279 – The Coveted Bourbon County Brand Stout with Bill Savage of Goose Island
While the rest of society is busting down the doors on Black Friday for TVs, the beer lovers are hitting up every liquor store to grab the most iconic barrel aged stouts on the market coming from Goose Island. Every year, Bourbon County Stout has beer lovers drooling to see what variants will be released. We’re joined by Bill Savage, a lead brewer for the barrel aging program at Goose Island, to get an inside look into one of my favorite beers of all time. We talk about the time that goes into this yearly release and what happens when yeast goes wild.
Show Notes:
- Kroger’s Ultimate Bourbon Auction: https://one.bidpal.net/zero/welcome
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about bourbons to pair with Thanksgiving.
- How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?
- How long have you been with Goose Island?
- How did you end up working in the Goose Island Barrel Program?
- Tell us about the process.
- How many barrels are going into the release?
- How long do you age it in the barrel?
- Do you test each barrel?
- Can you over age a barrel?
- Do you reuse barrels?
- What’s the rationale for the high ABV?
- How do you pick your variants?
- What’s the thought process behind the collaborations with distilleries?
- Are you exploring aging other styles?
278 – How Brands and Retailers Can Mine Data with Mike Provance of 3×3
Every business wants to make their marketing dollars stretch further. The focus has shifted to targeting demographics through Facebook campaigns, social media, and even podcasts. We’re joined by Mike Provance of 3×3 to see how brands and liquor stores are using their platform to reach new customers.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about wax.
- What sport would you compete in if you were in the Olympics?
- Tell us about your platform.
- How do you convince retailers to adopt this digital trend?
- How can you make your dollar stretch further with your platform?
- How do stores learn what their customers like?
- What do you use to build audiences?
- Does more marketing spending by a supplier benefit the retailer?
- How is shipping changing your business?
- Influencer marketing vs. targeting marketing?
- What about in-store experiences?
274 – What is Sourced Whiskey?
What is sourced whiskey? It can mean a lot of different things and many of us bourbon geeks feel some do it better than others. There is contract distillation and there is outright buying barrels, but it’s what you are doing with the bourbon that makes the story. We evaluate some of the most iconic brands that built their legacy off of sourcing and then look at today’s market to see who is doing something special versus simply slapping a label on a bottle.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about barrel finishes.
- How do you know when something is sourced?
- How do you source whiskey?
- What brands are sourced?
- What about pricing sourced whiskey?
- What kind of influence has sourced whiskey had on the industry?
- What is more respectable, starting a brand sourced and then transitioning to your own distillate or starting with your own distillate?
- What about contract distilling?
- What are the primary places to source from?
272 – Crafting Cocktails with Nic Christiansen of Barrell Craft Spirits
Well, you asked for another episode talking cocktails and that’s what you get. On this episode, we talk to Nic Christiansen who runs the single barrel program at Barrell Craft Spirits, but is also a nationally recognized bartender and cocktail competition champion. She talks about the variety of cocktails and how it’s really about swapping out simple ingredients to create endless possibilities. From a classic Old Fashioned or Mint Julep to creating your own bitters, this episode will have you wanting to create something unique of your own.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about bourbon heritage month.
- What was your favorite tv show growing up as a kid?
- Tell us about your background.
- What made you decide to get into cocktails?
- What bad habits did you learn when you first started making cocktails?
- What is involved with being a beverage director?
- How do you train bartenders?
- How did you remember all those cocktails?
- How do you make bitters?
- How do you build a cocktail from an economic perspective?
- What is your Old Fashioned recipe?
- What is a Brown Derby?
- What kind of ice do you prefer?
- What do you think about the growing mixology culture?
- Do you ever enter competitions?
- What is your go to vermouth?
- Rye vs. Bourbon in cocktails?
- What are your thoughts on Rum cocktails?
- How frustrated do you get when a place can’t make a good cocktail?
- Do you prefer different cocktails for different seasons?
- Talk about using a raw egg in a New York Sour.
- Where did you get the inspiration for your New York Sour?
- Any upcoming cocktail trends?
- What do you do on a daily basis?
- Does your palate differ from Tripp and Joe?
271 – The Impossible Collection of Whiskey with Clay Risen
Clay Risen somehow narrowly escaped being a guest on the podcast, but we got him. We talk about some of his past work and his newest book, The Impossible Collection Of Whiskey: The 100 Most Exceptional And Collectible Bottles, that will be coming out in October 2020. So of course, we talk about chasing unicorns and our early bourbon regrets.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about unity in bourbon.
- Tell us about your books.
- If you could be best friends with any celebrity, who would it be?
- Do you feel like books need to be refreshed constantly?
- Talk about the different kinds of rye.
- What are your favorite ryes?
- How did you become the whiskey guy?
- What year did you get into whiskey?
- What is one of your favorite pieces you’ve wrote?
- Tell us about your new book.
- How do you have time to venture out to all different kinds of whiskies?
- Did you include specific vintages in your new book?
- What about exports created for the Japanese market?
- How hard would it be for you to open a rare whiskey?
- Now that you are covering politics, are you drinking more whiskey?
266 – State Bourbon Battle: New York vs. Kentucky
In this podcast, we look to see if there are any distilleries in New York that can take on good old fashioned Kentucky bourbon. Dan Walkski, Manager of Fine Spirits at Midvalley Wine and Liquor in Newburgh, NY shares some of his favorites from the region and we taste them in a blind battle. There’s a few surprises thrown in that cause some major upsets. Tune in to see what state comes out on top.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about age statements.
- How did you get into bourbon?
- What is the bourbon scene like in Newburgh, NY?
- What is the largest growing spirit in your store?
- Tasting of New York and Kentucky whiskies.
- Do you get a lot of allocated bourbon?
- What do encourage your customers to try since you don’t get a lot of allocated items?
- What is a good gateway bourbon?
- How to you price bottles in the store?
- Do you put all your bottles for sale online?
- Have you visited all these NY distilleries?
264 – Artfully Blending and Finishing with Nancy Fraley
Nancy Fraley is world-renowned for her expertise on blending… or is it mingling? In this podcast, we talk about the difference between blending and mingling, but also go into barrel sizes, terroir, and the art of barrel finishing. Spoiler alert, here’s another industry veteran who isn’t a fan of small barrels.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about hats.
- Tell us about your background.
- How did you get on the blending path?
- What is a french style?
- What are other styles of blending?
- Let’s talk blending vs. mingling.
- Talk about blending trends you are seeing internationally and in the US.
- What is terroir?
- What characteristics are you looking for when blending?
- Tell us about the impact of barrel size and climate on the bourbon.
- How do you decide what kind of cask you want to finish a bourbon in?
- How do you test a finish?
- What type of whiskey works better for finishing?
- How often do you sample?
- How do you figure out how long you finish a bourbon in a barrel?
- Are there any tried and true casks?
- Should the finishing barrel be empty?
263 – Distillation Deep Dive with Tripp Stimson of Barrell Bourbon
Many of us know the basics of distillation, but only a few know the true science. Today, we’re joined by Tripp Stimson of Barrell Bourbon and we ask all the hard questions on distillation that we’ve always wanted to know. This is really for the geeks at heart because it goes into pH levels, yeast strains, malting processes, and so much more. Listen close to the expert because it’s definitely one show where you will learn something new about the distillation process.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about bourbon in the movies.
- What are your goals for the year?
- Tell us about your background.
- Let’s talk about grains.
- Does it matter where the grain comes from?
- What happens after getting the grain?
- Does the size of the mash tub matter?
- What is the percentage of mash to water?
- What’s the best way to mix the mash?
- How long is the process?
- How do you know the mash is ready?
- What grain do you add in first?
- Talk about malted grain.
- What happens next?
- What is the consistency of the product when going from the mash tub to the fermentation tank?
- Let’s talk about yeast.
- What about a mash rest?
- What is the chemical breakdown during fermentation?
- Why do some people do closed vs. open fermentation?
- What determines the number of days for fermentation?
- Do different grains change the process?
- What is sour mash?
- Let’s talk about the pH of the water.
- Is the flavor more consistent in a sour mash process vs. sweet mash?
- Do you use a bourbon backset in a rye mash?
- What happens after fermentation?
- Talk about the shape of stills.
- After the still where does it go?
- What happens in the doubler?
- What are heads, hearts and tails?
- What are the health risks of the process?
- What’s the difference between the column still and pot still?
- When do you get the waste out?
- How do you control the proof coming off the still?
- What is the argument for a low entry proof?
- Does it have to be the exact proof listed on the label?
- How do you get a final proof when using multiple barrels?
- How do you clean the equipment?
- Does an older still produce a different flavor?
- What are you looking for when picking rum?
260 – Rare Bottles and High Bids with Joe Hyman of Skinner Auctioneers
Do you have a really old bottle of whiskey? What about a unicorn that’s coveted by every bourbon enthusiast out there? We’re joined by Joe Hyman of Skinner Auctioneers to talk about what it’s like to buy and sell high-end bottles at a legit auction. We talk about everything from the bottles they accept, how they process auctions, and how they spot fakes. Every year a whiskey breaks the ceiling for sales, who knows what it will be this year.
Show Notes:
- BevAlc Insights: https://bevalcinsights.com/
- Dating Old American Whiskey Bottles: https://bourbonveach.com/2020/06/29/dating-old-american-whiskey-bottles/
- Whiskey Advocate Article: https://www.whiskyadvocate.com/black-market-bourbon-feature/
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about Bottled-In-Bond.
- How did you get into spirits and auctions?
- Did 50 year old scotch ruin you?
- How do you get these rare bottles?
- Talk about the legalities of selling and shipping alcohol for an auction house.
- How do you transport or ship the bottles?
- What do you define as a rare bottle?
- How often do you get something in and it’s ruined somehow?
- How do people react when they bring you a bottle that they think is amazing, but you can’t sell it?
- How do you spot fakes?
- What would happen if you auctioned a counterfeit bottle?
- Do you research on the secondary market for pricing? How do you gauge value?
- What do you attribute fluctuations in the market to?
- Any advice for people wanting to participate in an auction?
- Do you still get a thrill when finding rare bottles?
- Are there things you won’t sell?
- What’s the record sale?
- What’s your commission rate?
- Who is cooler, Scotch or American whiskey buyers?
259 – Bourbon Trail Tips with Eric Carrico
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone was able to give you the best tips for planning out your bourbon trail experience? Look no further. In this podcast we cover the distilleries, experiences, and some restaurants you can’t miss. It’s impossible to get to every distillery in a short amount of time, but this episode will give you the scoop on how to navigate the areas of Kentucky to make the most of it.
Show Notes:
- This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about a bourbon that is $22.99.
- How did you get involved with AirBNBs?
- What is the difference between AirBNBs and hotels?
- What’s a good number of days to spend on the bourbon trail?
- When is a good day to take a tour?
- How do you recommend distilleries to different groups?
- Tell us about the different pods.
- Where does Maker’s fit in?
- What distillery would you hide out in during a zombie apocalypse?
- What is the bourbon chase?
- What are you thoughts on the bourbon bubble?
- Ashford Key Properties: https://www.facebook.com/ashfordkey/
