CRAFTED

Noughty Wine

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TOPICS & TIMES:

A Brief History of Noughty Wine (3:54)

Champagne (11:12)

The difference Between European & American Drinking Culture(14:52)

Defining NA Wine (20:35)

Reds (25:03)

Challenges Making Sparkling White (34:57)

NA State of the Union (35:46)

Being the OG Brand Everyone is Chasing (42:13)

New Products (47:00)

Hard Work Pays Off (50:33)

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How Does a Small Craft Brand Break Out? SennzaFinne Shares Their BluePrint Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

In a spirits landscape full of massive brands and mega marketing budgets, what differentiates a craft producer? SennzaFinne, the Seattle based amaro producer founded by former bartenders, has found creativeways to make their mark. This week Eli checked back in with Gillian and Joey to learn about their approach to guerilla marketing at the world’s premier beverage conference (it involves a custom backpack), and they also dove into the company’s recent experiments with ingredient recycling. From brewery collaborations to botanical seltzers, there is a lot happening over at SennzaFinne, and they get into a little bit of all things ‘bitter’ in this conversation.

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Heaven 11

SennzaFinne

Recipes

Gift Box

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Tasting at Tales (5:14)

Partnerships with Breweries (12:56)

Distillation Collaboration with Old Log Cabin (23:28)

Ready-To-Drink Options (30:11)

Pop Up Bars (40:12)

SennzaFinne’s Lineup (44:00)

Last Leaf & Mezcal (47:09)

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Caviar 101 with Black River Caviar Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Caviar. Is there any word — or food — that more quickly conjures up associations of luxury and opulence? But caviar isn’t just a thing to serve on the yacht you don’t own, caviar has a rich history. Once a snack only for Russian oligarchs, today it is found in more places and likely on potato chips. Eli talks with Sarah Mayo for a deep dive into the history of global caviar production; the ways in which the modern market is shaping consumption; and the endangered status of the fish responsible for this exotic dish.

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Black River Caviar

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TOPICS & TIMES:

History of Caviar (2:53)

The Production Process (14:30)

The Market for Caviar (17:57)

Soviet Caviar (24:58)

China's Influence (30:38)

Sturgeon, Illegal Fishing, & Hybrid Products (32:13)

Lifecycle of the Sturgeon (39:53)

Grading Structure (49:51)

Caviar & Wine (52:48)

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The Whiskey that Set a Land Speed Record: Montgomery Distilling Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Not every distillery owner has a land speed record to their name, but Ryan Montgomery of Montgomery Distilling does. So Eli talked with him about all things spirits, from the Montana-grown grain that helped power that land speed record, to the world’s first bourbon-based amaro. They also discuss the similarities between aquavit and gin; the labor of love known as kirschwasser; and the inspirational effect of Merle Haggard and the Grateful Dead.

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Heaven 11

Montgomery Distilling

Lords of Dirt

Spirits and Spokes

TOPICS & TIMES:

Farm to Bottle (3:49)

Farming & Ranching (5:07)

From Home Brewing to Distilling (6:39)

Whiskey School & Stills (9:23)

Starting a Whiskey Business (12:55)

Single Malt & Special Releases (16:06)

What Does He Like to Drink (20:43)

“Mama Tried” Bourbon (24:12)

Aquavit (26:01)

Aged Aquavit (33:19)

Aging in Montana (37:10)

State of Distilling in the US & Montana (49:41)

Liquor Licensing (57:30)

B'Amaro (1:02:39)

Motorcycle Fuel, Lords of Dirt, Spirit in the Spokes (1:09:25)

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HiFi Audio, Aesthetics, & Design w/ Heaven 11’s Itai Azerad Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

A famous philosopher once said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” We agree. And while music is all around us, it’s easier and easier to take it for granted, or to have a very diluted experience of it. So, how do you elevate your everyday music listening experience? Today, Simon catches up with Itai Azerad, founder of Heaven 11, to talk about how their new Billie Amp MK3 does just that. Heaven 11’s goal is to restore the connection between the listener and music, and bring back the ritual of listening.

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CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Blister Studios (our new channel)

Blister Review (our original channel)

TOPICS & TIMES:

Check out the New Billie Amp at Capitol Audiofest (2:16)

Billie Amp MK3’s Modular Design (3:52)

Choosing Between Amplifier Modules (7:01)

Future Proofing in Audio Products (12:26)

Incorporating User Feedback (14:06)

Bringing Back Your Father’s Hifi System (20:42)

Rediscovering New Details in Music (30:24)

Aesthetics Matter (41:31)

An Emotional Connection to Music (47:00)

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Travel Coffee Gear, Hand Grinders, & Coffee Roasting with Calibration Coffee Lab’s Alex LeBlanc Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

How do you make great coffee on the road? Jonathan talks with Alex LeBlanc, the owner and head roaster at Calibration Coffee Lab, to talk about our recent attempts at this. Then, we discuss Alex’s own approach to roasting, and what becomes clear is that there are lots of different priorities and values that a particular coffee roaster might have — and understanding those will likely help you identify your favorite roasters.

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CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Blister Studios (our new channel)

Blister Review (our original channel)

TOPICS & TIMES:

New Coffee Gear & No-Bypass Brewing (3:31)

Water Additives (13:14)

Hand Grinders vs Electric Grinders (14:49)

Bed Pressure (23:44)

Filter Coffee & Various Brewing Styles (26:13)

Roasting: Alex’s Approach (32:42)

Over Roasting & Other Coffee Crimes (42:19)

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Nib Making, Engine Turning, & Hand Chasing: the Art of Pen & Pencil Making with Giles English of Yard-O-Led Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

Since 1822, Yard-O-Led has been making some of the finest pens and pencils in the world. They’ve survived wars, they created the “self-propelling pencil,” and today, we talk with Giles English, about the nearly 200-year history of the company that invented the mechanical pencil and still hand-crafts every sterling silver pen in their Birmingham workshop. We dig into the artistry behind engine-turning and hand-chasing, Yard-O-Led’s story of wartime survival, and what it means to carry Victorian tradition into the 21st century.

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SennzaFinne

Yard-O-Led

TOPICS & TIMES:

The Custodian of Yard-O-Led (3:41)

Origin Story of Yard-O-Led (5:36)

Nibs & Nib Making (9:30)

The Self-Propelling Pencil (13:33)

The Craft of Penmaking (22:27)

Ink Propulsion (34:20)

Yard-O-Led’s Lineup (40:50)

Why Pens Matter (44:38)

Surprises in the Pen Making World (48:34)

The Yard-O-Led Arcade (54:42)

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“Get Thee To A Cheese Monger!” Cheesemaking w/ Jasper Hill Farm Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

Jasper Hill Farm is one of the most respected names in American artisan cheese, and in today’s episode, Jonathan & Eli talk with Zoe Brickley — Jasper Hill’s “Minister of Culture” — about how a struggling Vermont dairy made a big gamble that grew into an award-winning operation. We dig into the 9,000-year history of cheesemaking; the science and craft of “affinage”; and why caves, microbes, and even lard are central to great cheese. Zoe also makes the case for seeking out real artisan cheese and why food this good can be so great for local communities and local farms.

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Jasper Hill

TOPICS & TIMES:

The North East Kingdom (2:00)

Zoe’s Background, Minister of Culture (3:51)

Cheese Terminology & Mongers (6:09)

Jasper Hill Origin Story (11:05)

History of Cheese (14:18)

Recent Fascination w/ Cheese (19:11)

Cloth Bound Cheddar & Cave Aging (29:42)

Cultures & Inoculation (35:30)

Preservation Techniques (38:19)

How Would One Get Started in the Cheese Industry? (45:14)

Which Styles are Most Difficult to Make? (50:31)

Blooming Rind (52:32)

A Pitch for Artisan Cheese (58:19)

Current State of Cheese (1:03:43)

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Jonathan Gagné on Astrophysics, Coffee, & The Physics of Espresso Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Jonathan Gagné is producing some of the best work in the world in terms of increasing our understanding and appreciation of coffee. And his new book, The Physics of Espresso, is incredibly smart, impressively easy to understand, and…fun! So it was an honor to have Jonathan on to talk about astrophysics, boulders, dust, soup, crema, headspace, and more.

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RELATED LINKS:

The Physics of Filter Coffee

The Physics of Espresso

Instagram: Jonathan’s Gagné

Jonathan’s site: coffeeadastra.com

TOPICS & TIMES:

Jonathan’s Work in Astrophysics (2:54)

Brown Dwarfs (4:54)

Origins of His Interest in Coffee (12:07)

Filter Coffee & Espresso: His 2 Books (17:29)

Is This the Most Interesting Time in Espresso? (26:45)

Soup & Low-Pressure Espresso (28:00)

Crema (34:02)

Grinders (Weber EG-1 & Turin DF83 v2) (38:28)

Burr Size: Is Bigger Always Better? 50:14)

Boulders (58:26)

Headspace (1:03:23)

Puck Screens & Other Variables (1:08:19)

Baskets & Bed Depth: 49mm vs 58mm (1:14:21)

Jonathan’s website: Coffee ad Astra (1:16:33)

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The Business of Craft Beer Sep 10, 2025

Show notes

With all the economic & cultural shifts swirling about these days, we wanted to get a handle on the state of craft beer: what does the current landscape look like, what are the biggest challenges, and what are the most interesting opportunities? Eli Brown and I discuss all of the above with New Image Brewing founder, Brandon Capps.

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New Image Brewing

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