Tasting High Proof Bourbon While A Fantasy Draft Melts Down

Send us Fan Mail Three friends, three bottles, and one fantasy football draft happening mid-conversation. We kick things off with the kind of coincidence that feels impossible: buying tickets to a massive show and realizing you are in the same section as someone you know. From there, we jump to a smaller, louder memory at The Ark in Ann Arbor, where Irish music, crowd participation, and a perfectly intact Guinness become the night’s real headline. Then we get to the heart of Man Cave Happy Hour: whiskey tasting with honest reactions. We start with a ready-to-drink Old Fashioned warm-up, then pour a high-proof curveball, New Holland Dragon’s Milk Origin Small Batch Honey Barrel Bourbon at 118 proof. If you have ever wondered what a honey barrel finish actually tastes like, we break down the raw honeycomb sharpness, the heat, the sweetness that shows up late, and why some finishes feel like a cheat code. We also crack into New Riff Rye, talk spice versus alcohol burn, and nerd out on the basics that matter, like water source, minerals, and why “smooth” is not the same thing as “low proof.” Somewhere between sips, Matt is on the clock. The fantasy draft turns into a running comedy bit and a real look at how people draft when the pressure is on, from homer picks to questionable position timing. We wrap with Yellowstone bourbon as a reliable shelf staple, plus Hamtramck energy, Suzy’s Bar love, Baker Streetcar Bar plans, yacht rock nights, and the kind of local festival talk that makes you want to text your friends and get out of the house. If you laughed, learned, or strongly disagree with our bottle takes, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the happy hour. Support the show https://linktr.ee/ManCaveHappyHour www.ManCaveHappyHour.com Jamie Flanagan @DJJamieDetroit Matt Fox @fox_beazlefox August Gitschlag @rawgusto Merch www.WearingFunny.com