The Thinking Drinkers: Around The World in 80 Drinks

Hotel, Motel, Is That Your Foreskin? This week's pod recalls Tom's unfortunate and minor (very minor) costume malfunction on stage at the Alnwick Playhouse before raising a Rob Roy in memory of the Waldorf Astoria and exploring the ale-loving entrepreneur who invented Cat's Eyes.  Get your Worthington White Shield here: £3.59 from Beers of EuropeRob Roy50 ml Scotch Whisky, 20 ml Sweet Red Vermouth, dash Angostura Bitters. How To make a Rob Roy. Stir ingredients over ice in a mixing glass  Discerning Drinks Deals Of The WeekWaitrose, Kyro Gin, £25, £4.95 off, Sainsburys, Cardhu Gold Reserve Single Malt Scotch £26 down from £401000 Stories Bourbon-Aged Zinfandel £12 down from £15Master of Malt: Silent Pool Gift Pack for Mother's Day. £55 down from £65.Other StuffBuy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for every audience member, here:  Oldham AUSTRIAN ALPS: ALTITUDE COMEDY FESTIVAL Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby  

This week, we hark back to the halcyon days when strangers blew smoke up the bottoms of wet people  and, in the whining words of Liam Gallagher, things get supersonic with a gin and tonic as we celebrate the birth of Concorde.  Oaxaca Old Fashioned (created by Phil Ward in New York)40ml Fortaleza Reposado Tequila 12.5ml Lost Explorer Mezcal 1 barspoon agave nectar2 dashes Angostura bittersGarnish: orange twistMethod: Set the orange peel to one side before bringing all the ingredients in a glass (Old Fashioned) containing a large ice cube. Stir until chilled. Flame an orange twist over the surface of the drink. Discerning Drinks Deals Of The WeekMajesticChanoine Frères 'Réserve Privée' Brut Champagne - £20 OFFBeronia Rioja Gran Reserva 2013/15 - 8 quid off.Definition English Sparkling Brut, Hampshire - 11 quid off. Lanson Le Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne - £20 offWhiskey ExchangeFortaleza Blanco Tequila with a case of London Essence Pomelo and Pink Pepper Tonic - £62.75ASDA GIN OF THE WEEK Asda, Plymouth Gin, £20, save a fiver, Waitrose Wine: Terre di Vita Organic Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane £6.49 - down from £8.99, Mimo Moutinho Dão Red Wine, Aldi, £5.79  Become a reviewer for the Aldi Wine Club - click hereAre you a wine enthusiast? Do you have a nose for aromas and impeccable tastebuds? Or simply want the opportunity to try some FREE wines?  We are looking for thirty vino-loving superstars to make up our latest Aldi Wine Club panel – an exclusive group of Aldi shoppers with a passion for wine.  As an Aldi Wine Club member, you will have the opportunity to trial delicious and award-winning wines, including new launches from Aldi's Spring Summer range, without spending a penny.  All you'll be tasked with is reviewing each wine via a 140-character tweet or Instagram post using the dedicated #AldiWineClub hashtag– it's as simple as that!    Applications now open until 13th March!To apply to the Aldi wine tasting opportunity, shoppers simply need to send an email to Aldiwineclub@clarioncomms.co.uk with the below details: • Full name • Proof of age • The name of your social media handles and the number of followers for each account • 150 words explaining why you think you should be selected as an Aldi Wine Club member • What your favourite wine is and why  Other StuffBuy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for every audience member, here:  Northallerton Alnwick Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

After a week off, the hardest working beefcakes in the drinks business slide back into the Pod saddle, digging their heels into some hard-nosed aural journalism and whipping up some searing investigative insight - namely the return of bananas to the UK in 1945 and. of course, National Pig Day (only America).Like beer? Like bananas? Well you'll flipping love Mongozo Banana Beer - available here or via Amazon hereAnd how about A Pigs In Blanket Old Fashioned?Pigs in Blanket Old FashionedIngredients12 pigs in blanket70cl of Pork fat-washed whisky 5ml Maple syrup2 dashes of Angostura BittersTo make the fat-wash whisky ·       Grill the pigs in blanket over a baking tray and collect 30ml of the fat. ·       Strain it into a container filled with 70cl of blended Scotch whisky. Leave it to steep in the whisky for 6-8 hours or overnight at room temperature before placing the bottle in the freezer.·       Once the fat has congealed in the bottle, strain the bourbon into a new bottle.Method:·       Take 40 ml pigs-in-blanket fat-infused whisky and stir in a mixing glass with the maple syrup and ice.·       Add bitters and stir. ·       Strain into a child ‘Old Fashioned' glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.. Or a pig-in-blanketWhile you're waiting for the pig fat to steep in the whisky, here's a video about pigs that play video games.Drinks Deals Of The WeekMirabeau La Folie Sparkling Rose - down £3 to £11 at SainsburysJohnnie Walker Black Label - Sainsbury, £22, save £10, Martini Rosso, only £2.50 off, but down to £8 at Waitrose,Jameson Orange, £15, save £9.50, great in an alternative to the Irish Espresso Martini Waitrose For gin fans, Hayman's London Dry Gin, fiver off, £21 WaitroseKeep your eye out for the new Luxardo Espresso Liqueur_____________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

If drink-soaked discussion of aphrodisiacal accompaniments to oysters, 'titanic plums', guinea pigs with dodgy fivers, hangover cures and some seriously decent discounted drinks are your thing then listen to this Valentine's Special featuring a boffin.VALENTINE DRINKSThe Properly Dangerous Liason Ingredients45ml Brockmans Gin75ml Taittinger Champagne or Sparkling Wine15ml Fresh Lemon Juice10ml Creme de Cassis5ml Sugar SyrupMethod– Combine all ingredients apart from the sparkling wine and creme de cassis in a shaker over ice– Shake to combine, double strain into a champagne flute and– Top with Champagne, then drizzle over the creme de cassis.– Garnish with a lemon twist. Chilean Red Wine: Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon – £12.99, Waitrose Chargrilled asparagus with Westmalle Tripel – £4.20 from Beer MerchantsOysters with Titanic Plum Porter – £1.80, Sainsbury'sDiscerning Drinks DealsAperol, Morrisons, reduced from £20 to £15.99,  Morrisons, Courvoisier VSOP, £29.99, down from £37, Gin deal of the week, Sainsbury, 1l of Tanqueray, £20,  Asda Beer Deals You can get two packs for a tenner on certain beers. So 4xJaipur and 6x Pilsner Urquell for £10. That's a tenner for 10 quality beers, so that makes them £1 each. Some maths for you. _____________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  London Leicester Square (THURSDAY 9th Feb) Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

We tell the WWII story behind Whisky Galore before linking a classic gin cocktail to a tale of someone knocking a vase over.You should listen. The Ola Dubh range is available from The Whiskey ExchangeSainsbury has its Villa Maria on at £8.75, down from a tenner,  Jameson is £19 down from £22.50,   Gin deal of the week, Asda and Waitrose are going at it in their bid to bring you the best price on Tanqueray TenWaitrose, £27, Aviation Cocktail60ml gin15ml Maraschino Liqueur 10ml Créme De Violette 25ml Lemon Juice Lemon zest, to garnish Shake gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur and crème de violette over ice,  Taste, then add a splash of chilled water to dilute, if you like. Strain into four chilled cocktail glasses and garnish with blueberries and lemon zest.Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham - 241 tickets use the word DRINKER London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby   

Hail Henry VIII's death with Tynt Meadow - the only Trappist Beer in Britain.  Read Mark Dredge's great article about the monastery in Good Beer Hunting here: Watch the documentary "Outside City"  - all about the realities of the modern-day Monky business here. AA Milne & The Bee's Knees CocktailGet Hiver Blonde Beer from Waitrose hereBee's Knees CocktailIngredients 2 teaspoons of honey 50ml Portobello Gin 25ml Lemon Juice Ice Method: Loosen up the honey in a jug by stirring it with a little bit of freshly boiled water. When it's smooth, add the mixture to a shaker filled with plenty of ice, the lemon juice and the gin. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with some lemon zest. This week's "Les Bargains"Benriach The Original Ten Speyside Single Malt Scotch, £29 Waitrose (save £9)Sweet and easy-drinking intro into whisky. Balblair 15 Year Old, Whisky exchange, £64.95 (£13 off)A bit more punchy, 46%, full-bodied, matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts.Vestal Kaszebe 2011 Vintage Vodka, Whisky Exchange at £21.95 (£8 off)The potatoes used as the based for this vodka are the Vineta varietal and are all grown in the Kaszebe region of central northern Poland.Absolute, £16, AsdaGreat vodka for mixed drinks and recreating the scene in Wolf of Wall StreetHeineken 0,0, 6xcans for £4.50, Sainsburys doing Bacardi Carta Blanca for £14, £2 off.Makes a wicked daiquiri, 700ml bottle, 50ml per daiquiri, how many can you make? You do the math. ________________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham - 241 tickets use the word DRINKER London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby   

This week, following our inaugural appearance on "This Morning", our pod adopts an alternative approach to Burns Night and solves a mystery for those looking to drink something in honour of Hercule Poirot.Burns Night is coming. Let's face it, if it wasn't in January, no-one would take any notice. But after 25 moribund days of ‘meh', celebrating the birthday of an 18th century tax collector with some root vegetables and stomach stuffed with bits of sheep sounds like a brilliant night out. It's not. A clichéd caricature of Scottish-ness, it's tediously quaint, painfully kitsch and all those endless Immortal Memories, those cheesy Addresses to the Lassies; the dreary drone of the bagpipes would have bored the life out of the real Robert Burns.So we suggest some alcoholic alternatives to breathe life back into Burns Night including:Harviestoun Ola Dubh - you can get it the three different expressions, here.Braemble gin Liqueur - Scottish blackberry with English London Dry Gin. £24.89 Master of Malt  The Long Bramble 25ml liqueur 100ml ginger ale or tonic Pour the bramble over ice, in a highball, top with ginger ale, garnish with a wedge of lime, squeeze it in first Cross Brew coffee liqueur, £25.74 Master of Malt Cross Brew Negroni 20ml Cross Brew 30ml Campari 30ml Punt e Mes Stir over ice and strain into rocks glass with ice Whisky Deals Mortlach 15 YO for £87.95 Whisky Exchange – saving £32.05  Aberlour 14-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky, £46 Waitrose - save £10  Cardhu, £26, Sainsburys - was £40 Woven Whisky, Experience N.11, Peachy, £55  POIROTAnd then we celebrate a lesser-known milestone - the 103rd anniversary of the first ever Hercule Poirot novel - and honour the  "detestable, bombastic, tiresome,egocentric little creep" with a superb Belgian stout.Get Hercule Stout here ________________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham - 241 tickets use the word DRINKER London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby   

Amid all this talk of Harry and Meghan, we explore Edward VII, aka "Dirty Bertie"  - the original Playboy Prince with some cracking King's Ginger liqueur. Then, having once again proven that #winewritingiswelleasy, we make ourselves a Bicicletta for birthday boy and Pirate peddler Marco Pantani.If you'd like to see Edward VII's 's3x chair' (and why wouldn't you?) then click here.Amazon is offering a great deal on King's Ginger, complete with swanky gift tin, for just £23 here. You're welcome.King's Mulled Cider50ml The King's Ginger150ml Cider150ml Apple juiceServe in a handled glass, hot or over ice.Garnish with lemon, cinnamon stick and fresh blackberries.Marco PantaniHere's the picture of Marco shaking an Italian policeman's hand after some rather ripe parking manouevres and here's a picture of his statue in Northern Italy. For Campari, the best price is at Morrisons, £15.50 - click here   The Bicicletta  50ml Campari  75ml White wine  Soda Water  Built over ice, use a wine glass or a highball glass  Other Royal Drinks:King Charles's Royal Lochnagar 12 year old, Whisky Exchange, £40.95  Megan Markle's Tignanello 2018 can be found at Fine Wine Direct for £180  Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham  London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby  

Get yourself some Veuve Clicquot here  The Monkey Gland, created by Harry MacElhoneIngredients60ml London Dry Gin 45ml orange juice 1 teaspoon absinthe 1 teaspoon grenadine 1 teaspoon sugar syrup (optional) Shake all ingredient with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with orange peel or a lychee. Serve with monkey nuts.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. It's what Jesus would have wanted.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham  London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

Bonjour tout le monde, In this week's podcast, discover how Alfred Nobel inspired peace after accidentally reading his own obituary, marvel at probly the best Danish design in the world and strap yourself in for some fascinating yeast chat.  Ahead of France v England, we commemorate the Battle of Agincourt, and Ben's tortured football analogy, with a Biere de Garde/Saison style beer. Buy hereWatch Dennis Bergkamp, the non-Flying Dutchman, book the Argentinians on the plane home with this 'worldy' from the 1998 World Cup.  _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. It's what Jesus would have wanted.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham  London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

In this week's podcast, we chat to radio and TV presenter Adrian Chiles about his new book "The Good Drinker - How I Learned to Love Drinking Less" which is very much in tune with the Thinking Drinkers' mantra "Drink Less Drink Better" .Amusing, insightful and compelling yet never preachy, Adrian's book explores both the benefits and difficulties of drinking in moderation after years of seriously committed consumption. Adrian didn't think he had a drinking problem, until he realised he was regularly putting away 100 units of alcohol a week.When specialists told him something had to change, he had a choice to make - stop drinking completely or cut right down.He chose the latter and embarked on a fascinating quest to find the good drinker within...Adrian Chiles is a writer, television and radio presenter and world-weary West Bromwich Albion fan. He has been a presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live since the day it started in 1994 and his TV presenter work includes Working Lunch, Match of the Day 2 and The Apprentice: You're Fired.He recently released a documentary called "Drinkers Like Me", in which he explored his relationship with alcohol and decided to cut down. You can buy the book here:Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. It's what Jesus would have wanted.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham  London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

Manhattan60ml (2 fl oz) Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Bourbon25ml (¾ fl oz) sweet vermouth | 3 dashes of Angostura bittersIce | Cherry, to garnish• Pour the bourbon, vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass. Addice, stir gently for 10–15 seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass.Garnish with a cherry.Get yourself a can of Carlsberg Special Brew hereBuy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here 3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for the shows below here:  Nottingham  London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

This week's podcast features phallic-shaped outcrops and death-defying, rum guzzling, swashbuckling salty seamen. Marvel as we expertly tip-toe around some sensitive issues of the past whilst simultaneously decanting drinks knowledge into you generous ears. As promised, here's the picture of Cock Rock (now known as Rooster Rock) and here's where you can buy some Jagermeister - a much misunderstood digestif made with 56 different herbs, roots, fruits and spices.Given Blackbeard became a pirate at the tender age of 12, we're going for some El Dorado 12 year-old in a Rum Old Fashioned. Rum Old Fashioned - 12YO60ml El Dorado 12YO - buy it here3x Dashes Aromatic BittersBarspoon of Demerara SugarOrange TwistMethod: Put the sugar, bitters and water in a tumbler/old fashioned glass. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add a couple of ice cubes and stir in the rum. Add a couple more and stir some more.Garnish with the orange twist

Get some Pilsner Urquell hereDrink some neat Gin whilst gawping at Gin Lane & Beer Street here  Subscribe to the Thinking Drinkers Spirits Subscription Club here and check out dates and tickets for the shows below here:  Wycombe Farnham Worcester Bristol Wolverhampton London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby

This week, the Thinking Drinkers hail Harry Houdini's almost fatal attempt to escape from an urn full of fermenting Tetley's Beer, light a firework under several myths surrounding Guy Fawkes and big-up the famous Northampton massif with Three Hills brewery. And as promised, here's our super duper mulled cider recipe. How do you like them apples?Mulled cider  Ingredients  1½ litres of dry cider  100ml Calvados  400ml apple juice  80g dark brown sugar  2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half 4 whole cloves zest 1 orange, pared into strips 1 tbsp allspice berries  Add cider, Calvados, apple juice and sugar to a saucepan, gently heat, then add the orange zest and spices, simmer on a low heat for 20 mins.  Subscribe to the Thinking Drinkers Spirits Subscription Club here and check out dates and tickets for the shows below here:  Wycombe Farnham Worcester Bristol Isle of Wight Wolverhampton London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby  

Date: October 30thEvent: 1974 Rumble In The Jungle - George Foreman v Muhammed AliDrink:  The Uppercut50ml Triple Sec 25ml Cachaça 15ml Lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 15ml Pink Grapefruit Juice (freshly squeezed) Dash of Angostura Aromatic BittersMethod: Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glassOr, given Ali was born in Louisville, reach of some quality Kentucky Straight Bourbon in the shape of Elijah Craig Small Batch. Enjoy while watching....Highlights of the Rumble In The Jungle fight in 1974 hereTrailer for When We Were Kings here and the trailer for Soul Power hereDate: 2nd NovemberEvent: Marie Antoinette's BirthdayDrink: Bollinger ChampagneAnd here's a picture of a Greek nipple bowl. You're welcome.Subscribe to the Thinking Drinkers Spirits Subscription Club here and check out dates and tickets for the shows below here:  Wycombe Farnham Worcester Bristol Isle of Wight Wolverhampton London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby  

This week, we shall ostly be drinking rum and red wine mixed with coca-cola. Here's why.Event: Death of Lord Admiral NelsonAgggghhh landlubbers. On October 21st, 1805, Lord Nelson was shot by a Frenchman during the Battle of Trafalgar during a battle which the Brits won 22-0 (in terms of ships).Drink: Nelson's BloodTo commemorate the one-eyed, partially-deaf, philandering, publicity-seeking, sea-sick seaman, we're drinking Nelson's Blood II using Pusser's Navy Rum. Nelson's Blood No.245ml Pusser's Navy Rum 45ml Cranberry Juice 22.5ml Lime Juice22.5 ml Orange juice12.5 ml Sugar syrup Two dashes of Angostura BittersStrain into ice-filled glass after shaking all the ingredients in a shaker packed with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge to prevent scurvy.Event: Thomas Edison invents a commercially practical incandescent light at his industrial research lab in New Jersey.Drink: A “Calimocho”, a blend of equal parts cola and cheap red wine.America's finest inventor gave us the gramophone, the movie camera and the first commercially practical long-lasting light bulb. He drank something called Vin Mariani, a ‘medicinal' mix of cheap red wine and coca leaves, believed be the pre-cursor to Coca-Cola. We're mixing the two in equal parts. But you can buy a version of Vin Mariani (without the nose candy) here.To find out more about our Spirits Subscription Club and tour dates - click here 

Evel Knievel & Wild TurkeyEnjoy a Wild Turkey 101 whilst watching Evel Knievel (mostly) fail to land death-defying jumps.Wembley 1975:  And the report from The Guardian hereCNN Obituary footage hereMatthew McConaughey's Eulogy at Knievel's funeral here And here's the.....Kung Fu and the GrasshopperHow to make: SHAKE all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass. 25ml Crème de menthe 25ml Crème de Cacao 25 ml Single creamPour ingredients into shaker full of ice, shake and strain into a coupeAlso, here's a link for Mortlach 25 year-old and RinQuinQuin 

The first episode of our new podcast series recommends drinks to enjoy from October 7th to October 13th.Listen to Lenny Bruce At Carnegie Hall Here's Ursula Andres and her shells in Dr.NoC*cks**king Cowboy15ml Butterscotch Schnapps 30ml Baileys Irish CreamLayer the two ingredients in a shot glass by pouring Baileys off the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top of the schnapps Vodka Martini60ml Vodka 3tsp Dry Vermouth Ice cubes.Olive or lemon zestMethod: Stir the ingredients in a glass with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an olive or a lemon twist.For more on The Thinking Drinkers and dates for their "Pub Quiz" shows - click hereFor the C**kSuck*ng Cowboy you can buy Baileys Irish Cream here and Bols Butterscotch hereFor the Vodka Martini - go for Belvedere Smogory Forest Single Estate Rye here and Cocchi Extra Dry vermouth here

In this, the last episode of our rum mini-series, we’re drinking neat Venezuelan Diplomatico rum and pairing it with chocolate. The chocolate is for both peasant and posho, but the rum is all luxury. Listen to us having a nice time. ‘Added value' chat comes in the form of pumpkin seed fibre advice, Double Decker anecdotes, pre-Minstrel tension, Hine Cognac and wine pouch insights, and tales of a total berk in the wine world. #winebitch

Not content with covering a whole load of rum history, this oar-inspiring episode features pirate puns and another duck joke, we discover some interesting dental facts about diminutive dictators, tackle Tiki Culture, make an Old Fashioned and, best of all, drink some Diplomatico Rum. It's a great listen whether you're a seasoned rum aficionado or someone who, quite frankly, doesn't know their molasses from their elbow.

Rum is for winners. This is the first in our three-pod series on the spirit and we're dipping into it with the help of Diplomático rums. The first episode looks at rum's early history, how it's made and some classic cocktails. We also manage to squeeze in some painful puns and fascinating insights into what we eat for breakfast.

Rolling in as a pair of proper lanterne rouges, we deliver searing cycling insight on the final stages of Le Tour, days after its conclusion. There's sore botties, mechanical doping, plane-eating Frenchmen and Andre The Giant.

Jura in luck this time as the pod follows the Peloton through the Auvergne and the Chartreuse region tasting unpronounceable elixirs, charming Chardonnays, a berry nice Beaujolais and some magical monky business that cures blow-offs. Probably.

We hit the West Coast and the Cognac region for some famous and forgotten French brandies, an eaux-de-vie vodka and a Pineau des Charentes. Starring, Monsieur Roger Leclerc from 'Allo Allo, P.Diddy, Rene Descartes, Jean Paul Sartre and Fred Serieux.

The French revolutions continue as we storm the gates of good taste in Gascony and the Languedoc - with Cremant de Limoux, Armagnac and the last drips of some bag in a box Cotes de Gascogne.

As the Pelaton pedals through the Ardeche and Le Massif Central as we talk chestnuts and cheating, North African sausage and nougat, there’s phallic fungi, feeble wordplay and, as ever, our award-winning wine expertise comes to the fore with three juicy reds.

We begin our "Pour de France" pods by looking back at the first 3 stages through Provencal rosé-coloured spectacles; including the olive oil-soaked Grand Depart which was wetter than Rod Hull's roof. There's talk of Pinot, pile-ups and Picon, biscuits, bikes and botty wipes, , weapons of Grasse distinction, dead dancers, and salads with no 'jackets' required. https://buff.ly/34O0L6i

After more than six weeks, 50 drinks, 25 games and perhaps one too many jokes about Ben's mum, it's the Final of the European Championship of Drink 2020.

Like a couple of teenage boys leafing through the lingerie section of a Littlewoods Catalogue, we've got a couple of impressive semis to show you. France v Italy and England v The Netherlands.

Livers are all a'quiver as France take on Italy and Holland play Denmark in the remaining quarter-final clashes. To say it was epic would be slight hyperbole...but it's still worth a listen.

The Quarter-Finals kick off with Ing-Er-LAnd facing the Swedes and a classic between Belgium beers and an Italy aperitivo.

Sweden face Austria and the French take on Russia in the last 16 as we continue to prove that what we don't know about some of these drinks we can make up for with puerile commentary.

More epic European alcohol action awaits as Ing-Er-land & Germany turn up with some topsy-turvy tactics and Scotland face Ireland in the war of the whiskies.

Feminist vibes are strong in the latest instalment of the world's greatest - and only - drinks-driven Euro 2020 tournament of booze.

With the group stages done 'n dusted, we're into the knockout rounds - when s**t gets real and drinks have to bring their "A" game. A for alcohol. Drink responsibly.

We finish the group stages in style with France, Germany, Portugal and Norn Iron.

Like a Hollywood film star unaware of the #metoo movement, we're bringing you some hot Group E action featuring Sweden; Ireland; Spain and Poland.

England are up against Scotland, the Czech Republic and Croatia in Group D.

In Group C of we taste drinks from Holland, Iceland, Austria & Ukraine. We also discuss the clap, SharonStone and her Dutch Wink, massive pianists and funny looking pickles.

Group B of our European Championship of Drink sees Belgium, Denmark, Russia and Finland duke it out with some of the most discerning drinks from each nation.

We kick of wit h Group A: Italy, Wales, Switzerland and Turkey.

We kick off our European Championship of Drink with an opening ceremony that is essentially a poem.

The chaps take precious time out from poking their dancing bear to talk about vodka. Lots of vodka. It doesn't all taste the same you know.

The chaps Czech out the Czech Republic which, according to the cool kids, is now called Czechia. They explore the country's lovely lagers, rich brewing history and growing microbrewing scene

This week the chaps are joined by comedian, author and expert wine drinker Mark Watson. Together they manage to work through three wines, beer and tequila, and as they do Mark proves to be excellent company with plenty of refreshing views on drinking.

This week the chaps chat about single malt whisky, using the terrifically tasty Talisker range as their muse. Join them as they sip and reminisce over helicopter convoy adventures, blind-folded jeep driving, the movie Highlander and athletes who specialise in mind tricks. Talisker 10-year-old, 18-year-old, Storm and Skye are all available at The Whiskey Exchange. Next week they’ll be discussing wine, beer and tequila with the hugely talented and award-winning comedian, author and all-round lovely chap, Mark Watson. Please leave a nice review, shout all about the podcast on social media, tell all your friends about it and, once you’ve done all that, watch our European Championship of Drink on our YouTube channel.

Focussing for the first time on one drink rather than two this week, the chaps check out beer’s relationship with religion. Tasting Tynt Meadow from the Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, England’s only Trappist Beer – meaning it’s made by actual monks – they discuss sweet baby Jesus, Henry VIII and Jay-Z, Harry Houdini, Dutch Ovens and the dynamic wardrobe of rice.

To celebrate World Gin Day, the boys host a special on the spirit, covering gin’s epic history along with a collection of recommendations to try.

Bonjour la classe! This week, the discerning drinking duo sip sparkling wines and Gallic giggle juice with the effervescent and legendary Marcel Lucont, a French comedian, poet, philosopher, raconteur, flaneur, inexhaustible lover and renowned wine expert.

Originally in the calendar for June, the official Negroni Week got shifted to September due to this flippin’ virus. But since none of us can get to a bar, Ben & Tom decided to give it a dose of love regardless.