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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.

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Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit

Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox

August Gitschlag @rawgusto

Merch www.WearingFunny.com

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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

Send us a text

What makes a simple promise the most significant gift you could ever give someone? For Freddie Johnson, Buffalo Trace Distillery's beloved ambassador, keeping his word literally saved his life.

Sitting in what he calls "the ultimate man cave," Freddie shares the rich tapestry of his family's deep connection to Kentucky bourbon. As the third generation to walk the grounds of Buffalo Trace, Freddie's stories transport us through time—from his grandfather throwing rocks with Colonel Blanton along the riverbank to his father's 47-year partnership with legendary master distiller Elmer T. Lee. These aren't just family anecdotes; they're living lessons about what truly matters.

"The product in the bottle is just the byproduct of a good relationship," Freddie explains, revealing a philosophy that extends far beyond distilling. Through what he calls "memory moments," Freddie illustrates how seemingly ordinary encounters—like meeting the speakeasy's owner Tony years ago—can become foundational turning points in our lives. His most powerful story recounts how honoring a promise to care for his ailing father ultimately placed him in Kentucky instead of beneath the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001—a profound example of how "promises made, promises kept" can alter destinies.

Beyond his ambassadorial role, Freddie channels his passion into a 501(c)(3) charity that restores historical cemetery sites. Using cutting-edge technology, his team has identified thousands of forgotten graves, preserving crucial chapters of American history that might otherwise disappear. A dollar from every case of his namesake root beer and soda line directly funds these restoration efforts.

Whether you're a bourbon enthusiast or simply someone who values authentic human connection, Freddie's perspective on creating "lifetime memory moments" will transform how you think about the choices we make every day. As he reminds us, it's not about what could have been, but what should be—and the courage to choose wisely when those moments arrive.

Support the show

https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour

www.ManCaveHappyHour.com

Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit

Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox

August Gitschlag @rawgusto

Merch www.WearingFunny.com