Sips, Suds, & Smokes

SIPS Episode – Some new stuff just got released. This is the first recurring new product added since Brent Elliott took the Master Distiller role at 4R. Ardbeg creates a unique version of Drum each year and this one is very unique.

SUDS Episode – Double Double Takeover in the Hudson Valley, Hudson Valley was one of our top picks from 2018 and a newcomer in the same area, Sloop Brewing. Sour IPA is one of those “it” beer styles and many brewers are trying to make them as good as Hudson Valley. We also check out a local favorite at Sloop as well.

SIPS Episode – Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. in Dekalb, Illinois has a lineup of some unusual grain choices. Justin’s Illinois accent got us banned from every Gino’s East location in Chicago.

SIPS Episode – A distillery takeover with Foursquare Distillery, often referred to as the Pappy of Rum. Known for high quality and limited availability, these unique rums are finished in unique single and double cask versions.

SUDS Episode – Don’t get the KudzuReport confused with making this beer and injecting helium into the beer. Such a broad range of beer from Plan Bee Brewery on this brewery takeover episode. And such a broad range of opinions sitting at the table over these beers.

SIPS Episode – We managed to fit in BOTH drunken leprechauns on this episode covering Glen Scotia and Booker’s 30th Anniversary. This episode is our top candidate employing the use of a cattle prod on “Texas voltage.” Our cast is now enrolled in “Geography 101 for the challenged.”

SUDS Episode – Oh the Queen is on this show, no, it’s a brewery takeover from a brewery in Queens, Singlecut Beersmiths. Born in great hop race of the 2015, Singlecut has been cranking out great beer to serve the masses in NYC. Is cat pee an off flavor or just the way Sparky smells naturally? Yo, Tony, bring me anuder beer.

SIPS Episode – Fire up the Luau music cause it’s Tiki time. Tiki is sensory deep and that is not just the cocktails working. It’s sights, sounds, smells attacking your senses transporting you to another land. For this episode, we curated a lineup of cocktails that most of you should be able to make at home.

SUDS Episode – Beer. Beer. It’s a double brewery takeover episode with Industrial Arts Brewing and Equilibrium Brewery. Another Kudzu Report about the perils of this nitrogen sucking plant. Nearly Fox News worthy. Industrial Arts has recently expanded distribution to several states, so you have a good chance to find these beers.

SUDS Episode – Somebody at Forbes decided we needed to give homage to the beers that got us to righteous craft beer today. We decided to join in on #FlagshipFebruary. We discuss the fab 5 but then we added our own choices of flagship beers.

SIPS Episode – This is the Best of Rum episode. We took a different approach and adopted the results of the blind tasting at Rum Renaissance Festival with judges from RumXP. A breakdown of 3 categories that aligns with our Rum 101 episode.

SIPS Episode – This is a 101 show covering Rum. We go over how rum is made, various types of rum. We taste some classic examples in each category. White rum, Gold Rum, Aged Rum, Spiced Rum. Rum cocktails and navigating buying rum at a bar.

SIPS Episode – Diageo produces the Orphan Barrel series and this is a 6 year vertical of the Rhetoric 20 yr bourbon. Always interesting to taste the evolution of product. It’s not what you would think, like more age is better.

SIPS Episode – We decided to mix Bourbon & Scotch on the same episode because someone dared us to do so. From the file of “don’t cross the stream/swords” we decided to do it with Town Branch Distillery & Jura. Justin helps to define what is the gateway product to Bourbon. Apparently, it’s malt liquor. Yes Virginia, there really are other islands in Scotland.

SUDS Episode – A very musty episode as we discuss cellar beer. Each of the co-hosts has brought a beer from our cellars, we open these blindly tasting and reviewing them before we know what it is. Some lively discussion about whether cellaring this beer improved the beer. We agreed that Dave did not smell better with time.

Season 7 – We decided to let you get a sneak peek of what’s in the works for Season 7. It’s always difficult to decide what to discuss with such an overwhelming things to talk about. Geography of many things influences many of those decisions. It’s great Rum that you may never see in the US, or a beer that has a distribution radius of 50 mi in Nebraska, or a coffee bean that was only available for...

SIPS Episode – A distillery takeover covering products from independent bottler Alexander Murray. This is a very broad range of scotch in this lineup. Please give deep and often to Justin’s GoFundMe to secure speech and dialect lessons for a REAL Scottish accent. Bob reveals he can only drink stinky scotch with others.

SIPS Episode – We reflect on changing the ventilation plan in the basement and the best whiskey of 2018. Justin volunteers to do the dramatic pause. Brent finally names his favorite Scotch – NOT. Ok so we slipped in a few unicorns in our Best of list. Harmeet demonstrates how he can’t count to 3.

SUDS Episode – Yet another prolific Best of 2018 show. This episode kicks off our Best of 2018 series where we discuss our favorite beer, breweries, and beer events. Rev Mark shows us how to own the geriatric theme. Another great year with beer and friends.

SUDS Episode – Award shows, BORING. Since we are now part of the problem now being on an award show, these are the beers we would choose to enjoy the madness. We used the same process they used to select this show to select these beers, blind luck.

SIPS Episode – It was an honor to be invited to tour the Kavalan distillery. We’ve covered some of the whiskies on another Kavalan episode but these products are just now being distributed widely. Lots of rum and mint discussion for a whiskey show??? Have you ever had Michael Jordan’s nuts?  We really can’t make this stuff up.

SIPS Episode – It’s an all Irish show. Finally we have found the proper episode the drunken leprechaun accent, an Irish Whiskey episode. We dig deep to discuss the tasting comparison to motor oil, for science. Is fruit cake a tasting descriptor?

SUDS Episode – It always interesting what people collect. For Good ol Boy Dave, it’s barleywine from J W Lees. This beer is made for aging and enjoying several years later. We open up this epic 11 year vertical to see what’s been going on. Unfortunately Sparky’s pants collided with the beer and he smelled like aging barleywine all day.

SUDS Episode – Hey let’s taste 24 ciders in a blind tasting. Not. Someone has to break the stare of indecision in the cider isle. We’re here to help with our Top 5 Ciders right off the shelf. Don’t ask Dave to play that stupid cider song again.

SUDS Episode – The holidays. We’re here to help. A practical scenario of picking up something cold in less than 10 min to take to party. A rock solid plan for small talk. Seriously it’s so much better with our plan. Solid beer picks that you can find almost anywhere cold