Jimmy caps off a wonderful year of amazing guests with Tim McKirdy, co-founder of The Coaster - an independent podcast network. On this episode, the duo talk about Tim's early work as a writer/editor at VinePair, the meaning of "splitting the G", Mezcal, the negative impacts of monoculture, and the announcement of Sauced- a new show on The Coaster with HRN's own, Sother Teague!

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The Coaster

The Coaster is an independent podcast network founded by Tim McKirdy, former Managing Editor of VinePair and creator/host of the Cocktail College podcast; JP Watson, founder of UK-based independent publisher The Pound Project; and Gabriela Marchand, a veteran drinks publicist and PR strategist.

Based in Brooklyn, NY, The Coaster creates podcasts that explore culture through the lens of what we drink. Each show focuses on a different and specific aspect of culture — from food and film to music, literature, and history — revealing the role alcohol plays in shaping the stories we tell and the lives we live. The network’s flagship show, Sauced, launches January 8, 2026.

Sauced

Sauced is a weekly podcast about cooking with booze and drinking with food, co-hosted by Tim McKirdy, a drinks journalist and former VinePair editor, and Sother Teague, a noted bartender, bar owner (Amor y Amargo), and author. Both hosts began their careers in professional kitchens before shifting into the drinks world; Sauced brings those paths back together.

Each episode spotlights a classic dish prepared with alcohol, a recipe elevated by booze, or an iconic food-and-drink pairing. The goal is simple: connect what’s on the plate and in the pan to what’s in the glass, and explore how alcohol shapes the flavor, story, and culture of the dishes we love.

Additional Links

Mezcal Podcast Miniseries:  Episodes 1, 2, and 3

Sauced Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sauced.pod/ 

Sauced Website: https://saucedpodcast.com/ 

The Coaster Website: https://the-coaster.com/

Sother Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativedrunk/ 

Tim Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timmckirdy/ 

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Jimmy takes a call from Jeremy Benson - GM of Crave Fishbar Upper West Side in NYC and Chris DiOrio- Senior Brand Manager for Blue Point Brewing Co. Today's chat is all about oysters. We learn about the history of oysters in NY, beer pairings, oyster farming and competitive shucking! 

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Jeremy Benson is the General Manager of Crave Fishbar on the Upper West Side. He is an Oyster Master Guild Certified Specialist and currently in the inaugural class to become a certified Oyster Sommelier. He grew up north of Boston and has been in the NYC restaurant business for over 12 years. While always liking oysters, he really fell in love with them slurping back dozens with his wife Channing. He’s greatest accomplishment is his daughter Evan.

Christopher DiOrio is a seasoned brand management professional with extensive experience in the brewing industry, currently serving as Senior Brand Manager for Blue Point Brewing Co. and Montauk Brewing Co. at Tilray Brands, Inc. Previously, Christopher held several roles at Anheuser-Busch, Cisco Brewers and Blue Point Brewing Co. Christopher’s career also includes experience as a Police Officer with the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia and work as a Researcher at CoStar Group. Christopher has a Master's of Arts in Teaching from Stony Brook University and a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from Binghamton University.

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Jimmy speaks with Alex Gill, Cider-maker at Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont, NY (Albany County). Alex shares how he got his start at Indian Ladder, falling in love with cider/cider-making, the history of the farm, and the latest batches he's hyped on. 

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Jimmy holds court with three judges of Sauce King NYC- Nick Bandouveris and brothers Paul and Anthony Ramirez. The group talk a bit about the Bronx Beer Hall (owned by Paul and Anthony), what they look for when judging, sauces that stood out over the years, making the best Coquito, and announcement of the winners of this year's Sauce King NYC!

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Jimmy takes a call with longtime friend and beer/whiskey writer Lew Bryson. Lew takes us back to his early days as a writer and his affection for beer, the publications he's worked for, cyclical trends that have come and gone, Doppelbocks, Boilermakers, and much more!

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Jimmy takes his talents to Times Square, NYC to have some drinks at BXL Cafe. There, he is joined by BXL owner Yves Michaels, Kyler Pollick from Brewery Ommegang, and frequent guest and brand developer, James Tai. Today's chat is focused on Belgian beer, how to maintain authenticity abroad, the popularity of Duvel, and exceptional mussel preparation. 

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Jimmy returns to Bushwick, this time visiting Curious Elixirs, aka Club Curious. There, he meets with Gidon Coll of Original Sin Cider, J.W. Wiseman of Curious Elixirs, Lars and Alex of Momentum Brewery. The fellas share their reasons behind exploring non-alcoholic beer/cider, incorporating ingredients that have actual health benefits, and creating a final product that tastes as good, if not better than the real thing. 

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Jimmy posts up at the Beer Table in Penn Station once more with Noah Levin, this time, with special guest Ryan James Burk from Occam Cider Co. Ryan is a longtime Cider-maker and notable legend in the scene. He shares a bit about his industry beginnings in Chicago, wild fermentation at Virtue, working internationally with Tom Oliver to make the annual "Gold Rush" Cider, joining up with Angry Orchard, and of course, starting Occam Cider Co. on the concept of quality and simplicity.  

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Jimmy gets Josh Bernstein on the line for this week's podcast. Josh is an accomplished beer writer with numerous titles dating back to the early 2000s. The duo discuss Josh's Home Brew tours in the mid-2000s, New York's "Golden Age" of beer, the history of Can Jam at Threes Brewing, and how to get patronage back for breweries. 

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Jimmy gathers once more at Threes Brewing in Gowanus, Brooklyn. This time with Author- Peter Kaminsky and Chef/Restaurateur- Alex Raij. Our guests share with us their backgrounds and long-time friendships while dining on local tacos and discussing cooking, fly fishing, and more. 

Alex Raij is a first generation Argentine-American who grew up in the Midwest, attended culinary school, and lived in Milan and the Pacific Northwest before falling in love with Basque chef Eder Montero. Together, they have opened five restaurants. Alex distinguishes herself by creating dishes that capture a sense of place without giving up a sense of personal intimacy. What emerges are stories of connection and intersection across landscapes and timelines that are delicious, inimitable, and authentic on all levels.

Peter Kaminsky’s writing career began at National Lampoon where he was managing editor in the mid 1970’s. As a food author and journalist, he is a frequent contributor to Food and Wine magazine. He wrote Underground Gourmet for New York Magazine for 4 years and his culinary work has appeared in the Food section of the New York Times over the last 25 years. He has co-authored 20 cookbooks including 7 Fires with Francis Mallmann, The Elements of Taste with Gray Kunz, Ultimate Tailgating with John Madden and, due in 2026, On Goose Cove: Recipes From The Heart of Maine with Devin Finigan.

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