Time To Raise Your Glass

Cloves, Cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise; is there any other combination of spices that embody winter and the Christmas spirit more? And what could make that magical combination of spices even better? Mix them in with some hot red wine for a winter wonderland boozy drink. Today we will be going into the history of that Christmas classic cocktail that it spiced vino. so grab your favorite boozy, or virgin drink. Sit back, and bet educated. This week’s episode is mulled wine. Sources: vivino.com, vinepair.com, winefrog.com

This mythical figure was known from folklore tales all over Western Europe but, much like King Arthur, his character was probably based on a real man. Over time he became the worldwide patron saint of beer, hops, brewing and drunken fun; having many beers and bars named after him. The most famous mythical story about Gambrinus is when he gives his soul to the devil in exchange for beer and then beats him at his own sneaky game. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink, sit back, and be educated. This week’s episode is: The Legend of Gambrinus, the King of Beer. Source: lordsofthedrinks.com

The definition of law is: the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties. And as with all things, there are laws for drinking; some realistic and some very bizarre. Today we’ll be going through the good USA and all the strange drinking laws that are still in effect to this day. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week’s episode is: Weird Drinking Laws in the US.

In the late 1970s, the Senate side of Capitol Hill featured a popular California-style restaurant named The Man in the Green Hat. This lively watering hole memorialized the exploits of a dapper gentleman named George Cassiday. Between the Prohibition years of 1920 and 1930, George Cassiday served as Congress's primary bootlegger. How did this man get such a moniker and did smuggling booze to our government officials protect him from the law? So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is the Man in the Green Hat.

As it turns out humans are not the only animal in the animal kingdom to enjoy a liquor infused fruity cocktail. Surprisingly there are more than a few creatures out there who like to party on the wild side of life and have found a way with mother nature’s help to reap the benefits of intoxication. One such animal is so small you would think a thimbleful of booze would knock them down, but if you tried drinking the equivalent that it does daily, you’d probably mummify yourself. . So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated This week's episode is Animals Getting Drunk.

Michael Malloy was like a lot of down-on-their-luck, unemployed men in New York City during the Great Depression. Apart from doing the occasional odd job, they drowned their sorrows at local speakeasies with the occasional unsavory characters. Malloy had been unremarkable in life, but that would change in death when he became the world’s most stubborn murder victim. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is the Rasputin of the Bronx. Sources: All That is Interesting.com, Smithsonian Website

In 1874 there was a dirty, lying scoundrel that went by the name of Tom Collins who would go around bars and besmirch the good names of many gentlemen. He was a bit of a wily bastard though, and always managed to leave one bar for another when one of the said besmirched gentlemen burst into the scene demanding to know where Tom Collins was. Amazingly, Tom Collins, the name of that refreshing summer cocktail of lemon and gin, was all a hoax. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink, sit back, and be educated. This week’s episode is Tom Collins.

When one thinks of Prohibition, speakeasies filled with dapper men in suits and hats puffing away at cigars dangling from their mouths come to mind. Places where if police came through, bartenders could push a button and have the bottles of illegally acquired alcohol drop into the sewers to avoid being arrested. But who were these people creating man’s favorite poison, and how did they get away with selling it? Today we will be discussing the fascinating histories of women bootleggers and the amazingly large sums of money they made swilling. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is Women Bootleggers. Sites: alcoholproblemsandsolutions.org, homestead.org

Today’s episode is a continuation of the murder of Adolph Coors III, where we dive into the FBI investigation, a random note received by Mrs. Coors, and the conclusion of what was one of America’s biggest manhunts. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is The Murder of Adolph Coors III Part 2. Source: From The Death of an Heir by Philip Jett. From the longreads website, Wikipedia, the FBI.gov website

Sites: From The Death of an Heir by Philip Jett. From the longreads website, Wikipedia, the FBI.gov website

Have you ever wondered about that strange, cactus desert plant where somehow, with what was most likely a godly amount of determination to get drunk, someone managed to squeeze tequila and mezcal from its spiky leaves. Where did this plant come from, and how has the legend of the 400 rabbits pave the way to the tequila we know and love today? So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is Bunny Alcohol Content.

Sources: Gizmodo, taken by the wind

There are many festivals of drunkenness around the world; the most popular and well known of such being St. Patrick’s Day. Unsurprisingly, festivals such as these have been going on since the start of civilization; most notably in Ancient Egypt. And what could be better than a festival that gets one wasted and is mandatory since it is a religious day? Today we will be diving into the Tekh Festival that once used to span centuries. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is The Festival of Drunkenness

Finding the American Dream can come in many different forms, but if you had the choice why not make it about beer? That’s what this German immigrant did and managed to create a niche in his community by creating a light, golden lager. The money poured in and the family celebrated a success that few manage to achieve. And yet for all this success, misfortune plagued the family until they were all but wiped from existence. Tragedy after tragedy hit until only one remained. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is The Lemp Brewery

No brunch is complete without a Mimosa or two (or 8) alongside your eggs-benedict and avocado toast. This simple, yet elegant drink has won the hearts of thousands as an acceptable excuse to start drinking before 11 AM. But how did this drink become the go to pre-midday cocktail and who can claim credit? The history is much disputed. So grab your favorite boozy or virgin drink of choice, sit back, and be educated. This week's episode is #MimosaMonday.