Category: Season 1

Boozy Blondes episodes from Season 1, 2022

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 017 | Brews & Choo Choos: The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, Innovation Station and Mountain Layers Brewing Company

The Boozy Blondes

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Listen up, all you fabulous foamers, this episode is for you. The Boozy Blondes take a trip along the Tuckasegee River in southwest North Carolina on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad!

The DOE for this episode is Hibiscus Lime Tart Ale from Innovation Brewing (a boozy pit stop during the train ride layover), a refreshing fruit beer, 5% ABV.

The girls recorded this episode on location in Sky Valley, GA. Visiting Sky Valley is an annual trip for the blondes after Christmas through New Year’s each year. When they recorded this episode, it was their 5th annual trip. Every year they plan a one-day excursion to explore the area around Sky Valley; this year they chose the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad trip with visits to two breweries.

The steam train left Bryson City, NC, and traveled at aggressive speed of 9 mph towards its destination of Dillsboro, NC. Chrissy kept waiting for “take off,” but the train crept along, taking its time along the river. The girls had planned this trip early (highly recommended to get your tickets way ahead of time) and booked a 1st class car on the train. You must be 21 or older to sit in this car which includes a bar, serves lunch (that you pre-order) and offers comfy table seats for two or four.

The bar offered a selection of good wine and specialty drinks and beer. The Boozy Blondes split a bottle of wine and were pleasantly surprised when they were allowed to keep their wine glasses! On the journey back, they ordered boozy coffee drinks and were allowed to keep the coffee mugs too! Bonus! They also left with souvenir travel cups (bottomless soft drinks while on the train) and a tote bag. And, they were served surprise dessert on the ride home! These little extras really added to the 1st class car experience that day.

Anyway, during the crawl to Dillsboro the train provided views of sets from two well-known productions – the 1950s classic Dave Crockett and the 1993 feature film The Fugitive. Fun fact, The Fugitive featured the first-ever Hollywood-filmed train crash! It took three weeks to prepare, and they had only one chance to get the shot. The train ride also passed through a haunted tunnel (much to Molly’s dismay and Chrissy’s delight); listen to the episode to hear the story about why it’s said to be haunted.

Before we talk about the breweries on this excursion, back to foamers, which we addressed at the beginning of this blog. If you know, you know. If you don’t (like the girls didn’t), look it up (obsessed train enthusiasts with professional photography gear). The girls were fascinated with the foamers who were fascinated with the locomotive carrying the Boozy Blondes.

During the hour and a half layover in Dillsboro, the girls visited Innovation Station, one of three Innovation Brewing locations. Chip & Nicole are the owners and Colin was the bartender when the girls visited. The loved the steampunk theme, awesome art and swag. Innovation Station has 32 taps, 25 host its own beer, and the other taps offer ginger ale, cider and wine. This location is home to the pilot brew house used for inventing fun varieties. There is also a food tuck on site.

The Boozy Blondes each got their own flight and were surprised to see they ordered almost exactly the same samples! Black Balsam Porter, Java the Stout, Hibiscus Lime Tart Ale, Noble Chai Cider and Bold Rock Cider.

When they returned to the depot in Bryson City, the girls made a quick stop at Mountain Layers Brewing Company. (Nantahala Brewing Company is also in Bryson City, but sadly, the girls didn’t have enough time to visit on this trip.) Mountain Layers is owned by Kim & Mark who vacationed in the Bryson City area for years. When they retired, they moved here permanently and opened the brewery. It’s a two-story building with bars on both levels. The brew house is on site and has a great outside rooftop area with fantastic views of the mountains and downtown. Downstairs is home to the beer garden and local food truck. Molly drank the Honey Just 2 More, a fruit beer with black currant, and Chrissy drank the Nitro Rocket Corner Oatmeal Stout.

The girls were big fans of both breweries they visited and the beers they tasted. And while they loved the train ride, they don’t see careers as foamers in the future. They prefer to be in the 1st class train car, enjoying libations and cards as opposed to chasing down the train to get pictures of it. One great picture was enough for them:

Please share any train rides you recommend with the Boozy Blondes! They’d love to experience another journey on the rustic rails!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 016 | Disney Drinking, EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

The Boozy Blondes

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Tune in to the Boozy Blondes’ most magical episode! 💫

There is something special about the magic of drinking in the most magical place on earth that keeps bringing them back to the annual EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. Over the past 15 years or so, the girls counted at least ten trips to the gluttonous festival which holds some of their favorite memories.

The DOE is Imperial Crazy Mona from Tabula Rasa Brewing in Jacksonville, Florida. This Porter is aged in Rye Barrels for 18 months and is 11% – a little strong for these two, which is apparent as they giggle and gush about all the fun EPCOT brings!

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is “a taste tour across six continents, drinking around the world, travel, friends, food, booze – it has it all.” The Disney Food Blog provides tons of information and resources and describes the festival “…featuring incredible special events, informative culinary and beverage demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and delicious Marketplace Food Booths around the park, this annual event is a can’t miss part of the Disney calendar!”

The blondes discuss a brief history of the festival and share their insider tips to make your boozy adventure as amazing as possible. They start by sharing their must-brings to Food & Wine.

Top Things to Bring

  1. Mickey or Minnie Ears – with endless options thanks to Etsy, you can purchase your ears at the park or before you go. Molly recommends the Etsy shop DearestEars for comfy and unique options.
  2. Matching Shirts – again, thank you, Etsy, for endless options of unique, customizable products. There is no end to the Disney Drinking puns (bibbidi, bobbidi, booze…drunkest of them all…tale as old as wine…drinking beauty)! Fun fact – the blondes’ squad wore custom festival tees long before Etsy was a thing!
  3. Food & Wine Passport – trust the boozy experts; it’s very difficult to remember all the delicious food and beverages consumed after a full day at the park. Passports like the one sold in the Etsy shop SansoneStationery are a great way to remember all those calories the next day – and remember what you loved so you can look for those items on your next visit.
  4. Gift Card Wristlet – you can purchase these at select stores inside Epcot. It’s a handy way to hold your money – just swipe at each kiosk!
  5. Backpack – some essential supplies are sun block, Chapstick, water bottles and a light hoodie, but slinging a bag over your shoulders allows your hands to be free to eat or double-fist drinks! Plus you can store any souvenirs you might pick up along the way.
  6. Comfy Shoes – plan on walking A LOT. A full lap around the World Showcase is 1.2 miles – that does not include future world nor walking to your mode of transportation. So be good to your feet!
  7. Sunblock – duh. It’s Florida, the Sunshine State. And most of your day will be spent outside.
  8. A Plan – there is a lot to see and do and eat and drink. Map out your path and must-sees/must-consumes before you go. Plan a timeout spot.

Boozy Blondes Pro Tips

  1. As stated just above – plan a timeout. Make reservations for the middle of your day to take a break from the insanity and outdoor elements.
  2. Avoid the main entrance – it’s really cool to walk into Epcot and see Spaceship Earth, but using the World Showcase entrance in between France and the UK will save you tons of time and hassle.
  3. Get a gift card – even if you don’t want to wear the wristlet, get a gift card and load it with your desired spending limit. Gift cards make it easy to pay and also keep you in check if you’re on a budget. Once you’ve drained the funds, reevaluate – time to go or time to reload?
  4. Buy your Mickey or Minnie ears from Etsy. There are plenty of options at Epcot, but it’s always great to support local businesses, and the blondes have found Etsy options to be more comfortable than those at the park. If you have a Ears shop, please let the Boozy Blondes know! They would love to support your shop! They also want to add Boozy Blondes ears to their collection!
  5. Start later in the day. It’s a long day, and it’s day drinking.
  6. Check out the bar in Morocco. It’s a full bar and when the girls have gone, it hasn’t been very crowded, especially compared to other bars around the World Showcase.
  7. If possible, avoid weekends.
  8. If you can’t do the Food & Wine festival, try the Flower & Garden festival!
  9. Going with a group? Make a theme – it’s fun and it’s easy to find members of your squad when you’re all wearing the same theme.
  10. Pack a hangover recovery kit.
  11. Plan brunch the next day. Yes, the whole point of the Food & Wine festival is to indulge and be gluttonous. But you will be hungry the next day, and brunch is a great way to relax and relive the adventures from the day before.
  12. Download the My Disney Experience app and Food & Wine Festival apps.
  13. Share items – it’s fun to split things so you can try a bigger variety!
  14. Get a baguette in France – it’s inexpensive, great to split and works to soak up some booze in your system
  15. Ride the Sky Buckets (aka Disney Skyliner)
  16. Buy annual passes strategically – if you buy your pass at the end of Food & Wine, you have more time to use it next year during Food & Wine.

Boozy Blondes’ Favorite Resources

  1. Disney Food Blog – all things Food & Wine. The girls love the website and Instagram account.
  2. Oliviamichelleh.com – for all the Instagrammers out there, Olivia posts the best places for pics.
  3. Wdwnt.com – Chrissy’s favorite Food & Wine app comes from here and all the kiosk menus are posted each year as well.

Please share your tips with the Boozy Blondes so they can continue to enhance their trip to the Food & Wine Festival every year! If you’re able to make a trip to this festival, the 2022 dates are July 14 – November 19.

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 015 | Busch Gardens Bier Fest

The Boozy Blondes

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What could be better than thrill rides, a safari, you best friends and a beer festival?! Not much, according to the Boozy Blondes. That’s why they love the annual Tampa Bay Busch Gardens Bier Fest!

The girls sip on one of their favorite bourbons, Woodford Reserve.  There was a special Woodford tasting tent at Bier Fest where the girls definitely spent some time!

So last year, Bier Fest ran on every weekend from August 13 – October 31. The 2022 dates for Bier Fest are only Aug 12 – Sept 5! That’s not even a full month! But unlike 2021, it does not coincide with Howl-o-Scream (much to Molly’s delight). So there is a small window, but if you can make it, GO. The blondes loved it and would absolutely attend again.

The girls are huge Epcot Food & Wine Festival fans (listen to the Disney Drinking – Epcot Food & Wine Festival in two weeks!), and they both agreed Busch Gardens felt like a mini version of that – with more rides, more animals, less crowds and less cost. A definite win!

With your Busch Gardens admission ticket you have access to Bier Fest. Each item, food or beverage, is sold ala carte. Food ranges from about $6 – $10 per item, and drinks are about $11. BUT! They offer a sampler ticket! This is a must-have. If you listened to the Booze Cruise episode, you’ll remember the girls discussing the drink package. They both love to purchase this ahead of time so the trip is worry-free when it comes to tallying up drink costs. This Busch Gardens Bier Fest Sampler is kind of like that. When purchased, the holder gets a card with a lanyard that gets punched with each sample – food or beverage (note, it’s full size food offerings, but 7oz beer or cocktail samples). Prepay and taste away!

The girls started out slow, hoarding their punches while they rode rides and explored the park, but with one hour to spare they realized they had a lot of drinking to do! As the tents were preparing the close, the girls rushed around collecting samples to fulfill the Sampler – beer, wine, bourbon – they had it all!

Both girls loved the bison sliders – that was the favorite food of the day. Unless you count the sugarcane straws that came with the girls’ mixed drinks. Chrissy ate her straw faster than she drank her drink!

Much of this episode talks about Howl-o-Scream and Halloween Horror Nights – places Chrissy desperately wants to take Molly who is insistent that she will never go. Be sure to listen to this episode if you want to join Chrissy in the “let’s scare the sh!t out of Molly” campaign. 

If you are considering visiting Busch Gardens Bier Fest, this episode is a must listen to. The girls talk about the ups and downs of the fest, some of the rides they enjoyed and animals they encountered. If you attend this year, or have in the past, definitely share your experience and pictures with the Boozy Blondes!

Behind the Booze - Interviews, Season 1

Episode 014 | Behind the Booze – Coppertail Brewing Interview with Rich Glatt and Zeus Cordeiro

The Boozy Blondes

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Take a trip with the Boozy Blondes to the historic side of Tampa, Ybor City, as they tour Coppertail Brewing Company with Richard Glatt and Zeus Cordero. Coppertail has been serving its delicious beer since 2014. Its name came from owner’s daughter who made up a story about a giant fish monster that lives in Tampa Bay. They thought that was the perfect name and even created a backstory for the Coppertail.

Oddly enough the DOE is not from Coppertail. The girls drank their crowlers before recording this episode, so they cracked cans of one of their favorite winter beers, Last Snow by Funky Buddha. Last Snow is a 6.4% coconut and coffee porter; Molly claims this beer tastes just like a blended up Samoa Girl Scouts cookie.

The Wolfpack traveled to Tampa for Rainer’s birthday weekend. First stop Coppertail, followed by Busch Gardens Bier Fest, rounding out the weekend with a visit to Keel & Curley Farms. (The Boozy Blondes have episodes covering all of these adventures – Busch Gardens Bier Fest releases May 19, 2022.)

Coppertail Brewing Company is the #1 independent craft brewing company in the state of Florida. Fun fact – the building was a former Hellman’s Mayonnaise factory! It is two stories with 20 beers on tap, wine, delicious food and event space. The brewing operation and offices are on site along with a testing lab and canning operation. Another fun fact – Coppertail is the first brewery in the US to use volumetric filling on its canning line. This ensures all cans are filled EXACTLY the same.

The girls each got their own flights including Rum Honey Grapefruit Florida Weiss (4% Florida Weiss), Sunken Grove Sour (4.3% fruited gose), Day Swim (6.1% coffee porter), The Return of the Carolina Scorpion (12% Imperial Double Stout), Rum Passion Fruit Lime Sour (4% Florida Weiss) and Mexican Guava Frank (3.5% Florida Weiss).

After the flights Rich and Zeus toured the girls through the entire facility. It’s huge. Listen to the interview and tour with Rich and Zeus and learn about the brewing process and the story why  Coppertail Brewing is so successful. Have you tried home Brewing? Rich and Phil swap home brew fail stories at about 33 minutes in. Maybe you can relate, but hopefully not!

Coppertail believes it is extremely important to give back to the community that supports it. You can find causes it supports on its website and even suggest your own! You can give back too – to a friend. Coppertail has a “beer it forward” program so you can buy someone a beer for his or her next visit! Make sure you are following us on Instagram and re-share our Coppertail episode post for a chance to win a Coppertail beer from the blondes (if you’re going to be visiting Coppertail in the future, of course).*

As always use social media to keep up with current Coppertail happenings – Facebook and Instagram.

*US only. Instagram and Coppertail are in no way affiliated with or responsible for this giveaway.

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 013 | Booze Cruise Vol. 1

The Boozy Blondes

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In this episode the Boozy Blondes get in vacation mode, sipping their official go-to cruise drinks, talking all things cruising. If you could consider cruising a sport, the girls would take first place every time. Chrissy is an old vet at the cruise game and taught Molly her ways – even though she has a long way to catch up to Chrissy’s experience, Molly is a quick learner and together the girls absolutely crush cruising.

The DOE and official go-to cruise drink is spiced rum and ginger beer. At home, the girls typically use Captain Morgan or Sailor Jerry’s for rum, but they are split on the ginger beer. Chrissy prefers Goya brand for its extra spice and Molly prefers Fever Tree or Q Mixers (because she doesn’t like flavor especially spice).

When on the cruises, the girls go with Kraken rum while the boys love Zacapa. On Chrissy’s group birthday cruise in 2019, the group was known as the Zacapa crew; all the bartenders knew that’s what the group was drinking when they’d walk up to the bars!

For years Molly was convinced she should never step foot on a cruise ship. Every time she was invited, and even times when she had them booked, something would happen that prevented her from going. Finally in 2018 the sun and the stars and the moon aligned, and her butt got on that ship. And she was hooked! “Cruise Molly” is the happiest person you will ever meet, and Chrissy was thrilled because her partner in crime would now scheme with her to get on even more cruises.

So even though the girls are obsessed and highly recommend cruising anytime you can, cruising is not for everyone. While the girls have avoided getting seasick, some people are more sensitive to that. Others feel claustrophobic being stuck on the ship. And there are stereotypes with cruising – the short weekend cruises are non-stop partying benders and the week-long cruises are full of old people. Just remember, it’s what YOU make it.

At time of recording, the girls have only ever cruised on Royal Caribbean (since then, Chrissy has cruised overseas on a different cruise line), and they love it. The following information applies to cruising on Royal Caribbean – the girls aren’t sure if the same rules apply on other cruise lines.

Most if not all cruise lines have a private island, and Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay has really upped its game over the years. In 2019, they opened the newly renovated island. They built a dock all the way to the ship so you no longer have to take a tender (those are not fun) and built cabanas, pools and a water park!

So as Boozy Blondes, the girls are huge fans of purchasing the drink package ahead of time – the deluxe beverage package which includes booze, of course. Before your cruise, watch the website for sales because it’s close to $100/day without any discounts. Having peace of mind when it comes to an all-inclusive experience makes the girls happy, as opposed to keeping track of how many drinks they’ve had and wondering what that final bill will look like at the end of the cruise. The drink package also works on the private island, so you don’t have to pay for your drinks individually there – there are exceptions, like the pineapple drinks. Those are not included. They are super sticky, but make great pictures!

The drink package includes bottled water, coffee, discounts on bottles of wine and tastings too! Speaking of wine, you are also allowed to bring two bottles per stateroom on board with you. Even if you purchase the drink package, it’s nice to have these bottles in your room for while you’re getting ready or relaxing on the balcony. #backupbooze

The girls put together some lists for you – including their favorite things about cruising, pro-tips, packing tips and general things you need to know.

Favorite things:

  1. The fact that you wake up in a new place every day
  2. Great for group trips – everyone does their own booking, can customize to their preferences
  3. It’s a choose your own adventure trip – so many options
  4. The themed parties (provided by ship or you plan one for your group)
  5. All the games – trivia, bingo, casino
  6. Live music
  7. Dinners – gluttonous but so fun and always delicious
  8. Drink package – the girls love getting boozy “for free” (they pay ahead of time, they know)

Pro tips:

  1. Watch for discounts online and purchase packages and excursions before you leave
  2. Bring 2 bottles of wine per stateroom on board
  3. Go to Windjammer in the AM – they sometimes have carts with mimosa and other drinks
  4. Make friends with your servers – they will take excellent care of you and customize your dining experience

Things to know:

  1. Tips/gratuity is included in price of cruise, but bring cash for servers and housekeeping for end of trip
  2. No irons in room – can get laundry service
  3. Some cruises come with drink packages and some offer different tiers
  4. You can reserve event space for private parties – and some rooms are free! Others you pay for with private bar and bartender
  5. For the drink package, all persons in stateroom must buy it if one person does
  6. You can get non-alcohol drink packages
  7. You can order water service to have bottles delivered to your room

Packing Tips:
(listen to Pack Like a Booze Traveler for more ideas)

  1. Inner tubes + bungees
  2. Special cruise cups (like the boozy blondes cups above)
  3. Plastic bags for wet clothes
  4. Dry erase boards
  5. Lanyard + hole punch
  6. Command or 3M hooks
  7. Pump hand soap

It’s always good to research your ports before you go. While the cruise line offers excursions, you can find some pretty awesome places on your own. The girls found Rip Ty’d in Nassau on their most recent cruise, and met Christine, the owner, while they were there. Watch for the Behind the Booze episode to launch later this year!

Do you have pro tips for the girls when it comes to cruising? Please share them in the comments!

Behind the Booze - Interviews, Season 1

Episode 012 | Behind the Booze – The Fermentorium Interview with Maggie Skinner

The Boozy Blondes

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The Boozy Blondes leave their sunshine state and head north to the land of beer and cheese – Wisconsin! Since cheese and beer are two of the girls’ most favorite things, it’s no wonder they felt such a great connection to The Fermentorium, a craft brewery and tasting room with two locations; one in Cedarburg, Wisconsin and one in Wauwautosa, Wisconsin.

The blondes chat with Maggie Skinner, Director of Sales & Marketing for The Fermentorium, over a few glasses of the DOE – Crispy and the Bois, a light 4.8% American Lager from Tank 8 (more about Tank 8 later).

The Fermentorium opened its doors in 2016 in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. An old warehouse was converted to a 20-barrel brew house with 7 fermenters and a canning line. This location also hosts event space and a taproom – with a mug club – that the girls desperately want to join!

Three years later, the Barrel House opened in Wauwautosa. This is strictly a taproom with its own mug club and kitchen serving Wisco classics, including some Boozy Blondes faves (mac & cheese bites, tot-chos, giant pretzels and hot dogs – and pizza from Cranky Al’s)!

So the DOE, Crispy and the Bois, was the first Tank 8 beer. Tank 8 started kind of as a joke and rolled into its own brand part of The Fermentorium. The team had a smaller tank for splitting beers and brewing smaller batches. The barrel was literally labeled Tank 8 and creative/weird beers were brewed for fun. And under the Tank 8 portfolio is the best beer the girls ever tasted – VAPE LIFE. After her first sip, Chrissy said, “this is the best beer I ever had.” This is weird because it’s an IPA – and you know the girls tend to stay away from those. But it tastes EXACTLY like cotton candy – which the girls just love.

Maggie is also the president of the national chapter of Girls Pint Out. There are over 100 chapters across the US for girls who want to learn about beer and make new friends (guys are welcome too, of course). Look for a chapter near you on its website. And make sure to say hi to Maggie when you visit either of The Fermentorium locations and tell her the Boozy Blondes sent you!

Cheers!

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 011 | Booze Delivery: Winc, Wine Insiders, Beer Drop, Drizly and More!

The Boozy Blondes

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The Boozy Blondes get deep in this episode as they reflect on the idea that time is the one thing you can’t buy more of or make more of. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Which makes booze delivery services so valuable. It saves the girls vital time when their life-stream is brought straight to them! And really…is there anything better than having booze delivered right to your door? 

The market has been flooded with different options of booze delivery services. Where do you start? Which offers the best deals? Who has the best selection? Can you gift delivery services? In this episode the girls break down nine services while enjoying a glass of their DOE: 19 Crimes Red Blend mini bottles. They reference this beverage in their “Pack Like a Booze Traveler” episode. You are sure to always find these mini bottles in both Chrissy’s and Molly’s travel bags. And fun fact, the most popular booze variety to be delivered is wine.

Currently 44 states allow delivery of alcohol – and it’s important to note this can differ by county in each state, so check your area’s rules before placing any orders. 

So going back to the most popular delivery, wine. The girls have tried 6 different services:

WINC (Get $20 off your first order here!)

  • 3 bottles/month ($39)
    • Sustainably sourced 
    • Offer most low sugar, organic and vegan options

WINE INSIDERS
*this is Chrissy’s fave

  • High quality/ low price
  • Not subscription 
  • Free shipping with 6 bottles or more
  • Pick up locations if not home
  • Offer mystery box deals (all reds, all whites, mix)

FIRST LEAF

  • 6 bottles/month ($90)

NAKED WINES

  • $40/month membership and you can use that $40 toward purchase
  • Supports independent and small wine makers

BRIGHT CELLARS

  • wine matching quiz for taste profile
  • 4 bottles/month ($80)

VINESSE 

  • $99/ month, six bottles reserved for you – you can accept, decline or delay your bottles

Next the girls discuss delivery services specific to beer:

BEER DROP

  • great selection of beer
  • Easy to work with
  • AI-driven assortment (quiz)
  • Access to small breweries
  • $39/month
  • You can send this to someone – Molly received a Beer Drop delivery from Chrissy!

 TAVOUR

  • virtual case to fill with beer
  • Beer from 47 states (limited number released)
  • Ships to you once full

All-inclusive – wine, beer and liquor:

DRIZLY (Support our podcast by using our affiliate link here)

  • shop all local retailers and price check
  • Delivery under 60 minutes 
  • You can buy someone a drink through Drizly (Chrissy was gifted this from her brother!) As a gift, the recipient is notified and then can choose when to schedule delivery

TOTAL WINE

  • unsure how far delivery radius is? In Jacksonville, Florida, Total Wine does offer delivery services as far north as Amelia Island and as far south as St. Augustine.
  • Online ordering available for pickup, curbside or delivery. Chrissy has placed orders ahead of time and has her Boozy counterpart deliver (#phoneafriend)

The girls wrap up the episode as they do most, with their Fast Five questions. One of the questions was what drinks would you have delivered from a bar if you could and Chrissy answered Christmas drinks from Forgotten Tonic. Learn more about these drinks in our Behind the Booze with John Moore episode.

With so many options to choose from, the girls would love to hear your favorite delivery services! Leave a comment if you have a go-to. 

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 010 | St. Patty’s Day

The Boozy Blondes

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They say on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish. When it comes to the Boozy Blondes, Chrissy has Irish in her blood and Molly has Irish in her name. So naturally, the girls love celebrating this religious Irish holiday (being celebrated by the Irish for over 1000 years)! But as you listen to this episode, you’ll learn St. Patty’s Day boozy celebrations are more of an American party day than Irish party day.

The DOE is Glazed Over by Mobcraft Beer. In case you didn’t follow the Boozy Blondes Instagram account (@boozy.blondes) over December, the girls celebrated the 24 days leading up to Christmas with a Mobcraft Beer Advent Calendar. Glazed Over is a 7.6% Imperial Cream Ale brewed with whole glazed doughnuts and honey, sprinkled with cinnamon, vanilla and just a hint of maple. One of the girls’ favorites out of the calendar.

While it’s a religious holiday, most Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a drinking holiday.  Green beer, whisky, Guinness…everyone is Irish on St. Patty’S Day, right? Parades are a St. Patty’s Day staple and fun fact – the very first St. Patty’s Day parade in the whole world was held not in Ireland, but the Boozy Blondes’ hometown of St. Augustine in 1601! And the Boozy Blondes’ original hometown of Scranton, PA, has one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the country! Scranton’s “Parade Day” is actually the second largest in the country for a city its size. The largest St. Patty’s Day parade in the world is in New York City; the parade in Dublin is #3.

The girls look forward to celebrating St. Patty’s Day in St. Augustine every year, especially when they are in town to attend Celtic Music & Heritage Festival. What’s better than celebrating in the first US town that ever held a St. Patrick’s Day party?! This year St. Augustine’s Celtic Fest is March 12-13, 2022, at Francis Field in downtown St. Augustine. Celtic Fest is a 2-day celebration of music (with performances from bands like Albanach, Steel City Rovers and Jamison), food, booze, shopping, Highland games and kid areas. Daily passes are $15, but you can purchase a 2-day VIP pass for $80. This VIP pass gets you access to all listed above but also includes a free beer, t-shirt, special area access and private bathrooms.

Friday night (March 11th) hosts a whiskey tasting for $50. The Boozy Blondes bought their tickets minutes after they recorded this episode. They will get to sample 7 whiskies and learn the stories/history behind them. We’ll see if the girls remember the stories after sampling all that whiskey…

For the Boozy Blondes, no St. Patty’s Day is complete without the perfect costumes, and you can expect to see the girls decked out in their Celtic green! They would love to see your St. Patty’s Day dubs, so be sure to share your pictures and tag @boozy.blondes on Instagram!

Whether or not you attend Celtic Fest or the St. Patty’s Day parade in St. Augustine, there are plenty of great bars and restaurants to visit to soak in the Irish culture, no matter what time of year. Some of the blondes’ recommendations are Barley Republic, Meehans, Bull & Crown, Kings Head British Pub, Ann O’Malleys and Chatsworth (with amazing Guinness stew).

Sláinte!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 009 | Keel & Curley Farm

The Boozy Blondes

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The Boozy Blondes dug out their boots, hats, overalls and plaid and spent the day down on the farm – Keel Farms…and Winery…and Brewery. Yes, so many fun things all on one piece of property! Quick background – Keel Farms was started by Joe Keel in 1981 across 10 acres in Plant City, Florida. In 2003 it transformed to a nursery for blueberries, and Joe used the end of year crop of blueberries to make wine. His first batch was 10 gallons.

By 2013 the farm expanded to 35 acres and regularly produced craft beers and ciders…along with the wine, of course. In 2018 Joe’s son Clay and his wife Carmen took over and focused on making the farm a family friendly, fun place to visit with dedication to sustainability and community.

The DOE is Dog Rose Crewing Company’s Lion’s Head Honey Sour, a 5.2% kettle sour with honey made by the bees posting up in the lion’s head at the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine!

Keel Farms is definitely a destination, and the girls loved every minute spent on the farm. They happened to visit on Halloween, and there was a special event that day benefitting a big dog rescue. Because of its popularity the girls arrived right at 11am when it opened to try to get a table (they had called weeks prior to make a reservation, but they were already booked up – so, plan your trip well in advance). You know how important food is to the girls, and if they wanted to try a variety of ciders, wines and beers, they need to start with a good base!

Because of the special even, Keel Farms was offering the deal of a lifetime – at least it felt like the deal of a lifetime that day. If you said at the bar, for $10 you could get a bottomless flute. With your flute, you could try ANYTHING Keel Farms had on tap! This was a dream come true for the Boozy Blondes! (And Phil!) They tried almost everything on tap and both agreed the favorite was the seasonal pumpkin cider.

The food was delicious. They shared the fried gator tail as an appetizer, which had a surprisingly beautiful presentation! Rainer had the Cubano, Molly had the Wine Smash Burger and Phil & Chrissy split the Blue + Bleu Smash Burger.

After tasting until their hearts’ content, the girls got full sized pumpkin ciders and took off to explore the farm (and walk off those burgers). Keel Farms encourages guests to wander the property with a drink in hand, and the girls did just that. They had booked a tour, and Elizabeth was their tour guide. Full of dad jokes and an expert tractor driver, Elizabeth took the group through the production site and spent a little time with the Boozy Blondes following the tour (listen to her interview in this episode).

There is so much to do at Keel Farms, the girls want to go back as soon as they can. When they return, some must-dos include:

  1. Talk to Omar, head brewer
  2. Try Pecan Brown Ale
  3. Attend another event supporting the community
  4. Bring more friends
  5. Yoga in the vineyard
  6. Other tours (especially if Elizabeth is the tour guide)

Make sure to follow Keel & Curley Farms on its Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up with all the fun events they host throughout the year like trivia nights, live music, wine and flower arranging, charcuterie board making, 5k wine runs, etc.

As always, share your experience with the blondes! If you’ve been to Keel & Curley Farms, share your pictures and tell them about your experience through the Anchor app or in the comments below!

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 008 | Tailgating!

The Boozy Blondes

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The Boozy Blondes cover the fine art of tailgating. Yes, it’s an art. It’s what the blondes look forward to most before (and sometime during) any outdoor event! Their experience over the years has led them to compile a valuable list of tailgating must-haves. Read on and follow the Amazon link at the end of this entry to access the ultimate tailgate accessory list.

The drink of the episode (DOE) is Pinot Noir. What?! Totally not a traditional tailgating go-to libation…unless you’re Chrissy who downed her weight in White Zin during her college years. Think about that. Running around, playing yard games, causing ruckus, chugging white zin. (Anyone else getting mouth sweats?)

When the blondes recorded this episode it was the start of Fantasy Football season. Molly (Fantasy Team, White Knucklers, shout out to The League) was 1-4, getting killed. We are happy to report this Boozy Blonde made an amazing comeback and took 3rd place in the Central Florida League!!!

During this episode the Boozy Blondes talk about the history of tailgating in their lives, and reminisce about tailgate days together over the years. Favorite tailgates include University of Central Florida (UCF) games and OAR concerts at The Amp. With their competitive nature the blondes always include games at their tailgates. Beer pong, Frisbeer and Flip Cup are their faves.

Chrissy’s favorite tailgate ever took place August 30, 2014, in Dublin, Ireland. UCF played Penn State in the Croke Park Classic. (Days) prior to the game fans partied/tailgated at bars in Temple Bar Terrace. What better place for a tailgate than Dublin?! Game day was exciting – it was a close game, but the Nittany Lions pulled out a victory in the final seconds with a 36-yard field goal kicked by Sam Ficken. Boooooooo.

Living in St. Augustine, the Boozy Blondes aren’t far from Jacksonville, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. TIAA Bank offers a Tailgaters Lot – a dream come true for Chrissy and Molly! Traditional tailgating yard, real bathrooms (not outhouses), a full bar and TVs! Airstream Ventures have also got into the tailgate game by opening up River City Railway across from the Tailgaters Lot, 25 rail cars available to rent out!  This is a must-do for the Boozy Blondes!

Dream tailgates – both blondes chose NFL events for their bucket list spots. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers) for Molly and the Superdome (New Orleans Saints) for Chrissy. Both girls love the energy and team pride both cities emulate during game day and want to be a part of it.

So what do you think? Where should the Boozy Blondes experience tailgating? What are your favorite tailgate games? Favorite tailgate foods and drinks? The girls would love to hear from you, so send your thoughts through Anchor, comment on this blog entry or send an email!

Check out the Boozy Blondes’ ultimate tailgate list here. Cheers!