The Manual Podcast

After deciding to change up his life from being a Liberal Artist student, Gary Rogowski became a self-taught woodworking master and now teacher. On this episode you'll learn about his interesting path, and hear some great advice on woodworking. From choosing the correct kind of wood, to where to take inspiration for your project, Gary is ca wealth of knowledge. He is also the founder of the Northwest Working Studio!

American Single Malt Whiskey is a rapidly expanding category in liquor. We are joined by one of the foremost experts, Matt Hoffman of Westland Distillery, to discuss the history of single malt, what it takes to make it, and why the United States is in a prime position to be a leading distiller. Matt is a repository of knowledge when it comes to whiskey and this is a cant' miss episode because of it. 

Eating insects is slowly gaining some popular in the United States, but is a staple for a large part of the world. Rich in nutrients and protein, they could be a long term solution to food shortages, while also providing a strong and stable source of nutrition. However for some people (Greg) getting over the 'bug' part takes some work. Our guest today is Chef Justin Cucci, a cooking pioneer and the owner of many fine establishments such as Root Down in Denver.

Murray Carter is an internationally recognized and certified master of his field, and a 17th generation Yoshimoto bladesmith. Today we discuss how he began travelling at age 16, eventually finding himself in Japan and meeting Sensei Yasuyuki Sakemoto, which would change his life. He walks us through the process of making his blades (he's made over 27,000), how to pick out a good one and so much more. It was truly an honor to have him on the show, you will love this episode!

Austin, Texas is the focus of today's episode, with a beginner's course from expat Nicole, along with Sam. Where to stay, what to do, what to see, etc. are all covered for a general overview. With local knowledge, Nicole will also let you know where to go to drink with the locals. We'll also discuss the SXSW impact, and what the best times of year are to visit. You'll also definitely want a taco after this episode. 

The title of this show may be a little dramatic, but robots really are all around us. However, they may not all be in the form we expected them to be.....yet. Drew Prindle from Digital Trends joins us to discuss everything from home assistants, to Black Mirror-like dog robotics. We'll bring you up to date, you'll learn something, and maybe be a little less worried about our incoming robot overlords. 

Sam Slaughter is visiting Portland, Oregon, we decided to go on location to Upright Brewing. They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary and this leads to a fascinating discussion about the history of craft brewers, and it's like to enter the business now, vs. a decade ago. We'll also discuss types of beer, some experiments gone wrong, and much more.

Our own Chase McPeak is the special guest today as he walks us through his incredibly challenging work of selecting all the products or the 2019 Grooming Awards, from The Manual! He tried products from over 60 companies, in 18 categories, to come up with the best of the best. Whether it's skin care, hair care, beard care, etc., he has some great advice. Check out the full lineup at The Manual.

Single Malt Scotch is tremendously popular right now and for good, delicious, reasons. On today's episode we're joined by Holly Seidewand and Drew Record of Bacardi to discuss all things Scotch. From what it requires to actually be considered Scotch, to some of the interesting ways they became involved, you'll probably be wanting a Single Malt after this episode.

With St. Patrick's Day almost upon us, we figured it was a great time to talk about Irish Whiskey. Today's guest is Tim Herlihy, who is a former egg farmer, turned US Ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W. Tim recounts his own incredible journey to becoming a whiskey expert and along the way discusses the fascinating history of Irish Whiskey. You'll come away with some great information, as well as some history of Tullamore itself. Plus, he's got a book called From Barley to Blarney! Sláinte!

The fascination with True Crime tales seems to have reached a new audience and height with the advent of story-telling podcasts. We interview Matthew Shaer, host of Over My Dead Body now available from Wondery. Matthew is a veteran reporter for such outlets as the New York Times. He discusses the particular case that his podcast is about, what it took to produce it, and why he thinks people are interested in this highly compelling story.

The title of this show may seem to be at odds with itself, but we assure, it's not. With the current fascination of Marie Kondo-style cleaning, we take a look at another trend called Swedish Death Cleaning. It turns out, it doesn't involve death really, but could definitely make your life better. Also Chase lets us know what some of the great trends are for Spring Fashion and what you need to add into your wardrobe after you finish all that cleaning.

Cachaça has been being distilled for over 500 years in Brazil, but is still just now becoming widely known in the United States. On today's episode we are joined by Avua owner Pete Nevenglosky, as he walks us through the fascinating history of this spirit. He'll also provide a guide for beginners when it comes to drinking Cachaça and some insight into the incredible versatility of it.

Tyson Ho of Arrogant Swine from NY is our special guest today and we talk about all things BBQ! In particular, we discuss their specialty of Carolina Whole Hog BBQ and what the differences are comparatively around the country. The process is fascinating, the sauces vary and there is a little bit of a dispute with our resident Texan, Nicole, over where the "best" BBQ comes from. In the end though we all agree, it's all delicious. Special guest Dan Gaul also joins us on this one!

Christian Hansen and Charles Laprade of Blue Ridge Creamery in South Carolina join us today to discuss all things cheese! Christian and Charles are knowledgeable in all things cheese related and today you'll learn how the tiniest changes can completely change their outcome, even down to the time of year the milk is harvested. We'll also walk through what to look for in cheeses, the best way to go about a cheese tasting and so much more.