The Speakeasy

Aaron Goldfarb is a writer who lives in Brooklyn. He’s written the novels “How to Fail: The Self-Hurt Guide” and “The Guide for a Single Man/Woman.” He writes about beer, whiskey, and drinks culture for places like Esquire, PUNCH, and VinePair. His latest book is “Hacking Whiskey.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sel...

This week, Damon sits down with Jeremy Allen, the GM of MiniBar in Hollywood, CA. Allen has done time under James Beard Award winning chefs in both LA and Mpls, and is a CMS Certified Somm with a Wine Spectator Award, but you wouldn't guess it by his sailor speak. More importantly, Jeremy has spent tons of time drinking in the best and worst bars and restaurants, backstages and backyards across th...

The Speakeasy turns 300! Joining Damon and Sother to celebrate is Kara Newman, author of the forthcoming book NIGHTCAP: More Than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening. Tune in to hear them talk nightcaps, and drink a few (or several) themselves! The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-...

This autumn, Asbury Park resident Diana Pittet, who grew up in Atlantic Highlands, is teaching a pioneering, one-of-a-kind graduate seminar at New York University on “The History, Culture, and Politics of Drinking,” from the Neolithic period to the present day. That’s a time span of over 9,000 years of humans intentionally (as opposed to accidentally) making and consuming alcohol--all the while, h...

Your hosts travel to the southern shore of Lake Erie to investigate the hospitality scene in Cleveland. Guided by native Stefan Was of the Porco Lounge and Tiki Room, Damon and Sother zig zag across the City talking to some of Believeland's most beloved bartenders and restaurateurs. From Ohio City Provisions to the venerable Velvet Tango Room, Cleveland is making its mark on the nightlife landscap...

Sother went down to this year's Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, armed with a recorder and a dream...a dream to cover the entire festival in-depth. However, due to his jam-packed schedule, only this interview got recorded: a sit-down with Jabin Troth, founder of the world's largest craft cocktail Instagram account, Licensed to Distill. Tune in and give him a follow! The Speakeasy is powered b...

On Today's show Damon and Sother talk with Charlotte Voisey, Director of Advocacy at William Grant & Sons USA . They discuss the rise of gin in America, respect for cucumbers, and travel tips. Plus, we get some surprise guests at the end of the episode! The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri...

Rob Morton spent 17 years in the music business running marketing departments for record labels and Virgin Megastores, and 6 as a production manager for live action music videos and commercials, before going into bar ownership in 2010. He worked for Idle Hands from 2010-2015, Fools Gold from 2014-present, Voltaire as of 2018, and Paul’s Of Oak Island coming in 2019. The Speakeasy is powered by Sim...

This week Damon and Sother chat with Freddie Sarkis, Chief Cocktail Officer at Liquor Lab in NYC. They chat about his journey from coffee to cocktails, teaching the basics of bartending, and how to progress beyond Cocktails 101. But first, Damon and Sother give a quick review of their trip to Cleveland. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

On this episode of The Speakeasy, Damon and Sother share their experiences of Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Then they welcome two NYC gatekeepers - Josh Polina, a doorman at Death & Company and Santi Dady, who handles reservations at Please Don't Tell . They talk about managing customers expectations, what customers shouldn't do in their quest for access, and their philosophies of hosp...

Today on The Speakeasy we're talking with Jesse Sheidlower , a lexicographer and bar manager of a very small, high-end cocktail bar in Brooklyn called Threesome Tollbooth . Before bartending he authored The F-Word, a detailed history of the word "fuck". We also can't forget that he's been named one of the 100 smartest people in New York by New York Magazine. We talk about immersive experiences, sw...

Today on The Speakeasy we talk with Matt Kourie . He's a cocktail enthusiast, turned home bartender, turned guest bartender, who had turned his one bedroom Queens apartment into a speakeasy, home bar room. Kourie has been organizing successful events in hospitality since 2013. The New York native has brought together over 20k individuals since that time, through his NY Best Wings Festival champion...

Noah Rothbaum is the editor of The Daily Beast ’s Half Full section. He also hosts the podcast Life Behind Bars with legendary cocktail historian David Wondrich. In addition, Rothbaum is the author of the book The Art of American Whiskey: A Visual History of the Nation’s Most Storied Spirit , through 100 Iconic Labels and the associate editor of the forthcoming Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cock...

Damon and Sother are joined by Julie Reiner and Susan Fedroff of Clover Club, Leyanda, Flatiron Lounge, Pegu Club...basically some of the most iconic bars in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

This week, Damon and Sother are joined in studio by Lauren Myerscough, co-founder of Cocktail & Sons. The company has a line of all-natural hand-crafted syrups, cordials, and tea concentrates for a variety of bars and restaurants in New York, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and more! Also joining them is Valerie Franco, satellite regular at Amor y Amargo and drummer extraordinaire, who appeared on Lat...

This week, Damon and Sother are joined in the studio by Kat Hamidi of Capitoline Vermouth, Washington DC's first commercially available vermouth. After Negroni Week and Bar Convent Brooklyn, what better way to come down than with Americanos?? The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell...

Thomas Spaeth is a bartender at Dear Irving in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. In the summer, you can also find him serving drinks at Grand Banks, a seasonal oyster bar on the deck of a historic fishing boat docked at Pier 25 on the Hudson River. He's always on the go. When he's not bartending, Thomas can be found salvaging bicycles by night and rebuilding them into urban speed machin...

Damon and Sother are joined in the studio by Angus Winchester, the Global Director of Education for the Bar Convent Berlin and Bar Convent Brooklyn and is curating over 100 training slots at these two significant trade events helping to educate and inspire Hospitality staff from around the world. Winchester’s contacts and knowledge have been built up over nearly 30 years of engagement with the bes...

From a young age, William Elliott had a fascination with taste and memory, and sharing the experience. Though he grew up in a “dry” household, his obsession with liquor and food sprang from elicit sips of pastis from his parent’s cupboard and busted attempts at bouillabaisse. During a stint playing music around California and the desert Southwest, Elliott realized a new obsession, and transitioned...

This week, Damon and Sother are joined by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, the bar manager at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon. His newest book is Drinking Distilled: A User's Manual , an opinionated, illustrated guide for cocktail beginners, covering the basics of spirits plus making and drinking cocktails. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...

This week, Damon and Sother are joined by the husband and wife team of Jackson Stamper and Tonia Guffey-Stamper, of Employees Only and Highland Park Distillery, respectively. Tune in for hiccup cures, beef tartare, and some pretty outstanding Scotch. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Eric Medsker is a New York City based photographer and content creator working on a variety of commercial, publishing, and personal projects centered around food and beverage. Some notable projects include Wylie Dufresne's WD~50 cookbook, Brian Bartel’s The Bloody Mary Cocktail Book for Ten Speed Press, and the social media for Death & Co. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast See Privacy Pol...

In her own words, Melissa “Mellie” Wiersma is just a girl who giggles a lot, makes lots of drinks, has a lot of love for Boston, and has started falling in love with New York. She's worked in every type of joint, from buttoned-up cocktail bars to roofs and dives, and has enjoyed every moment of it! She is also a contributor to the forthcoming book Drinking Like Ladies , which is dedicated to the p...

Originally from the Finger Lakes, NY, Lauren Corriveau moved to NYC at the age of 17. After graduating college with a degree in Merchandising and Business Management, Lauren went on to work in the fashion industry for almost 10 years. Although she worked in bars and restaurants while in college, hospitality didn't factor into her career path until 2013, when she was hired as a member of the openin...

Giancarlo Mancino is a gifted bartender and entrepreneur hailing from Pignola, Italy. Famous for his amazing hospitality, he has literally traveled the globe progressing the world of cocktails with his own Giancarlo BAR Ltd., a Hong Kong based bar and beverage consultancy firm. Giancarlo is also the creator of the Mancino line of artisanal Vermouths and the Aperitvo Rinomato. He recently launched...