The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

Courtesy of the illustrious David T. Smith , author of The Gin Dictionary , Disco Cocktails , and other fine bibulous publications, I and a group of friends were treated to a rare Chartreuse tasting after we had wrapped up all of our work at the American Distilling Institute's annual conference and trade show this past August in Baltimore, MD. Our casual panel of tasters included: Eric Zandona , a...

Eric leads a panel discussion about flavored whiskey at the 2024 American Distilling Institute Conference and Trade show in Baltimore, Maryland. The esteemed panel includes: Virginia Miller, The Perfect Spot , World's 50 Best Brad Nichols , Flavor Man Sara Sergent , Alpine Distilling Keven Szady , Murlarkey Distilled Spirits We cover a range of important topics in this discussion, all related to t...

Eric presents a "soup-to-nuts" crash course on how to crush your next cocktail competition. If you'd like to view this seminar with slides, you can watch it on YouTube . Some of the topics covered include: How to structure your approach to cocktail competitions so that they can help to advance your career goals An overview of the three main types of cocktail competitions (digital, local, and "the...

In this globe-trotting, Japanofilic conversation with Awamori champion Jeremy Webb of Webb's Grainworks , some of the topics we discuss include: The technical definition of Awamori, especially with respect to how its distillate base, koji treatment, and aging practices differentiate it from Shochu and Japanese Whisky. How the history and culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom - a nation separate from the r...

In this wide-ranging conversation with cocktail expert and bar mentor Jim Meehan ( @mixography ) , author of The Bartender's Pantry , some of the topics we discuss include: How ingredient sourcing and processing ties into the exercise of integrity--not just in sourcing the highest "quality" ingredients, but also exploring how your purchasing power plays into our larger agricultural and economic sy...

In this LIVE Seminar recording, Eric identifies two key strains of B.S. that run through contemporary tasting notes. Then, using a concept he refers to as "locating the 'heart' of a spirit," he explores how to generate tasting notes that say accurate things about flavor while also allowing people to connect with the liquid in a glass or a bottle.

In this, sweet, funky, and occasionally grassy conversation with Ian Burrell ( @therumambassador ), author of Rum A Tasting Course , some of the topics we discuss include: Why Ian takes a "flavor-first" approach to rum (in general, but especially in this book), and how these flavors are gateways to history, geography, culture, and conversation. The different ways that rum can be categorized, and w...

Eric investigates the Boce Coaster , descending into a noir mystery narrative to determine if it's possible for a drink coaster to reduce fusel oils in distilled spirits using "quantum tunneling." Buckle up. This is a weird one.

In this campy conversation with Reece Sims ( @reecesims ), creator of Flavor Camp , some of the topics we discuss include: How camps - like bars - act as intense and intimate "third places," where people with shared interests or commonalities can gather and thrive. What Reece does to shake up the traditional ruts we fall into when tasting spirits--from the way she sets up the layout of the room, t...

Eric shares some exciting previews of the episodes to come in the second half of 2024, including sneak previews of "Cocktail Futurism" interviews with Rob Nester ( Drinking with Robots ) and Jayme Blaschke ( Lagoon of Mystery ).

In this down-to-earth conversation with distiller and outdoorsman Tony Gugino of Eighth District Distilling Co. , some of the topics we discuss include: How Tony's childhood exploring and fishing in Upstate New York inform the way he moves through the natural world and experiments with botanicals in his spirits. The attributes and attentional faculties that separate experienced foragers from every...

In this American, singular, and distinctly malty conversation with Tyler Pederson ( @cerealdistiller ), master distiller at Westland Distillery , some of the topics we discuss include: How Tyler came to be an American Single Malt distiller and what it's like to develop a resilient supply chain of farmers and malt houses that can sustain itself year after year. Why distillers use the "hot steep" me...

In this RTD redux with Keli Rivers , David T. Smith , and Joe Barber , some of the topics we discuss include: Emerging trends in the post-pandemic RTD (ready to drink) and RTS (ready to serve) cocktail space, including more bottled RTS SKUS, continued innovation by small producers, and marked improvements across the board in stability and flavor. Thoughts on the very real limitations of launching...

In this Seattle cocktail retrospective with Paul Clarke, Editor in Chief of Imbibe Magazine, some of the topics we discuss include: How Paul began his drinks journey in the early days of the cocktail renaissance and became a regular at the ZigZag Cafe, a Seattle cocktail den that rose to prominence thanks, in large part, to a bartender named Murray Stenson. The fascinating gravitational pull that...

What will cocktails and bars look like in 100 years? 200 years? What about 500? In this introductory survey episode, Eric explores what "cocktail futurism" might look like and how we can start thinking  NOW about how our drinks will evolve in the future. This isn't about projecting what cocktail will become "cool again" next year -- it's about understanding what long-term trends might totally re-w...

In this groundbreaking, down and dirty conversation with Gian Nelson of Jano Spirits , some of the topics we discuss include: How Gian found his home in the creative and multidisciplinary workspace of the wine and spirits industry and why he's selected Agave Americana as the canvas on which he expresses his passion. An overview of the different types of agave spirits currently being produced here...

In this fascinating deep dive with Aaron Goldfarb ( @aarongoldfarb ), author of  Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits , some of the topics we discuss include: What constitutes a "dusty" or vintage bottle and some of the historical forces that created the trend of hunting for them, especially in the Bourbon world. Some tentative answers to the question, "Did it really Use to Taste Better?," fe...

In this roving, wanderlustrious conversation with Devon Trevathan of Liba Spirits, some of the topics we discuss include:  Why Devon has chosen to cultivate a welcoming and mindful relationship with discomfort while traveling, and how this has allowed her to become a sponge for the sights, flavors, and sensations that make different cultures and destinations unique. A working definition of "Nomadi...

In this heady, fragrant chat with Dr. Kevin Peterson, author of Cocktail Theory: A Sensory Approach to Transcendent Drinks , some of the topics we discuss include: Why his time testing combustion engines in a laboratory made Kevin the perfect person to analyze the classic cocktail families for their ideal dilution, temperature, and ingredient ratios How bartenders can use the notion of " olfactory...

In this "Year in Review" / 2024 Preview episode, Eric covers 2023 by the numbers, including highlights and growth figures. Then: some quick previews of what this year has in store, and one big announcement that has been several months in the making.

In this spirited discussion with Alain Royer and Henry Preiss of Preiss Imports , some of the topics we discuss include: What precisely Izarra liqueur is and the geographic and cultural forces that allowed it to remain more of a regional specialty, while Chartreuse enjoyed wider exposure.  How other specialty liqueurs, like Jaegermeister and Luxardo Maraschino, managed to burst the bonds of their...

In this special holiday-themed throwback episode, we've decided to re-release part of an episode from 2020, where Eric interviews acclaimed cocktail author Aaron Goldfarb, author of the book,  Gather Around Cocktails . Some of the topics covered include: How to master eggnog, even in a New York City apartment Ways to think about seasonality in cocktail ingredients and custom drink specs Special dr...

In this stirring, ice-cold conversation with bartender and cocktail batcher extraordinaire, Robby Haynes, some of the topics we discuss include: What people mean when they say, "Martini," and why certain preferences and aversions pertaining to its construction may stem from unresolved fears and myths about ingredients. How Robby teamed up with distillers, wine-makers, and cocktail experts to weave...

In this nerdy deep-dive on the craft and science of Super Juice with bartender and cocktail competitor Mike Vander Horn ( @cocktail.complex ), some of the topics we discuss include: What Super Juice is and how it has risen to prominence in both cocktail bar and home bar settings. Different ways of formulating super juice, including recipes and methods drawn from Liquid Intelligence, a bartender na...

In this time-traveling, globetrotting conversation with Amanda Schuster , author of Signature Cocktails , some of the topics we discuss include: How Amanda went about sourcing 200 signature recipes from all corners of the globe and spanning over 500 years of history. What distinguishes signature cocktails from their more generic counterparts like Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and Martinis - specific...