The Buildout

The Moscow Mule is arguably the ultimate workhorse cocktail. Equally at home in high-class bars as well as neighborhood dives, it’s a fantastic candidate for some high-brow hacks, should you be so inclined. We here at Cocktail College are so inclined, so we enlisted the help of Evan Hawkins, co-owner and beverage director of Romeo’s, in New York's East Village. Listen on (or read below) to le...

A simple but delightful brunch staple, the Mimosa has a surprisingly specific history for a mix of orange juice and sparkling wine. Today we're joined by Matt Chavez, bar manager at New York's COQODAQ, to discuss the dynamic duo. Listen on (or read below) to learn Matt's Mimosa recipe — and don't forget to like, review, and subscribe! Matt Chavez's Mimosa Recipe   Ingredients  - 1 o...

Spirit, sugar, water, bitters — in whatever order you like. Regular Cocktail College listeners will be very familiar with that catch-all description that defines the cocktail. And indeed, we spend a lot of time here exploring those first two, if not three, ingredients. But bitters? Perhaps not as much as we should. Which is why we’re digging out one of the crown jewels from the Cocktail College va...

It's been almost two years since we first explored the timeless mix of Campari, American whiskey, and sweet vermouth, so now felt like an opportune moment to revisit — and reconsider — the Boulevardier. Joining us to do so is jet-setting Japan-based bartender Holly Graham, founder of Tokyo Confidential, which opened in late 2023. Listen on (or read below) to learn Holly's Boulevardier recipe — and...

We're shifting our gaze from individual cocktails momentarily to explore a single ingredient. More specifically, one of the world's most popular spirits: vodka. Joining us to do so is Dennis Tamse, the Global Relationships Director for the Nolet Distillery. This being Cocktail College, there will also be some Martini discussion, including Dennis' preferred Vodka Martini recipe, which is also liste...

The Painkiller carries unusual baggage for a tropical drink created in paradise. Those issues stem from contested origin stories — something we encounter quite frequently here at Cocktail College — and intellectual property wrangles (not quite so common). Joining us to explore all of that, and just generally wax lyrical about the Painkiller, is Daniel O'Grady, general manager at NYC's Lullaby. Lis...

We're making a temporary pivot to being a grapefruit podcast today, all in the pursuit of perfecting the bourbon-based Brown Derby cocktail. Joining us to deliver this historical citrus masterclass is Eben Klemm, a longtime hospitality pro who currently works as VP of Beverage and Service for Left Lane Hospitality. Listen on (or read below) to learn Eben's Brown Derby recipe — and don't forget to...

Despite having such a simple formula — it's a sour made using aromatic bitters as the base spirit — the Angostura Sour is a much more modern creation than you might expect, though it does enjoy something of a rich historical lineage. Joining us to explore that drink today is KJ Williams, a veteran bartender who these days works at New York's Long Island Bar. Listen on (or read below) to learn KJ's...

Our "Techniques" episodes often focus on processes and drinks that require expensive equipment and esoteric ingredients. But today we’re returning to the fundamentals of bartending to answer a seemingly simple question: How do you build faster rounds and, in turn, put out better drinks? Joining us to answer that question is an expert on t: Haley Traub, the general manager of Attaboy and Good Guy's...

A quasi-Sidecar riff with a triple threat of base spirits, today's subject is the Between the Sheets, a 1930's creation that all too often flies under the the radar. Whether you're looking for a beginner's rum drink or a sneakily boozy, shaken concoction, Ricky Ramirez from Milwaukee's The Mothership has you covered in this edition of Cocktail College. Listen on (or read below) to learn Ricky's Be...

It's one of the most well-known, canonical Scotch cocktails, but is it actually good? Here to discuss and teach everything you need to know about the Blood and Sand is Izzy Tulloch, head bartender at New York's Milady's. Listen on (or read below) to learn Izzy's Blood and Sand recipe — and don't forget to like, review, and subscribe! Izzy Tulloch's Blood and Sand Recipe    Ingredients&nb...

You’ve mastered the Pisco Sour and Punch, impressed your friends with El Capitan, now it’s time to kick back with the Chilcano, a zesty, refreshing mix of pisco, ginger, and lime. Joining us for today's episode is DC-based Glendon Hartley, a bartender and proprietor of Service Bar, Causa, and Amazonia. Listen on (or read below) to learn Glendon's Chilcano recipe — and don't forget to like, review,...

On this dive into the archives of Cocktail College, we're joined by Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Portland, Ore.’s Pacific Standard to discuss one of the world's most iconic cocktails: the Negroni. Morgenthaler schools us on how to perfect this classic and explains how his barrel-aged-Negroni became a national — and international — phenomenon. Listen on to learn Morgenthaler's spec — and don’t forget to...

Against a backdrop of explosive growth for tequila in the U.S., there remains a relative lack of classic and contemporary classic tequila cocktails — and that phenomenon is only amplified when you look beyond blanco and añejo and focus solely on reposado. This feels like an opportunity missed, so we decided to put things right and devote a discussion to mixing reposado in cocktails. Joining u...

A riff on the Pegu Club that somehow tastes exactly like grapefruit juice? That can only be Paul Harrington's Jasmine cocktail. Paul joins us on the show today to share the drink's genesis, talk about bartending in San Francisco (and beyond) in the early 90's, and reflect upon the growth of cocktail culture around the country since then. Listen on (or read below) to learn Paul's Jasmine recipe — a...

The Negroni, in both its classic form and modern riffs, has won over drinkers around the world with its unique, complex bittersweet profile. Today, we're here to introduce you to another version: the Bianco Negroni (or Negroni Bianco). Joining us to explore this excellent cocktail is Gareth “G” Franklin, Global Ambassador for Luxardo. Listen on (or read below) to learn how to master the Bianco Neg...

Sam Ross, of Attaboy , Milk & Honey, Temple Bar , Good Guy's , and general cocktail creation fame joins us to discuss one of said creations: the Paper Plane. Vying for position with the Penicillin as one of Ross's most famous and beloved drinks, the Paper Plane took off by employing the Last Word template and introducing some then-little-known ingredients, including non-negotiable Amaro Nonino...

Konrad Kantor of New Orleans' Manolito Bar and Restaurant joins us today to explore — and in our opinion elevate — the Swampwater. A mix of Chartreuse, pineapple, and lime, the Swampwater represents the famous French herbal liqueur brand's answer to disco-era favorites such as the Fuzzy Navel and Sex on the Beach. Listen on (or read below) to learn Manolito's Swampwater recipe — and don’t forget t...

Returning friend of the show, Joaquín Simó, joins us to discuss not only his most famous creation but one of the greatest and most well-known cocktails of the modern classics era: the Naked and Famous. Based on the classic 4 x ¾ ounce Last Word formula, the N&F would quickly become a favorite among drinkers and bartenders looking to fulfill dealer's choice orders for "refreshing, agave-spirits...

It's one of the first "modern classics" in the canon, and we're joined by its creator, Salvatore Calabrese. The Maestro himself checks in to Cocktail College to chat about one of his most famous creations — how it came to be, why it's become so famous, and how to perfect it, plus so much more. Listen on or read below to learn Salvatore's Breakfast Martini recipe — and don’t forget to leave a ratin...

We're traveling all the way to Melbourne, Australia today to chat with Chris Hysted-Adams and learn about one of the most interesting modern classics created this century. The drink is the Death Flip, which debuted on the menu at the Black Pearl in 2010, and the ingredients list reads like a concoction that simply should not work — but it does! Listen on (or read below) to learn Chris' Death Flip...

We're diving into the Cocktail College archives today to shine another light on an often-overlooked tequila-based classic: El Diablo. Here to mix up fresh lime, crème de cassis, ginger beer, and blanco is Josué Gonzaléz of Miami's Unfiltered Hospitality. Listen on or read below to discover Josué's El Diablo recipe — and don’t forget to leave a rating, review, and subscribe!    Josué Gonz...

A singular icon in the pantheon of American classic cocktails, the Sazerac has not experienced the same experimentation we’ve seen with the likes of the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and even Martini over the last few decades. But that doesn’t mean we can’t reconsider its build and serve. So that is our very task today as Cocktail College hosts returning guest Sother Teague. Listen on or read below to...

Ahead of hosting a monthly After Hours party at the VinePair HQ, Will Patton and Devin Kennedy of D.C.’s Press Club stop by the studio to give us a master class on mixing wine in cocktails.  Will Patton’s “Obstacle 1” Recipe    Ingredients 1 ounce Green Chartreuse  1 ounce Kabinett Riesling  ½ ounce fresh lime juice  ¼ ounce simple syrup  Garnish: tarragon sprig...

Julie Reiner, partner of New York’s Clover Club , Leyenda , and Milady’s , makes a reappearance on Cocktail College to explore one of her all-time favorite drinks, the Queen's Park Swizzle. In this discussion on the "grown-up Mojito," we dive deep into a broad range of topics ranging from swizzling as a technique to the modern state of mixology. Listen on, or read below, to learn Julie's Queen's P...