Great American Whiskey Cookers

Welcome to Episode #75 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Galena Illinois and Blaum Bros. Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. In this episode with Matt and Mike Blaum, we are talking Small Batch, and what that means to them. Different Whiskey expressions, their single barrel program...ish, cutt...

For this tasting, I put a brand new Mary Dowling (who has been labeled as the Mother of Bourbon) in front of the Big Human blind to get his take on the whiskey. I know he’s never had it, so it will be interesting to see what kind of tasting notes he comes up with. Check it out.

Welcome to Episode #74 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Franklin, Kentucky and Dueling Grounds Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. Most all craft distillers start off very small, and as they find their groove, and get some success, they have to grow to meet demand. That’s the case at Dueling...

On this super premium bind tasting we go back to one of our blind tasting sessions with some friends of the show to see what will come out on top. It's a Little Book Path Not Taken #8 Rye vs. a Lonely Oak Cask Strength Rye. The results of this blind tasting was a bit of a shock. 

Welcome to Episode #73 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Earling, Iowa and Lonely Oak Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. At Lonely Oak Distillery in Earling Iowa, the emphasis on making whiskey is not about making the same thing as everyone else. When everyone is going right, Pat Hoffmann is...

In this episode, the Big Human breaks into his collection and breaks out a Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn to blind me with. Now this is a once a year release, and pretty hard to come by. So, what do I think of it? Check out episode and find out.

Welcome to Episode #72 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Harvard Illinois and Rush Creek Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. In this episode we talk all sorts of whiskey geek stuff. Barrel Char, Barrel sourcing, Entry proof, Angel Share, you name it. It's a deep dive into the inner workin...

On this super premium bind tasting we pit an Old Forester Birthday Bourbon against an Old Forester 100 proof. Does the sub $25 dollar bourbon beat out the highly allocated Birthday bourbon. We put it to the test. Check out the episode.

Welcome to Episode #71 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Swisher Iowa and Cedar Ridge Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. Murphy Quint, the Master Distiller at Cedar Ridge Distillery in Swisher, Iowa has a passion for making whiskey. And more specifically, a passion for making American Single...

On this Friday Blind Tasting…. It’s another Blind tasting for the Big Human. This time its a Casey Jones Eclipse Cask that I have him try blind. He had no idea that I had this bottle. I’m not sure you can even get it anymore. So it really is one of those bottles that is a rare find. Let’s find out what the Big Human thinks of it.

Welcome to Episode #70 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Columbia Illinois and Old Monroe Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. A still hidden from the Nazis’ so they wouldn’t melt it down for World War II. Buying it sight unseen on the internet. And then trying to figure out how to put it back...

On this Friday Blind Tasting…. At the suggestion of a viewer, we put a craft whiskey, Wollersheim Single Barrel up against a common shelfer Benchmark Full Proof. Now the Benchmark is everywhere nowadays, you can find it all over the place but the Wollersheim, you really can't, it's out of Wisconsin. It's a nice craft whiskey. So which one comes out on top? Check out the episode and...

Welcome to Episode #69 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Lincoln, Nebraska and Sideshow Spirits Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. Buying a barrel of whiskey from a distillery is one of those bucket list items for whiskey geeks. And, they usually come with a heavy price tag. However at Side S...

On this Super Premium Blind Whiskey Tasting, Double Oak is all over the place. And, it’s no secret that the Great American Whiskey Cookers loves Pursuit United Double Oak. But can it beat out a Peerless Double Oak in a blind taste challenge?  I’m joined by some friends of the show, and the answer might surprise you. Check it out.

Welcome to Episode #68 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to  Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Casey Jones Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. Some would argue the heartbeat of a distillery is the still. And, there are several still manufacturers. But what if the still you want built is truly a one-off...

On this Friday Blind Tasting…the Big Human breaks out one of his Redbreast 12 year Irish whiskies and blinds myself. Now I’m not really an Irish drinker so….what do I think of this whiskey? Will I put it on his buy list? Listen and find out. 

Welcome to Episode #67 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Swisher Iowa and Cedar Ridge Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. When Cedar Ridge came out with their flagship Bourbon, it was at 80 proof. They have since moved that proof point to 86 proof. We sit down with Murphy Quint of Cedar Ridge...

For this Friday Blind tasting, we take a viewer suggestion from @hatfieldbbq and we put a craft bourbon… Linkumpinch 100 proof up against a shelfer…Barton 100 proof. How does a craft bourbon fair against a common shelfer? Check out the episode.

Welcome to Episode #66 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Earling, Iowa and Lonely Oak Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. Tasting the Tawny Port finished bourbon - In this episode, Pat Hoffmann of Lonely Oak Distillery guides us through a tasting of his Tawny Port Finished Bourbon. You just ne...

On this Friday Blind Tasting challenge, it’s a David vs. Goliath scenario. Can a 2024 William Larue BTAC beat out a Larceny Barrel Proof for taste? I am joined by some friends of the show as we debate the merits of each before finding out which one we picked. Did we all pick the high priced highly allocated BTAC or did the Larceny win out? Check out the episode.

Welcome to Episode #65 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Harvard Illinois and Rush Creek Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. The business of running a distillery can be a steep learning curve. However when it's four friends who know they can rely on each other, and who all bring different...

Welcome to Episode #64 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Harvard Illinois and Rush Creek Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. Drinking what the master distiller drinks and is their favorite is always a treat. You know you are getting to drink what they drink. The Double Oaked Bourbon at Rush Cr...

On this Friday blind tasting, We are gifted a bottle from Casey Jones Distillery and we are going to try it blind. It’s their 10th anniversary Founders Blend. Neither the Big Human or I had any idea what we were tasting. Check out the episode and see what we think .

Welcome to Episode #63 of the Great American Whiskey Cookers! In this podcast, we take you on an immersive adventure to Harvard Illinois and Rush Creek Distillery. Join us as we delve into what makes this such a unique distillery. On this origin story of Rush Creek Distilling, we hear from two brothers (Mark & Todd Stricker) along with Jeff (Distiller) and the forth partner (Jay) about how the...

On this Friday Blind Tasting Episode, it’s a Weller Orange Label Single Barrel going up against a Makers Mark 46 in a blind tasting. We have only seen the Weller Orange Label one time (and we bought it). But the Makers Mark, we can find literally everywhere. So how does this highly allocated bourbon stack up against a common everyday sub $50 bourbon? Is it worth the price? Listen to this episode a...