskey bottle.
CAN. YOU. DIG. IT? Team Truly or Team White Claw? Since the last time the Barrel to Bottle crew covered this topic, cans have blown up. Binny's stores have stacks on stacks on stacks of hard seltzers, hard waters and canned cocktails, and there are new products every week. And don't forget about canned wines either! How did we get here? What are these things exactly? All of your questions will be answered, plus wind down your summer with some warm weather drink recs during the Customer Q&A.
Here's what we sampled on this week's episode:
- Truly Wild Berry
- Smirnoff Cranberry Lime Spiked Sparking Seltzer
- White Claw Mango
- Bon & Viv Variety Pack
- Cupcake Rosè
- Capriccio Rosè
- High Noon Sun Sips Watermelon
- High Noon Sun Sips Grapefruit
- Two Brothers Artisan Spirits Pineapple Mango Vodka Soda
- Boulevard Fling Blood Orange Vodka Soda
- Two Brothers Artisan Spirits Moscow Mule
- The Copper Can Moscow Mule
- New Holland Spirits Holland Mule
- Cutwater Spirits Lime Margarita
- BuzzTallz Lime Rita
- Two Brothers Artisan Spirits Mojito
- Boulevard Fling Mai Tai
- New Holland Spirits Blueberry Gin Lemonade
- Boulevard Fling Cucumber Lime Gin and Tonic
- Boulevard Fling Margarita
- Two Brothers Bloody Mary
Portugal: it's not just fortified sweet wines and inexpensive vinho verde. Barb traveled to Portugal and it left such an impression, so she had to share it with the Barrel to Bottle crew. From Dão to Douro and all points in between, Barb sampled a wide and diverse variety of wines and ate a lot of salted cod. Plus, the challenges of making Portuguese appealing to U.S. drinkers. Stick around for the Q&A segment and learn why white wine usually doesn't age as long as red wine. Taste along at home with DAC Red Blend, São Miguel do Sul, Pratts & Symington Post Scriptum de Chyrseia plus Caso do Valle Vinho Verde.
Are you ready to get FLAVOR BLASTED?! If you like bolder flavors, if you only vacation in Flavor Country, if you like things turned up to 11, then this is the episode for you! The Barrel to Bottle crew blind tastes four flavor-blasted whiskies and then follows that up with six flavor-blasted beers. Plus, how do they fare on the vaunted Flavor-Blasted Scale? You'll have to listen to find out! Plus in the Customer Q&A, Top 3 Desert Island Beers from the Barrel to Bottle crew.
Sometimes at Barrel to Bottle there's just too much good stuff for one episode. When you get someone like Greg Hall into the podcast studio, it's hard to stop asking him questions.
How do you follow up Bourbon County Stout? For Greg Hall, son of Goose Island founder John Hall, it started nearly 20 years ago during a trip to England. Ciders became a passion, but they took a backseat to the barrel-aged beer phenomenon. After leaving Goose Island, Greg founded Virtue Cider and began producing some of our bestselling ciders from the heart of Michigan apple country. Join the Barrel to Bottle crew as they taste Virtue Michigan Brut and Virtue Rosè. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the Barrel to Bottle Team (and Greg Hall!) share their favorite beers ever.
In the sixty years since its founding, Rodney Strong Vineyards has grown to near ubiquity in the world of wine. Director of Winemaking Justin Seidenfeld joins Greg and Binny's Head of Wine Barbara Hermann to speak to the historic importance of the winery, including the founding for the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill regions. He shares how he uses a modern, state of the art winery and vineyard management to produce classically styled, consistent wines in large enough quantities to be available everywhere. And he shares his experience tasting holy s*** wines. Wines tasted include Rodney Strong Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc, Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Stick around for the Q&A segment, where Justin answers your question about harvesting grapes.
It's finally here: the long-awaited RUM episode. Pat breathlessly shares his passion for this often misunderstood spirits category, and although it's a podcast and you can't see it, Roger dressed up like a pirate. You'll learn all about the rich Caribbean and global history of rum, and all about rum's complicated production including what a "muck pit" is. Actually, it's exactly what you're imagining. The team tastes El Dorado 3 Year, El Dorado 15 year, Plantation Fiji, the shockingly funky Two James Doctor Bird and Foursquare Premise. Stick around for listener Q&A, when the team explains charcoal filtering and the Lincoln County process, and other bourbon myths.
Barrel Sours are where it's at, right? Think again! Roger walks the team through the difference and highlights some excellent examples in an absurd lineup of American sours: beers tasted include Dogfish Head Sea Quench and Super Eight (which not only contains eight super foods, but can also be used to develop film), Logsdon Spontane Wilde (which Pat calls "one of the best American made sour beers" he's ever tasted) and The Convesion Series 2, Firestone Walker Paw2 Prints, Off Color The One Percent, and finally, The Rare Barrel Wise Guise. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team shines light on the mysterious golden stout style.
Even if you're not that into wine, you've probably heard of The Prisoner, which is just one of the many wines created by Dave Phinney. Dave shares his experience in wine making in California and beyond and shares tastes of Orin Swift wines Blank Stare, Mannequin, Slander and Abstract with the Barrel to Bottle team. Topics include the benefits of partnering with Gallo, the origin stories of some of his distinctive labels, balancing the dirty work of vineyard management and wine making with the inspiration of marketing, and making a 200 point wine that sells for a trillion dollars. Plus Pat shares the details of an upcoming release of exclusive Binny's Handpicked expressions from Phinney's distillery project Savage & Cooke.
What started as a cool little Chicago darling has grown to become a global distilling presence: Koval. President and cofounder Sonat Birnecker Hart started Koval with her husband Robert, opting to buy a still instead of a house. Sonat walks the team through what it takes to grow the little guy: a lot of effort, knowledge and care. The team tastes Koval Bourbon and rye, and Koval gin and cranberry gin. Sonat covers the range, from an insider's view into distilling whiskies the brandy way, to the magic behind Koval's award winning package designs. Oh, and what happened to the spelt whiskey. Plus, in this week's Q&A segment, what bourbon would Animal drink, if he were real (and not a muppet)?
Saison may be the easiest style of beer to brew - and the hardest to master. Roger walks the Barrel to Bottle team through this classic style, showcasing timeless examples including Saison Dupont, Brasserie Dupont Cuvee Dry Hop, Allagash Saison and Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. Then the rest of the team mutines, opening some additional American craft examples, and hilarity ensues. Stick around for the Q&A segment for your chance to win a $20 if your question is answered on the podcast. This week's question pits "micro brew" vs. "craft brew."
This week on Barrel to Bottle, a man whose name is synonymous with Napa Valley, Michael Mondavi. Michael shares his unique perspective in a conversation that's lighthearted but touches on some vital issues in the wine world and beyond: from natural, organic and biodynamic viticulture; labor shortages in an age when a legal, documented migrant workforce is scarce: the impact climate change is having on grape vines today; the changing role of the wine critic; to the timeless, refreshing taste of rose over ice. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about where to start with old world wine.
World class whisky from a sub tropical climate? Kavalan makes it look easy. In this special Whiskey Hotline episode of Barrel to Bottle, Pat, Brett and Joe taste their way through Kavalan's offerings with Master Blender Ian Chang. Taiwan's first distillery has been running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since opening in 2006. Ian also teases Kavalan's upcoming triple pot distilled single malt gin, and helps the guys during the Q&A segment, featuring your question about barrel placement in rackhouses.
Gin: it's a canvas for expression to distillers, a clutch tool to elevate cocktails for mixologists, and an excitingly diverse spirit for the Barrel to Bottle team to taste. Binny's Skokie Assistant Manager Shannon leads the podcast team through a tour of some of her recent gin discoveries: Boone County Jail Gin, Old Elk Distillery Dry Town Gin, Copper & Kings American Dry Gin, Few Spirits Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin, Sipsmith London Sloe Gin and the limited Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice. Stick around for this week's Q&A segment: it's a stumper that tests the team's Scotch smarts.
Old Forester is making a huge comeback, propelled by great new releases and the contributions of fresh blood including Master Taster Jackie Zykan. Jackie joins the Barrel to Bottle team to taste through some excellent bottles from Old Forester, including two now nearly unobtainable Binny's handpicks (a few bottles are still out there, so if you see one, buy it!) plus Old Fo's 1897 Bottled in Bond and their new 100 Proof Rye. Topics include tasting to a brand's profile, what is the mullet of bourbon whiskey, not being an ageist or a floorist, tasting flaws and blind spots and why having more or fewer taste buds don't specifically make you a better or worse taster. And stick around for the Q&A segment - this week the team gives away three $20 gift cards and answers your questions. #tryrye #oldfonotjustforoldfolks
Spain is more than old school! Just back from his trip to Spain, Binny's Oak Brook Wine Manager Jon Adam joins the Barrel to Bottle team to highlight wines from two thriving Spanish winemaking regions: Rueda and Ribera del Duero. The team tastes whites from Rueda: Jose Pariente Sauvignon Blanc, Naia Rueda and Naia Naiades; and reds from Ribera del Duero: Torres Celeste Crianza Blue Label, Protos Reserva and Vega Sicilia Valbuena. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when your questions are answered for a $20 Binny's Gift Card. This week, the team explains why wine prices can vary so much from bottle to bottle.
Director of Winemaking at Hess, David Guffy, is back on the Barrel to Bottle podcast. Topics include his love of malbec and cabernet, earthquakes and fires and his daily commute, the impact of elevation, and of course, winery dogs. The team tastes through a flight of Hess cabernet, including Hess Select, Hess Collection Allomi Vineyard, Hess Collection Mount Veeder, and the iconic The Lion. Stick around for the Q&A portion of the podcast, when David and the Barrel to Bottle Team share their favorite wine coffee table books.
Another industry giant joins the Barrel to Bottle podcast. This week, it's Stone Brewing Executive Chairman and Co-founder Greg Koch. Greg and the team taste Stone IPA, Arrogant Consortia's Arrogant Bastard and Enter Night, plus Courage Russian Imperial Stout (made by Wells &Young, not by Stone) and Stone Imperial Russian Stout 2014 (from Roger's personal stash). This episode marks Greg's first Malort experience. Other topics include hanging with Metallica, helping to make "Russian Imperial Stout" a thing, staying fresh in a beer scene that's always chasing what's new, and how PET is destroying the planet. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when Greg tackles the perennial listener question "bottles or cans?"
How do you describe what you're tasting? How do you put into words the difference between a navel orange and a mandarin orange? This week's Barrel to Bottle podcast is all about the language we - tasters and critics both professional and amateur - use to describe wine, spirits and beer, from flavor to texture and beyond. And stick around to the end. Host Kristen has some big news.
Aging red wines is common - but what about aging white wines? Kristen is joined by Binny's Wine Buyer Bill Newton and legendary German wine importer Derek Vinnicombe, plus producers Paul Anheuser and Stefen Bollig. The team talks recent German vintages, differences across years and drinking these wines aged and unaged. To illustrate, the team tries young and old bottles from the same vineyard side by side: Bollig Lehnert Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese from 2018 and 2006. Also Paul Anheuser Keuznacher Krotenpfuhl Riesling Auslese 2001. And it's not all about white! Germany also makes great red wines, and the team tastes Heyden Pinot Noir 2016. These guys are fun!
Ian Millar has seen it all and has the stories and knowledge to prove it. Ian and Kirstin Grant of William Grant & Sons join the Barrel to Bottle Crew for a conversation about the past, present and future of Glenfiddich. It wouldn't be a Barrel to Bottle podcast without sampling some of their fine Scotch, including the Glenfiddich 12-year-old, Glenfiddich 14-year-old and Fire & Cane, a blend of peated and unpeated Scotch, aged in Rum barrels. Plus, Ian and the team revisit the legendary Annasach Reserve 25 Year blend.
In a beer scene dominated by all the hottest styles and latest releases, sometimes it's refreshing to take a look at the classics. On this week's episode of Barrel to Bottle, Master Brewer Gavin Scoreby shares all the ways Samuel Smith's Old Brewery keeps things traditional, from their centuries-old brewhouse to local delivery powered by horse. The team tastes Sam Smith's Nut Brown Ale, Organic Lager, Oatmeal Stout, Organic Chocolate Stout, and Apple and Perry Ciders. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about gluten free and reduced beers.
In 1981, the Widmer family fell in love with Tuscany, purchasing the Brancaia estate in Castellina in Chianti. Since then, with oenologist Barbara Widmer at the winemaking helm, Brancaia has grown to include three estates across Tuscany and a portfolio of accessible and world-class wines. Barbara walks the Barrel to Bottle team through some of her favorites, including Brancaia Tre, Chianti Classico Riserva, Ilatraia and Il Blu. And stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about Bordeaux futures.
Not only is Westland Distillery leading the charge for American single malt whiskey, but they're capturing the Pacific Northwest in every bottle of single malt whiskey they produce (yes, whiskey with an E, it's American). Westland cofounder and master distiller Matt Hofmann leads the Barrel to Bottle team through an in-depth tour of his whiskies, from their core range - American Oak, Peated, and Sherry Wood - plus multiple years from their limited Peat Week and Garryana releases. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question for a $20 Binny's gift card. This week, it's all about grain whiskey.
All those legendary, unobtainable bottles - are they worth the hype? The Barrel to Bottle crew tastes iconic, collectible whiskey, so you don't have to. Featuring top-notch bottlings from Old Forester, Eagle Rare, Wild Turkey, Angel's Envy and Pappy Van Winkle, this episode took some work. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question for a $20 Binny's Gift Card. In this week's question, the takes on "peak bourbon bubble."
Sour beers make up one of the most sought after styles around today. Sours are the ultimate beers for beer nerds, perfectly illustrating how beer is a combination of science and art. Roger walks the Barrel to Bottle team through a few favorite Lambic and Geuze examples, and he has a couple tricks up his sleeve, too. Beers tasted include Lindemans Framboise, Lindemans Cuvee Rene, Boon Geuze Mariage Parfait and Firestone Walker Paw Prints, a special collaboration with Binny's Beverage Depot. Plus a couple surprises tasted blind. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the Barrel to Bottle team list their favorite barleywines.
Fruit, earth, meaty and savory and floral characteristics: when you're talking about wine, syrah from the Northern Rhone includes some of the most intense and complex reds in the world. Kristen leads the Barrel to Bottle team through a guided tour of the region and a tasting of excellent examples including Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie 2014, Barruol Lynch Hermitage 2016, J.L. Chave Selection Crozes Hermitage Silene 2016 and Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas 2016. It's wine for wine nerds. Stick around for this week's Q&A segment, when the team takes on three questions with a focus on the evolution of food and wine in the same region.
Winter keeps holding on in Chciago, so we're talking about wine perfect for the weather: mulled wine and ice wine. Part one: Fire. Mulled wine is a style that includes glogg and gluhwein - spiced wine traditionally served warm. The Barrel to Bottle team tastes Glunz Glogg and St. Christopher Gluhwein as examples. Part two: IOce. Ice wine is a dessert style where grapes reach extreme ripeness by hanging late into the season. The team compares Jackson Estate Vidal Ice Wine to Huia Botrytis Riesling. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about different kinds of glassware.
Tickets are available now for the 2019 WINE EXPO. In this special bonus episode, the Barrel to Bottle team is joined by Barb Steadman, Assistant Director of Wine Sales at Binny's, who covers highlights from the Wine Expo - stuff like guided tours, seminars, the rose garden, a special VIP room, and a bunch more. Plus, the B2B team calls up the newest wine critic to write for robertparker.com, Anthony Mueller. Anthony shares his take on last year's Expo, and previews the seminar he is hosting at this year's Expo. Plus, the Barrel to Bottle team answers questions recorded live at last year's event. This year's big event is happening on Saturday, April 6th at Arlington International Racecourse. Get more info at binnys.com.
Despite being constructed in the 1960’s, the only way to get a taste of GlenAllachie over the last half-century was through rare independent bottlings or as a component in favorite blended Scotch. That’s all changing with new ownership, and Binny’s is excited to share the new OB GlenAllachie bottlings. Noted Distillery personality David Keir offers the Barrel to Bottle team an insider’s view of the distillery and offers a taste of the new GlenAllachie lineup. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about how tariffs affect the whiskey trade, both locally and internationally.
What does it take to persevere through the many trials and tribulations to reach the highest recognized level of education in the beer world? The Barrel to Bottle team is joined by the Golden Nose himself, Master Cicerone Jason Pratt, one of just eighteen in the world to reach Master Cicerone status. Jason shares his sensory perception techniques and encyclopedic knowledge, covering topics including the latest trends and classic styles, plus his favorite flaws in beer. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when Jason helps the team take on your question about the true shelf life of different IPA styles. This one is for the nerds.
It’s easy to get caught up in local craft spirits, especially living in an area like Chicagoland that’s home to an incredible collection of craft options. Just don’t miss out on highlights from far away, including insanely remote places such as Hallock, Minnesota, home of Far North Spirits. This week, Johny Barbosa of Far North shares his incredible portfolio of criminally underappreciated craft spirits, from vodka to gin, rum to rye, plus a surprise or two. And of course, the team covers which spirits are best paired with hot dishes. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the Barrel to Bottle team takes on the question of best beverages for cooking.
Is that the red or the white? The Barrel to Bottle team takes a look at California’s ‘own grape’ from the craze of the 1980s to today’s high quality dry red versions. Zinfandel has a rather arcane history and no French connection, meaning this underdog had to grow into prominence all on it’s own, of course with the help of a few dedicated grape growers and winemakers. You can’t ignore how important it has been to the larger wine culture in the United States. The Barrel to Bottle crew samples Biale Black Chicken, Tommasi Heracles Primativo and the one that started it all, Sutter Home White Zinfandel. Plus, in this week’s Q&A and in response to the more expensive versions displayed in the Holiday Cali Cab cast, the team shares their favorite value California Cabernets clocking in around $20.
Juicy, fruity, dank and hazy – these are all buzzwords to describe the direction of IPA today. But for every action, there’s an opposite reaction. Enter brut IPA, the dry new IPA style that’s crisp, clean and focused. Roger leads the Barrel to Bottle team through a tasting including examples from Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Ommegang, Revolution, Hopewell and Miskatonic Brewing, plus a hoppy sparkling water from Lagunitas. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team shares their favorite Bourbons (and more) to make the perfect old fashioned.
We’re back with Part II of Brett Pontoni’s interview with Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe. This distilling industry legend shares keeping the family tradition going as he brings his son into the fold and offers some insights into how the business has changed over the years after growth and merging with international partnerships. Plus, Fred tackles your questions in our Q&A segment, and powers through a lightning round Q&A.
Spirits industry history runs deep for Fred Noe. The Master Distiller of Jim Beam Distillery, Fred is the seventh in his family to hold the position over the last two hundred years. Brett Pontoni from the Whiskey Hotline chats with this industry veteran, covering topics from how to taste whiskey and favorite flavor descriptors, to the Fred keeping the tradition going with the next generation. Plus some dishing about other industry giants. Keep an eye out for Part II, coming next week.
Kansas Whiskey? Not only is it a thing, but Kansas City, Missouri’s J. Rieger distillery was once the largest mail-order whiskey producer in the US. This week, the Barrel to Bottle team is joined by Brett and Joe from The Whiskey Hotline to interview Ryan Maybee, who in 2014 resurrected this historic brand along with some help from industry icons like Tom Nichols and Dave Pickerell. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team gets technical about charred barrels.
Seasons Greetings from Binny’s and the Barrel to Bottle Crew! This week, we’re talking about the best part of Christmas: winter beers, of course. From old world classics to the craft seasonals they inspired, the team covers the whole holiday beer range. Beers tasted include Weltenberger Asam Bock, Rochefort 10, Avery Old Jubilation, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Great Lakes Christmas and Lagunitas Brown Shugga’. And in this week’s Q&A segment, the team gives their favorite holiday gift ideas. Happy Holidays!
If you take out all the glamorous wine categories… Binny’s Wine Buyer Bill Newton is responsible for everything else. One of his favorite categories is Port, which is getting extra attention for the release of the 2016 vintage – the first declared Port vintage since 2011. What Port lacks in glamour, it more than makes up for in intensity and ageability. Bill shares a favorite vintage aged Port and talks about this great vintage. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about red wine and cold weather.
Cabernet is king, especially during the holidays. The full Barrel to Bottle team is in the house, joined by Binny’s Wine Buyer Bill Newton, to talk through everything California Cabernet Sauvignon, tasting samples from Sonoma to Napa. Wines featured include cabernet bottlings from Gundlach Bundschu, Rodney Strong Alexander’s Crown, Ulysees and Robert Mondavi. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team tackles your question about Malbec.
Autumn brings the annual hop harvest, which means it’s time for fresh-hopped beer! Roger leads the Barrel to Bottle team through a flight of everything hoppy, from single hop pale ales through fresh hopped IPA’s. Beers featured include Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, SweetWater Mosaic, Lagunitas Super Cluster, Founder’s Harvest Ale, Deschutes Chasin Freshies and Half Acre Now & Then. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team gets to talk about themselves, and their favorite beer styles.
The Barrel to Bottle crew takes a walk on the sweet side this week. Tokaji is Hungary’s sweet white, loved for complexity and class on par with the sweet wines of Bordeaux in France. Laszlo Meszaroz, Director of the Disznoko winery, joins the podcast team and shares the rich history of the region, plus examples of the region’s sweet and dry white wines. Egeszsegere! Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a […]
When you think celebration, think Champagne! But it works well on any Tuesday night as well. The Barrel to Bottle team tastes through six sparklers from around the world, including Aubry Le Nombre d’Or, Louis Bouillot Cremant de Bourgogne, Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, Segura Viudas Heredad Brut Reserva, and a pairing of Fossetta Prosecco and Bollinger Special Cuvee. Plus, stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team offers their favorite Friendsgiving wines.
All stouts are porters, but not all porters are stouts. As the weather cools off, it’s time for Roger to lead the Barrel to Bottle crew through a tasting of darker beers. Featured beers include Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter, Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, Guinness Draught, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin, Stone Xocoveza and Central Waters Cassian Sunset. And stick around for the Q&A segment when the team tackles your question about grain whisky and Scotch for a $20 Binny’s Gift Card.
Greek wine has experienced a resurgence in the last few decades, thanks in no small part to Ted Diamantis and his company, Diamond Importers. Ted joins the Barrel to Bottle crew to taste highlights from his collection and to discuss this historic and vibrant wine growing country. Wines tasted include Santo Assyrtiko, Douloufakis Dafnios Vidiano, Skouras Saint George and Alpha Estate Xinomavro.
Brace yourselves, Game of Thrones Scotch is coming. In the middle of recording the recent two-part “All the Islay” podcast, the Whiskey Hotline’s Brett Pontoni wandered off. And when he wandered back into the room, he had news about the upcoming Game of Thrones single malt releases. Listen as the Barrel to Bottle crew reacts to the news and shares specifics about each bottling. Game of Thrones Scotches are coming, and you won’t have to pay the iron price.
Picking up from last week, the Barrel to Bottle crew is joined by the Whiskey Hotline to taste through all eight active distilleries in Scotland’s Islay region. Part II covers the more peaty distilleries: Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Laphroaig and Ardbeg. Also silly hats. And stick around for our customer Q&A segment, when the Whiskey Hotline discuss what it takes for a distillery to get into the Binny’s Handpicked Casks program.
Scotland’s Islay makes some of the most distinctive and immediately recognizable whiskey in the world, from graceful and honeyed to richly peated, smoky and briny. The Barrel to Bottle crew teams up with the Whiskey Hotline in a guided tasting of all eight active distilleries on the Island, with lots of fun facts and Islay info along the way. Part I covers the less peaty distilleries: Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Bowmore and Kilchoman. Keep an eye out for Part II coming next week!
Black Friday in Chicago means heading to Binny’s Lincoln Park for the annual release of one of the most collectible and desirable beers out there: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. This year’s release includes eight unique versions: Original, Wheatwine, Reserve, Midnight Orange, Coffee Barleywine, Proprietor’s, Vanilla and Bramble Rye. The Binny’s crew got a sneak preview of the full lineup, and they run through their tasting notes, insider info and more in this week’s Barrel to Bottle breaking news episode. […]
Brunello – it’s one of the most iconic wines from Italy. On this admittedly geeky episode of Barrel to Bottle, Kristen leads the Binny’s team through this world-famous Tuscan sub-region and the grape that makes it great. The team talks sangiovese at its finest, tasting 2012 Donatello Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino and 2013 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino. And stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team explains what makes a wine good for aging.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live the glamorous life of a Binny’s Wine Buyer? Meet Barbara Hermann. For the last 30 years, Barb has spearheaded the wine buying program at Binny’s Beverage Depot. She joins the Barrel to Bottle team to cover how the wine world has evolved over the decades, about her extensive travel around the globe, about the Good Old Days, and how she works as a consumer advocate to find the best wines at the best prices.
When beer has needed a voice, Garrett Oliver has supplied it. Author of The Brewmaster’s Table, regarded by many as the quintessential guide to beer and food pairing, and editor of the Oxford Companion to Beer – he has traveled the world, championing the cause of beer. He always found his way back home to the Brooklyn Brewery, where he’s served as brewmaster for over 20 years. The Barrel to Bottle crew had the pleasure of sitting down with this industry icon, where they chatted about everything from classics styles to recent trends.
What do you get when you mix traditionally French varietals (plus a little riesling and gewurztraminer) with German winemaking knowhow? Alsace! The Barrel to Bottle team takes a closer look at one of the world’s most iconic wine regions dedicated almost entirely to white wine production. Alsace is legendary for its benchmark examples of some of the world’s most popular white wine varietals, unmatched in balance and concentration.
The Barrel to Bottle podcast crew celebrates 50 episodes with a special Q&A roundup. Submit your questions to @binnysbev on twitter, facebook or instagram, or email your questions to comments@binnys.com. If the team answers your question on the podcast, you’ll win a $20 Binny’s Gift Card. This fun episode collects some lost Q&A segments, and that means we’re giving away a whole bunch of Binny’s Gift Cards.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, Pat and Roger sit down with Kentucky bourbon dignitary Wes Henderson. Along with his father, Lincoln Henderson, Wes created the category-defining Angel’s Envy by blending bourbons finished in Port barrels. Wes talks bourbon heritage, his brand new Louisville distillery, and what’s on the horizon for his iconic brand. Plus, Wes sticks around for our Q&A segment to answer your question about barrel toast and char.
Cans aren’t just for beer! These days, innovative wineries and distilleries are joining breweries in packaging their beverages in this portable, lightweight and environmentally friendly aluminum container. The Barrel to Bottle crew breaks convention and tastes a collection of wines, cocktails and more from cans. Things get weird. Plus, stick around for this week’s Q&A segment, when the team tackles your question about rose wine.
Beer is simple – just water, barley, hops and yeast, right? These days, breweries are adding all kinds of stuff to their beer, from fruit and spices all the way through candy and breakfast cereal. Roger leads the Barrel to Bottle crew through an epic tour and blind tasting across the spectrum of adjuncts in beer. And stick around for this week’s double Q&A segment, where the team tackles two listener questions.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, Kristen and Greg sit down with two VIPs of California wine, Chris Benziger and John Concannon. Chris Benziger carries the tradition of his family’s winery into the next generation, with all of Benziger’s releases certified sustainable, organic or biodynamic. John Concannon is an advocate for environmental stewardship and sustainability. As a fourth generation vintner, he is hoping for a future as bright as his family’s rich legacy: from bottling the first petite sirah in 1961 to importing key cab clones from Chateau Margaux in 1893 that are now found throughout California. Plus, Chris and John stick around to help with this week’s customer Q&A about wine in cans.
Trophy hunting is a big thing in the whiskey world, but those bottles might only be available one day a year. The Barrel to Bottle team flips whiskey on its head by focusing on the bottom shelf – great whiskeys at a great price available every day. And in the Q&A segment, the Barrel to Bottle team gives their favorite non-Kentucky Bourbon picks.
This week on Barrel to Bottle, Rollin Soles is a scientist. An early “flying winemaker,” Rollin gained experience as a fixer at wineries around the world before founding Argyle in Dundee, Oregon. Rollin sits down with Kristen to talk about Oregon’s natural splendor, his no-nonsense approach to winemaking, and his newest project, ROCO Winery. Stick around for customer Q&A, when Kristen and Greg recommend citrusy wines.
What would you do if your prized stock of Trinidad rum – the inaugural release of your passion project and longshot startup – was accidentally blended with some random whiskey? If you were Turner Wathen, you would bottle it and sell it under the name Fortuitous Union (it helps that it’s delicious). Wathen shares FU with the Barrel to Bottle Crew, plus he talks through the influence his family has had on the whiskey industry over the last two centuries.
When anyone mentions beer, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Pilsner – the brilliantly golden, effervescent and refreshing style. Born in Bohemia, Pilsner has become one of the most widely brewed and recognized styles of beer in the world. The Barrel to Bottle crew covers everything Pilsner, from classic Czech and German examples to heavily hopped American favorites. And in a customer Q&A segment, Roger answers your question about Sierra Nevada’s influence on the craft beer scene. Prost!
Happy Independence Day! The Barrel to Bottle Crew celebrates the 4th with a special episode. What did people drink in revolutionary times? From rum to rye… from cider to sherry, you might be surprised at the variety of drinks the founding fathers enjoyed. Plus, Roger brings you revolutionary cocktail secrets.
Brewer, author, music geek and raconteur – Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione is one of the leading voices in the craft beer industry. This champion of independent craft joins us to discuss his refreshingly unique SeaQuench Ale, the leading pick in Chicago Tribune beer writer Josh Noel’s 2018 Beers of Summer. We taste some of Josh’s other picks, discussing beer styles, tastes and trends along the way. Plus, Sam answers your questions in a lightning round Q&A on this episode of Barrel to Bottle.
The difference between history and legend is sometimes murky. Whiskey insiders were shaken to learn that the long held story of Jack Daniel’s wasn’t exactly true. The legendary distiller actually learned his craft from a slave – Nathan “Uncle Nearest” Green. Author and historian Fawn Weaver joins the Barrel to Bottle crew to share Green’s story, his impact on distilling, and about the research and experiences that led her to launch Uncle Nearest 1856, a new award-winning Tennessee whiskey.
Claire Villars-Lurton is the embodiment of centuries of Bordeaux winemaking know how. She joins host Kristen to discuss the culture of French winemaking, managing a multi-generation family business across continents, and bringing that old-world experience into her new-world Sonoma winery. Plus, in this episode’s Q&A segment, Kristen and Greg square up against the red wine headache.
What’s fizzy and refreshing, delicious and mixable, always fun and an absolute value? Prosecco! In this week’s Barrel to Bottle, Kristen leads the team through one of her favorite categories: Italian sparkling wine. Topics range from affordable Prosecco to world class Franciacorta to sparkling wine cocktails. Stick around for the Q&A segment, as the team tackles the mystery of the punt.
The only way to be completely objective when rating wine, spirits and beers is to taste blind. Kristen, Pat and Greg put their palates – and several popular vodkas – to the test. Even this famously neutral spirit shows variety and character when tasted blind. Learn a thing or two about vodka and discover the Barrel to Bottle team’s favorite in this week’s podcast.
Kristen sits down with Alberto Bianchi, Winemaker at Napa Valley’s Newton Vineyard. Alberto traces his winemaking journey from Italy to New Zealand to Napa Valley, highlighting vineyard management in Napa and around the world. Plus, the Barrel to Bottle team tackles your listener Q&A about neutral oak barrels and their use in wine, spirits and beer production.
Craft whiskey is hot, but there’s still a lot of confusion surrounding rye. From rye whiskey to high-rye bourbon, The Barrel to Bottle Podcast team covers the basics of this hot category. Kristen, Pat and Roger taste several examples from Whiskey Acres, High West and Rittenhouse (plus Pat’s favorite everyday high-rye bourbon from Old Forester) plus two different versions of the classic Old Fashioned cocktail side by side.
It takes something extra to make it in Chicago’s craft beer scene, but Forbidden Root makes it look easy. In this episode, the Barrel to Bottle team chats with Forbidden Root Head Brewer Nick Williams and craft brewing guru Randy Mosher. They explain what sets their beer apart, their cutting edge use of bark, stems, flowers, herbs and spices, all based on the foundation of brewing tradition.
What’s the connection between this classic Spanish wine region and some of the most respected whiskies in the world? In this week’s episode of Barrel to Bottle: The Binny’s Podcast, Kristen, Pat and Roger talk through Sherry 101 and taste several examples of Oloroso Sherry cask aged whiskies, including examples ranging from local craft distilleries to global single malts from India and Scotland.
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot- Kristen Ellis & Jeff Carlin, along with Binny’s Beer Buzz expert Roger Adamson & the Whiskey Hotline‘s Pat Brophy, welcome Marty Scott from Revolution Brewing Company to the podcast to talk about one of the most iconic independent breweries in the country. As Quality and Innovation Lead for Revolution Brewing Company, Marty has his hands in almost every aspect of brewing of Revolution’s dynamic line of offerings but his passion is […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin present the third installment of their Whiskey Week series, this time on the road at World of Whiskies 2018, to bring you incredible conversations with some of the greatest minds at the forefront of distilling, Kristen and Jeff offer a sampling of some of the 200+ offerings at one of the largest whiskey tasting in America. First up, Johny Barbosa from Far North Spirits highlights a […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin take the podcast on the road to Bourbon Women Night 2018 to talk with movers and shakers in the world of Bourbon Women. Kristen talks with legendary distiller Al Young about celebrating his 50th anniversary at Four Roses and his love of bourbon history. Branch Ambassador for Bourbon Women Gina Caruso talks about her love of bourbon and the growth of the Bourbon Women Association. […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, Kristen Ellis, Jeff Carlin, Pat Brophy and Roger Adamson present a unique conversation with Jimmy and Eddie Russell from Wild Turkey Distilling Co. These two icons of American whiskey talk about their combined 90+ years making whiskey in Kentucky, how the process has changed over the years, the innovation behind Wild Turkey American Honey, and handing down the distilling tradition to another generation of Russells. Plus, a lucky listener wins […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin present a look at the historical business of fraudulent wine, some incredibly audacious wine scams, and how modern technology is working to combat this expensive problem. Plus, Kristen and Jeff answer one lucky listener wins a wins a $20 gift card by asking a question about up-and-coming wine regions. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin present an intimate conversation with Director of Winemaking for The Hess Collection, David Guffy. Dave talks about his passion for making fruit-forward wines, the success of the Lion & the Lion Tamer wines, why California wines are best when they forgo trying to mimic old-world styles in favor of highlighting the region’s unique terroir, and of course, the importance of winery dogs. Plus, Kristen and […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin sit down with a co-founder of Scofflaw and gin aficionado Danny Shapiro to talk about the often misunderstood world of gin as he offers a guide to tasting the complexities of quality gin. Working his way through three distinct categories of gin, Danny tastes through three unique examples: Sipsmith, Nikka Coffey, Scofflaw Old Tom. Also on the docket, recipes for three great gin cocktails that will […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin present a conversation with winemaker Delphine Laborde of Maison Veuve Clicquot. Born in the heart of France’s Champagne region, Laborde shares stories about her life amongst the vines, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Madame Clicquot’s Veuve Clicquot Rosé, and the difference between French and American winery dogs. Plus, one lucky listener wins a $20 Binny’s gift card for asking a great question about champagnes that […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin along with Roger Adamson(Beer Buzz) get a unique tasting tour of Goose Island Beer Company’s 2017 Bourbon County label releases with Goose Island’s head of research and development, Mike Siegel. 2017 marks one of the most extensive lineups of Goose Island’s Bourbon County offerings including the Bourbon County Brand Stout, the Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout, Bourbon County Brand Barleywine, Bourbon County Brand Northwoods Stout […]
This week on Barrel To Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot, hosts Kristin Ellis and Jeff Carlin share Kristin’s one-on-one conversation with acclaimed winemaker Paul Hobbs. Paul shares stories about his work on Opus One, globetrotting around the world learning about wine, his time in Argentina and Chile helping to bring the South American wine industry into the modern era, and why he prefers Sonoma County’s laidback culture over Napa’s commercial scene. Plus, one lucky listener ‘keeps on trocken’ their way to […]
This week on Barrel to Bottle, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin look at all things cider. Cider Director / Floor Manager for The Northman in Chicago, Brian Rutzen aka “CiderBrian” dives into the ever-growing world of cider to explain cider’s historical roots, common misconceptions about cider, and to taste some unique styles. Roger Adamson(Beer Buzz) also joins the conversation with a look at how modern cider production mimics the American beer scene. Want to discover cider for yourself? Check out the 6th annual […]
What’s the perfect wine, spirit, or beer to go with your Valentine’s Day plans? This week on Barrel to Bottle Kristen Ellis, Jeff Carlin, and Roger Adamson(Beer Buzz) explore some elegant offerings from KOHLER Original Recipe Chocolates in Wisconsin and pair them with various spirits, wine, and beer. Looking for something extra special this V-Day? Try Kohler Dark Chocolate Brandy. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward […]
How do the soil, terrain, climate, and tradition impact the taste of certain wines and spirits? Terroir, of course! This week on Barrel to Bottle Kristen Ellis and co-host Jeff Carlin take a trip through terroir’s impact on the production of wine and spirits. Also, joining the conversation are B2B regulars Joe Maloney(Whiskey Hotline) and Roger Adamson(Beer Buzz) with a look at how hops and grain are also impacted by terroir. All that, plus someone walks away with a $20 […]
The hunt is on in the wide-world of whiskey for all things Pappy Van Winkle, but are there cheaper alternatives that are easier to find?This week, Kirsten Ellis and Jeff Carlin welcome back to Barrel to Bottle w/Binny’s Beverage Depot, Whiskey Hotline expert Joe Maloney and Beer Buzz expert Roger Adamson to find out. Kristen lays out the historic legacy of Pappy Van Winkle while Joe puts Roger and Jeff to the test in a blind tasting of unique alternatives […]
On this week’s episdoe of Barrel to Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot as winter weather sets in, host Kristen Ellis lays out a couple of guidelines for picking the perfect cold weather wine that pairs well with football party fare and hearty cold-weather favorites like stews and roasts. Co-host Jeff Carlin and Kristen are joined by Binny’s Whiskey Hotline expert Joe Maloney and Binny’s Beer Buzz expert Roger Adamson on tour of Italian wines that are sure to impress. Have […]
Binny’s Beer Buzz expert Roger Adamson joins hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin for a cold weather survival episode of Barrel to Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot. Roger salutes old-school barleywines that are sure to keep you warm in the cold months of winter. Plus, one lucky fan gets a preview of the beer trends to keep an eye on for 2018 and a free $20 gift card to Binny’s. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on […]
Winemaker Mike Kush has a lot of experience making wine in the Duoro region of Portugal, he joins Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin with a deep dive into the complex world of port wine. What differentiates a tawny from a ruby? Who declares a port wine is Vintage? And what is a late bottled vintage? Mike shares the knowledge he has acquired from spending over a decade on the ground in Portugal working with growers, making his own port wines, […]
There is no better wine to take us through the holiday season than Champagne. Kristen Ellis chats all things ‘fizz’ with her co-host Jeff Carlin in this bubbly episode of Barrel to Bottle. How do the bubbles get in there? What kind of glass should I use to serve Champagne? Why does it taste like it does? Join us as we break it all down just in time for your New Year’s toast. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? […]
Can you pick up a glass of wine and in just one sip identify the grape, region, and even year it was produced? Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin try to wrap their heads around the process of becoming a Master of Wine. Joining the discussion this week on Barrel to Bottle is half of the husband-wife team behind Chasing Harvest wines and MW candidate Mike Kush. Mike offers a first-hand account of just what it takes to prepare one of […]
Did you know someone who fears an empty glass suffers from cenosillicaphobia? This week, host Kristen Ellis takes her co-host Jeff Carlin through the world of drinking phobias/manias, unravels the mystery of sulfites in wine, and debunks common myths about wine temperature. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Follow @BinnysBev Want to attend an upcoming tasting or event? Check out our events page […]
Binny’s Beverage Depot’s beer guru Roger Adamson is back again to join hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin with a unique history of lambic beers and to unravel the mystery of gueuze (or Geuze). Monique Huston and Greg Versh also join the conversation breaking down the process of fermenting with wild yeasts and how these characteristics define the lambic style. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward […]
Binny’s Beverage Depot takes you into the mysterious world of mezcal! Hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin are joined by spirit specialist Monique Huston with a detailed breakdown of the hottest and most complex spirit coming out of Mexico. From tepeztate to tobalá and everything in-between, Monique shares her experiences exploring Mexico’s small batch palenques (distilleries) and their unique histories. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward […]
Binny’s Beverage Depot is setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner with the perfect wine pairings. Kristen Ellis takes her co-host Jeff Carlin, Monique Huston, and Greg Versh course-by-course through a holiday dinner, pairing unique wine profiles with all the holiday classics. Expand your holiday wine selections with Kristen’s picks and be the hit of your next holiday party! Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next […]
Binny’s is breaking down the “ABCs” of wine; the Anything But Chardonnay/Cabernet movement began in the mid-’90s and is still prominent today. Kristen Ellis takes Jeff Carlin through the origins and impact of the ABC trend and how people are exploring the big “Cs” of wine in new ways. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Follow @BinnysBev Want to attend an upcoming tasting […]
When Binny’s beer guru Roger Adamson suggested that we learn how to infuse our own barrel aged stout, hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin were all over it. Using a French press has never been more rewarding! After listening to this episode you’re bound to try it yourself. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Follow @BinnysBev Want to attend an upcoming tasting or […]
Scotchy Scotch Scotch! Pat Brophy from Binny’s teams up with your hosts, Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin to bring you the latest from the Whiskey Hotline. They have Scotch on the brain. Listen as this dynamic trio breaks down methods of production, styles, and to how to properly taste and enjoy, Scotch. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Follow @BinnysBev Want to attend […]
Becoming a Master Sommelier is one of the most difficult and rewarding achievements on the planet. Fernando Beteta MS joins hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin to discuss the triumphs and pitfalls of preparing for the most difficult examination in the wine world. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Follow @BinnysBev Want to attend an upcoming tasting or event? Check out our events […]
Scarcity in beer. It sounds like an oxymoron, however, when everyone wants to get their hands on the same beer it creates hysteria! Binny’s Beer Buzz team Roger Adamson and Pat Brophy join hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin to break down scarcity in beer. The Beer Buzz crew offer delicious alternatives to some favorite, and often unavailable, styles. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your […]
Hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin are joined by the world-renowned Whiskey Hotline on this episode of Barrel to Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot. Special guests Brett Pontoni and Joe Maloney explain the basics of American Whiskey. What’s the difference between bourbon and rye? And what about those mysterious allocated whiskeys? Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Follow @BinnysBev Want to attend an […]
Kristen teaches Jeff to taste like a pro on this episode of Barrel to Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot. Jeff learns to decipher structural elements in wine-like acidity and tannin. Plus, they debunk a popular myth that all wine gets better with age. Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a $20 gift card toward your next purchase! Want to attend an upcoming tasting or event? Check out our events page “If […]
On the inaugural episode of Barrel to Bottle with Binny’s Beverage Depot podcast, hosts Kristen Ellis and Jeff Carlin tackle one of the most common questions people have about wine: What should I drink and when? They discuss seasonality, food pairings, and tips for avoiding extra calories from wine. Plus, Kristen offers up some strategies for getting those who might be overwhelmed by Binny’s the vast selection of wine or as she calls it ‘shelf anxiety.’ Have a question for […]