Episode #3

#4 Jim Beam  (W)

vs.

#5 Rebel Yell (L)

Recorded on June 9th, 2018, in Nate’s studio

©Lil’ Lee Photography

We aren’t experts–or connoisseurs or authorities or savants or aficionados.  We definitely aren’t doing things the “right way.”

We just had a question, and we’re finding the answer.  The knowledge we are gaining through this process is staggering–about bourbon, but also about podcasting and hosting a website.  Our old teachers were right–learning CAN be fun!

It’s fun–it’s a hobby.  And we’re gonna keep doing it.

Scroll through the post to see some additional information about things (and stuff) we talked about during the episode.

**Corrections to the podcast are below.  Oops!**

Episode Notes

• Marc’s a cool guy.  A Renaissance man–farmer, luthier, musician, father, husband, craftsman, fine carpenter, winemaker, brewer–just to name a few.
• Mathematically speaking, we didn’t need a tie breaker, but…what if we had abstained from voting?  Or couldn’t decide?  Going to be interesting if that happens…
• PA owns the retail spirit sale stores throughout the entire Commonwealth.
• We actually can’t verify WHERE the Banker’s Club is distilled.  They may actually source their bourbon from Kentucky–I shot them an email to find out.
• It poured on the second day of our canoe/kayak trip.  Nate was sitting in the bow of the canoe and Matt was in the stern–and Matt kept asking him “what’s the weather up there?”   It was always raining.
• Here’s the Rebel Yell swag bag.  It actually worked really well for carrying the “Mystery Bourbon”.
• Corks vs. Twist top–a debate that rages on.
• Jim Beam is the best selling bourbon in the world–but is still only the third largest whiskey in sales, behind Jack Daniels (#1) and Suntory (#2).
• Fred Minnick’s book “Bourbon Curious” is an excellent read.  “The proof, age, and whiskey type are about the only things you can trust on an American whiskey label.”
• Here’s a copy of James B. Bean’s signature.  These signatures were a bid deal before the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897.
• Fred Noe III is the current master distiller of Jim Beam.
• What’s a long year?  Or a short year?  Kids sure do make time go faster.
• Cinnamon is a flavor that is common flavor for bourbon.  Jim Beam in particular has this.  But don’t confuse this with the Kentucky Fire flavored whiskey they sell.
• Here’s some proof of the identical mash bills for both Old Crow and Jim Beam bourbons, from Modern Thirst.
• Tariffs on bourbon could seriously hurt the industry.
• Printzhof Distillery has been quite kind to us on social media.  Can’t wait to try their bourbon!
• The Beam Family is indeed pervasive in the industry, as the #2 Heaven Hill was also started with a Beam.
• Jim Beam claims to be using the same yeast for 75 years.
• Marc wondered jokingly about what pond water would do.  This company claims that water does indeed matter!
• Single Malt Scotch may need less water for the pour the older it gets.
• The “Angel’s Share” describes the stuff that evaporates–it could be alcohol or water, depending on the humidity of the region.
• We all love(d) Anthony Bourdain.  **sigh**
• Here’s the article from Bazaar that Matt read from.
• Elba is a small island on the west of Italy.
• Wine hangovers can be particularly bad.
• Rebel Yell may be marketed for millennials.
• Here’s an image of John Wayne drinking whiskey from an old school bottle.
• We wondered if the order in which we are tasting these whiskeys mattered.  Here’s some discussion.
• Could Banker’s Club actually clean riverwater?  No, according to this discussion….
• Buffalo Trace makes a whiskey called White Dog.
• Frank the Gargoyle picture!  He’s a whiskey fan!
• Some discussion on how whiskey opens up just being exposed to the air.
• Sam Adams’ pint glasses were pretty cool–and gimmicky.
• JTS Brown was an option for this bracket–but we couldn’t find it!  The man on the bottle really was influential in the industry though!
• Here’s a great picture of the Old Crow label.
• Old Crow Medicine Show’s name is straight from the whiskey.
• Minnick’s book (mentioned above) also contains this quote: The introduction said “The marketer’s narrative tends to own the marketplace of bourbon thought. “
• Some pictures of posters of Mark Twain and Old Crow.
• Danica Patrick’s wine is supposedly good.  And she did wreck in her last race, sadly.
• Reusing yeast for several generations will change the flavor of beer, for sure.
• The Dogfish Head brewing CEO, Sam Calgione, and the show on the Discovery Channel was cool.
• I just couldn’t find what distillery asks what’s new.  Ugh.  I swear I didn’t make it up!
• The brewery in Meadville, PA is called VooDoo–and you need to drink some of their beer.
• Killers are a great band.
• Tool’s Maynard Keenan does make some good wine.
• Patrick Rothfuss and George RR Martin are both successful authors.
• Jeff Tweedy’s influence on Wilco is all-encompassing.
• Leave it to Marc to bring in the farmer’s quote–“came fresh“.
• Marc’s description of “the arc” of a taste is a unique thing.
• Pop Art, explained much better than what Matt did.
• Bag of Cat Litter art–still stretches the notion of what art is, doesn’t it?
• Jackson Pollock was a giant in the 1950s.
• Bulls are stillpierced by rings.  And can be laid down.  (Marc’s farmer knowledge comes in again…)
• Price for Pollack’s paintings are ridiculous.
• Most expensive bottles of bourbon.
• Kentucky legislature passed the “Bourbon Without Borders” bill.
• Nate did well with his guess–2nd guess from a bag in the woods after 20 beers is pretty good!

Site Mentions in the Episode

• Dad’s Drinking Bourbon
• Breaking Bourbon
• The Bourbon Pursuit

**Corrections**

(what we said vs. what we should have said)

1. Called the “malt” ingredient in whiskey “malted wheat”.  It’s “malted rye”–not wheat!
2. Said that the Old Crow Medicine Show song from their first self-titled album was “Cocaine.”  But it’s actually called “Tell It To Me”.
3. Said that the Brewmasters show was on the History Channel.  But it was actually on the Discovery Channel.
4. Called the bill that Kentucky passed “Make Whiskey Free Again.”  It was actually called “Bourbon Without Borders.”

Technical Notes

We recorded this episode on a Blue Yeti Pro microphone.  We had it set to cardioid pickup pattern, even with the three of us.  In Nate’s studio, it’s a really great, quiet room for this.  I’d still like to get a few more microphones going, but that $$ isn’t quite in the budget yet, heh.

The podcast was recorded directly into–and edited using–Audacity, a free open-source audio editing software.  It served our purposes and worked well.