Tag: drinking podcast

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 024 | Drinking Abroad – Italy & Greece

The Boozy Blondes

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Settle in, lushes! We are crossing the pond and drinking abroad today! We highly recommend this episode if you’re planning a trip to Greece or Italy, or if you’d like to live vicariously through one of the Boozy Blondes and her fabulous trip overseas!

The DOE is aperol spritz (3 parts Champagne, 2 parts aperol, 1 part sparkling water over ice). In Italy spritz is big, made with any aperitif + Champagne + fizzy water. All the locals drink spritzes (especially as a day drink) and most often they are served with crisps (chips) or snack towers. This is your pro tip – order a spritz, it’s the best value – for about 5€ you get a drink and snacks!

Chrissy’s trip spanned over 19 days – and it was full of planes, trains and automobiles. And boats. Her trip was in late March/early April which is typically the off-season in Italy and Greece. During the off-season you can expect a low amount of tourists, it’s easy to get into restaurants, hotel rates are discounted, but the weather is hit or miss and not everything is open. Locals recommend traveling In September.

In this episode Chrissy shares travel tips, favorite bars and differences in the drinking culture as she takes listeners through her adventures in Italy and and cruising through Greece. She visits:

  • Milan, Italy
  • Venice, Italy
  • Padua/Padova, Italy
  • Verona, Italy
  • Madonna della Corona, Italy
  • Bolzano, Italy
  • Kotor, Montenegro
  • Mykonos, Greece
  • Santorini, Greece
  • Bari, Italy

One drinking culture difference in Italy – the coffee game is strong. Coffee bars are actual bars, and there are different trends for different times of day. In the morning grab coffee and snacks, breakfast pastries or meatballs. Meatballs for breakfast?! This may be the one exception to Molly’s “no morning meat” rule. They sound delish. Don’t get comfy though; locals enjoy their coffee and snacks while standing at the bar and move on. Starting around 11am the coffee bars start serving spritz and chips (crisps) – unlike breakfast, you can sit down for this one. Later in day, around 7 pm-ish is cicchetti (happy hour), then after 8pm, it’s time for wine with dinner.

Chrissy’s favorite bars in Italy:

– Vino Vero (Venice) – Chrissy enjoyed a cooking class in Venice with Lorenzo. (Lorenzo’s house made the favorite bar list too). He recommended his favorite at Vino Vero, Amarone wine.

– Sophias cafe (best craft beer)

– Santa Maria (brewery in Verona – taproom)

– Retro Wine & Cocktail Bar (Venice)

– Cafe Rialto (Venice)

– Caffe Vergnano (comparable to Starbucks)

– Marie Bistrot (Verona)

– Bottega Vini (Verona with 198 pages of wine)

– Antica gelateria del corso (base of the Madonna della Corona church – Spiazzi, Italy)

– Hopfen & Co (Bolzano, Italy)

Chrissy boarded her cruise ship from Venice and immediately noticed a big difference from the cruises the Boozy Blondes frequent in the Caribbean (listen to Episode 013 Booze Cruise for tips to making the most out of your weekend cruise). This particular European cruise was filled with young families, the drink package was not a priority (she was willing to bet she and Phil were the only ones with a drink package – they were ship favorites with the bartenders!), the activities were not in English, and it was a “commuter cruise” – people were boarding and debarking in all the ports. But similar to the Caribbean cruises, the ship docked in beautiful places!

The first stop was Kotor, Montenegro which was so picturesque or rather, Game of Thrones-esque, as Chrissy describes it. There were cats everywhere (they are protected), and Christmas is very big there. Chrissy recommends Caesar’s Wine Bar for the best charcuterie board and inexpensive wine.

The next port was Mykonos – a party place in season, but it was pretty much shut down when Chrissy was there. It reminded her of a little Venice and she visited Mykonos Brewing Company with Yoshi!  (This is the only brewery on the island). She recommends Katerina’s Bar on water with great views and Captain’s.

There was one place Chrissy wanted to visit more than anywhere else – Santorini! “I had happy tears the whole time!” she says. While more places were open here than in Mykonos there still weren’t many tourists. If you visit, go to the Meteor Cafe in Oia and the Venetsanos Winery. Guests can take a tour here, and they offer a tasting flight with a meat and cheese board.

The last port was Bari, but Chrissy didn’t get off the boat this day. Perhaps an excuse to go back?

Chrissy’s parting tips in this episode:

  • You know it’s a long day of travel to get overseas – it helps to have airline club level (check out airline credit card deals if you aren’t currently a member) – long layovers = expensive bar trips otherwise
  • book First class on trains – she experienced both First and General fares and the ease of logistics and lack of stress in First Class is well worth the price
  • Pay for the international data plan for phones – download google maps and gps routes to avoid getting lost when there is no service or Internet
  • When in Venice, splurge for a private water taxi, not a vaparetto (Chrissy describes a vaparetto as a bus on water – it’s only 7 to 15 euro OW or you can buy daily, weekly or monthly passes, whereas a private taxi is about 90 euro but it takes your door to door rather than a random vaparetto stop. When you arrive in Venice, depending where the stop is in relation to your lodging, you may have to drag your luggage through streets quite a ways

Have you traveled to any of these locations? What are some of your must-sees?

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 023 | Pub Pedal: St. Augustine Beach Bars: Jack’s BBQ, Salt Life, Beachcombers, Sunset Grille, Mango Mango’s and More!

The Boozy Blondes

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Get ready to soak up some beach vibes with the Boozy Blondes as they pedal their way through their favorite St. Augustine Beach bars! Whether it be dive bars, boujee resorts, local haunts or tourist highlights, St. Augustine Beach has it all!

The DOE is painkillers for an extra tropical, beachy vibe. Chrissy has nailed the recipe:

  • 5oz pineapple/OJ juice (premixed from the store)
  • 1oz coconut milk (regular coconut milk, not the thick, super delicious stuff. The regular milk saves you calories and sugar though!)
  • 2 oz dark rum (Chrissy recommends Kraken)
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • Moonshine cherry garnish

The pub pedal tradition started July 16, 2013, when the boozy blondes corralled a handful of friends and executed an 8-mile ride, covering four bars. The route has changed over the years, but the level of excitement, fun and fabulous drinks for each journey has not. In fact, in Episode 3 (Pub Pedal – St. Augustine Craft Breweries), the girls tackle four local breweries on their bikes.

This particular pub pedal started at Little Margies FA Cafe. Little Margies is a small beachside restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and wine, beer and Champagne.

Next stop was a strenuous pedal to the top of the Embassy Suites driveway mountain (seriously, it’s pretty steep). This is not your typical Embassy Suites. It’s right on the beach and it’s stunning. The girls love this resort with the Rhum Bar, Harvest and Reel restaurant and their favorite, Castaway Cantina pool bar. You can’t not feel like you’re on vacation when you sip a tropical drink at the beautiful watering hole!

Normally on their beach pub pedals the girls stop at the St. Augustine Beach Pier for a hot dog and a game of bocce after the Embassy. The pier is home to a splash park, fishing pier and beach access. On Wednesdays in the summer it hosts Music and Art by the Sea an evening of live music, art show and food trucks. But on this particular pub pedal, the girls skipped the Pier and rode over to Jack’s BBQ.

Jack’s has been a St. Augustine Beach favorite since 1945! It’s “one block from St. Augustine Beach and features a brewery, pool, multiple bars, pool tables and unofficial mascot, Jack’s Cat.” Patrons can walk right up from the beach and enjoy a full bar and good food – especially the fries. Recently Jack’s owner Brud Helhoski opened Bootlegger Beach Brewing on site!

The St. Augustine Beach Pub Pedal ended with another beach favorite, Tides Oyster Co & Grill, otherwise lovingly known as “the old Dunes,” because Dunes Cracker was the name of this bar during early St. Augustine life for the girls. Tides offers nightly events like trivia, live music and Flip Night and serves up awesome oysters and wings.

The girls don’t have enough time (or booze tolerance) to visit all their favorite St. Augustine Beach bars during a pub pedal, so they switch up their route from time to time. Salt Life Food Shack is a new kid on the block and definitely attracts the tourists. They offer fun specials like Sushi Tuesdays and Oyster & Margarita Thursdays as well as transportation to their location if you are within a certain radius!

Beachcomber opened in the 1940s just like its neighbor across the street Jack’s and has seen some transformation over the years. Currently it offers a full bar and pretty fantastic menu! It’s the closest you can get to eating on the beach in St. Augustine; some tables are literally in the sand!

Sunset Grille is an all-time favorite for the girls. With its Key West atmosphere and extensive menu, it attracts locals and tourists alike “somewhere on A1A.” Another all-time favorite for its food is Mango Mango’s. The bar offers beer and wine and fun wine-based cocktails and homemade sangria.

Burrito Works Taco Shop and Café 11 are two other spots for fantastic food and assortment of drinks. The Taco Shop is a great spot to grab a bite after a day on the beach; and you can visit them in downtown St. Augustine as well! Café 11 is a music venue hosting some popular names and serving up delicious food – “the combination of locale and cuisine attracts tourists for weekend brunch, hipsters for the music, retirees for the pork barbecue and surfers for a daily dose of buffalo chicken panini.”

Last but definitely not least on the must-see beach bars list is Panama Hatties. Panamas recently endured a major face-lift and looks amazing. The girls have fond memories of crazy nights in the formerly beach-weathered dive bar by day/sleazy club by night and are impressed by the much-needed renovations. Panamas was first established in 2001 and reestablished in 2019.

So whether they are reminiscing of beach nights past or checking out the new establishments on the beach, the girls love St. Augustine Beach and any opportunity to lather on the sunblock and pedal their way to their next cocktail with the salty sea breeze at their backs!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 020 | Miami: Bars, Breweries, Boats & Baseball: Pareidolia Brewing, Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe, Cerveceria la Tropical, Veza Sur, loanDepot Park (Milwaukee Brewers at Miami Marlins)

The Boozy Blondes

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Traditionally when you hear “Miami,” your mind instantly goes to palm trees, fashion, expensive cars, South Beach and non-stop parties. But did you know Miami is home to 40 breweries and beer halls nestled among the cute suburbs of its downtown? Miami hosts an often overlooked craft beer scene and the Boozy Blondes tackle a sliver of it in this episode.

The DOE is Vape Life by Tank8 at The Fermentorium in southeastern Wisconsin (hear more about the Fermentorium in Episode 12). Vape Life is a Cotton Candy IPA and the girls’ favorite beer ever! The also cracked cans of delicious Spa Goggles, a 4% ABV gose with cucumber and lime flavors from Ology Brewing in Tallahassee, Florida, since they crushed Vape Life in no time.

So the girls ventured south to Miami for Molly’s birthday. They planned a day-drinking brewery tour day and a Brewers game since they were playing the Miami Marlins. During the drive they stopped halfway to Miami in Sebastian, Florida, at Pareidolia Brewing Company. Pareidolia’s definition according to Miriam Webster is the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern // the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness (like an ink blot test or seeing pictures in clouds). The blondes loved this concept and noticed multiple examples in the decor of the brewery. The logo is a perfect example of a pareidolia – it’s a barrel but it looks like a face!

Pareidolia opened in 2014 and was the first craft brewery in the area. Fun fact, the owners also co-founded the Treasure Coast Wine & Ale Trail: 9 breweries, one winery, one cidery and one meadery! You know the girls want to tackle this trail!

Anyway Pareidolia is family friendly and dog friendly, with a brew room, taproom and outdoor area. They feature live music, beer, wine, seltzer, cider, and food. As you know, food is very important to the Boozy Blondes, so shout out to drinklocalflorida.com who makes it so easy to find breweries with food in different parts of the state.

They arrived right around lunchtime and with their food Molly ordered a flight of the Slow Paddle Porter (5.2%), Knee Deep in Peaches Smash Beer (4.7%), Gotta Guava Kettle Sour (4.7%), and Don’t Call Me Ginger (5.9% Red Ale). She then ordered a regular sized Knee Deep in Peaches, her favorite from the flight. Chrissy drank Berry Good Seltzer.

Before they left, the girls announced the winner of their Coppertail Brewing Beer it Forward contest – congrats to @seang_thatsme for winning a beer courtesy of the Boozy Blondes!  Be sure to follow Pareidolia on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all that’s happening here!

Second stop was Pompano Beach for a Happy Hour booze cruise to Lake Boca. Big thanks to Mike and Colleen, the booze cruise hosts – Mike even listened to Episode 13 (Booze Cruise) so he was prepared for the Boozy Blondes!  After spending time on the water the crew stopped at Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe in Lighthouse Point for dinner.  They enjoyed pretzels, burgers and grouper Reubens and were impressed by the fantastic service at this waterfront restaurant.

From here it was time to finish the journey south and check in to the hotel. They girls stayed in Brickell, Miami’s financial district and close to Wynwood where the brewery crawl would take place.

Wynwood is a beautiful, trendy suburb of Miami, and the girls definitely did not have enough time here! It’s an art district with over 70 galleries and murals everywhere! First stop in Wynwood was Cerveceria la Tropical – Cuba’s oldest brewery, but one of Miami’s youngest breweries. The girls were blown away when they walked up to this brewery. It’s stunning. Stunning! It’s pet friendly, open and airy with the brewery, tap room, beer garden, stage, kitchen and full bar all on site. Listen to this episode to hear the amazing history of this brewery stemming from its Cuban roots.

(The girls return to Miami in Episode 037 | Miami Florida Breweries, Bars, Speakeasies and Little Havana and interview Cerveceria la Tropical brewer Harold Perez Mendoza in Episode 038 | Behind the Booze – Cerveceria la Tropical: Interview with Brewer Harold Perez Mendoza!)

Chrissy drank the Mameycita (La Tropocal’s version of a pain killer) and had the Cuban sandwich. Molly enjoyed a flight of Nativo Key Suave IPA (4.5%) which was poured tank to glass, Noche Tropical (4.6% Schwartzbier), Tropicalista IPA (6.9%), and Berry Blush (5% wheat beer). She also had the Fields Forever cocktail (basil infused vodka, guava, strawberry and St. Germain) and ate smashed Brussels and Yucca fries.

The girls begrudgingly pulled themselves away to hit another brewery on their list but definitely want to return to Cerveceria La Tropical soon! Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for events and specials.

While it was difficult to leave La Tropical, the girls were glad they did because their next stop was Veza Sur Brewing, which they also loved! Veza Sur is home to a brewery, taproom and beer garden – and delicious beer and creative beer cocktails! It’s pet friendly, has lots of games and hosts a food truck on site. It’s adorable inside with a giant bookshelf behind the bar displaying hundreds of fun knickknacks.

Chrissy opted for a beer cocktail, Shoot the Moon, a super tart concoction of Veza Sur’s guava sour mixed with fresh Florida citrus, house brewed Campari and mint. Molly again ordered a flight that came with a bonus cafe con flan (5.6% ABV coffee porter topped with flan)! The other beers on her flight were Chismosa Raspberry Wheat Ale (6.4%), Lulo Sour (3.8%), Prickly Pear Sour (6%) and Key Lime Sour (6%). Everything was so good!

Veza Sur offers daily happy hour specials so be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Because the girls spent so much time at these two breweries, they were unable to visit any others. They had to get back and changed for the Brewers game at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. The girls were impressed by the stadium and really enjoyed the game and atmosphere. Pro tip – if you arrive early hit the Bud bar in left field for $3.05 beers! During the game you can visit the 305 Concession Stand for $3 hot dogs and $5 beers (12oz cans). loanDepot Park is also home to Biscayne Bay Brewing Company!

While not on this trip, Chrissy was able to visit some other great breweries and bars in the Miami area:

3 Sons Brewing in Dania Beach, Florida. 3 Sons boasts “out of the box brewing” offering unique flavors and awesome food! It’s family-run and family friendly. During her visit Chrissy enjoyed Fer Sherbet (7.2% sour), Sour Scoop (8%) and Smooth Ops Pina Colada (6% Smoothie-style Hard Seltzer). She also ordered the ceviche! Has anyone ever has brewery ceviche before? It’s excellent at 3 Sons!

J Wakefield Brewing in Wynwood, Miami. This brewery is perfect for the Boozy Blondes – it offers lots of sours! This brewery is independently owned and used crowd funding to open its first brewery. 

Chrissy also stopped at Marabou (great empanadas), American Social (fantastic happy hour), Limonada Bar + Brunch (spin the drinking wheel of chance!), Batch (distillery) and Versailles (world famous Cuban restaurant).

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So while South Beach is fabulous and fun, the greater Miami area also has lots to offer and the Boozy Blondes and have only begun to scratch the surface. ¡Dale!

Behind the Booze - Interviews, Season 1

Episode 019 | Behind the Booze, Rip Ty’d Brewing Interview with Christine Albury

The Boozy Blondes

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Grab a tropical drink and soak up those vacay vibes as the Boozy Blondes share their interview with Christine Albury, owner of Rip Ty’d Brewing in Nassau, Bahamas! During a port day in Nassau on a recent weekend cruise, the girls set out to find this adorable brewery they had noticed online before their trip. A bit off the beaten path, it’s a quick 15 minute walk east on Bay Street and south one block on Armstrong Street. Basically, when you get off the ship, take a left on Bay Street away from the Straw Market and Senior Frogs.

(Quick disclaimer – the girls’ shirts were hand-selected by the Boozy Bros in the first tourist shop they found on Bay Street. Each person chose a touristy tee for someone else to wear.)

The DOE is the Tipsy Mermaid. So cute! It’s Rip Ty’d’s watermelon pilsner, vodka, cranberry juice, club soda and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Rip Ty’d Brewing opened about 3 years ago. Christine’s late husband Tyrone had brewed beer about 25 years ago, and one day she and her business partner decided to learn how to brew the old recipe (currently on tap at Rip Ty’d, called Fools Gold, a 4% EPA). After mastering the recipe, they began to test the product in the market and had a very positive response. Soon later, Rip Ty’d Brewing was born.

The Rip Ty’d building is home to the brewery, tap room and beer garden. The tap room is designed with Nassau’s rich history and culture in mind. The centerpiece is the bar. It is an old sloop that had coincidentally been caught up in rip tide. The taps are hand-carved mermaids and mermaid tails. Old family postcards of Nassau’s landscape and original trades like straw work and sponging have been transformed to art pieces, allowing guests a look at how the island has changed over the years. When inside Rip Ty’d, you truly feel a heartbeat; you feel part of the Rip Ty’d family, and you feel part of the rich Nassau culture.

Rip Ty’d offers four to seven beers on tap depending on the season and also offers craft cocktails, serving whisky, vodka and tequila. (The girls each took delicious margaritas to go for their walking drinks back to the ship!) During their visit, four beers were on tap, so the girls tried them all! Fools Gold, Loose Goat Porter (7%), Island Hopper IPA (6.5%) and Farmer’s Daughter Pilsner (6%).

The beer garden is home to fun events and food truck nights! Be sure to follow Rip Ty’d on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the happenings – there could be a fun event during your visit to Nassau!

Listen to Christine’s interview to hear about what it takes to run a successful brewery, challenges to brewing on an island and her expansion plans for Rip Ty’d. Make sure to visit Rip Ty’d Brewing next time you’re in the Bahamas and share your pictures with the Boozy Blondes! It’s truly an authentic place to visit in Nassau with a Bahamian made product. There are very few places like Rip Ty’d, so be sure to wander over and enjoy the craft beer and craft cocktails tucked away on a nostalgic street in Nassau.

(For more Rip Ty’d fun, listen to Episode 043 | Booze Cruise Vol. 2 when the girls go back to the Bahamas and visit Christine!)

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 018 | 4th of July

The Boozy Blondes

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! Grab a hot dog, your patriotic gear and some sparklers while you tune in to this episode about America’s annual birthday party.

The DOE is Sour Me America from DuClaw Brewing in Baltimore, Maryland. This 5.5% ABV sour is as delicious as it is appropriate for the 4th of July and the description is fantastic: Like a patriotic, lip-puckering fruit popsicle in your glass, we’ve brought together three refreshing fruit flavors to rocket you into summer with ‘Sour Me America.’ Brewed with cherry & raspberry purees, lime juice & tart cherry juice. Sip freely!

The blondes dive into a little history and reminisce about Independence Day Celebrations past. The final version of the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and a year later Congress adjourned early to celebrate the year anniversary of our country’s independence. Since then, game on. We celebrate year after year after year!

The Declaration of Independence authors were Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Roger Livingston. #themoreyouknow

Present day, the best places to celebrate are:

Growing up the girls remember celebrating the 4th with their parents’ friends – Chrissy in Philly and Molly in Tunkhannock. The girls started celebrating together in the late 2000s outside The Villages, Florida, on Lake Weir. More recently they tend to stick around St. Augustine and enjoy biking around their own city who hosts one of the most spectacular fireworks shows over the Castillo de San Marcos and Matanzas Bay.

The girls wrap up this episode with some trivia. Do you know the answers? Tune in to see if you’re correct!

  1. Where was the first Independence Day celebration held?
  2. How many times does the Liberty Bell ring on every Independence Day?
  3. What is the location of the nation’s oldest 4th of July parade?
  4. What was the total number of people who signed Declaration of Independence?
  5. What food is most commonly consumed on the 4th of July?
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!