Barrel to Bottle, The Binny's Podcast

We all knew that at some point, Producer Jim would need to take a vacation. We ended up with a bunch of outtakes from over the years, and he compiled them in one place for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Not every meal is sitting down with five courses that took hours to prepare. Sometimes you're just vegging out on the couch with whatever you have in your kitchen. Microwave nachos, grocery store donuts, cheap ramen, cheap pizza. That doesn't mean you can't pair those up with some delicious, reasonably priced wines. Wine Manager Emily takes the Barrel to Bottle Crew through some of her favorite ju...

Jack's back! Binny's Cigar Buyer Jack Spethman joins Pat and Roger to talk all things sticks. Jack has put together a sampling of some of his favorite cigars right now. Pat and Roger checked out some breakfast cigars, as well as some for everyday smoking. Plus some tips on accessories and humidor maintenance and a preview of some upcoming Binny's collaborations. 

Summer is here and Roger has a line-up of fruity, spritz, easy-to-make cocktails for the hot days ahead. When you Google "summer cocktails", the usual suspects come up. Roger wanted to shake things up with some similarly refreshing and simple cocktails that maybe you haven't heard of before. The great thing about summer is all the fresh, on-hand fruit and herb ingredients that you can get from the...

If you're a regular Barrel to Bottle listener, you may have noticed that Pat Brophy likes Hamm's beer. A lot. Possibly in an attempt to illicit Pavlovian response in listeners and co-hosts alike, Pat brings up Hamm's-the beloved, the crispiest of Crispy Boys-in nearly every episode. If you haven't noticed his ubiquitous mentions of Hamm's, in a way we envy you. With this massive target on his back...

The Wellness Movement has blown up over the last year and a half.  Gabriel Z, wine manager at Lincoln Park, joins the Barrel to Bottle crew for a "run" through four examples of "better for you" wines on our shelves. This is just the kind of topic Pat can get behind, the light beer episode of wine podcasts. But he still remains skeptical of the entire category, because alcohol is calories. Is this...

You've probably heard us mentioning Porch Pounders, in passing, on Barrel to Bottle. But what are they? Wine Manager Jenna is here with some recommendations to help you pass the long, hot summer days. Sit back in the shade and check out these inexpensive, easy-to-drink wines. Plus, a listener q&A about preparing your palate for tasting wine, beer and spirits.  Drink along at home with the followin...

What are summer beers, exactly? The good news is, summer beers can be almost anything you want.  Whether you're looking for a crispy boi, a quenching sour or a wheat, there are tons of options available. You'll also get some recommendations for Witbiers and Hefe Weizens, plus an informative lesson about how you've been mispronouncing "Kölsch"  Drink along at home with these warm weather beers: Omm...

Celebrities have been getting into the adult beverage game for a while now. But are these drinks worth paying the celebrity tax? Who better to give you their honest opinion on celebrity libations than four cynics who don't care that much about pop culture?  Grab your selfie stick, pick your favorite Insta filter and drink along at home with the following:  Loverboy White Peach Tea Cacti Seltzer Va...

Spirits come in a wide range of prices. Sometimes it can be hard to know if it's worth spending the extra money on something. The Barrel to Bottle Crew is here to help make your decision a little easier. Pat has prepared blind samples of four categories: Whiskey, Single Malt, Gin and Mezcal and this week we'll answer the question (insert echo sound effect here) SAVE OR SPLURGE? Drink along at home...

The Barrel to Bottle Crew is heading back to Burgundy and we've got two heavy hitters to take us on this journey. Wine Director Barbara Hermann has been buying Burgundies for Binny's since the 80s. George Molitor, owner of Fine Vines, has been importing Burgundies since the 90s. Who better to hold your had through this daunting wine region? Drink along at home with the following wines: Domaine Pav...

Ranch Water is hot right now, but what it is it? It's not agricultural runoff, nor is it a new style of IPA that mimics the Midwest's favorite dip. Ranch Water is a refreshing, three ingredient cocktail popularized in Texas. Now it's crossing over into the seltzer and ready-to-drink categories just in time for the hot weather. The Barrel to Bottle Crew tries a few of the latest offerings and also...

The Barrel to Bottle crew takes on the daunting task of dissecting white Burgundy. Pat learns that it's not just for obnoxious people and Greg's anxiety eases as Alicia and Chris take them on a journey from Chablis to Pouilly-Fuisse. Plus, Alicia shares her picks for the best "Bargain Burgundy."   Drink along at home with the following wines: Domaine Servin Chablis Vieilles Vignes Selection Massal...

Chris couldn't pass up an opportunity to talk about the unique foods of the Piedmont region, which of course all pair well with the wines discussed in last week's episode. Also some tips from Chris on how to cook with Piedmont's famous white truffles. 

Travel out to Whiskey Acres in DeKalb for a Whiskey Hotline/Barrel to Bottle field trip. Pat, Brett and Alicia have the tough job of tasting barrel samples and selecting upcoming releases for the Binny's Handpicked program. Plus, get an inside look at the past, present and future of Whiskey Acres from Nick and Rob. 

Sixteen rounds, 16 categories, 4 teams. It's the Barrel to Bottle Home Bar Draft. Home bars have become more relevant than ever lately, and people have been stepping up their game. Who will have the best draft day, as judged by Pat Kiper Jr, and who will be Cleveland?

Join the Barrel to Bottle crew as we celebrate Malbec World Day and take a closer look at the wines of Argentina.  Though Argentine wines have gained momentum on the export markets in the last 20 years, they are certainly not new to winemaking. In fact, #MalbecArgentino arrived in Argentina in 1853 in the hands of Michel Aimé Pouget (1821-1875), a French agronomist.   Malbec has become Argentina's...

Roger and Chris' day has finally come, and not just because Pat is on vacation. Bocks, the original G.O.A.T. beer, are back! Local breweries are producing both traditional and modern American takes on the style. Take a journey around the world with bocks of all kinds.  Drink along at home with the following beers: Weihenstephaner Vitus Off Color Beer for Burgers Shiner Bock Seipp's Columbia Bock A...

The 1980s were a time of excess, and that included the cocktails. The drinks were overly sweet and overly proofed. The Barrel to Bottle Crew is here to elevate some of the classic cocktails from the Me First Decade, or maybe just to drink them in their original, gaudy form. Plus, a bonus segment on the Shooters of the 80s. 

Merlot deserves a second chance, and the Barrel to Bottle crew is here to give it one. This wine was huge in the 90s, but was already trending in the wrong direction by the time Sideways  turned it into a punchline. Alicia and Lincoln Park wine manager Ben are here to open your eyes to the world of Merlot that you've been missing out for these past 17 years. Plus a listener Q&A about laying down w...

Pat is a lazy mixologist, so Roger thought he'd do him a favor with a Beer Cocktails episode. There's nothing easier to make than beer cocktails. Plus, all the hip kids are doing it. From the modern Spaghet to the classic Radler, the Barrel to Bottle crew has some tasty and easy-to-make beer cocktails for you to try out. Find all the recipes on our blog . 

We were lucky enough to spend a lot of time a few weeks ago with Bo Barrett. So much that we were able to get a bonus episode out of it. We're jumping into your feed with a deeper dive into the AVA, as well as the past, present and future of Chateau Montelena. 

In the early 70s, when Bo Barrett and his father James started at Chateau Montelena, wine hadn't been made there since before Prohibition. A few years later, their Chardonnay would beat out French Chardonnays at the Judgment of Paris. It's the kind of scrappy, underdog story that Hollywood loves. Alicia, Greg and Chris taste through four wines with Bo and talk about the history of his game-changin...

It's March, which means the Barrel to Bottle Crew is contractually obligated to talk about Irish spirits. Last year, we tackled some of Pat's favorite Irish whiskies. This time around, Pat has some new and notable Irish whiskies-along with the always popular Irish cream liqueurs-for Greg and Roger to blind taste. Plus, a preview of some upcoming Binny's Handpicked Irish Whiskies.  Drink along at h...

Every February, for the last few years, the Beer Buzz has celebrated some of the classic beers that helped establish the American craft beer scene. In celebration of Flagship February, Roger has selected six beers that defined their styles in American craft.  Drink along at home with the following beers: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA Bell's Amber Ale  Big Sky Moose Drool Founde...