Assemblage Beverage Podcast

We are back with episode sixty, where Mason + Adam sit down to talk Rye. They boys tasted through a total of five different bottles of rye, while they deep dive into what rye is and how it is made. Things get a little wild when they start drinking cask strength rye and compare the beverage to both a linebacker and a ballerina in the same sentence. Adam closes out the podcast with a story about him meeting one of his favorite rappers at a local Atlanta coffee shop.

Question of the Day: If you could have a beverage dispense from each of your fingers on one hand, what would they be?

Sponsorship: Shoutout to our sponsor, Shoe’s Pizzeria. You know what is amazing after a long night drinking whiskey, and in this case Rye? Two or three mozzarella sticks and a hot, fresh, cheesy, meaty pizza from Shoe’s Pizzeria to get your mind right. Shoe’s is a neighborhood favorite and a place where the local Valparaisians actually eat since they opened in 2010. Go check them out at 3300 N Calumet Ave in Valparaiso Indiana. Open 7 days a week, and 6 of those for lunch. Tell Chris that Mason + Adam sent you.

Bar. Somm. Service.

Episode 59 of The Assemblage Beverage Podcast is all about service. Mason + Adam breakdown what they believe are the basics of great wine service as well as how proper cocktails should be made behind the bar. Friendly but professional service, clean glassware, and proper bar equipment are the keys to success in creating extraordinary food and beverage experiences.

Question of the Day: What are your beverage equipments of choice and why? (for example, a certain glass or a favorite bar spoon)

Sponsor: Today’s podcast is all about proper service, and that is what you get at Shoe’s Pizzeria. Shoe’s has top notch service, from the friendly face that greets you at the counter, the owner and managers who are always there to help, all the way to the kitchen staff bringing you your food with a smile on their face. And good service is great, but the product that you are being served is important too. Their food is top notch which is accentuated by the service quality. Pizza, Wings, Subs. It sounds easy, but Shoe’s actually delivers (via DoorDash). Go visit them at 3300 N. Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso, IN. Give them a call at (219) 476-7463 to place your order. And if you see the owner there, tell them that Mason + Adam sent you.

Dry January is behind us, and let's hope that you were more successful than the Assemblage Boys. Even though they were unsuccessful in completing the challenge, they still wanted to share some alcohol free beverages that you can mix into daily life or save for next January.

They discuss why it is important for all great restaurants and bars to offer a great non-alcoholic mocktail before jumping into alcohol free wines, beers and spirits and finish with why people attempt Dry January.

Question of the Day: Why did you choose to or not choose to do Dry January?

Sponsorship: Did you make it through Dry January? If so, go celebrate at Shoe's Pizzeria with a $5 pitcher of domestic beer! They offer this amazing draft beer deal every Wednesday from open to close!

What Happens in Vegas... gets shared the next week on The Assemblage Beverage Party. Adam had his bachelor party in The Sin City, and he has (almost) all the guys on this episode. They recap their long weekend in Las Vegas, so listen in to hear about their club experience, dining at a Michelin worthy restaurant, and about all the money that was left on the table at Caesar's.

Shout out to the crew: Grant, Jack, Sonny, Mason, and Alex (not featured in the podcast).

Question of the Day: Would you go back to Las Vegas? If so, would you bring your life partner?

Sponsorship: Should Shoe's Pizzeria go to Las Vegas to open their second location? After seeing those prices, we think so! Even if they do not, we still know that Valparaiso is lucky to have the best pizza, wings and subs east of the Mississippi!

New Year, Same Mason & Adam. The boys are back with the first episode of 2024, and they are talking about figures who are larger than life in the hospitality industry. What is a hospitality giant you might ask? Well, to us they range from old school chefs specializing in classic French cuisine, television personalities, sommeliers, and Michelin Starred Chefs who are out there changing food and hospitality as we know it.

Question of the Day: Which hospitality giant did we miss?

And a special shoutout to our continued sponsor, Shoe's Pizzeria. The holiday season is behind us, and all that is left is cold, dreary weather and an empty wallet. But, you still need to eat… So head on down to Shoe’s Pizzeria, where you will find unbelievable food at inexpensive prices. It is a family friendly restaurant that offers dine in, take out and even delivery. You get a salad and can continue to lie to yourself that you are going to lose weight, or do what I do and get their pizza, wings or subs! All are made fresh to order (no heat lamps here). So what are you waiting for, go take your family down to Shoe’s for the best pizza, wings and subs in Valparaiso, Indiana since 2010. Give them a call at 219-476-7463

It is the last Assemblage Beverage Podcast of the year, so that means it is time to reminisce on the progress we have made in 2023. Mason + Adam start by talking podcast statistics and they see how many of their 2023 goals, set at the end of 2022, they checked off (spoiler, it was most of them). They then recap some of their favorite podcast memories and end with their podcast, business, and life goals for 2024. It has been real, it has been fun 2023.

Question of the Day: What are you most excited for in 2024?

Thank you to our sponsor, Shoe’s Pizzeria. Let's talk about sandwiches today. Shoe’s has a great selection of sandwiches, and there are so many great things about it. First, the bread. It comes in freshly baked multiple times per week, and we all know the base of a great sandwich is the bread. Next, the meat and cheese! All are sliced fresh in house and they run the gamut from ham, to turkey, to pizza sub, to italian cured meats, italian beef, meatball and one of Adam’s favorites, the chicken finger sub. Finally, those sweet sandos are toasted and topped with freshly cut produce and served with a bag of Lay’s potato chips. But I recommend upgrading that to a side of crinkle cut fries or crispy onion rings.

Give them a call at (219) 476-7463. That is (219) 476-SHOE and visit them at 3300 N. Calumet Ave in Valparaiso, Indiana.

The holidays are in full swing, and Mason + Adam's glasses are empty... until they each unboxed a gift from each other. Adam shipped Mason a bottle of bold red and Mason sent Adam a bottle of bubbles! Tune into this episode to see which bottles they are sipping on while shooting the shit with one another.

Question of the Day: What is your favorite memory from a bottle that you have gifted or received?

Shout out to our sponsor, Shoe's Pizzeria! Listen to this week's episode to hear the origin story of Northwest Indiana's best family owned pizzeria since 2010! Visit them at 3300 N. Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso, Indiana!

Jungle Juice. We have all had it, whether we remember it or not...

Mason + Adam talk about the origins and history of Punch. Yes, jungle juice is a punch, especially if the punch bowl is a bathtub. So gather around the punch bowl with your best lads, and listen as Mason shares his recipe for the punch he is sipping on and Adam talks about his favorite style of punch, clarified milk punch (better known as English Milk Punch).

Question of the Day: What was your first party juice and what do you most remember (or not remember)?

Episode 52 is proudly sponsored by Shoe's Pizzeria. Are you tired of over priced lunch specials? We at Assemblage are. That's why if you are in Northwest Indiana, you should stop by Shoe's for their amazing lunch special deals, starting at only $8.99! Available Tuesday through Friday. Go check them out at 3300 N. Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso, Indiana.

November is here, which means the holiday season is in full force. Mason + Adam talk about the best Halloween wine while trick-or-treaters knock on their doors. They then dig into Thanksgiving and what foods you will find on their plates and which wines will be in their glasses. Mason talks about his favorite Hanukkah foods and wines, and they wrap it up with how opening baller bottles of fermented grape juice at Christmas and New Year's Eve hits different.

Question of the Day: What is your favorite holiday wine?