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Are you doing Drynuary? Dry January? Non-Alc New Year? Whatever you call it, there are many reasons our customers seek out non-alcoholic offerings. Non-alcoholic beers have been around for several decades, but now craft breweries have begun producing them in addition to the old stalwarts. Roger's offerings run the gamut from old stalwarts to new craft offerings. Meanwhile, Pat has a whole new category for the Barrel to Bottle crew to sample, whiskey and gin alternatives. 

Michael Eddy is the first winemaker at Louis Martini that doesn't share a last name with winery's founder. In his tenure with Louis Martini, Michael has witnessed a huge transition for this legacy brand. He's been presented with the unique challenge of growing the winery and moving it in new directions, while also maintaining the standards wine drinkers have come to expect. 

What's a football game without chili??? The recipe below is a Binny's favorite, concocted and kitchen-tested by Binny's very own resident chef Scott Becker as well as Binny's-approved by the floor staff at our Highland Park Store. The key to this recipe or any chili recipe for that matter is taking the time to layer all the complex flavors without losing the vibrant flavors of the tomatoes. We do this by NOT draining the canned kidney beans and the canned crushed tomatoes. “Water is our friend,” says Scott Becker. “The more water we need to simmer away, the longer we have for flavors to meld and the meat to get tender without the chili becoming too thick. No one likes rushed chili.”

It's a special Whiskey Hotline edition of Barrel to Bottle with David Carpenter of Redemption Whiskey. As the master blender, David likes to focus on the grains because they're the star of the show. David is also master blender for Bib & Tucker, a Tennessee whiskey brand that focuses more on the barrel than the grain. Finally, the Barrel to Bottle crew heads north of the border to try some 100% rye Canadian whisky, but it's not your typical Canadian whisky. Don't forget to check out our Redemption Handpicks, which are still available in limited quantities. 

Specialty beers are Odd Side’s speciality. Thirsty for something different, we shipped up eleven freshly dumped handpicked Knob Creek bourbon barrels to Odd Side and quickly got to work designing a pair of stouts.

Tis the season for malty, spicy beers with a little extra kick to them. Just don't call them old man beers. Roger has brought the good stuff; from longtime classics to new takes on the holiday style. From Germany to California and everywhere in between, Happy Holidays from the Barrel to Bottle Crew. 

The last time Bob Calamia stopped by the Barrel to Bottle studio, it was to talk about something he loves but doesn't know, amaro. Now he's here to talk about something he both knows and loves: Champagne and bubbly. The holidays are a perfect time to have Binny's longtime Champagne buyer on the podcast. Although we here at Barrel to Bottle feel that every time of year is a good time for Champagne. Plus, we'll teach you how to taste and how to find what you like. Pop the cork on this vintage dated episode. 

Fortified wine, it's not just for grandma's post-dinner drink. Binny's Wine Educator Alicia Barrett joins the Barrel to Bottle to Crew this week to share her passion for fortified wines, particularly Madeira. Roger loves Madeira too and he is very eager to discuss it. So what is it? Why should you drink it? Where does it come from? All your questions will be answered on this week's Barrel to Bottle.

CH Distillery has arguably the widest ranging portfolio in the Midwest. At CH, they can only serve what they make, which has presented unique challenges but also allowed them to offer an incredible breadth of spirits. Owner and distiller Tremaine Atkinson was good enough to bring some spirits for the Barrel to Bottle crew to sample. Most importantly, CH is now the shepherd of Malört, favorite child of the Barrel to Bottle podcast. They're trying all sorts of new things with Malört, including barrel-aging. But can it live up (down?) to the Malört legacy?