Barrel To Bottle, The Binny's Podcast

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 Toni

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