NYC take a Weekend trip Tasting Bourbons?This Fredericksburg Virgina Bed & Breakfast Might Be Your Dream Visit, Owen King from Ironclad Distillery shares Delicious Details
Ironclad Inn is the first B & B & B – Bed & Breakfast & Bourbon Tasting Room.
Ironclad Inn is the first B & B & B – Bed & Breakfast & Bourbon Tasting Room
Today’s conversation with Distiller Owen King from Ironclad Distillery has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Owen King, Ironclad Distillery
Joe Winger:
A lot of really cool things are happening right now. I want to jump into your tasting room, the distillery, we’ll get into bourbon tastings in a few minutes.
But first and foremost, what’s the most important thing with Ironclad right now for you?
Owen King:
The most important thing about Ironclad for me right now is the same thing it’s always been, trying to make the best bourbon we can.
The other thing is spreading the word about our bed and breakfast; and bourbon. It’s a bed and breakfast in Fredericksburg that when you’re there, you can drink bourbon.
Ironclad’s famous Old Fashioned cocktail
We make a lot of old fashions there and we always have all these leftover oranges. Now the perfect thing is in the morning you have fresh squeezed orange juice from our [leftover] old fashions.
It’s really working double duty now.
Besides that I just love the fact that we can now expand our distillery up to Fredericksburg. So we can have more people try our bourbon and enjoy our bourbon, which is the goal.
Joe Winger:
Getting to know you before you jump into Ironclad, I want to use the word “were”, you were a football player and cooking changed your life.
Tell us more about your cooking. Was there a special dish that enhanced your life?
Owen King:
I’m Italian. So obviously with the Italian genes, we share our love through food. Growing up I cooked a lot.
When I went to college [I cooked] for my teammates. I’d make dinner for everyone. So when we decided to open the bourbon distillery, I figured, I know how to cook. I think I could probably figure out how to make bourbon.
I know flavors. I know how things go well together. I think I have a pretty decent palette.
So putting all those things together to make a great bourbon was the goal.
Food is one of those things where you never stop improving. I feel the same about bourbon.
FlavRReport.com on YouTube
Joe Winger:
Is there a favorite dish?
Owen King:
Breaded chicken cutlets and spaghetti.
That is how it started. Then I was like “I really like cheese.” Maybe I could put cheese in with the breadcrumbs and then do that. Then I started expanding. Chicken Parm. Making my own sauce. Thinking I could add something here to make that better.
It’s the same way I look at bourbon.
Thinking, “I like what this person’s doing. Let me see what they’re doing. I can build off that to make it work on my own.”
Creating my own recipes, going from there, just continually tweaking little things here and there.
We’ll make a 5% difference, maybe a 10% difference.
Joe Winger:
Ironclad Distillery is in Newport News, Virginia. The bed and breakfast Ironclad Inn is in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
For most people when we think of bourbon, we don’t always think of Virginia as the first choice. What would surprise us most about coming down to Virginia for a bourbon tasting and staying the night?
Ironclad Distillery
Owen King:
If you’re coming down to Virginia, you have to remember Virginia is the birthplace of American spirits. The first place spirits were made in the new colonies, in the new world, was here in Virginia.
The first corn liquor which would eventually become bourbon, was made in Virginia.
You can also talk about Elijah Craig, who was from Fairfax County, Virginia, before he moved out to Kentucky.
On top of that, Kentucky wasn’t a state until 1793. Evan Williams was doing distillation in 1783, and at that point Kentucky was still Virginia.
The birthplace of bourbon is right here in Virginia.
I’ve been to Kentucky a lot. They talk about the birthplace of bourbon being there in Kentucky.
Maybe the territory it’s in was Kentucky, but it was still Virginia at the time.
Whenever someone comes by, I can tell them the history of actual bourbon, where you’re gonna get the whole story, not just the fantasized story that you get in Kentucky.
Joe Winger:
I’m incredibly glad you just shared that.
Let’s talk about The Ironclad Bed and Breakfast now. The bourbon tasting room, the event space.
Owen King:
We wanted to spread our bourbon out around the state. We’ve always really liked Fredericksburg. It’s a beautiful town. It’s got a ton of history to it.
Nothing goes better with bourbon than a good story.
So we can always tell our history while drinking. So with our bed and breakfast, we looked at what the bigger guys were doing. A lot of them were starting to have these places where you could stay [the night] and get an experience to go along with it.
We really wanted to spread our Ironclad experience.
We have a tasting room. It’s beautifully decorated by my sister. We’ve got a bottle shop where you can pick up pretty much every one of our bourbons that are available. We’ve got a bar so you can try it from our seasonal cocktail menus where we change it five times a year.
We have a winter, a fall, a spring, summer [menu].Then a holiday menu as well.
No matter what time of year you’re there, you’re trying something that’s going to go well seasonally.
Everyone likes seasonal drinks. You don’t want to drink in the fall, what you’d drink in the summer.
We always have an old fashioned and it’s a damn good old fashioned.
Then we also have an event space. We have weddings. We’ve had 50th birthday parties.
Ironclad Inn wedding and special events
We’ve had any event that you want to tie into with our bourbon or just if you want a beautiful event space in a building that was built in 1793 we have that as a great option.
It’s a really cool spot that you can go and see and experience.
It’s something we want to share, our love for bourbon with everyone.
Whether you’re here in Newport News or in Fredericksburg, you’ll get a King family member there to tell you our story and tell you all about our bourbon and show you around.
Ironclad Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Joe Winger:
Outstanding. Let’s get to the tasty part now. You have several amazing bottles. When someone comes to your tasting room this weekend, what should they be looking forward to?
Owen King:
We do a few bottle releases that are once a year for us. One of my favorites.
A five year, three barrel blend of three 30 gallon barrels. Bottle of Bond.
The history alone is one of my favorite things to talk about. In 1897 the federal government stepped in because there was people dying from drinking bad whiskey.
They stepped in to “certify” everything in there.
“If you bottle it at four years old and at 100 proof, we will claim that this is a bottle and bond bourbon certified” by the federal government that it is safe to drink.
That story alone is one of my favorites of bourbon lore.
We just want to make sure that we do that every year that we can.
It’s absolutely one of my favorite bourbons. It’s our four grain mash bill. 70% corn 10% wheat, 10% rye, 10% malted barley.
So with the corn and the wheat, it adds a nice sweetness to it. But then the rye is there to kind of balance that whole thing out. Before it gets [to be] a very sweet bourbon, it balances out, a little baking spice, maybe even some clove, maybe a little black pepper.
It balances it out to be a nice, rounded bourbon.
Ironclad Sweeter Creations Maple Syrup Cask
Joe Winger:
Let’s move on to your Maple Syrup Cask.
Owen King:
Absolutely delicious. But this is a cast finish, not a flavored bourbon. So we’re not adding maple syrup to it. People who drink it might think it’s going to be super sweet and not going to like it. Because they don’t like maple syrup.
This is my version of drinking maple syrup responsibly and not getting diabetes.
After we empty our barrels, we give them to a maple syrup producer in upstate New York. He’ll age his maple syrup using our bourbon barrels.
By doing that through transference, there’s about a gallon of bourbon stuck in the staves of the wood. So when he puts a new liquid in there, that maple syrup is going to absorb into the wood and that bourbon is going to come back out.
Now his maple syrup is picking up that beautiful bourbon flavor and we are picking up all that maple syrup flavor into the wood.
When he brings those barrels back down to us, we put our aged bourbon back in there and we let him finish in there for about three to six months.
After we take the bourbon out, it’s now got this beautiful, mild sweetness, but it’s got that hint of maple syrup at the end.
I always say, I don’t want it to be maple syrup with a hint of bourbon. I want it to be bourbon with a hint of maple syrup, which I think it absolutely is.
Ironclad Missouri Toasted Oak Cask
Joe Winger:
The maple syrup is so subtle, almost a tertiary flavor to it.
Moving on to the Missouri Toasted Oak Cask.
Owen King:
This is a double oak bourbon. With double oaking, what you’re going to do is exactly how it sounds.
You’re going to go from one new charred oak barrel. But instead of a second new charred oak barrel, we’re going to go to a lightly toasted barrel.
So my analogy for this is you’re sitting at a campfire and you’ve got a marshmallow. You’re roasting your marshmallow over the flame and it gets burnt. It catches on fire. So now you’ve got that roasted marshmallow where you’re still gonna eat it because it’s a roasted marshmallow.
So you eat it and it’s still sweet. But it’s got that sort of maybe a bitter acrid note just cause you burnt those sugars. You haven’t toasted them.
Now you take another marshmallow. You’re a little more patient this time. You’re going to stick it down in the coals and you’ll slowly rotate it until you’ve got that perfectly golden brown marshmallow.
When you taste it, it’s now twice as sweet because you just caramelize those sugars as opposed to burning them.
It’s the same with a charred oak barrel to a toasted oak barrel. With that charring of those oaks, you’re gonna you’re still gonna have that sweetness. We’re amplifying that sweetness with the toasting of the oak.
With this one you get those softer vanilla flavors like toasted marshmallow. You get a cookie dough flavor, maybe it’s raw cookie dough without the chocolate chips.
Joe Winger:
That’s amazing. mmIs there an extra bottle when I come down there, I’m in the tasting room, another good bottle we should ask for?
Owen King:
Another one that we have right now that is a very limited run. Very small release is our blueberry mead cask finish.
We give our barrels to a meadery in Williamsburg, Virginia and they make this blueberry honey mead. So now they have this bourbon barrel aged blueberry mead. And when they’re done with them, they give them back to us.
You’re not necessarily overwhelmed with [a] heavy blueberry flavor but it opens up to this really nice fruitiness and then like a fermented honey flavor on the front end.
It’s so unique, but it’s great neat on the rocks.
Joe Winger:
If we come down for the weekend, we visit the distillery in Newport News. What’s a tour like?
Owen King:
If people aren’t the biggest bourbon drinker, I want you to walk away saying, “Okay, I found something that is made with bourbon that I like.”
We are a distillery that only makes bourbon.
I want to make sure that everyone who comes here has something they can enjoy. This isn’t an uppity bourbon bar.
I want someone to come and be able to say, I’m not the biggest bourbon fan. What kind of cocktails do you have?” We always have a cocktail on every single menu that’s open for everyone.
Everyone’s going to love it and whether you’re a big bourbon fan or not. We just really want to be accommodating. We want to be a fun place for everyone to hang out.
We want to tell our story, the history of the Ironclad ships. Go through our distillery tour, we’ll show you that. If you want to know the history of Fredericksburg, or the history of What the bed and breakfast is we’ll tell you that.
Nothing pairs better with bourbon than a good story. And we really care about spreading that word.
Joe Winger:
Whether it’s a romantic getaway, a weekend getaway, why choose your bed and breakfast instead of a hotel?
Owen King:
While we’ve only had it a short time. But we’ve been adding things here and there. You’re going to get a fresh orange juice in the morning, made with the oranges that we used for our old fashions [last night].
We have our barrel aged maple syrup for your pancakes. So you’re going to have that maple syrup with a hint of bourbon.
Ironclad Inn
We really drive home that it’s a bed breakfast and bourbon experience. Get immersed in the bourbon culture. That’s our goal.
Joe Winger:
Any favorite bourbon and food pairings?
Owen King:
Bourbon’s wonderful for food pairings.
We’ve gone from pasta pairings to pizza pairings. Anything that’s fatty is a perfect pairing. Pork belly with a cherry reduction over top of it with one of our bourbons straight
We have this bourbon cream, Buzz’s Bourbon Cream, where it’s made with our small batch bourbon that’s infused with coffee beans, cacao nibs, and vanilla beans. That one over vanilla ice cream is perfection.
You’re adding a little booze, some coffee, a little bit of chocolate.
You take a bite and all of a sudden you had three scoops and it’s gone 30 seconds later.
Joe Winger:
What’s the best way to learn more about Ironclad Distillery and Ironclad Inn?
Owen King:
We have our website at ironcladdistillery.com. All of our social media Facebook and Instagram.
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Are NYers falling in love with New Wine? Dancing Wines from Cynthia Russell, Lauren Russell
Are NYers falling in love with New Wine? Dancing Wines from Cynthia Russell, Lauren Russell in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County.
The team at Dancing Wines is developing a collection of sensory brands that celebrate life through taste, touch and aroma – inspiring you to find your inner dance and show the world what truly moves you.
Dancing Wines’ red wine trio includes Old Vine, Duo and Estate — three limited-release wines made from hand-picked grapes that showcase the full breadth of the Dancing estate.
Lauren Russell (L) and Cynthia Russell (R) from Dancing Wines Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma
Today’s conversation with the dynamic Mother / Daughter team Cynthia and Lauren Russell from Dancing Wines ha been edited for length and clarity.
For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger: What is the most important message you’d like to share today?
Lauren Russell: I think one of them is dancing is art and art is life.
Another is love needs no explanation. I think really the thread between those is we’re trying to create a product and an experience that brings people together and invites them to find their inner dance, which is something we say a lot.
So we want to encourage people to find their unique rhythms. And wine is also really lovely because it is a vehicle that brings people together to enjoy a moment and diverse people together.
I think my Mom [Cynthia] can speak to this as well, but one of the things we thought about when first exploring wine was just how daunting the whole atmosphere is around the consumption of it and the buying and using all the right adjectives.
Especially for my generation I feel like there’s a bit of a learning curve. So I think one thing we really want people to take away from the brand is just like, just enjoy it. Love needs no explanation and you can’t drink wine when your mouth is full of adjectives. We’ve created a great wine just for you to be able to enjoy and to describe however you want and enjoy whenever you want.
Source: WeAreDancing.com
Cynthia: Yeah, I think the measures we created we have a beautiful heritage property that the soil and the climate create this great wine. And me being of an older generation where wine was very intimidating, even though I know a lot about it.
And drinking it for a very long time. I’ve lived in France. I’ve lived in California. It’s still when you order in a restaurant, you’re scared. Do I know enough? I’m going to be embarrassed. Is this the right pairing? And what the good news is that wine making in the world has become so sophisticated that if you are buying wine from a place that is special, including all.
Sonoma or France or Italy, the wines are good, they’re really good and all you have to do is be comfortable with yourself and enjoying it. And so that’s what we’re trying to do is take a product that has thousands of years of history as being a part of our culture and make you comfortable with just having fun, enjoying it and celebrating what wine can do to bring people together.
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Cynthia: We lucked out. It was a Covid purchase. We spent a lot of time as a family together in very small confined spaces drinking a lot of wine.
We [thought we] might end up needing a place where we have more outdoor space and can be together. So we bought this property more as a farm and then discovered that it was a unique part of the world.
Zinfandel grapes have been growing in this small region for over 150 years.
It was called America’s grape back in the time I think [the] 1850s. Okay, we have these vineyards. They’re really old.
There was one owner at this property for 60 years, an older Italian gentleman. And a lot of the area is multi generation, fourth generation Italian families who came over and cultivated this grape.
We never intended to make wine and yet we were scared to let this history and heritage die.
So we took classes and tried to figure out, can we make wine?
It’d be such a shame to let this history go in this special place.
We made a great discovery, which was that you don’t have to be an expert on wine. You just have to have great soil and a great climate.
Then we launched from there.
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Lauren: We’re always towing the line between the respective tradition and traditional winemaking and the land and all of the old vines and creating something new.
She [Mom, Cynthia] always brings a lens of respect for the older generation and ways of life and what wine has meant to her throughout her life.
I’m always pushing the other direction. We always land somewhere in the middle.
You’ll see that in the brands, it has really playful branding and packaging. But, our winemaking is a bit more traditional. We’re a sustainable vineyard but we have old vines and we respect what the land has to offer and what it’s been offering in that region for a long time.
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Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma
Joe Winger: You have a collection of sensory brands. Can you talk about what that collection is, what inspired the idea, and what we should be looking for?
Lauren: All of the products have been and will be inspired by the backdrop of the vineyard.
When we talk about wine, we talk about this kind of multi sensory experience, whether that’s aroma or where you’re having it, who you’re enjoying it with.
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Yeah. So we’re like, wow. Every time we arrive, we’re like, wow, this is really cool.
This is so distinct and unique and just elevates your experience of being there.
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Joe Winger: What are both of your backgrounds outside of wine?
Lauren: I was raised in Connecticut and went to Dartmouth for undergrad, was a creative non-fiction writer, so always had that storytelling bent.
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Lauren: We launched with our rosé which is really beautiful. It’s an intentional rosé. From our Primitivo grapes and we harvested them early and intentionally for rosé.
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Joe Winger: Do you have a favorite wine and food pairing?
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Lauren Alaina’s small town Georgia roots, love for comfort and authenticity make her the perfect ambassador for a beverage that prides itself on delivering a taste of the South in every sip. Both Alaina and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails symbolize Southern charm, together producing a match made partnership.
To celebrate the collaboration, Country Cocktails has partnered with Southern Living to offer fans across the country a chance to enter their sweepstakes and win a pair of tickets and flights to meet Lauren Alaina at her concert in Las Vegas at the Green Valley Ranch Backyard Amphitheater on October 25, 2024.
The sweepstakes will run from September 13 until October 11, 2024 and contestants can enter for a chance to win by visiting the link.
About Jack Daniel’s
Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Double Mellowed Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel’s Bonded, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select, and Jack Daniel’s RTDs. Today, Jack Daniel’s is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand.
About Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails are premium malt beverages from the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands. Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails was introduced in May 1992.
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails and their respective flavor names are registered trademarks. © 2024 Jack Daniel’s. Jack Daniel Beverage Co., Louisville, Ky. Flavored Malt Beverage.
For more information, please visit www.countrycocktails.com.
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Taste History and Enjoy Finger Lakes Most Delicious Wineries
Most Delicious Finger Laker Wineries
If you enjoy wine – especially white wine – a visit to the Finger Lakes should be your next trip.
The region, which includes 11 lakes in New York, makes a great escape from New York City and other Mid-Atlantic and New England areas for a weekend or more – the Finger Lakes is also a great cross-country flight.
The Finger Lakes is also an especially popular destination for romantic getaways and girls trips like bachelorette parties.
The best Finger Lakes for wineries
Look for wineries on Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga lakes.
The heart of Finger Lakes wine country, these lakes each have a designated wine trail – though new growth and wine tasting rooms are popping up elsewhere in the region too.
Boundary Breaks
Grapes will grow almost anywhere. But to make the finest wines, you need to choose the grape varieties that are suited to the climate of the region and to your vineyard location.
In the cool climate of the Finger Lakes, the best place to grow grapes is close to the lake. And the deeper the lake, the better.
Seneca Lake is the deepest of the eleven Finger Lakes in Central New York. Even though winter temperatures can fall below zero, Seneca Lake rarely freezes over.
Cool-climate varieties include Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Cabernet Franc.
At Boundary Breaks, they grow each of these varieties and produce wines that express the full range styles that are possible from such classic grapes.
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Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Dr. Konstantin Frank ignited the “Vinifera Revolution” a movement that forever changed the course of wine growing in the Finger Lakes and the United States.
Dr. Frank’s vision, knowledge and determination are credited with elevating the New York wine industry from a state of happy mediocrity to a level that today commands world attention.
Their philosophy is to maintain the legacy built by our founder by continuously producing the highest quality wines from our vinifera vines.
Varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and most recently, Gruner Veltliner are prized and beloved at our winery.
Our pioneering spirit pushes us to build upon our traditional foundation constantly innovating our methods.
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O-Neh-Da and Eagle Crest Vineyards
Hemlock Lake is home to O-Neh-Da and Eagle Crest Vineyards.
Nature inspires their wine making today.
They honor each unique cool-climate harvest, producing unadulterated local wines at a fair price. Amidst 6,684 acres of State Forest Land, come find their vineyard and winery, home to New York State’s oldest Bald Eagle nests.
A spirit of good stewardship informs their vineyard practices and packaging choices today. Eagle Crest wines are perfectly preserved and packaged in recycled glass, with soy-based inks and resealable Stelvin® closures.
They hope their wines bring Joy to your daily life and increasing discernment and appreciation for Balance and Beauty.
Varietals include chardonnay, riesling, red blends and more!
Element Winery at F.L.X. Provisions
Made by Christopher Bates—Winemaker, Master Sommelier & Executive Chef
Element Winery is a small production winery founded in 2009 with a mission to create high quality wines that are distinctively Finger Lakes.
With over 25 years of experience in the wine and hospitality industry, Master Sommelier and restauranteur, Christopher Bates is pushing the limits of expectations and expanding the definition of what is possible in the Finger Lakes.
Working with grapes from different soils, sites, and growers, Element aims to create world-class wines that are wholly representative of the extreme climate and terroir.
In addition to producing white wines, Element is focused on producing red wines that have the potential to redefine the Finger Lakes region.
Fox Run Vineyards
Long before the hundreds of travelers, wine-tasters, and oenophiles graced the tables and tasting bars of Fox Run, it was cows that explored the property.
Fox Run was a dairy farm for more than a century.
It wasn’t until 1984 that the first grapes were planted. Fox Run founders, Larry and Adele Wildrick, transformed the Civil War-era dairy barn into a winemaking facility in 1990.
In 1994, Scott Osborn and his first business partner, Andy Hale, purchased the winery from the Wildricks. Now with 50 acres of east-facing vineyards on glacial soils, the winery produces a remarkable range of limited-production, estate wines.
Since those early days, Scott has been working closely with winemaker Peter Bell.
Peter brings a science-based, rationalist approach to winemaking. His team aims to achieve full creative expression within each variety of grape, giving Fox Run an abundance of delicious and refreshing wines.
This wouldn’t be possible without the prowess of Vineyard Manager, John Kaiser, who has worked the land at Fox Run since the first grapes were planted in 1984.
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Broadway: Mike Birbiglia Extends “The Old Man & the Pool” Through Jan 15
Broadway-lovers! Mike Birbiglia Extends “The Old Man & the Pool” Through Jan 15
On the heels of the show’s sold-out first weekend of performances, producers Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Patrick Catullo, and Seaview, are thrilled to announce
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool will extend its Broadway engagement
due to popular demand.
The acclaimed new solo play, written and performed by Screen Actors Guild, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Lortel Award winner Mike Birbiglia, will now play an additional two weeks through Sunday, January 15, 2023, at the esteemed Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center.
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool
Tickets to Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool are on sale now at Telecharge.com/212-239-6200.
One of the greatest comedic storytellers, at the top of his game. Following his award-winning show The New One, Mike Birbiglia has returned to Broadway with a coming-of-middle-age story about when life takes a dive – into a highly-chlorinated YMCA pool.
Propelled by his singular, insightful voice and everyman style, Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool is a wildly hilarious and deeply moving play that offers “a galvanic, endearing and very funny meditation on mortality – deftly using comedy to demonstrate that when you stop thrashing around and exist in the moment – you float.” (Chicago Sun-Times).
Following sold-out runs in Los Angeles and Chicago, The Old Man & the Pool began Broadway previews on Friday, October 28, 2022, and will celebrate its official Opening Night on Sunday, November 13. The play is directed by Seth Barrish (The New One), with contributions by Peabody Award-winning Story Consultant Ira Glass (This American Life).
“In my 22 years of performing comedy, and five solo shows,
The Old Man & the Pool has given me the most rewarding experience I’ve ever felt with audiences,”
said Mike Birbiglia
upon the announcement of the show’s Broadway premiere. “This is a show I’m very proud of, and I can’t believe I get to perform it at Lincoln Center – after auditioning for the Philharmonic, the Opera, and the New York City ballet, I thought I’d never get the chance. But here I am. Sometimes you get lucky!”
Birbiglia continued, “It’s always been a cliché that audiences need to laugh but— honestly— after all we’ve been through in the last few years, people really do need to laugh. And sometimes, laughing about the darkest topics can be the most cathartic. I hope you join me. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll call your parents. You’ll write your will.”
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool was Originally Produced by Center Theatre Group and played to sold-out houses in its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, CA in 2022, following a sold-out developmental run at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Entertainment Weekly raved, “The artful storyteller Mike Birbiglia is excellent at his craft, and in The Old Man & the Pool, the comedian is at the top of his game. I felt connected to him. Hilarious observations unfold into tales that are charming and gripping. You never feel like he’s performing a bit, but rather like you’re throwing back a beer with your funniest friend.” Variety wrote, “The core of Mike Birbiglia’s charm is… he’s favorite-pair-of-jeans comfortable, and remarkably skilled at finding profundity in subjects well within arm’s reach. The Old Man & the Pool feels like catching up with an old friend – you never want him to shut up.”
Marking Birbiglia’s fifth solo play collaboration with director Seth Barrish, the play’s creative team also includes Tony Award-winning Scenic Designer Beowulf Boritt (Act One, POTUS), four-time Tony Award Nominated Costume Designer Toni-Leslie James (Paradise Square, The Piano Lesson), Lighting Designer Aaron Copp (The New One, Falling Out of Time), Tony Award-winning Sound Designer Kai Harada (The Band’s Visit, Kimberly Akimbo), and Projection Designer Hana S. Kim (The Visitor, Eve’s Song).
Tickets to Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool are on sale now at Telecharge.com/212-239-6200, and at the Lincoln Center Theater Box Office (150 W 65th Street, NYC). The regular performance schedule is: Tuesdays-Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 5pm. During previews (prior to November 13) the playing schedule is: Tuesdays-Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm & 7:30pm. Holiday week showtimes may vary – check Telecharge.com or www.MikeBirbigliaBroadway.com for the full schedule.
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool is produced on Broadway by Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Patrick Catullo, Seaview, No Guarantees, Jon B. Platt, James L. Nederlander, The Shubert Organization, Jillian Robbins, Sony Music Masterworks, Cathy Dantchik, Runyonland Productions, Marlene and Gary Cohen, Jeremiah J. Harris, Kaymat Productions, Madison Wells Live, TodayTix Group, Triptyk Studios, Diana Dimenna, Plate Spinner Productions, Lawryn Lacroix, Andrew Diamond, Jamie Deroy, Candy Gold and Alexander Sandy Marshall.
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This Summer, The Secret to the Perfect Iced Coffee? Steeped Coffee’s Says it’s in the Bag!
This Summer, What’s The Secret to the Perfect Iced Coffee? It’s in the Bag!
When the summer heats up, coffee lovers crave something a little less steamy and a little more refreshing.
Iced coffee fits the bill perfectly.
For some, that means driving to the nearest chain, dropping a bundle, and leaving quality to chance.
But you can save time and money – and the planet – on a superior brew by making it at home, exactly the way you like it.
Steeped Coffee’s pre-portioned, eco-friendly coffee bags
Steeped Coffee’s pre-portioned, eco-friendly coffee bags allow you to steep a farm-to-cup brew nearly anywhere, sans the machine, waste, or harmful chemicals found in powdered coffee. No need to give up high-end coffee. With a Steeped Coffee Bag and a little bit of patience, your great-tasting, ethically-sourced glass of cold summer happiness is just a few minutes away.
Steeped, Inc. is all about premium coffee with a conscious. Its proprietary single-serve brewing system features Steeped Coffee Packs (think tea bags for coffee) to deliver locally-sourced and roasted micro-batch coffee one delicious cup at a time. Nitro-sealed to preserve freshness, Steeped Coffee Packs are made with renewable and compostable materials and presented in recyclable packaging.
How to make the perfect Steeped Iced Coffee
The award-winning coffee experts at Steeped Coffee have some tips on preparing the perfect iced coffee. The secret to a classic iced coffee, says the Steeped team, is a well-crafted coffee concentrate. A good concentrate is also the basis for many other refreshing coffee drinks we associate with summer sipping.
Read on for tantalizing recipes!
How to make the perfect Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate
For each serving, you’ll need
1 Steeped Coffee Pack
1 10 oz. mug
Filtered water
Directions
- Heat filtered water to 205 degrees, or just below boiling
- Place Steeped Bag at bottom of mug
- Pour hot water over Steeped Bag until the mug is half full
- Use string to dunk Steeped Bag 20 to 30 times over 1 minute
- Leaving the Steeped Bag in, let the coffee steep for 5 to 7 minutes or more to taste
- Remove Steeped Bag
Tips
- To serve a crowd, make multiple batches of Concentrate. Store leftover Concentrate in the fridge.
- Freeze Steeped coffee in ice cube trays. Use coffee cubes instead of regular ice cubes to avoid diluting your beverage.
- Everyone knows the best way to enjoy iced coffee is through a straw. Be kind to the environment – buy reusable, dishwasher-safe metal straws!
Now it’s time to win summer with basic Steeped Iced Coffee and 6 decadent variations.
- Steeped Iced Coffee
For each serving, you’ll need
1 serving of Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate (see above)
1 10-oz. glass
Ice
Optional: sugar and creamer or dairy substitute such as unsweetened almond milk
Directions
- Fill the glass to the top with ice
- Slowly pour the Steeped Coffee Concentrate into the glass
- Optional: top off with your favorite sweetener, creamer or dairy substitute to taste. Stir and enjoy.
- Steeped Iced Latte
You’ll need
Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate (see above)
Milk
Cocktail shaker
Ice
Optional: sweetener or flavored coffee syrup to taste
Directions
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add 1 part Steeped Ice Coffee Concentrate and 1 part milk.
- Sweeten to taste, or replace sugar with flavored coffee syrup to make Vanilla Latte, Caramel Latte, etc.
- Shake until foamy
- Pour into a glass filled with ice
- Steeped Blended (Frappuccino-Style) Coffee
You’ll need
Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate (see above)
Milk
Blender
Ice
Whipped cream
Optional: sweetener or flavored coffee syrup to taste (see above)
Directions
- Prepare as for Latte, but whir in a blender instead of a cocktail shaker.
- Top with whipped cream to taste.
- Steeped Iced Mocha
You’ll need
1 serving of Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate (see above)
Good quality chocolate syrup
Ice
Milk or cream to taste
Whipped cream
Directions
- Prepare basic Steeped Iced Coffee as above
- Pour over ice
- Stir in chocolate syrup and milk or cream to taste
- Top with whipped cream to taste
- Steeped Vietnamese Iced Coffee
You’ll need
1 serving of Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate
Sweetened condensed milk
Ice
Directions
- Prepare basic Steeped Iced Coffee as above, omitting sugar and creamer.
- Stir in sweetened condensed milk to taste.
- Pour into tall glass over ice.
- Steeped Thai Iced Coffee
You’ll need
Extra-strong Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate (allow bag to steep a few extra minutes)
Sweetened condensed milk OR evaporated milk OR half-and-half
Ice
Ground cardamom
Directions
- Prepare basic Steeped Iced Coffee as above.
- Pour into tall glass over ice.
- Top with your choice of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, or half-and-half, but DO NOT STIR. Sweeten to taste.
- Sprinkle with ground cardamom
- Steeped Spiked Iced Coffee
You’ll need
Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate (see above)
Liqueur of your choice: hazelnut, orange, Irish cream, amaretto, etc.
Ice
Sweetener or creamer (optional)
Directions
- Prepare basic Steeped Iced Coffee as above.
- Pour into tall glass over ice.
- Stir in 1 shot of liqueur.
- Sweeten and top with creamer to taste. Stir and enjoy.
Steeped Coffee focuses on every detail from farm-to-cup and beyond
Steeped, Inc. based in Santa Cruz, California, is a Certified B Corp and Benefit Corporation focused on every detail from farm-to-cup and beyond, to bring people the most convenient, quality, ethically sourced, and sustainably packaged products available.
Steeped is the new standard in coffee helping to make quality coffee more accessible through its proprietary technology and Steeped Brewing Method that is licensed to over 450 of the top specialty roasters around the globe. Steeped delivers 100% freshly roasted, precision ground, and nitro-sealed specialty coffee pre-portioned within Steeped Full Immersion Filters.
Steeped Coffee is the simplest way to make a perfect cup of coffee by just adding water, with no machine needed. Welcome to Coffee Simplified.
Steeped Coffee is available through KeHE, as well as on Amazon with Prime Free Delivery, at premium supermarkets, luxury hotels, and offices with craft coffee and at-home services.
For more information, visit steepedcoffee.com.
What a fun idea! We have to come down some time.
This sounds amazing! My hubby and I are huge bourbon fan. sounds like we gotta take the trip