Swamp Sippin'

The Bourbon Gator

Swamp Sippin' is where The Bourbon Gator sits down with the people actually shaping craft bourbon - distillery owners, blenders, and the brands doing things differently. Real conversations about what it costs to build something in whiskey, and every episode ends the same way; one thing about the bourbon world they'd drain from the swamp if they could. Pour one and pull up a chair.

Episodes

  1. She's the Distiller, He's "The Tanker" | WarTrail Spirits Broken Halo | Swamp Sippin' Ep. 2

    1d ago

    She's the Distiller, He's "The Tanker" | WarTrail Spirits Broken Halo | Swamp Sippin' Ep. 2

    Laurie and Bernard Quandt left corporate New York, landed in Llano, Texas, and built a distillery where she runs the still and he runs the road. This is WarTrail Spirits — and their Broken Halo Bourbon is doing something most Texas distilleries won't: 100% Texas grains, four years old, no malted barley on purpose. In this episode we get into the science behind the iStill, why six-to-seven-day ferments matter more than most people think, the 193-proof shower Bernard took the hard way, and the kangaroo that walked into their tasting room. Plus a Drain the Swamp answer that every craft bourbon fan needs to hear. 📍 WarTrail Spirits — 122 E Main St, Llano, TX 🥃 Broken Halo Bourbon: 80% corn / 20% rye, 100% Texas grains 🔗 Follow @wartrail on Instagram ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open 00:35 Why a married couple started the hardest business 02:30 Buying an iStill from a "punk rock scientist" 04:00 The 193-proof shower (Bernard's worst day) 07:30 How Laurie and Bernard split the work 11:00 From rural New York to Houston to Llano 15:00 The kangaroo in the tasting room 18:30 Why they took malted barley OUT of the mashbill 20:30 Sourcing 100% Texas grain from MBS Seed 23:00 Tasting the 94 proof and 115 proof Broken Halo 24:00 Black cherry notes and oak striping every third barrel 29:00 The distribution grind and getting into Total Wine 33:50 DRAIN THE SWAMP: "Stop chasing allocated. Drink craft." 36:30 Closing 🐊 ABOUT SWAMP SIPPIN' Long-form sit-downs with craft distillers and brand founders, hosted by Kevin — The Bourbon Gator. New episodes every Friday. ▶️ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebourbongator 🎧 Also on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 📸 Instagram: @thebourbongator 🎵 TikTok: @thebourbongator 🔔 FTC: Broken Halo Bourbon was gifted by WarTrail Spirits. All opinions are my own. #TexasBourbon #SwampSippin #WarTrailSpirits #BrokenHalo #BourbonGator #CraftBourbon #TexasWhiskey

    38 min
  2. Swamp Sippin' Ep. 1 - Matt Myres Acadian Lore Whiskey Co.

    May 21

    Swamp Sippin' Ep. 1 - Matt Myres Acadian Lore Whiskey Co.

    Two boys with family roots in Southwest Louisiana met in Texas, built a 24-year friendship, and came home through a bottle. Episode 1: The Bourbon Gator sits down with Matt Myres of Acadian Lore Whiskey Co. to talk about what it really costs to build a whiskey brand from scratch — and what he'd drain from the swamp if he could. Pour one and pull up a chair.

    58 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Swamp Sippin' is where The Bourbon Gator sits down with the people actually shaping craft bourbon - distillery owners, blenders, and the brands doing things differently. Real conversations about what it costs to build something in whiskey, and every episode ends the same way; one thing about the bourbon world they'd drain from the swamp if they could. Pour one and pull up a chair.

Information

  • Creator
    The Bourbon Gator
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Bourbon Gator
  • Show Website
    Swamp Sippin'