Summary

In this episode, Chris LeBeau, the founder of Decoding Cocktails, shares his journey from working in strategic planning to becoming a full-time mixologist. He discusses how he simplifies cocktail-making and teaches others how to make delicious drinks at home. Chris also recommends books for beginners and shares his favorite tips and techniques.

Guest

• Chris LeBeau: Founder of Decoding Cocktails

Links

• Chris LeBeau on the blog

• Yummy chocolate cocktail recipes for Chocolate Happy Hour

Topics discussed

• Chris’s journey from strategic planning to mixologist

• The inspiration behind Decoding Cocktails

• The importance of understanding ratios and basic techniques in cocktail-making

• Recommended books for beginners in cocktail-making

• Tips for simplifying complex cocktail recipes

• The art of making cocktails for others

Key takeaways

• Cocktails can be simplified by understanding ratios and basic techniques.

• The Book of Cocktail Ratios by Michael Ruhlman is a great resource for beginners.

• The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler is recommended for those who want to improve their bartending skills.

• Start with simple cocktail recipes and focus on the mood and occasion when choosing drinks.

• The process of milk clarification can be used to create unique and flavorful cocktails.

Notable quotes

• “If suddenly you didn’t look at every cocktail as an iterative one-off, but as belonging to a family, now suddenly the universe of creating this becomes a lot more like cooking.” - Chris LeBeau

• “Making a cocktail and it feeling hard or expensive or then it not even going right, that is an absolute perfect recipe to make sure you make fewer cocktails.” - Chris LeBeau

• “The advantage that a cocktail has over wine and beer is that you get to say to someone, ‘Come over, let me make something for you.’” - Chris LeBeau

Entities mentioned

• Decoding Cocktails

• The Cocktail Codex

• The Four Hour Chef

• In Toxicology

• Michael Ruhlman

• The Book of Cocktail Ratios

• Jeffrey Morgenthaler

• The Bar Book

Keywords

cocktails, bartending, mixology, ratios, techniques, beginner’s guide to bartending, cocktail recipes, virtual classes, milk clarification, bartending books

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