The Speakeasy

This week on The Speakeasy , Damon Boelte is joined by bartender, musician and all around great guy Kevin Denton. Denton crafts cocktails that utilize obscure ingredients and modern techniques. Denton worked his way up as a journeyman bartender at establishments steeped in classic and neo-classic form. Denton was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1979. He earned his Bachelors and Masters of Regional Pla...

We’re talking Moonshine today on The Speakeasy as host Damon Boelte is joined by Brent Thompson from Sugarlands Distilling Company. Sugarland produces craft quality moonshine and whiskey. The distillery in downtown Gatlinburg, Tenn. is a popular attraction where guests are invited to taste free samples of authentic Sugarlands Shine, take behind the-scenes tours of the production, and purchase a va...

This week on The Speakeasy Damon interviews Jamie Salas, the Milagro Tequila Brand Ambassador. Salas tells us about the evolution of the tequila industry and how the openness of the industry has changed over the past few decades. The two then discuss the expense of producing tequila and how it can be an extremely taxing process. This program was sponsored by the International Culinary Center “Tequ...

The one and only Jordana Rothman rejoins Damon Boelte on The Speakeasy for a candid thirty minute conversation on everything from leather aged cocktails to national spirit trends. Jordana, formerly of Time Out New York, has been freelancing, focusing on bigger picture journalism and just finished working on Alex Stupak’s upcoming book with Clarkson Potter. Damon and Jordana asses some of the thing...

If you like your drinks bitter and stirred, Amor y Amargo is for you. Tune in to a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Sother Teague and Austin Hennelly of the aforementioned Amor y Amargo – a small bar in the East Village that bills itself as a “bitters tasting room and general store”. Tune in and find out what inspires them behind the bar, why the 240 square foot spac...

Steve Schneider is the star of the film Hey Bartender, Principal Bartender at Employees Only NYC, 2012 Cocktail World Cup World Champion, 6-time Speed Bartending Champion and an all-around American badass who now has his own podcast, The Steve Schneider Show . Tune in to a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Steve catches Damon up on what’s been going on in his life and shares some of his though...

Beloved bartender and inventive ice-man Zach Gelnaw-Rubin is this week’s guest on THe Speakeasy ! He’s behind the bar at Dutch Kills and Attaboy and helps run Hundredweight, the first company of its kind, supplying New York City with the highest quality ice specifically for use in craft cocktails. Their cubes, spears, spheres and punch blocks are all cut from 300 pound blocks of crystal-clear, tot...

What is American brandy and why should you care? Find out on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Joe Heron, the co-founder of Copper & Kings Distillery. Copper & Kings is an American brandy company based in Butchertown, Louisville, Kentucky, USA. They make a differentiated, uncommon, unadulterated, pure pot-distilled natural American brandy. Tune in and find o...

To kick off the new year on The Speakeasy , Damon Boelte is joined by Heather Greene, Whiskey Sommelier at The Flatiron Room and author of Whisk(e)y Distilled . Heather Greene is one of America’s leading whiskey experts, media’s newest “go-to” woman on the topic of brown spirits, and the author of Whiskey Distilled, A Populist Guide to the Water of Life on Viking Studio, an imprint of Penguin Rand...

Misty Kalkofen of Del Maguey See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Damon Boelte is talking shop with Adam Bernbach, bar manager at Washington, D.C., cocktail spot 2 Birds 1 Stone, on this weeks episode of The Speakeasy . Adam waxes poetic on the cocktail scene in Washington DC, the state of science driven drinks and his personal favorite – banana cocktails. The conversation is candid and the commentary is sharp on another episode of the best booze show on the net...

This week’s episode of The Speakeasy is all about whiskey. Damon Boelte is joined by Avianna Ponzi of Bomberger’s Distillery. Bomberger’s is the reincarnation of the original whiskey distilled under the same name, which dates back to 1753. Commemorating the historic Bomberger’s Distillery; this blend of American whiskey represents collaboration across generations and traditions to preserve the his...

Learn about cognac and other esoteric spirits on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits, an uber small operation “importing and distributing geeky spirits in the US.” Tune in and find out how the often overlooked Cognac is a staple in French and European culture and hear what makes it different than any other category. They also discuss othe...

Rum is really hot right now and Ron Diplomático rum is some of the best you can get. Tune in and get a primer on rum on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy , as Damon Boelte is joined by Manny Pena, brand rep for Ron Diplomático. Find out what goes into making great rum, how different distillation processes can drastically change the end product and why the potential for rum is still mostly unt...

The “Rye Girl” is back! Damon Boelte welcomes Abigail Gullo back to The Speakeasy this week for a discussion on whisky, cocktails and New Orleans. Abigail recently left NYC for NOLA and reflects on the differences between the two places while teaching listeners about some great cocktail and spirit history. This program was brought to you by Michter’s . “Rye whiskey would have gone extinct in the 8...

Hear from the authors of Brooklyn Spirits: Craft Distilling and Cocktails from the World’s Hippest Borough on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy . In the popular tradition of farm-to-table cookbooks, Brooklyn Spirits: Craft Distilling and Cocktails from the World’s Hippest Borough , is the first distillery-to-glass cocktail book. Organized into chapters focused on these distilleries, each chapte...

The tables get turned this week on The Speakeasy as producer Jack Inslee interviews host Damon Boelte! Hear Damon’s incredible story – from a small farm in Lone Wolf Oklahoma to the big lights of New York City. Find out how he discovered cocktails at an early age and what made him want to pursue bartending as a serious career. This program was brought to you by Michter’s . See Privacy Policy at ht...

Aaron Polsky, formely of Amor Y Amargo, is one of the best bartenders in New York City and a good friend of The Speakeasy . He drops by this week to chat with Damon Boelte about his new gig bartending at FC Gotham in the Meat Packing District, his thoughts on seasonal produce and how it relates to cocktails and jail tattoos – amongst other things. Welcome the fall season with a great look into the...

Han Shan is the new brand ambassador for Tuthilltown Spirits and Hudson Whiskey and he’s also the guest this week on The Speakeasy with Damon Boelte. Han had his first sip of whiskey at three months old (really) and now finds himself rooted deeply in the whisky industry. He and Damon discuss the state of American whiskey, the differences in styles of whiskey and current trends in the industry. Fro...

Brad Goocher and Ken Ho are bartender’s bartenders. Tune in as they talk shop with Damon Boelte on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy . The three beverage professionals kick back and discuss various aspects of the industry – from service to style. Brad tells the fascinating story on how he got his unlikely start in bartending and Ken elaborates on how his palate changed depending on where he wor...

Humans have been perfecting the science of alcohol production for ten thousand years, but modern scientists are only just beginning to distill the complex reactions behind the perfect buzz. In Proof: The Science of Booze , a spirited tour across continents and cultures, Adam Rogers puts our alcoholic history under the microscope, from our ancestors’ accidental discovery of fermented drinks to the...

Almost a year ago, popular Williamsburg bar Donna was forced to close due to an electrical fire. Now – they are back and stronger than ever. Tune in to a fun episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by the crew at Donna who have brought a kegged cocktail to the studio with them. Yes, you read that right, they are pouring draft cocktails on-air in the studio! Learn about the advantages of...

Find out how to become the best home bartender you can possibly be on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte chats with David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, the husband-and-wife authors of The 12 Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles. Hundreds of Cocktails. A New Way to Drink, and publishers of the popular blog 12bottlebar.com. Mr. Solmonson has written for both film and television, wh...

On a casual and insightful episode of The Speakeasy , Damon Boelte chats with bartender Tim Miner of Long Island Bar, a Brooklyn landmark, serving food and drinks for almost 55 years. Tune in for thoughts on everything from bourbon to bar design as Damon and Tim talk shop. Find out why you shouldn’t chug your craft cocktail and why sometimes the drink isn’t all that matters at a bar. This program...

Get some great insights and go deep into the world of craft cocktails on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy , as host Damon Boelte is joined by bartender/drink impressario and author, Greg Seider. His latest book, Alchemy in a Glass: The Essential Guide to Handcrafted Cocktails is full of original, ingredient-driven recipes for cocktails, mixers, garnishes, and bitters, this book by a cocktail e...