AboutBeverages.com - Podcast

It is no secret that Keith works for Trader Joe's. If you have listened to us regularly you know that it comes up often during our shows. There have been times where the arrival of a beverage to Trader Joe's has either inspired us to plan for a future podcast or has saved us at the last minute because we still hadn't figured out what we would be trying the next day. This particular beverage falls into the former category as we knew the week before that we would be featuring this for a show. For this episode we will be trying the Trader Joe's Reserve Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands 2020. Established in 1992 as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA includes approximately 5,700 acres of vinifera grapevines, predominantly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This Chardonnay is available for a limited time and is priced at $9.99. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

It is no secret that we are big fans of sour beers. There are a multitude of styles including Flanders Red, gose, Berliner Weisse, and lambic to name a few. The sour beer we will be trying today comes from a brewery that not only does a wide array of sours but also does many other tasty beers as well. For this week's show we will be trying the Spicy Pickle Monster from Prairie Artisan Ales. This beer was selected for the show by Keith's wife while they were shopping at Plaza Liquors on his birthday and its combination of flavors is definitely intriguing. This sour ale features lemon, lime, orange, spicy dill pickles and this year also has habaneros to add a little extra spice. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

On a recent visit to California, Andrew discovered a local distillery that was very close to where he was staying. He sampled a flight of some of their offerings and the one he purchased to bring home is what we will be trying for this week's show. For this episode we will be trying the Pacific Coast Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey. Pacific Coast Spirits is a grain-to-glass craft distillery that also has a restaurant on the premises. This small batch whiskey is released twice a year and is never chill filtered. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

For this week's show we will be trying something from one of our favorite spirits categories and it comes highly recommended from someone who has never led us astray. While in chat during one of his gaming sessions, Andrew had this bourbon recommended to him by fellow bourbon lover, Berserkr. Fortunately for us, Andrew was able to grab the last bottle at our local Total Wine so we could share it with you. For this episode we will be trying the Rabbit Hole Dareringer Bourbon. This bourbon is finished in PX Sherry casks and comes in at 46.5% ABV. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

We are always happy when we receive suggestions about beverages that we should try. We are even happier when that suggestion is accompanied by an actual sample of the beverage itself. We are downright ecstatic when that sample is a full (almost) bottle of Scotch. As luck would have it that is exactly the situation we have today as we will be trying the Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Single Malt Scotch. Andrew was given this bottle by someone who tried it and found that he had yet to develop an appreciation for its flavor profile. Knowing that Andrew enjoyed Scotch and had a beverage focused podcast he gave it to Andrew who immediately decided that we should try it for one of our shows. This whisky spends time in both European and American sherry seasoned oak casks and comes in at 43% ABV. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

For over a year now, one of our favorite new breweries (to us) has been Drekker Brewing Company. Located in Fargo North Dakota, they have been around since 2014. We have tried a wide range of their IPA's, DIPA's, and sours and most of them have been delicious. Certainly we like some more than others but we have never been disappointed. Their sour offerings come in a variety of styles including slush, pastry, and fruited and they are always coming up with something new that challenges what we know about sour beers. Suffice it to say, whenever we see them at our local bottle shop we know we have some delicious decisions to make. One of Andrew's most recent selections is what we will be sharing with you on this episode. We will be trying the Drekker Brewing Slang Du Jour Carrot Cake Sour Ale. At first thought one might wonder how carrot cake can and will translate into beer form, but if anyone can make it happen we know it is Drekker. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

At first glance a beer that makes a flavor connection to cereal might seem a little strange. However, if one takes a moment to consider how many seemingly crazy concoctions, connections, and creations are made these days in the craft beer world it doesn't seem so strange at all. It is important to have those go-to styles and old favorites to choose from, but it is just plain fun (and usually tasty) when breweries challenge our palates and perceptions with beers featuring sour patch kids, edible glitter, and gummy worms. These styles may not be for everyone, so we ask you to keep an open mind the next time someone offers you a beer that may initially seem off-putting. At the very least, we hope the next time someone offers you a podcast episode featuring a beer that also tastes like cereal milk you are at least willing to give it a listen. As fate would have it, we are doing just that as this week we will be trying the Cereal Milk from Streetside Brewery in Cincinnati Ohio. This beer is a Dunkelweizen and has an ABV of 5.5%. According to their website it “began its life as one of our weirder beer ideas and has turned into a Streetside cult hit.” What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

In this episode we are going to give you two beverages for the price of one. The only thing you spend to watch one of our shows is your time-which is very precious, we know-and this week you will be getting added value! For quite a while now we have talked about featuring the Negroni, a cocktail consisting of equal parts gin, campari, and sweet vermouth, on one of our shows but for whatever reason it had yet to happen. It occurred to us recently that there is another drink made with two of the same ingredients but it swaps out the gin for whiskey, thereby making it a Boulevardier. Since we already had the gin and whiskey on hand all we had to do was procure some Campari and sweet vermouth, which we did. For this show we will be making a Negroni and a Boulevardier and trying them side-by-side to see how the swapping of the spirit affects the flavor profile. This show was a little different than our standard format yet still went very smoothly and we had a lot of fun. If you watched us live on Twitch on the Thursday night we recorded this then you also got to see us try the Campari and Sweet Vermouth by themselves which was good entertainment in and of itself. As far as the spirits, we used Gray Whale gin in the Negroni and Michter's rye in the Boulevardier. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Hard ciders are a fast-growing segment of the beverage universe. Made from many different types of apples and in a multitude of styles, they are naturally gluten free which further broadens their appeal. We have tried a few over the years starting in 2010 with Samuel Smith's Organic Cider and most recently we had the Blueberry Spaceship Box from Superstition Meadery. It is a category we really enjoy that we intend on exploring more. We will make good on that intention this week as we will be trying the Prickly Pearadise Prickly Pear Cider from 2 Towns Ciderhouse. This cider is made with a fusion of NW apples and prickly pear cactus fruit. It is available year round and has an ABV of 5.3%. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Regular viewers of our show should know by now that Keith works at Trader Joe's. Often inspiration will strike while Keith is at work and a beverage from the store becomes a part of one of our live shows at Twitch.tv/aboutbeverages. Every once in a while we need something at the last minute and then it is due to desperation that something from Trader Joe's becomes a part of the show. Whether it be something from column A or something from column B, we are grateful to be able to have this option so readily available. As you may have guessed by now, for this episode we have something from Trader Joe's to share with you. Today we will be trying the Saltram S2 Shiraz 2019, from The Barossa Valley in Australia. This is not something that Trader Joe's usually carries, but due to some trade issues between Australia and China (the country this wine is usually exported to) the winery was left with 30,000 cases that had no place to call home. Enter Trader Joe's, who negotiated to buy the entire allotment, so that they could then offer it to their customers at $3.99 a bottle. This bottle usually sells for around $25 when exported and the Saltram winery has been around since the mid-1800's. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

There are many different ways we come up with the ideas or themes for our podcasts. We have done listener polls, taken suggestions from people on Twitch and had things sent to us to try by the people who made them. Sometimes they are thought out in advance, often they come from Trader Joe's and sometimes they tie into a holiday or National Day of Celebration such as National Beer Day. These are only a few examples of how our shows come to be. Then there is also the way that the beverages were chosen for this podcast; spur of the moment. Keith was shopping at a local grocery store when he just happened to turn around and see these two sodas. He took a picture, sent it to Andrew for his opinion, and voila, a podcast was born. For this episode we will be trying the Pepsi Nitro Draft Soda in both regular and vanilla form. It is the first ever nitrogen infused cola and according to them “it's more than a cola, it's an experience.” What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

A few months ago on one of our podcasts we tried a Bottled-in-Bond straight rye whiskey that we both thought was very good. What made it even more unique is that not only does this business make whiskey, they do so with heirloom grains that they grow on their farm located in the Lake Tahoe watershed. They have been farming in Nevada for over 165 years and they now combine that experience with custom state of the art brewing methods to craft whiskey. Since our first taste from this distiller was so good, we knew that if we had that chance we would definitely try something else from them. That opportunity presented itself to Andrew when he was enticed by their free shipping promotion and he ordered something else for us to try. For this episode we will be trying the Frey Ranch Distillers Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Coming in at 90 proof, this bourbon is grown, distilled, matured and bottled on site. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Whenever possible we like to have podcasts that are seasonally relevant or tie in to a holiday. During one of our recent live shows on Twitch.tv/aboutbeverages we learned that April 7th was National Beer Day. Being the huge fans of craft beer that we are and with April 7th falling on a Thursday which is when we get together to record our shows, we knew that we would be celebrating National Beer Day as only we can. We were hoping to better represent the different styles that we like (most of what we tried were IPA's) but we were able to share with our viewers a few of our favorite breweries as well as try a new one that caught our eye. That is what we will be sharing with you for this episode as we try the Pure West Unfiltered West Coast IPA from Pure Project Brewing. Pure Project is located in San Diego and this is one of their year round offerings. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

With National Beer Day looming in the not too distant future, we decided we needed to take a break from having beers on our Thursday Night show on Twitch.tv. For our show on the last day of March, we opened with a couple of hard Kombuchas, which were tasty and then moved on to bourbon. Some bourbons have become increasingly difficult to find in the past few years and often when they are found it is on the secondary market which means they are going to be expensive. One of those that is hard to find is the Stagg Jr. from Buffalo Trace, which is barrel proof, unfiltered, and delicious. Andrew was lucky enough to be the recipient of a bottle a couple of years ago as a gift and we tried it for one of our shows a couple years back. When it comes to these harder to source bourbons, often people are looking for easier to find, less expensive substitutes that have a similar flavor profile. It had been suggested to us recently that we should try the Pinhook High Proof Bourbon in comparison to the Stagg Jr. SInce Andrew still had some of the Stagg Jr, we decided to find out for ourselves how they compare and do a blind tasting of the two. The results of that tasting is the episode that we have for you this week. The Stagg Jr. checks in at 132 proof and is anywhere from $80 to $300 if you can find it. The Pinhook is around 120 proof, $50 a bottle and as of this writing relatively easy to find. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

After having somewhat of an unintentional hiatus, beer has been back in a big way the last few weeks on our Thursday Night live shows on Twitch. Some of them have already made their way into podcast form while others can be enjoyed via our YouTube channel where we upload the entire episode every week. While planning for a recent show, we figured if one beer in an episode is good, then two might be better. For this episode we are bringing back two beers that we have had before, the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and the Bells Hopslam. This will be the third time we have given the Hopslam air time on our channel and the second time for the 90 Minute IPA. We enjoy revisiting old favorites and are always happy to try those again that may not have won us over initially. Each of these falls into one of those categories. If you don't know which one is which you can find out in the archives at our website. Or if you prefer an easier solution, sit back and enjoy this show. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

In the years since we recorded our first episode of About Beverages, we have had the good fortune of trying more beverages than we can count. From coffee (the first podcast 13 years ago) to beer to spirits and all things in between, we continue to seek out new categories and re-visit our favorites. On this journey of exploration and discovery we have had the recommendations and guidance of many people without whom we would not have the spectrum of beverage exposure for which we are so grateful. This week we are trying something from a brewery that is brand new to us yet comes highly recommended from someone who has yet to lead us astray. Friend of the show Eric not only points us in the right direction when it comes to tasty beverages, he has given us things to try. We have also had him join us for a few of our episodes which were a lot of fun. The beverage we are trying this week is the New Anthem Beer Project Burning Cities Red IPA. It took a few months to track their beer down but our perseverance paid off. Featuring Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops, this IPA comes in at 7.8% ABV. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

For a few years now, one of our favorite breweries has been The Bruery. Located in Southern California and cleverly named by incorporating the founder Patrick Rue's last name, they are always churning out delicious beers of all styles. On a recent trip to California to pick up some pre ordered items Andrew also grabbed the beer we are featuring this week. For this episode we will be trying the Pour Me S'More. It is an imperial pastry stout with graham crackers, cacao nibs and natural vanilla flavor. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Back when we did audio only podcasts, we did a two-part episode on scotch. For our first serious exposure to this type of whiskey we were fortunate enough to have an experienced guide, Fitz, to help us navigate through 10 different expressions of the golden elixir. Not only did he share his knowledge he also supplied all ten of the scotches we tried. We speak of those podcasts often and look back on them quite fondly. One of the more memorable ones we tried was the Highland Park 12 Year which quickly became a favorite of Andrew's. He even recently received a bottle of it as a birthday present, which may have prompted his interest in the beverage we will be sharing with you on this episode. For this show we will be trying the Highland Park Cask Strength Release No. 1. Andrew spotted this on a recent trip to California and he couldn't resist grabbing a bottle. To get our palates ready for the cask strength we had a taste of the Highland Park 12 year, which was even better than we remembered. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Back in 2004, a movie came out that altered the fortunes of a grape varietal and not for the better. The movie was Sideways and the varietal was Merlot. The movie centers around two friends, Miles and Jack, who take a road trip through the Santa Ynez Valley shortly before Jack is about to be married. Miles is a wine aficionado and in one of the scenes he and Jack have a discussion before dinner during which Miles quite emphatically expresses his disdain for Merlot. It is a very funny and memorable scene. After the release of this movie, Merlot wine sales dropped due to what became known as the “Sideways Effect.” Recently Trader Joe's featured a Merlot in their Frequent Flyer and since it had been a while since either one of us had tried one we decided that now was the time. It also gave us a chance to revisit that scene and share it with our audience on Twitch when we recorded the podcast. For this episode we will be trying the Trader Joe's Reserve Sonoma Valley Merlot 2020. Merlot is a varietal that originally hails from Bordeaux and means “blackbird” in French. We will do our best to not let Miles and his impassioned opinion influence us. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Last week we ventured into uncharted territory as we tried an alcohol-free bourbon. We quickly found out that we have yet to develop an appreciation for that beverage category. We will eventually try another offering of that ilk but for this week's show we decided to return to the type of bourbon that does contain alcohol. The beverage we will be featuring was given to Keith as a Christmas present and we decided that there was no time like the present to uncork this gift. For this episode we will be trying the Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Limestone Branch Distillery Company. This whiskey is a handpicked blend of 4 and 7 year old bourbons from seventh-generation distillers. Limestone Branch Distillery donates a portion of the proceeds from this bourbon to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) which is an independent, non-partisan organization devoted to nurturing our country's national parks for future generations. Sounds like something that would make Leslie Knope proud. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

The featured beverage for this episode represents another first for us at About Beverages. After almost 14 years you might think we would be out of firsts, but that is not the case. Fortunately the beverage universe is vast and ever changing and there are still far flung corners for us to discover. The recording of this episode, which as always was done during our live stream on Twitch.tv, was also different in that we broke from our usual format and just went right into the tasting. We did it this way because although Keith knew it was a whiskey he didn't know anything else about it so we just got right down to business. Another reason we did it that way is because we occasionally hear comments that we talk a little too much before getting to the actual drinking part. If you are one of those people then this podcast is for you! The ground-breaking beverage we will be trying this week is the Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon. Alcohol-free spirits are becoming more readily available so Andrew decided we needed to begin to familiarize ourselves with them. They begin by creating a bourbon and they then remove the alcohol using a reverse distillation process. Check out their site for more details on how it all comes together. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

As Eddie Murphy once said in the movie Trading Places, “Merry New Year!” If you prefer the more traditional greeting than we wish you a “Happy New Year,” even though it is a few days late. We hope you had a great holiday season and that your 2022 is off to a wonderful start. We are going to kick off the New Year with something that has become a tradition at About Beverages as we will be bringing you our fourth Annual Traditional Viewer Appreciation Show or ATVAS, for short. Once a year, thanks to the loyal and generous support we receive from all of our subscribers and followers, we purchase an extra special bottle to try for a podcast. Our budget is more than what we would normally spend on something for ourselves as we use some of the money we receive from our subscribers to help subsidize the purchase. It gives us a chance to get together outside of the tasting room and go shopping! After we make our choice we record the podcast offline and then watch it along with you live during one of our livestream sessions on Twitch. This year we realized that quite by chance our first three selections had all been scotch. While there were some scotch options on the short list of finalists, we decided to go in a vastly different geographical direction for this year's choice, although there is still a connection to Scotland. This year, the award of being the beverage chosen for our fourth Annual Traditional Viewer Appreciation Show goes to the Tears of Llorona Extra Anejo Tequila. This tequila starts with 100% pure Weber Agave Azul grown in the volcanic slopes of the Mexican Highland and is aged in Scotch, Sherry Oak and Brandy barrels for five years. There is a great story behind the naming of this tequila and we have links below for you to learn all about both that and the process behind making this limited offering. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

As impossible as it may seem, this will be the last podcast we release for the year 2021. We have other shows that will be released in 2022 that were recorded this year, including our 4th Annual Listener Appreciation Podcast, but with this episode we bid goodbye to yet another year. We have enjoyed a great many beverages and beverage related discussions this year and we are looking forward to continuing to do the same as the calendar pages continue to turn, seemingly faster than ever. For this episode we will be trying something from our favorite spirits category; whiskey. The beverage that we will be trying is the Frey Ranch Rye Whiskey. Made with sustainably grown winter rye raised on the Frey Ranch and bottled-in-bond, this whiskey is distilled, matured and bottled in Fallon, Nevada. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

The release of this episode represents our triumphant return to Thursday night podcasting after more than a one month hiatus. For a variety of reasons, one of them predictable (Thanksgiving), one of them planned well in advance (medical procedure), and one of them an unfortunate reality in our world today (Keith had Covid), we had an extended break during the most wonderful beverage time of the year. Fortunately everyone is now healthy and so far the only lingering effects seem to be centered on Keith's olfactory system. While we wait for his sense of smell to continue its slow journey back to normal we will be relying on Andrew's sensory perceptions even more than we usually do for the foreseeable future. During a recent trip to our neighborhood Tap and Bottle, Keith found a different variation of an old favorite imperial stout and that is what we will be sharing with you this week. For this show we will be trying the Old Rasputin Barrel Aged Russian Imperial stout. They have two versions, one aged in bourbon barrels and one aged in rye whiskey barrels and the latter is the one that we will be trying. Prior to 2010 these were made in limited quantities that were only available locally in California. Fortunately for us they have increased production which allows for a broader yet still limited distribution. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

For our final episode before Thanksgiving we will be trying the Old Grand-Dad 114 Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Several of our listeners had suggested this as great value bourbon (around $20) that could be enjoyed straight and used as a mixer. Since that is a combination we are always on the lookout for we thought we would share it with all of you. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch. If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving is only a few days away, so many of us have turkey on our minds. At About Beverages, not only do we have turkey on our minds, we will be having Turkey on a podcast. Wild Turkey, that is. We have been sharing some wine options for you to enjoy on Thanksgiving, and while whiskey might not be a traditional beverage thought of at this time (or maybe it is), with the word Turkey in the title it seemed like a fit. The beverage we will be trying on this episode is the Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye Barrel Proof Whiskey. This whiskey is a blend of 4, 6, and 8 year old Kentucky straight ryes and comes in at 112.2 proof or 56.1% ABV. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

Last week we began featuring wines that might find a spot at your Thanksgiving table. That episode featured the Raeburn Chardonnay and we found it to be quite tasty and perfect for many of the flavors of the holiday feast. This week we will feature the varietal that has come to be known as the perfect turkey red wine, Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is grown all over the world and is expressed in a multitude of styles. Traditionally known as a lighter-bodied red, it can now also be found in a darker, more full-bodied style as well. This week's wine comes from a region of California known for producing delicious grapes of several different varietals, including Pinot Noir. The wine we have for this episode is the Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve Pinot Noir Carneros 2019. Trader Joe's has several different levels in their “Reserve” line with the Platinum being the second most expensive at $14.99 per bottle. What is the most expensive, you may ask? That would be the Diamond at $19.99 per bottle. While they are quite rare, there is a good possibility that you will see one of those on a podcast in the not too distant future. As for this wine, the grapes were grown in the Carneros AVA, which is tucked in between Napa and Sonoma. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

With daily temperatures still in the mid-80's in our part of the country, sometimes it is hard to believe that it is November already. What is also hard to believe is that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away! This is the time of year when there is a great deal of focus on the food that will be served for the holiday, but we are here to offer some suggestions on what beverages should be on hand for the feast. This week we will kick things off by trying the 2019 Raeburn Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Chardonnay is a great option to pair with turkey and also pairs well with many of the side dishes traditionally found at Thanksgiving. This wine had been highly recommended to Keith so we knew we had to try it. It is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes and has an ABV of 14.5%. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

Over the years that Keith has worked at Trader Joe's he has had the opportunity to try several of the wines that they have to offer, a challenge he happily accepts. While Trader Joe's is always getting in new and exciting wines from around the world that are only available for a limited time, a great many of them are available year round. When one is fortunate enough to spend a good portion of their workday in the wine aisle, they will often be asked for a recommendation which is where the aforementioned wine-trying comes in handy. Depending on the occasion and budget there are several “go-to” options that are frequently suggested. Recently Keith decided to re-visit some of these old favorites that he frequently still recommends to make sure that they still match his recollection of the flavor profile. He thought it would be a good idea to have Andrew join him in this endeavor for one of them since he has a non-Trader Joe's perspective and also because the tasting room is where the intense scrutiny happens. In other words, that's where it gets real. Real fun, that is! The wine that we are trying for this week's episode is the Moon X Red Blend. It is a Zinfandel-based red blend that also has some Merlot and Syrah. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

This week we will be doing things a little differently for our podcast. In the past when we have tried a spirit that is commonly used with a mixer to make a mixed drink, we try the spirit first and then add the mix. However, in this episode the mix will be the star and we will add the spirit afterward. For this show we will be featuring the Spicy Caesar Bloody Mary Mix from Sunday's. Recently we received this sample bottle from the good people at Sunday's and knew we had to share it with you. We will try it on its own and then add some vodka to make an appropriate Bloody Mary. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

As you may know, the word “whiskey” (or “whisky” in some circles) encompasses many different styles from all over the world. We have been fortunate to try many different styles and variations from all around the globe and we are always on the lookout for a new expression of our favorite spirit category. This week we are happy to share with you a rye whiskey that was highly recommended by some of our followers on Twitch. The beverage we have for this podcast is the Angel’s Envy Finished Rye. This rye whiskey is finished in Caribbean rum casks for up to 18 months and is 100 proof.  What did we think? What do you think?  Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.  If you have any ideas for future episodes of "Give It A Shot" or just have a question, you can always send us an email to AboutBeverages@gmail.com. You may click on the media player to listen directly on our website, right click the link below to download and listen to it later, or subscribe to us and never miss an episode. Enjoy!  Link Lounge Here are the links to the things we talked about during the podcast.

A few months back we tried and very much enjoyed a cider from Superstition Meadery located in Prescott, Arizona. Andrew has had a few things from them but the one we had was Lemonade in Retrograde which was fermented with lemons, honey and hops. It was delicious and scary-easy to drink at 13.5% ABV. For this week's show we return to Superstition Meadery but we are going to see what magic they can do with a cider. We will be trying the Blueberry Spaceship Box cider which is made with a blend of tart apples and semi-sweet blueberries. It comes in at 5.5% ABV and costs anywhere from $14 to $19 for a 750ML bottle. Their website says that it is the top rated cider in the world on Ratebeer.com and also on Untapped. Who knows but maybe someday their site will mention AboutBeverages.com and how we feel about one of their products. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

Traditionally at About Beverages, once the calendar turns to September and October we start to feature pumpkin beers on our podcasts. For several years we would have anywhere from four to six different options (sometimes spread over two shows). We would pick our favorite and declare it our winner for that year. For the next years show we would bring back the reigning champion and see if it could fend off the new challengers. Two that we have consistently enjoyed over the years (besides the home brew pumpkin porter that Andrew and his friend make) are Dogfish Heads Punkin and Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin. Besides being a way for Andrew to torture Keith with pumpkin beer (which always made for funny dialogue) it was a nice tradition that helped us get in the autumnal spirit. This year due to vacations and other logistical challenges we only have one pumpkin beer to share with you via a podcast and that is the Salted Caramel Pumpkin Beer from O'Fallon Brewery. This beer features caramel malts, lactose, pumpkin purée and their proprietary spice blend. As it is the only pumpkin beer making it to a podcast this year we are placing all of our hopes on this one beer. Are we out of our gourds? What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

In the past few weeks we have been on somewhat of a “blind-tasting” binge. It wasn't necessarily something that we had planned, it just manifested itself before our eyes. This week's show is the latest in that series as we will be trying two scotches side by side without knowing which one is which. The two we have for this episode are the Finlaggan and the Laphroaig. The Finlaggan is an Islay made for Trader Joe's that costs $20 a bottle and most importantly, was recommended by our Scotch consigliere Fitz. The Laphroaig is a 10 year, usually under $40 a bottle and has been a favorite for several years. We chose these two for comparison because they are from the same area and as close to the same style representation as we had readily available. What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.

Private labeling is a concept that has been around for a very long time. Private label products are those manufactured by one company for sale under another company's brand. This is done in a wide variety of industries including food and beverages. Trader Joe's is well known for doing this and it is always fun to speculate as to what company might be making a particular product. Private labeling allows for a company to have control over the ingredients in the product and usually allows for them to offer the items at a very good price. Costco is another company that has many private label products under their Kirkland Label. Recently we were told by many sources that there is a bourbon under the Kirkland label that we should try. The maker of this particular bourbon was not cloaked in secrecy, however, as the distillery that produced it is featured prominently on the label. This week we will be trying the Kirkland Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Barton 1792 Distilleries. As we have mentioned before, whiskey that is bottled in bond must adhere to a strict set of guidelines. This is a one liter bottle for $25 that we can't wait to try! What did we think? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or join us live on Thursday nights to give us your feedback while we are live streaming on Twitch.