Drink & Learn Podcast

Elizabeth and Abigail take you through the many spirits made with agave (tequila, mezcal, raicilla, etc) and explain their differences in flavor and styles. Abigail paints a vivid picture of production based on her visits to two different distilleries in Oaxaca and Guadalajara. We pepper the discussion with advice about what to to look for when buying these beautiful spirits and end with some recipes.

Tiki authority and author Jeff Berry takes Elizabeth on a rich and complex journey, trading the rise and fall (and rise) of tiki. From the sugarcane fields of the Caribbean to glamorous 1940s Hollywood, we hear how Donn the Beachcomber and Trader Vic created a new way of drinking for Americans and how those drinks made their way across the globe. 

Elizabeth and Abigail trace the origins of gin and how its flavors have changed over time. Its expansion through colonialism, its popularity during Prohibition and its new resurgence are also explored. 

Pirates? Check. American Revolution? Check. Prohibition? Check. Eilzabeth chats with rum expert Wayne Curtis, author of And A Bottle of Rum, about rum's history in the New World. 

Happy Fourth of July! Elizabeth and Abigail trace the  origins of rum from the Caribbean to colonial America. Elizabeth says it's rum not tea that caused the American Revolution. Abigail pays homage to the Revolutionary War in her drink, The First Salute (24:00 min). 

Drinking wine from a common cup has been an integral part of communion practices in Christianity from its earliest days. However, in the late 19th century, many Protestant churches reconsidered this tradition, with some replacing the wine with grape juice and swapping one cup for many individual ones. In this fascinating episode, Elizabeth interviews Daniel Sack, the author of Whitebread Protestants. They explore how influences of Prohibition, worries about sanitation and health, anxiety about immigration, and above all, a desire for authenticity in religious practice led to changes in this drinking ritual. Regardless of your religious beliefs, this episode provides a remarkable way of understanding forces that shaped  America over the last one hundred years. 

Elizabeth and Abigail trace the long and storied path of American whiskey, from sea to shining sea. American whiskey has been a presence in this country from early colonial times but really hits its stride after the American Revolution. They discuss the creation of Bourbon, its downfall during Prohibition and its eventual resurgence as a premier spirit. 

Elizabeth chats with Nancy Maveety, author of the book Gavel and Glass: The US Supreme Court and Alcohol. Maveety uses alcohol as a lens to look at Supreme Court decisions regarding privacy, commerce, states' rights and personal liberty. And yes, of course, lots of talk about Prohibition and its residual effects on our lives today. An incredibly entertaining way to understand our judicial branch. 

Elizabeth and Abigail take you through several hundred years of Old World whisk(e)y production, with a few reminisces about time spent drinking there.  Abigail offers you a cocktail to kick off baseball season. 

Elizabeth and Abigail are back! This season they take you through the world of spirits, doing their best to explain what makes each spirit unique. In this episode about brandy, they not only talk about its origins, development, and various incarnations, they also share two recipes. One comes from the 19th century (30:00) and one is modern (33:00) but both are delicious and have great stories.