Beards, Books, and Bourbon Podcast

In today's episode, Stephen and Mark talk about two short stories from author Alix E. Harrow. They have reviewed her work before when they discussed her novels "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" and "Starling House".  Tonight's bourbon is Old Orleans from The Beautiful & The Damned Distillery. Some of you might notice that the name of the distillery also happens to be the title of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Don't know who good old F. Scott is?  Well, first, crawl out of the caves, you loveable morlock!  Second, he wrote The Great Gatsby and Tender Is The Night. The label on the bottle is a depiction of Moby Dick, and the name Old Orleans is a reference to the influence New Orleans had on the evolution of bourbon in America.  See that?  Culture with just a glance!   Home :: The Beautiful and the Damned Whiskey Author | Alix E. Harrow

Honestly, this book was so good we probably could have just done an entire second episode about it. As we take a second look at Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, we also revisit one of our favorite picks so far in 2025, Moonlight Mayhem from Filmland Spirits.   Stephen Graham Jones | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster   Filmland Spirits

In this episode, Stephen and Mark explore the layered, intelligent, and gut wrenching horror novel, "Buffalo Hunter Hunter" by Stephen Graham Jones.  A Native American revenge story with a supernatural twist, Buffalo Hunter Hunter is as deep and thought provoking as it is horrific, disgusting, and occasionally hilarious in the most awkward ways. A thought provoking story needs a thought provoking whiskey. To pair with Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Stephen and Mark will be sampling In Lieu of Flowers whiskey by Dancing Goat Distillery.   Stephen Graham Jones | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster   Dancing Goat Distillery

It's the final chapter of our deep dive into the Kingdom of Blunder with the oopsiside for Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig, where we talk about what we forgot to talk about.  To go along with this episide, we're re-sampling Elijah Craig Rye.  We don't sample nearly enough rye.     Rachel Gillig, Author Elijah Craig | Home Page

Stephen and Mark dive back into the Kingdom of Blunder for the second installment of the Shepherd King duology by Rachel Gillig. In this installment, all stories will be concluded. The mystery of the poem revealed, and a world will be changed for good or ill. We loved this series, and it's only appropriate that we try a bottle from a label we have nothing but love for as well. In this episode we sample The Kiawah Blend from 2XO by Dixon Dedman.     Rachel Gillig, Author Limited Edition Whiskey Blends | 2XO Whiskey

Tonight it's all about gothic poetry, horrific encounters, and the genius of Australian whiskey.   USA | Starward Australian Whisky Rachel Gillig, Author

Tonight's episode brings us back to fantasy of the gothic kind.  Blunder is a cursed kingdom, surrounded by a mist that snatches people into the wood, never to be seen again.  All the families of the kingdom are named after trees, and the currency of power comes in the form of a deck of magical playing cards. These cards were made by a long dead king at the price of destroying himself to do it one piece at a time. Tonight we discuss ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig. So, that's not morbid or anything.  A dark and supernatural take requires a bourbon whiskey just as dark and mythical to pair with it.  Tonight's bourbon is MOONLIGHT MAYHEM.

Oh, right.  It's a dystopian YA novel involving students and probably organized by either Jigsaw or the guy from Seven.  Tell the kids what they've won, Bob!  They've won DEATH!  We're going to need a stiff drink, and we get one with Barmen 1873.

Welcome to dystopian world of the early 20th Century where dragons live alongside humans, everyone is at the brink of war, and the fate of the world is in the hands of a bunch of misfit students being blackmailed into building what might be a doomsday weapon in the novel "A Language of Dragons".  So...Tuesday.  As our bourbon, Stephen and Mark will be embibing a little alchemy of their own with Dark Arts.

As the boys talk about some old priests, they revisit a really old friend.  A less than half full bottle of Willett that's been sitting in the garage for 5 years is finally getting cracked open to see what demons lurk inside.

Stephen and Mark delve into the world of extraordinary circumstances and people. Our book for this episode is Conclave by Robert Harris, the novel which is the basis for the Academy Award Nominated movie. A story about extraordinary circumstances and the decisions that must be made. The bourbon tonight is not a bourbon at all, but a Canadian Whisky brought to us the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky.

IT'S A KIND OF MAGIC! Stephen and Mark discuss the magical systems in Onyx Storm, and cast spells on themselves with Knob Creek.

Well, we made it. The end of the third book.  There's a lot of twists, turns, love and rage that look eerily similar, the defilement of a throne, broken furniture, broken promises, betrayals in the name of love, and angst angst angst.  But now it's over. We can finally relax. We....WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE ARE TWO MORE BOOKS??? Pass the Ransom Bourbon, please.

There's a moment when you realize that there's something you need to talk about.  There's another moment when you realize there just isn't enough time to really talk about it.  This is one of those times as we discuss DRAGONS in Iron Flame by Rececca Yarros.  Tonight we revisit our old friend, Smoke Wagon Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Once more, Stephen and Mark will dare to enter the Fourth Wing universe, written by Rebecca Yarros. This is book 2 of the series, and if you thought things were wild before, what with all the lightning and exploding bedroom furniture, you're in for another amazing ride. Besgiath War College (not to mention everywhere else) is a dangerous place, and so the guys will need to have some luck on their side on this journey. That's why they're bringing Lucky Seven bourbon with them.

How could they forget to talk about Merlin??  Well, they didn't really.  They were just saving the nastiest for last.  Luckily Stephen and Mark will balance things out with the smooth, fruity, smoky, loveliness of Blade & Bow Bourbon.

In this episode, Stephen and Mark visit "The Bright Sword" by Lev Grossman. One of our favorite authors, we are so excited to read his latest novel about Camelot after Arthur's final battle and all that was left undone and unfinished. For such a story, it's only appropriate that the boys continue their journey of the 2XO Bourbon label with the French Oak expression.

The guys have never made it a secret about how much they love books written by Blake Crouch.  In today's episode, they talk about Crouch's first commercially successful novel, not previously released in the United States.  What if, in a single night, half of everyone you knew and loved suddenly no longer saw you as a friend, a lover, a family member?  What if they were trying to murder you because they were convinced that you were no longer one of them? A high octane book like this needs something to smooth to mellow the evening out.  To help them keep pace, Stephen and Mark will sample Green River Wheated Bourbon.

Stephen and Mark dive into one of their favorite bourbons from 2024, the unforgettable 2XO American Oak as they take a few minutes to talk about one of the most unforgettable characters from The Living Dead.  Join them, as they talk and laugh about The Face.

Everything old is new again in the Season 5 opening episode!  This episode, Stephen and Mark explore a novel by the late, great George A. Romero and Daniel Krause.  A new and expanded version of the story Mr. Romero set into motion decades ago.  Keeping in theme with the story, Stephen and Mark will revisit an old friend with a new twist, Four Roses Bourbon.  This time, they will be exploring the depths and complexities of the Single Barrel offering of the iconic label.

In the final FINAL episode of Season 4, Stephen and Mark become so enamored with 2XO Bourbon from the last episode, they decide to make Old Fashioneds with it and completely forget to talk about what they forgot to talk about in "The Halloween Tree" by Ray Bradbury.  Witness the chaos as the boys fall down the cocktail rabbit hole as they decide to try to invent their own cocktails.  Maybe they're just tired.  Maybe it's been a long season.  Maybe the 2XO is just that good.

For the Season Four Finale, Stephen and Mark turn to a classic tale from a hometown author close to their hearts, The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. Listen as Mark loses his mind a little and goes on about the sinister side of the story.  Meanwhile, Stephen will won't do a darned thing to keep Mark from spiraling. Thanks, Stephen! Good thing they have a fantastic new beverage to sample and distract everyone from the Halloween hysterics.

For such a short book, there's just a whole lot to cover in the deceptively complex tale by Becky Chambers.  Equally deep and complex is the Five Trail Bourbon.

In the countdown to the season finale, Stephen and Mark stray from the path of horror into a subtle and delighfully complex scifi story about a monk, a robot, and the questions perhaps everyone should be asking of themselves and each other. A subtle and complex tale deserves a subtle and complex bourbon paired with it, and this episode is no exception as our co-hosts sample Blade & Bow for the first time. NOTE: In this episode, Stephen and Mark both struggle with pronoun usage for the characters.  We decided to leave this in rather than edit and re-record.  We felt the struggle to get it right and failing (multiple times) without giving up was all too appropriate for the messages and themes of the story.  No one can ever be perfect, but the pursuit of being better and kinder to each other and ourselves is worth the awkwardness of the journey.

At the end of Season 2, Stephen and Mark talked about the theme of horror, and what it meant to them.  Well, they're back on the topic, two years wiser (allegedly), and ready to dive into new directions.  On this journey, they will take with them the ever reliable torch in the darkness of Basil Hayden, this time trying out their Subtle Smoke expression.

In tonight's oopsisode, Stephen and Mark talk about the role of the military in Stephen King's "The Mist".  They will also revisit Chattanooga Whiskey, first sampled from the "STOMP STOMP BOOM" episode which dropped on April 15, 2022.

As we begin the countdown to Halloween and our season finale, we start with "The Mist" by Stephen King.  A dark and complex tale based off a simple premise, the boys are pairing it up with The Jury by High 'n Wicked.

Instead of the usual oopsisode, because the last book is still so new, the boys opted to spend their time extolling the virtues of Uncle Nearest Bourbon Whiskey.  Enjoy!

This week, Stephen and Mark spend a little time talking about the most recent story from author Paul Tremblay, "Horror Movie".  They will talk about the twists, spirals, and rabbit holes truly good authors like Trembay can create.  Horror Movie is a escheresque, gravity defying maze of mirrors.  A sophisticated story needs an equally sophisticated bourbon paired with it.  Tonight, the boys will sample Thomas S. Moore Cognac Cask bourbon.

On this oopsisode, we discuss Jim Beam, and the concept of FAFO.

Oh my.  Author, Zee Lacson, sticks around after the initial recording to do the oopsisode with Stephen and Mark.  How many bourbons can one author take?  All of them.  Especially when we're talking about allies.  Spend another 12 minutes with Zee Lacson and the boys as they talk about allies in the book "Twice Removed."   Zee Lacson has had practice in different professions. Engineer. Teacher. Photographer. Visual artist. Writer. But throughout her life, she has always been a Dreamer. The Woolgathering Trilogy is her dream come true. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, with her grandparents, father, and twin brothers, she currently lives the dream in the northern suburbs of Chicagoland with her husband and twin sons. She enjoys good coffee. And sushi. And wine. And ice cream. And cake … though not necessarily together. Or in that order. Reverie was her first published work of fiction. It was a finalist at the 2021 Illinois Author Project. Revenant, the sequel to Reverie, was released in 2021. Réveil, the final in the series, was released May 2023. Twice Removed is her latest book, and will be released in 2024.   Website: ZeeLacson.com FB: facebook.com/ReverieTheBook IG: @ZeeLacson  TikTok: @ZeeLacson  Linktree: linktr.ee/zeelacson   Twice Removed is in stores:  This Old Book (Grayslake, IL) Barnes & Noble (Northbrook, IL) Studio Moonfall (Kenosha, WI) or sold online wherever books are sold.

On this episode, Stephen and Mark interview YA author, Zee Lacson.  She and her husband have stopped by to talk about her new book, "Twice Removed".  For the bourbon tonight, the four of them will try out Lux Row, a complex and delightful bourbon to match the book and the company!  For more about Zee, see below.   Zee Lacson has had practice in different professions. Engineer. Teacher. Photographer. Visual artist. Writer. But throughout her life, she has always been a Dreamer. The Woolgathering Trilogy is her dream come true. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, with her grandparents, father, and twin brothers, she currently lives the dream in the northern suburbs of Chicagoland with her husband and twin sons. She enjoys good coffee. And sushi. And wine. And ice cream. And cake … though not necessarily together. Or in that order. Reverie was her first published work of fiction. It was a finalist at the 2021 Illinois Author Project. Revenant, the sequel to Reverie, was released in 2021. Réveil, the final in the series, was released May 2023. Twice Removed is her latest book, and will be released in 2024.   Website: ZeeLacson.com FB: facebook.com/ReverieTheBook IG: @ZeeLacson  TikTok: @ZeeLacson  Linktree: linktr.ee/zeelacson   Twice Removed is in stores:  This Old Book (Grayslake, IL) Barnes & Noble (Northbrook, IL) Studio Moonfall (Kenosha, WI) or sold online wherever books are sold.

WELCOME TO THE ANNUAL RONALD MALFI LOVE FEST. Seriously, it's kind of sick how much we love this guy's writing.  We have a problem.  We need counseling, or perhaps we just need some Copper & Cask Bourbon to pair with writing.

On today's episode, we take a look at five novellas from one of our favorite authors, Ronald Malfi, in his new book, "They Lurk".  Malfi's writing is always complex and thought provoking while it mercilessly scares the ever living poop out of you. Tonight we are pairing the book with Belfour Texas Pecan Wood Finished Bourbon Whiskey.  It's another deep and complex offering, and we can't wait to tell you more about it.

As we often do, there's the thing we want to talk about in the book that we didn't get to talk about before.  And then, we spend some time on this particular bourbon, but oooooh my, it's delicious.

It's been a minute since we did a time travel story, and so we're heading back in time, and forward, and back again in this smart, funny, lovely, and tragic tale by Kalianne Bradley.  How would it feel if you were suddenly plucked out of your own time and sent 200, 300, or even 5 hundred years into the future? Would you be able to fit in, or would you slowly slide back to where you started one piece at a time? To help us answer this question, we're going to need the complex comfort of Belle Meade Bourbon Whiskey.

On tonight's episode, we have the special privilege of interviewing Author, Thomas J. Miller about his book, "An Oktoberfest Death".  To pair with this book about murder and beer, we're going to be sampling three styles of Dragon Milk Bourbon Barrel Aged beers from New Holland Brewing. Please follow Thomas at these links, and support our authors and their work! Thomas J. Miller Website Shop. I am offering multi-book bundles. Books ordered here will be signed and shipped: https://www.thomasjmillerauthor.com/shop   Link to Amazon Audible page for An Oktoberfest Death: https://a.co/d/0gXgBmrV   Link to Thomas J. Miller Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B086XGLDSM/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=583db72f-38d8-4582-bf1c-6923bfc6ef08&ref_=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2

Wait?  We forgot something about quantum loop gravity and the nature of energy as information? Naaaaah!  Good thing we're returning to our good friend, Glynnevan Maple Whisky.

Hello all you loyal listeners!  We had a minor technical catastrophe when our recording platform became sentient, attemtpted to take over the world, and corrupted several episodes of the show in the process. We have a new recording platform, for our inaugural voyage, we are returning to our favorite popular scientist, Carlo Rovelli to talk about what's on the other end of a black hole.  For our sampling tonight, we are trying Keeper's Heart Irish Bourbon Whisky.

We couldn't say enough about the Cartographers by Peng Shepherd.  Well, if you think about it, we really had too much to say.  After all, here we are with more to say!  Tonight the boys are also going to check in with their specially ordered bottle of Oak & Eden customized with 4 grain bourbon whiskey, a French oak stave, and orange essence.

In this week's episode, Stephen and Mark dive into a story about familes.  The families you are born into, the familes you make, and the worlds you create together.  Come explore with them as they find brave new worlds in Peng Shepherd's masterful novel, "The Cartographers".  It's a long road, and the path is unclear, and so they will pair the book with Five Trail Whiskey.

How does a story drive forward?  How do the connections between the characters, the setting, the author, and the reader all work in concert to weave a tale that people want to read or tell or listen?  We're waxing philosophical on tonight's episode, and appropriately enough, we're sampling some West Cork Irish Whiskey to put us in the right mood.

It's another 15 minute dumpster fire, brought to you by Stephen and Mark and Starward Two Fold.

Stephen and Mark spend some time stranded on Mars with "The Martian" by Andy Weir.  Surviving on a planet that is literally trying to kill you at every moment of the day can be stressful.  Good thing they have their custom made bottle of Oak & Eden to help take off the edge.

As Stephen and Mark lose their minds over whales, they will spend some time sipping on St. George Absinte and Basil Hayden Toast!

What if you could live 10,000 lifetimes, and the only requirement would be to find perfection before using them all up.  Do you think you could do it?  Stephen and Mark are pretty sure they wouldn't make it, getting distracted by loud thoughts, like Stephen's gout toe, or France.  This is the simple premise of a deceptively complex book about life, love, the self, and reaching for something perfect in "Reincarnation Blues" by Michael Poore. But one thing that is close to perfection, is a bottle of Widow Jane 10 Year Bourbon.

Tonight as the guys talk about what they forgot from All Systems Red by Martha Wells, they return to a previous bottle, Legent.  This time they try it as a cocktail with an experimental mixer purchased for a magical place called the internet.

On this episode, the guys discuss the starting tale of a Scifi series with an interesting twist and viewpoint.  Speaking of interesting twists, they will be sampling Jack Daniels Triple Mash.

Join us for another 15 minutes...or less...of the boys talking about what they forgot to talk about in Valley of Shadows by Rudy Ruiz.