Heard!

We take this episode on the road as we travel to Red Wagon Wine Shoppe in Rochester Hills to visit the Ultimate Ardbeg Escape Bus. This bus will be touring around the United States and started its journey in metro Detroit. David Weiss, Ardbeg's brand manager, talks Ardbeg and all of its peaty goodness with us. We discuss Scotland, more specifically the Isle of Islay, and the role peated scotch plays there. Before we talk Ardbeg, though, Nick "treats" us to dinner. Thanks for listening! To follow where the Ardbeg Escape Bus will be next, visit http://ardbegescape.com. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave us a review. You can follow us on Instagram @heardpodcast and find our past episodes on the web at http://heardpodcast.com.

Stephen B. Beam, head distiller at Limestone Branch, joins us to discuss bourbon, the rich history of distilling in his family, and much more. Stephen has been distilling for decades, so we try to distill that knowledge in this hour. Thanks for listening! You can learn more about Limestone Branch at http://limestonebranch.com. We’d love to read your feedback, so please leave a review & follow us on Instagram @heardpodcast.

Robyn Cleveland, co-owner of Norden Spirits, joins us to discuss the launch of Norden Aquavit - available in Michigan in early July. Robyn is a bartender turned distiller who is focused on making aquavit more mainstream. Aquavit is a Scandanavian spirit that is experiencing a resurgence recently. We also discuss the Red Hen incident with Sarah Huckabee Sanders and President Trump's Twitter tirades. Thanks for listening! You can follow Norden Spirits on Instagram at @nordenaquavit. For more Heard!, please follow @heardpodcast on Instagram and visit http://heardpodcast.com.

Personal trainer Lavar Green joins us to talk health & wellness. Lavar works with the Detroit Police Department Physical Training and Defensive Staff. We cover a wide range of topics including intermittent fasting, clean eating, bodybuilding, and even being tazed. Thanks for listening! For more on Heard!, please follow @heardpodcast on Instagram and visit http://heardpodcast.com for previous episodes.

In the wake of the tragic news of Anthony Bourdain's suicide, we are joined by health and wellness coach & influencer, Ricki Friedman, founder of BreakTheWeight.com. Ricki's mission is to help other break what is weighing them down - physically, mentally, emotionally. Often times in the hospitality industry, we lose track of taking care of ourselves. Ricki offers some tips on where to start down the path of self care. You can learn more about Ricki at http://breaktheweight.com and follow her inspiring Instagram account @breaktheweight_. Thanks for listening! You can learn more about Heard! at http://heardpodcast.com and on Instagram @heardpodcast.

Stephen B. Beam, head distiller at Limestone Branch, joins us to discuss bourbon, the rich history of distilling in his family, and much more. Stephen has been distilling for decades, so we try to distill that knowledge in this hour. Thanks for listening! You can learn more about Limestone Branch at http://limestonebranch.com. We’d love to read your feedback, so please leave a review & follow us on Instagram @heardpodcast.

Chef/owner of Khom Fai, Isaiah Sonjeow joins us to talk Thai food, bourbon, restaurant expansion, and more. He brings three kinds of curry and two kinds of bourbon including a curry made with ghost peppers. Tune in to see if we can handle the ghost pepper challenge. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave us a review.

Chef Johnny Prep, owner of Mr. B's Gastropub in Royal Oak, MI, joins us to discuss the tremendous amount of change he has brought to the 35 year old restaurant since taking ownership about 4 years ago. Mr. B's has evolved from being a sports bar & nightclub to a gastropub/arcade/nightclub and there's even a speakeasy in the basement opening this summer. With a renewed focus on homemade cooking, Mr. B's is vastly different than what you probably remember. You can learn more about Mr. B's at https://mrbspub.com/. Thanks for listening! If you love what you hear, please subscribe and review. You can follow us on instagram @heardpodcast and visit us online at http://heardpodcast.com.

Matt Mergener, co-owner of the soon to be open Lost River in Detroit, joins us to talk tiki, of course. Lost River will be Detroit's newest tiki bar when it opens this summer. We talk tiki history, tiki drinks, tiki decor, tiki music, tiki everything. From Don The Beachcomber to Tonga Room to Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge, Lost River will join an over 80 year old American tradition of tiki. You can follow Lost River's progress on Instagram @lostrivertiki. Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a review. You can follow Heard! on Instagram @heardpodcast and find us on the web at http://heardpodcast.com.

Ashley Price has been with Holiday Market in Royal Oak for more than 10 years. As the beer manager, he’s seen the entire landscape of beer (and bourbon) change in that time. Ashley’s outlook on retail is strategic & passionate. To follow Ashley on social media, follow “Holiday Market Beer.” Thanks for listening! If you’re enjoying our discussions, please subscribe & review.