The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

In this fascinating deep-dive into the world of cane distillates with Matt Pietrek, author of Modern Caribbean Rum , some of the topics we discuss include: How Matt and his wife Carrie collaborated to create an 800+ page self-published treatise on the rums of the Caribbean: through strategy, structure, and of course visiting so many of the incredible producers who pour their life into this spirit....

Eric investigates the words we use for large groups or collections of spirits and cocktails. This episode is brought to you by   Near Country Provisions . If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to   NearCountry.com   and enter the code   BARCART...

In this eye-opening conversation with Walter Meyenberg, founder of Hanky Panky, some of the topics we discuss include: Why this bar, which is so famous for being a modern "speakeasy," wasn't originally planned that way, and how they evolved from not even charging for drinks to winning international awards for hospitality. What it's like to locate, enter, and drink at Hanky Panky, according to our...

In this Midcentury cocktail retrospective with American Studies professor Cecelia Tichi, author of Midcentury Cocktails: History, Lore and Recipes from America's Atomic Age , some of the topics we discuss include: The historical backdrop for the society and culture of the mid-20th century: that is, a nation simultaneously traumatized by decades of war and economic depression and invigorated by eco...

In this truly wide-ranging conversation with bartender, spirits maker, and entrepreneur Robby Haynes, creator of the Sunday's Finest Golf Fashioned , some of the topics we discuss include: Robby's rise through the service industry ranks, beginning as a valet standing out in the cold on Chicago winter nights, then eventually manning bars like the legendary Violet Hour. What he learned about making...

In this fascinating conversation with Victoria Eady Butler, Master Blender for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, some of the topics we discuss include: How Victoria transitioned from a career in criminal justice fighting organized crime to her role as the Master Blender for Uncle Nearest, where she won back-to-back titles as Master Blender of the Year in 2021 and 2022. What happened when she teamed u...

In this wide-ranging conversation with Jackie Summers, creator of Sorel, some of the topics we discuss include: How Jackie has led a life of continuous transformation on his way to creating Sorel: battling a spinal tumor, leaving a successful corporate career, and becoming America's first black distiller since Prohibition. The intriguing wellness and flavor properties of hibiscus, which has more v...

Eric and Ethan review new and noteworthy bottles, including: Clever Fox Silver Rum Mason Dixon Distillery Tsipouro Old Bay Vodka Empirical Ayuuk Bare Zero Proof Fernet

Eric reviews the most common types of structured tastings you may encounter in the fermented and distilled beverage world. These include: Blind vs. Non-Blind Tastings Vertical and Horizontal Tastings Triangle, Triad, and Duo-Trio Tastings Component and Inverted Component Tastings This episode also explores the reasons WHY we structure our tastings, and how engaging in these exercises can provide v...

In this wide-ranging conversation with Lars Williams and Mark Emil Hermansen, co-founders of Empirical, some of the topics we discuss include: How Mark and Lars met and bonded while working at the world-renowned Nordic Food Lab at the Michelin-star restaurant, Noma, and then spun their passion and expertise into a project that bottles flavorful memories. Why Empirical is referred to as a "Flavor C...

In this delicious, philosophical conversation with James Doherty of Sliabh Liag Distilling and The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey, some of the topics we discuss include: The geography and culture of the Donegal region of Ireland, located in the far Northwest of the country, and how this elemental landscape inspires their mission and their products. Why James and his wife and distiller Moira consid...

In this tasting and fireside chat with Stephan Kopp of Fassbind Eau de Vie and Henry Preiss of Preiss Imports, some of the topics we discuss include:   The heritage fruits, sourcing practices, and protected designations of origin that set Swiss brandies and eaux de vie apart from the other fruit distilling traditions in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The difference between a "wasser" and a "ge...

In this fascinating conversation with Tremaine Atkinson of CH Distillery, manufacturers of Jeppson's Malört, some of the topics we discuss include: How Tremaine left his career in finance to jump-start an old dream that once had him peddling kegs of beer in San Francisco - a move that ultimately resulted in the founding of CH Distillery The complicated story of Jeppson's Malört, which began as a D...

Eric chats with Eileen Wayner, CEO of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, about this year's 20th Tales of the Cocktail event in New Orleans. Some of the topics they discuss include: What's new with Tales of the Cocktail this year, and which beloved aspects of the live event will return better than ever How to register and organize your itinerary for the event, with some help from the handy Whova...

In this flavorful, entrepreneurial conversation with Chinola Liqueur co-founder Andrew Merinoff, some of the topics we explore include:   Andrew's family legacy in the spirits world, including his very real ties to Canadian whisky magnates and Prohibition-era New York Bootleggers. How Chinola started in a blender in a Dominican Republic apartment and blossomed into a category-defying cocktail ingr...

In this flavorful conversation with distiller Matt Power of Tamworth Distilling, some of the topics we cover include: How the "House of Tamworth" series began as a research initiative designed to understand what the FDA considers "acceptable" flavoring ingredients, and snowballed into a passion project highlighting uncommon or underappreciated flavors and aromas. Why the "flavored whiskey" categor...

In this stimulating conversation with photographer and whisky enthusiast Ernie Button, creator of The Art of Whisky , some of the topics we discuss include: How Ernie married his way into a love for Scotch, and how that fondness turned to wonder and curiosity one night when he was about to put his whisky glasses into the dishwasher. The collaborative approach that Ernie took to explore this subjec...

In this audio essay, Eric examines mergers and acquisitions in the spirits world, using several case studies to explore how brands rise, fall, or become acquired. The case studies are: The recent acquisition of Picon Aperitif from Diageo by the Campari Group The sale of Blue Coat Gin to Heaven Hill, as part of their acquisition of Samson & Surrey. The acquisition of Faber Distilling (and its facil...

In this fusion update / mini-esssay episode, Eric covers some new developments at Modern Bar Cart, including: A website redesign New calendar and wholesale portal features The return of Embitterment Bitters variety packs A new polling initiative with benefits, and A free, private event taking place in New Orleans at this year's Tales of the Cocktail After that, he uses a case study to demonstrate...

In this single-barrel conversation with entrepreneur and spirits educator OJ Lima, co-founder of Taste Select Repeat , some of the topics we cover include: How OJ and his business partner Pierre battled a pandemic and a notoriously thorny government bureaucracy to found and scale their modern liquor store concept. The historical and social forces that contribute to an unwelcoming culture for women...

In this flavorful, botanically-robust interview and gin tasting with Duncan Coltharp and Jewel Murray, some of the topics we discuss include: The process of creating a gin from scratch - at least the way they did it at Mt. Defiance - which involved a boozy rendition of vision boarding, tinctures, eyedroppers, tasting panels, cocktail tests, and more. How Jewel thinks about gin when building cockta...

This is Part II of an extensive audio essay on the history and mechanics of the Margarita cocktail. In Part I , we examined the origins of sour taste perception and tracked a number of the Margarita's precursors, including grog, the Crusta, and the Daisy. In this installment, we explore sugar, the Margarita's chief technology, and trace it through a number of formula changes to understand how this...

In this fascinating conversation with Pádraic Ó Griallais, founder and director of Micil Distillery, some of the topics we discuss include: The history of distilled spirits in Ireland, with special attention to how pretty much every law or distilling practice somehow ties back to evading unjust taxes. What it was like for Pádraic growing up in a family where distilling was practiced and taught usi...

In this globe-trotting discussion with wine expert and author Simon J. Woolf, some of the topics we discuss include: How Simon transitioned from a career in IT to a life traveling, tasting, and writing about wine, and specifically, he describes the visit to Northeastern Italy that caused him to fall in love with Orange Wine. What makes orange wine different from other traditional red, white, or ro...

In this first installment of a two-part series, Eric investigates the origins and history of the Margarita cocktail, beginning with the origins of sour taste perception 500 million years ago. The run of show includes: The evolutionary legacy of how a tiny roundworm came to sense a change in hydrogen ion density in its environment Why humans like sour tastes, especially when those sour tastes exist...