Bartender at Large

With our landmark 100th episode happening, we knew that we had to meet with one of top bartenders out there, Charles Joly. To make it even more special we filmed this episode in front of a live audience at the world-famous tiki bar, Lost Lake. So, tune in as we take questions from the crowd & maybe even take a shot or two.

Now that craft cocktails are no longer just for bars, more and more people are expecting delicious drinks no matter where they are. This is in no small part due to cocktail caterers like Brea Wilske, of Bespoke: A Cocktail Catering, who are making incredible drinks for guests at events across the country.

Running the bar program at an award-winning bar is no easy task. Winning accolades and nominations is about much more than just making great drinks, but rather about creating culture and cultivating an atmosphere of excellence. To shed some light on this, we meet with Jillian Vose, of the Dead Rabbit, for some advice on how to create this environment for your bar.

To learn more:

The Dead Rabbit:

https://www.deadrabbitnyc.com

Jillian Vose:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/going-10-rounds-with-top-bartender-

With the subject of diversity and equality being such an important topic in today's bar world, we decided to spotlight a bartender in the business who is tackling the subject head on. Shelby Allison is not only a co-owner of the award-winning tiki bar, Lost Lake in Chicago, but she is also one of the co-counders of Chicago Style, a cocktail conference dedicating to showcasing women and diversity.

In today's world of cocktails, there are so many career options for the bartender that it can often be difficult to navigate. To help layout the groundwork on how to balance work opportunities as they come in, we are joined by Morgan Schick, who tells us about what it is like to be a cocktail consultant who works with some of the country's top bars and spirits. In addition, he shares his philosophy on creating award-winning cocktail menus.

There are so many misconceptions out there when it comes to Scotch, so we met up with whisky expert Tonia Guffey to help shed some light on how to approach this beautiful spirit. We also discuss the impact that dating apps have had on the today's bar biz.

The world of brandy is so vast & intriguing, but for many of us, Pisco still remains shrouded in mystery. To help us gain a better understanding of this often misunderstood spirit, we decided to sit with Romina Scheufele, a fifth-generation maker of Pisco, and listen to her share the truth behind this world-class spirit.

Running an international events company can be hard work, especially when you are working with bartenders and cocktails. However, Lindsey Johnson and Liz Porter of Lush Life Productions manage to do just that, all while spreading the gospel of community, education and quality spirits.

Since the food & drink scene in Palm Springs has been growing by leaps and bounds over these last few years, we decided to meet up with the crew from the award-winning cocktail bar, Bootlegger Tiki, and hear all about it. Tune in & listen as we talk about the tropical cocktails & the rich history of Hollywood's favorite desert town.

On this episode we explore the Kansas City cocktail scene with two of the cities top bartenders, Derek Branham and Andrew Olsen. In addition to talking about the local food & drink, we also discuss the challenges involved with creating atmosphere at a bar and how that relates to sound & lighting.