TBTL Episode #4578: "A Few Small Beers"

Release Date: October 17, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh
Guest: Bobby Pape (via voice memo)

Episode Overview

In this Friday episode, Luke and Andrew celebrate the end of a hectic week, reflect on their beloved Seattle Mariners' postseason rollercoaster, and dig deep into the cultural and personal meaning of "the best beers," prompted by a list from their friend Bobby. Other topics include Andrew's dog-sitting saga, the odd joys of day-drinking in empty bars, sports fandom psychology (and coping mechanisms), and the elusive, perfect beer experience.

This episode is jocular and reflective, full of TBTL's signature meandering tangents, affectionate ribbing, nostalgia, and a bit of sports heartbreak.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Great "Best Beers" List (09:40–34:53)

Prompt:
Listener Bobby Pape sends in a "Top Five Beers" voice memo, not about brands, but about classic circumstances that elevate the beer experience.

Bobby's List (15:21–26:39):

• Oli/Honorable Mentions:
  • Shower beer: "More a thing of myth...I think more people have not actually had a shower beer than like the idea of a shower beer." –Bobby (15:21)
  • 5pm Happy hour beer: The iconic after-work, end-of-week cheer
• #5: Airport "time warp" beer – any time’s fair game (“no clocks”—casino-vibes)
• #4: Tailgate/parking lot beer (especially for Bills Mafia fans)
• #3: Mid-afternoon, dark bar beer (“You’ve slipped out of work early...some shitty local TV news or soap operas or some bad movie on the tv, and you just taking in a quiet cold one with the regulars, the career drinkers..." –Bobby)
• #2: Business lunch beer (“maybe two, get back to the office after”)
• #1: Crisp autumn campfire beer (“straight from a cooler dripping down the side of a cold bottle...you come home smelling like the fire the next day. Absolutely perfect.”)

Hosts’ Reflections:

• Luke and Andrew praise the creativity of the list—less about what beer, more about when and where.
• Luke shares a nostalgic story about skipping work at Jackie's Fifth Amendment in Brooklyn for an afternoon of "a few small beers," famously served in a "fuck it bucket"—a pie tin of mini Budweisers on ice (20:03–23:13).
• Andrew nostalgically describes the magic of a post-yardwork beer, sitting in the garage, admiring the day’s work (28:08–28:44).
• They debate which scenarios Bobby omitted, e.g. "boat beer," "baseball park beer," "first vacation beer," and, controversially, the “hangover beer” (“born out of pain, heartbreak, and bad decisions...but it works.” –Luke, 30:44–32:52).

Quote Highlights:

• “My absolute number one beer that is not even mentioned...is the post yard work beer.” –Andrew (28:08)
• “The ballpark is the hallowed, sacred location of beer consumption.” –Luke (34:15)

Segment Takeaways:

• The best beer isn’t about craftsmanship; it’s about context—ritual, reward, and camaraderie.
• Listeners and hosts alike cherish these “beer moments” as markers of adult life, freedom, and nostalgia.

2. Mariners Mania & Baseball Fandom (05:34–13:39, 41:53–92:02)

Ongoing Theme:
Much of the episode is suffused with anxious anticipation and debriefing of the Mariners’ playoff series. The emotional stakes are high, and the guys contemplate how wins, losses, and the company of others deeply affect them.

Key Points:

• The Mariners are tied 2–2 in the ALCS; a "make-or-break" game is looming.

• The hosts reflect on the all-consuming nature of postseason baseball:

  • “We don’t care about our lives, hygiene. Our lives are built around this schedule right now.” –Andrew (05:44)
  • “Our stress response is to go toxic positivity.” –Luke (64:32)

• Andrew’s experience dog-sitting prevents him from the usual bar meet-ups or multi-hour baseball-watching at a friend’s house (06:31–12:57, 80:07–81:16).

Coping with Loss:

• Both reveal their methods to step away from the anxiety:
  • Andrew, after a Mariners meltdown: “I put the game in my headphones...walked down to the weed store...came back...smoked half of it walking home. I just wanted to get to the part where Veeves and I could go next door, watch Columbo, spend some time with the dogs, play cards...We can get to that part of the night. We can do that right now.” (54:55–56:43)
  • Luke describes how not being hyper-present for the worst moments (because of work) made the blow easier.

Sports Fan Psychology:

• They dissect the meaning of “toxic positivity” vs. “toxic negativity” among sports fans, referencing their group chats and a friend’s need to “process” via negative venting (61:49–66:46).
  • “He needs to hand these bad feelings off to other people who now have to deal with them so that he feels better.” –Luke (66:46)
• Is misery the ultimate badge of fandom? Is it ok to turn off the TV or tune out?
  • “The idea that [turning off a game] was a novel concept...is there some little gremlin inside us that says, ‘oh, well, if you’re not the most miserable person on the chat right now, then you don’t care enough’?” –Andrew (61:49)
• The line “Why is everybody so sad?” (a reference to the aftermath of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl loss) resurfaces as shorthand for the emotional costs of fandom (64:32, 71:23).

Predictions and Hope/Hopelessness:

• The key Mariners game is at 3pm, not 5pm, much to their scheduling chagrin (76:18–79:53).
• Luke predicts a Mariners win out of "cosmic reversal": as soon as a sports narrative feels “true,” it flips (88:00–89:14).
• Andrew: “My prediction is that the Mariners don’t go on to the World Series. I don’t feel like we’re going to be able to salvage this. I hope I’m wrong and I’m not trying to be negative...” (89:17)

Quote Highlights:

• “I am not conceding this series, but I feel like we’re playing with house money. This season has already been a pretty big success.” –Luke (71:23)
• “Hope is a dangerous thing. That’s something I just came up with right now.” –Andrew (53:44)

3. Andrew’s Dog-Sitting Adventures (06:31–12:57, 80:07–81:16)

Overview:
Andrew recounts a week of dog-sitting two neighboring pit mixes, Maggie and Goose (or “Goober”), and the emotional and logistical effort it’s been—balancing his own needs, the dogs’ pack tendencies, and ensuring they feel loved in their owners’ absence.

• “Their home is just not conducive for me spending a lot of time there or doing any kind of work there...it is taking up big chunks of my day because I feel so bad.” –Andrew (07:47–09:51)
• The challenges of learning “dog etiquette” and feeling responsible for their barking or behavior.
• The comfort animals provided after a day of sports-heartbreak and marijuana coping.
• Limits his social options—can’t take the dogs to bars, can’t invite them to his own home (cat, different dynamic).

4. Miscellanea: Mobile Saunas, Soda Water, and Podcast Ads (03:45–04:33, 38:33–40:33)

• Mobile Saunas: The guys note a recent trend of “pop up” and “mobile” saunas in Seattle and San Francisco, but time constraints sideline the topic (03:45).
• Artisanal Soda Water: Luke riffs on his “homemade, hand forged, artisanal soda water” habit, and how carbonation timing is a risky throat-clearing game for a podcaster (04:42).
• Podcast Ad Placement:
  • TBTL’s business model stands in contrast to bigger shows like Pablo Torre Finds Out, who recently ran out of pre-roll ads.
  • “Here we are relying on people like Cary Deutsch...And it’s working!” –Luke (39:41)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the psychology of beer:
  • “The best beer isn’t about craftsmanship; it’s about context—ritual, reward, and camaraderie.”
• Luke’s Brooklyn memory:
  • “Are we just like kind of blown off work today to drink beer at Jackie's Fifth Amendment?...I just remember that being one of my favorite Tuesdays of all time.” (22:50)
• On baseball heartbreak:
  • [Detroit Tigers broadcaster, post-loss] “I gotta do a game recap!” (84:34)
• On Mariners fandom:
  • “There’s just something about living in that world with them every pitch for nine innings...Is this fun? Not right now.” –Luke (59:12)
• On dog-sitting:
  • “Goose just really...he really needs us all to be together. Like, I just don’t want to leave Goose alone.” –Andrew (06:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [09:40] – Introduction of Bobby’s "Best Beers" list
• [15:21] – Bobby’s full Top 5 Beers rundown
• [20:03] – Luke’s “Fuck It Bucket” story (Jackie’s Fifth Amendment)
• [28:08] – Andrew on the post-yardwork beer
• [30:44] – Debate: hangover beer, first vacation beer, boat beer, baseball beer
• [41:53] – Donor Thanks and more Mariners talk
• [54:55] – Andrew’s marijuana coping strategy for a Mariners meltdown
• [61:49] – Group chat negativity, toxic fandom, and psychological exploration
• [76:18] – The agony and logistics of watching decisive Mariners games
• [84:34] – Play the Tigers broadcaster’s "Do I have to do a recap?" blooper

Tone & Language

Loose, humorous, self-deprecating, and nostalgic, with elements of sports heartbreak, sincere reflection, and classic TBTL banter. Andrew is detailed and gently anxious; Luke is wry, a little more “toxic positive”; both are candid about the foibles of adult life and sporadic joy.

Summary

This episode sees Luke and Andrew in quintessential TBTL form: riffing on absurdities (like mobile saunas), dissecting the rituals of beer, bar, and ballpark, and talking themselves—and each other—through both sports-induced elation and despair. Bobby’s beer list catalyzes affectionate stories about friendship, work avoidance, and the small pleasures that mark the adult calendar.

Layered over all is the obsessive ache and hope of postseason fandom. Through it all, listeners get a glimpse into how adult priorities collide (dog care vs. bar hangs), how group chats process collective pain, and how sometimes the best way to “be a fan” is to let go—at least for an inning or two.

For Listeners

This episode is a tapestry of memories, communal sports feelings, and the rituals that make ordinary days special—a must-listen for fans of both beer and baseball, and a time capsule of life’s small but meaningful escapes.

Power out!