⚡ Beer. Bourbon. Short Ribs. Enough Said.

The Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned

Before you roll your eyes, hear us out. This isn't a sugary latte pretending to be a cocktail. It's a real Old Fashioned with a fall twist: bourbon, bitters, orange, and just enough pumpkin spice to make things interesting.

Two ways to make it, depending on how much work you're willing to put in.

The Easy Way
Buy the syrup. Make the drink. You're done.

Stir the bourbon, syrup, and bitters with ice until cold. Strain over a large cube and express an orange peel over the top. Want more pumpkin? Bump the syrup up to ¼ oz.

The Better Way
Make your own pumpkin spice syrup once and keep it in the fridge.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Simmer everything for 10 minutes, then strain and cool.

The Cocktail

Stir with ice, strain over a large cube, and express the orange peel over the top. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if you're feeling it.

The Mettle Take
Pumpkin spice doesn't have to mean basic. Keep the bourbon in charge and it's just fall in a rocks glass.

Not the drink they expect. The one they remember.

Beer & Bourbon Braised Short Ribs

Some meals reward patience. This is one of them. A few hours in the oven turns tough short ribs into fork-tender, fall-apart beef with a rich beer-and-bourbon braising sauce.

What You Need

The Method
Season the ribs generously. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and sear the ribs until deeply browned on all sides. Remove and set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F.

Add the onion and carrots and cook until softened. Add the garlic, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.

Pour in the bourbon and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the beer and return the ribs to the pot. Add enough beef broth for the liquid to come roughly halfway up the ribs.

Cover with a lid and place in oven at 325°F for 2½–3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone. Check at the 2.5 hour mark.

Pull out the Dutch oven and remove the ribs. Skim excess fat from the sauce, then simmer it uncovered for 10–15 minutes until slightly reduced.

Serve the ribs over mashed potatoes and spoon that sauce over everything.

Because eating well is never just about the food

NFL Betting Basics: 6 Bets to Know

If you watch football every Sunday but have never understood what all those betting lines mean, here's the quick version.

The Spread
The favorite gives points; the underdog gets them. Bet the Chiefs -7 and they need to win by more than 7 for your bet to win. If they win by exactly 7, it's typically a push and you get your stake back.

The Moneyline
Just pick the winner, no point spread. Favorites pay less, underdogs pay more. Simple.

The Total (Over/Under)
Bet whether the combined score of both teams finishes above or below a number set by the sportsbook.

Player Props
Bets on individual performances: passing yards, touchdowns, receptions, rushing yards, and more.

Parlays
Combine multiple bets for a larger potential payout. The catch? Every leg has to win. One loss kills the entire bet, and parlays generally favor the sportsbook more than straight bets.

Futures
Long-term bets on outcomes like who wins the Super Bowl, a division, or an individual award.

The Mettle Take
Know what you're betting before you put money behind it. And never bet money you can't afford to lose.

Mettle does not encourage gambling. If you choose to bet, gamble responsibly.