The Art of Drinking with Join Jules and Your Favorite Uncle

In this episode, Uncle Brad and Jules dive into the Saturn, the gin-based tiki classic that somehow slipped past even Brad’s “tiki geek” radar, and use it as a launchpad into space‑age tiki history, modern bar culture, and real‑world home bartending. Brad finally makes and tastes a Saturn on air, explains why a tiki drink built on gin instead of rum still feels fully tiki, and walks through the co...

In this episode, we dive into the rich, flavorful world of fat-washed cocktails, where culinary technique meets classic mixology. Jules and Uncle Brad each dive into the flavor: a bacon fat-washed bourbon Old Fashioned on my end, and a chili crunch fat-washed tequila creation from Jules that brings heat and intrigue in equal measure.  From there, Uncle Brad trace the origins of fat washing, explor...

The Adonis is a late-19th-century, low-ABV sherry-and-vermouth aperitif, originally mixed to honor a record-breaking Broadway hit and quietly carried through the golden age of American hotel bars. In this episode, we follow the Adonis from the footlights to the backbar, using this seemingly simple drink to probe how aromatized wines reshaped ideas of pre-dinner drinking. Along the way, we play wit...

Jules showed up to the recipe section of this episode with a drink in each hand, fully convinced the Brown Derby was a Kentucky Derby cocktail. She was wrong - but her enthusiasm was entirely justified. It turns out the Brown Derby has one of the stranger origin stories in cocktail history: invented in London, stolen by a Minneapolis greeting card tycoon, falsely credited to Hollywood, ignored for...

In 1925, an American novelist and a British food critic walked into a French restaurant in London and changed cocktail history; even if nobody noticed for about seventy-five years.  This episode traces the remarkable origin story of the Champs-Élysées cocktail, beginning with the unlikely partnership behind Drinks - Long and Short, the book that first put the recipe to paper. We explore who Nina T...

Before you slurp another jello shot out of a plastic cup, you might want to know where it actually came from... and it's not a frat house basement. Uncle Brad traces the surprisingly sophisticated history of alcoholic gelatin, from medieval banquet halls where aspic was the ultimate flex of wealth and status, to Victorian dinner parties where wine jellies were prescribed as health food, to the 195...

In part one of a two-part history series, Uncle Brad traces the origins of one of the oldest cocktails on record, connecting its lineage directly to the Old Fashioned, explaining why 19th century Americans were drinking cocktails with their eggs and toast, and uncovering a surprising twist: the way we make this drink today is essentially the inverse of how it was originally prepared. The history o...

In this episode, we explore the Angle Face, a sophisticated cocktail that showcases one of France's finest spirits. We trace the drink's origins and cultural significance before diving deep into Calvados, the apple brandy that defines this drink. We uncover how this legendary spirit developed over centuries. We'll also explore the fascinating etymology behind it’s name and Normandy itself, connect...

Uncle Brad and Jules explore the sophisticated and slightly scandalous Between the Sheets cocktail in this episode of The Art of Drinking. Uncle Brad walks through a few potential origin stories for this Prohibition-era classic - a variation on the Sidecar that balances cognac, rum, triple sec, and lemon juice into a drink worthy of its suggestive name. Meanwhile, Jules transforms the 1930s origin...

Final episode of our January rerun series! For today’s spotlight, we go all the way back to episode 1 where we talk about the old fashioned. Admittedly, this is a bit of a curve ball as we dive into the Wisconsin Old Fashioned, which is an... interesting take on the classic Old Fashioned. The classic is simply spirit, bitters, sugar, and water. But here’s the catch, any spirit will do and you can...

Welcome back to our January rerun series! For today’s spotlight, I’m thrilled to revisit Episode 17, where we dive into the elegant and effervescent French 75. One of my ALL time favorites and my go to welcome cocktail to serve when hosting parties.  I chose the French 75 for this rerun because it’s a brilliant riff on the classic Sour cocktail—that timeless combination of spirit, citrus, and swee...

Continuing our January return to cocktail fundamentals while Jules and Brad prep for the new year ahead. Last week we mastered the Sour; Spirit (rum), Sour (lime juice), Sweet (simple syrup) - better known as the Daiquiri. This week's Episode 11 introduces the Sidecar, which takes that Sour framework and swaps simple syrup for liqueur. This creates what's known as a Daisy style cocktail: Spirit (C...

We are kicking off 2026 with a strategic return to cocktail fundamentals. While Jules and Brad plan an exciting year ahead, they're revisiting four essential episodes for new listeners and seasoned fans alike. This week features Episode 2: The Daiquiri - the quintessential Sour cocktail that unlocks the understanding of dozens of other drinks.  Discover why the Sour formula (spirit + citrus + swee...

Join Uncle Brad and Jules as they explore the sophisticated French Martini, a modern classic that's more Manhattan than Paris. Brad guides you through the traditional recipe featuring vodka, Chambord, and pineapple juice—super-sized for maximum enjoyment—while diving into the fascinating history of Chambord liqueur and its royal French origins. Discover how this elegant cocktail earned its name an...

Raise your flute for France's most elegant aperitif! Uncle Brad and Jules explore the Kir Royal, a sparkling symphony of crème de cassis and champagne that transforms any moment into a celebration. Brad walks listeners through the classic recipe and its surprisingly political origins - from a pragmatic Burgundian mayor's clever marketing to Parisian cafe culture. Jules shakes things up with Tia Ba...

Join Uncle Brad and Jules as they explore the classic Three Dots and A Dash cocktail. Brad demonstrates the traditional recipe while Jules adds an unexpected Mexican twist (and no, it's not tequila). Discover the fascinating history behind this tiki favorite, including how it earned its Morse code-inspired name and the story of its creator. The episode wraps up with expert recommendations on rum b...

In this festive episode of The Art of Drinking, Jules shares her Nonna-approved Tom & Jerry recipe—a classic holiday cocktail that's equal parts tradition and indulgence. Uncle Brad dives into the drink's rich history and reveals the surprising story behind how this warming winter libation got its name. Jules walks listeners through her technique for creating the perfect Tom & Jerry batter, but fa...

Uncle Brad and Jules crack open the world of nocino, a mysterious and delicious walnut liqueur, which could also be considered an amaro. Brad kicks things off with a Walnut Banana Bread Old Fashioned that puts everything you've learned from this podcast into practice—spirit, sweet, bitters, water, done. Jules counters with her Bitter Nocino, a nutty twist on the classic Negroni that'll make you re...

We're back with another All Spice Dram cocktail, and this week we're exploring the Lion's Tail—a bourbon-based classic that emerged from the creative explosion of post-Prohibition mixology. Brad walks you through the proper technique for crafting this spirited sipper then dives into its fascinating history and the possible origins of its name. Jules adds her personal twist to the recipe, then shif...

Join Jules and Uncle Brad as they shake up the Applejack Rabbit, a Prohibition-era classic born in the speakeasies of 1920s New York. Uncle Brad takes you back to 1928 when humorist "Judge Jr." first published this recipe in his cheeky cocktail guide Here's How!, then traces the drink's journey from Northeast speakeasies to the pages of The Savoy Cocktail Book—and its modern revival thanks to craf...

STOP! Before you try to make this drink, you will need to purchase Blue Blazer mugs  Where do I get Blue Blazer mugs you ask? Golden Age Bartending has a set of 2 you can purchase for about $50. www.goldenagebartending.com. Then go research fire safety!     In this episode we are turning up the heat—literally—with one of cocktail story's most spectacular and dangerous drinks: the Blue Blazer. This...

Move over, fancy cocktails—this week we're cracking open the truth about cider, the beverage world's most underappreciated beverage. Join us as Jules whips up some stovetop cider magic (yes, your kitchen will smell amazing), while Uncle Brad proves that cider deserves a spot on your shelf, or in your fridge. We learn there are regional differences, which may explain why you may not like cider – yo...

Pour yourself a glass and join Uncle Brad as he breaks down the classic Planters Punch—before Jules jazzes it up with a tropical pineapple-basil twist that'll transport you straight to the islands. Brad takes us on a spirited journey through the cocktail and Jamaican rum’s history and reveals the nautical origins of being "three sheets to the wind" (spoiler: it's not about bedding). The duo wraps...

Meet Monica and David Kowalski, the husband-and-wife duo behind Colorado Springs' beloved Lebowski's Tap Room and the award-winning premium coffee liqueur, Lebowski's Kool-Luah. What started as Monica's dad's cherished family recipe has evolved into a craft liqueur that's earning rave reviews and found its way on Uncle Brad’s shelf as his favorite coffee liqueur.  The Kowalskis share the heartwarm...

Join Uncle Brad and Jules as they dive into the Kentucky Mule and eventually dive into the bourbon boom that's burning holes in our wallets. Uncle Brad breaks down the proper way to craft this whiskey-forward twist on the classic Moscow Mule, exploring its brief but uninteresting origins. But the conversation meanders a bit bourbon's explosive popularity and how it's transformed from an affordable...