Rogues On The Road

We met up with Ryan Hiebendahl, vice president of sales at Sail Away Coffee. Also Joining us was coffee expert and "shaman", Mike Love from Coffee Labs. Both Ryan and mike gave us an education on the art of cold brewing which interestingly, has many similarities to craft beer brewing. The sail away slogan: ""live young"...Sail Away pairs it free-spirited approach to flavor with a well traveled palate."

The crew at Sail Away focus on single-origin roasts, blends and signature cold brew coffee. This episode we stuck to cold brew which is trending. Yep, Dunkin' has joined the band wagon. We've had cold brew before; however, flavor profiles range from amazingly smooth and balanced to "what were you thinking!" Ryan tasted us through what we thought were some of the best cold brew's we've experienced. We tasted through five, nitrogen cold brews. The cans included sweetened, unsweetened, horchata, salt and caramel and pumpkin chai. We were very skeptical on the pumpkin chai; however, ryan collaborated with Amy Rothstein owner of Dona Drinks to create an amazingly tasty and balanced cold brew. "Balanced" being the key to great cold brews. Sail Away has also "sailed" into the craft cocktail movement utilizing their cold brews. We're eager to try!

Big thanks to crew at Sail Away, we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise!

Shop Sail Away

Prologue: We suggest you purchase a couple of bars of chocolate from Dandelion Chocolate while listening to this podcast. It will definetly enhance the experience! The single-origin chocolates we sampled were incredibly complex and different depending on country of origin and Terroir. It was very helpful having both a chocolate expert and coffee expert joining us to help guide.

This was a fascinating experience for us! We met up with chocolate maker/educator, Christine Keating from Dandelion Chocolate at the New York City Coffee Festival. Also joining us was Mike Love from Coffee Labs our resident "coffee Shaman". Yes, coffee and chocolate have many similarities when it comes to processing and tasting. The experience began with the opening of a beautiful, raw cacao pod, which has an almost alien appearance. The flavor and textures we experienced from the raw beans completely different from the end product we know as chocolate. Notes of mango, squash, banana, citrus and slimy almond came through. We had no idea how fermentation and processing affects the final flavors found in chocolate. Willy Wonka never told us that at the factory tour. Christine then took us through the whole process of making chocolate as well as educating us on the differences between a chocolate maker and a chocolatier.

Dandelion Chocolate: "At Dandelion, we believe great chocolate starts with the bean. Because we only use two ingredients to make our chocolate—cocoa beans and organic cane sugar—the flavor of the beans we buy is critical. While genetics and processing play integral roles in developing flavor, getting good flavor reliably has everything to do with building good relationships."

Dandelion Chocolate: "We do our best to work directly with the producers who grow, ferment, and dry the cacao we buy. We travel to origin as frequently as possible to learn about our producers’ best practices, exchange feedback, and make sure that high standards of quality and sustainability are met. We pay a premium far above the world market price and work to strengthen our relationships year after year in order to maintain our collective commitment to sharing the best and most distinctive cacao."

Not enough chocolate for you? Dandelion chocolate also provides a host of different experiences which include tours, classes, private events, talks and cocoa trips!

Shop at Dandelion Chocolate

We met up with Dani and David at a local gastro pub, Country Fare to discuss their latest epic costume design for Magic Wheelchairs. Together they are working on a Halloween themed build that will be revealed at Comic Con For Kids.

"Magic Wheelchair is a nonprofit organization that builds epic costumes for kiddos in wheelchairs — at no cost to families. Their mission is to bring communities together to create unforgettable moments for children around the world by transforming their wheelchairs into magic. To be eligible for a Magic Wheelchair costume, a kiddo must be between the ages of 5 and 17 and primarily use a wheelchair for mobility."

There are teams from all over the world donating their time to create unforgettable costumes for wheelchairs. Each team is given a budget of $1500 for their build and team sizes range from just a couple of people to large college groups. Intially, Teams meet with the kids to discuss ideas and themes but nothing is revealed until the costume is complete. Additional materials can be donated and as you can see on their website, some builds are incredibly detailed and elaborate.

Magic Wheelchair operates on donations and volunteers only. If you are interested in becoming involved please check out the links below.

Donate

Volunteer

Apply for an epic costume

We met up with Yvan at Deccico's markets in Armonk, NY. Yvan De Baets is a founder and brewer at the famed brewery, Brasserie De La Senne, in Brussels. He is also a social worker and beer historian. Belgium has a long rich history when it comes to brewing and is also trend setter to the entire brewing industry. Yvan is extremely passionate about the beers he and fellow brewer, Bernard Leboucq produce. Together they brew beers they love while remaining uninfluenced by trends and profit. As a result they brew beers that are wonderfully bitter, low in alcohol and superior when it comes to quality. Many consumers in the brewing industry consider Brasserie De La Senne to be "some of the best beer in the world".

"The beers of Brasserie de la Senne are produced by two passionate brewers from Brussels: Yvan De Baets and Bernard Leboucq. They work in a small brewery honouring the traditional ways of brewing beer: unfiltered, unpasteurized, free of any additives and using only the finest raw materials of the highest quality. Their dedication to un-compromised quality is definitely one of the outstanding characteristics of the brewery. The beers, with their complex flavour and well-distinguished personalities, are true beers of character, made in Brussels."

"Brussels is the place where we were born and where we live. We love this city. We are very proud to have doubled its number of breweries, as, when we opened, the only other active brewery in Brussels was Cantillon. We brew in the Brussels Region, on 565 Chaussée de Gand, in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, since 22 December 2010. This date has also become the date of our anniversary brew, only brewed once a year – the Brussels Calling. We have designed our production facilities by carefully selecting the technologies in use. For some stages we have purposely opted for simpler technologies in order to preserve all the aromas of our beers. We take pride in being a local brewery; Brussels is our first market, followed by the rest of Belgium. We limit our exports, despite the success we have encountered abroad. We are, however, available in a dozen countries, with a leading presence in the United States, Italy and Japan."

We hope at some point to follow up with Yvan at his brewery in Brussels for an "on the road" episode.

Finally...an episode that has given us the most complete education on sour beers. We met up with Alex Wallash at, Deccicos & Sons in Brewster, NY. Alex is a founder, brewer, innovator and surfer from The Rare Barrel, in Berkley California. The sours produced at The Rare Barrel are some of the finest and most innovative we've experienced.

RARE BARREL: "We are an all-sour beer company. Sour beer is our favorite style of beer. The flavors produced by this unique fermentation and aging process cannot be replicated in any other food or beverage. Due to the involved process, sour beer is not often a commonly brewed style, making it difficult to find. We’d like to help change that.

Aside from our personal preferences for the beer, there are also practical reasons for going all-sour. By focusing completely on sour beer, we can concentrate on learning as much as possible about the reasons why those unique flavors are produced in sours. With our entire focus on sours, we have crafted a cellar around the production of sour beer. Our space is dedicated to the conditioning of barrel-aged sour beers. With high ceilings, a moderate climate and plenty of space, we give our barrels an ideal home to create their unique flavors.

It’s been said that constraint breeds creativity. By adopting a singular focus on crafting sour beer, we plan on thoroughly exploring flavors through both conventional and experimental methods to create exciting new beers.

Periodically, we will organize an extensive search (tasting) of our barrel house to find our finest barrel of sour beer. A team of craft beer enthusiasts, sour-heads, homebrewers, brewers, BJCP judges, cicerones, and foodies will taste through our barrel house and select our finest barrels of sour beer. Once the “Search Party” has determined the top barrels of sour beer, the founders of The Rare Barrel will taste them, and name the finest of the final barrels as “The Rare Barrel.”

Thirty minutes before this podcast we had no idea we were going to record this. This episode is dedicated to the oldest barber in the world and WWII veteran, Anthony Mancinelli. We never met Anthony, however we thought it appropriate to honor Anthony by attending his funeral Mass, procession and grave-side service. This is where we met up with military bugler, Dani Masterson.

Dani Masterson is a volunteer bugler working with Bugles across America and Spiritof45.org. She's been a horn player for over 30 years and for the past 20 years sounding TAPS for over 3500 details. When she shows up for a detail, she feels, " It"s the last nicest thing that can do for someone." These are the times when Dani feels her service is most pure. "I don't do this to receive a pat on the back or even a thank you. I do it to serve. I'm personally grateful because it has given me a place to serve those who have served. My mission is to educate people on the significance and history of TAPS, why it is important to have a live Bugler and to sound TAPS in all 50 states."

Anthony was born March 2, 1911 in Montemilone, Italy. The son of John and Savino Madrisi Mancinelli. Anthony came to America in September of 1919, on the ship Caserta. He served in WWII and was honorably discharged in 1945. He took up barbering in 1924 and continued to work until July of this year. He was a life member and the oldest member of the New Windsor American Legion 1796. He was Grand Marshall of the New Windsor Memorial Day parade for 13 years. He was inducted into the Barbers Museum and Hall of Fame and is listed in The Guinness Book of World Records. He has been honored numerous times and received many awards/certificates from government officials, including Senator Larkin, Representative Thomas Kirwan, Congressman John Hall, Supervisor George Green, County Executives Edward Diana and Steven Neuhaus and many others. March 2nd was named Anthony Mancinelli Day in Orange County.

A big thanks to the members of the New Windsor American Legion 1796, The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, and the Newburgh/New Windsor police department.

SIDE NOTE: Towards the end of the service we listened to a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria. We've heard this classic many times before, however this was the most beautiful we've ever experienced. The entire moment brought us to tears as we tried to figure out who was singing. Looking up behind the pews we could see a woman in military fatigues and then we realized who it most likely was, Master Sergeant, Mary Kay Messenger. Sergeant Messenger is the premier vocalist for the West Point Band and has extremely long list of accolades. This day she played humbly and then quietly exited with little notice. Thank you for your service.

Rest well, Anthony...

Big thanks to Delta Sky Club for hosting this episode with Damrak Gin. We met up with Tanya from Damrak to discuss cocktails, gin history and trends. Delta Sky Club's complimentary cocktail of the month is a Spanish-Style gin and tonic made with Damrak. The gin recently won silver at Food and Beverage Magazine's PROOF% awards Damrak is light on the juniper with a lot of subtle flavors, predominantly citrus. These characteristics opens it to whole host of cocktails. There are 17 different ingredients that give Damrak Gin its DAM good taste. Some of them they disclose, but some are the Master Distiller’s secret. The main distillate consists of the best quality Curaçao oranges. The distillate of these peels highlights the citrusy character of Damrak Gin; like a triple-sec liqueur without sugars. Valencia oranges give Damrak Gin its sweet and distinctive aroma, while lemons provide the freshness. In every gin, there are juniper berries. Even though they deliberately added little less juniper berries, it is still clearly noticeable in taste and smell. Adding some herbs and spices like angelica root, cinnamon, lavender and star anise results in the unique flavor of Damrak Gin.

Recipe: Damrak gin, good tonic (we love Fever Tree), two slices of cucumber, FRESH sprig of rosemary or thyme or even lavender. Toss in a few dried juniper berries and there you have it! This style of gin and tonic is great on a hot day paired with tapas or even on cold day paired with short rib sliders. Tanya loves to pair Damrak with oysters on the half shell or even served as a shooter.

Delta Sky Club is an amazing experience and we are very much looking forward to returning to take advantage of ALL the great amenities they have to offer!

This episode we met up Morgan Spurlock at his pop-up restaurant, Holy Chicken to discuss the newly released Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Morgan is an award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer, director, producer, playwright and president and founder of full-service New York-based production studio Warrior Poets. Joining us were poultry farmers John Buttram and Charles Morris. Although the start of this documentary is about opening a truly transparent fast-food chicken restaurant, it became quickly apparent that this film is about the farmers, there struggle and the corruption surrounding "big-ag" in our country. 99% of the chicken consumed is the United States is produced by a monopoly of five main companies. These companies control all aspects of chicken production and essentially "own" the farmers who grow their chickens. The whistle-blowing in this documentary has resulted in John has being black-balled the the industry and no longer grows chickens. Charles is still working because he has no choice which is a struggle every day. He currently grows approximately 1.2 million chickens every 8 weeks with a 10% average die-off. Thats an average of 100,000 chickens to compost that he is also responsible for disposing of. Both John, Charles and their families are struggling to survive with a constant barrage of threats from the retaliating industry which includes lobbying group, The National Chicken Council. This film did NOT stop us from eating chicken; in fact, immediately following the episode we ate a spicy, grilled, crispy chicken sandwich which was delicious. Morgan, john & Charles DID open our eyes to the corruption in "big-ag" as well as the struggle our farmers deal with on a daily basis which is carefully and strategically hidden from the average American consumer. We will continue to stay in touch and hope to do a follow-up episode with a more positive change to the industry.

Another first for us! Truly honored to be guests & students at The Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY. Not only home to the famous X-men mansion its also home to 50 North American wolves. Species at the center include Gray, Mexican Gray and Red wolves. We met up Maggie Howell who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Canis Lupus. Maggie, Executive Director, has worked at the Wolf Conservation Center since 2005, starting as the WCC's Managing Director and taking the helm as Executive Director in 2013. She continues to lead the WCC's education and advocacy initiatives and be the main voice of the WCC. The remaining staff is made up of dedicated professionals that include educators, scientists, veterinarians and volunteers. As we learned, the center has many moving parts; however, there are two main components, education and breeding. In regards to education, WCC has ambassador wolves, Zephyr, Alawa and Nikai who work directly with the public and will never be released into the wild. Don't worry, they live an amazing life in their enclosure which includes donations of filet mignon & octopus from Whole Foods. The breeding component is made up of the remaining 47 wolves and have limited contact with humans as to protect them for eventual release into the wild. Their diets are kept more wild and depend solely on donations which include road-kill and hunter drop-offs. The breeding component is absolutely fascinating and WCC along with US Fish & Wildlife have had many successful reintroductions. Surprise guest Rocio La Rosa also joined us to give insight into the spiritual side of wolves as well as their symbolism. We had an amazing experience and very much look forward to following the WCC progress and continued success in bringing back Canis Lupus and the 38 sub-species.

The Wolf Conservation Center is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and rely heavily on donations and volunteering. Please give at the following link: THE WOLF CONSERVATION CENTER

This episode we met up with Brittany Chardin of Movers and Shakers. Brittany is a beverage and bar consultant who has partnered with Delta to help transform the Delta Sky Club into a whole new experience. The key word is "experience" and that's what Delta is striving to accomplish. An all-encompassing, multi-sensory "Shangri-La" thats surprisingly affordable.

Delta: "We’re constantly updating our offerings at THE BAR for our guests, including premium spirits and cordials, craft cocktails, local beer choices, and hand-selected wine options by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, who works closely with Delta to make selections from vineyards worldwide.

Hand-Crafted Cocktails:

Curate your experience with our reimagined list of craft cocktails including a refreshing Bramble Tonic, a Luxe Manhattan, a Day Tripper Spritz and more. 

Old Forester Whiskey Row series:

Take a journey through the history of bourbon with our new Old Forester flight. This bourbon experience includes four distinct offerings that highlight this historic brand's major milestones. 

Pop the Champagne:

Celebrate something truly special with us. Dom Pérignon is now available for purchase with money or miles by the bottle or glass at most Delta Sky Club locations featuring THE BAR.

Miles with a Twist:

Now you can use miles for premium drinks. Simply order your premium drink, then scan your boarding pass or provide your SkyMiles number and enjoy."

We met up with Antonio Guarda Nardini from Grappa Nardini. Antonio's family has been making premium grappa in Italy since 1779. Although the family originated with distilling traditional grappa they also produce liqueurs, brandy, aperitifs and bitters. This episode we stayed within the grappa category. The name “grappa” originally comes from the Italian word “grappolo”, meaning grape. Grappa is distilled from grape skins, or pomace. The pomace is a byproduct of wine-making. Grappa is therefore a type of pomace brandy. This grappa is NOT "Italian moonshine". And contrary to many American palates, this grappa is complex in flavor, incredibly smooth and very versatile. Typically the spirit is bottled un-aged OR aged, Matt is particularly fond of their aged expressions. Grappa can be enjoyed neat or in a cocktail. Antonio was kind enough to give us a copy of his book "The Grappa Handbook". Not available on Amazon. The 132 page book was created to underscore grappa’s accessibility, as well as discussing the spirit’s history‚ distillation methods and offering food-matching ideas. The handbook features over 30 cocktail recipes‚ led with a foreword from the ‘King of Cocktails’ himself‚ New Yorker‚ Dale DeGroff. The cooking section‚ featuring 18 mouth-watering recipes. We can't thank Antonio enough for joining us and broadening our palates. We very much look forward to tasting through their diverse portfolio.

This episode we met up with Lisa Laird Dunn of Laird and Company. The first legal apple-mash distillery operating in the United States. Lisa shares her incredible family history that reaches back generations and samples us on a rare cask celebrating her son's legacy, the tenth generation. So, whats the difference between applejack and apple brandy? "Applejack (also known as apple brandy or “straight applejack”) must be produced from 100 percent apples, blended applejack is a blend of apple brandy and grain neutral spirits (this is a category that Laird's petitioned for; it was passed in 1972). She describes it as functioning like an “applewhiskey.” Lisa and her family have been making applejack and apple brandy for over two hundred years. "Prior to 1760, George Washington wrote to the Laird family requesting their Applejack recipe. Entries appear in Washington’s diary in the 1760’s referring to the production of “cyder spirits”. As a Revolutionary soldier serving under George Washington, Robert Laird and his family provided the troops with Applejack." since then the Laird family business has survived fires, prohibition and WWII. Today they produce an entire line of apple-based spirits. We were fortunate enough to taste a couple of rare items as well. For a fun and different treat, replace your favorite whiskey cocktail with Lairds, it won't let you down! The Gramercy Tavern in NYC has a favorite on their menu, which is easy to execute at home, the Applejack Rabbit. Delicious!

We met up with George Manska, the creator of the Neat Glass. George has revolutionized the the way the alcohol industry is experiencing spirits! Just about every major spirit competition in the world is taking on this glass to judge spirits to their fullest.

George Manska: "In 2002, a simple glass blowing mistake created an amazing shape which displays the true expression of spirits, and launched a new, scientific approach to glass design, Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology (NEAT) the scientific foundation for the best spirits glass available. To properly savor spirits, one needs a spirits nosing glass which displays aromas and accents flavor.

Studying human olfactory physiology and applying physical and chemistry science, we unlocked the hidden dimensions of distilled spirits with a spirits nosing glass that enhances drinking pleasure, enjoyment, and diagnostics. Nine years, fifty two design revisions, hundreds of tastings and aroma profile studies resulted in perfection - the NEAT spirits glass. The tulip glass is now “old school” obsolete and non-functional as more serious drinkers pick up the NEAT spirits glass to discover and understand true spirit character and quality.

Taste the Truth: Taste and aroma are true measures of a spirit's quality. Alcohol burn numbs the nose and overwhelms the truth, spoiling your drinking experience. NEAT eliminates nose burn and numbing, enhancing ability to detect, savor, and enjoy the subtle, wonderful aromas the distiller intended. NEAT is the best spirits glass ever.

Science Drives Design, Form Follows Function: NEAT spirits glass was tested against tulip whiskey glass, glencairn, and other spirits glasses under controlled, uniform conditions by University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) Chemistry Department to verify results. Other whiskey nosing glasses and spirits glasses can’t compare to NEAT aromas and flavor. Science built a better glass.

How to Use: Pour to max bowl diameter (1 1/2 oz), swirl, hold level, and smell at center of the rim plane for characteristic aromas without alcohol. Breathe in slowly with mouth CLOSED, evaluate. NEAT spirits glass presents character aromas without alcohol. Position nose at rim to smell alcohol and other high-end distillates. Place nose deep inside glass for aroma profile same as with tall narrow glasses if you are in love with alcohol nose burn (not recommended). Adding water shuts down evaporation and results in much less aroma to savor. Tulip whiskey glasses fail to focus aromas and instead, concentrate nose-numbing ethanol, destroying your sense of smell."

We met the crew at Chinola during a visit to Bar Convent, Brooklyn. They are "passionate" about the entire operation. This includes carefully growing their own Passion fruit. This is the most authentic passion fruit liqueur we tasted. We love it chilled; however, a splash on top of a fresh Caipirinha and it doesn't get much better.

"Passion fruit is widely referred to as maracujá throughout Latin America, except in the Dominican Republic where this local treasure is termed Chinola. Our chinola are meticulously grown and varies in shade, each carefully selected from their farm."

Bitters and Bottles: "Chinola can be sipped straight or over ice, and tastes wonderful when mixed. You can use it in a Highball with straight seltzer or sparkling wine, or add it to an Aperol Spritz. It also works wonderfully in tropical or tiki cocktails that call for a passion fruit syrup like a Hurricane. It’s drier, boozier, livelier and fresher tasting than any other passion fruit syrups or liqueurs on the market

We had a great time sitting with artist, dad & philanthropist Michael Godard! "Michael Godard is known as the explosive “Rockstar of the Art World” and global top selling artist!

"His world of art invites us to see his lighthearted perspective, surrounding us with animated olives, grapes, and dancing strawberries. His unique portrayal of fun is an exciting combination of imagination and subtle humor, evoking the creative side in “Olive” us. He has redefined art as we know it and, of course, given it a punch line."

"His paintings are thought provoking and full of enigmatic illusion. They show pain, love, conflict, and success, making people smile, laugh, reminisce, and exclaim, “Oh My God..ard!”

"Godard’s work is highly collected by young and old from all walks of life including movie stars, rock stars and private collectors. “We both love to see people respond to our art and it’s probably why we’ve been given a gift to create and entertain. Get ready to go crazy over the artwork of Michael Godard” -Ozzy Osbourne. Godard’s imaginative world of art is seen by millions of people each month, worldwide through cruise lines, galleries, hotels, television, magazines and countless merchandising kiosks and stores. His paintings even adorn the walls of the Officer’s Lounge in the Pentagon."

"Michael Godard has dedicated himself to philanthropic causes through his art. “The funds I help raise save lives and at the end of the day, it’s the most important thing I do,” declares Godard. In 2006, his 16 yr. old daughter passed away after her battle with brain cancer. “All the money in the world can not bring her back, but the funds I help raise for a cure will help save another child,” said Godard."

"Godard works very closely with St Jude’s, Make a Wish, Nevada Cancer Institute and The Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Foundation “You’re not only buying something that is a work of art but that money is going to save somebody’s life” -Sharon Osbourne."

"His continuing effort has driven him far beyond the canvas, bringing him closer to his goal of raising money to help win the war against cancer. Current projects are in the works making this achievement happen. Godard says, “The world is small – you can truly make an impact on everyone you meet.”

Chicago deep-dish pizza is expanding beyond its borders. We had a lot of fun with Evan from Giordano's Pizza! He met us in Vegas where the company has recently opened two restaurants and its apparent that he as well as the entire company are extremely passionate about their famous deep dish pizza. This style of pizza is a bit foreign to all of us as we are dedicated New York Pizza fans. The kinda of pizza that folds. After this episode we have come to the conclusion that we enjoy both styles of pizza and they can coexist harmoniously. Yep, we're craving it now...

Their story: "It's creation began in a small northern Italian town near Torino, Italy. Mama Giordano was famous around town for her exquisite cooking. Of all her renowned dishes, her most beloved meal was her “Italian Easter Pie”. Mama Giordano would serve this double- crusted, cheese stuffed masterpiece on special occasions. This pizza pie became a sacred tradition in the Giordano family and a legend in the town of Torino. Years later, Italian immigrants Efren and Joseph Boglio moved to Chicago to start their own pizza business. The brothers introduced their Mama’s recipe for stuffed pizza. In 1974, on Chicago’s historic south side, Efren and Joseph opened the first Giordano’s in the world. Over the next 40 years and counting, millions of happy and loyal fans as well as hundreds of critics call Giordano’s the city’s “best” stuffed pizza! The rest is history you can still taste today, along with our other great starters, fresh salads, outstanding pastas and unique sandwiches.

Giordano’s is constantly making headlines, both in Chicago and nationally. The brand garners frequent media coverage and continuously tops “Best Pizza” lists and dining guides. Giordano’s has been acclaimed “Chicago’s Best Pizza” by NBC, CBS Chicago, New York Times, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Eater, Home & Garden Magazine, Concierge Preferred and more!

This is a first for us! We spent the evening podcasting live from craft beer mecca, DeCicco and Sons in Brewster, NY. Consumers arrive from all over the trip-state area to experience the amazing and often rare craft brews. Joining us for a tap takeover was Diner Brew Company, Plan Bee Brewery, Industrial Arts Brewing and Brendan from DeCicco and Sons. What you won't hear are the dedicated crew behind the bar who help organize this great event. Big thanks to Vinny, Greg, Nate and Rob. Couldn't have done it with out you.

"DeCicco’s award winning beer department sometimes leaves people wondering, “Is DeCicco’s a supermarket with awesome beer? Or a beer store that sells awesome food?” Visit one of our locations and decide for yourself. We have one of the most comprehensive beer selections in the state, with vast bottle selections and an ever-changing draft list for growler fills. Our stores in Brewster and Armonk also have beer and wine bars, and regularly host brewers for specials events and releases.

The DeCicco beer team also pairs with some of the area’s best brewers to create some wonderful and unique collaborations, including Captain Lawrence, Six Point, Peekskill, Yonkers, Newburgh, Rushing Duck and Evil Twin. Stop by and see why DeCicco’s has been rated “Best Beer Retailer in New York” and “Top Places For Beer In The World.”

A must visit if you are in the Hudson Valley! We spent the morning at a traditional family-owned, German butcher. East Fishkill Provisions is an art form with a broad spectrum of specialties dating back generations. The original owner, Rudy is 94 years old and is still going strong making traditional brats. Rudy sold to current owner George Mustakas and his son and they've been expanding the menu since. What do they produce? Bierwurst, Ham Bologna, Shickenspeck, Hot Dogs, Kielbasa, Wursts, Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Knockwurst, Bauwernwurst, Smoked Sausage, bacon, Smoked Ham, Smoked Turkey, Roasted Beef, Corned Beef, Pastrami, Kassler Rippchen (smoked pork chops), Bologna, Liverwurst, Laberkase, Pepperloaf, Headcheese, Sulz. In addition all this and their deli, they have full catering and BBQ including whole hog. During hunting season almost every hunter in the Hudson Valley has dropped off game meat for processing. Venison Menu. The day we visited George had bear sausage smoking! We had an amazing time with George and his family. We're looking forward to returning in the fall for a follow up hunting podcast.

We had a great time with Mike and Dani from Coconut Cartel! Amazing founding story that created a Guatemalan rum proofed with coconut water.

"Coconut Cartel is the story of Mike and Dani Zig and all the places theyve called home. Born in Miami to Latin parents, the Zigs grew up between Miami, Guatemala and El Salvador; often spending weekdays in Central America and weekends in Miami. These two drastically different, yet culturally connected places, are the very inspiration behind Coconut Cartel.

As soon as they settled back in Miami, they began their first venture: 'smuggling’ coconuts in their suitcases from islands off the coast of El Salvador directly to Miami Beach’s best hotels. Creating one of the first ‘Instagrammable’ beverages to hit the beaches opened up a lot of doors into the hospitality and spirits industries, allowing them to collaborate with brands such as Soho House, Standard Hotels, The Surf Lodge and into the hands of mega celebrities like Drake, Martha Stewart, HRH Prince Harry Sussex, Cristiano Ronaldo and many more.

Coconut Cartel was born.

Today Coconut Cartel is keeping the smuggler spirit alive with the launch of its coconut water infused, premium Guatemalan anejo rum, Coconut Cartel Special. Developed with Central America’s best coconut, coffee and rum producers, and delivered straight to the U.S. via the Port of Miami, Coconut Cartel Special brings the best of the region to the rest of the world in a bottle."

We met the crew at El Silencio Mezcal at Bar Convent, Brooklyn last year. This year we came back to taste and wow, what an experience! We'll leave the actual tasting experience to the episode. Mezcal can be misunderstood because many people who try them for the first time are often disappointed. Mezcal flavor profiles are on a wide spectrum. They can be incredibly bold, medicinal & smokey or they can be more soft, floral and balanced. The key is balance. El Silencio Mezcal is perfectly balanced for a broad range of Mezcal consumers.

The mezcal Espadín is double distilled in Oaxaca, Mexico and is the "perfect companion for cocktails or simply to sip on its own. A robust, deep flavor profile recalls earthly delights and hearty tastes, providing a subtle smoke and pronounced finish unlike any mezcal or spirit you’ve encountered in your travels."

COLOUR Clear with solid white accents. TASTE Roasted figs, sweet potatoes and charred stone fruit. AROMA Balanced smoke, ash and baking spices. FINISH Predominantly white pepper, bell pepper, and a myriad of baking spices.

"While similar to their super premium Joven Ensamble Mezcal, Espadin is perfect for being adventurous and mixing it up. Give the classic cocktail a twist, and elevate the experience by making El Silencio the center of the recipe. Make a bloody mary a Mezcal Mary; put some smoke in your margarita. Espadín is a pure agave mezcal for people that know what they want in life, whether sipped, shaken or stirred."

After our neat experience we had two amazing cocktails:

TEARS OF THE GODDESS

• Mezcal El Silencio Espadín
• Gifford Passion Fruit
• Rockeys Milk Punch
• Tears of The Black Rabbit (proprietary to Silencio)

ELIXIR OF LIFE

• Mezcal El Silencio Espadín
• Kleos Mastiha
• Hella Eucalyptus Bitters