Barrel to Bottle, The Binny's Podcast

This week the Barrel to Bottle team covers the basics of the world's most prestigious region: Bordeaux! Doug Jeffirs, Director of Wine Sales for Binny's, joins the team to help demystify the topic and cover a few wines that provide excellent value.  Drink along at home with the following wines Chateau La Platus Bordeaux 2016   Chateau Saby Bordeaux 2016 Chateau Montlandrie Castillon Cotes de Borde...

Are you doing Drynuary? Dry January? Non-Alc New Year? Whatever it's called, there are many reasons our customers seek out non-alcoholic offerings. Non-alcholic beers have been around for several decades, but now craft breweries have begun producing them in addition to the old stalwarts. Meanwhile, Pat has a whole new category for the Barrel to Bottle crew to sample, whiskey and gin alternatives. ...

Michael Eddy is the first winemaker at Louis Martini that doesn't share a last name with winery's founder. In his tenure with Louis Martini, Michael has witnessed a huge transition for this legacy brand. He's been presented with the unique challenge of growing the winery and moving it in new directions, while also maintaining the standards wine drinkers have come to expect.    Drink along at home...

It's a special Whiskey Hotline edition of Barrel to Bottle with David Carpenter of Redemption Whiskey. As the master blender, David likes to focus on the grains because they're the star of the show. David is also master blender for Bib & Tucker, a Tennesee whiskey brand that focuses more on the barrel than the grain. Finally, the Barrel to Bottle crew heads north of the border to try some 100% rye...

'Tis the season for malty, spicy beers with a little extra kick to them. Just don't call them old man beers. Roger has brought the good stuff; from longtime classics to new takes on the holiday style. From Germany to California and everywhere in between, Happy Holidays from the Barrel to Bottle Crew.  Drink along at home with the following beers: Hofbrau Winter Spezial   Anchor Steam Christmas Ale...

The last time Bob Calamia stopped by the Barrel to Bottle studio, it was to talk about something he loves but doesn't know, amaro . Now he's here to talk about something he both knows and loves: Champagne and bubbly. The holidays are a perfect time to have Binny's longtime Champagne buyer on the podcast. Although we here at Barrel to Bottle feel that every time of year is a good time for Champagne...

Fortified wine, it's not just for grandma's post-dinner drink. Binny's Wine Educator Alicia Barrett joins the Barrel to Bottle to Crew this week to share her passion for fortified wines, particularly Madeira. Roger loves Madeira too and he is very eager to discuss it. So what is it? Why should you drink it? Where does it come from? All your questions will be answered on this week's Barrel to Bottl...

CH Distillery has arguably the widest ranging portfolio in the Midwest. At CH, they can only serve what they make, which has presented unique challenges but also allowed them to offer an incredible breadth of spirits. Owner and distiller Tremaine Atkinson was good enough to bring some spirits for the Barrel to Bottle crew to sample. Most importantly, CH is now the shepherd of Malört, favorite chil...

Your Gummy , our exciting new collaboration with Noon Whistle Brewing Company is finally here. Earlier this fall, we asked our customers to select three hops to use in this New England-style IPA. The people spoke and selected Citra, Mosaic and Lemondrop. Roger selected a few beers that highlight the individual hops and brought in hop samples for us to waft and quaff. Plus, stick around for a very...

Cellared beer everywhere but too afraid to drink it. What are we waiting for exactly? The Barrel to Bottle crew has cleaned out our basement fridges and cellars. Some of these beers are among the rarest of the rare and some of them can still be found on Binny's shelves. Did we wait too long to drink them, or is it just the right time? Should you even bother aging beer at all? Join us as we try to...

What can you get for around ten dollars? You can get a lot of quality wines for (around) a Hamilton. Barb and Alicia, Binny's Wine Educator, have selected ten wines that you can get for around $10.  They'll also help you identify grape varietes and winegrowing regions that offer quality wines at great prices. Don't throw away your shot at these quality wines for such a great price. 

Jay Erisman loves Cincinnati Chili, but don't hold that against him. As co-founder of New Riff Distilling, Jay has helped turn this young distillery into one of the most exciting brands we carry. It's not common for a new distillery to make Bottled in Bond bourbon, but they wouldn't do it any other way at New Riff. Join the Barrel to Bottle Crew as we sample through our three Binny's Handpicks, as...

Pat Brophy loves amaro, and so does our special guest, longtime Binny's wine buyer Bob Calamia. Amari are more than just bitter beverages that make Roger miserable, they serve a real, biological puprose. Pat samples out 11 amari with the Barrel to Bottle crew and the gastric juices get flowing.  "If you ever accidentally drank your dad's cologne as a child and want to relive that experience..." -...

Roger had the pleasure of attending this year's Bourbon County sneak peek, and he's happy to report there are some stunning releases in this year's lineup.  Here are his initial impressions, along with some suggested dessert pairings. We're looking forward to greeting all the thirsty devotees at Binny's Lincoln Park on Black Friday! 

Jean-Charles Boisset's visit to the Barrel to Bottle studios was a whirlwind. He couldn't be contained to just one episode, so we're releasing a bonus episode. Jean-Charles has also began dabbling in spirits, and he was nice enough to bring his three vodkas with him. 

Ladies and gentlemen, bon jour  from the heart of Burgundy! The Barrel to Bottle crew has welcomed many guests over the last few years, but none of them have been quite like Jean-Charles Boisset. Trying to summarize this episode couldn't possibly do it justice. This flamboyant Frenchman walks the Barrel to Bottle team through his sparkling offers from Burgundy, and his award winning California pro...

A few weeks ago, the entire Whiskey Hotline crew joined Barrel to Bottle to pick out four new Binny's Handpicks from Old Elk Distillery. Now they're finally hitting stores. 

As the Master Blender at Maison Ferrand, Alexandre Gabriel has been producing quality French spirts for 30 years. When he's not redefining Cognac and grape distillates with new and unique cooperage, he's preserving the incredible history of the Ferrand family.

At Barrel to Bottle, we're all about giving the people what they want. And what you wanted was more Rum. To start things off, Pat brings in five special rums for all the rum geeks out there. Do not sleep on these rums. Then, Roger "The Tiki King" Adamson prepares not one, not two, but four rum-based tiki drinks. If you'd like to impress your friends with your tiki cocktail skills, all the recipes...

Garnacha, Grenache; no matter how you say it, it's the grape you love to hate; it's the grape that has it all and is well traveled. It's the Most Interesting Grape in the World. From Spain to Australia, Binny's resident Garnacha/Grenache-lover, Jason Palma, takes the Barrel to Bottle Crew on a tour of everything this grape can do. Stick around for a customer Q&A about wine etiquette at dinner part...

Wine royalty visits the Barrel to Bottle studios once again. This week, it's Courtney Foley, winemaker at Chalk Hill Estate. She discusses the challenges of jumping from a 4,000 cases to a 40,000 case production facility, implementing a sparkling program across the Foley Portfolio, and what "Estate Bottled" means at Chalk Hill. We've got more hockey talk then we've ever had, too! Stick around for...

The haze craze isn't just a phase. At long last and by popular request, we are tackling Hazy IPAs. Also known as New England IPAs. Or Juicy IPAs. Producer Jim, long just a background laugh, hops (pun!) on the mic to blind taste the Barrel to Bottle Crew on six Hazy IPAs. Will the holdouts finally be convinced of the validity of this style? Download to find out.

The industry has fallen in love with Binny's Handpicked Casks, but how does the Whiskey Hotline pick spirits for the legendary program? This episode of Barrel to Bottle is your chance to be there for the handpicking process. The Whiskey Hotline is joined by Greg Metze, Master Distiller at Old Elk Distillery and formerly of Seagram's Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, one of the world's largest d...

So it's come to this, another Barrel to Bottle Q&A episode. It's the holiday weekend and the Barrel to Bottle Crew felt like taking a break, luckily we've got a huge backlog of listener questions to tackle. Vacation, we had to get away

Did you know that Binny's can also help you plan the biggest moments of your life? Binny's event planner, Alex Tornai joins the Barrel to Bottle Crew as they throw out some common party-planning scenarios he might encounter. Alex also shares a few tips and secrets, then stick around for a customer Q&A question about an engagement whiskey bottle.