We’re two brothers separated by 2,500 miles of America and united by a love of beer and whiskey.
Jim is the beer geek, with a true passion for big character beers and the brewers with the guts to make them.
Don is the whiskey guy, with a palate like fine food critic and a love for all things whiskey; the history, the distilling process, and the drinking. Especially the whiskey drinking!
Beer & Whiskey Brothers is our chance to celebrate the amazing variety of really special brews and batches that continue to emerge at a wonderfully rapid pace, and to talk about life as beer and whiskey lovers just trying to keep up with it all.
In the mix you will get to know both of us and how we are alike and how we are different. Quick list of differences:
1) Jim is more liberal, Don is more conservative
2) Jim is on the East Coast in New Jersey, Don is out west in Idaho
3) Jim is more metrosexual, Don is more of a gun toten, flannel wearin’ redneck
4) Jim is skinny, Don is fat
Beyond that we have the same parents, we’re both married, we both have families and houses with mortgages, and we both pay our taxes. I can promise you that you will not agree with us all the time, hell we won’t even agree with each other half the time, but the site will always be fun and enjoyable, and maybe even a little informative.
Enjoy the blog and feel free to share your opinion. Making new friends is the best part of doing this. Well that and having a good excuse to buy lots of beer and whiskey!
Cheers,
Don & Jim
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- Don in his natural environment – surrounded by whiskey barrels.
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- Jim hanging by the brew kettle at Victory brewing.
Love the site. Although, I’m not a big whiskey drinker, I’m willing to learn!!
I’m not a big whiskey fan, either, and my education has already begun. Don is slowly working his whiskey charms on me. I hope some of my beer snobbery is contagious as well.
Hey Rick:
Fancy meeting you here! Whiskey is a love affair of mine(Don’t tell Kathy!). I hope to inspire and educate, and entertain, and not necessarily in that order. I’ve also come to enjoy a lot of the brews too, although Jim has a far broader selection than I do in Idaho, since he is based in Jersey. Enjoy the site and come back often! Love to have regular contributors!
-Don
Ha! I love your description of how you guys compare- classic. Keep up the great work, guys!
I’m a beer & whisky, sorry no ‘e’, drinker here in England !
My tipple of the top shelf is a single malt whisky of the Laphroaig/Tallisker/Lagavullin/Caol Ila/Ardbeg varieties !!
Plus others I cannae remember !
Welcome, Martin. I’m interested in learning more about Scotch myself. From what I know, you have excellent taste. Cheers!
Awesome site, hope to see you guys at the GABF
Glad you liked it. Look for the tee shirts!
Hi there,
Nice website.
I run a Beer Directory called Beer Jumbo, http://www.beerjumbo.com and I have a category called Beer Hubs, Reviews and Blogs.
I added your company’s link on my directory as well as a profile page.
http://www.beerjumbo.com/categories/view_sub/beer-hubs,-reviews-and-blogs/
I was wondering if you could return the favor and possibly set up a link on your website to my website.
Thanks a lot and i look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers.
Brian
Thanks for the link Brian, we’ve added you to our blogroll as well.
Thanks guys for the link to my Beer Directory, Beer Jumbo.
If there is anything I can do for you guys, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Cheers!
Brian
Hi – I am wanting to send you an mp3 and email which I would like you to view without public show – nothing dodgy just good manners. Is there anyway of doing this?
I just shot you an email with my contact info, Jim. I’m interested to see what you’re sending!
Is it possible for me to change my picture on here?
I know it can be done Matt, but Jim will have to give you instruction.
Oh my GOD – I know what my beloved husband will say in a minute when I show him this blog. He’ll say “Thank you! Beer and whiskey…together at last!” We’ll be subscribing to your feed directly!
Thanks for the kind words. We truly love both Beer and Whiskey and it seemed to us like a great combo when we discussed putting this blog together almost 18 months ago. Glad you like it, and we look forward to you and your husband being regular contributors.
-Don
I follow your site occasionally, and I felt compelled to post here. I had my first Scotch lesson this evening. A friend lined up 4 different bottles and basically explained the difference between blended and single malt (we had 2 of each) and being a beer guy I had a little trouble with them all at first but began to see the differences. JW black, Green and two SMs (one I forget and the last was a glenlivit 16yr I think) anyway, roughly ordered by price. Interesting, I must say and if it wasnt so expensive, I could get into it more. I will be following your blog a bit more closely now that I understand the genre a bit more.
-Ken
Sounds like a fun time, Ken. A little knowledge can turn into an expensive hobby. Cheers!
Hey Guys-
I got some great timely responses from you about the Infinium a few weeks back (that I really appreciated) and wanted to touch base again about a new topic.
I’m new to your site (which I love- big whiskey and craft beer fan) so I’m not sure if a post of this nature is coming out in the near future, but could you let us know some of your favorite winter seasonal brews to look forward to for the upcoming holiday season?
Thanks a lot!
Sure thing Ray. But my hands down favorite this time golf year is Troegs Mad Elf – I love that stuff. It gets snapped up pretty quick by beer hoarders (like me) so I suggest you pounce on any you see.
We’ll be writing about Winter seasonals soon enough, but I’d hate for you to miss out on Mad Elf in the meantime.
Hey Guys,
I just put a post up on my blog about label art, and referenced your post on Witches’ Wit. Must admit, I loved reading the comments. Anyways, check it out if you get the chance – http://www.theblager.com.
Also, I enjoy reading your writings very much
Thanks, Kelly!
My Grandfather left me 3 bottler of Glenlivet 12 yr old single malt scotch whiskey. My Grandfather had these bottles forever sitting in his liquor cabinet, from what my Grandmother said. Any way of telling how old this whiskey is? He has been dead for 4 yrs. I know it is at least 16yrs old if he bought it right before he died at 94.
Rusty
Rusty, on the bottom of the bottle there should be a number that corresponds to the year the bottle was made. So if there is an 87 on the bottom of the bottle it means the bottle was manufactured in 1987. Typically bottles are filled within the years they are made. You might be off by a vintage year if it was bottled early in that year and the bottles were purchased late in the previous year, but by and large you can estimate that the year on the bottom of the bottle corresponds pretty closely with the vintage of the whisky within. So look at your bottles, they might have some pretty interesting Whisky inside!
Any interest in sampling small-batch whiskeys from artisan distilleries? If so, shoot me an email sometime. We have lots of goodies ready to ship!
That might have been the quickest email I’ve ever sent.
Rich, we would love to. I’ll reply on e-mail.
I just want you all to know (Don & Jim) that you have now ruined my night, having found that YOUR show will be taking the place of a masterpiece… that is all
We’re bummed by the news, too Matt. It’s bad for craft beer and it’s bad for our hopes of ever getting a show of our own. If Brew Master was a hit, there’d be demand for more booze shows (think cakes or loggers), but that didn’t happen.
thanks Jim, your a genuine guy! Just a little bummed my show got canceled, I am a fellow home brewer, and am a huge Dogfish Head fan and have been well before their show, if you guys have a show of your own I wish you the best of luck.. just keep me updated
Thanks Matt. We’ll keep you posted if we get a show, trust me on that!
where are you guys out of? im in MI, and (Jim) are you a beer collector?
Lucky devil! Michigan makes good beer! I’m in New Jersey and Don is in Idaho. It’s for the best that we’re 2000 miles apart.
I don’t collect beer precisely, I just buy more than I drink and have a garage full of surplus brews, most good stuff. I’m not even sure what’s out there anymore. So I guess you could say I’m an accidental collector.
thats awsome! and sorry to hear about the distance between you and Don, im sure its hard on you both haha
Have you by chance had the oppurtunity to get your hands on any vintage dogfish bottles of 120? And yes, gotta love MI for its breweries.. from Arbor Brewing to North Peak theyre all delicious. Im an avid traveler and always looking for someone to show me a good pint, maybe in the future we’ll have one together. Until then, Cheers!
Hi guys, love the website !
I’m planning to put a link to your site on ours (www.maltteasers.com) – any chance you might return the favour ?
Keep up the good work – spread the love !!
P.J.
Malt Teasers Whiskey Club
Sure thing PJ. Happy to oblige.
Hey guys, I’ve been looking at your blog and share the disappointment of Brewmasters being cancelled. I’m a beer lover myself and produced a show I’ve been shopping around a bit. I’d love to send you a link to it. I just didn’t want to be rude and post it on a comment on your site.
Thanks,
Mikon
Hey Mikon – post the link!!
Hi There,
Hope all is well. I represent wine and spirits clients and would love to send you more information on them. Can I please be provided with an email address?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Zuri
Hey guys,
Love your candid writing styles. Excellent. Informative yet fun. What we are trying to do to. While I had heard of you before I hadn’t come to your site, until today. I actually saw it on the Lakefront Breweries website in your review for Bridgeburner. Loved it! If you ever get bored and want to talk beer with us, let me know. Also would love to have you on as a guest sometime on our live webcast. Shoot me an email or find me on facebook Beer Buffalo Lodge. Have a great day and hoppy drinking!
Thanks for the kind words. We’d love to hook up to talk, we cast, guest post, whatever. I’d love someone else to talk to besides Don.
Hey Jim, I snapped a photo of the new label of Northern Brewers ‘Three Hearted Ale’, do you want it? if so let me know where i can send/text it.
-Chris
You got mail.
Ever since John King introduced me to this site it has become part of my daily internet reading. I’m a big craft beer guy but my alcohol roots are in bourbon (I do live in KY.. what do you expect) and love a nice glass of bourbon as much as a great craft beer. Keep up the good work!
Beau
justdrinkbeer.com
Thanks, Beau. Glad your here and sorry we aren’t better at this.
Nothing at all to be sorry for. This site is great!
I love the website guys, it is an everyday read for me. You guys are hilarious and put out quality content. I was inspired to start my own site a while back over at FatCatKC.blogspot.com. I like getting feedback from other bloggers so let me know what you guys think.
Cheers,
Josh
Thanks, Josh. I’ve read your blog before (was just checking it out today actually) and think it’s good stuff. I think what you do is harder and more important than our drivel – being a local resource for beer nerds is a great service to provide. I love how you localized the results of the World Beer Cup, showing the beers that are available in the KC area. I also think it’s hilarious that Colt 45 won bronze!!
Really amazing site.
The Frank Man
I’m just getting into whiskey! So far the one I can stomach the most is Wild Turkey Rare Breed. I even crave it now! My boyfriend got me into it. Other than that, beer (and the occasional glass of red wine) is the only alcohol I drink. I nice punch-you-in-the-gut IPA just makes my belly happy (despite, or perhaps because of, the gut-punching)!
Love Rare Breed. Also try Four Roses Small Batch – very tasty – it’s the only whiskey I crave (and that’s why I don’t keep it in the house!)
I love wheat beers and scotch. So I guess I’m a beer and whiskey kinda guy too.
Yes, you’ll fit right in here, LC!
Hey guys,
I just did a search for Booker’s Bourbon to see if you had done a review on it and nothing came back. Have you heard of it?
http://www.wallywine.com/p-11835-bookers-bourbon-125-proof-750ml.aspx
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Thanks!
Jim & Don,
Been reading your blog for a while and really enjoy it… I’m sure you realize I have a home brew related site and wanted to know if you’re interested in exchanging links…
I already added you to my blogroll…
cheers!
Done!
Awesome… thx!!
Beer, whiskey & food make life worth living; they also can serve as ‘rainy day women” for confirmed bachelors, like myself. I thoroughly enjoy ur website – keep up the good work – Cheers gentlemen….
Thanks Jeff. Glad to see you made the leap from Facebook!
Hey Don, hey Jim, just wanted to say hello, and tell you how great you blog is. Whether it’s beer, whiskey, or any other topics, I just love to read it. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Roger! Keep reading it and we’ll keep rambling on…
You guys need to do a show where you travel the united states drinking/collecting/educating beer and whiskey. You might have to have some side competition or goal going to keep the general public invested, but I would love to watch a show like that.
Hey guys, I just found your blog recently, so I am not sure if this is a topic you may have already covered, but on the whiskey side of things, I was wondering if Don knew of any large conventions/conferences/events where vendors show up and talk about products, have minis to give out, etc. Any info would be a big help. Thank you!
All the best
Boys, I demand a New Year’s Eve Beer & Whiskey post!
I want a nice wrap up for the year.
Additionally, I expect to see a New Year’s Day Beer & Whiskey “2012 opener”,
Get to it!
Wanna do a guest post? We’re lazy!
I’d love to but I’m working trying to get to the point where we can send you beer!
Understood – Stay the course!!
My name is Kristian Day and I am the director of the documentary, Capone’s Whiskey: The Story of Templeton Rye. I was wondering if you would be interested in seeing an online screener for the movie? We are going to be playing the film in Chicago for the week of Whiskey Fest (March 23rd) and we want to create a nice buzz for the film ahead of time. We had two screenings of the film in Des Moines, IA at the Fleur Cinema & Cafe. The premiere was on December 4th (eve of the repeal of prohibition) with 160 attendees. We had an encore screening on December 18th with 110 attendees.
The movie tells the story of the farmers who made Templeton Rye during prohibition and the depression in order to save their farms. It also shows the world that the illegal whiskey is still being made today and can live side by side the legal product.
Youtube Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZcYKWkYhvs&hd=1
We have a couple of options for watching the film.
A) DVDr that can be mailed
B)Private Youtube screener – We can add your email address to the authorized users. We prefer this method as it cuts costs and you can few it instantly.
Let me know you guys are interested
This sounds great Kristian. I’ll reply directly to your gmail account.
Thanks
I snuck in an watched that trailer. While you can’t fully tell content from a trailer, you can judge quality and the overall tone of the piece. From what I saw I’ll be buying a copy for myself and the tap room.
please add a “d” to the end of the fourth word above.
I’m blaming the fecking keyboard.
I have a beer challenge for Jim! I call it the black bastard. It’s half arrogant bastard and half old Rasputin russian imperial stout. If you like beers with character you’d live this!
Hi Jim and Don,
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…and my kids call ME out of touch.
Hi Jim! I’m the food editor over at the TODAY Show website. I’m reaching out to see if you might be intereste din contributing to our food blog with your beer knowledge. Send me a note and hopefully we can chat. Thanks!