The Tasting Room: Recent Episodes
Grassfire
Welcome to The Tasting Room, a behind-the-scenes look into the people responsible for the blossoming food and beverage scene throughout the country. You'll hear what inspires top chefs, mixologists, restaurant and bar owners - and how they plan on pushing the boundaries of their craft.
The Real Wolf of Wine himself, Jermaine Stone, joins the Tasting Room for an After Dark special episode. Jermaine and John talk about bridging the gap between hip hop and wine culture, Jermaine's past as a wine auctioneer, his Emmy-nominated hit show Street Somm, and his current Terroir Tapes Sessions Tour.
On this episode Matt Sanders, founder and former owner of Vintage Wine Bar in Tulsa, OK stops by the Tasting Room.
Matt and John touch on a range of topics, spanning from owning your own business and ultimately realizing you need a fresh start, to what you should say to the sommelier when ordering wine at a restaurant.
Chase Healey, co-founder and brewmaster at the award-winning American Solera Brewery in Tulsa, OK, joins this week's Tasting Room.
The guys talk through Chase's lineage in the beer world, what's new and exciting at American Solera, and a new drink fad getting ready to sweep through America.
On this week's Tasting Room, John Pierce, founder of "Coffee at Heirloom", gives John & Austin details on the new venture... Austin's viral Gustungling video & everyone's infatuation with Seth Rogen... & another round of 'Guess That Beer!'... with a correct guess!
Welcome to the first episode of Tasting Room AFTER HOURS, where John visits with special guests outside of the normal Tasting Room Podcast.
Up first is Cat Cox, owner of Country Bird Bakery. She and John discuss her art background, venturing out and opening her own business, and what could be next for the renowned baker.
On this episode of the Tasting Room, John and Austin deep dive on company KPI's and how they're formulated in the brewery world, the downside of LOI's, and Austin's upcoming cold plunge with John.
Jake Miller of Heirloom Rustic Ales joins the Tasting Room this week. Topics include how brewery owners deal with the relaitvely slow month of January for beer sales, what he ultimatly wants beer to become in society, and his thoughts on the upcoming F1 season.
On this episode of the Tasting Room, John and Austin touch on today's Yelp! culture, how to capture the 2013 craft beer feeling again, and some of their favorite restaurant experiences. Plus the guys welcome Christina Winkle to the show to talk about her podcast, Chew. Sip. Repeat.
Welcome into the Tasting Room, where John and Austin discuss John's attempt at Dry January, his obsession with eating at hole-in-the-wall Mexican food restaurants, plus the two debut a new game!
On this edition of the Tasting Room Podcast, John and Austin are joined in the first half-hour by Jonathan Trout (brewer & cellarmaster at Cabin Boys Brewery), and in the second half-hour by C.J. Moss (owner of the Moss Group & John's brother).
On this episode of the Tasting Room, John welcomes back Austin from his Baby-Moon in Paris. The two are joined by two vintners - Eric (Flanagan Wines) & Riley (Riley's Rows) Flanagan.
On this episode of the Tasting Room, John is joined by Mike Collier, Chief Meteorologist at KJRH-TV in Tulsa, OK. The two former colleagues talk about live in the television world, Mike's love of the Philadelphia Eagles, and what goes into making a weather forecast.
The Tasting Room is back, and in a new format - each Monday night Austin and John will host a livestream on YouTube from 8-9pm (CST), and repurpose that livestream as a podcast on Tuesday.
Welcome to the first episode of the newly re-imagined Tasting Room! John welcomes back his trusty sidekick Austin, as they unveil the new direction of the Tasting Room, and the newly created Grassfire | Podcasts family of shows.
Spring break is over, and the Tasting Room is back with a bang as Aaron Underwood from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants stops in. John and Aaron talk about the ever changing world of wine, the process Kermit goes through in selecting producers, and give a special shoutout to Prince Ali from Aladin.
On this episode of the Tasting Room, Eric Flanagan stops in for a chat. The founder of Flanagan Wines in Sonoma County, CA, Eric has a vast knowledge of the wine industry. Topics of conversation include how his winery had to adapt to Covid-19, where he sees the industry heading, and his second job as an investor in vineyard sites across California.
The band is back together! Former Tasting Room co-host Austin McIllroy joins John to talk about Cabin Boys' two new ventures, how his new brewpub will bring a different dining experience to guests, and if the current craft beer scene has become stale.
Season 3 of the Tasting Room kicks off with Nate Young, the newest GM of Lowood in Tulsa, OK. Nate talks about his vision for the restaurant, some of the difficulties of running a restaurant during the holiday season, and what goes into his famous egg nog.
Chris Emmons, co-owner of Oakhart BBQ, stops by the Tasting Room for Week 3 of BBQ Month. He and John talk about the challenges of opening up a new restaurant in today's world, Chris' love of the Buffalo Bills, and Texas Monthly's recent feature of his restaurant.
"The King of BBQ" makes a stop by The Tasting Room for this week's episode. Donny Teel, owner of Buffalo's BBQ in Sperry, OK, has been cooking his 'Q on the competition circuit for over twenty years. He tells stories of his time on the road, running his BBQ stand in Sperry, and his thoughts on the booming popularity of BBQ.
Adam Green, owner of Mac's BBQ in Skiatook, OK, stopped by the Tasting Room to kickoff BBQ Month. He and John touched on numerous topics including what differentiates Mac's from other BBQ places in Oklahoma, his love of bourbon, and his opinion on the popular pitmaster Aaron Franklin of Franklin's BBQ in Austin, TX.
Bradley Dry stops by the Tasting Room for this episode. He takes us behind the scenes of Reservation Dogs, where he prepared meals for the cast and crew, and Yellowstone, where he's heading to do the same thing next month. Bradley also discusses his Native heritage, growing up Cherokee, and how that influences his cooking as an adult.
Chef Trey Winkle stops by the Tasting Room for this episode. Winkle, the Chef de Cuisine at FarmBar (Tulsa, OK ) & Living Kitchen (Depew, OK), talks about a wide range of topics - from how his love of alchemy bleeds over into his cooking, to his hope that African cuisine emerges in restaurants across the country...and so much more.
On this week's episode, the Tasting Room welcomes in Chip Gaberino and Ian Pico. Chip is the owner of Topeca Coffee and one of the founding principles of G&B Provisions, which runs Saturn Room, Open Container, Hodges Bend, and Lowood - all in Tulsa, OK. Ian is the Director of Coffee at Topeca and was the 2018 U.S. Roaster Champion. The two coffee connoisseurs talk about the changing landscape of the coffee world, as well as consumer behavior overall in the hospitality industry.
Chef Justin Thompson stops by the Tasting Room to talk about his new restaurant, Freya, in Tulsa OK. Justin and John Moss also talk about his culinary journey, and his leadership style in running his restaurant group, JTR Group.
Jared Jordan pays a visit to The Tasting Room, where he and John Moss talk about his current role at the Summit Club in Tulsa, OK. Jared also takes us on a deep dive into the natural wine movement (spoiler: he isn't a big fan) and explains how an Oklahoma native grows to have an affinity for an English Premier League soccer club.
Chef Bobby Benjamin joins the Tasting Room to talk about relocating to Tulsa from Louisville, KY... his love of bourbon... and his passion for creating memorable dining experiences for every guest at each of his establishments.
Chef Ben Alexander takes a seat in the Tasting Room, where he explains how his Armed Forces background helps him run more than a dozen kitchens across the country. He also gives us a sneak peek into the upcoming concepts from the McNellie's Group.
John and Austin are joined by Riley Flanagan, owner or Riley's Rows wine. The conversation goes from her start in the wine industry with her father, to her disdain for beer, and the crazy lifestyle of a winery owner.
John and Austin are joined by Jake Miller, founder and master brewer at Heirloom Rustic Ales. The guys touch on Jake's extensive background in the beer world learned from jobs around the country, his love of fishing, and his passion for conservation.
John and Austin are joined by Max Shafer, head brewer at Roadhouse Brewing Co. in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The guys talk about Roadhouse's extensive footprint in the culinary scene, Max's role in scaling Roadhouse to its current capacity, and his favorite beer in his impressive cellar.
Following a last-minute guest cancellation, John and Austin spend a few minutes updating you all on what's been happening, and what you can look forward to!
John and Austin are joined by two guests on this episode: Dustin Patterson, production manager for Balcones Whisky out of Waco, TX - and David McClain, head brewer at Cabin Boys Brewery. Dustin and David talk about their upcoming collaboration, and the guys ask Dustin about the beverage culture down in Waco and how Balcones has been a chief figure in its evolution. Plus, we find out what musician Austin is obsessed with.
John and Austin are joined by Aaron Post, owner of Valkyrie and St. Vitus in Tulsa. The conversation touches on all sorts of topics - from Valkyrie's award-winning drink menu, to creating an entirely new culture with St. Vitus.
Austin and John are joined by two of the masterminds behind Cirque Coffee. The guys touch on everything from business, to coffee farm relationships, to the most awkward customer interaction in the history of the hospitality industry.
John and Austin return from holiday break and welcome James Beard nominee Lisa Becklund to The Tasting Room. The conversation ranges from Lisa's start in Seattle, to her decision to move to Oklahoma & start Living Kitchen, open up Farm Bar in Tulsa, & much more!
Austin & John are joined by Andrew Jolly of Doubleshot Coffee Company in Tulsa, OK. The guys talk about the constantly evolving coffee scene, and how that plays a part in Tulsa's culture & identity as a city.
Drinks Booker's Bourbon Cornerstone Saison Shades of Pale (v1) Busch Maduro 21 coffee pour-over
John and Austin are joined by restaurateur Noah Bush, who owns multiple businesses in the Tulsa area. Between Hodges Bend, Lowood, Saturn Room, and Open Container, Bush's operations represent a large portion of Tulsa's up and coming food & cocktail scene. The guys delve into inspiration gained while traveling, the amount of transplants moving to Tulsa and what that's doing to the hospitality industry, and Bush gives a quick class on how a sommelier tastes a glass of wine.
Drinks: Cisterna Fuori Etna Rosso Wiseman Kentucky Bourbon Basis Lager Dryad Dreams
Austin & John are joined by Katie Godoy from American Solera brewery in Tulsa, OK. Katie does a bit of everything at Solera, including running all events and managing the taproom, as well as playing an integral part in distribution. The topics of conversation range from Katie's time at Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis, to the challenges of working in a predominately male profession.
Drinks: Lagunitas Sucks Busch American Solera's Solero American Solera's Perpetual Bliss Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Cabin Boy's Huntman IPA Old Tub Kentucky Bourbon
Austin & John are joined by BBQ Pitmaster Nick Corcoran, whose current restaurant High Dive is a creative fusion of Korean flavors & traditional BBQ. The guys talk about a wide array of topics, including the early days to Burn Co. BBQ, Hideaway Pizza's pizza oven, and why Tulsans refuse to promote themselves.
Drinks: Roknar Minnesota Rye Whiskey (Ranch Acres Store Pick) Sooners or Laters Biere de Garde (Cabin Boys / Marble Brewery collab) Felix et Tenebris Stout (Cabin Boys)
John and Austin are joined by Eric Marshall, owner of Marshall Brewing Company - Tulsa first craft brewery. The guys talk about Eric's journey in the craft beer industry, where they see the industry heading, and what beers inspire Eric to this day.
Austin and John are joined by Trevor Tack, Executive Chef of Watershed Hospitality. He and his team are opening The Hemmingway, a much-anticipated steakhouse in Tulsa, in December. Chef Tack has been in the hospitality industry for the better part of two decades, and joins The Tasting Room to talk about menu creation, wine pairings, and the stresses of opening a new restaurant.
Austin and John are joined by Trevor Tack, Executive Chef of Watershed Hospitality. He and his team are opening The Hemmingway, a much-anticipated steakhouse in Tulsa, in December. Chef Tack has been in the hospitality industry for the better part of two decades, and joins The Tasting Room to talk about menu creation, wine pairings, and the stresses of opening a new restaurant.
Austin and John are joined by Elliot Nelson, founder and CEO of the McNellie's Group. Nelson has been credited with sparking the revitalization of downtown Tulsa by opening McNellie's Pub, the Group's flagship establishment.
Austin and John are joined by Elliot Nelson, founder and CEO of the McNellie's Group. Nelson has been credited with sparking the revitalization of downtown Tulsa by opening McNellie's Pub, the Group's flagship establishment.
John and Austin are joined by Colin Sato, Executive Chef at Vintage Wine Bar in Tulsa, OK. The guys talk about Colin's roots in Japanese cooking, his new cooking course, and his love of... sugar milk?
John and Austin are joined by Colin Sato, Executive Chef at Vintage Wine Bar in Tulsa, OK. The guys talk about Colin's roots in Japanese cooking, his new cooking course, and his love of... sugar milk?
Welcome to "The Tasting Room"! Hosts John Moss and Austin McIlroy give you a lowdown on what to expect from their new show.