Bartender Journey - Cocktails. Spirits. Bartending Culture. Libations for your Ears.

Bartender Journey - Cocktails. Spirits. Bartending Culture. Libations for your Ears.

By Brian Weber is a Professional Bartender and Cocktail & Spirit Enthusiast.ArtsFood
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Bartender Journey - Cocktails. Spirits. Bartending Culture. Libations for your Ears. episodes

  • Bar Institute NYC and Diageo World Class

    Bar Institute NYC

    • We had the very exciting Bar Institute event here in NY this week.
  • It's the Bartender Journey Podcast number 189!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes,  Android or Stitcher Radio.
  • On Monday before Bar Institute, I attended Diageo World Class Labs. This is an awesome opportunity.
  • Diageo World Class is one of the top 2 or 3 cocktail competitions in the world. Competitions like this can literally change your life.
  • To enter the competition you have to be a USBG member, in the US anyway. But through World Class you can get a free 30 day USBG membership which allows you to get your application in. If you decide to keep your USBG membership after that, its only $125/year, which is a real bargain, but that’s a subject for another day.
  • To enter the World Class competition you have to take at least one World Class Lab class, or you can do it online, but the live events are awesome (and free). They travel to different cities doing the class and I really encourage you to look into it. We had a great class about Taste. It was run by Andy Symore. We had samples of various cocktails to demonstrate the power of different variables like temperature, sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
  • It was a blind tasting, so Andy didn’t tell us what we were drinking until after we tasted and talked about it. The first sample was a room temperature Martini and the second was the same exact Martini, but chilled. It was diluted with the same exact amount of water. We also had a Negroni with and without salt added and so on. It really demonstrated the power of altering just one ingredient and the importance of every single thing that goes into your cocktail. You may sometimes hear that your cocktail is only as strong as the weakest link, so its important that every ingredient is high quality.
  • Then there was lunch, (free btw) and a second session, which I didn’t stay for because I wanted to get downtown for Bar Institute. Taking just one session is enough to qualify for World Class although you are welcome to stay for both
  • So even if you don’t enter the competition, (and why not?) you could still take one of these classes. I think you’ll find it to be a great experience and very educational.
  • Next stop was Bar Institute at Pier A, in Manhattan, right next to where the ferry leaves for the Statue of Liberty.
  • We spoke with Kevin Vanegas during Bar Institute about Herradura Tequila and about their new cocktail competition.

    • The Book of the Week:

    A Proper Drink: The Untold Story of How a Band of Bartenders Saved the Civilized Drinking World by Robert Simonson.

    • Robert takes us through the craft cocktail revival over the past two decades through the personal stories of bars, bartenders,  patrons and visionaries. Filled with modern classic recipes and their origins, A Proper Drink invites you to learn how we got here and where the craft cocktail industry is headed.

     

    Cocktail of the Week:

    Bourbon Stone Sour

    A Stone Sour is a Sour with the addition of Orange Juice-Freshly Squeezed preferred!

    • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 1 oz Orange Juice
  • ¾ oz Lemon Juice
  • ½ Simple Syrup
    • Shake with ice. Pour into an Old Fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garish with a piece of Orange and a Cherry.

     

    • There are lots of videos from Bar Institute on the Bartender Journey Facebook page. Thanks to Hazel for this!

     

    Toast of the Week:

    My friends are the best friends


    Loyal, willing and able.
    Now let’s get to drinking!
    All glasses off the table!

    21 min
  • Whiskey Club
    This time on the Bartender Journey Podcast we talk with Kurt Maitland of the Manhattan Whiskey Club - a Members only community that gathers monthly for private tastings.  He also contributes to the Whiskey Reviewer and to The New Single Malt Whiskey Book.


    It's the Bartender Journey Podcast number 188!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes,  Android or Stitcher Radio.

    • Tickets are still available for Bar Institute NYC.

  • If you will be attending, please let us know!
  • Attend the Bar Institute Kickoff event:

    • For bartenders and other industry people in the NYC area on Sunday, November 6th 2016, join us for a pregame Bar Institute industry kick off party in Hoboken at The Shepherd & The Knucklehead.

    Mix, mingle and share knowledge in a casual setting over complimentary punches and spirits.

    Welcome all bartenders, servers, bar managers and liquor reps! For more information email: 

  • We'll be "going live" on Facebook during Bar Institute, so please Like the Bartender Journey Facebook page for live video from the event in NYC!

    • Book of the Week:


    The New Single Malt Whiskey Book

    This book is focused mostly on Single Malt whiskeys NOT made in Scotland.  This is a really interesting category that is evolving quickly.

    “Single Malt” whiskey is one that is produced from Malted Barley at a Single Distillery.   Many producers around the world have begun producing this style of Whiskey.  For instance Westward Single Barrel Oregon Straight Malt Whiskey which is a wonderful whiskey.  You can read Brian's tasting notes on Westward here.

    Cocktail of the Week:


    Old Pal

    Since we are talking whiskey this week, we should do a whiskey cocktail.  If you listen to this show regularly you know that I love a Negroni and I love a well made Boulevardier.  Here’s another variation.  Its similar to a Boulevardier, but calls for Dry Vermouth rather that Sweet Vermouth.  Its also heavy on the whiskey, so 2 parts Rye Whiskey, (I used a very nice Rye from Maine called Gunpowder Rye), 1 part Campari and 1 part dry vermouth.  Stir it with ice and strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.  Its usually served up, unlike the Negroni which is generally served over ice, unless otherwise specified.

    Old Pal Cocktail Recipe:

    • 1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
  • .75 oz Campari
  • .75 oz Dry Vermouth

    • Stir all ingredients with ice.

    Strain into a chilled Coupe glass or Nick & Nora glass.
  • Express oils from a Lemon Twist into glass.  Drop Twist into glass.

    • Toast of the Week:


    May you have warm words on a cold evening,

    a full moon on a dark night,

    and a smooth road all the way to your door.


    40 min
  • Aquavit - the Traditional Spirit of Scandinavia
    Aquavit is the native spirit of the Scandinavian countries and is making an impact on the cocktail scene around the world!


    Its the Bartender Journey Podcast number 187!  Listen with the audio player on this page, on BartenderJourney.net or subscribe on iTunes,  Android or Stitcher Radio.


    We speak with Martin Miller and Thomas Anderson from Copenhagen, publishers of the Cocktails of Copenhagen Blog.

    Download Martian and Thomas' Aquavit eBook.


    Book of the Week:

    Sasha Petraske’s Regarding Cocktails


    As
    you may know, recently Sasha sadly passed away, way too early.  He was a
    true innovator in the cocktail world.  He opened his bar Milk and Honey
    on  Eldridge St on the Lower East Side of Manhattan on New Years Eve
    1999.  This was very early in the so called cocktail renaissance and he
    inspired an entire generation of Bartenders.


    This is Shasha's only book, completed by his wife Georgette after his passing.


    What's in your Bar Kit?  Let us know
    about your favorite Bar Tools or something unusual that you bring with
    you to work everyday and perhaps we will mention it on the show!  Use
    our Contact Page and let us know what is in your Kit!


    Brian just bought a new knife for cutting garnishes, which makes prep time much more enjoyable!  Order your own sharp knife here!


    A very small investment which helps you cut better garnishes!



    Cocktail of the Week:

    Erik The Red
    • 1 1/4 oz Bourbon
  • 3/4 oz Linie Aquavit
  • 1 1/4 oz  Honey
  • 1 1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 3 raspberries
  • ½ tsp good quality raw liquorice powder
    • Mix
    the honey with sugar syrup 2:1 to make it pourable. Muddle the
    raspberries with the liquorice powder. Shake hard and serve on the
    rocks. Garnish with a liquorice pipe or a lemon peel on a skewer serving
    as a sail for Erik.


    Toast of the Week:

    The skål is a Scandinavian toast, practiced in its most formal version by the Swedes: The proposer of the toast
    engages the eye of the person being toasted, and "skoal" is said. A
    slight bow of the head, and a twinkle of the eye—and the aquavit is
    drained in one gulp.

    44 min
  • Tiki! With Martin Cate owner of Smugglers Cove

    Martin

    Cate owner of Smugglers Cove, which was awarded Best American Cocktail Bar at
    the Spirited Awards during Tales of the Cocktail 2016 is our guest this week on
    the Bartender Journey Podcast. 

    Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes,

    Android
    or Stitcher Radio.

    Book of the Week:

    Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktails,

    Rum, and the Cult of Tiki by Martin and Rebecca Cate

    This

    book contains lots of great Tiki cocktail recipes, tons of great
    knowledge.  There are sections
    about Understanding Rum, the History of Tiki and Tiki Cocktail Techniques

    Cocktail of the Week:

    Mai Tai

    ·     

    2 oz Aged Rum

    ·     

    ½ oz Orange Liqueur (I used Mandarine Napoleon)

    ·     

    ¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice

    ·     

    ¼ oz Orgeat Syrup (I used Small Hand Food brand)

    ·     

    ¼ oz Rich Demerara Syrup 

    Shake all ingredients with crushed ice.  Pour all ingredients (including ice) into a Double Old

    Fashioned Glass.  Garnish with a
    half lime shell (ie: lime used to produce lime juice) and a sprig of mint.

    There are many types of Rum. 

    The old classifications of Light, Amber, Dark and Overproof just don’t
    cut it anymore.  We now talk more
    specifically about the production methods and materials:

    ·     

    Raw materials that will be fermented - most
    commonly Molasses, but sometimes Pressed Sugar Cane Juice.

    ·     

    The Still it was produced in – Column or Pot
    Still

    ·     

    The Aging Process

    33 min
  • Rum & Miami Bar: RePour
    Bartender and Brand Ambassador for Afrohead Rum, Isaac Grillo joins us on the Bartender Journey Podcast Number 185.


    Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.


    Isaac tells us about his bar in Miami - RePour and about the great Afrohead Rum.


    Book of the Week:

    Short Course in Rum: A Guide to Tasting and Talking about Rum


    Cocktail of the Week:

    Froco

    1.5 oz AfroHead Rum

    3/4 oz lemon juice

    2 pure cane brown sugar cubes

    3 oz coconut water

    Muddle sugar cubes with lemon juice in a shaker.  Add AfroHead Rum and coconut water.  Shake and strain all ingredients over fresh ice in a Collins glass.  Garnish with a lemon slice.  Top with shredded coconut.

    36 min
  • The Whiskey Professor Bernie Lubbers & Martin Miller's 9 Moon Gin
    Bernie Lubbers is the National Whiskey Brand Ambassador at Heaven Hill Distilleries.  He tells us exactly what it takes for a Whiskey (or other Spirit) to be labeled as "Bonded in Bond".  

    Also we speak with Jacob Ehrenkrona and taste the delicious Martin Miller's 9 Moons Gin.

    It's the Bartender Journey Podcast Number 184.  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

    For a spirit to be labeled "Bottled In Bond" it must be:
    • Composed of the same type of spirits and produced from the same class of materials
  • Produced in a single distilling season by one distiller at one distillery
  • Stored for at least 4 years in wooden containers
  • Reduced in proof with by the addition of only pure water to exactly 100 proof
  • The label must bear the real name of the distillery and the plant number where it was produced and where it was bottled
    • Book of the week:
    Bourbon Whiskey Our Native Spirit: Sour Mash and Sweet Adventures 2nd Edition by Bernie Lubbers

    Cocktail of the Week:
    Horses Neck
    • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
  • Ginger Ale
  • Long “ribbon” of lemon peel
    • Directions
    • Using a channel knife, peel a lemon in one long spiral. Twist around your finger or a barspoon to create a coil.
  • Drop the lemon coil into a highball or Collins glass leaving the end hanging over the lip and fill with ice.
  • Add bourbon and bitters. Top up with ginger ale.
    • (In a pinch, you can use a standard lemon wedge)

    Toast of the Week:
    May you…

    Work like you don’t need the money,

    love like you’ve never been hurt,

    dance like no-one is watching,

    screw like it’s being filmed,

    and drink like a true Irishman.
    27 min
  • The Whiskey Professor Bernie Lubbers & Martin Miller’s 9 Moon Gin
    Bernie Lubbers is the National Whiskey Brand Ambassador at Heaven Hill Distilleries.  He tells us exactly what it takes for a Whiskey (or other Spirit) to be labeled as "Bonded in Bond".  



    Also we speak with Jacob Ehrenkrona and taste the delicious Martin Miller's 9 Moons Gin.



    It's the Bartender Journey Podcast Number 184.  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.



    For a spirit to be labeled "Bottled In Bond" it must be:
    • Composed of the same type of spirits and produced from the same class of materials
    • Produced in a single distilling season by one distiller at one distillery
    • Stored for at least 4 years in wooden containers
    • Reduced in proof with by the addition of only pure water to exactly 100 proof
    • The label must bear the real name of the distillery and the plant number where it was produced and where it was bottled
    Book of the week:
    Bourbon Whiskey Our Native Spirit: Sour Mash and Sweet Adventures 2nd Edition by Bernie Lubbers



    Cocktail of the Week:
    Horses Neck
    • 2 oz Bourbon
    • 2 dashes Angostu
    27 min
  • The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a relatively new phenomenon.  Blended Scotch Whisky was the norm only a few decades ago.

    This week on the Bartender Journey Podcast we talk with Gemma Paterson, Brand Ambassador for The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

    It's the Bartender Journey Podcast Number 183!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

    ·      Book of

    the week: The Big Man of Jim Beam: Booker Noe And the Number-One Bourbon In the World.  Recommended by F. Paul Pacult.

    C

    C

    C

    26 min
  • Bartender & Bar Owner Neal Bodenheimer. NOLA!
    Neal Bodenheimer - Bar Owner and Bartender chats with us on the podcast this week.  Co-owner of Cane & Table and Cure, Neil talks about his cocktail menu, the bartender's roll in the bar and developing a bar in an "up and coming" neighborhood.

    43 min
  • The Manhattan Cocktail with Philip Greene
    The Manhattan - The Story of the First Modern Cocktail with Author Philip Greene.


    It''s the Bartender Journey Podcast Number 181. Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.


    The first cocktail was what we now know of as the Old Fashioned, but before the Manhattan came along, it was just called a "cocktail".  Vermouth came on the scene in the 1800's and changed the cocktail scene forever.  The Manhattan was the first drink to incorporate a second alcoholic ingredient.


    Listen as we chat with Cocktail Historian, Philip Greene.


    27 min

About Bartender Journey - Cocktails. Spirits. Bartending Culture. Libations for your Ears.

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Impassioned talk about Bartending, Cocktails and Spirits. Bartender Culture & Elucidation. Spirit & Cocktail Knowledge.