Man Cave Happy Hour

Podcast Your Voice Studio

Welcome to Man Cave Happy Hour – Whiskey, Spirits, and the stories that go along with them.  Join Jamie, Matt, and August as they take you on a spirited journey through the world of fine drinks and fascinating conversations. Broadcasting live from top lounges, distilleries, and happy hours, they explore the best new spirits, uncover hidden gems, and dive into the stories behind the bottles.From master distillers and cocktail experts to bartenders, foodies, and entrepreneurs, every episode is a toast to craftsmanship, creativity, and the love of a great drink. Whether you're a whiskey connoisseur or just love a good cocktail, pull up a chair, pour a glass, and enjoy the ride. Produced at the Podcast Your Voice Studios

  1. Behind The Cans At Blake’s Hard Cider

    5D AGO

    Behind The Cans At Blake’s Hard Cider

    Send us Fan Mail You ever fall in love with a drink, then it vanishes from the shelf like it never existed? We sit down with Mike Didio from Blake’s Hard Cider to talk about why seasonals rotate, how new flavors get approved, and what it takes to keep a craft brand growing without losing what made it great in the first place.  We taste through the lineup and get into the details that actually matter: what makes a hard cider feel “dry” versus “sweet,” why American Apple works so well as an 8% imperial cider, and how packaging and shelf presence can make or break a launch at big retailers like Meijer, Kroger, and Total Wine. Then Mike drops big news for longtime fans of Black Philip, including what’s changing and why it’s sticking around.  The conversation opens up past cider into the bigger Blake’s Beverage Co world, including Austin Eastciders and summer-ready lemonade flavors like Dragon Fruit Lemonade and Brazilian Limeade. We also try Short Thing, a vodka lemonade RTD that’s built to compete with national ready-to-drink cocktails, and we get the honest, behind-the-scenes version of beverage innovation: trend data, tasting room trials, scaling costs, and deciding what becomes year-round versus a limited test.  If you’re into Michigan craft cider, cider tasting notes, RTD cocktails, or just want a fun happy hour with real stories and real opinions, hit play. Subscribe, share with a fellow cider fan, and leave a review with the one Blake’s flavor you want back. Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    1h 4m
  2. Keeper’s Heart Whiskey: What Happens When Irish Tradition Meets American Oak

    MAY 11

    Keeper’s Heart Whiskey: What Happens When Irish Tradition Meets American Oak

    Send us Fan Mail A bottle label can tell you the proof, but it can’t tell you why a whiskey feels creamy, why a blend suddenly pops with fruit, or why 118 proof can drink smoother than you’d expect. That’s the fun part, and it’s exactly where we go with Kate Douglas from O’Shaughnessy Distilling in Minneapolis, the home of Keeper’s Heart whiskey. We taste our way through four expressions while Kate breaks down how real-world distilling decisions show up on your palate. We start with what makes pot still whiskey different from column still spirits and why those heavier oils can change mouthfeel after aging. Then we get into the nitty-gritty of American whiskey vs bourbon rules, including mash bill requirements and the practical constraints distillers have to hit to keep “whiskey” on the label. Kate also shares how Keeper’s Heart leans into Irish whiskey heritage with malted and unmalted barley, and how new virgin oak aging creates a uniquely Irish American bridge. From there, it’s all about blending: Irish grain whiskey, Irish pot still whiskey, and American rye or bourbon working together like a base note, a supporting note, and a final layer of nuance. We talk tasting notes, sourcing from Ireland, and why cask strength releases can keep flavors intact when dilution can shift aromas. If you care about craft distilling, whiskey tasting, Irish whiskey blends, American rye, bourbon-forward profiles, or just want a smarter way to choose your next bottle, this one delivers. Subscribe for more tastings and conversations, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave a review if you want Kate to come back with the next wave of releases. Recorded 4-27-26 Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    1h 6m

  3. MAY 10

    Unboxing Keeper’s Heart And Planning An Irish Whiskey Night

    Send us Fan Mail A box shows up at the studio that’s way too big for what we thought we requested, and it makes one unmistakable sound when we lift it: swishing. We’re Man Cave Happy Hour, so you already know what happens next. We clear space, grab the camera, and start the kind of whiskey unboxing that turns a normal night of cigars and pours into a full-on reveal. The reason for the delivery is Keeper’s Heart, a name that’s been popping up for us thanks to Motor City Irish Fest. We talk through why this brand has our attention before we even crack a cork: the Irish American whiskey angle, the pot still focus, and the idea of blending Irish-style character with American whiskey structure. If you’re curious about what “American pot still” actually implies, or how bourbon cask influence might change an Irish-leaning profile, you’ll hear the questions we’re bringing into next week’s deeper tasting conversation. Then the box opens and the surprise hits. Instead of a couple small samples, we’re staring at four full bottles, including an “Irish and Bourbon” expression and a cask strength bottle coming in hot at 118 proof. We talk packaging, proof, labels, and where it’s coming from in the Midwest, and we set the plan: save the pours now so we can taste on mic with Keeper’s Heart next week. If you like whiskey podcasts, Irish whiskey exploration, bourbon-curious blends, and real first reactions, hit subscribe, share this with your tasting group, and leave a review. What should we do first when we pop these bottles, sip neat or build an Irish Old Fashioned? Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    9 min
  4. Death Star Cocktail Night with Sara from a Flavor Journal

    MAY 4

    Death Star Cocktail Night with Sara from a Flavor Journal

    Send us Fan Mail May the Fourth is our excuse to do what we do best: pour something good, talk a little trash, and learn a few things along the way. We’re joined by Sarah from A Flavor Journal, and together we build a Death Star cocktail that’s basically a Black Manhattan with a darker, richer edge. Think rye whiskey for spice, amaro for deep herbal sweetness, and bitters that bring the whole drink into focus, especially when that last molasses note shows up on the finish. Yes, we even break out Death Star shaped ice, because if you’re going to commit to a theme, commit. Then we turn it into a game: is it a Star Wars planet or a craft distillery? The names get weird fast, the guesses get confident for no reason, and somehow we all learn that whiskey branding and sci-fi worldbuilding live closer together than they should. Between rounds, Sarah shares what it’s like creating small-batch recipes, how she approaches food photography with natural light, and the practical reality that recipes are painfully easy to copy. We also get real about AI and creativity: if AI “knows” how to write a recipe or build a cocktail spec, where did that knowledge come from, and who gets credit when it’s remixed at scale? Add in a quick ride through Spaceballs 2 excitement, Star Wars side quests, and a closing run of gin recommendations and Detroit distillery talk, and you’ve got a hang that’s equal parts tips and tangents. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who loves cocktails and Star Wars, and leave a review if you want more themed drink builds. What’s your pick: blue lightsaber, purple, or something else? Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    52 min
  5. We Taste Three Forgotten Bottles And Argue About What Belongs In An Old Fashioned

    APR 21

    We Taste Three Forgotten Bottles And Argue About What Belongs In An Old Fashioned

    Send us Fan Mail Orphan bottles are the most honest kind of tasting, because nobody is trying to “win” with a hype label. We grab what’s been left behind in the studio, pour it, and let the whiskey tell on itself. That turns into a lively flight that jumps from 2XO French Oak bourbon with a surprisingly big oak driven nose, to a punchier Sagamore Spirit Double Oak rye that brings spice, dark fruit, and a sharp finish that divides the table. We also go deep on cocktail culture for home bartenders who want more than the same old two builds. Old Fashioned riffs lead the way, including a Clint Eastwood Old Fashioned that sneaks in Green Chartreuse and blurs the line between Old Fashioned and Manhattan. That opens the bigger question: when a bottle is hard to find, where do you actually get it? We share real talk on the Chartreuse hunt, measured pours, and why the right local spot can suddenly have what every shelf is missing. The night keeps swerving into fun territory: New York cocktail ideas that sound insane on paper, a quick debate on weird ingredients, and a blunt verdict on a lighter blended Canadian pour that just doesn’t hang with the heavier hitters. Then we end with a show-stopping sample of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged, the kind of high proof bourbon that reminds you what “full-bodied” really means. If you like whiskey tasting notes, bourbon vs rye debates, cocktail recipes, and Detroit bar culture, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the happy hour. Recorded 4-13-26 Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    54 min
  6. Black Eden 1912 Bourbon; The Black-Owned Bourbon Brand Honoring Idlewild Michigan

    APR 14

    Black Eden 1912 Bourbon; The Black-Owned Bourbon Brand Honoring Idlewild Michigan

    Send us Fan Mail A bourbon bottle can be just glass and marketing, or it can be a doorway into a place most people have never been taught to remember. We sit down with John Joubert, founder of Iconic Spirits, to taste Black Eden 1912 and unpack why the name points back to Idlewild, Michigan, a historic African American resort community founded in 1912 during an era when Black travelers needed safe destinations of their own. https://blackeden1912bourbon.com/ https://www.ikonicspirits.biz/ John shares his Detroit roots, his path through basketball and a career in entertainment, and the moment during COVID that pushed him to build something lasting in his mother’s honor. That journey starts with Phyllis Wines, then scales into whiskey with a clear goal: create a premium Black-owned bourbon brand that carries history without sacrificing quality. We also get nerdy in the best way. Black Eden 1912 is a straight bourbon whiskey at 90 proof with a 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley mash bill, aged four years. We talk sourcing and blending (including MGP), why consistency is an art, and what we taste in the glass, from a sweet nose to cherry and sugar-cookie notes. Then we break down the “shelf appeal” side: the Kingston bottle shape, screen-printed design, real cork, and the packaging decisions that make this look as good as it pours. You’ll hear how John grows distribution market by market, why he still shows up for tastings himself, where you can find the bottle, and what’s coming next, including older barrels, a potential tasting room, and events like the Metro Detroit Bourbon Festival. If you like bourbon with a story you can verify, hit play, subscribe, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    45 min
  7. Detroit Opening Day Shenanigans - Spring Break Whiskey Tales

    APR 2

    Detroit Opening Day Shenanigans - Spring Break Whiskey Tales

    Send us Fan Mail Opening Day in Detroit has a way of turning grown adults into planners, philosophers, and absolute chaos goblins before lunchtime. We’re gearing up for Detroit Tigers Opening Day and spring break energy at the same time, so the talk goes straight to what actually matters: where people gather downtown, how the day flows, and why Greektown becomes the gravitational pull for anyone chasing the full experience. Tony from Firebird Tavern joins us to break down what Opening Day looks like from the inside. We get into the tent setup, the early doors, the DJ, big video walls, and the behind-the-scenes realities of serving a packed crowd when the city is buzzing. We also talk about building a bar culture that works in downtown Detroit and in Troy, because consistency matters more than hype when the pressure is on. From there, we do what we always do and follow the drinks wherever they lead. That includes whiskey tasting stories, shelf staples like Woodford, the fun and pain of chasing better expressions, plus how barrel picks actually happen when you’re choosing between multiple barrels. Then we swing into tequila: what it’s like visiting producers in Mexico, why the hacienda mindset feels different, and the bottles we reach for when we want something worth sipping. If you love Detroit bar culture, whiskey and bourbon talk, tequila recommendations, and the messy beauty of sports traditions, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who never misses Opening Day, and leave us a review so more people can find the show. Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    57 min
  8. Tasting Jeżynówka and Detroit City Distillery Jezy Finished Bourbon

    MAR 24

    Tasting Jeżynówka and Detroit City Distillery Jezy Finished Bourbon

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to understand a city’s culture is to taste what it drinks, and Detroit has a few bottles that instantly tell a story. We’re pouring Detroit City Distillery tonight, starting with a freezer-cold Jeżynówka-style blackberry brandy that a lot of people know from Hamtramck bars, deer blinds, and Punchki Day traditions. From the first sip we get into real tasting notes, how temperature changes the experience, and why blackberry brandy can feel both nostalgic and surprisingly refined. https://www.detroitcitydistillery.com/ From there we line things up the only way that makes sense: side-by-side. A young bourbon can be a reality check when you revisit it, especially next to something as bold as fruit brandy, and we talk honestly about what feels missing and what a finish can fix. The highlight is a blackberry brandy finished bourbon that lands “Jeżynówka adjacent” with a fruit-forward nose and a smoother back end, which turns into a bigger conversation about craft distilling in Detroit, barrel finishing, and what makes a bottle worth the price. Because it’s Man Cave Happy Hour, the drinks open the door to everything else: local distillers helping each other out, a Shark Tank detour with behind-the-scenes rules you don’t hear about, and a nerd corner where we argue our way through Marvel, Daredevil, Spider-Man, and the Dune release calendar. We also hit the real-world stuff like doing ballgames solo, fraternal clubs as the cheat code for cheap drinks, and the “high holy holidays” of Detroit party season from St. Patrick’s Day to the Nain Rouge Parade to Opening Day. If you like whiskey tasting, spirits storytelling, Detroit craft distilleries, and the kind of conversation that only happens after the first good pour, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. What’s the one bottle that always starts the best stories for you? Recorded 3-9-26 https://lerouxusa.com/flavours/jezynowka-blackberry-flavored-brandy/ Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com

    50 min
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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Welcome to Man Cave Happy Hour – Whiskey, Spirits, and the stories that go along with them.  Join Jamie, Matt, and August as they take you on a spirited journey through the world of fine drinks and fascinating conversations. Broadcasting live from top lounges, distilleries, and happy hours, they explore the best new spirits, uncover hidden gems, and dive into the stories behind the bottles.From master distillers and cocktail experts to bartenders, foodies, and entrepreneurs, every episode is a toast to craftsmanship, creativity, and the love of a great drink. Whether you're a whiskey connoisseur or just love a good cocktail, pull up a chair, pour a glass, and enjoy the ride. Produced at the Podcast Your Voice Studios

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