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Faith No More’s Billy Gould joins the show and shares his passion for Serbian Brandy. Billy starts his own brand, Yebiga, a Serbian brandy called Rakija made in Croatia. In turn, Fred offers up some rare rye whiskeys, including WhistlePig Boss Hog and Michter’s 10 year. All the while, the two become instant friends over good drink and solve the problems. Bill sheds light on something Fred knows little about—Serbian Drinking Customs. Little did he know, grandmas in Croatia drink two shots a day to help them live long and healthy lives. Could that be applied in the United States?

Faith No More’s Billy Gould joins the show and shares his passion for Serbian Brandy. Billy starts his own brand, Yebiga, a Serbian brandy called Rakija made in Croatia. In turn, Fred offers up some rare rye whiskeys, including WhistlePig Boss Hog and Michter’s 10 year. All the while, the two become instant friends over good drink and solve the problems. Bill sheds light on something Fred knows little about—Serbian Drinking Customs. Little did he know, grandmas in Croatia drink two shots a day to help them live long and healthy lives. Could that be applied in the United States? 

Spirits tasted:

• Yebiga Rakija (17:44)
• Redwood Empire Emerald Rye (28:54)
• Whistlepig Boss Hog (38:06)
• Michter’s 10 Year Rye (42:38)

Topics covered:

• The interview kicks off on Faith No More’s canceled tour and the band’s transcendent popularity.
• They talk about his friend and former Faith No More Chuck Mosley, who died in 2017.
• Fred talks about getting a pitch about Serbian brandy. Huh??? Then he learned it was Billy’s product. Billy does the rest, explaining that rakija is a part of everyday life in Serbia.
• With rakija, it’s all about getting the right plums, Billy explains. No sugar added in fermentation, just fruit and water. Fred digs it.
• Fred eases his guest from rakija into tasting rye whiskeys, beginning with Redwood Empire Emerald. He gives Billy a background on rye and talks about its recent resurgence.
• Billy talks about how Faith No More’s songs “cook together like gumbo” to achieve their sounds.
• Fred breaks out the Boss Hog and explains how it is aged and finished. Bring on the cinnamon.
• They discuss the stigma of alcohol and the cultural differences between drinking in America versus drinking in Serbia.
• The Michter’s 10 Year Rye comes out and Billy utters the word “wow” repeatedly. “I love this,” he says. “This is fantastic.” Fred declares it one of the best ryes he’s tasted this year.
• They then discuss how music has evolved over their lives, from radio airwaves to “animal” energy at a live show to the rise of TikTok. This leads to Fred jokingly saying we “need more curmudgeons.”