Decoding Cocktails

Today you’ll hear from Asali Echols , Alex Nisnevich , and Casey Beck about the documentary they’re currently making about the past and present of tiki culture. Mentioned : Donn Beach , Trader Vic’s , Jeff “Beachbum” Berry , Chockie Tom , Sam Miller of Acme Bar, Smuggler’s Cove Learn more via their website and Instagram pages. You can also visit them directly on their Kickstarter page and see its...

Things I mentioned * Visiting Demetrius Cain of Nobletons Distillery * Podcasts from the year: My conversation with Banhez about wealth creation in the agave space, Will Elliott about Maison Premiere, Steve Grasse about building a brand, and Kevin Pigott of Tullamore D.E.W. on poetry * What percentage of my inventory is from smaller producers? * The article on the Sherry Renaissance * Books: A Sen...

Do you know someone that might enjoy this? Please share it. Margie Lehrman is the CEO of the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA). She has led the organization since 2016. So what is a craft distiller? The ACSA defines one as: * A distillery that values the importance of transparency in distilling, and remains forthcoming regarding their use of ingredients, their distilling location and proce...

Mike ( @barkeeping_it_real ) and Janell Bass ( @janelllenfertbass ) are the creators of Ponyboy Slings ( @drinkponyboy ). They were encouraged to pursue this avenue as a result of some well-received work they did in their consulting venture, Punchbowl Project . Do you know someone that might enjoy this? Please share it. We met this year at Tales of the Cocktail and had a great afternoon together....

Daniel Singer ( @filthydaniel ) is the CEO of Filthy ( website , Instagram ) , a company working to change the way people think about things like cocktail garnishes. Not only did I love this conversation, but Daniel’s comments about entrepreneurship requiring a high pain tolerance and his resolve to banish negative thoughts because they are not worth the energy landed heavily on my heart. Mentions...

Hannah Sharman-Cox , Siobhan Payne , and Dan Dove are the co-founders of The Pinnacle Guide ( website , Instagram ). Outside of their work on Pinnacle, Hannah and Siobhan oversee London Cocktail Week and Dan runs an agency called Global Bartending . Pinnacle is an awards program for bars inspired by the Michelin Guide . Rather than win a category, as in many other competitions, like “best hotel ba...

This edition came together late and therefore has no written text. I love you and thanks for listening. If you want to know what “Sunday Service” aspires to be read this . Thanks for reading! Keep up with my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decodingcocktails.substack.com

Julie Figueras oversees National Brand and Trade Advocacy for CNI Brands . Alex Jandernoa is the Director of Brands and Education for CNI. We got together to talk about Banhez Mezcal and the co-op that governs it, UPADEC . Brands/styles : teqpetztate, arroqueño, espadin, barril, tobala, karwinskii, cuishe , NETA Miscellaneous : milpa farming , bagaso , 9 states where mezcal can be made , ensamblé...

Hannah Williams is the beverage director of Blue Hill Farm and Donovan Ingram oversees their coffee and grain team programs among other responsibilities. I first became aware of Blue Hill via the Netflix show “Chef’s Table”, in which chef Dan Barber is featured. His book “ The Third Plate ” transformed how I think about agriculture and food. Mentions : Probitas rum , Chartreuse , BUNA coffee , Irv...

Kristin Pike is the founder of Northern Rose Spirits , which carries products from Canada like Fundy Bay Gin and Strawberry Rhubarb Moonshine by Still Fired Distilleries , Miele Amaretto & Amermelade aperitivo by Les Spiritueux Iberville , Eau-de-vie de petit-lait by Famille Migernon . Thanks for reading. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Kristin and I sat down to chat a...

Kami Kenna oversees sales and marketing for Piscologia, a women-owned and produced brand out of Peru. Follow Kami and Piscologia . You can nerd out all the way be getting certified in Pisco for free . For simplicity's sake, the following piece will focus on Peruvian Pisco with occasional notes and comparisons drawn to Chile.  Already feeling a case of TL;DR coming on? Let me read it to you . First...

Keep up with Bill and Andria's adventures on Instagram at @St. Louis_Taverns Read my reflection on neighborhood bars on my Substack page. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decodingcocktails.substack.com

JSS website , Instagram 10 facts about Shochu Shochu production by region on the island of Kyushu The State of Shochu webinar Hiromi presented in 2023 JSS Powerpoint on Shochu Read about food pairings for Shochu Want to dive all the way in? Pick up Christopher Pellegrini's The Shochu Handbook Want to hear about sake? Listen to my conversation with Andrew Lamb of High Water Sake . This is a public...

Cocktail books I mention: The Book of Cocktail Ratios , The Bartender's Manifesto Upcoming guests mentioned: Blue Hill Farm , Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association Today's conversation is with Jackie Williams of Bar Convent Brooklyn This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decodingcocktails.substack.com

Follow Kevin on Instagram as well as Tullamore D.E.W . Watch Kevin's video tribute to " The Lament of the Irish Pub " See Kevin at The Buena Vista Café in San Francisco. They regularly serve over 2,000 Irish coffees a day. As the number of celebrities aligned with brands grows, Tullamore has adopted the campaign, " Celebrity Free since 1829 " Alcohol consumption in Ireland has decreased by 32% sin...

Get a copy of The Book of Cocktail Ratios Books mentioned: The Bar Book , The Cocktail Codex , The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails We discussed his first book on Ratios focused and his book on the egg ( book page on his site ) People cited: Phil Ward , Thomas Keller , Harold McGee , J. Kenji López-Alt Ingredients noted: Absinthe , Maraschino liqueur , Lustau , Drambuie , home-made lime c...

Keep up with Andrew ( @lambdogg ) and High Water Saké ( website ) ( Instagram ).  Tippsy's Intro to saké , True Saké on varieties Table rice vs. saké rice (sakamai) More on saké's intertwined nature with Japanese tradition and culture Places and things: Accidental bar in NYC , World Saké Day , Pan-Asia Supermarket , 'Ssippi , Ben's Tune Up , Sunflower Saké NYT piece on saké's rising popularity in...

Check out Maison Premiere ( website )( Instagram ) and follow Will ( Instagram ). Their new book is The Maison Premiere Almanac . " Do Easy " by William S. Burroughs Pastis vs. Absinthe Á La Louisiane is the cocktail Will says embodies Maison Chef Daniel Boulud dropped off an antique bottle of Pernod to the Maison team Will talked about "double jiggering". Watch bartender Tom Macy demonstrate it....

Thanks for listening. I'd love it if you'd write us a review on your podcast platform or send an episode to a friend. --- Find Phil on Instagram , Twitter , watch his presentation " How the Global Drinks Business Works ", and listen to his podcast conversation about NA spirits , which he says are Veblen goods (aka luxury goods). Old Duff Genever is made at the Herman Jansen distillery, which has o...

Give Molly a follow @whiskey.biscuit . Visit Freeland Spirits on their website and Instagram . Molly's still "hell bitch" is made by Kothe Molly uses a rotary evaporator to create fresher flavors Women have more olfactory senses than men Why corn that is less sweet is necessary for whiskey production This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access t...

Visit Plantation's website and Instagram . Follow Adrienne on Instagram . Adrienne shared why she thinks the Sazerac is more of a bartender's drink Tiki references: Donn Beach , Trader Vic , and Paul McGee What esters impart upon alcohol Plantation has voluntarily submitted itself to a Bonsucro certification . Per Adrienne: any orientation to rum should start with Barbados. If you want to go light...

Follow Steven ( Instagram ) and keep up with Lustau ( Instagram )( website ) Some sherries are sweet like port but ~95% of what is produced is dry . The style that caught Steven's attention was the driest, Fino . If you're looking for a sherry to begin with, he suggests Amontillado .  Yeast, referred to as "Flor" , is used in the production of all wine. In biologically-aged sherries, this yeast is...

Follow Steve on Instagram and check out Quaker City Mercantile . Brands mentioned: Hendrick's Gin , Sailor Jerry Rum , and Fistful of Bourbon , which are owned by William Grant & Sons . He's also worked with existing brands like Miller High Life and Guinness (see Open Gate Brewery ). Steve and Aaron Goldfarb co-authored Brand Mysticism: Cultivate Creativity and Intoxicate Your Audience . Steve...

Get in touch with MariCarmen here or on Facebook . Tequila-producing states include Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and Guanajuato. See a map of them . The UNESCO certification for the agave landscape. Dia de Los Muertos (day of the dead) Check out Tequila Matchmaker An examination of ways to cook agave plants : oven v autoclaves v diffusers This is a public episode. If you would like to...

Learn more about Edward on his website . Find the book here . He says the two major dangers of the modern era are distillation ( blog article ) and isolation ( blog article ) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decodingcocktails.substack.com