Send us a text

A brewery story that starts with nuts and bolts and ends with medals and cult beers is worth a pint and a half. We set up at Kuhnhenn Brewing and talk with brothers Eric and Bret about how a family hardware store in Warren became a fiercely independent microbrewery known for high-gravity ales that still drink refreshingly clean. The path wasn’t smooth—paperwork delays, a sparse early Detroit beer map, and a lot of trial batches—but the lesson from Belgium changed everything: strength means nothing without quaffability.

Live from Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. https://kbrewery.com/

Hear how DRIPA, their double rice IPA, flipped expectations by using rice not as a shortcut but as a precision tool to dry out the body and let hops sing. The result is a 9.5% IPA that sips like something far lighter, showcasing Mosaic, Simcoe, and classic hop notes without a sticky finish. We also dive into 4th Dementia, their award-winning old ale, where stressed yeast and careful fermentation build layers of fig, toffee, and spice that unfold as the beer warms. For barrel-aged variants, they blend across Heaven Hill and other cooperages, explaining why beer often thrives in barrels that aren’t overly old and how blending achieves consistent, nuanced character.

It’s not just malt and oak. The team shares how their cider program won top marks with clean, unsulfury ferments and balanced acidity, plus why they tinker with sake and eye icebock for future releases. Along the way we talk independence, scale, and the practical reality that DRIPA keeps the lights on while limited bottles build legend. If you love craft beer, bourbon barrels, and the art of making big flavors drinkable, this conversation pours out hard-won wisdom from two brewers who never stopped learning.

If this story made you thirsty, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves strong yet smooth beers, and drop a review so others can find us. Cheers.

Support the show

https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour

www.ManCaveHappyHour.com

Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit

Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox

August Gitschlag @rawgusto

Merch www.WearingFunny.com

Send us a text

Ever stared at a Four Roses label and wondered what those letters actually taste like? We pulled on the baseball tees, poured a mystery single barrel at 100 proof, and put our palates to the test—no hints, just noses, notes, and a friendly wager. What started as happy hour turned into a crash course on mash bills, yeast strains, and how recipe codes like OBSF, OESO, and OESK map to real flavor in the glass.

We break the code in plain English. “B” or “E” tells you the corn and rye balance, the final letter reveals the yeast’s aromatic fingerprint, and together they shape everything from apple and cocoa to baking spice and mellow oak. As the glass opens, we talk through ethanol on the nose, how sweetness and spice trade places between sip two and three, and why color rarely gives away the profile. One taster locks on apple, another gets a bright rye lift, and the reveal proves how yeast and mash bill can be heard if you know where to listen.

Then comes the question every bourbon fan asks: is the $100 single barrel really better than the beloved Four Roses Small Batch you can actually find? We compare structure, finish, and versatility, and we’re honest about price-to-pleasure. Along the way, we share practical tips—how to taste smarter at home, why bar markups on staples like Sazerac Rye change the calculus, and which salty snacks dial up sweetness while taming heat. It’s whiskey nerdery without the pretense, wrapped in laughs and a clear takeaway you can use on your next store run.

If you love decoding labels, exploring mash bills and yeast strains, or just want a reliable guide to Four Roses single barrels, this pour is for you. Hit play, taste along, and tell us your pick. Enjoying the show? Tap follow, drop a review, and share this with a friend who thinks they can guess the code by nose alone.

Support the show

https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour

www.ManCaveHappyHour.com

Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit

Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox

August Gitschlag @rawgusto

Merch www.WearingFunny.com

Send us a text

A glass can change a night, and sometimes a cause. We’re clinking through Detroit’s dining glow-up, tasting everything from a zero-proof old fashioned that actually satisfies to a small-lot Mount Veeder Cabernet with the kind of structure that makes bourbon fans nod. Along the way, we spotlight Uncork for a Cure—the 10th-anniversary gala rallying chefs, sommeliers, and guests to fund breast cancer research—and why a modern event now pours exquisite wines alongside serious non-alcoholic cocktails.

We start with Little Saints, a smart take on NA drinking built around botanicals like reishi and damiana for calm focus and lifted mood. Then we pop Champagne Andre Clouet 1911, a true Champagne with deep reserves that opens from tight and steely to vinous and layered as it warms. For sweater weather, we dig into Amador County Zinfandel—the right kind of jammy, with raspberry and bramble framed by dryness that plays beautifully with lamb, smoked pork, and game. Finally, we Coravin a limited Mount Veeder Cabernet, showing mountain fruit, French oak spice, and a firm, late-arriving grip that begs for a decanter and a slow evening.

Between pours, we map Detroit’s restaurant scene: Mabel Gray, SheWolf, Chartreuse, and more raising standards with craft bar programs and thoughtful wine lists. We share practical buying tips for mulling wine without the headache, a quick primer on decanting and sediment, and a handful of Michigan wine stops that prove the state’s cool-climate whites and leaner reds deserve a spot at your table. It’s a tour of taste, technique, and community, wrapped around a night that uses hospitality to do real good.

If you enjoyed the ride, follow the show, share with a friend who loves great pours, and drop a review with your favorite fall pairing—we’d love to feature it next time. Cheers.

Support the show

https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour

www.ManCaveHappyHour.com

Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit

Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox

August Gitschlag @rawgusto

Merch www.WearingFunny.com