Penny & Sparrow is a folk music duo from Austin, TX. On their tour through Louisville, Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke, the talented guys behind the band, stopped by for a few bourbon pours. We talk about life on the road, their musical creation process, and how their fans give them bourbon at shows. You can catch their latest album, Finch, wherever you stream your music.

Show Notes:

• Pappy Map retires: http://bourbonr.com/blog/pappy-van-winkle-release-map-retires/
• This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about the holidays.
• How did you all get into music and start the band?
• Where does your inspiration come from?
• What is your craziest moment with a fan?
• How did you get into bourbon hunting?
• What bourbon got you hooked?
• How does the band work when you live in different states?
• Who is the messy one?
• What’s it like on the road?
• What do you listen to on the road?
• Have you been on the Bourbon Trail?
• Where do you go when bourbon hunting?
• Do you ever get free bourbon?
• How did fans discover your were into bourbon?
• What does it mean to you when someone says your music has changed their life?
• Where did the name Penny & Sparrow come from?
• Was there a moment where you felt like you made it?
• Tell us about your latest album, Finch.

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If you’re a fan of good bourbon, then you’re likely a fan of good food too. Today’s guest is the intersection of those two, combining a culinary background with his love for the south and, of course, bourbon. You may know Chef Newman Miller from his appearance on Top Chef season 16. He’s also the Executive Chef and Owner of Star Hill Provisions at Maker’s Mark and the Harrison Smith House in Bardstown. We talk about his culinary background, where he played a part in the creation of the McDonald’s McGriddle and behind the scenes at Top Chef. His deep dive into bourbon was influenced by Drew Kulsveen of Willett. So if you’re a wannabe chef or if you’re an occasional TV dinner kind of person, this episode is going to have something for you.

Show Notes:

• This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about 4th of July.
• What was Padma from Top Chef like in real life?
• What was it like when you heard about being on Top Chef?
• Why do you think they chose Kentucky for Top Chef?
• What did the chefs think of being in smaller towns?
• Was it challenging to cook for everyone?
• What’s a banana croquet?
• How cool was it to have the chefs create versions of your dishes?
• How hard is it to judge fellow chefs?
•  Tell us about your relationship with Rob Samuels. Was there a pep talk before the show?
• Were you relieved once it was over?
• How did you get into food?
• Did you approach Maker’s about making food there?
• Will some of the main food distributors come down to Maker’s?
• What are your biggest challenges?
• How hard was it to convince the locals to try higher end food?
• Talk about meeting Drew Kulsveen and how you got into the bourbon community.
• Where did your passion for bourbon come from?
• Besides Maker’s, do you have a special bourbon that you love?
• Tell us about your connection to the McGriddle.
• Where does bourbon and food intersect for you?
• Talk about Star Hill Provisions.
• How do you see the future unfolding for the bourbon/tourism industry in Bardstown/Kentucky?
• Why did you name the restaurant Harrison/Smith House?

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This guest gets more TV face time than The Bachelorette. He has built up a big fan base among weather geeks and now Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel joins Bourbon Pursuit to talk about his career, braving crazy storms, and how weather patterns and global warming are affecting today’s bourbon stocks. We also get to hear a funny story shared by Jim and Fred as they were drilling barrels of whiskey together at Jack Daniels. This episode gives you a look into Jim’s everyday life and how bourbon became a part of it.

Show Notes:

• The Curation Desk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fSTu8zbAwM
• Chuck Cowdery’s Top Bourbon List https://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-best-bourbons-ever.html
• Pursuit Series Episodes 010 and 011 https://pursuitspirits.com/
• This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about whiskey decanters.
• How did you get involved in weather?
• When did you start drinking whiskey?
• After you first started drink bourbon, what were you seeking out in the store or bar?
• What’s the strangest thing anyone has said to you in public?
• Do you get annoyed that people associate you with disasters?
• Do you get a high being in bad weather?
• Do you ever get panicked in certain weather situations?
• When you celebrate a job well done, what do you drink?
• Tell us about your interest in cars.
• Was deflategate real?
• Can your joints hurt from weather changes?
• Does increased rain impact a microclimate? Waters are rising around distilleries. How will it impact the warehouses?
• Will the rain affect the white oak trees?
• Do you predict any climate shifts in the Kentucky area that could affect bourbon?
• Tell us about the time you picked out a barrel with Fred.
• How does humidity affect barrels?
• Jim Cantore Website/Social https://jimcantore.tv/

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Matt Rehwoldt, or better known as WWE Superstar Aiden English, is finding a passion in bourbon with WrestlingWithWhiskey Instagram and YouTube series. Matt was in town for a live event so we took the opportunity to invite him over to talk about wrestling and whiskey. We discuss a his career, personal life, and of course, when bourbon became an obsession. His traveling schedule has turned him into a national bourbon hunter and he’s got some stories to tell.

Show Notes:

• Find Bourbon Pursuit on Pandora
• Learn more about Pursuit Series
• Derby Museum Legends Series
• Bourbon Pursuit presenting at The Louisville Bourbon Society on 3/18
• The week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about limited edition whiskey advertising.
• How did you get into whiskey?
• Is Wrestling with Whiskey the real you?
• Have your trips turned into adventures with side stops for Bourbon hunting?
• Have you connected with a store yet and built those relationships?
• Talk about how you got into wrestling.
• What demographic is the WWE fan base?
• South Park did a spoof of wrestling. Talk about the state of wrestling and how it’s perceived as choreography.
• Tell us about your wife.
• Were you nervous when you married into the top wrestling tree?
• What’s your persona in the ring?
• Have you ever thought about changing your persona?
• Is WWE against alcohol being portrayed?
• How have you been received on social media when sharing posts about wrestling and bourbon?
• Have you ever been stalked?
• Are you using Instagram to connect with fans and let them see the real you behind the scenes?

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What do the Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, Sox, and Bourbon have in common? That’s life for Carmen DeFalco, ESPN Chicago Radio host of Carmen and Jurko. Carmen and Kenny were introduced over twitter and through Carmen’s tweet storm of local sports, he has a following of people that want to know more about bourbon. Carmen joins the show to talk about his Chicago hunting tales and when he breaks open big bottles for Stanley Cup victories.

Show Notes:

• We had some trouble getting started and we now see our kids can navigate technology better
• Talk about your radio show, Carmen and Jurko on ESPN Radio Chicago. http://www.espn.com/espnradio/podcast/archive/_/id/3095452
• What’s your bourbon story?
• Your Dad was in the wholesale business. Did that have a big influence?
• Were your friends at 21 making fun of you for being a whiskey drinker?
• Has it flipped where people now go to your house and rummage through your whiskey collection?
• Are you more of a Binny’s person or do you have your hole in the walls?
• How long have you been going through the cycle of traveling and hunting?
• Maker’s Mark is like a gateway into this world. What was next for you?
• Can you remember any of those resources you used when you started learning more about bourbon?
• How much do you talk about bourbon on the air?
• What’s really becoming more hard to find?
• Do you ever drink on air?
• Do you have a particular whiskey to align with what sport your watching?
• Now that you have had some older vintages you could use those as trading for better values
• Do you get chastised for not being a cubs fan?
• Bourbon and Bacon Fundraiser Event – https://chicagobourbonandbacon.eventscff.org/
• Follow Carmen on Twitter – https://twitter.com/carmendefalco

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