Bottles and Bonds: A spirited conversation of booze and what makes us who and what we are.

Join us as we look back and have a spirited conversation about our third season of Bottles and Bonds. We discuss the season highlights and sip from our evolving infinity barrel, which is always one of those things where you never know what will happen. We also bring up some new ideas on the state of our world that you may find interesting.

Pour yourself a drink and reflect with us. Take some time to share your thoughts in the comments. What did you like? What didn’t you like? Do you agree with us, or do you have your own take?

As always, thank you for joining in on the conversation. See you next season.

Listen Here…

We are all fans of something. Maybe it is a band. Perhaps it is a sports team. Maybe an anime. Some communities of fandom seemingly have a secret handshake that says, I am a part of this. And when you get in, it seems there are those things set aside for the fans only, and until you learn about it, you are on the fringe. Smaller distilleries offer so many distillery exclusives available only to those willing to make the trek and drop the money on them. We are the fans of those special places.

Fandom has an essential place in our world. It builds and creates communities. It can hold people together. It can give people some form of identity. Pour yourself a glass of something special for you and join us in this conversation about fandom and its role in our lives.

Listen here…

What about you? What speaks to you? What are you a fan of? Is there something you will willingly go out of your way to engage in it? What does this mean about who you are? Comment below and let us know.

A delightful read on the evolving nature of fandom is The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture by Glen Wheldon. Support a friend of the podcast who actually wants to sell books and not send billionaires into space. Buy it here.

Sometimes it is a difficult thing to pinpoint what inspires one to act. Conversely, there are those moments when lighting is captured in a bottle, as the saying goes, and something happens. This happened with Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout. When it came across the Pond in the 1970s American beer was limited to light pilsners. When people tasted this, they went, Oh, beer can be that? And a new generation of brewers was born.

We have all been inspired to act, to change. Inspiration creates a motivation to do something. Perhaps we are motivated to work on some art work, make better choices. Whatever it is, inspiration often pushes us into a positive direction.

Go ahead, get your buddy over who inspires you, pour yourself favorite beverage, and join us in the conversation of inspiration and motivation.

Listen here…

What about you? What are some great inspirations? How have you been motivated to do something or be something? Let us know in the comments below.

The relationship between fathers and sons is unique in itself and can often be one that includes both triumphs and tribulations. The botched kidnapping and murder of Adolf Coors III brings to light several issues of in the relationship between fathers and sons.

Join us as we sip on a classic beer and hear the story of the murder of Adolf Coors III and explore the nuance in this relationship.

Listen here…

Grab a beer with a friend or two, maybe even your dad. Join us as we explore the difficult relationship between fathers and sons in the exploration of this intriguing case.

There is a moment in The Shawshank Redemption when Brooks, one of the prisoners, is released. Having spent his life in prison, he doesn’t know how the world works outside of the walls. He writes his old friends still in prison and makes the observation that “the world when and got itself in god damned hurry.” It seems we have a difficult time slowing down and relishing a moment and taking pleasure with some of those finer things in life. The French use the word plaisir to express the idea of relishing and cherishing moments.

Today, we focus on how we drink Deerhammer American Single Malt, not the drink itself. Serving from a decanter, we slow down and explore this notion of plaisir and what it means to us. Find a friend and share a moment in plaisir and join us was we explore the impact of plaisir on us.

Listen here…

What about you all? Are there those reminders you keep to slow down and relish in a moment? Let us know in the comments below.

Hannah Chamberlain’s How to be a Better Drinker is a delightful read. Her focus is more on etiquette and making sure that when someone makes a cocktail, they do it properly. She also provides good advice for hosting parties and attending parties. Buy the book from a friend of the podcast who actually wants to sell books and not send billionaires into space. You can order it here…

La Séduction: How the French Play the Game of Life provides a clear exploration of how the French take their time and approach so much of what they do avec plaisir. Elaine Sciolino offers much to explore and reflect upon regarding our own culture. You can order it here…

Imagine the epic battle between two communities of the rights of who gets to own a national treasure. No, we are not talking about the British Museum, we are talking about the bordering countries of Peru and Chile. At heart is Pisco Sour. Both countries claim it as their national drink. Both prepare it differently (we went the Peruvian route). At heart is an epic rivalry.

What is about rivalries that bind people together? We see it in sports, fandom, and nations. Do we need these to unify us?

Make yourself a Pisco sour (show your affiliation with Chile or Peru) and explore the impact rivalries play in our lives.

Listen here…

Tell us about your take on the impact rivalries play in your life. Do you believe, like Mark that his favorite NHL team is the Colorado Avalanche and anyone playing the Minnesota Wild? What are some epic rivalries out there that give shape to who we are?

Take a look back at what makes a people who and what it is. Look at the melding of traditions that a community shares. Sometimes it can take generations for a these traditions to take hold, but often they begin as a blending from various groups. At first, it is likely uncomfortable, however, eventually, it is just as it is. In the spirits world, the idea of blending is taking hold and is becoming more respected. Even when there are blends of two spirits which seem at odds with each other: like Scottish whisky blended with Irish whiskey. Such as what we taste in this episode.

Find a blend you like, pour a dram, and join us as we consider the value of blending, both in spirits and in life.

Listen here…

What are some blends in your life that have created you? What about your take on non-producing distilleries who focus on creating blends to meet a certain flavor profile? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Join us as we take part in an Italian tradition: the drinking of an aperitif, or aperitivo. The role of aperitivo in Italian culture is quite important. It is something akin to a ritual to bind people together. Today we sip on Campari on the rocks as we explore the role ritual can play in binding people together. A question arises: what happens when people in a culture are not aware of some of those rituals? Can a pluralistic society have common rituals?

Grab a friend, and share an aperitif (usually a bitter, low ABV drink used to stimulate the appetite) and a snack, and look at the rituals you have that keep you bound to each other and your community.

Listen here…

What do you think? As a culture, do we need more rituals to bind us together? What are some rituals that you follow? Let us know in the comments below.

Consider the idea of “craft.” Think about the craft breweries we tend to go to. Consider the handmade crafts we seek out at a farmers market or ETSY? There is a strong implied meaning in the word and idea of “craft” that many of us seek when we want something that is not so expected.

Join as us we taste another ASM, this one from Balcones Distillery in Waco, TX and explore the idea of craft. What is “Craft”? Why do we go for “craft”?

Listen here…

Call up a friend, pour your favorite “craft” drink, and join in on the conversation. What makes what you poured “craft?” What attracts you to the idea of “craft?” Do you think there is some qualitative manner of defining it? Or, is it one of those things that you know when you see it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The beauty of engaging in fantasy role play is getting to embody something other than who and what you are. Beyond that, we seek stories to explore different pathways and manners of living that allow us to explore different ethical beliefs.

Join us as we sip on the latest release from Colorado’s Branch and Barrel distillery and explore the role story telling can play in understanding ourselves, our world, and those around us.

Listen here…

Pour your favorite drink with your gaming buddy, fire up your favorite game, sip, and join in on the conversation. What are the benefits of stories? What can stories do for us to understand ourselves and others around us? Let us know in the comments.