Beards, Books, and Bourbon Podcast

Tonight's episode brings us back to fantasy of the gothic kind.  Blunder is a cursed kingdom, surrounded by a mist that snatches people into the wood, never to be seen again.  All the families of the kingdom are named after trees, and the currency of power comes in the form of a deck of magical playing cards. These cards were made by a long dead king at the price of destroying himself to do it one...

Oh, right.  It's a dystopian YA novel involving students and probably organized by either Jigsaw or the guy from Seven.  Tell the kids what they've won, Bob!  They've won DEATH!  We're going to need a stiff drink, and we get one with Barmen 1873.

Welcome to dystopian world of the early 20th Century where dragons live alongside humans, everyone is at the brink of war, and the fate of the world is in the hands of a bunch of misfit students being blackmailed into building what might be a doomsday weapon in the novel "A Language of Dragons".  So...Tuesday.  As our bourbon, Stephen and Mark will be embibing a little alchemy of their own with Da...

As the boys talk about some old priests, they revisit a really old friend.  A less than half full bottle of Willett that's been sitting in the garage for 5 years is finally getting cracked open to see what demons lurk inside.

Stephen and Mark delve into the world of extraordinary circumstances and people. Our book for this episode is Conclave by Robert Harris, the novel which is the basis for the Academy Award Nominated movie. A story about extraordinary circumstances and the decisions that must be made. The bourbon tonight is not a bourbon at all, but a Canadian Whisky brought to us the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzk...

IT'S A KIND OF MAGIC! Stephen and Mark discuss the magical systems in Onyx Storm, and cast spells on themselves with Knob Creek.

Well, we made it. The end of the third book.  There's a lot of twists, turns, love and rage that look eerily similar, the defilement of a throne, broken furniture, broken promises, betrayals in the name of love, and angst angst angst.  But now it's over. We can finally relax. We....WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE ARE TWO MORE BOOKS??? Pass the Ransom Bourbon, please.

There's a moment when you realize that there's something you need to talk about.  There's another moment when you realize there just isn't enough time to really talk about it.  This is one of those times as we discuss DRAGONS in Iron Flame by Rececca Yarros.  Tonight we revisit our old friend, Smoke Wagon Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Once more, Stephen and Mark will dare to enter the Fourth Wing universe, written by Rebecca Yarros. This is book 2 of the series, and if you thought things were wild before, what with all the lightning and exploding bedroom furniture, you're in for another amazing ride. Besgiath War College (not to mention everywhere else) is a dangerous place, and so the guys will need to have some luck on their...

How could they forget to talk about Merlin??  Well, they didn't really.  They were just saving the nastiest for last.  Luckily Stephen and Mark will balance things out with the smooth, fruity, smoky, loveliness of Blade & Bow Bourbon.

In this episode, Stephen and Mark visit "The Bright Sword" by Lev Grossman. One of our favorite authors, we are so excited to read his latest novel about Camelot after Arthur's final battle and all that was left undone and unfinished. For such a story, it's only appropriate that the boys continue their journey of the 2XO Bourbon label with the French Oak expression.

The guys have never made it a secret about how much they love books written by Blake Crouch.  In today's episode, they talk about Crouch's first commercially successful novel, not previously released in the United States.  What if, in a single night, half of everyone you knew and loved suddenly no longer saw you as a friend, a lover, a family member?  What if they were trying to murder you because...

Stephen and Mark dive into one of their favorite bourbons from 2024, the unforgettable 2XO American Oak as they take a few minutes to talk about one of the most unforgettable characters from The Living Dead.  Join them, as they talk and laugh about The Face.

Everything old is new again in the Season 5 opening episode!  This episode, Stephen and Mark explore a novel by the late, great George A. Romero and Daniel Krause.  A new and expanded version of the story Mr. Romero set into motion decades ago.  Keeping in theme with the story, Stephen and Mark will revisit an old friend with a new twist, Four Roses Bourbon.  This time, they will be exploring the...

In the final FINAL episode of Season 4, Stephen and Mark become so enamored with 2XO Bourbon from the last episode, they decide to make Old Fashioneds with it and completely forget to talk about what they forgot to talk about in "The Halloween Tree" by Ray Bradbury.  Witness the chaos as the boys fall down the cocktail rabbit hole as they decide to try to invent their own cocktails.  Maybe they're...

For the Season Four Finale, Stephen and Mark turn to a classic tale from a hometown author close to their hearts, The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. Listen as Mark loses his mind a little and goes on about the sinister side of the story.  Meanwhile, Stephen will won't do a darned thing to keep Mark from spiraling. Thanks, Stephen! Good thing they have a fantastic new beverage to sample and distra...

For such a short book, there's just a whole lot to cover in the deceptively complex tale by Becky Chambers.  Equally deep and complex is the Five Trail Bourbon.

In the countdown to the season finale, Stephen and Mark stray from the path of horror into a subtle and delighfully complex scifi story about a monk, a robot, and the questions perhaps everyone should be asking of themselves and each other. A subtle and complex tale deserves a subtle and complex bourbon paired with it, and this episode is no exception as our co-hosts sample Blade & Bow for the fir...

At the end of Season 2, Stephen and Mark talked about the theme of horror, and what it meant to them.  Well, they're back on the topic, two years wiser (allegedly), and ready to dive into new directions.  On this journey, they will take with them the ever reliable torch in the darkness of Basil Hayden, this time trying out their Subtle Smoke expression.

In tonight's oopsisode, Stephen and Mark talk about the role of the military in Stephen King's "The Mist".  They will also revisit Chattanooga Whiskey, first sampled from the "STOMP STOMP BOOM" episode which dropped on April 15, 2022.

As we begin the countdown to Halloween and our season finale, we start with "The Mist" by Stephen King.  A dark and complex tale based off a simple premise, the boys are pairing it up with The Jury by High 'n Wicked.

Instead of the usual oopsisode, because the last book is still so new, the boys opted to spend their time extolling the virtues of Uncle Nearest Bourbon Whiskey.  Enjoy!

This week, Stephen and Mark spend a little time talking about the most recent story from author Paul Tremblay, "Horror Movie".  They will talk about the twists, spirals, and rabbit holes truly good authors like Trembay can create.  Horror Movie is a escheresque, gravity defying maze of mirrors.  A sophisticated story needs an equally sophisticated bourbon paired with it.  Tonight, the boys will sa...

On this oopsisode, we discuss Jim Beam, and the concept of FAFO.