Sipping Social Podcast

In this special holiday episode, we did our best to stay sober while we gifted our annual bottle exchange to each other. We also tried the most recent single barrel picks from the Bourbon Belly Hospitality Group. An Old Elk SB Wheated Bourbon and a Castle & Key SB Restoration Rye was loved by all. Our customer of the week was a celebrity who had dinner at Proof No. 5 that left us speechless an...

In this episode we had the pleasure of talking to Nick Ostapczuk (don't ask us how to pronounce it) from Porchlight Brewing out of Sacramento, CA. Nick recently joined the fast growing brewery and was thrown into the fire as their head brewer. We also tasted the new Four Roses single barrel Illinois and Chicago picks, tasty. Our customer of the week: The person who gets cut off at a private party...

We had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Master Distiller, Ian Stirsman from Ross & Squibb (MGP) and try some of their Remus and Rossville Union Rye whiskies. It was a great time!

And....  we're back! After taking the summer off we are eager to get back at it. In this episode we chat about how our summer went, the opening of Proof No. 5 in Wheaton, IL and reviewed a couple of nice beverages. Let's go!

In this episode we sat down at the Underground Studio West (aka Garrett's basement bar) in Geneva, Illinois to discuss and taste the recent Bourbon Belly collaboration with Solemn Oath (Hidden Hand). Director of Operations, JP Vander Veen and Sales Director, Nick Scofield gave some great insight into their Hidden Hand brand. It was great night! 

Greg Metze became Old Elk Distillery’s Master Distiller in 2016 following a 38-year career at Seagram’s Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, one of the world’s largest distilleries. We had the amazing opportunity to sit down with him at Maize+Mash in Glen Ellyn. It was a great conversation about his career and all things Old Elk.

In this episode we try a Larceny barrel proof bourbon and some delicious beers from the Hidden Hand series by Solemn Oath brewery in Naperville, IL. Customer of the week was a touchy one for Mike. We had been drinking and brewing beer all day with the Solemn Oath crew so we may sound a little toasted on this one. 

Let's go! In this episode we celebrate Garrett, he just hosted his 100th whiskey class! Congratulations on this huge milestone Garrett. We celebrated with a delicious Michter’s limited release barrel strength rye. The beer this week was Ride or Die Pale Ale from Hopewell Brewing out of Chicago, IL.

We tasted a delicious couple of brews from Solemn Oath Brewing from their Small Wave series. The Private Barrel Select from Russell's Reserve was not surprisingly wonderful. It was a fun, romantic, candle-lit spring night at the Underground Studio. Let's go!

In this episode we’re back in the Underground Studio after some amazing live events. We discuss the new restaurants in Wheaton that are about to open and New Belgium changing the recipe of Fat Tire. We reviewed Tighthead’s Scarlet Fire and Great Lakes Conway Red Ale on the beer side, both were good but one stood out. The  whiskey was a Bull Run 13 yr bourbon aged in Pinot Noir casks for 2 years th...

In this episode we recap our amazing trip to Denver, Colorado. We visited the Old Elk packaging facility in Fort Collins with their rep Erik. He was also able to get us a private barrel tasting in their rickhouse which was an amazing experience. We also toured Laws Whiskey House distillery and rickhouse to pick a barrel for the Chicago based restaurant group Bourbon Belly Hospitality.

It this episode we wrap up 2022 with some delicious bourbon and beer and chat about all the great things we accomplished this year. The Hop Butcher Telehopic Double IPA was amazing and the Early Times Bottled-in-bond did not disappoint. Looking forward to 2023! Silent Night (Holy Night) by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com A...

In this episode we recorded remote at the Dovetail Brewery in Chicago, IL. Dovetail Brewery merges continental European styles and techniques with American creativity to produce amazingly unique beers that are typically found in small, family-run breweries in Europe. We had a great discussion with owners Hagen & Bill and their sales director Dan. Lets go!

Hopleaf has been a both a mecca for craft beer fans and a relaxed neighborhood pub in Andersonville. For over 15 years, Hopleaf has also offered thoughtfully sourced, in-house prepped, chef-inspired dining. We had the pleasure in talking to Michael Roper, the man who started it all.

In this episode, we sipped on Hoptopus Imperial Hazy IPA and Dunkel Lagar from Crystal Lake Brewery in, you guessed it, Crystal Lake. Garrett also brought a winner that stayed at the Underground Studio from Russell's Reserve, their Straight Rye Single Barrel. We apologize for the slight fuzzy audio quality in this one, we will dial it in next episode.

In this episode we chat with the owners of Noon Whistle Brewing out of Lombard, IL. They brought everything they have in stock for us to try, and we tried it all. Listen up for some great insights and new techniques in the brewing industry. These boys were fun to hang out with and had a lot of interesting knowledge to share. Let's go!

Phase Three seems to never disappoint, but did they in this episode? You'll just have to listen up and find out, ha! We also try a Nulu single barrel barrel from Justin's House of Bourbon. Everyone was in great spirits coming off our previous live show recording, it was a fun one.

Sean Josephs is a founder of Pinhook and the Master Blender. We chat with him about a couple of unique bourbons, one of them being an barrel pick by Bourbon Belly Hospitality Group. It was a fun night in front of a packed viewing audience at Burger Social in downtown Wheaton, IL.

In this podcast we venture out to our very own Garrett's underground bar, "the office" in Geneva, IL. Mike and Johnny had to opportunity to hand select a couple of very nice bottles of whiskey to down while enjoying the look of disgust on G's face. All jokes aside, he shares. Cheerful Whistling by Free Music | https://soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com C...

In this episode we sat down with Mario, the owner of 93 Octane Brewery and his head brewer Alex. 93 Octane Brewery opened in 2019 and is out of St. Charles, IL. They are doing some pretty great things over there. Be sure to listen till the end of this episode, where Alex does some pretty interesting things to their stout beer.

In this episode we try a funky farmhouse ale from Illuminated Brew Works called Watermelon Gun. Garrett outdid himself on the whiskey side and brought in Joseph A Magnus Cigar Blend, a phenomenal whiskey outfit out of Washington DC. Listen up to hear when the next live show is and drink up so we sound good!!

We had the opportunity to record in mikes favorite brewery of all time and he's on cloud nine. Garrett "kind of likes" Half Acre as well and unfortunately for Johnny we’re not at the Captain Morgan Distillery. Sipping Social welcomes Matt Gallagher on the show, he’s the owner, co-founder, and engineer of Half Acre. We talked about a lot of shit. Listen up!

On this episode we reviewed a Traverse City Whiskey Co. single barrel store pick from Pride Liquor. This barrel proof whiskey was selected by producer johnny and came in at around 113 proof (Garrett was happy). We also blind tasted three random beers that sounded like they'd be good to crush while boating. We hated one, loved one and passed on one. Listen up, we had a blast!

Our very own Mike Carl took an epic trip to Colorado and hit up some great breweries and distilleries you should check out! If your in a ski town in Colorado, these are some joints you should definitely check out. Mikes story about river rafting while it's snowing is something to hear, it was quiet the once in a lifetime experience. Hellfire by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios....

On this episode, we recorded in front of a live audience! It was a private event hosted by Burger Social in Wheaton, IL in their amazing bar space on the second floor. The event was a huge success and we are so thankful that we have such a wonderful listening audience. The night was energetic and so fun, we can't wait to do it again. Thank you to our sponsors Hidden Hand Brew, Michters Whiskey and...