Provence might be the epicenter of Rosé but you can find the style all over the world. If you can grow grapes, you’re probably making Rosé. This week on Barrel to Bottle, with warm weather approaching, we are checking out Rosés from around the world. The grapes and methods are different everywhere but they’re all great in spring, summer and really …

Binny’s has a vast resource of knowledgeable wine associates, probably the best in the business with arguably the biggest selection. While it is possible to stumble onto a hidden gem, Pat and Rog wanted to tap into our vast resources by engaging with our passionate staff members. Join us for Pat & Rog’s Excellent Wine Adventure. Be excellent to eac…

What’s New in Beer? As always, the beer shelves are constantly changing and we’re here to help you make sense of the new brands, styles, returning favorites in new packaging and special releases. Firestone Walker XPA Weihenstephaner Braupakt collaboration w/St. Bernardus Maplewood Belle La Vie Stormalong Cider Unfiltered Southern Tier Orange Twist …

Take a trip to Northern Italy with Barrel to Bottle this week. Chris brought wines from the broader Langhe Hills, along with some everyday drinking wines from the region, and wines from the much-hyped 2019 vintage. As with much of what we feature on the podcast, these wines pair great with a wide variety of food. Ca del Sarto Barbera d’Alba 2021 Vi…

Celebrities, they’re just like you: they love wine. In some cases they like wine so much they create their own brand or buy an existing brand. Taking us down this Hollywood Walk of Fame of celebrity wines is Ray Denton, from our Elmwood Park store. Viarae Prosecco Invivo X SJP Sauvignon Blanc Sarah Jessica Parker 2023 Plumpjack Chardonnay Reserve 2…

We’ve covered bocks before on Barrel to Bottle, but as interest in lagers continues to grow at a rapid pace, Roger thought this was the best time to revisit the style. Ayinger Maibock Roaring Table Maibock Weihenstephaner Korbinian Goldfinger Złotonator Doppelbock Maplewood Dark Trees Sketchbook Illustrator Doppelbock Boulevard Dark Crator Pollyann…

The Whiskey Hotline is constantly bringing in new and interesting single barrels from your favorite distilleries. Some even Whiskey Hotline Handpicks are the best value in spirits. This week we’re sampling Tequila, Irish Whiskey and Bourbon. Also this week, a question from a listener about adding water to your bourbon or whiskey. El Tesoro Reposado…

Even the Barrel to Bottle crew can walk the aisles of Binny’s, with our thousands of bottles and cans, and wonder “What the Hell Does That Taste Like?” Occasionally it behooves us then, to do an episode dedicated to answering this question. Roger, Chris and Pat have assembled a line-up of beer, wine and spirits that are a little esoteric, a little …

This week, we head to Germany for the second in our series of dark larger podcasts. Get ready for Dunkels and Schwarzbierss and Emmenthalers and Thuringers. Roger brought the goods with a Brophy’s worth of beer and the finest meats and cheeses to pair with them. Prost! Hofbräu Munchen Dunkel Hofbräuhaus-Freising Dunkel Weltenburger Barock Dunkel Do…

Bill Foley has irons in a lot of fires. He owns the Las Vegas Golden Knights and AFC Bournemouth in the English Premiere League. More relevant to Barrel to Bottle, he also owns Foley Family Wines, Charles Goodnight Bourbon in Texas, and Lighthouse Gin in New Zealand. This week on Barrel to Bottle we’ll cover the ins and outs of the wine and spirits…

We like to get esoteric on Barrel to Bottle, but this might be our most esoteric topic yet: Shochu (not to be confused with Soju). What is it, how is it made, what does it taste like and what do you do with it? This week we welcome Jay, Binny's resident Shochu expert/enthusiast, to answer these questions. He’s here to guide us through Shochu 101, s…

Head on down to the RUM SHOW! Over the busy holiday season, we quietly got shipments of six Binny’s Handpicked rums and you’re in luck because we still have them in stock! Forget everything you think you know about rum, because you’ve been missing out on some of the best bang for your buck in the category of aged spirits. El Dorado 10-Year-Old Sing…

Whose Wine Is It Anyway? Are You Smarter Than a Podcast Host? Wine, Lose or Draw! This week on Barrel to Bottle, Pat, Greg and Roger are competing to see who knows the most about wine. Your hosts, Alicia and Chris, brought along some wine to sample just so Pat wouldn’t get too bored and start complaining. Mary Taylor Cahors 2020 Barista Pinotage 20…

We're back with part 2 of our two-parter covering Whisky Advocate's top 20 of 2023. Check out part 1 on our blog. 10. Glendronach Cask Strength Batch #12 9. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Foursquare Rum Cask Finish 8. Glenmorangie A Tale of Forest Limited Release #9 Botanical Infusion 7. Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-Old Mizunara Ca…

Every year, Binny’s sees more and more bottles from Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 on our shelves. With seventeen bottles this year, we had to make this a two-parter. We’ll be counting down from 20 to 11 this week, check back next week for the final ten. 20. Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey 99 Proof18. Teeling Single Pot Still Portuguese Oak Wonders of W…

What’s new in beer? There’s ALWAYS something new in beer, because beer drinkers have become accustomed to breweries releasing a new beer every week. One positive that comes from this onslaught of new beers is breweries revisiting classic styles. Roger brought in a slew of new releases, re-releases and one rebrand, plus none of them are Czech Dark L…

It’s yet another Whiskey Hotline episode, this must be some kind of record. Owen Martin is master distiller at Angel’s Envy, but his career in the beverage alcohol industry goes back years and covers both brewing and distilling. Studying distilling at the illustrious Harriet Watt and working in Stranahan’s cask-finishing program was a natural precu…

Mark Reynier has a lot to say about terroir, but this isn’t a wine episode. While Mark does have an extensive wine background, his passion now is spirits terroir. After re-establishing Bruichladdich, he founded Waterford Whisky in Ireland and the Renegade Rum Distillery in Grenada. This week on Barrel to Bottle, we’re sampling Waterford single malt…

Czech Dark Lager is a thing, Roger isn’t just willing it into existence. Over the past year many local breweries have paid homage to the style. This week, Roger brought in a Brophy’s worth of Czech Dark Lagers, both local and imported, for a blind taste test. We’re also pairing these beers with walnuts, Arkansas Black apples, smoked goose breast an…

Last week, we welcomed Binny’s team of experienced buyers and asked them to pick their favorite or favorites from 2023. Now, it’s Barrel to Bottle’s turn to tackle this difficult question. Wine, spirits and beer, what are Barrel to Bottle’s favorites from 2023? Roger’s Picks Off Color Beer for Dealing With Your Family Bell’s Black Note Chris’ Picks…

Every year, Binny’s wine, spirits, beer and cigar buyers sample thousands of products to find the best stuff for the best price. Also every year, we at Barrel to Bottle ask the buyers to answer a nearly impossible question: what was at the best thing you had this year? Heaven Hill 7-Year-Old Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Domaine Tempier…

John Campbell might be a familiar name to Scotch drinkers because of his 27 years at Laphroaig. Now he’s the master distiller of Lochlea, which is part of a wave of new single malt Scotch distilleries that have opened in the last few years. Lochlea grows 100% of the malt for their distillate, making them a true farm distillery. As a lowland distill…

It’s a Whiskey Hotline episode, which means were at the Lincoln Park store with Brett. More importantly, we’re welcoming Dr. Don Livermore master blender at one of the largest distilleries on the continent, Hiram Walker. So, what is Canadian Whisky and why should you drink it? Dr. Don is here to answer these questions and explain the process of ble…

Barleywine! All the cool kids are drinking it. It’s a perfect food beer, especially with the holiday season approaching. Our third Barleywine episode is finally being recorded during appropriate weather, and Roger couldn’t help but bring a delicious spread of cheeses, dried fruits, and crackers. Barleywine used to be all the rage with beer nerds, b…

As sprawling as the Binny’s Handpicked Single Barrel program has become, it all started with a single cask of Scotch in 1997. The Whiskey Hotline’s 2023 Signatory Handpicked Single Barrels have hit stores and this week we’re sampling all eight offerings. Signatory labels are very information-heavy but leave a lot to be desired stylistically. The li…