Live from Oak and Swine in Batavia, IL, Callum and Jake host a live podcast at American Whiskey Night, featuring FEW, Sagamore Spirit and Union Horse Distilling Co.

The wonderful couple behind Whisky Nomad, Nick and Sarah, drop by to share their collective stories of traveling and falling in love with whiskey. Whisky Nomad (on Instagram) began with their curiosity for whiskey across the world, but the duo quickly learned that sharing a dram together anywhere in the world wouldn't carry any clout of importance without the relationships they built long the journey. Please listen to their story and follow their insightful profile @whiskynomad.

We were live at Whiskey Around The World with Women Who Whiskey on Fountainhead Roof Deck Garden. Jake and Callum highlight their respective brands— Starward and Aberlour—along with Jamie Duffy of Sonoma Distilling and Noah Tracht, key account manager of Pernod Ricard pours Rabbit Hole. Jamie and Noah join the guys to discuss the history of the individual brands, the featured pours and how to market smaller brands in a vast world of whiskey.

Ambrosia is back, and she takes on a trip to France. Ambrosia shares her love for her second home—France—by exploring the spirits of Armagnac, Brandy and Cognac. We drink samples from two different brands of each French spirit, and familiarize ourselves with the differences and parallels of whiskey.

Live from Fountainhead’s Barrel Room, we celebrate our 100th episode. Good friends, good pours and wonderful conservation on Bourbon, world whisky, the importance of community and a surprise barrel-aged beer tasting swarms our celebration. Thank you to everyone who’s supported our little whiskey podcast over the last 100 podcasts.

Live from Fountainhead’s Barrel Room, we celebrate our 100th episode. Good friends, good pours and wonderful conservation on Bourbon, world whisky, the importance of community and a surprise barrel-aged beer tasting swarms our celebration. Thank you to everyone who’s supported our little whiskey podcast over the last 100 podcasts.

Chris Blatner - the Urban Bourbonist, Jamie Duffy of the Collective by Thoroughbred and Fountainhead Manager Bob Zacharias join Jake and Wilson for spirited conversation on Bourbon. We truly celebrate our Native Spirit by elaborating on the individual impact that Bourbon has had on all of our lives. Oh, we also drink a lot of Bourbon. We share stories of our favorite Bourbons and how we all grew to love Bourbon, and how we all crafted our careers around whiskey.

Head Concierge of The Kimpton Gray Chicago Bobby Gonzalez and Sales Director Joel Contor join us for a conversation on hospitality. The Kimpton Gray has pivoted to redefine hospitality for their guests, while using the traditional guidelines of hospitality ensure safety and a first-class experience at their downtown property.

Owner of Brando’s Speakeasy Brandon Vulpitta joins the show to talk about the financial and political aspects of running multiple bars through the pandemic. Lead Bartender of King of Cups Danny Jahnke also joins us to deliver insights on bartending with new sets of rules bestowed upon Chicago bars and restaurants. The focus of the conversation is on community, and how the people of Chicago serve better leadership/guidance to help small businesses survive.3

Samu Rahn of Glunz Beer Inc. joins Jake, Wilson and Bob Zacharias to continue the summer series at Fountainhead. The guys discuss the innovation of B. United International and their expanded efforts to deliver the freshest international ales, ciders and lagers to diverse parts of the world. They also chat about how local and the federal government have unguided the bar/restaurant industry through the pandemic; and as colder months approach, pivotally, the government has ineptly provided unsatisfactory measures to save the industry. Bureaucratic ineptness sparks the conversation on the industry’s self-reliance to innovate to keep their collective doors open.

We continue our summer series at fountainhead. Bob Zacharias, Fountainhead Beverage Director, joins us to release the news of the Key In The Lake Whiskey Around The World on Aug. 31 at the Fountainhead Whiskey Bar. The event is a guided, in person tasting with five brands for just $20, 6-8pm. We also discuss the future of bars/restaurants as the cooler months approach, and the precautions the industry must enable to survive.

The prodigal sons returned home to Begyle Brewing. We recorded our first podcast from Begyle since February, and our jolly friends from Sagamore Spirit joined us. Brett Bauer returned for his fifth appearance and Jessica Deans, Chicago Key Account Manager, made her first appearance. Jessica shares her insights to the industry—with more than 15 years from both sides of the bar—along with her relationship with Sagamore, and her approach to the market during these unique times. We also preview their limited release whiskey: Sagamore Spirit Manhattan Finish.

The best part of having Mike back on the podcast is hearing his stories of intersection between family and business. Moreno’s began as a grocery store, selling just one 15 cent pack of gum on its first day, to, now, earning a worldwide reputation. The Moreno’s have cultivated a following, a base and a community by persevering through decades of challenges, but also remaining humble during their vast achievements. It’s no accident that Moreno’s Liquors was just named to the top 100 liquor stores in the nation by Beverage Dynamics; their passion for spirits and their devotion to family are the crowning characteristics that have brought them to the top.

Matthew Brown, Blaum Bros. IL Market Manager, triumphantly returns. Bob Zacharias, Fountainhead Beverage Manager, co-hosts with Jake to guide a conversation on how Blaum Bros. is getting back to regular distilling schedule and is still gaining support from their community. The guys also chat about misogyny and lack of diversity in the industry, and why the largest whiskey distilleries won’t make a statement in support of wearing masks as bars/restaurants reopen across America.

Ambrosia Borowski of the northman joins to the show to educate us on all things cider. We take a small step back from whiskey, and turn our focus to the History of cider, through Ambrosia’s passion and knowledge of the great american heritage. Samu Rahn also appears out of thin air once Bob pours a glass of Steigl, and he also provides insight into the Progression of the american cider industry.

We returned to Fountainhead’s roof garden with bar manager Bob Zacharias and Samu Rahn, key account manager for Glunz Beer. We discuss the reopening of Chicago bars and restaurants and the impact it’s having on the city and the entire industry. Samu shares his infatuation with beer, beginning with his history with the frothy beverage and history of craft beer in America. We also tell positive stories of the quarantine.