Three Questions, Three Drinks with Chris Mikolay

To celebrate 3Q3D’s third anniversary, the original crew regroups and recreates the show’s very first episode down to the exact same questions. While Amanda, Chris and Matt are certainly more comfortable on air, they begin to question nearly everything (including *gasp* backing into every parking space) and end up lamenting democracy writ large. While the questions from Episode 1 return, the drinks are decidely better this go round: the team brings back a few favorite cocktails from 3Q3D’s quixotic 3-year journey, including the Old Cuban, a perfect Old Fashioned, and, fittingly, the Birthday Cake Martini. Cheers to 3 years, and thanks to all who have listened!   Drinks in this Episode:The Old Cuban Cocktail  >> 6 whole mint leaves, 1 oz simple syrup, 3/4 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed, 1 1/2 oz aged rum, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 2 ounces Champagne, chilled. Garnish: mint sprig. Muddle the mint leaves with the simple syrup and lime juice in a shaker. Add the rum and bitters and ice, and shake until well-chilled. Double-strain into a coupe glass.Top with Champagne and garnish with a mint sprig. Salud, amigo!  Old Fashioned Cocktail >> 2 oz bourbon, 1/4 oz simple syrup, a few dashes of angostura bitters. Pour ingredients into a bourbon glass over one large ice cube, garnish with a Luxardo cherry and an orange peel. Like an old friend – or a podcast for inquisitive people – this cocktail won’t let you down.  Birthday Cake Martini >> 2 oz Smirnoff whipped cream vodka, 1 ½ oz Amaretto liqueur, 1 oz Godiva white chocolate liqueur, 2 oz heavy whipping cream; mix ingredients with ice in a shaker, strain, and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with birthday cake sprinkles. Happy birthday to 3Q3D!If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=enFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

THE MOVIES! Amanda Adams sits in the director’s chair for this big, buttery episode about the movies we love – and the movies we love to hate. And, as she guides the OG 3Q3D crew through a conversation about the films that framed our youth, what makes a movie objectively great, and why we love some movies that are objectively terrible, Amanda can’t help but get sentimental about a certain Legendary movie from her formative years. If you’re a Gen X’er and a film fan, this energetic episode is for you. Drinks in this Episode:Classic Daquiri cocktail >> 2 oz light rum; 1 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed; 3/4 oz demerara sugar syrup. Add the rum, lime juice and demerara sugar syrup to a shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lime wedge and imagine a “Legends of the Fall” era Brad Pitt is approaching on horseback. Delicious! Ache Orange Creamsicle Sourt by Heart State Brewing >> Crack open this beer, pour it into a cold glass, and prepare to be perplexed by how little this actually tastes like an orange creamsicle. Do yourself a favor and go make the actual Orange Creamsicle Cocktail from Episode 80 and thank us later. Espresso Martini >> 2 oz vodka; 1/2 oz Kahlúa; 1 oz espresso, freshly brewed; 1/4 ounce simple syrup. Add vodka, Kahlúa, espresso and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled. Pour into a chilled martini glass, garnish with 3 coffee beans and enjoy staying up well past your bedtime as the espresso courses through your body. If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

PARENTING! With 13 children between them, Amanda, Matt and Chris debate unconventional parenting do’s and don’ts, discuss whether parents today spend too little or too much time with their kids, and ponder how much our parental actions ultimately determine our children’s fate. In classic 3Q3D fashion, this conversation zig-zags between the insightful and the absurd while steadily building to a third cocktail crescendo (and supercharged, at the halfway mark, by THE GREATEST DRINK IN 3Q3D HISTORY). If you’re the kind of person who might shame a child into having excellent taste, then this episode is for you. Drinks in this Episode:Waterloo Cocktail >> 1 ½ oz blended whiskey, ¾ oz Mandarine Napoleon liqueur (or substitute Gran Marnier), ¼ freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ oz simple syrup; combine ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass with ice, top with 3-5 oz chilled club soda and garnish with an orange slice. Toast to your excellent taste, as well as your ability to weaponize shame as a go-to parenting tool. Orange Dreamsicle Cocktail >> 2 oz whipped cream vodka, 1 oz vanilla vodka, 3 oz orange juice (no pulp, as God intended), heavy whipping cream; combine both vodkas and OJ in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass, top with a few splashes of heavy whipping cream, garnish with an orange wedge and then drop in an AN ACTUAL CREAMSICLE. Take one sip and be instantly transported back to the halcyon summer days of your youth when all was right with the world. Vieux Carré Cocktail >> 3/4 oz rye whiskey; 3/4 oz cognac; 3/4 oz sweet vermouth; 2 teaspoons Benedictine liqueur; 2 dashes Peychauds bitters; 1 dash Angostura bitters; Garnish: maraschino cherry or lemon twist. Add the rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice or a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry, a lemon twist (or both), and lift a glass in honor of Fat Tuesday or simply as the perfect counterbalance to an Orange Dreamsicle cocktail. If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

DRINKING & ALCOHOL. Alcohol is the only drug where, if you don’t use it, people assume you have a problem. Kind of weird, right? It seems that alcohol – and our culture of drinking – are topics worth exploring. Hence, in this special “crossover” episode, 3Q3D regular Amanda Adams, and occasional 3Q3D visitor and fan favorite Colt McCutcheon, sit down with Chris Mikolay at the halfway mark of his Dry January goal to pour a few (booze free) drinks to discuss several questions that are interesting no matter how much you’ve imbibed: why are humans compelled to drink to excess? Will future generations view alcohol consumption as we view smoking today? And, the most controversial of all: is it ever okay to allow underage kids (and their friends) to drink in your home? Drinks in this Episode:Athletic Brewing Co. Run Wild Non-Alcoholic IPA >> Crack a can of this booze-less beer and chug until your hearts content. Don’t worry, nothing happens (except at some point you’ll have to pee). Restore Cold Pressed Immunity Juice >> Visit your local cold pressed juice shop for a bottle of zesty apple, lemon, ginger and cayenne brew. Pour over ice and sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on top for added flair. Toast to your good health and the first good drinking decision you’ve made in years!Fake Gin & Tonic>> 2 parts Clean Co. non-alcoholic gin, 4 parts Fever Tree Elderflower tonic; pour gin and tonic into a glass over ice, garnish with a lime, and pretend to like it. The Sober Man’s Aviation cocktail>> 2 parts Clean Co. non-alcoholic gin, 1 small spoonful of Luxardo cherry syrup, 1 part lavender simple syrup, 1 1/2 parts freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and lemon peel. Tell yourself it’s just like the real thing and muster the strength to hold back the tears.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

THE YEAR IN REVIEW / THE YEAR AHEAD.For the 3rd time, Amanda Adams, Matt Jordan and Chris Mikolay record a New Year’s episode that reviews the year’s biggest headlines – from events both consequential and alarming, to stories immaterial but impossible to ignore. After lively discussion (and Amanda’s cocktail redemption), the group turns the page on 2023 and makes bold predictions for the year ahead. Fans of the classic 3Q3D format will enjoy this episode as it slaloms swiftly between the silly and the serious and, in true 3Q3D fashion, gets more interesting with every sip. Drinks in this Episode:La Louisiane Cocktail >> 2 oz rye whiskey, 3/4 oz sweet vermouth, 1/2 oz Benedictine, 3 dashes absinthe, 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters. Add the rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a Luxardo cherry and remember to “THRIVE” in 2024.Cranberry Cobbler Cocktail >> 1 to 2 oz. bourbon or whiskey, 3 to 4 oz. cranberry juice, 1 to 2 oz. orange seltzer water, 1 to 2 oz. cinnamon simple syrup. Muddle a few cranberries at the bottom of your glass.Fill a glass with crushed ice. Stir or shake together the syrup, cranberry and bourbon/whiskey for 30 seconds or so. Pour over ice. Top the drink with the orange seltzer and toast to your Super Bowl Champion Cleveland Browns and their impossibly handsome head coach, Kevin Stefanski.Old Pal Cocktail >> 1.5 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz Campari, 3/4 oz dry vermouth, ¼ oz sweet vermouth. Add the rye whiskey, Campari and dry vermouth into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, garnish with a lemon twist, and scoff at those choosing to participate in “Dry January”.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

AUSTRALIA vs. ENGLAND vs. AMERICA! In this special transcontinental episode, Chris invites an awesome Aussie, Belynda Thomas, and Englishman extraordinaire, Elliot Grey, into the studio to spill the tea on what it’s like living in America from an ex-pat perspective. As the group sips and snacks on Elliot's "posh pigs in a blanket", things escalate faster than American portion sizes – from friendly banter to an epic showdown that seeks to determine which great nation reigns supreme when it comes to music (The Beatles, case closed), animals (50 million kangaroos can't be wrong) and culinary delights (your country is automatically disqualified if you enjoy either Vegemite or Marmite, sorry). Whether you prefer your soccer to be called football or your football to use Australian rules, you’ll enjoy listening to Belynda and Elliot discuss their perspective on Australian, British and American culture as much as you’ll love their classic Aussie and British senses of humour. Drinks in this Episode:Elliot’s Proper G&T >> 1 part Sipsmith® London Dry Gin, high-quality tonic water, wedge of fresh lime. Fill a highball glass with ice, pour in gin and top off with tonic. Garnish with a wedge of fresh lime and cheer on the Everton Blues.Belynda’s Aussie Autumn Fizz >> 2 parts apple cider, 1 part caramel vodka, Prosecco, diced apples. Pour cider and caramel vodka in a champagne glass filled and top with Prosecco. Add freshly cut apples to the drink and enjoy while watching Skippy the Kangaroo. Apple Pie Martini >> FOR THE RIM: 1 tablespoon fine graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, Pinch of ground cinnamon.FOR THE MARTINI: ½ cup apple cider, 3 tablespoons simple syrup, ¼ cup vodka, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon schnapps, ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice, Pinch of salt optional. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Wet the edges of the martini glass with water or an apple slice. Dip the edges in the prepared graham cracker mixture. In a cocktail shaker with ice, place all the ingredients and shake it. Pour into the prepare glass while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend.Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

THE POLITICS EPISODE. With an introduction as long as the Gettysburg Address, Chris explains (by using his beloved Cleveland Browns as an incredibly strained metaphor for political tribalism) why he has actively avoided political conversation on the podcast thus far - and why it's now finally time to analyze our nation's current political divide. Chris is joined by longtime 3Q3D cohost and political junkie Amanda Adams, as well as an actual living, breathing politican: Ohio State Representative for the 34th district of the Ohio House of Representatives, Casey Weinstein. Over drinks both sophisticated and unrefined, the group discusses the root causes of our political polarization and whether it’s possible to have better political conversations - including how we might see people less through the lens of red or blue and instead, as human beings worthy of respect no matter their political persuasion. Drinks in this episode:Ole Smoky Mountain Apple Pie Moonshine >> Call Uncle Jessie and have them Duke boys pack up the General Lee with a few bottles of Hazzard County's finest 'shine for delivery before Election Day. Pour it over ice and taste that sweet, sweet freedom.Sidecar Cocktail >> 1 1/2 oz cognac; 3/4 oz orange liqueur (such as Cointreau); 3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice. Coat the rim of a coupe glass with sugar, and set aside. Add the cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.Strain into the prepared glass, garnish with an orange twist and toast to democracy. Baluarte Reposado Tequila Reserva Especial >> Fly to Mexico and be seduced into purchasing this delicious 100% agave tequila by a smooth talking employee of the airport Duty Free Shop. Pour into a cocktail glass over a large ice cube, garnish with a lime wedge while citing the Pledge of Allegiance.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a (5 star?!) rating. Great reviews make our day, and we'd love it if you shared a favorite episode with an inquisitive friend. See the drinks and follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

THE SHARK TANK EPISODE. At some point in our lives, we all have a million-dollar idea. The biggest difference between a successful idea and one that fails, though, is often simply this: whether or not one takes action. In today's episode of 3Q3D, you'll meet three women who not only have big ideas, they’re turning them into reality. Over three great drinks – including a cocktail inspired by one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in history – Chris mimics Mr. Wonderful and challenges Kris Leigh, the founder of FÜZI Pets, and Sarah Filipovitz and Ellen Velez, the co-founders of FlipFort, to prove that their respective startups can become the next big thing. Kris, Sarah, and Ellen candidly share what inspired them to take the entrepreneurial leap of faith, lessons learned and struggles they never anticipated, and – as busy working mothers – the upside of being a 'mom-preneur.' If you've ever dreamt of doing something bold, or if you're just fascinated by people who have the courage to put ideas into action, you'll admire Kris, Sarah, and Ellen's entrepreneurial moxie.Enjoy 20% Off and Free Shipping on all FÜZI and FlipFort products with discount code: 3DRINKS.About FlipFortFlipFort is a product that creates a cozy resting space for your child, both in the car and the stroller. The brainchild of two seasoned moms who know the challenges of family travel all too well, FlipFort is changing the way that children rest on the go. Shop www.FlipFort.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflipfort/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theflipfortTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theflipfortAbout FÜZI PetsThe FÜZI bed is a new type of elevated pet bed that lifts your furry family off the floor with a sleek, metal, chew-resistant base and provides comfort and support with an uber-plush, washable bolster bed that attaches on top. Say goodbye to frumpy floor beds, and hello to height, style and comfort with The FÜZI Bed, the ultimate Pet Bed for your number one fur child. FÜZI now offers personalization - get your pet’s name embroidered on their new dog bed in time for the holidays. We sell on Walmart, Amazon and ETSY – but sign up for Early Black Friday discounts on our site, www.fuzipets.com and be the first to get the best prices of the year.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuzipets/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuzipetsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fuzipetsTwitter: https://twitter.com/FuziPetsPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fuzipets/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fuzipetsDrinks in this Episode:FlipFort’s Favorite Cosmopolitan >> 1 ½ oz Double Cross Vodka, 1 oz Cointreau (or any orange liqueur), ½ oz freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 ½ oz cranberry juice, lime twist or wedge for garnish. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add vodka, Cointreau, freshly squeezed lime juice, and cranberry juice to the shaker; shake vigorously for about 15 seconds to chill and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini or cocktail glass. Garnish your Cosmo with a lime twist or wedge and enjoy while your child is sleeping peacefully in a FlipFort.FUZI’s Fancy Champagne >> Pour a chilled glass of Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut "Blue Label" into Mikasa stemware and toast to your entrepreneurial moxie. The Sara Blakely Cocktail >> 2 oz tequila, 2 oz grapefruit juice, jalapeño pepper. Cut up jalapeño pepper and muddle it in the grapefruit juice. Strain grapefruit juice into a glass with ice and add tequila. Top with a splash of soda water, stir and add lime wedge to garnish. Cheers to your next big idea!

FEELING BURNED OUT – AND FINDING BALANCE.If you’ve wondered why it’s been a minute since a new episode of 3Q3D dropped, well, Chris has been totally burned out, man. But fear not, because Matt and Amanda come to the rescue with a few great questions about the nature of burnout and how one can restore balance to a busy life. While the questions are excellent and the conversation vintage 3Q3D, the cocktails are a bit on the questionable side: after Matt pours a delightfully creamy concoction, Amanda makes something like an Old Fashioned, only awful, and Chris, well, he uses a blender to concoct a frozen Tokyo Tea that only a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle could love. If you’ve been feeling similarly stuck in a rut, let this episode be the self-care you deserve. Drinks in this Episode:Matt Jordan’s Creamy Delight >> 2 parts Bailey’s Irish Cream, 1 part vanilla vodka. Pour vodka and Bailey’s over ice and console a friend going through a tough time.Frozen Tokyo Tea >> ½ oz gin, ½ oz melon liqueur, ½ oz rum, ½ oz tequila, ½ oz triple sec, ½ oz vodka, 1 oz sweet and sour mix. Place ingredients in a blender with ice and turn it on high. Pour the resulting glowing green slushie into a cup, bow respectfully to your drinking pals, and watch out for brain freeze. Konnichiwa!Maple Rum Old Fashioned (?) >> Sounds cool, but, well, decide for yourself: pour 2 oz dark rum, ½ oz maple syrup and 2 dashes angostura bitters into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE. RIGHT? Matt Jordan takes over for the second time as host of the good ship 3Q3D, and in so doing, leads a fun and fascinating conversation with Chris Mikolay and Sam LiPuma – an author, professor and 3Q3D newcomer – that explores several of the most interesting questions ever posed on the podcast. Over 3 drinks as unique as each question, Matt, Chris and Sam debate whether it’s ever okay to take a life, ponder the pros and cons of immortality, and finally, bets are placed on what happens when the lights go out. The three may not all agree on the answers to each question, but one thing is for sure: drink enough Angels Envy bourbon…and you will receive total consciousness (which is nice). Drinks in this Episode:White Russian >> 2 oz vodka, 1 oz Kahlúa, 1 splash heavy cream. Add the vodka and Kahlúa to a rocks glass filled with ice, top with the heavy cream by pouring it over a spoon so it looks like a Starbucks beverage made for a sorority girl.Pineapple Banana Orange Crush >> 2 oz pineapple/banana/orange juice, 2 oz orange vodka, 1 oz Triple Sec, lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7UP. Pour juice, vodka and Triple Sec into a glass filled with crushed ice. Top off with Sprite/7 up and garnish with an orange wedge. Stir and, provided humanity has finally cured death, enjoy for the next several millennia.Angels Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey >> Pour at least two fingers into a proper Glencairn glass and don’t even think about using ice. Raise a glass to the angels above who wish they could have just a taste. If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

MYSTERY TOPIC! In the final installment of a 3-part series of shorter episodes designed to pare nicely with one quick drink, Chris experiments with variations on the classic Aperol Spritz – and pays dearly for it. However, just as Amanda Adams and Matt Jordan were in the dark on the topic of this episode, you, dear listener, will have to wait and see what topic might prompt a discussion about soggy cereal enthusiasts, peeing in swimming pools, and the greatest decade of the 20th century. If you want to get to know a friend or family member better, take note of these questions and thank us later. Drinks in this Episode:St. Germain Spritz >> 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts St. Germain, 1 part club soda. Add the Prosecco, St. Germain and club soda to a wine glass filled with ice and stir, garnishing with a lemon peel. Drink and immediately regret you didn’t choose an Aperol Spritz instead.Amaro Nonino Spritz >> 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Amaro Nonino, 1 part club soda. Add the Prosecco, Amaro Nonino and club soda to a wine glass filled with ice and stir, garnishing with a lemon peel. Become further enraged at “Big Spritz” for convincing you to try drinking any other form of Spritz than the original Aperol version.Lillet Blanc Spritz >> 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Lillet Blanc, 1 part club soda. Add the Prosecco, Lillet Blanc and club soda to a wine glass filled with ice and stir, garnishing with a lemon peel. Serve it to a friend who you hate, because this drink is terrible.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

WOULD YOU RATHER? While this second round of a special 3-part series of mini episodes may indeed be shorter than the typical 3Q3D fare, it isn’t short on controversial conversation.While Amanda Adams serves up a super sweet Tequila Sour, Chris asks a series of increasingly ridiculous “Would You Rather” questions that leave Matt Jordan feeling quite flustered. Apologies in advance to anyone similarly offended, but for those who enjoy contemplating the absurd, this episode is for you. *That’s what Mikolay says Drink in this Episode:Tequila Sour >>1 ½ oz tequila, ¾ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, ½ simple syrup. Shake the ingredients vigorously in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled sour glass, garnish with a Maraschino cherry and HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR…If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

UNDERRATED / OVERRATED / PROPERLY RATED. In a special 3-part series of shorter episodes designed to pair nicely with a relaxing summertime hammock ride or walk in the park, Amanda Adams, Matt Jordan and Chris Mikolay debate everyday items and activities that are either “Underrated, Overrated or Properly Rated.”This episode is a lot like fireworks displays, s’mores and brunch: you’ll either love it or hate it. If it’s the former, we’d appreciate if you let the world know 3Q3D is highly underrated by giving us a 5-star review; if it’s the latter, well, we suggest you mix up a gimlet and rest easy knowing another “Afternoon Delight” (with an entirely different topic) is just one week away.Drink in this Episode:Gimlet >>1 ½ oz Hendrick’s gin, 1 oz St. Germain liqueur, 1 oz lime juice (freshly squeezed, because we are civilized), 2” piece of peeled cucumber quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼” thick pieces, plus a thinly sliced cucumber round for garnish. Mix ingredients less garnish in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a martini glass or coupe and garnish with cucumber round. Find your favorite hammock and relax in the shade.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

PETS & ANIMALS! According to 3Q3D regular Amanda Adams, how you speak to your pet speaks volumes about you. In this episode featuring the OG 3Q3D crew and bound to become an instant classic, you’ll find out why Amanda refuses to refer to her pets as “fur babies” and what she’s naming her future podcast (spoiler alert: it’s called “Stats on Cats”). This conversation is as wide ranging as the animal kingdom, and no matter if you’re a dog person, cat person, vegan or meat lover, you’ll surely have an opinion about the first two question segments. For the really good stuff, though, pour a few drinks and skip straight to the final segment (at the 50th minute) for a story about Chris flying with the most famous cat in the world and – don’t say we didn’t warn you – the most absurd (and cringe-inducing) question ever asked in 3Q3D history. Drinks in this Episode:Bière Ritz >> Light beer, Champagne. According to the math wizards of the Bar Hemingway book, where this recipe appeared, you must fill a glass with "5/10 light beer" and "5/10 Champagne". We will concede the concoction is refreshing and delightful. Wild Turkey Old Fashioned >> 2 oz Wild Turkey bourbon, 3 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon water, orange twist. Add the sugar and bitters into a mixing glass, then add the water, and stir until the sugar is nearly dissolved. Fill the mixing glass with ice, add the bourbon, and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass, then drop into the glass to garnish. If you’re making one at home, show some respect for your dog or cat and pour a little in his or her bowl*.Greyhound Cocktail >> 1 ½ oz gin, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, lime wheel. Pour gin into a glass filled with crushed ice and then top off with grapefruit juice. Garnish with lime wheel, and then raise your glass and wink at that cute panda across the bar.*Don’t actually do this.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

LIVING LA VIDA LAS VEGAS. Vegas gal pals Mahsheed Parsons and Ashley Bryant Dowd, with their billboards and bling, could easily pass for reality TV stars. They lead a life wholly unfamiliar to 3Q3D creator Chris Mikolay, but over several drinks designed to cure his Sin City hangover, Chris finds that “Mash and Ash” are so much more than skin deep. Hear how Mahsheed used the power of positive thinking to turn her life around and become THE name in Las Vegas Luxury real estate (and learn what passes for “luxury” in Vegas these days), and find out how Ashley went from rural Missouri farmgirl to marrying a Fabio lookalike who once had a diamond dealer, with rocks the size of doorknobs strapped to her body, fly across the country for Ashley’s ring fitting. This episode, like these friends, is fun and fascinating – and it just might be the precursor to the future “Mash and Ash Podcast”. Check out Mahsheed’s Real Estate empire: https://mahsheed.com/Follow Mahsheed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mahsheedluxuryrealestate/?hl=enFollow Shelter Modern, Ashley Dowd’s interior design Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheltermodern/ Drinks in this Episode:DrinkAde Prevention Hydration Drink >> Hold your nose and delude yourself into thinking this will cure your hangover.Bang Energy Drink, “Starblast” Flavor >> Take a big swig and remember: what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.Monster Energy Juice Monster, Energy + Juice, “Khaotic” flavor >> Shotgun this bad boy, count to ten, and watch your heart explode. The “Vegas Hangover Recovery Drink” – Drop two Advil in the bottom of a solo cup, add 2 hours worth of 5 hour energy drink and a healthy pour of “Full Throttle” energy drink and top off with Grape flavored Pedialyte. Shotgun the concoction and pray you don’t wake up on the roof of Caesar’s Palace. If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

WHAT KIND OF FRIEND ARE YOU? As he mixes up an old timey cocktail that smells like your Grandma’s favorite jar of potpourri, Matt Jordan captains 3Q3D for the first time, hosting the original podcasting trio for a thought-provoking and wide-ranging conversation about the evolving nature of friendship and community. Over drinks both hot and cold, the group ponders the declining state of friendship in America, whether your spouse should be your best friend, and debates the most important traits a true friend should have. Drinks in this Episode:Wassail >> 1 gallon apple cider, ½ T whole cloves, 1 T whole allspice, 12 sticks cinnamon, 1 c orange juice; combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes. Strain and serve, adding bourbon to taste, just like Grandma used to make.Vodka Tonic >> 2 oz vodka, tonic water, 1 squeeze lemon (optional), lemon peel to garnish. Add the vodka to a Collins glass, fill the glass with ice, then top with the tonic water and add an optional squeeze of lemon. Garnish with a lemon peel.Bobby Burns cocktail >> 1 oz blended scotch whisky (ideally a 12-year-old), 1 oz sweet vermouth, ½ oz Benedictine and lemon peel for garnish. Add the scotch, vermouth and Benedictine to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Twist a lemon peel over the glass to release its oils and then drop it into the drink.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

RUBBERDUCKS, JUMBO SHRIMP, AND THE JOY OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.At just 32 years old, Ken Babby left a thriving career at the Washington Post to purchase a struggling minor league baseball team in Akron, Ohio, a city completely unfamiliar to him and located several hundred miles from his hometown. Akron, though, had a beautiful ballpark in the heart of the city, and Ken had a vision for transforming the franchise. His formula – including a creative but controversial name change and spending millions on improving the fan experience – not only worked, Ken used the formula twice, first with the Akron RubberDucks (AA affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians) and later with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (AAA affiliate of the Miami Marlins).Sharing a special 10-year-old bottle of bourbon and two classic baseball-themed cocktails, Ken reveals what it’s like to operate two professional sports franchises nine hundred miles apart, how minor league teams dream up new promotions, and how baseball and Ken’s vision of “affordable family fun” can compete in a world of diminishing attention spans. Drinks in this Episode:Cleveland Bourbon Whiskey, Limited Production Black Reserve, poured over a big ice cube >> Purchase your local minor league baseball team and be gifted a special edition of Cleveland Bourbon Whiskey, wait 10 years for it to age properly, and share a glass with a fan.Cooperstown cocktail >> 1 ½ oz gin, ¾ oz rosso vermouth, ¾ oz dry vermouth, 2 dashes orange bitters, 2 mint leaves; add the gin, vermouths, orange bitters and mint leaves to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well-chilled and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint sprig, and pat yourself on the back for making a hall of fame cocktail.Gold Glove cocktail >> 2 oz white rum, 1 teaspoon Cointreau, ½ oz lime juice, freshly squeezed, 1 teaspoon sugar. Add the rum, Cointreau, lime juice and sugar into a shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh crushed ice, garnish with a lime half-wheel and tip your cap to America’s pastime.If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

FATHER, SON, GAMBLER, THIEF. At just 14 years of age, George Berk gambled for the first time, placing a $4 longshot bet on a horserace at an Off Track Betting parlor in New York City. As luck would have it, that longshot bet paid off and returned $73 – and ignited a compulsive gambling addiction that would lead to financial and personal destruction. Over the course of 4 decades George would experience 3 bankruptcies, gambling losses totaling at least $2 million, a divorce, and multiple prison sentences for the crimes committed to fuel his compulsive gambling. Now sober from gambling and alcohol for over a decade, George joins 3Q3D to speak courageously and candidly about the highs and lows of his life, the mentality of a problem gambler, and making amends with those he let down. With online betting now legal in 34 states, and over $100 billion wagered annually online and in casinos all over the nation, Americans have never gambled more. Even if you are a casual gambler, George’s story is one worth hearing. And, if you think you might have a gambling problem, there is help.The National Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-522-4700. Drinks in this Episode:Dunkin’ Donuts Medium blend – $2.39Sheetz Medium roast – $2.19Starbucks Pike Place blend – $2.95If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

LUCK, FATE & SERENDIPITY. Leaving every major decision to chance – where they go, what they do, and even what drinks to order – Amanda, Chris & Matt embark on an unusual Friday night adventure that ultimately proves providential (well, at least for two of them). As they depart the cozy confines of their suburban enclave for the big city lights of Cleveland, the 3Q3D crew is picked up by an Uber driver with a past – and who it seems no coincidence they should meet.As they move deeper into the night and many new friends are made, the group discusses the role that Luck, Chance and Destiny play in our lives, including whether good fortune can be tilted in one’s favor. Perhaps though, ending the evening with a magnificent sous vide Old Fashioned at the Marble Room was the group’s fate all along. Drinks in this Episode:Poured by Lily at Kepners Tavern, Hudson, OH>> RG Bevs Bizzy Blast Mixed Berry Smash; Thirsty Dog Imperial Hefewiezen, Great Lakes Dortmunder GoldMixed by Lucious at the Jack Casino, Cleveland, OH>> Long Island Iced TeaSuggested by Steve & Janae at Society Lounge, Cleveland, OH>> Green Tea shots, Cucumber GimletRecommended by Alex at Marble Room, Cleveland, OH>> Marble Room signature sous vide Old Fashioned cocktail, prepared 3 different waysIf you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast

DAD JOKE CONTEST! Did you know that if you sneeze and fart at the same time, your body takes a screenshot? It’s true. Also, if that joke offends you, then you should probably just go ahead and skip this episode (seriously). But if not, and you need a few good laughs, then you’re in for a treat. Like a bad rash, Colt McCutcheon and Doug Harvey return once again on the 3 Questions, 3 Drinks podcast, only this time they’re armed with curdled drinks, warm beer and a variety of Dad Jokes – some that are awful, some questionable, and others so bad they’re really, really good. And if that’s not enough, Chris tells an original joke that is so stupendously awful it leaves the entire studio speechless.Drinks in this Episode:WHITE RUSSIAN >> 2 oz Vodka, 1 oz Kahlúa, 1 splash heavy cream. Add the vodka and Kahlúa to a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with the heavy cream and stir. Try to avoid leaving it to curdle in the hot sun of an overheated podcasting studio before consuming.SLOW COMFORTABLE SCREW UP AGAINST THE WALL >> 1 oz Vodka, 1 oz Sloe Gin, 1/2 oz Southern Comfort, 1/2 oz Galliano, Orange juice. Fill a tall glass half full with ice. Add the vodka, sloe gin, and southern comfort. Add enough orange juice to almost fill the glass then stir gently. Pour the Galliano over the back of a spoon into the glass so it floats on the top (this is the "wall"). Do not stir. Serve immediately, and then apologize to your mother for the R-rated name of this cocktail.THE BEER OF DADS EVERYWHERE >> Miller High Life, aka the Champagne of Beers. Keep a few extra High Life’s on hand for the other dads to enjoy while you stand around the barbeque grill telling juvenile jokes. If you’ve been enjoying the 3Q3D podcast, please subscribe and consider giving us a rating, a review, or sharing an episode with a friend. Follow our social sites here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3drinkspodcast/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3Drinkspodcast