The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

In this fun chat with author and bartender Shannon Mustipher, some of the topics we discuss include: How Shannon shifted her passion for art from the canvas to the bar What cocktails and great coffee and lattes have in common What it looks like to go from designing a simple brunch menu to an entire cocktail program featuring over 50 rums The discipline, sacrifice, and passion required to assemble...

In this inspiring conversation with Chase Babcock of Saint Benevolence Rum , some of the topics we explore include: How Chase's childhood visits to Haiti - the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere - inspired him to create a rum brand that could enhance and catalyze the great charitable work his father began doing in Haiti back in the early 2000s. What it takes to source and import rum that te...

In this episode, we chat with Ethan Hall, Russell Garing, and Eric Holtzman of the Modern Bar Cart Team to learn about their first-time experiences at Tales of the Cocktail , a yearly hospitality industry summit centered around mixed drinks. Some of the topics we discuss include: How Tales of the Cocktail is structured, including seminars, tasting rooms, brand activations, and other local events T...

In this episode, we take a comprehensive look at the New Orleans inspired Sazerac cocktail and delve deep into the institution that is Tales of the Cocktail.

In this episode, we give you a comprehensive breakdown on how to approach and prepare garnishes of the citrus variety and beyond.

In this episode, we chat with author and spirits judge Eric Zandona about his new book,  The Tequila Dictionary .  Some of the subjects we discuss in this interview include: What it's like to create a reference book (like a dictionary or encyclopedia) in the spirits world, and how The Tequila Dictionary can be used as a tool by agave enthusiasts. How tequila and mezcal are different. We give you t...

In this episode, we focus on bitters - bitter cocktails, and more importantly, two new bespoke cocktail bitters flavors we developed for our friends over at Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. and Sagamore Spirit Distillery. Some of the things we discuss include: How to make the Trinidad Sour cocktail, which is one of only a few drinks where bitters make up a large portion of the volume What it means to...

­ When it was first brought to our attention that the word "mocktail" might be somehow bad or offensive, we was taken completely off-balance because, to us, it had always been a useful way to identify – on a cocktail menu – that a certain drink or category of drinks did not contain alcohol, but functioned (in a manner of speaking) as if they did. We set out to investigate this issue to the fullest...

­ When it was first brought to our attention that the word "mocktail" might be somehow bad or offensive, we was taken completely off-balance because, to us, it had always been a useful way to identify – on a cocktail menu – that a certain drink or category of drinks did not contain alcohol, but functioned (in a manner of speaking) as if they did. In this episode, we set out to investigate this iss...

In this episode, we chat with RB Wolfensberger, head distiller at Gray Wolf Craft Distilling, about his new American Agave Spirit: Lobo. Some of the topics we discus include: How his new American agave spirit - called "Lobo" - fits in with the other products in the Gray Wolf portfolio, which we taste and nose as we go. The differences between using an agave heart or "pina" vs. using an agave necta...

In this flavorful conversation with Max Lentz and Eli Breitburg-Smith of the Baltimore Spirits Company, some of the things we discuss include: Why brewers make great distillers, and how a dialed in focus on fermentation can enhance the quality of a distilled spirits program. How Max and Eli took traditional mezcal distilling methods and adapted them for making smoked fruit brandies that pay homage...

What's shakin, cocktail fans? Welcome to the official 100th episode of The Modern Bar Cart Podcast! That's right - 100 episodes. A HUGE milestone, to be sure! We are so incredibly grateful for all the great guests we've had on over the past two years, and I want to be the first to tell you that we're just getting started. Now that we're officially in the triple digits, we thought it might be nice...

In this episode, we take a deep dive into all things carbonated and watery. Some of the things we discuss include: The difference between seltzer, club soda, and sparkling water A little exploration of how CO2 influences our world How carbonation works at a chemical level An abbreviated history of carbonation and how it was initially popularized An in-depth tasting of several popular carbonated wa...

In this episode, we take a deep dive into all things carbonated and watery. Some of the things we discuss include: The difference between seltzer, club soda, and sparkling water A little exploration of how CO2 influences our world How carbonation works at a chemical level An abbreviated history of carbonation and how it was initially popularized An in-depth tasting of several popular carbonated wa...

In this episode, we hang out with bartender Zac Hoffman and focus in on cocktail competitions and the craft bartender experience. What does it take to become a real bartender, how do you deploy those skills to build a career, and what's it like going head-to-head with other skilled mixologists to create a cocktail that rises above the rest? Some of the specific topics we discuss with Zac include:...

This time around, we chat with Andy Keller, head distiller for Blackwater Distilling , Maryland's oldest currently operating craft distillery. We examine one of the really unique and ambitious projects they began just a couple years ago: aging some of their product in a solera system. Some of the things we discuss include: What a solera is, and how it's used to add both consistency and complexity...

In this episode, we interview distiller Yianni Barakos of Mason Dixon Distillery in Gettysburg, PA. S ome of the things that we discuss include: How a napkin sketch, a home distilling fire, and a serious accident led Yianni to pursue a career in distilling sooner than he had anticipated. What Mason Dixon Distillery is doing to introduce folks in central Pennsylvania to incredible craft spirits and...

In  this dank, hemp-driven, healing conversation with Tyler Lloyd of Louisville CBD. Some of the things we discuss include: What CBD is and how it differs from another popular cannabinoid called THC How Tyler and his brother capitalized on recent legislation to build LOU CBD and bring consistency and good science into the supplement space Tips for making sure you stay safe and achieve your optimum...

In this continuation of our spirited tour of Islay with Scotch enthusiast Adam Safir, s ome of the things we discuss include: How a new distillery has changed the Islay landscape for the first time in over 100 years Why non-age statement whiskies may be on the rise, and how to approach bottles that don't have age statements. A bit of discussion about various barrel finishes, including rum and sher...

In Part I of this in-depth interview and Scotch tasting with Adam Safir of the DC Islay Scotch society, some of the topics we discuss include: How Adam fell in love with Scotch, and what drove him to really dive deep into this particular region. All about whisky societies, including how to find a group to join in your area. How Scotch whiskies produced on Islay traditionally differ in style from t...

In this continuation of our spirited sake conversation with wine & spirits expert Lara Victoria, some of the topics we discuss include: How to go about pairing sake and food, knowing that a great meal can be elevated even further by strategic sake accompaniments. Which cocktails are begging for creative riffs using sake, and how Lara and I think about constructing a cocktail when sake is one of th...

In this episode, we interview WSET certified educator Lara Victoria about one of her passions - sake. Some of the subjects we discuss include: How Lara took her childhood passions for food and photography and turned them into a life-sustaining passion. What it takes to make Sake - including the many ways it's different from beer and wine in both its flavor profile and production methods. The stran...

In this episode, we answer some of the best mailbag questions we've received from listeners over the past several months.  Some of the topics we cover include: Clairin - a wild-fermented, traditionally distilled Haitian moonshine Old Fashioned Bars - How to build a good one for a bachelor party. Milk Punch - Is it suitable for consumption for the lactose intolerant? Muddlers - When to use a smooth...

In this book review episode, we review Sother Teague's cocktail book, I'm Just Here for the Drinks .  

In this craft spirits conversation and tasting with distiller Nate Groenendyk, some of the topics we discuss include: How a duo of spirits enthusiasts converted their love for craft spirits into an agricultural and distilling operation that's pumping out delicious apple brandy and dutch style gin. A comparison of Dutch-style gin and London Dry gin, specifically looking at differences in production...