Great American Whiskey Cookers

Episode #135 - How a Custom Still Mix-Up Became a Happy Accident at Lonely Oak Distillery

🥃 Sometimes the best things in whiskey happen by accident. You don't just order a custom still and have it show up next week. Building a distillery still can take months—or even years. And when projects stretch that long, mistakes can happen. That's exactly what happened at Lonely Oak Distillery. What started as a mix-up during the still-building process resulted in a unique combination of stainless steel and copper that wasn't exactly what was ordered... but turned out to be a happy accident. The story behind how their still came to be is funny, unexpected, and a great reminder that innovation sometimes comes from embracing the unexpected. 👉 Listen now to hear the story behind one of the most unique stills we've encountered and how it became part of Lonely Oak's whiskey-making journey.

Friday Blind Tasting | Shortbarrel Straight Rye Whiskey & Bees Knees

🥃 One blind tasting turned into two. On this Friday Blind Tasting Challenge, we put Shortbarrel Straight Rye Whiskey under the box expecting one review—but the conversation quickly led us down the rabbit hole to another Shortbarrel expression: Bees Knees. From rye spice to honey-finished sweetness, these bottles sparked plenty of debate, comparisons, and whiskey geek talk. Which one came out on top? And are either worth hunting down? 👉 Listen now for our honest reactions, tasting notes, and a surprising two-for-one whiskey review

Episode #134 - Wildcat Distilling Co. | Tasting Wildcat's first Bourbon...from the barrel

🥃 Every new distillery faces the same question: Source whiskey, bottle it young, or wait until it's truly ready? At Wildcat Distilling in Webster City, Iowa, they chose patience. Rather than rush a bourbon to market, they waited for their own whiskey to mature—and now their first-ever bourbon is finally ready. We got a rare opportunity to taste this farm-to-bottle Iowa bourbon straight from the barrel before it was bottled and released to the public. Was the wait worth it? 👉 Listen now for this exclusive barrel tasting and get a first look at one of Iowa's newest craft bourbon releases.

Episode #133 - A Journey to Wildcat Distilling Co. | A Generational Farm

🥃 From Iowa farmland to the whiskey glass. At Wildcat Distilling Co. in Webster City, Iowa, a brother-and-sister team, alongside their spouses, are carrying on a tradition as old as America itself. They plant the corn, harvest the crop, and then transform it into handcrafted whiskey. This is true farm-to-bottle whiskey—where the people growing the grain are the same people making the spirit. Join us as we explore how this Iowa farm family turns corn into something greater than the sum of its parts: authentic craft whiskey rooted in the land, hard work, and family tradition. 👉 Listen now to discover one of Iowa's most unique craft distilleries.

Friday Blind Tasting | StilL630 Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This week, we put StilL630 Whiskey under the box and put our palates to the test. Jeff is joined by the Big Human and Wes for a true blind tasting—no labels, no preconceived opinions. We were big fans when we visited the distillery and tasted it firsthand. But does it still impress when we don't know what's in the glass? 👉 Listen now to see our honest reactions, tasting notes, and whether Still 630's craft whiskey holds up in a blind tasting.