Happy Hour Playbook

In Episode 33 of The Happy Hour Playbook, "Upset City," Chris and Wes break down a chaotic weekend of football shakeups, baseball history, and Hollywood gambles.

The Pour

The guys kick things off with Caribou Crossing Single Barrel, an 80-proof Canadian Whisky known for its smooth finish and iconic pewter caribou topper.

NCAA Week 8 Chaos

College football delivered massive upsets this weekend. Key highlights include:

UCF shocking No. 2 BYU in double overtime.

Cincinnati dominating No. 8 Texas Tech on the ground.

Unranked Illinois handing No. 25 Oregon an early-season loss in Champaign.

NFL Week 7 Upsets

The NFL script flipped with massive primetime surprises and division statements:

The Falcons rallied from an early deficit to hand the 49ers their first loss of the season (29-20).

Seattle's defense suffocated Patrick Mahomes to secure a 20-3 Sunday Night Football victory.

Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins fueled a massive 35-unanswered-point comeback to crush the Ravens.

The Cowboys rolled the Eagles 38-21 in a dominant Monday Night Football showing.

World Series Check-In

The Milwaukee Brewers are on the verge of their first franchise championship, holding a dominant 3-0 series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays after blowing the doors off Game 3.

Movie Review: Street Fighter

Chris hits the theaters for the new live-action Street Fighter movie. While the practical martial arts choreography shines, jarring animated cutscenes and a risky franchise-baiting cliffhanger earn this box office gamble a Tier 3 "First Round Exit" rating.

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Keep it real and keep it rolling.

Welcome to Episode 32 of the Happy Hour Playbook, where college football just got flipped on its head and the NFL wasn't far behind. Chris and Wes are breaking down a weekend of pure, unadulterated sports chaos, officially dubbing this one "Pouring One Out for the Top 10." From Auburn’s walk-off stunner against number-one Georgia to Tennessee’s defense completely suffocating Alabama, nobody was safe on Saturday. The madness spilled right over into Sunday's NFL Week 6 slate, delivering a massive wave of shockers including the Titans finally clawing out their first win and Bryce Young pulling off a prime upset over the Eagles.

Pivoting to the diamond, the guys lock in their official 2026 World Series preview. Wes might be watching from the outside this October without his Rangers, but the blueprint is set for the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers as they battle for the Commissioner's Trophy. They dive into Junior Caminero's power, Jackson Chourio's electric momentum, the heavy bullpen strategies, and why rest versus rust might decide it all before giving a definitive series prediction.

Before tackling the gridiron or the Fall Classic, the guys kick things off with the Happy Hour Pour, uncorking Southern Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This 95-proof, 3X Double Gold blend leans heavily into rich baking spices, sweet corn, and dark fruits at a very accessible $44.99 price point. Chris and Wes put it through the official five-tier rating gauntlet to see exactly where it lands—will it cement itself as a First Ballot daily sipper, or is it getting relegated to the Practice Squad?

In this episode:

• The Happy Hour Pour: Tasting and rating Southern Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
  
• NCAA Week 7 Bloodbath: Auburn stuns #1 Georgia, BYU drops #2 Notre Dame, and Tennessee shuts down Alabama.
  
• NFL Week 6 Stunners: The Titans get on the board, the Panthers shock the Eagles, and the Browns walk off against the Ravens.
  
• World Series Preview: Deep dive into the Rays vs. Brewers matchup, key catalysts, and series predictions.
  

Grab a glass, settle in, and let's get it rolling.

Connect with the Playbook:

• Instagram: @Happy Hour Playbook
  
• YouTube: Happy Hour Playbook
  
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• Facebook: Happy Hour Playbook
  

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Keep it real and keep it rolling.

In Episode 31 of The Happy Hour Playbook, Chris is running on pure adrenaline after an 1,100-mile cannonball run across the country. He and Wes kick off a massive show by pouring the 101.6-proof TX Straight Bourbon PX Sherry Finish to see where its dark fruit and maple notes land on the five-tier rating scale. From there, the guys dive into a completely chaotic weekend of football, an epic cross-country truck retrieval, and a heavily debated movie review segment.

Episode Rundown:

* NCAA Week 6 Madness: Breaking down Oklahoma's stunning 27-24 Red River Rivalry upset over No. 1 Texas on a 47-yard walk-off field goal, Kentucky's walk-off two-point conversion against LSU, and Georgia exorcising its Tuscaloosa demons against Alabama.


* NFL Week 5 Chaos: Unpacking the NFC East's historic 0-2-2 weekend, Washington's brutal overtime clock-management meltdown, a 57-yard London walk-off kick, and Drake Maye's five-touchdown eruption in Foxborough.


* Nashville to Detroit – The 17-Hour Haul: Chris details his whirlwind road trip, starting with a stay at Nashville's historic Hermitage Hotel, Broadway vibes, legendary heat at Prince's Hot Chicken, and building a custom lid at Rustler Hat Co. Then, it's off to Detroit to finally pick up the freshly upfitted AEV F-350 and put it to the test with a 17-hour straight shot back home to Texas.


* HHP Movie Reviews: Chris and Wes lock horns over the nostalgic pass versus the exhausting two-hour "Farvafest" of Super Troopers 3, and dig into the gritty, violent medieval history of Paul Greengrass's The Uprising.


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Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Next week, we're cracking open a new bottle and diving into some new topics. Don't miss it.

Keep it real and keep it rolling.

Welcome to Episode 30 of The Happy Hour Playbook! This week, we are serving up a loaded rundown of gridiron upsets, diamond predictions, and pop culture madness.

We kick things off with the Happy Hour Pour, tasting the Shortbarrel Toasted Small Batch Bourbon. Will this 94-proof Kentucky straight finished in Kelvin barrels earn First Ballot legendary status, or is it destined to be a Draft Bust?

Here is what’s on tap for this episode:

• CFB Chaos: We break down a wild Week 4 of college football, including Florida completely dismantling No. 4 Ole Miss, Wisconsin silencing Happy Valley, and a look ahead to a heavyweight Week 5 slate featuring several ranked vs. ranked matchups.
• NFL & Fantasy Football: Unpacking the fallout from NFL Week 3—including the Jaguars' rout, the Bills staying undefeated, and a 56-yard walk-off thriller in Rio—plus a preview of Week 4 and a pulse check on our Fantasy rosters.
• October Baseball: The 2026 MLB Wild Card matchups are officially set. We are bringing you our full series predictions, highlighted by the historic Yankees-Red Sox clash in the Bronx.
• Pop Culture Check: We discuss the brand-new Avengers: Endgame Encore theatrical re-release and how its new post-credit scenes set up Doomsday. Plus, our reactions to the viral MMA cage match where influencer Frankie LaPenna squared off against a 6-foot remote-controlled humanoid robot.

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Keep it real and keep it rolling.

We kick off Episode 29 of The Happy Hour Playbook with a pour of Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, breaking down its bold, heat-aged profile to see where it lands on our definitive rating scale.

From the glass to the gridiron, we dive into a chaotic Week 3 of NCAA Football, highlighting massive upsets, Texas taking over the AP No. 1 spot, and Ole Miss surviving a late LSU rally in our Game of the Week. Moving to the NFL, Week 2 brought overtime drama, crucial fourth-quarter comebacks, and major franchise milestones. We break down Ja'Marr Chase's record-breaking afternoon for the Bengals and Dak Prescott officially surpassing Tony Romo for the most passing touchdowns in Cowboys history.

With October baseball looming, we map out the MLB playoff picture, tight Wild Card races, and the new math behind crucial tiebreakers before wrapping up with the essential Fantasy Football takeaways you need from Week 2.

Episode Breakdown

* The Pour: Tasting notes and official rating for Garrison Brothers Small Batch.

* College Football: Week 3 upsets, Ole Miss vs. LSU breakdown, and the Top 10 reshuffle.

* NFL Week 2: Overtime thrillers, Cincinnati's defensive masterclass, and Dallas pulling away from Washington.

* MLB Playoffs: Division clinchers, first-round byes, and the race for the final Wild Card spots.

* Fantasy Football: Week 2 recap and roster implications.

Enjoying the show? Make sure to follow, subscribe, and share the playbook with a friend!

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* Instagram: @Happy Hour Playbook

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Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Keep it real and keep it rolling.

Welcome back to the Happy Hour Playbook! Grab a glass and pull up a chair as Chris and Wes return for a massive week of sports, upsets, and bourbon.

Here is what is on tap for this week's playbook:

* The Happy Hour Pour: We are tasting and rating Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon. Will this smooth, $50-$65 mid-range pour earn a flawless "First Ballot" rating, or will it fall to the "Practice Squad"?

* NCAA Football Week 2: Breaking down a chaotic week of college ball, highlighted by Texas pulling off a historic, 20-point fourth-quarter comeback to stun No. 1 Ohio State. Plus, Oklahoma State snaps Oregon's 21-game win streak.

* NFL Week 1 Results: Football is officially back. We dive into the heartbreak, the overreactions, and the final scores from an action-packed opening weekend, including the Bears dropping 59 points and the Cowboys falling to the Giants.

* MLB Chase to the Playoffs: With October right around the corner, we check the latest standings to see who is locked in and who is sweating it out on the Wild Card bubble.

* FIBA Women's World Cup: Celebrating Team USA's dominant, undefeated gold medal run in Berlin after a 97-79 championship victory over France.

* Fantasy Football Week 1: Checking the scoreboards and the Tuesday waiver wire. Did the Defending Champ start the season strong, or is it already panic time?

Pour ‘em up, keep it real, and let's get it rolling!

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* Instagram: @Happy Hour Playbook

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* Facebook: Happy Hour Playbook

* Listen on: Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Kick back and pour up! In Episode 27, we’re tasting a wheated classic while breaking down an absolutely wild weekend of college football and looking ahead to the highly anticipated return of the NFL.

On this week's playbook:

* The Happy Hour Pour: We review Weller Special Reserve. At an entry-level $30 and 90 proof, does this sweet, vanilla-heavy bourbon earn a "First Ballot" rating, or is it destined for the "Practice Squad"?


* NCAA Football: A massive weekend of shockers and blowouts. We discuss Tulsa’s definitive upset over Oklahoma State, Michigan's unbelievable 1-second Hail Mary survival against Western Michigan, and a roundup of top-tier games including LSU's dominant win over Clemson.


* NFL Week 1 Preview: Pro football is officially back. We break down the prime-time slate, featuring the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl LX rematch, the historic 49ers-Rams showdown in Melbourne, Australia, and our predictions for Sunday's heaviest hitters.


Enjoying the show? Make sure to follow, subscribe, and share the playbook with a friend!

Connect with the Playbook:

* Instagram: @HappyHourPlaybook


* YouTube: Happy Hour Playbook


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* Facebook: Happy Hour Playbook


Don't forget to listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Tune in next week as we crack open a new bottle and dive into some new topics. Keep it real and keep it rolling.

EPISODE 26: Dark Rye & Division Titles

Welcome to Episode 26 of the Happy Hour Playbook! Wes and I have a packed show today blending spirits, history-making sports moments, healthcare controversies, and high-stakes football predictions. Grab your glass, pull up a chair, and let’s get into it!

The Happy Hour Pour

We are kicking things off by uncorking Basil Hayden Dark Rye. This 80-proof pour is a unique blend of Kentucky straight rye whiskey, Canadian rye whisky, and California port wine (blended with actual port wine, not just finished in port casks). It’s heavily wine-forward with dominant notes of dark cherries, plum, and strawberry jam, with very minimal rye burn. We break down the profile and slot this $40 bottle into our official tier list to see where it lands:

Bonus: The Rise and Fall of UNC Health’s Shift-Bidding System

Stepping out of the OR for a minute, we dive into the highly controversial reverse-auction shift-bidding model that UNC Health introduced—and quickly canceled—in August 2026. Originally defended as a strategy to control outside agency costs, the software operated on a "lowest bidder wins" structure for premium-pay shifts. We discuss the immediate backlash from nursing advocates and why a system that forces coworkers to underbid each other and treats clinical teamwork as a financial "race to the bottom" was doomed to fail.

Making History

We take a trip down memory lane to look at the 70-year legacy of the Babe Ruth League before celebrating a massive milestone for Indigenous athletes on the national stage.

* The Girls' 14U Championship Run: The newly assembled, all-Indigenous Na7ive Na7ions girls softball team made history in Florence, Alabama, battling extreme heat to finish 9-1 and capture the World Series title. We look at their dominant performance and the brilliant dugout nutrition strategy that kept them healthy on the field.

* The Boys' 16U Debut: We also highlight the Na7ive Na7ions boys baseball team's historic trip to Branson, Missouri. Handpicked from roughly 200 players based on both physical talent and intangibles, these athletes represented their tribal communities on a massive stage, ensuring elite talent from smaller communities gets the collegiate and MLB scouting exposure it deserves.

NFL Season Predictions

Football is finally back. We are putting our reputations on the line and locking in our official 2026 AFC and NFC division winners. We break down the heavy favorites—like the Bills and Rams—and analyze the tightest projected races in the AFC West and NFC North. Plus, we map out the road to the playoffs by projecting the full 2nd through 4th place standings for every division.

PGA Tour Championship

We wrap up with a Sunday check-in on the Tour Championship in Atlanta. Viktor Hovland is holding the 54-hole lead at 15-under par, but with Ryan Gerard sitting one stroke back and heavy hitters like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy lurking close behind, it is going to be a wild finish.

College Football Return

A quick look at this week’s impressions from the gridiron, including UNC’s defensive grit in a wet Ireland game, Virginia’s incredibly efficient rushing attack against NC State, and Jayden Maiava living up to the hype for #14 USC. Plus, we look ahead to the limited but crucial Week 1 marquee matchups.

Enjoying the show? Make sure to follow, subscribe, and share the playbook with a friend!

Connect with the Playbook:

* Instagram: @HappyHourPlaybook

* YouTube: Happy Hour Playbook

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* Facebook: Happy Hour Playbook

Don't forget to listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Next Week: We're cracking open a new bottle and diving into some new topics. Don't miss it.

"Keep it real and keep it rolling."

EPISODE 25: A Surgical Nightmare & Wyndham’s Dream Weekend

This week, Chris and Wes are serving up a massive board, balancing the heavy reality of a real-world medical crisis with the thrill of high-stakes sports. Grab your glass, pull up a chair, and let’s get into it.

The Happy Hour Pour

We kick things off in-state with Still Austin’s Straight Rye Whiskey ("The Artist"). This 99.6-proof, 100% Texas rye boasts a complex, herbal profile with notes of spearmint, dill, and buttercream icing. Will this unique pour earn a "First Ballot" legend status, or is it destined to be a "Draft Bust"?

A Surgical Nightmare in Nashville

Chris leans on his operating room background to break down a catastrophic medication error at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital. We explore how such a devastating breakdown happens and the safeguards designed to prevent it.

* The Incident: Four outpatient surgery patients were mistakenly given spinal injections of potassium instead of standard anesthesia.

* The Impact: The toxic reaction caused cardiac arrest, leaving at least two patients—including 72-year-old Glenda Dorton—permanently paralyzed.

* The Investigation: Early reports point to a pharmacy mix-up, and state authorities are actively investigating.

NFL Shake-Ups & Preseason Injuries

The NFL landscape is shifting rapidly as Week 1 approaches.

* Blockbuster Trades: Myles Garrett is heading to the Rams, A.J. Brown joins the Patriots, and Stefon Diggs signs with the Commanders.

* Star Injuries: Preseason ailments threaten the openers for heavy hitters like Patrick Mahomes (knee), Micah Parsons (PUP list), and Malik Nabers.

2026 BMW Championship

Wyndham Clark is dominating at Bellerive Country Club, pushing to shake up the FedExCup standings before East Lake.

If Clark holds his commanding five-stroke lead to secure the win and 750 FedExCup points, he is projected to vault into 3rd place overall behind Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Enjoying the show? Make sure to follow, subscribe, and share the playbook with a friend!

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Keep it real and keep it rolling.

Football is officially back! In Episode 24, Chris and Wes pour a trailblazing Texas whisky to break in a brand-new rating system before tackling a jam-packed weekend of sports. From NFL Preseason Week 1 overreactions and backup battles to the scorching playoff heat in Memphis, pour yourself a dram, settle in, and let's get into the playbook.

The Happy Hour Pour

We are breaking in our new five-tier rating system with Balcones Baby Blue, the first legal Texas whisky released since Prohibition. Crafted from 100% roasted Hopi blue corn and bottled at 92 proof, this pour brings vibrant, oily qualities to the table without heavy wood tannins.

Nose: Roasted corn, buttered popcorn, candy corn, brown sugar, and light baking spices with undertones of tropical fruit.

Palate: Oily and viscous with sweet corn, toasted grain, vanilla, and caramel.

Finish: Medium length with lingering sweet corn, pepper, and warm oak spice.

The Official Playbook Rating System:

🐐 First Ballot: The absolute best; flawless

🏆 Playoff Worthy: Great, but maybe missing that one elite piece

❌ First Round Exit: Average; perfectly fine but nothing special

🚫 Practice Squad: Below average; needs serious improvement

🗑️ Draft Bust: Total letdown; avoid at all costs

NFL Preseason Week 1 Recap

The gridiron action has returned. We break down all the notable player stats, surprise performances, and roster battles from the first week of the preseason.

PGA FedEx St. Jude Championship

We head down to the 100-degree heat of Memphis for a massive playoff opener at TPC Southwind.

The Pace Setter: Scottie Scheffler sits at -13, seizing control in Round 2 with a blistering, course-record-tying 61. He is looking to break a streak of five runner-up finishes this season.

The Chasers: Sam Burns (-11) fired a spectacular bogey-free 62 to surge into the final pairing alongside his close friend Scheffler. Sungjae Im (-11) remains firmly in the mix.

📱 Connect with the Playbook

Enjoying the show? Make sure to follow, subscribe, and share the playbook with a friend! Next week, we're cracking open a new bottle and diving into some new topics. Don't miss it.

Instagram: @Happy Hour Playbook

YouTube: Happy Hour Playbook

TikTok: Happy Hour Playbook

Facebook: Happy Hour Playbook

Listen On: Spotify and Apple Podcasts

"Keep it real and keep it rolling."