Hops & Spirits: Bar Conversations

Whiskey Weeks 2021 continues with award-winning chef and entrepreneur Chef Ouita Michel who talks about bourbon, food, barrel picks and her new cookbook "Just a Few Miles South." Ouita talks about how she became a chef, sharing her love of food with others, working on the cookbook, the role beer/bourbon/wine play at a restaurant, bourbon clubs, barrel picks, what's next and more.

We kick off Whiskey Weeks 2021 with Dan Kidd, a.k.a. Heavy Bourbon, on how the two o'clock chuggz got started, creating fun bourbon videos, releasing a bourbon, how he stays active with all the chuggz, the coolest thing he's experienced so far and more.

While the temps may be summer like, the beers on the shelves and cocktails at the bar are beginning to change. Kevin Patterson, a Cicerone and National Beer Judge, talks about fall beers, different trends with Oktoberfests, a Kentucky legend in Scott Hand and more. Plus, Jake Sulek, beverage director at West Main Crafting Co in Lexington, Ky., joins us to talk about crafting cocktails for the fall, common mistakes people make at home, adjusting recipes, cocktail recipes for all of us to try and more.

From Puncher's Chance Bourbon to Blood x Sweat x Tears Vodka, Wolf Spirit founder/proprietor Umberto Luchini is building an independent spirits company and all during a pandemic. Umberto talks about starting his own company, the challenges he's faced, how he's adapted, how the company designs its bottles and logos, launching more brands and what's next.

A living legend joins us to hockey and tequila. Chris Chelios, co-founder El Bandido Yankee Tequila and Hockey Hall of Famer, talks about the launch of El Bandido, how he came to love tequila, the differences between hockey and business, his favorite memories from his Stanley Cup (x3) career, what's next for him, what's next for El Bandido and so much more.

We are Under the Influence of Craft Beer this roundtable as GoodBeerHunting.com's Bryan Roth, Master Cicerone Neil Witte, BeerCrunchers.com founder Doug Veliky and Cicerone/Beertender Lindsay Hayes all join us. We hit on a variety of topics, including NFTs and their future in the craft beer world, will seltzerys ever be a thing, will big companies ever go on a buying spree again and craft breweries and food.

It's a bourbon Flight Night as we enjoy a three experimental finishes of Traverse City Whiskey and talk with co-founder Chris Fredrickson. The crew for flight night includes: D. or the @vabourbonhunter on Instagram; and Chris, or @Jefftherabb1t on Instagram. We enjoy their Cab Franc, Sherry Cask and Port finishes.

Everyone has heard of Ole Smoky Moonshine from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, but did you know they have a bourbon? Robert Hall, CEO for Ole Smoky Distillery, joins us to talk about the launch of James Ownby Reserve Tennessee Bourbon, Ole Smoky's flavored whiskey and moonshines, how they keep up with demand, launching new products, how their 4 million visitors impact their releases, expansion and what's next.

Jarrett Dieterle, alcohol policy expert with R Street, joins to talk about changes in alcohol laws and his book "Give Me Liberty and Give Me A Drink!". We discuss how a dispute over airlines has impacted imports/exports with Europe, states adding to-go cocktails, internet sales of alcohol and other interesting law changes.

Connor Query, artist/graphic designer, and Carrie Johnson, trash crafter extraordinaire, join us to talk about being creative in the alcohol world as we close out Summer School 2021. They share how they got their starts, their creations, favorite things to make, bad dad jokes and more.