Brims and Barrels

Some conversations stay with you. This wasn't an interview it was three brothers sitting around the table sharing stories, reflecting on life, and talking about the moments that shape who we become. In this episode of Brims & Barrels , Houston lyricist Dante Higgins joins us for one of our most meaningful conversations yet. We dive into:🥃 Growing up in Houston and the influence of Screwed Up...

Some bottles are good. Some bottles create conversations. In this segment of Game Ready , we're joined by Houston lyricist Dante Higgins as he tries Little Book Chapter 10: All the Wiser for the very first time. From breaking down the nose, palate, and finish to comparing the pour to Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Drake, and Jeezy , the conversation goes far beyond whiskey. Dante describes this bottle as somet...

Behind the Buffalo Trace Barrel Pick | A Kentucky Bourbon Adventure Some trips are about the destination. Others become part of your story. Join us as Brims & Barrels travels to the legendary Buffalo Trace Distillery for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a private barrel pick for Katy Liquor . From sprinting down Whiskey Row chasing exclusive distillery releases to narrowing f...

This Father’s Day weekend, we sit down with a true legend. Ray Sr. has worn many brims throughout his life—Hall of Fame drummer, business owner, coach, league president, husband, father, grandfather, and mentor. From playing professional drums at just nine years old to being inducted into the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame and the Tejano Music Library of Congress, his musical legacy speaks for itself....

For the first time ever on Game Ready, we're stepping into the tequila world. Joining us is a special guest—Ray Sr.—to help us see if this unique pour can win over both tequila and bourbon drinkers alike. On the table is the limited-edition Tequila Ocho Añejo finished for 12 months in Old Fitzgerald wheated bourbon barrels, bringing together two worlds we love: tequila and barrel-aged flavor. We b...

What does a barrel pick actually look like behind the scenes? Join Brims & Barrels and Laz from ThatSubourbonGuy as we head to Still Austin for an exclusive single barrel selection on behalf of Katy Liquor. From touring the distillery and learning about the blending process to tasting multiple barrel samples side-by-side, this episode gives you a front-row seat to the decisions that happen bef...

While we're in the middle of a move, we're revisiting some of our favorite conversations from the Brims & Barrels vault. This episode features one of the most talked-about Booker's releases we've ever poured—a Booker's Reserve finished in El Tesoro tequila barrels. Before we even opened the bottle, opinions were flying. Some bourbon fans loved the idea. Others thought Booker's had gone too far...

Bottle Justification: A Bourbon Lover’s Confession Every bourbon enthusiast has been there. Standing in a store. Looking at a bottle you've been chasing. Trying to convince yourself why spending a little more makes perfect sense. In this episode of Brims & Barrels , we're getting honest about the bottles that made us reach deep into our wallets, the conversations we had with ourselves before b...

The Tokaji Finish Experiment 🥃 What happens when 15-year Buff Turkey meets a Tokaji wine finish? You get one of the most unique pours we’ve had hit the table. In this Game Ready segment, we dive into the Ampersand Opimus 15-Year Tokaji Finish — a pour layered with chocolate-covered raisins, stone fruit, sweet oak, and lingering honey notes that kept evolving from sip to sip. This wasn’t just anot...

This episode is different. This one is personal. Before the collaborations… before the events… before the growth… there was this room. The Brown Room is where Brims & Barrels was built from late nights, ideas, trial and error, friendship, and belief. It’s where Xavier’s Brown Room Pour found its voice. From learning camera settings and audio, to filming early episodes, blinds, game readys, and...

Welcome back to another Brims & Barrels Game Ready 🥃 Today, we’re diving into the highly talked about Rare Perfection 10 Year Bourbon — a bottle that’s been creating major buzz in the whiskey community. From the unique presentation to the deep brown sugar sweetness, oak influence, dark fruit notes, and elevated finish… this pour immediately stood out. We break down: 🥃 The nose, palate, and f...

Today’s episode of Brims & Barrels is brought to you by https://onlydrams.app?utm_source=chatgpt.com — helping collectors and enthusiasts discover, track, and connect with whiskey, bourbon, tequila, and other spirits across the community. In this episode, we sit down with our guy Collin from OnlyDrams to dive into one of the most creative and conversation-starting bottles we’ve seen all year —...

Fresh off the river and straight into the starting lineup. 🌊🥃 In this episode of Game Ready , we’re diving into the O.H. Ingram River Aged Single Barrel — a bourbon doing things differently by aging barrels on floating barges along the Mississippi River. After first discovering the brand at the Houston Whiskey Riot, we had to bring this single barrel back to the table and see if it truly lives u...

Welcome back to Brims & Barrels — Two Fits. One Pour. This episode started as a blind tasting… and turned into one of those conversations that just kept flowing. Today we put Still Austin’s highly sought-after Nancy Picks head-to-head in a blind battle featuring multiple 2025 bourbon and rye releases. From caramel and chocolate notes to maple crème brûlée and rye spice, we break down which pou...

Welcome back to another Game Ready from Brims & Barrels — where every bottle has one question to answer: 🥃 Is it a starter… or does it ride the bench? Today, Xavier and Ray sit down with one of the most talked-about Texas bourbons on the market: Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre . A limited release finished in rare French Limousin oak, carrying a hefty $350 price tag and a profile completely dif...

The Barbershop is the Original Podcast Before the cameras… before the mics… before podcasts became the culture — the barbershop was already the stage. In this episode of Brims & Barrels , we step inside Chophouse Barber Company and sit down with owner Josh to talk about how a simple idea rooted in service turned into something bigger than expected. This isn’t just about haircuts. This is about...

No script. No overthinking. Just real pours and real conversation. In Episode 23, we sit down with former NFL fullback Laurence Vickers as he steps into the bourbon world for the first time—breaking down flavors, sharing real reactions, and connecting it all back to football, life, and mindset. From comparing pours to NFL teams, to stories about battling legends like Ray Lewis, to what it really m...

🥃 EPISODE 23 | ELIJAH CRAIG 15 YEAR — GAME READY OR RIDING THE BENCH?Is it Game Ready… or riding the bench? In this episode of Brims & Barrels: Game Ready, we sit down with former NFL fullback Lawrence Vickers to put the brand new Elijah Craig 15 Year to the test. This one came in with expectations—15-year age statement, 108 proof, and a legacy name behind it with Heaven Hill Distillery. But...

Some episodes are planned… and some just happen the way they’re supposed to. This one right here? This is family. In Episode 22, we sit down with our brother Shane—not just a guest, but someone who’s been locked in with us long before the cameras were rolling. From connecting over bottles to building real-life brotherhood, this conversation is a reminder of what bourbon is really about. We talk ab...

Welcome back to Brims & Barrels: Game Ready — where we keep it quick, real, and all about the pour. This week, we’ve got something special on the table: Seelbach’s Private Reserve 17 Year, 114.2 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Batch 001) — and we’re not running it solo. Our brother Shane joins us for the first-ever Game Ready guest appearance , and let’s just say… the conversation matched the...

What happens when you take control completely out of your hands… and let an app decide what you’re drinking? In this episode, we put our palate to the test using the OnlyDrams “Pick My Blind” feature —and let’s just say… this lineup is NOT something we would’ve ever chosen ourselves. No labels. No bias. No idea what’s in the glass. Just real reactions. From unexpected flavor profiles to bottles th...

In this Brims & Barrels Game Ready , we crack open the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 9 Year Spring 2025 and put it to the test. From rich caramel and dark cherry notes to a smooth, balanced finish, this wheated bourbon surprised us especially on a fresh crack. But we don’t just review… we relate it to the game. 🏀 Point Guard or 🏈 Defensive Tackle… which one is it? More importantly… is it Ga...

⚠️ DISCLAIMER:Background music was present during the live recording of this episode at a public event. We do not own or claim rights to any music captured. We pulled up to the Houston Whiskey Riot and stepped right into the action real pours, real conversations, and real reactions. From chopping it up with brands like The Ingram Distillery and Old Dominick Distillery, to diving into what’s coming...

In this Brims & Barrels Game Ready , we break down the King of Kentucky Small Batch Batch 3 (2026) a new release from Brown-Forman that’s stepping out of the shadow of its legendary single barrel lineup. Blended from 12–18 year barrels and bottled at 110 proof, this one brings chocolate, brown sugar, oak, and a surprising citrus brightness that keeps it balanced and approachable. But let’s be...

Everybody loves what's in the glass… but do we really know who's behind it? This week on Brims & Barrels, Xavier and Ray go blind with four standout NDP single barrels Short Barrel, Reveries, Rare Character, and Pursuit United to see which one truly delivers. We break down: The rise of non-distilling producers Why blending is becoming respected craftsmanship How trust, transparency, and reputa...