Meeples & Wine Episode 105: Climbing Beanstalks with The Confidence Man Mead & Blood of an Englishman
Hey board game couples and podcast fans! Welcome back to another cozy episode of Meeples & Wine, your go-to board game podcast for couples who love reviewing games with a drink in hand. We’re Michael and Suzy, and today we’re pairing a bold Illinois mead with a clever two-player card game that brings the classic Jack and the Beanstalk tale to the table. Grab your glasses and settle in—this one’s perfect for date night board gaming.
What Wine (or Mead) Are We Tasting Today?
We’re sipping The Confidence Man from Honey Heist Mead Co. in Cobden, Illinois (Shawnee Hills AVA). This Old Fashioned-inspired mead is aged on American oak with cherries, a hint of orange zest, cinnamon, bitters, and sweetened with bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup. Smooth, complex, and a little dangerous—exactly the vibe for a game about facing a giant. Perfect for couples looking for unique mead pairings with board games or podcast listeners hunting for craft beverage recommendations alongside tabletop reviews.
What Game Are We Playing?
Blood of an Englishman (2016) is a pure two-player, open-information card game designed by Dan Cassar (of Arboretum fame), with art by Chris Ostrowski and published by Minion Games. On BoardGameGeek it sits at a solid 6.5/10 with a light complexity of 1.85/5—ideal for couples who want a quick, tense evening without a huge rules dump.
One player is Jack, trying to grow three beanstalks and claim the Bag of Gold, Golden Goose, and Singing Harp. The other is the Giant, maneuvering Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum cards to trap Jack or starve him of the cards he needs. Setup is simple: shuffle the 50-card deck into five face-up Castle Stacks. Jack gets a free “Giantess’ Protection” move, then players alternate. Jack gets three moves per turn to rearrange cards and build ascending beanstalks (six cards + treasure). The Giant gets one powerful action—discard a beanstalk card, shift groups of four cards, or reposition a single card. Win conditions check constantly, so every play feels sharp.
No expansions needed. It’s pure asymmetric pattern-building and variable player powers in about 30 minutes. Great for fans of two-player board games, light strategy card games, and fairy-tale themed tabletop experiences.
Last Call
And for our Last Call Kickstarter spotlight: check out Viva La Dungeon! Rise of the Neckromancer—one book, three heroes, a dungeon you explore with choices, dice, and a story that changes every run. Cool solo/coop storytelling for board game podcast fans who love narrative adventures.
That’s it from us! If you enjoyed this board game and mead pairing podcast episode, share it with a fellow gaming couple. Reach us anytime at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn, or leave a voicemail at (707) 572-5282.
See you next time on Meeples and Wine! Buh-Bye!
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