Bitches & Bourbon

The idea for Bitches & Bourbon was born in a garage bar during the initial 2020 COVID quarantine. Two epicurean women discovered early in our friendship that we both prefer whiskey to any other adult beverage. Provoked by our husbands, we decided that for $12 we could own the domain bitchesandbourbon.com. We would figure out what to do with it later. During the pursuit of finding our next bottle, we learned more about the art of whiskey crafting, the intersections of other spirits, and the different ways in which these flavor profiles enhance enjoyment in our lives. We also encountered many other women who wanted to know more as well but didn’t feel comfortable in the space for a variety of reasons. Our husbands suggested a podcast.

Japanese Whisky with Chuck Johnson 05/13/2024

Balcones Texas Pot Still Straight Bourbon Whisky 04/24/2024

Bonus Episode: The Drunk Guys and Cormac McCarthy 01/09/2024

Two Bitch Bourbon with Lauren Luby 01/05/2024

B&B Year Two Celebration - Happy New Year, Y'all 12/31/2023

Redwood Empire Head Distiller, Lauren Patz 12/20/2023

Redwood Empire Head Distiller, Lauren Patz Originally recorded: 20230728 Length: 01:05:43 While Ape LOVES all her guests, this one has her really excited. We tried to keep it under and hour, but honestly, who couldn’t talk whiskey with Redwood Empire’s head distiller, Lauren Patz, all day? Redwood Empire Purchase details: Pipe Dream Lost Monarch Emerald Giant Type Bourbon Whiskey Blend Rye Location Jeff’s Beverage Jeff’s Beverage Jeff’s Beverage Date 4/29/23 4/29/23 4/29/23 Cost $37.99 $37.99 $37.99 Distillery In California, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee Undisclosed In California, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee Bottled Redwood Empire Distilling, Graton, CA Redwood Empire Distilling, Graton, CA Redwood Empire Distilling, Graton, CA Proof 90 (45%) 90 (45%) 90 (45%) Composition 75% Corn, 21% Raw Rye, 4% Malt Barley 60% Rye Whiskey, - 95% Rye, 5% malted Barley) 40% Bourbon Whiskey - 75% Corn, 21% raw Rye, 4% malted Barley 95% Rye, 5% Malt Barley Age Blend of 4 – 12 year barrels A blend of 4 – 12 year Bourbon & 3 – 5 year Rye Whiskey Blend of 3 – 5 year barrels BoozApp says Avg MSRP Fair Price Shelf Price $40.99 $49.17 $45.91 $41.99 $54.36 $52.89 $40.99 $50.32 $45.91 Links for this episode 00:01:37 Introducing the Lauren Patz, head distiller of Redwood Distillery 00:05:35 Redwood Empire offerings 00:07:30 Starting with the Lost Monarch and working to champion the idea of the blend 00:12:20 Shout out to High West and Japanese Whisky 00:14:30 Back to the Lost Monarch and the proofing decisions 00:17:30 Shout out to gin (Hendrick’s in particular) 00:20:15 A bit about Lauren’s background and how we can live our best lives 00:30:05 Back to the Lost Monarch, and an overproof discussion 00:34:15 Expanding the palates, weird tastes, and guilty pleasures 00:45:40 The Bitch Barn is invaded, but he comes with gifts that send us on a pricing tangent 00:47:40 Getting back to palates, tastes, and pleasures 00:49:35 What would Lauren drink if she could only drink one thing? 00:53:45 Wrapping up and ranking the bottles 01:00:00 Why you never trash a barrel, and projects that have Lauren excited /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/29165788

Infinity Bottle #5 and Recap 11/04/2023

All the Smoke - Iron Smoke Bourbon & Smokehead Scotch 09/03/2023

All the Smoke - Iron Smoke Bourbon & Smokehead Scotch Originally recorded: 20230712 Length: 39:47 Yes, yes that is the “Eye of the Tiger” playing in the opening. Did we change our theme music? No. But we did have a huge technical malfunction that caused Ape to cuss more than even she would publish on air. It took the most iconic franchise of all time (I said what I said, fight me) to get my mind right…but, it worked. We give you “Take 2.” P.S. Yes. I am aware I missed the opportunity to do the whole “One Bourbon, one Scotch, one Beer” thing. I wish I could tell you that it was on purpose because that would be legitimate; it’s pretty low hanging fruit if we are all being honest. But alas, it was not on purpose and I would have plucked that pretty little mango right off it’s on the ground branch – I just didn’t think of it until I was in the editing process. You can’t win them all… Iron Smoke & Smokehead Purchase details: Iron Smoke Location: Gift Date: 7/1/2023 Cost: Type: Bourbon Distillery: Iron Smoke Distillery Bottled in: Fairport, NY Proof: (% ABV) 40 (Proof) 80 Composition: four grain with apple wood smoked wheat Age: 2 years Purchase details: Smokehead Location: ??? Date: ??? Cost: ??? Type: Scotch Distillery: Ian Macleod Distillers Bottled in: Broxburn, Scotland Proof: (% ABV) 43 (Proof) 86 Composition: single malt Age: NAS BoozApp says: Avg MSRP - $50.09 Fair Price - $54.11 Shelf Price - $56.11 Links for this episode 00:50 Yes, that’s Rocky 04:00 Alright, let’s get started with Ernest Hemingway and a vocabulary nugget 07:55 Reba eyes the Infinity Bottle as a better option than the “smoke sensitivity” experiment 11:25 I think this is one of my favorite ways to gift whiskey – Thanks Ray 12:50 Ape’s Dirty Banana 15:30 Iron Smoke and Smokehead and the smoke differences 18:50 Reba’s recapped thoughts 20:30 Iron Smoke on ice with Tommy Brunett & John Petrucci 23:25 American Whiskey profiles 25:40 The Bitches & Bourbon Infinity bottle 28:10 We do get back to the Iron Smoke 30:30 Our answer to “how do you taste whiskey better” 36:30 Iron Smoke in general and in the whiskey market /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/27927315

IslandJon Vodka 08/03/2023

Penelope Part II 07/27/2023

Penelope Straight Bourbon Whiskey and the Tokaji 07/10/2023

Penelope Straight Bourbon Whiskey and the Tokaji Originally recorded: 20230621 Length: 01:10:45 We feel like we have done this episode before because Penelope comes up so often in conversation. Finally, this whiskey gets its very own episode (along with conversations that, as usual, go sideways just a bit) 20230621 Penelope Flag Ship Purchase details: Location: Jeff’s Beverage Date: 6/16/2023 Cost: $35.99 Type: Bourbon Distillery: In Lawrenceburg, IN Bottled in: Penelope Bourbon Bottling Company, Frankfort, KY Proof: (% ABV) 40 (Proof) 80 Composition: Four grain - corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, blended from 3 mashbills Age: 26 months BoozApp says: Avg MSRP - $34.99 Fair Price - $52.63 Shelf Price - $38.91 Links for this episode 00:01:00 The weather makes us want to stay in bed 00:02:15 Introducing the Penelope Straight Bourbon Whiskey 00:05:00 There is some weird pricing going on, but not for us and we love the price point (and don’t mind my husband cutting grass) 00:10:00 We move to ice 00:11:00 Penelope sells to MGP 00:12:30 Love for Penelope’s transparency and their fun story 00:15:45 The story inspired April and reminded her how much she loves this podcast project 00:21:00 Penelope has a jalapeno bourbon?? 00:23:45 How do you pronounce “Tokaji,” and what do you think about the label? And my apologies for the days of my life that were taken off by the surprise thunder. 00:27:26 We decide to move on to the Tokaji as neither of us has tried this one yet 00:34:50 Ape tells of her recent trauma. God love Winnie the Pooh 00:40:30 How we curate the Infinity Bottle 00:41:30 Use of the words “juice” and “moist” 00:43:30 We actually do get to the bottle 00:49:50 Ape tries to explain why she loves the Architect bottle best 00:53:45 We have a disagreement on whether or not we have had the Rosé 00:55:30 Tokaji on ice 00:57:40 Some flavored whiskey drama that Jack Daniel did not ask to get invited to 01:01:50 But Jack Daniel did go to the Supreme Court – yes, that SCOTUS 00:01:08 Final thoughts /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/27426627

Rabbit Hole Hat Trick 06/20/2023

High West Bourbon & Double Rye Whiskey 06/08/2023

High West Bourbon & Double Rye Whiskey Originally recorded: 20230602 Length: 00:59:09 On deck today are two offerings from one of our favorite distilleries, High West. It is true that Ape and Reba are a tiny bit excited to be back together – we might get a little derailed and overly excited. But it’s High West (and honestly, even if it wasn’t, what do you really expect from us anyway?) High West Bourbon and Double Rye Purchase details: Location: Jeff’s Beverage Date: 5/1/2023 Cost: $40.99 & 39.99 Type: Bourbon and Rye Whiskey Distillery: High West Distillery and sourced Bottled in: High West Distillery, Park City, UT Proof: 92/46% Composition: - Bourbon: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt from MGP; 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley; Other whiskey components are undisclosed due to contractual reasons - Double Rye: Straight Rye whiskeys: 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP; 80% Rye, 20% Malted Rye from High West Distillery Age: +2 years BoozApp says: Avg MSRP - $36.82 / $36.82 Fair Price - $53.96 / $48.23 Shelf Price - $40.80 / $40.80 Links for this episode 00:54 We are so excited to be back, and we explain where we have been 03:40 Introducing our choice for the episode – High West Bourbon AND the Double Rye 05:30 Moodright’s Bar 09:30 The story of David and Jane Perkins, founders of High West Distillery 11:44 Yes, I know I never got back to Jane’s Book – you can find it 12:00 We discover a ski-in gastro-distillery 14:20 What Ape loves about the High West Distillery website and what it would take Ape to get there in person 17:30 Thank you, Busia! 19:30 A recap of Bourbon characteristics 24:00 What makes a Rye Whiskey a Rye Whiskey 25:00 High West Mash bill transparency 27:00 We have questions about the bubbles in the glass bottle 28:55 Ape wants to play a game with the empty bottles, because we have to do something with them… 30:40 …because Ape is not crafty 32:25 Ape learns about recycled glass resources 33:10 Reba tries to derail the bottle cleanout 36:20 We try to get to the game…but first, Ape learns a lesson about paying more attention 40:50 We finally get to the game. Here are the bottles covered - Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey - Blue Note Juke Joint Uncut Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve - Blackened - The Senator Straight Rye Whiskey - George Dickel Bottled in Bond - Stranahan's Blue Peak Single Malt Whiskey - Bourbon 30 Small Batch - J. Mattingly Venus in Furs - J. Mattingly Sunday Morning - J. Mattingly After Hours 49:40 We move to the High West Double Rye with and without ice 54:10 Ape goes through the crazy High West cocktails 56:55 Ape found her new favorite boat drink – spoiler, it’s not whiskey 58:35 We finally wrap it up /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/27083094

Infinity Bottle #4 05/29/2023

Ancient Age 05/05/2023

Good Morning, Ladies! Tea, Coffee, and Cocktails 04/17/2023

All the Scotches (well, nine of them) 03/13/2023

BBB - Three Dashes Bitters by Jack Simmons 02/08/2023

BBB - Three Dashes Bitters by Jack Simmons Season 4, Episode 36 Originally recorded: 12/12/2022 Length: 01:07:03 Three Dashes Bitters by Jack Simmons We are missing Reba today, but welcome Ape’s daughter Rue, and Georgia Southern University Philosophy professor, playwright, and novelist, Dr. Jack Simmons. Jack joins the podcast to discuss cocktails. great Scotch, and his New Orleans set book Three Dashes Bitters. Links for this episode Bitters by Jack Simmons 00:01:40 Ape welcomes Rue and Dr. Jack Simmons to the show! 00:04:25 The conversation is Jack’s book, Three Dashes Bitters, and he brought Pimm’s 00:07:14 Insight into Jack’s thoughts about the writing process, the leisure class, and grad school 00:10:10 We love great character origin stories 00:13:50 Trying to guess the novel’s time period 00:15:40 As per usual, Ape has to slow down – she totally skipped the story overview. You aren’t surprised. 00:18:50 We discuss a difference of opinion about Tim (the main character), when to not give characters names, and the characterization of women and grad students. 00:27:40 How many stories can be in one book? 00:32:25 Jack gives the goods on the infamous double date storyline 00:39:30 Who is Roberto? 00:41:45 Putting the scenes into time perspectives 00:45:50 Getting comfortable with vulnerability 00:51:40 When it comes time to tell the truth about yourself 00:55:00 Who is Jane? 00:56:20 Why place and the contrast of places is important 01:01:00 Wrapping it up with Jack’s other projects and the boozy role call Three Dashes Bitters Author: Genre: Fiction Published: 2019 Pages: 306 Description (from ) When Tim Schmidt returns to New Orleans to attend his sister’s debutante ball, he finds that nothing has changed during his three-year hiatus in the orderly sanctuary of Boston. He is still in love with Jane, a hard-drinking iconoclast, too well-bred to join the ranks of the Generation X slackers, yet unable to accept the standards of her high society upbringing. Happily, it seems Jane might still harbor feelings for him. But over drinks at The Columns Hotel, things get messy, and Tim’s grand return to the city of his birth soon unravels—the very sort of thing that inspired Tim to leave NOLA in the first place. With only twenty-four hours to figure out what to do (which has never been Tim’s forte), this former philosophy student finds unsolicited advice from members of a new leisure class. There is Milton, Tim’s college roommate turned Marxist revolutionary, a Falstaffian gent bent on overthrowing the government. Two young Arizona “brothers from another mother.” A disillusioned German exchange student who has abandoned the study of physics for the French Quarter social scene. And an Italian fellow who is a self-proclaimed master in the art of amore. Picking up where Walker Percy (The Moviegoer) and John Kennedy Toole (A Confederacy of Dunces) left off, this wild romp presents New Orleans as an eternal city, whose characters exceed the vicissitudes of fortune, functioning instead as a universal canvas upon which individuals must struggle to carve out their existence. This is not the NOLA of Hurricane Katrina, political corruption, crime, tourism, or the home of jazz. Rather, Simmons adds to the literary œuvre of this Southern city, and Three Dashes Bitters captures a New Orleans defined only in the individuals we encounter—not the easy stereotypes that make individuality impossible. /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/25867518

Rowan’s Creek Small Batch Bourbon 01/14/2023

Bitches & Bourbon Infinity Bottle #3 – 1st Anniversary NYE Episode (Part 2) 01/03/2023

1st Anniversary NYE Episode, Part 1 (Infinity Bottle #3) 01/02/2023

Rock Paper Scissor 12/28/2022

Rock Paper Scissor Season 3, Episode 32 Originally recorded: 10/24/2022 Length: 00:35:11 There are spoilers! Honestly, this is going to be true every time we record a Books with Bitches and Bourbonepisode. We thought about it long and hard, and we just can’t think of a better way. If you want to read what we are reading before we talk about it, check out our group on Goodreads. If you want to attend a meeting yourself, either in person or virtually, just let us know. Now, here’s Alice Feeney’s Rock Paper Scissors. Links for this episode Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney 01:15 Welcome to everyone and Ape’s ADD 03:30 Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney 06:52 Reba starts the discussion – but face-blindness, infidelity, and general Adam dislike take over 11:20 Ape’s favorite part of the book 13:03 Kobi nails it – nobody is relatable 20:45 Yes, we drug it, but a lot of folks liked it 21:40 Kobi is also reading If I Stay by Gayle Foreman 22:50 Reba is also reading Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice 27:45 Verity by Colleen Hoover comes up…again 29:45 Ape just finished The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Rock Paper Scissors Author: Genre: Fiction/Mystery Published: 2021 Pages: 304 Selected: Reba Month: September 2022 : 4 Description (from ) Think you know the person you married? Think again… Things have been wrong with Mr. and Mrs. Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife. Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after. Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget. Books with Bitches and Bourbon Review Today’s discussion can be a little misleading; those of us that are here didn’t really care for it. We may concede that it is a solid beach read, but only barely. But the group rated it 4 of 5 as a whole because we had quite a few members that really enjoyed it. The layout was interesting and the storyline was enjoyable. Some of us found the middle dragging and the characters unrelatable. Others thought the suspense was fun and the characters intriguing. As of this publication, it is free on Kindle Unlimited, so there’s that. /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/25450698

AMC+ Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire 1.2 12/23/2022

Pinhook High Proof Bourbon – Bourbon Heist 12/14/2022

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams 12/13/2022

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Season 3, Episode 29 Originally recorded: 08/21/2022 Length: 00:32:01 There are spoilers! The Bitches welcome Kobi, Silva, and Clyde to discuss BBB August 2022 pick Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. Probably the most on topic we have ever stayed…be proud, but I wouldn’t suggest getting spoiled. Links for this episode Seven Days in June by Tia Williams 01:30 And we are live with guests of Books with Bitches & Bourbon – Kobi, Silva, and Clyde 02:30 Wine is paring well with this book 04:00 Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. 26:00 How to join BBB – And how Ape got banned on TikTok - again Seven Days in June Author: Genre: Fiction Published: 2021 Pages: 336 Selected: Silva Month: August 2022 : 4.0 Description (from ) Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York's Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can't deny their chemistry - or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since. Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva's not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered... With its keen observations of Black life and the condition of modern motherhood, as well as the consequences of motherless-ness, Seven Days in June is by turns humorous, warm and deeply sensual. Books with Bitches and Bourbon Review We enjoyed this one overall. The biggest disagreement centered on the beginning chapters; the crowd split over whether or not the start was slow or exciting. Regardless of which side we fell on, everyone agreed that we would recommend it and enjoyed reading it. /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/25311273

Jameson Cold Brew 11/04/2022

Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (Ep1.1) “What rage you must feel while you choke on your sorrow” 10/31/2022

George Dickel, Bottled in Bond, Tennessee Whisky 10/26/2022

BBB The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley 10/18/2022

BBB The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley Originally recorded: 08/21/2022 Length: 00:58:37 There are spoilers! “I really we are a last-act kind of people." Sadie wasn’t kidding. The Bitches welcome Katherine and TikTok guest favorite, Sadie with the intention of discussing Maria Dahvana Headley’s The Mere Wife, and we do, along with a hurricane-sorted list of other things. The time stamps may be your friend today – but we think it’s more fun just to wind around with us! Links for this episode The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley 00:56 And we are live with guests of Books with Bitches & Bourbon – Sadie and Katherine, two of the smartest women I know 02:30 The Boys, Katherine and Ireland, our cups, snack break 08:10 I think we are getting to the book – until I suspect Reba has killed a frog, leading me to confess my whiskey horror 11:53 Book Take 2 – until Sadie realizes for the first time that Ape is old 14:10 Book Take 3 – we do much better. We get through the premise, explanation of Eco-Crit 18:30 How do you pronounce “mini-series”? I didn’t realize that was a thing… 23:44 Sadie realizes that my kid could finish off her power team 28:00 TV series, including Big Brother – we have problems with Jasmine for real… And, did you know that the English to Southern Dictionary is a thing? 30:45 Book Take 4 – we are doing amazing this time, until my husband walks in and starts flirting 33:40 But we bring it back quick! Progress!! 38:45 The clock goes off and starts a small conversation about holidays staying in their lane 41:45 Book Take 5 – we think we are finished until we remembered we really wanted to mention Headley’s Beowulftranslation 45:35 Two reading excerpts of Headley’s Beowulf and we discuss 48:45 The association with Doctor Strange, the Scarlet Witch, and Iron Man – yes, it’s there 56:25 Excerpt reading of The Mere Wife and good night…wow, that was a ride! The Mere Wife Author: Genre: Fiction/Fantasy Published: 2018 Pages: 308 Selected: April Month: March 2022 : 4.5 Description (from ) Two mothers—a suburban housewife and a battle-hardened veteran—struggle to protect those they love in this modern retelling of Beowulf. From the perspective of those who live in Herot Hall, the suburb is a paradise. Picket fences divide buildings—high and gabled—and the community is entirely self-sustaining. Each house has its own fireplace, each fireplace is fitted with a container of lighter fluid, and outside—in lawns and on playgrounds—wildflowers seed themselves in neat rows. But for those who live surreptitiously along Herot Hall’s periphery, the subdivision is a fortress guarded by an intense network of gates, surveillance cameras, and motion-activated lights. For Willa, the wife of Roger Herot (heir of Herot Hall), life moves at a charmingly slow pace. She flits between mommy groups, playdates, cocktail hour, and dinner parties, always with her son, Dylan, in tow. Meanwhile, in a cave in the mountains just beyond the limits of Herot Hall lives Gren, short for Grendel, as well as his mother, Dana, a former soldier who gave birth as if by chance. Dana didn’t want Gren, didn’t plan Gren, and doesn’t know how she got Gren, but when she returned from war, there he was. When Gren, unaware of the borders erected to keep him at bay, ventures into Herot Hall and runs off with Dylan, Dana’s and Willa’s worlds collide. Books with Bitches and Bourbon Review This one didn’t leave any in-between reactions – we had one DNF and one who read it four times! But there were more of the latter than the former, so this beautiful novel by Headley came in at 4.5 stars. An evocative retelling of the classic epic Beowulf, Headley’s work is poetically rendered and offers a wealth of conversation pieces. Beowulf: A New Translation Author: Genre: Epic Poetry Published: 2020 Pages: 140 Selected: n/a Month: n/a : n/a Description (from ) A new, feminist translation of Beowulf by the author of The Mere Wife. Nearly twenty years after Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf — and fifty years after the translation that continues to torment high-school students around the world — there is a radical new verse translation of the epic poem by Maria Dahvana Headley, which brings to light elements never before translated into English. A man seeks to prove himself as a hero. A monster seeks silence in his territory. A warrior seeks to avenge her murdered son. A dragon ends it all. These familiar components of the epic poem are seen with a novelist’s eye toward gender, genre, and history. Beowulf has always been a tale of entitlement and encroachment — of powerful men seeking to become more powerful and one woman seeking justice for her child — but this version brings new context to an old story. While crafting her contemporary adaptation, Headley unearthed significant shifts lost over centuries of translation; her Beowulf is one for the twenty-first century. Books with Bitches and Bourbon Review The Bitches didn’t read this one, but since we got into it pretty good on the podcast, I thought I’d include it here. For what it’s worth, Sadie and I loved it – Katherine (a Heaney loyalist), not so much. /episode/index/show/bitchesandbourbon/id/24721659

Herradura Legend 10/06/2022

Bitches & Bourbon

TOPICS