One of my top two things that I like to have in my glass during the winter season makes its first appearance on the show this week. It's called Glühwein, and it's a warm, spiced, delicious wine. If you haven't had the chance to experience it, yet - let this episode be the call to action for you to do just that!

We're back down at the Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt again this week, doing the third in our series of Winter Drinking shows live from the festival. It's an absolute blast, and I was joined by a bunch of really great folks this week to make sure that it was!

What'd We Drink?

Moerlein Lager House - Glühwein

Guests This Episode

Julia Rohs - Truth, Beer, and Podsequences

Thor - A Real German... It lends credibility!

Nathan Whittington - Chef, Moerlein Lager House

Greg Hardman - Moerlein Lager House

This is definitely solidly in my wheelhouse. I'm a big beer nerd. I was joined by my buddy Marco, from Truth, Beer, Podsequences to take a peek into winter beer. The big question is "what makes a winter beer, anyways?" We explore that over a couple of pints, of course!

This is the second in a series of five episodes that are being recorded (and broadcast) live from the Cincinnati Cristkindlmarkt down at the Moerlein Lager House. Make sure you tune in every Thursday evening this month.

Guests This Episode

Marco Penilla - Truth, Beer, Podsequences

What We Drank

Christian Moerlein - Christkindl

Christian Moerlein - Cherry Cordial Barbarossa

There are a few things to be answered before we jump in... namely, what makes a winter cocktail? We set up shop inside an igloo down at the Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt at the Banks to answer that, and many other questions (and of course to drink a few drinks along the way.

I was joined by Julia Rohs, from Truth, Beer, Podsequences for this unique, fun, and undoubtedly chaotic episode of the show.

Guests This Episode

Julia Rohs - Truth, Beer, and Podsequences

What We Drank

The Drunken Rudolph

Harvest Apple

Under The Mistletoe

I could spend a lot of time writing about Zane Lamprey... but you're better off just diving into some of the work he's done over the years to get a better picture of why he's important to who I am today. To say that he's inspired what The Gnome has become is a bit of an understatement. Zane has been critical in shaping how I have created content over the years, and just as much into the directions that I plan on going in the future too.

For those reasons, among many others, I was thrilled when he agreed to sit down with me for an episode of Drinking With The Gnome recently while he was in town. We talked about a LOT, including what makes a good beer city, the differences between Bourbon and Craft Beer, and even the differences between light beers (or lack of) - it's a really fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did recording it!

Guests This Episode

Zane Lamprey

Show Links

Zane Lamprey's WebsiteZane On CincyBrewcastZane Lamprey's 'Lightly Toasted' PodcastThree Sheets: South KoreaFour Sheets

I will be the first to admit that I know very, very little about the world of wine. I'm a beer guy that loves to drink booze and cocktails. With all of that out in the open, I also fully recognize that as a drinker, I need to expand my horizon a little bit, and take a dive into wine.

I took the easy road. I called up our friend over at Fruitblood Wine, Josh Elliot. We know Josh because of his time at Urban Artifact, a brewery whose beer is just as close to wine as it is beer. It was a natural progression for Josh to make his way from UA over to his new company. It also makes it easy for me to make that move into wine from where I'm comfortable!

Guests This Episode

Josh Elliot - Fruitblood Wine

It's been far, far too long since I got an episode of Drinking With The Gnome out there. This show seems to be the thing that gets pushed aside when things get a little busy, and that's not fair to a show that I have big, big plans for. With that being said, I've got one for you this week! I LOVE absinthe but get a little frustrated at the misinformation that gets put out there about this herbal liquor, so I made an episode to hopefully dispel some of those myths. We talk about the history - the myths and then we dive into a cocktail to explore just a bit about what makes this spirit so freaking tasty!

This Week's Cocktail - The Corpse Reviver #2

3/4 oz Gin (I used the wet hopped gin from Five Stories)3/4 oz Triple Sec (I use Cointreau)3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (I use Cocchi Americano)3/4 oz Lemon JuiceRinse of Absinthe

Shake all your ingredients (except the absinthe) and strain neat into a chilled cocktail glass that is "washed" with the absinthe.

It's a different world, this "craft beer" thing that we're currently in. Gone are the days that you can just throw together a brewery, put a picnic table or two in your warehouse and operate a successful business. You have to do more, and you have to do better. You can see clear evidence of this when you look around Cincinnati at the places that have opened.

This show is about that other side that people desire.

Cartridge Brewing Company made it a point to create a business that not only caters to craft beer fans, but as a restaurant to foodies, and as a full service bar to cocktail nerds, too.

I am a cocktail nerd.

On this episode of Drinking With The Gnome, we roll through some cocktails and talk about that process of creating a great cocktail menu that satisfies as many people as possible.

Thank you to the folks at Cartridge Brewing Company for the hospitality (that means "thanks for the drinks and the conversation!!!") and if you haven't been out there to have a cocktail in addition to a beer - well... you know what to do!

Guests This Episode

Kyle Hackbarth - Cartridge Brewing Company

Lindsey Hackbarth - Cartridge Brewing Company

Sara Haarman - Cartridge Brewing Company

What'd We Drink?

1890 - Cartridge's twist on the Paloma

GMP Old Fashioned - You know it... their version of an Old Fashioned

Hairpin Turn - Islandy, Fruity... this is right up my alley.

I had never been to Crown Republic before this episode - and was lured in by some friends from the beer industry... and I am glad that I was. This place is fantastic on a few different levels - on the drinking side, the bar is great, it's down to earth and provides great drinks without any of the pretentiousness that you might find at other spots. It's a relaxed place to grab a great cocktail. On a whole other level, though... the food is to die for. Upscale, but still keeping that relaxed atmosphere that I love. It's like hanging out in someone's kitchen and having some really killer food.

If you've never been - let this episode be the thing that pushes you to try Crown Republic out! If you're still curious - you can always read a little more here on the blog, or head over to their website for more information!

Guests This Episode

Aaron - Manager

Alex - Manager

Jason Roeper - Rivertown

Lindsey Roeper - Rivertown

I was on vacation with the family down in Gatlinburg, but that wasn't going to stop me from doing a little "Gnome-Work" while we were away. I stopped into Sugarlands Distilling to chat with Reede Copeland about the unique culture of Gatlinburg, and the reasons that moonshine has caught on so heavily in the area versus other places. We talk about what makes the distillery special, what makes moonshine special, and what makes Gatlinburg a little different than you might think that it is at first glance.

Tourism is a big part of Gatlinburg - but there's more to the story.

Guests This Episode

Reede Copeland - Sugarlands Distillery

Show Links

Where To Drink: Gatlinburg

Sugarlands Distilling - Website

What Is Moonshine? - HowStuffWorks.com

How Prohibition Gave Birth To Nascar - History.com

The Great Smoky Mountains - Sugarlands Visitor Center

Wrapping up a three part series from Karrikin we take a dive into what's coming down the pipeline for this distillery. To help guide us through the conversation we pour a little bit of their 'Emerge' gin and take a quick tour through how they make it, and what pushed them to launch with two different gins into the market.

This is most definitely not the last you'll hear about Karrikin on Drinking With The Gnome - there's a lot more to them that still needs exploring!

Also, of quick note - Thank you for your patience between episodes lately. Life has been a little bit on the crazy side for me, and your support means the world. Without you - there is no Gnome.

Guests This Episode

Andy Foltz - Guest HostingEric Baumann - Karrikin SpiritsJeff Hunt - Karrikin Spirits