Beards, Books, and Bourbon Podcast

"What We Forgot About Fairy Tale" - Oopsisode

Holy villainy, Batman!  We forgot to talk about the antagonists in "Fairy Tale" by Stephen King.  Tonight, we pair the book with with my Christmas present.  Noble Oak Double Oaked Bourbon.

"You're About to Be Eaten by a Grue" - Fairy Tale with Copper & Cask

Come on, all you Gen Xers out there.  It's time to get your literary D&D hats on.  Pick up your Zork lanterns at the bottom of the winding stair or else you might be eaten by a grue as we take on a classic trope by one of our favorite authors.  In tonight's episode we talk about "Fairy Tale" by Stephen King, and his take on the classic modern version of this genre.  Paired with it, we will taste Copper & Cask.  Like this book, we felt this bourbon was a modern classic with a twist.

"What We Forgot About Ghost Eaters" - Oopsisode

In this oopsisode, we discuss something we didn't get the chance to talk about during the main show.  Two words.   GHOST.  BABY.   Really, after something like that the only thing we can do to recover from this is to revisit our old friend, Smoke Wagon Bourbon.

"We All Haunt Each Other" - Ghost Eaters and Redwood Empire Bourbon (S3/Ep1)

It's Season 3, and it's time to get weird!  We start the season off with a book where ghosts are a drug, and seeing your loved ones again is an addiction.  Do you want to get haunted?  You will in "Ghost Eaters" by Clay McLeod Chapman.  We'll get even stranger with our tasting of Redwood Empire bourbon.  An amazing bourbon with a deceptively creepy illustration on the bottle.

"And Away We Go" - Season 3 Introduction

We're so excited for Season 3 to begin, we just HAD to chat about it a bit.  Enjoy!

BONUS: Intro Compilation 2 - Electric Boogaloo

BONUS: Intro Compilation 1

Just remember!  All celebrity endorsements are completely FAKE.

Season 2 Finale - "Old Fashioned Horror!"

In the finale of Season 2, Stephen and Mark talk about what horror really is.  It's a dark conversation, and they lighten the load by engaging in the much talked about Old Fashioned Challenge with three bourbons in three cocktails for two idiots. Thanks for a great season, and we will see you again in January!

"What We Forgot About Just Like Home" - Oopsisode

What's a good ghost story without ghosts??  Stephen and Mark discuss the supernatural elements of both "Just Like Home" by Sarah Gailey and Piggyback Rye by Whistlepig.

"We're All Monsters Here" - Just Like Home w/ Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey

In this week's episode, Stephen and Mark go back home to a happy nest of murder and disfunction in the novel "Just Like Home" by Sarah Gailey.  As they polish the silver with the blood of their enemies, they will sample the dazzlingly good Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey.

Ninth House & Four Roses (ENCORE PRESENTATION)

Stephen and Mark are getting ready for the big season 2 finale.  Also...they have high schoolers.  High school activities in the Fall are BRUUUUUUTAL.  As before, we've added on a little bit, but it's really interested to hear just how far we've come from when we got started.  ENJOY.

"What We Forgot About The Road of Bones" - Oopsisode

What would a Russian fairytale as dark as rancid tree sap be without an old shaman woman conjuring the ghosts of dead prisoners and laying them to rest on the Road of Bones??  Right, and yet we forgot to talk about her.  OOPS.  Pairing up with this, we explore New Riff once more.

"What We Forgot About The Hollow Places" - Oopsisode

With it being such a master class in fast paced cosmic horror fiction, it might be better to call it what we wished we could forget.  Some of those images are never coming out of our brains, but we loved it.  In the epsiode we will be drinking to it!

"This Won't End Well" - Road of Bones and Barrel Armida

Khan once said that it is very cold in space, but he'd never been on the Road of Bones in Siberia!  In this novel by Christopher Golden, we will explore the bleakness of the coldest inhabited place on Earth, and the folklore that resides there with the people in this fast paced, hard hitting, unapologetically terrifying book!  To keep our spirits warm, we will be sampling Barrel Armida Bourbon once again.  We tried this over a year ago, and we're going to see if we taste something different ...

"It's My Sister's Eye" - The Hollow Places & Piggyback Rye

Stephen and Mark travel to different worlds were tentacles are replaced wtih roots...and organs.  Come take a wild backwater cosmic horror ride in T. Kingfisher's "The Hollow Places".  They will explore something else wild and complex with Piggyback 100% Rye.

"What We Forgot About A Monster" - Oopsisode

Stephen and Mark talk about how sometimes people just want to be seen.  They want to be acknowledged.  They want to be let back into the room.  For this heady talk, we take a little time to revisit an old friend.  Basil Hayden Dark Rye.

"Did You Think I Came to Teach Life Lessons?" - A Monster Calls & Basil Hayden Toast

Stephen and Mark explore a short but compelling story about a troubled boy who calls for a monster in the dark.  This is a bittersweet  and complex tale.  Nothing goes better with it than Basil Hayden's Toast bourbon.

"What We Forgot About Bag of Bones" - Oopsisode

What could we possibly forget about Bag of Bones?  Well, since it's a Stephen King book and we can't manage to even get through half of it in the main episode?  Yeah, it feels better to just say, pretty much most of it.  But in this oopsisode, we focus on just one thing (out of the 500) that we didn't get to discuss.

"So what, ghosts can't hurt you." Bag of Bones & Evan Williams

Once again, Stephen and Mark return to the universe of Stephen King in this massively surprising and haunting tale of ghosts, racism, and the sins of the father.  They'll need something to offer the spirits to keep the nightmares away, and only a very special bottom of Evan Williams will do the job.

"What We Forgot About the Sea of Tranquility" - Oopsisode

They always forget something!  Listen as Stephen and Mark talk about what they forgot to talk about in "The Sea of Tranquility" by Emily St. John Mandel.  In this oopsisode, they will revisit Chatinooga Whiskey.

"You Savage Viking Raider": Sea of Tranquility & Digits Bourbon

Stephen and Mark take a romp through time and space, through relationships lost and found, through paradoxes and moral dilemmas.  Cosmic anamolies and personal inevitabilities abound in the wonderfully haunting and lyrical story by Emily St. John Mandel.  "Sea of Tranquility" is anything but, and we'll need the help of none other than Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls (or at least his bourbon) to get us through it all.

"What We Remember of Addie LaRue" - Oopsisode

We cannot say "what we forgot" in this oopsisode, because it is too easy to forget, if you believe in the curse.  So, Stephen and Mark will discuss what they remember of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

"Deja Vu, Dejah Thoriss, Hand of Vecna" The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue & Isaac Bowman Bourbon

Stephen and Mark will contemplate what it might be like if they never had an impact on anything or anyone (kind of like their podcast) as they discuss "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" by V.E. Schwab.  They will also plant some ideas about a delicious new find.  Isaac Bowman portwine barrel finished bourbon.

The Hunger (ENCORE Presentation)

It's like Alma Katsu Month in the House of Stephen and Mark!  Because we have enjoyed it so much (and it's fun to go back to episode 4).  Keep in mind that we did this episode in November of 2020, in the midst of lockdown time in Illinois.  Take a re-listen with the beauty of hindsight.

Bourbisode! - Wigle Smoked Bourbon

What do you do when you can't talk about what you forgot to talk about because it might be too spoilery?  You spend 10 minutes talking about a bourbon instead!

"Spiders & Racism" - The Fervor & Coppercraft Bourbon

Stephen and Mark dive deep into a story about spirits, balloons, spiders, and Japanese American internment camps in "The Fervor" by Alma Katsu.  This is another genius work, incredibly uncomfortable in all the right ways, and deeply thought provoking.  To lighten the mood, they will sample Coppercraft Bourbon.

What We Forgot About Eden - Oopsisode

In which we learn what it means to be terribly British while we revisit one of our favorites in the rye family.

"Did that birdman just quote Jurassic Park?" The Doors of Eden & Knob Creek

Stephen and Mark delve deep into the origin of species (AND THE MULTIVERSE) in this amazing tale by Adrian Tchaikovsky.  They'll seek to soften the bite of truth with the smooth taste of Knob Creek Straight Kentucky Bourbon.

"What We Forgot About Recursion" Oopsisode

Stephen and Mark talk about things they forgot to talk about while revisiting Old Elk bourbon.

"This Time We Can Change It": Recursion & Featherbone Bourbon Whiskey

Stephen and Mark discuss the long awaited "Recursion" by Blake Crouch.  This one was both deep and brutal.  Time travel and hard choices are bouyed up with the sweet and complex taste of Journeyman Distillery's Featherbone  Bourbon Wiskey.

"What We Forgot About Relics" Oopsisode

Stephen and Mark spend a little time revisiting Relics as well as Dexter 3 Wood Bourbon!

"Gangsters! Faeries! Cannibals!": Relics and Smoke Wagon Bourbon

In this mad and gory tale about exotic species hunting taken to a whole new level, Stephen and Mark will discuss "Relics", complete with a scene inlvolving eating roast faerie, and inappropriately pairing it with Smoke Wagon bourbon.

Artificial Intelligence: Theme Show

If it weren't for this week's guest host, Michael Wagner, we'd call this episiode Artificial Idiocy.  In this theme episode, we talk about A.I. in sci-fi with a real subject matter expert in the field of A.I. in the real world.  It's a pleasure to have our good friend back on the show, and we share with him a bottle of Dexter 3 Wood Bourbon as we try to keep up with Mike.

Time Travel: Theme Episode

If we could have time in a bottle....it would probably taste like RIFF.

"What We Forgot About Moonshine??" Oopsisode

Wait.  Didn't we read The Kaiju Preservation Society??  Why, yes.  Yes, we did.  Aren't we talking about it??  Why, yes.  Yes, we are.  But there are other things to talk about too.  Like MOOOOONSHIIIIIIIINE.

"STOMP STOMP BOOM!" - Kaiju Preservation Society & Chattanooga Whiskey

Do you like fun?  Do you like alternate dimensions?  Do you like 50 story tall monsters?  Do you like irresponsible corporate execs getting what they deserve?  DO YOU LIKE WHISKEY FROM TENNESSEE??? Then, have we got a show for you tonight!  Join Stephen and Mark on a wild romp that's a cross between Godzilla, the Land Before Time, Look Up, and....and...uh...well, I don't know, but you're going to love it!

"What We Learned About White Dog" - Oopsisode

Stephen and Mark take a step never taken before.  They try White Dog and forget what they forgot to talk about.  But we know that they're talking about what they forgot about The Paradox Hotel.

"All The Time In A Moment": The Paradox Hotel & Barrell Armida Bourbon

Stephen and Mark go on a wild ride of murder, mayhem, time travel, paradox, and regret.  This one was wild and fun and heavy.  So complex, in fact, we needed a bourbon to go along with it.  Which is why we select Barrell Armida with all its own hidden mystery in its flavor as tonight's bourbon.

"What We Forgot About Shard of The Earth": Oopsisode

Apparently, the entire universe has an inferiority complex.  Kind of like Mark when he's looking upon the perfection that is Stephen.

"Cosmic Art & Murder": Shards of the Earth & Buggy Whip Wheat Whiskey

Stephen and Mark cut across unspace in their quest to discover what can be found among the "Shards of the Earth" by Adrian Tchaikovsky.  Fueling their spacecraft this week will be Journeyman Distillery's Buggy Whip Wheat Whiskey.

"What We Forgot About Sci-fi" Oopsisode

What do you mean we forgot time travel??

"All These Worlds Are Infinite." Sci-fi Theme Show

TO BOLDLY GO WHERE STEPHEN AND MARK HAVE NEVER GONE BEFORE!  We sit down for a completely unscripted theme show, the blow of which is softened by the exquisite taste of Yellowstone Single Barrel Bourbon.

"What We Forgot About The Reincarnationist Papers" - Oopsisode

Come join us as we talk about an overlooked character, and complete botch Eric Maikranz's name AGAIN.  Sorry, Eric.

"What If You Never Died": The Reincarnationist Papers and Clark & Sheffield Bourbon

What if you knew there was no Heaven or Hell?  What if you knew, no matter what you did, the only judgment ahead of you was a new life in a new body?  How would you live?  We find out in "The Reincarnationist Papers" by D. Eric Maikranz.  We wash down the karmic wheel with Clark & Sheffield straight Kentucky Bourbon.

TRAPPED IN THE PAST (and Vacation)

"What We Forgot About The Diviners" - Oopsisode

In 15 minutes or less, we talk about the things we forgot to talk about, and do it while drinking Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon.

"Mysticism & Murder" - The Diviners & Thomas S. Moore Bourbon

Stephen and Mark step into the world of occult mysticism and supernatural murder in The Diviners by Libba Bray.  Port Cask Thomas S. Moore Bourbon helps to keep them warm as they record on a cold January night.

"What We Forgot about The Excorcist" - Oopsisode

Poor Burke!  The underappreciated alcoholic who was trying to do a little babysitting.  We chat about him!

"We Are Legion": The Exorcist & Sonoma County Bourbon

In our Season 2 opener, Stephen and Mark talk about the William Peter Blatty classic, The Exorcist.  While discussing the virtues and drawbacks of demonic possession, they're fortify their souls with Sonoma County Cherrywood Smoked Bourbon.

Happy Holidays from Mark and Stephen!

Wishing all our listeners a wonderful holiday season!