To celebrate Negroni Week 2021, we’re going back in the archives to our Negroni episode from 2020 in which we break down what makes this drink so enduring. Before that, Mike brings in Jonathan Howard from the Continental to discuss his “Negroni Experience,” debuting today at the side bar at the Continental. Jonathan will be serving up variations on Negroni’s, including one that has been aged inside of a coconut.

Mike is then joined by Kenneth Dedmon to discuss the many components in Campari (including what may be the key secret ingredient) and why a simple drink ends up being so complex. Pour yourself a Negroni and dive in with us. Season 4 premiere and “Books and Booze,” will debut soon!

For a very special episode 50 (!) hosts Mike and Kenneth cover one of their favorite drinks, the Negroni. They go over the history of the drink, the fascinating rise of apertivo culture in America, as well as a few of the secret ingredients that make Campari so special. They also discuss a few recipes and how using salt in cocktails at home can transform your drinks. Other topics explored: was Count Negroni cool? Is Campari and soda the drink of futurism? Is there a cricket in the room? An enjoyable cap to Negroni Week indeed!

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen

A double shots edition for the season 3 finale! To close out the “Summer of Shots,” Mike is joined by cocktail correspondent Jessica Backhus to discuss two extremely drinkable summer drinks: the Honey Deuce and the Paloma. They celebrate the Honey Deuce’s 15th anniversary and discuss the cocktail’s origins as the official drink of the U.S. Open, which is currently underway. Find out what those little melon balls are all about. Then they take a trip down to Mexico and cover all things Paloma. What does a knife have to do with the secret to a great Paloma? What two citrus fruits were combined to birth the grapefruit? Is this the most drinkable cocktail ever created? Find out all the answers and plenty of recipes!

Coming soon: Season 4, “Books and Booze” galore as we talk to some of our favorite authors about writing, drinking, and why the two seem to go together.”

Order Mike’s new book Barantined: Recipes, Tips, and Stories To Enjoy At Home; stories from a range of bartenders and sommeliers on how they survived the pandemic and how you can upgrade your home bar setup.

Follow Liquid Gold on Instagram at @liquidgold_pod.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen.

For National Lemonade Day, Mike guides you on a century-spanning tour through the origins of this simple, delicious beverage. From its origins in Egypt and China to the cafes of 17th century Paris, lemonade has been a phenomenon all over the world. Also discussed: a Victorian-era recipe for lemonade, where pink lemonade originated, what makes an “ade,” and the correct percentage of juice in a homemade lemonade.

Mike is also joined by his daughter for the first time on the show, as she details her passion for lemonade and methods for a “rainbow unicorn lemonade.” She also details the perfect food pairing for lemonade: hot dog tacos.

Order Mike’s new book Barantined: Recipes, Tips, and Stories To Enjoy At Home; stories from a range of bartenders and sommeliers on how they survived the pandemic and how you can upgrade your home bar setup.

Follow Liquid Gold on Instagram at @liquidgold_pod.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen. Mojito photos from Delicious Table.

For a “Summer of Shots” Spectacular, Mike is joined by cocktail correspondent Jessica Backhus, who’s opening the Longboard, a new beachside bar in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. Jess joins the program to talk about the various frozen drinks and exotic flavors she’ll be working with at her new gig. The crew deep dive on daiquiri variations like the Hemingway, Hotel Nacional and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Mike shares some cocktail anecdotes of his time sipping drinks in Cuba, and how you can make Cuban-style drinks at home. Then they breakdown the disparate parts of the Miami Vice drink, before drifting down to the Virgin Islands to discuss the almighty Painkiller. Recipes abound!

Order Mike’s new book Barantined: Recipes, Tips, and Stories To Enjoy At Home; stories from a range of bartenders and sommeliers on how they survived the pandemic and how you can upgrade your home bar setup.

You can also see Mike talk about the new book on August 7th at Honeytree Meadery as part of “National Mead Day” over at 918 Woodland St on the East side.

Follow Liquid Gold on Instagram at @liquidgold_pod.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen. Mojito photos from Delicious Table.

Mike is joined by Travis Archer, formerly the Mojito master behind “Mojito Mondays” at Dino’s. Travis now runs the bar at Osteria La Buca in Los Angeles and makes incredibly delicious and creative cocktails. Travis gives his traditional mojito recipe as well as a California-centric riff on the classic with lemon verbena. Also discussed: egg white style foams for vegans, gems of the California spirit scene, the perfect music to pair with a Mojito, Travis’ “Shot Girl Summer” at Osteria La Buca, and why restaurant and bar teams are like basketball teams.

Order Mike’s new book Barantined: Recipes, Tips, and Stories To Enjoy At Home; stories from a range of bartenders and sommeliers on how they survived the pandemic and how you can upgrade your home bar setup.

You can also see Mike talk about the new book on July 23rd at Parnassus Books at this event in conversation with author (and James Beard winner) Lisa Donovan.

Follow Liquid Gold on Instagram at @liquidgold_pod.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen. Mojito photos from Delicious Table.

The “Summer of Shots” continues as hosts Mike and Kenneth discuss the origins of the first produce-driven cocktail, the Smash. Find out why this is the ultimate summer cocktail template that can be tailored to fit whatever ingredients you may have on hand. They also discuss the ice component of this drink, and why you may need an ice-crusher for that home bar setup.

Order Mike’s new book Barantined: Recipes, Tips, and Stories To Enjoy At Home; stories from a range of bartenders and sommeliers on how they survived the pandemic and how you can upgrade your home bar setup.

You can also see Mike talk about the new book on July 23rd at Parnassus Books at this event in conversation with author (and James Beard winner) Lisa Donovan.

Follow Liquid Gold on Instagram at @liquidgold_pod.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen

The “Summer of Shots” kicks off once again which sees the Liquid Gold crew tackling all manner of summer beverages. Today Mike sits down with Nashville bartending legend Jeremiah Blake of Bastion, Green Hour and Holland House fame. The topic? One of the earliest and most important templates of the cocktail, the Daisy, precursor to none other than the Margarita. Jeremiah breaks down the secrets of his famous Daisy, featured in Imbibe magazine back in 2012 when the craft cocktail boom was just coming into its own. He also covers the last project drink he was making before the pandemic, a next-level Espresso Martini, and his go-to summer shot: the Billy Ocean. Sit back with a cold one and let’s get summer started!

Catch Mike at Tattered & Covered Books on Saturday, June 12th at this free livestream event!

Follow Liquid Gold on Instagram at @liquidgold_pod.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen

After giving the ultimate summer frozen daiquiri recipe courtesy of guest Adrienne Stoner, Mike sits down with her to discuss all things rum and Barbados. They cover the origin stories of Plantation Pineapple Rum and OFTD, as well as what that originally stood for. Then they delve into the rum culture of Barbados, the birthplace of rum, and discuss Adrienne’s new cane advocacy educational focus at Maison Ferrand.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen

Mike goes on a deep dive into tropical waters with Adrienne Stoner of Maison Ferrand, covering Trader Vic’s singular masterpiece, the Mai Tai. They discuss some of the secrets of the drink, as well as the differences between Trader Vic’s style and Don the Beachcomber. Adrienne made famous Mai Tai’s at both Three Dots and a Dash and Lost Lake in Chicago and knows her way around an exotic cocktail. Her frozen daiquiri recipe is also in Mike’s new book out July 6, Barantined: Recipes, Tips and Stories to Enjoy at Home, featuring many of Nashville’s best bartenders.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen

Mike checks in with Liquid Gold hero Darcy O’Neil, soda fountain historian and drinks master, who has announced a new venture making wine on the banks of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada. Darcy’s new progressive grape-growing, wine-making venture will feature fungal-resistant grape varieties with a focus on limiting or completely omitting the use of pesticides and herbicides. They also discuss the future of wine regions and the impact global warming will have on grape varieties and where they can be grown. California looks to be in trouble, while Canada could be the next Bordeaux.

Music by Upright T-Rex Music.
Logo by Jess Machen