The Tipsy Timeline

Have you ever wondered what the Roman Catholic Church, the American mafia, and the Pride Parade all have in common? Surprisingly, the answer is gay bars. In today's Tipsy Timeline we take the opportunity to explore the interesting and often depressing historical events that necessitated the need for a gay specific bars throughout history.

This week's episode enjoys a glass of brandy as a warm-up to the main event: cognac! From Napoleon to jazz, cognac has a rich history ready to be distilled for your enjoyment. Wars, exile, expats, music, and a fantastic modern twist. Join us on the journey of Cognac this week on the Tipsy Timeline.

Hops, a foundational ingredient in every beer we drink . From stouts to saisons, hops are in them all - and for good reason. They give the beer character and depth; they give it flavors from lemon to resin. But it wasn't always this way. For a long time beermakers didn't even know there were different hops, much less how to use them. So this is the story of how it all began and the two hop revolutions that changed the world. Welcome to the Tipsy Timeline!

Moonshine, a word that brings to mind certain imagery when you hear it. Is that a banjo I hear? But what do we really know about moonshine anyway? Is it all just overalls and radiator whiskey or is there a broader story? In today's Tipsy Timeline, we talk not just about the history of moonshine, but also the famous sport that it helped to create. How did moonshine create a sport that millions of Americans watch every year? Tune in and find out on the Tipsy Timeline. Cheers!

Following up a little on last week's discussion of Japanese Oak, we discuss the hows and whys of Japanese whisky. When did Japan start producing whisky? Who started it? Why is it so often compared to Scotch? How did it get so popular? Does it have a secret? Find out the answers to these and more on today's Tipsy Timeline!

In today's Tipsy Timeline we talk about a place that has recently become popular for their whisky. No, not Scotland. Nope, not Ireland either. United States? Wrong again! Today we are talking about Japan! But specifically we are talking about the barrel that put them on the map. The barrel (and economic policies) that took them from desolation post-WWII to global whisky powerhouse. All this and more in this episode of the Tipsy Timeline!

This episode picks up where we left in Part 1! Picking up in prohibition, we talk about how wineries survived, where it started to get used, and some of the less savory tactics employed. But that's not all, when did California wine become good? When did it become popular? How did all that even happen with countries like Italy and France dominating the market? Find out all of this on today's Tipsy Timeline.

Episode 79:

California is the heartland of America's winemaking industry. It makes world class wines that are revered from Paris to Beijing. But have you ever stopped and wondered "why"? How did California become the wine capital of the United States? How did it go from coastal colony to one of the largest wine meccas in the world, home to name brand such as Sonoma and Napa Valley? Well, in the first of our history of California wine two parter, we talk the monks, miners, soldiers, and horitcultures who made California wine what it is today!

Starting a brewery, a seemingly simple business venture. But what if we were to tell you that there was one brewery that sought to make beer despite disease, earthquakes, and massacres. Cursed? Maybe. Exciting? Definitely! Today, we're talking about history's most dangerous brewery!

This week we push ourselves into the world of perception, opinion, and prohibition. Why is Scotch Whisky given such high esteem? Why are other whiskeys put on hold to chase after the high-end of scotch? And is that as true today as it used to be? Find out how Scotch managed to propel itself into the forefront of American consciousness this week on the Tipsy Timeline