The Thinking Drinkers Podcast Ben McFarland, Tom Sandham

Hotel, Motel, Is That Your Foreskin? This week's pod recalls Tom's unfortunate and minor (very minor) costume malfunction on stage at the Alnwick Playhouse before raising a Rob Roy in memory of the Waldorf Astoria and exploring the ale-loving entrepreneur who invented Cat's Eyes. 
Get your Worthington White Shield here: £3.59 from Beers of Europe
Rob Roy
50 ml Scotch Whisky, 20 ml Sweet Red Vermouth, dash Angostura Bitters. How To make a Rob Roy. Stir ingredients over ice in a mixing glass 
 
Discerning Drinks Deals Of The Week
Waitrose, Kyro Gin, £25, £4.95 off, 

Sainsburys, Cardhu Gold Reserve Single Malt Scotch £26 down from £401000 Stories Bourbon-Aged Zinfandel £12 down from £15
Master of Malt: Silent Pool Gift Pack for Mother's Day. £55 down from £65.
Other StuffBuy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. 
3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month.Exclusive access to the TD online magazineA signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times)Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & GuestsCheck out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for every audience member, here: 
OldhamAUSTRIAN ALPS: ALTITUDE COMEDY FESTIVALBrightonBedfordReading DidcotStroudLeicesterCorby

 

This week, we hark back to the halcyon days when strangers blew smoke up the bottoms of wet people  and, in the whining words of Liam Gallagher, things get supersonic with a gin and tonic as we celebrate the birth of Concorde. 
Oaxaca Old Fashioned (created by Phil Ward in New York)
40ml Fortaleza Reposado Tequila 
12.5ml Lost Explorer Mezcal
1 barspoon agave nectar
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: orange twist
Method: Set the orange peel to one side before bringing all the ingredients in a glass (Old Fashioned) containing a large ice cube. Stir until chilled. Flame an orange twist over the surface of the drink.
Discerning Drinks Deals Of The Week
MajesticChanoine Frères 'Réserve Privée' Brut Champagne - £20 OFFBeronia Rioja Gran Reserva 2013/15 - 8 quid off.Definition English Sparkling Brut, Hampshire - 11 quid off. Lanson Le Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne - £20 off
Whiskey ExchangeFortaleza Blanco Tequila with a case of London Essence Pomelo and Pink Pepper Tonic - £62.75ASDA GIN OF THE WEEK 
Asda, Plymouth Gin, £20, save a fiver, 

Waitrose Wine: Terre di Vita Organic Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane £6.49 - down from £8.99, 

Mimo Moutinho Dão Red Wine, Aldi, £5.79 

 
Become a reviewer for the Aldi Wine Club - click here

Are you a wine enthusiast? Do you have a nose for aromas and impeccable tastebuds? Or simply want the opportunity to try some FREE wines? 
 
We are looking for thirty vino-loving superstars to make up our latest Aldi Wine Club panel – an exclusive group of Aldi shoppers with a passion for wine. 
 
As an Aldi Wine Club member, you will have the opportunity to trial delicious and award-winning wines, including new launches from Aldi’s Spring Summer range, without spending a penny. 
 
All you’ll be tasked with is reviewing each wine via a 140-character tweet or Instagram post using the dedicated #AldiWineClub hashtag– it’s as simple as that!    
Applications now open until 13th March!
To apply to the Aldi wine tasting opportunity, shoppers simply need to send an email to Aldiwineclub@clarioncomms.co.uk with the below details: 
• Full name 
• Proof of age 
• The name of your social media handles and the number of followers for each account 
• 150 words explaining why you think you should be selected as an Aldi Wine Club member 
• What your favourite wine is and why 
 
Other StuffBuy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. 
3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month.Exclusive access to the TD online magazineA signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times)Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & GuestsCheck out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for every audience member, here: 
NorthallertonAlnwickOldhamBrightonBedfordReading DidcotStroudLeicesterCorby

After a week off, the hardest working beefcakes in the drinks business slide back into the Pod saddle, digging their heels into some hard-nosed aural journalism and whipping up some searing investigative insight - namely the return of bananas to the UK in 1945 and. of course, National Pig Day (only America).
Like beer? Like bananas? Well you'll flipping love Mongozo Banana Beer - available here or via Amazon here
And how about A Pigs In Blanket Old Fashioned?
Pigs in Blanket Old Fashioned
Ingredients
12 pigs in blanket
70cl of Pork fat-washed whisky 
5ml Maple syrup
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
To make the fat-wash whisky 
·       Grill the pigs in blanket over a baking tray and collect 30ml of the fat. 
·       Strain it into a container filled with 70cl of blended Scotch whisky. Leave it to steep in the whisky for 6-8 hours or overnight at room temperature before placing the bottle in the freezer.
·       Once the fat has congealed in the bottle, strain the bourbon into a new bottle.
Method:
·       Take 40 ml pigs-in-blanket fat-infused whisky and stir in a mixing glass with the maple syrup and ice.
·       Add bitters and stir. 
·       Strain into a child ‘Old Fashioned’ glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.. Or a pig-in-blanket
While you're waiting for the pig fat to steep in the whisky, here's a video about pigs that play video games.
Drinks Deals Of The WeekMirabeau La Folie Sparkling Rose - down £3 to £11 at SainsburysJohnnie Walker Black Label - Sainsbury, £22, save £10, 
Martini Rosso, only £2.50 off, but down to £8 at Waitrose,Jameson Orange, £15, save £9.50, great in an alternative to the Irish Espresso Martini Waitrose 
For gin fans, Hayman’s London Dry Gin, fiver off, £21 Waitrose
Keep your eye out for the new Luxardo Espresso Liqueur
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Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. 
3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month.Exclusive access to the TD online magazineA signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times)Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & GuestsCheck out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here: 
HarpendenNorthallertonAlnwickOldhamBrightonBedfordReading DidcotStroudLeicesterCorby

If drink-soaked discussion of aphrodisiacal accompaniments to oysters, 'titanic plums', guinea pigs with dodgy fivers, hangover cures and some seriously decent discounted drinks are your thing then listen to this Valentine's Special featuring a boffin.
VALENTINE DRINKSThe Properly Dangerous Liason Ingredients45ml Brockmans Gin75ml Taittinger Champagne or Sparkling Wine15ml Fresh Lemon Juice10ml Creme de Cassis5ml Sugar SyrupMethod
– Combine all ingredients apart from the sparkling wine and creme de cassis in a shaker over ice– Shake to combine, double strain into a champagne flute and– Top with Champagne, then drizzle over the creme de cassis.– Garnish with a lemon twist.
Chilean Red Wine: Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon – £12.99, Waitrose Chargrilled asparagus with Westmalle Tripel – £4.20 from Beer MerchantsOysters with Titanic Plum Porter – £1.80, Sainsbury’s
Discerning Drinks DealsAperol, Morrisons, reduced from £20 to £15.99,  
Morrisons, Courvoisier VSOP, £29.99, down from £37, 
Gin deal of the week, Sainsbury, 1l of Tanqueray, £20,  

Asda Beer Deals 
You can get two packs for a tenner on certain beers. 
So 4xJaipur and 6x Pilsner Urquell for £10. 
That’s a tenner for 10 quality beers, so that makes them £1 each. Some maths for you. 
_____________________________
Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here. 
3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month.Exclusive access to the TD online magazineA signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times)Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & GuestsCheck out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here: 
London Leicester Square (THURSDAY 9th Feb)HarpendenNorthallertonAlnwickPendleOldhamBrightonBedfordReading DidcotStroudLeicesterCorby

Wearing a blindfold and a pair of clownshoes, this week's Pod plods through a libel minefield amid chat about Whisky Galore, well-stocked strip-joints and the Aviation cocktail.

Some of the things pondered in this week's podcast: Henry VIII and his hop-related head retention; chilled out monks, Trappist beers, boozy bargains and, last but by no means least - yeast and the life of bees.