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Best of Season 13 · Sips, Suds, & Smokes

0:18
> Brent>Brought to you almost live from the uh, dude in the basement studios.
0:22
> >Why?
0:23
> Brent>Because that's where the good stuff is. It sips, Suds and smokes with your smokin host, the good old boys.
0:51
> >And now it's sipping. Welcome to this episode of the best of uh, season 13 here on Sips, Suds and Smokes. We're going to start off with a segment that is something we haven't done in the past, which is just talk about some industry topics in our Sudscast and our Smokescast are going to have a lively discussion. Hey, if uh, you've been kind of paying attention what's been going on in the brewing industry for the last year, it's kind of interesting. There has really been this massive uh, drop off in terms of consumption of beer in the US and sad, some of it is, ah, I think it's a combination of several things that are kind of coalescing together. Uh, one is the huge ramp and a lot of breweries coming around in the U.S. yeah but the word finding is, is that the U.S. consumer palate is very fickle. So I think the opening salvo and that was actually the invasion of a lot of hard ciders, a lot of flavoring. THC drinks is definitely absolutely the, you know, the next chapter in this as well. And so if there would be, you know, a theme to this, I'd go, you know, what's your price for getting hammered? Because it seems like, you know, the almighty dollar associated with uh, altering your current state of disposition seems to be what's driving a lot of this consumer behavior. What are the two of you think about, you know, how is this really impacted the quality of beer I think would be, you know, how I'd like to open the first question.
2:41
> Dave>Well, I think anytime in that you're paring down a market, right, I think you, you have to get back to a lot of times people have to get back to basics. The basics. And like what, what is beer flavored beer. And I think we've seen that over the last couple years that a lot of breweries are stepping back from some of the big experimental, lactose laden, you know, heavy handed things. Not everybody but a lot of breweries are at least getting back to the pilsners, the lagers, the things, stepping, stepping back away and maybe trying to appeal to some of that crowd that's maybe a little iffy on beer in general, you know.
3:27
> Julianna>Yeah, I think that yes, we have definitely gone back to basics. I see that there's a lot more pilsners out in the universe, and you're seeing a lot of more basic flavored beer or beer flavored beer. But the caveat to that is, like, when we go to a tap room or we go out for a drink somewhere, I'm noticing that the younger crowd is very skittish on, um, what they're tasting and trying, and they're very specific about what their flavor is, uh, that they want to have. Whereas, like, with me, maybe I'm, like, really old school, but to me, it's about having a taster. Like, trying several offerings from a brewery, especially if it's a new one that we're, like, passing through and trying something different, and then, like, honing in on the one that speaks to me the most.
4:15
> Julianna>You know what I mean? And then having a full pint of that while trying to get, like, an idea of what the brewery is all about. Maybe that's just me.
4:21
> >So let me come back and rephrase my question in the context of your answer, which is, so is it about having a better kolsch or a better pilsner on tap, or is this about the fact that it's just more prolific that you are seeing, you know, those styles of beer? I agree with Dave that the dessert stouts have definitely, uh, have taken a back seat, which we're all happy about, you know?
4:50
> Julianna>Right.
4:50
> >I swear, if I had another donut laden, you know, stout, I'm just really, you know, not gonna go there. Although I did have a peanut butter and jelly, you know, beer this week.
5:00
> Dave>Of course you did.
5:01
> Julianna>Of course you did. Um, I think for me, it's a matter of finding one that's good now and being, like, so excited because it's becoming fewer and far between to find, like, something that's really, really good versus something that's meh.
5:19
> Julianna>Considering ingredient logistics and, you know, and shortcomings with that. Like, brewers having issues getting hops brewing. Have brewers having issues getting really good grain capital? Yes. And that. And that's causing. I mean, that's changing the landscape of how beer is made, unfortunately.
5:40
> Dave>I think the economics of it are definitely a major part. Like, you know, we're just a couple years coming out of the COVID pandemic, and, like, a lot of breweries that were opening right around that time or, uh, you know, trying to operate during that time. Yeah, it was a very, you know, those scary. The banks don't just say, hey, you know, you're cool.
6:06
> Julianna>Take six months off.
6:07
> Dave>Right. You know, and so those loans still have to be paid, employees still have to be paid. All those different things still have to be paid. And I think that hurt a lot of people.
6:16
> Julianna>Yeah.
6:16
> Dave>And then some of the world events that are going on right now that are impacting the price of grains, um, and different ingredients, I think that's another impact. And then you top that with a lot of younger people who are steering more towards non alcoholic drinks, THC infused drinks.
6:37
> Dave>A lot of them just don't have the m money to spend to pay, you know, seven, eight bucks a pint. You know, they're not going to go and just buy a lot of beers and stuff. So I think you're seeing a lot of this where breweries are having to figure out can I make a living making just some basic.
7:00
> >A really good pilsner versus a strawberry THC lace. Is that, you know, um, seltzer? Right.
7:07
> Dave>You know, like, where's my, where's my money coming in?
7:10
> Julianna>Sure. And for those of us that lived before COVID we enjoyed, minus the pastry, stouts and other type of excessively fruity things, we enjoyed beer. And then the pandemic happened and we were trying to help out the breweries that were here that were local because it was hard for us to go out and move around the cabin, so to speak. Well, it's like the pendulum. So the pendulum shifted and I'm still kind of waiting for that pendulum to come back, but it's not coming back and I don't know that it ever will come back now. Like it's completely changed the landscape and will we ever recover?
7:49
> >Yeah, I think that's um, that is a bit of the question. Do you hearken back to go? I want to recreate, you know, the elements of success that I've seen in the past, but yet, you know, describe them in the context of how do I do that within the current state, you know, of the market. I think to me that is missing a bit of the um, opportunity I think that's in front of everybody is to, instead of trying to recreate and basically push the rock up the hill, it's to redefine the path of success, you know. And to me, I think, uh, you know, um, elevating the quality of beer to the point where it's like I'm walking into a place, you know what, I want to have a great beer. I don't want to come in and just get, you know, drunk or buzzed.
8:39
> Julianna>Mhm.
8:40
> >I really want to. I enjoy drinking these beverages, like embracing.
8:45
> Dave>The British style of like session ales, like where it's, it's it might be a three and a half percent beer, but it's got good flavor and you're, and you're, and you're also building the atmosphere around that too. And I think that's a, A, uh, component that a lot of tap rooms and breweries try to do. Some of them.
9:05
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Try to do.
9:05
> Dave>Some of them, I think, miss out on it is like building that atmosphere that makes me want to come.
9:10
> Julianna>Yeah.
9:11
> Dave>Sit there and hang out, um, and.
9:12
> Julianna>Kind of redirecting that creativity because I feel that brewers have sort of lost that creativity due to restrictions put on them and they've had to come up with ways of staying viable and, and bringing in revenue. So that creativity has sort of gone out the window because that creativity might have been expensive, but pre pandemic it was fine.
9:33
> >Uh, I think the other part of this equation is, you know, the impact that the shift in the American market is going to have in a global setting. So, you know, I think, you know, I don't want to say that we're a canary in a coal mine, you know, in terms of, you know, looking at consumer behavior in the US Market. But when I think about what does beer look like in a global, you know, perspective, it is dominated, you know, by a tremendous amount of macro brands. And when I think about, you know, how is, how is Grupo Modelo going to respond to, uh, a loss of market share of 17% to nothing more than THC laced beverages? Um, how is ABN Bev going to respond to the loss of 28% revenue because of somebody that has shoved a hazelnut THC infused product or those innate drinks too?
10:40
> Dave>You know, I mean, they're, they're losing money to those guys as well.
10:43
> >Well, I, I don't think so much. Those, which, that is a very, that's a separate discussion as, you know, when you think about people that are just opting out completely, uh, you know, something that may be, you know, um, uh, an experience of, uh, you know, buzzed or being drunk or whatever, people that are just saying, look, this is just not something that, you know, but I.
11:08
> Dave>Mean, there's people that still want to go out, they want to go out.
11:11
> >To bars, they want to go flavors, you know.
11:13
> Dave>Yeah, but, but they don't necessarily want the alcohol. You know, I think there's those, I think there's the THC people that think, oh, this is not as bad for me as alcohol, or it's a different whatever.
11:25
> >You know, I do think the landscape of regulatory, you know, introduction of, especially of THC on A global scale is going to be very, uh, interesting just how fast that's going to happen. The net effect.
11:43
> Dave>It already seems like it's been happening pretty fast.
11:46
> >Definitely in North America. Just because you look at how pervasive it is within the Canadian market.
11:52
> >Yeah. How fast it's been adopted. You know, with, uh, individual states, there's still no overriding adoption at a federal level.
12:00
> Dave>Yeah, right, exactly.
12:02
> >But I do think that, uh, the barriers of having, especially thc, you know, lace products, um, even at a full, ah, you know, US domain level is. It's not a matter of if. It's just a win, you know, question. And I think the thing that is driving that always has been the measure of tax revenue associated with that change. Yeah. So I think as long as it's good for the federal government, it will happen. And when I say good, it's if it is driving revenue, tax revenue, it is definitely going to, you know, be, uh, a part of the equation. But the thing is, is that the players that have historically been driving a lot of that repetitive revenue, is ABN Bev going to be sitting on the sideline and saying, you know, what if we had just gotten into the THC business long before Constellation, you know, do we, Would we not lose that 28% market share? I don't know what the number is. I'm just using illustrative, you know, point of the conversation. So, you know, I think that those are some of the conversations that have been playing out. You know, people can't walk to their cars at night and sleep well and go, you know, wow, you know, my market is changing. It's not, you know, business as usual. And again, I'm going to come back to my opening salvo question, which is how has all of this change affected beer itself? And is it improving the quality of beer?
13:32
> >Is it reducing the number of choices? Is it elevating or is it diluting?
13:38
> Dave>I think reducing the number of choices and increasing the quality of choices goes hand in hand a lot of times. You know, usually, and not always, the weaker players are the ones that fall out first. And that's. And that's not 100% because you can be a really good brewer, make a really good beer and not be a good business person.
14:04
> >Absolutely. Or we see that all day long.
14:07
> Dave>You can be a mediocre person. Mediocre, making mediocre beer, but have strong financial backing or a solid business plan, or even maybe you just have really good food in your kitchen.
14:20
> >Idiot cousin Eddie that is really good at pumping out THC laced infused beverages, uh, is going to probably win in the current market because a lot of.
14:29
> Dave>People aren't driven by the taste of the beverage.
14:35
> Dave>They're driven by either the price point, the calorie point, or you know, is.
14:42
> Julianna>It convenience of where it is?
14:44
> Dave>Can I get jacked up on it.
14:45
> Julianna>You know, or if there's food at the tap room?
14:48
> Dave>Yeah, you know, so I, I don't, I. But I, I still think if we're, if we're putting beer in a vacuum, right, and we're isolating out all the THC drinks and all the seltzers and all that stuff, if we're just talking about beer, then compressing the beer market is going to push out some really good beer that is brewed by bad businessmen and it's going to push out some really crappy beer that just can't compete with even the mediocre beer. I think you're going to end up in the middle of the road a lot of places. Interesting.
15:27
> >Yeah. Well, fascinating, uh, discussion and um, you know, it'll be interesting to look back on this discussion.
15:36
> Dave>Can I ask you one question before we wrap up?
15:38
> >Yeah, sure.
15:40
> Dave>You being a, um, you know, solid Mike with a solid record of, you know, being a good businessman and everything, would you open a brewery in today's climate? And if so, like, what would your sort of, what kind of model would you kind of try to follow?
16:05
> >I would buy a brewery that's going out of business that produces at least 10,000 barrels of beer a year. It had uh, at least a modest distribution radius of about 2 to 3 million, uh, population base. And uh, I would choose to make um, six products. Three that are beer and three that are thc, uh, laced. Um, I think that is, um, I think that right now is the current, um, path of uh, financial success. Buying somebody that's on the ropes, has great equipment, um, has a great bottling plant, is everything. Um, uh, be it a great bottling plant or canning plant, um, and I think, uh, running that, uh, that bottle or canning plant on contract, you know, so make six products, um, and uh, then uh, be making enough products that would uh, fill out another, another 10,000 barrels running a second shift off that.
17:16
> Dave>Same equipment, like doing some contract brews.
17:18
> >Absolutely.
17:19
> Dave>See like, because like, on the opposite end of like me as someone who, you know, is not. If I was trying to start my beer brand right now, instead of trying to invest in the licenses, the equipment, the place and all that, I would probably do like the, the um, I'm.
17:41
> >Shaking My head vehemently. I would do not start from scratch.
17:45
> Dave>No, no. Well, I, what I was going to say is I would try the sort of gypsy brewing or I would go to a contract brewer. I would build my recipes and build my, my brand. I would, I would focus on building a brand rather than a building.
18:02
> Harm>Yeah.
18:03
> Dave>You know what I mean? And like let someone who get my recipes.
18:07
> >I think the thing that I like about my particular choice of plan was, uh, was walking in and having a distribution deal in hand.
18:15
> Dave>No, but what I'm saying is that's what would work for you in your current position. But if I was on the flip side of someone coming in, trying to be a brewer and build up, I.
18:27
> >Don'T think you can make great products and stand on the corner and think that that is success at the end of the day. Do I think that was true 10 years ago? Absolutely, I would say. And I've handed out that advice at that point in time, which is make great products first and the rest of it you'll be able to figure out along the way.
18:47
> Dave>Well, that's. But that's what I'm saying is like.
18:49
> >I don't think you have that, that you uh, can't play that card anymore.
18:52
> Dave>Instead of spending all of your time and energy on the building and the, all the other stuff, spend your time and energy and your money, whatever it is, on the idea, the branding and the marketing and like build your product. Like have someone brew a good beer.
19:11
> >You said marketing and brewing in the same sentence.
19:14
> Dave>Well, see, no, no one ever thinks about that.
19:16
> >Like, oh, I seem like it, you.
19:18
> Dave>Know, not if you're treehouse.
19:19
> >You know, spend more, spend more time and attention on can art than you're actually thinking about a solid marketing.
19:25
> Dave>You gotta have good can art. Mike, come on, man.
19:29
> Dave>You, you drink with your eyes first, buddy, you know.
19:34
> >Well, thanks for uh, joining us for this, uh, state of state, uh, of the brewery industry, uh, discussion once again. Listen, um, we would absolutely love to know your feedback on these topics and um, sharing them openly on all of our social media channels. So when you get a moment, feel free to drop some comments on our discussion.
19:53
> >We'd really love to uh, hear what you think about some of these topics. But for now I'll ask you come back, join us, listen to some more fine discussion on Sip Sudden smokes and to keep on sipping.
20:06
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>We also wanted to discuss the state of smokes and we're going to wander between cigars, pipe tobacco and the third rail of thc. We're Also going to drift between issues of regulatory perspective, consumer and manufacturer. But let's start this, consumer cigars in general off with the year of the five cigar band.
20:30
> Brent>You have the five cigar band?
20:32
> >I think it is. I think that needs to start real soon.
20:36
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>That's, uh, that's a, that's a good old Boy Mike custom right there. The year of the five cigar band.
20:41
> >Yeah.
20:41
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Why?
20:42
> >You know, why just have three, four, go for five.
20:45
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>I don't know why. Well, they could just be like Matt Booth. Wrap it in paper and shove a whole tube on it.
20:50
> Brent>There you go.
20:52
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>I love that, though. Tobacco, uh, is still feeling like the long echo of the cigarette regulations and protecting miners.
21:00
> >Well, you know, so with, you know, cigars and consumers.
21:04
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Yeah.
21:05
> >I just, uh. I guess part of what I'm thinking about is that I just don't really see what I would describe as a lot of innovation in terms of new products, you know, that have been released. I just feel like people are pumping out more puros from Honduras and from Nicaragua and, um, or they're working with tobaccos from both of those countries, you know, um, extensively, or the doctor.
21:33
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>That's where tobacco grows.
21:34
> >I know, but it's just, I keep on waiting for, wow, something amazing, you know, to come along that, you know, just looking for just a shred of innovation.
21:45
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>I'm right here.
21:45
> >Yeah, I know.
21:47
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>I'm right here.
21:47
> Harm>I don't know.
21:48
> >That's my impression, is that I just.
21:50
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Well, what about that recent law?
21:51
> >Like everybody, I just feel like everything's on cruise control, you know, right now. Yeah.
21:56
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Well, did you see the recent law that went into effect in California?
22:00
> >I did.
22:00
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>The one that lumped premium cigars with flavored products. Like vaping.
22:04
> >Yes.
22:04
> Dave>Boo.
22:08
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Yeah. Premium cigar trade groups are still protesting. The biggest point of impact is the price that they set a floor price of $12 per cigar in California, which was meant to be effective, turn minors and young adults away from cigars. Do you think it's turning them away?
22:25
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>I think they would have to be turned towards it first to turn them away. Right. I don't. Yeah, I don't see the correlation there. Uh, you know, they have a big.
22:34
> Brent>Cigar smoking young people in California. I mean, I don't see it here.
22:39
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>I think if anything, it's going to be THC products and flavored evapes big time. Because that's what they can get away with. Like cheaper and they're cheaper. Yeah. For 25 bucks, you can buy a vape that'll last you 500 puffs.
22:56
> >You know, I really put in your pocket about the fact that that becomes a model law for other states to pick up and because the way that state legislatures are lobbied by common trade groups is that they use the same legislative language from one jurisdiction to another. And that one was written so poorly and so broad, and I just don't feel like it is going to be as effective as they wanted it to be.
23:27
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Well, that brings us around to the third rail of thc. That's the chemical in marijuana and is now infused into a number of things like candy, potato chips. Potato chips every drinks. Yeah, yeah, we eat potato chips. However you want it.
23:41
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>The Cheetos.
23:42
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Oh, yeah, Cheetahs. I love them. All right.
23:46
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Specifically. Specifically. Yeah, yeah, the Canagars can of guards. Curious if you've ever had one.
23:54
> Harm>What's Canada?
23:55
> >Uh, it's a cannabis cigar.
23:57
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>Yeah.
23:57
> Brent>Really?
23:59
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>That's right. Yeah.
24:01
> Brent>Is this like the white owl that you.
24:03
> >It's a blend of tobacco and cannabis, yes.
24:06
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Well, we called them spliffs back in the day.
24:08
> >Okay.
24:09
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>And that's what we would do. You know, not that I would ever condone that, but, you know, by the royal, we would do those. Uh, one major production issue is that nearly all these products are being hand rolled since that usually adds too much moisture for the common automated cigar roller to work with these enhanced cigars. Are these the sticks of our near future? No, I don't think so either. I think they need to keep those regulations so far away from cigar regulations.
24:40
> >I think they're crossing the street.
24:42
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Yeah, it's a lobbyist. And those lobbyists need to be careful because they are definitely treading waters where they don't need to be. Swimming.
24:57
> Julianna>Rolling clouds, uh, and crashing surf. Iridescent dunes reflecting by the line of arising Glowing moon seashore. Mesmerizing night breeze hypnotizing. We've come across these back roads none too soon. Look to the left, to the right.
25:31
> Julianna>Keep your eyes on the road, my darling. Wondering if we're only passing through. Open roads and open windows. My hand is yours forever sweet love our eyes.
25:53
> >Welcome back. And now we're going to have our suds cast talk about their best of season 13 choices.
26:02
> Julianna>Well, folks, it happened. Somehow we made it through another season of, uh, sips, suds and smokes, mostly unscathed and unindicted.
26:13
> Dave>Yes, year's not over.
26:15
> Julianna>And as we do at the end of every season, today we're going to look back at some of our favorite moments, uh, from the past year.
26:24
> Dave>We've pulled a few clips from season 13 episodes.
26:28
> Dave>We're just going to play a little bit of each one for the full conversation. You can go back and check out the full episodes.
26:35
> Julianna>All right, well, let's start the show from the episode Pernicious Weed Are Among Us, which was a chance for us to revisit Wicked Weed brewing in Asheville, North Carolina, a brewery we have not talked about very much since they were purchased by AB InBev in 2017. While the flight of their current beer was a bit of a letdown, bonus beer brought by good old boy Tim was a stunner.
27:04
> >How come I have a feeling this is a pre acquisition beer?
27:08
> Brent>I think it was.
27:08
> Julianna>This is a pre.
27:09
> >I know it was because I bought it.
27:11
> Julianna>Right?
27:12
> >I'm like, literally not joking, though.
27:14
> Julianna>No, this. This is. He literally.
27:18
> Dave>He was literally joking. Yes. Tim does not buy Acquisition beers.
27:23
> Julianna>No, he does not. Now, that particular BE was the batch 1000. And, um, we.
27:30
> Dave>Every time we've had it, it's been a different but amazing experience.
27:34
> Julianna>Yeah. Yeah, it really has.
27:36
> Harm>Yeah.
27:37
> Julianna>Well, that was a classic.
27:38
> Dave>Thank you. Wicked Weed. Pre acquisition.
27:42
> Julianna>Yes. Now, another highlight of the year was from our episode titled the Be Romantics. We have some clips from some of the good old boys, uh, one in particular, and how they, well, seduce their wives with beer.
27:59
> >I mean, I think beer pairs with cheese so much better than wine anyway. And so this is something I'm going to do to elevate the meal.
28:04
> Dave>Beer does almost everything better than wine.
28:06
> >Yeah, I mean, agreed. So I'm picturing.
28:08
> Brent>I'm picturing you, uh, you know, scantily clad on a bearskin rug in front of the fire, uh, seducing June with a charcuterie beard and really got that.
28:20
> >I would think I'd be wearing an apron, working in the kitchen. Oh, nice.
28:24
> Brent>Yeah.
28:24
> Harm>All right.
28:25
> Dave>Nothing but an apron, right?
28:26
> >Yeah, that would do.
28:28
> Julianna>Oh, nothing speaks more like romance than beer and cheese.
28:35
> Dave>Kendall buckneck it on a rug.
28:37
> >I just don't know how I can get that picture out of my mind.
28:41
> Dave>I hope you never do.
28:42
> >I hope there is not enough pharmaceuticals in front of me to eradicate that from. From. From my mind.
28:49
> Dave>That will be my best of season 13 is if this is imprinted in my Mike's consciousness.
28:55
> >I'm definitely thinking of George, you know, Costanza on the chase. You know, I have seen, uh, Bargo do that in a way that's just. You don't want that picture.
29:08
> Julianna>No.
29:11
> Brent>Yikes.
29:12
> Julianna>Oh, let's have Kendall. Anything.
29:13
> Dave>Okay, let's move on to the now.
29:16
> >Anything.
29:17
> Julianna>Okay, then. There was that other episode that was titled where good old boy Mike actually likes a beard.
29:24
> Dave>I still can't believe that happened.
29:26
> Julianna>We all can't. But you know what? We got it caught on audio, so it's real. We tasted beer from Moore Brewing in Huntley, Illinois. Now for something completely different.
29:37
> >Yeah.
29:38
> Brent>And now for something completely different.
29:40
> Julianna>Yes. Um, we are going to Thomas, which is a 7.2%, um, M Black IPA, M with Cascade CTZ and Citra hops.
29:55
> Dave>This is a really nice counterpoint to that last.
29:57
> >Yeah.
29:57
> Brent>Thank you for, like, taking us over the mountain to the others.
30:00
> >Thank you for cleansing my palate. My colon.
30:04
> Dave>Yeah, Uh, I had to cut it off with the colon talk, where beer.
30:08
> Julianna>Will cleanse your colon.
30:10
> >You know?
30:10
> Julianna>How cool is that?
30:11
> >I think that would be a good marketing.
30:13
> Dave>I'm pretty sure. Like, if. If you were getting a colonoscopy and their doctor was like, look, I need you to pound this six pack.
30:18
> >Oh, I. I've had. I've had colonoscopy bees. All I have to say is you, uh, can push the propofol now.
30:26
> Julianna>I mean, so much better than the. Go lightly, right?
30:28
> Dave>Yeah. Mix a bunch of stuff into Gatorade. Forget that, man. Just. Yeah, give me a six pack of black ipa.
30:36
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Clean it out.
30:37
> Dave>Uh, and for context, the previous beer was a peach cobbler beer.
30:42
> Julianna>Uh. Oh, yeah.
30:44
> Dave>So it was nice to have that little bit of relief.
30:46
> Dave>Um, really, that was a great.
30:47
> >I really like that.
30:50
> Dave>I didn't say which beer in the show you liked.
30:52
> >Okay.
30:53
> Julianna>Okay. And then another fun clip we had was from Sierra Nevadi's Heavy Hitter. We tried some huge and amazing Sierra Nevada IPAs that have been packed in an equally huge mix pack.
31:05
> Dave>They were totally huge.
31:07
> Julianna>Okay. Rating this, like, looking at it at the store, picking it up, having that expectation, the Sierra Nevada expectation, if you will, and then now trying these. Are you happy?
31:19
> Harm>Yeah.
31:20
> Dave>I mean, I think if you think about it, that pack, you probably had a buck fifty a beer.
31:25
> Julianna>That's crazy. Especially for all that hops.
31:27
> Dave>Never gonna find that anywhere.
31:30
> Julianna>No, no, no, no. And the fact that they're in cans, they're gonna last a little bit. I mean, yes, it's better to keep it cooler than keep it warm, but, I mean, that pretty much goes with, like, any beer, really. Were you forgetting that they were hops in the beer and not something else? Maybe.
31:49
> Dave>Maybe there was something else in the beer. But I.
31:52
> Dave>I'll tell you what was so cool about that episode.
31:55
> Dave>Not only that, I got 36, like, super high ABV, uh, IPAs for like a buck 50 each, you know, was the fact it was Sierra Nevada, man. It was. They were all solid beers. It was a great package deal. And whenever you can find a mix pack that good, you have to jump on it.
32:15
> Julianna>Yeah, true, true. And that's, I mean, I hate to say that's a rarity these days where you actually get a mix pack where everything in the mix pack is worth drinking.
32:25
> >Yeah, that's pretty rare, you know.
32:28
> Julianna>Anyways, um, well, that. Those are the clips for the day. Good old boy. Mike, I think you had a beer of the year that you wanted to talk about.
32:37
> >I did, very briefly. So what I thought was interesting was, you know, the beer that caught my attention is actually a grisette. So. Which is a very unique, you know, style of a fermented beverage. This was actually a farmhouse ale from Garden Path Fermentation. It was called the Easygoing Drink. Really amazing. Um, you know, can, um, that I enjoyed of this, um, refreshing, crisp, dry, great balance. I usually think of grisette as being a lot sweeter and, uh, more viscous. This was something different and really quite good, so.
33:16
> Dave>Well, grisette's sort of a cousin to the saison, right?
33:19
> >Yeah, so it is. I call it the slippery cousin of the, uh, saison. It usually has a lot more viscosity, you know, with the grisette.
33:28
> Dave>It's more wheat based too, I think.
33:30
> >Yeah. Which presents usually, um, a higher mouth feel. So. But great beer. I really love this. It was a suds 5 all day long for me.
33:38
> Dave>Nice.
33:38
> >Cool.
33:39
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Cool.
33:40
> Julianna>Well, one thing also that we are going to do is we are going to raise a glass to our friend and co host, Goodoboy Caperton. Um, he sadly has left us on this plane, but we still revisit him every year. And this is a way of saying, hey, we miss you and we love you very much. So today's beer that we are having as a toast is one that I think he would appreciate. It's from scratch brewing and it's the Wild Cherry beer Degarde. Um, which is an older one.
34:12
> Dave>It's a 2018.
34:14
> Julianna>Yeah. And um, 7.0% ABV. So let's raise our glass.
34:21
> >Thank you, Caperton. I'm glad. I hope you're eradicating kudzu in heaven.
34:25
> Dave>I was gonna say, I bet there's a lot, lot less kudzu in heaven right now. Yes, the Master Evader.
34:31
> Julianna>And a lot of great music, great beer.
34:34
> >Fantastic.
34:34
> Dave>Yeah.
34:35
> >And a great season of suds here on Subsuds and smoke Solid, solid show.
34:39
> Julianna>With more to come.
34:47
> Julianna>Rolling clouds and crashing surf. Iridescent, uh, dunes reflecting by the line uh, of the rising glowing moon. Seashore mesmerizing night breeze hypnotizing. We've come across these back roads none too soon. Look to the left, to the right.
35:21
> Julianna>Keep your eyes on the road, my darling Wondering if we're only passing through. Open roads and open windows. My hand is yours forever Sweet love our eyes.
35:43
> >Up next, we're going to have our SIPs cast members talk about their favorite products for season 13.
35:53
> Brent>Hey, and this is good old boy Bob from the Sips crew. And we are doing our best of the year pick.
35:57
> Brent>So we're going to start with our best of the year whiskey. Brent, what was your best of the year Whiskey? Well, I hate to sound like a broken record, but I am. Um, my best of the year was.
36:06
> Dave>The King of Kentucky.
36:07
> Brent>It's the same one I picked last year.
36:09
> Dave>Beautiful, beautiful mouthfeel.
36:11
> Brent>You get those cherries of leather, tobacco. It just covers everything. Your mouth, your throat, your soul, everything. There's nothing wrong with this. This is why I liked it the year before.
36:21
> Dave>This year, I don't know that it's.
36:24
> Brent>Going to be hard for something to come along and say, yeah, that's going to be better than that. So just truly enjoyed it. Well, they make a good one every year. What are you going to do?
36:31
> Harm>You know, I. I hate. I hate you so much that you.
36:34
> Harm>You stole that from under me.
36:36
> Brent>No, I didn't.
36:36
> Harm>I never. I never.
36:37
> Brent>If you'd have responded in a timely.
36:39
> Harm>Manner, you would rarely pick up bourbon for best whiskey of the year. But you know what? I think this year's game in Kentucky was the second best whiskey ever tasted in my life.
36:47
> Brent>Justin, what's your pick for best of the year? I like the Glendronic Allardyce single malt scotch whiskey 18 year. The reason it was my favorite, it had amazing mouthfeel, fantastic flavors, and a finish that wouldn't end. It's fantastic. All right, well, Harm, what was your pick for best whiskey of the year?
37:07
> Harm>Well, it's literally my second best whiskey year because Brent stole mine because that was the best but my favorite whiskey of the year. And I'm going to go back to Scotch because I always go to scotches. And that would be the 2024 special release of the Singleton Glen Ord. We don't get Glen Ord in this country often, except for special releases and, you know, things like Prima and Ultramar, which are several thousand Dollars. This was vanilla pound cake and orange pastry cream, uh, with water. Without. The water was all butterscotch. It was rich. It was gorgeous. And it's a whiskey that's really hard to get in this country, but still not super expensive. So the, uh, 2024 release of the Singleton Glen Ord Autumn Walk 14 year old special release. That's the one to get. It's the scotch to look for this year. And I know it's 2025, but by the time it got to America, uh, it was very early 2025.
38:02
> Brent>Yeah, well, I'm looking at the box right now with the 2025 special releases that we haven't gotten to yet.
38:07
> Harm>We haven't recorded that show yet. Is it going to even air this year?
38:09
> Brent>But it also has the sing to Glenn Ord. No, it'll probably record. It'll probably go out in January.
38:14
> Brent>Like this went out in January.
38:16
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Right.
38:16
> Brent>Of 2025. That's how it works sometimes. So let's see what Maury had. For Maury Maurice pick for best of the year was the 2025 release of the, um, Old Forester birthday bourbon. This was a different one because it was sweet mash as opposed to sour mash. Let's see what his thoughts were on.
38:34
> >That, on the color.
38:36
> Brent>It's got a real nice medium copper color on the nose. There's some herbaceousness, a hint of cardamom, some raw oak, a hint of green apple.
38:46
> Harm>I don't get them here.
38:48
> Brent>Fruit.
38:48
> Harm>You didn't get the car? I got the card on the last one. I don't other than that. I'm getting it for.
38:56
> Brent>I love when you interrupt him because it always throws him off on the palette. Uh, again, a cardamom, uh, oak, tropical fruit, green apple.
39:06
> Brent>Uh, the finish has got some burnt sugar, some leather, a hint of chai spice, and it seems to linger on and on. This is an interesting birthday bourbon. It's definitely a departure from previous editions, but it's delicious nonetheless and something that I always look forward to and this year is no exception. All right, well, that was his pick. I think he had birthday bourbon last year as well. So it's always a good one. Always a good one. So let's see, for me, see my favorite pick of the year. Can you guess what it is?
39:40
> Harm>Me, me, me.
39:41
> Brent>George T. Stagg. Yeah, how'd you guess? Yeah, the 2025 George D. Stagg. So, yeah, 142.8 proof of brick to the face. Happiness. Uh, it was the return of stag.
39:59
> >Yeah.
39:59
> Brent>Um, last year was a little light. Year before was good. Last year was a little late, but so good, so good. You guys have any, any runner ups? Anything that, that was tickling your fancy at?
40:11
> Harm>My runner up would have been the, um, the Oban Coastal orchard from that same show that we recorded the special releases.
40:18
> Brent>That was really good one.
40:20
> Harm>It was absolutely fantastic. It was like, I think you called it, you called it sitting in an apple orchard in Provence.
40:27
> >Yeah, it was, yeah, good.
40:29
> Brent>Well, description that and, and my runner up was the Lagavulin 12 year old special release from last year. So, you know, what did you think, Brad?
40:37
> Brent>Yeah, I would have thought maybe the.
40:38
> Dave>The William LaRue Weller.
40:41
> Brent>Um, that one is very special. Again this year. One of those ones that you just, you know, thoroughly enjoy. You know, it's kind of made a comeback as well.
40:50
> Dave>Mhm.
40:50
> Brent>Do you have one? I mean, my runner up was this year's Handy 2025. Handy. It was.
41:00
> Harm>Beautiful.
41:01
> Brent>Yeah, it was, it was handy of old is what it was.
41:04
> Harm>Yeah, you guys all like those, those uh, 2025 BTechs. But you know, my favorite was the most subtle. That the Sazerac was just so subtle.
41:10
> Harm>That's not true. The Weller was probably my favorite this year from btec. But sometimes you want a punch in the face, Sometimes you want a gentle caress, you know? Yeah, I'm not kink shaming.
41:24
> Brent>Says the guy wearing the leather mask and no pants. Yeah, I wouldn't if I was you. So Lord.
41:30
> Brent>Right in the toilet. So, um, we also, the sips crew also do the wine episode. So Harm, what was your pick for wine of the year that we had?
41:39
> Harm>So the pick of the year I had for this year was the um, Pritchard Hill from Chappellet. Chappelle makes some wonderful wine that's affordable, but then they have the Prichard Hill, which is, unless you're a multimillionaire, it may not be affordable. If you got yacht money, it's definitely affordable. It's under a thousand bucks, but it's, it's in the $300 range generally, usually, but so good. But you know what, it was amazing. It's plush, it's got all the rich fruit and it's got, um, graphite. It's got amazing tan and chocolate on the nose. It's the type of wine that's structured, it's gorgeous. You need to have some fatty steaks with this stuff kind of thing because it cleanses the palate when you take a sip. It's gorgeous. My friend Just left for her PhD program at, uh, Gainesville. And to say goodbye, I opened a bottle of this. This is a special occasional wine and I love this wine. Just you have to have the Chapel a Pritchard Hill.
42:32
> Brent>You can't go wrong with it every year. Every year is fantastic. But that one was a good one. Let's see what Maurice pick was. I agree with just about everything you said. Uh, surprisingly enough, um, bound to happen once in a while. I love the nose on it. I thought the nose. You nailed it. And, uh, their tasting notes were really pretty spot on, both on the nose and on the palate. I, uh, would agree with you. There's a lot of toasted oak, there's these velvety tannins, but definitely not overpowering. That was Maurice thoughts on his pick of the year, which was the Justin Reserve Cab Somione 2021, which everybody, uh, roundly loved.
43:11
> Brent>Uh, you know, a really, really good one. So what was your pick, Justin? I like the Davis Estates Phase 5 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. If you're going to be shot by a Phase 5 phaser, you might as well be drinking Davis Estates Phase 5. It was fantastic.
43:29
> Harm>That was a long walk for that joke. But, you know, did it pay off for the Star Trek geeks?
43:36
> Brent>It did, yes. Yeah.
43:37
> Harm>I would give you a high five. Maybe Live long and prosper instead.
43:40
> Brent>Yes, there you go. Yes. So fantastic wine. And every year. That one is always a fantastic wine. I don't think I've ever had an off year from them at a beautiful winery. Absolutely beautiful. They have, they have a whole separate room dedicated just to the Phase five release biometric block.
43:57
> Brent>You have to be a member of the club. And it biometric, we checks, you run through your hand before it opens up. And then the lights all come up.
44:03
> Harm>You get a salute when you do the biometrics.
44:06
> Brent>Yeah, yeah, pretty much. All right, so my pick for best of the year was the Ehlers estate cabernet frank 2022.
44:14
> Harm>That's a gorgeous wine, dude.
44:16
> Brent>I mean, I'm in a Cab Frank sort of mindset anyway, lately. But that one was so, so good. That was my runner up is 90% Cab Frank, 6%, uh, Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot. It was just so well done.
44:33
> Brent>Just the violets and the cocoa powder and the graphite and on the palate.
44:38
> Harm>Cab Franc is really coming in its own with global warming happening. And you're going to see more people growing Cobb Franc rather than, uh, Cabernet in Napa Valley.
44:47
> Brent>Yeah, it's. And, and honestly, that works for me because I, I absolutely love Cobb Francis.
44:53
> >I'll be back.
44:53
> Brent>I mean, the palette was just. It was, it was black tea and cherries. It was so well done. My runner up, honestly, was the Lark Mead Solari. Yeah, Lark Mead this year with the new winemaker. Hit it out of the park.
45:06
> Harm>You know, I'd forgotten about that. That would be a great runner up for me too, I think. I mean, good choice.
45:11
> Brent>Good.
45:12
> Dave>Yeah.
45:12
> Brent>I mean, they, they. I mean, they always made good wine, but the new. I think her name's Avery. I met her at New York a while back. Killing it.
45:19
> Brent>Absolutely killing it. Did you have a, uh, runner up? Anything you can think of? I have one. Go ahead, tell us.
45:26
> Dave>I have that 1989 wild Irish road.
45:28
> Brent>Oh, okay. Nice. It works for me. And that's it.
45:37
> Julianna>Rolling clouds, uh, and crashing surf. Iridescent dunes reflecting by the line of the rising glowing moon. Seashore Mesmerizing night breeze hypnotizing. We've come across these back roads none too soon. Look to the left, to the right.
46:11
> Julianna>Keep your eyes on the road, my darling Wondering if we're only passing through. Open roads and open windows. Uh, my hand is yours forever sweet love.
46:29
> Julianna>Our eyes ahead on these back rooms.
46:33
> >And now that cast that you wonder, how did they get on the radio? Our smokes cast members are going to talk about their best of, uh, season 13 choices.
46:45
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Our plan for this smoke segment is to go over our top five and discuss @ least one of those in a bit more detail. We also have a full episode where we'll discuss more of these top five choices a bit more. So let's kick this off with Rich's top five.
46:58
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>He's got the Oz family cigars, Caritoba, the Crown Heads Broadway, the Natura, uh, Second Harvest war fighters cigars, Night shift. Now tell me what your favorite.
47:13
> Brent>Was. Oh, I'm gonna have to go with the Black Works studio horn hornet. Released in 2023 by Black Work Studio, the Hornet is a pumped up version of its robust cousin, the Killer Bee. It's imposing Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper is supported by a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The wrapper is accented with a closed foot and swirled cap made from, uh, a candela wrapper. The Hornet is known for its strength that is balanced out with the complexity of flavors. Like its namesake, the Hornet will leave a lasting but pleasant sting on your palate that you will not soon forget. The binder is Nicaraguan. The Filler is Nicaraguan.
47:54
> Brent>The wrapper, Nicaraguan and candela. And I think, you know, I like a bold cigar. And I think the.
48:01
> Brent>The effect that this one gave me that I. That really stuck with me is that the intensity grew as I smoked.
48:08
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>It. Nice. Nice. Well, that's a good pick for your top five. Benjamin. Top five list here. The Oz Family Caritoba. Imagine that. Crown heads, Belgian blue. I, uh, That's a great cigar. The El Titan de.
48:23
> >Bronze. You didn't even get out of the building with the.
48:25
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Same. That's right. The Tatuaje pork tenderloin.
48:29
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>It's always a good cigar. Now tell me about your.
48:32
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>Favorite. Yeah, so I chose the Blackworks Studios, uh, Intergalactic Event Horizon.
48:38
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>2. Black Work Studio. Yes.
48:40
> Brent>Sir. Prepare ship for light.
48:42
> Harm>Speed. No, no.
48:43
> >No. Light speed is too.
48:44
> Brent>Slow. Light speed too.
48:45
> Harm>Slow.
48:45
> >Yes. We're gonna have to go right to ludicrous.
48:48
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>Speed. Ludicrous.
48:51
> Brent>Speed. So we've never gone that fast before. I don't.
48:53
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>Know. Uh, this cigar is quite the thing of myth.
48:56
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>Originally released in 2022, uh, with a Sumatra wrapper. Uh, this release came out in 2024 as a limited edition for the brand. Um, it's a binder.
49:08
> Good ol’ Boy Benjamin>Ecuadorian Habano filler, Nicaraguan, and rapper Dark Pennsylvania Broadleaf. Um, so, yeah, man, it. I know it's a limited release, but it was one of those things. I had started to kind of branch out a little bit and look for brands that I didn't normally smoke or look for, um, at my local tobacconist, and they carry a lot of black work studios. And I was like, okay, well, like, let's get into some of them. And I remember that I had smoked a couple previous to, uh, finding the Intergalactic, and weren't really my bag. They were a little bit too kind of earthy and dirty and barnyardy. Uh, but the Intergalactic was a light, uh, bulb moment for me. M. And so as I kind of dug deeper into it, ah, really started to enjoy some of the other things that they offered. Um, but the Intergalactic, it was just something that, uh, once I found out it was a limited edition, I tried to find it anywhere I could to kind of keep some.
50:09
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Backstock. All right, well. Well, that's a good.
50:12
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>That's a good number one. Um, Mike's list. Here is the Imami, Petra, Maduro, the Cao, Amazon bays and dagger. 2020 5. The Adventura, La Lorana, the Cohiba Beheki 56. Can't hide money there. Now tell me about your.
50:30
> >Favorite. Uh, so my favorite was not on the list.
50:33
> >It's the Macanudo, French, uh, oak, uh, release three. Um, so really a great cigar. I mean, you know, this is all about the, the wine that you know, they put this in. So, uh, for the third and final release of the Macanudos collaboration with Flint Knoll winery, the Macanino estate reserve.
50:54
> >Released 3. Used to tobacco age in a prestigious French oak barrel. Um, really great. And um, you know, I just, I guess it was just such a surprise to me, you know, about this particular cigar. So I mean I would definitely go back to this all day long. I may not go back to all the Macanudos, but I would definitely go.
51:14
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Back. I actually met the people that own Flintanol. He's a big conspiracy guy. He is.
51:21
> >Awesome. Is he a flat.
51:22
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Earther? I'm not going to talk about that. Don't you bait and switch me. I got two minutes and a half here. All right, all right. So my top five list is the Rocky Patel year of the snake. Uh, the crown heads Mild Diaz Limited Edition 2025. The Imami Kimono, Connecticut. AJ Fernandez, Cameroon.
51:45
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>And my favorite, make.
51:49
> Brent>Way.
51:52
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Magnificent. It was the foundation Askham, the Maduro version, uh, that Askamite kingdom is an ancient civilization in present day.
52:04
> >Ethiopia. Uh, he actually got that big.
52:06
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Word. Stood as a beacon of power, culture and tradition. According to the Ethiopian legend Menelik I, uh, son of King Solomon and the queen of Sheba brought the ark of the covenant to Askam where it has remained ever since. To this day, a single guardian devotes his life to watching over the sacred relic, protecting it day and night.
52:27
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Drawing inspiration from the storied empire. The Askham line is a testament to heritage, craftsmanship and tradition. Carefully blended to deliver a refined smoking experience. It embodies foundation cigars commitment to exceptional quality and respect for the timeless legacy of the Askham. The askum means a journey through legend crafted in every cigar. Its wrapper is Sumatra, Ecuador. The binder is Connecticut broadleaf. The filler is Estali and Jalapa, Nicaragua. There are many, many things I can say about this cigar. But I'm going to say one thing about it. If you find them, buy them. M Hands down, the best cigar I have smoked all dang year and it was fantastic.
53:18
> Good ol’ Boy Barker>Now that's last year. Foundation got my. With their, uh, they made my top list with the. What was it? The um. Oh, no. Came in a box. Yeah, specialty. Anyways, one of his special releases made my top list last year. But folks that's what's going to take it for our, uh, top five this year. This is our top five best of 2025. So have a good night.
53:46
> >Everybody. Thanks for joining us for this episode of Sips, Suds and Smokes, celebrating our best of, uh, season 13. Hey, we're really happy that you found us today. No matter where we were located on satellite radio as a podcast, or if you finally found that MP3 player from 1982. We want to thank you for joining us. Hey, we had a key contributor for the show that recently passed away and it's actually one of the songwriters and performers of the song that you actually hear in the background right now, and that's Terry Whitehead. Hey, we just wanted to say our condolences to Terry's family. We thank him so much for the contribution to this show and wish them the very best. Come back, join us for another exciting episode of Sip, Suds and Smokes. I'll ask you to keep on sipping.
54:42
> >We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you're listening to us online, do yourself a favor and tap. Just tap it in the subscribe.
54:51
> Dave>Button. Give it a little.
54:52
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54:54
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54:56
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54:58
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55:06
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55:11
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55:17
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55:19
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55:21
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55:26
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55:28
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55:32
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55:35
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55:39
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55:40
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56:59
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57:04
> >Of some of the finer slices of life from the dude in the basement.
57:08
> Brent>Studios, your host, the good old boys. We'll see you all next.