In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian Cole sits down with Gillian Fitzgerald of Casements Bar in San Francisco to explore what it really takes to build a world-class modern Irish bar.

Casements has become one of the most respected Irish bars in the US by doing things differently. This conversation goes deep into the bar’s identity, how Gillian and the team avoid tired Irish stereotypes, and how they create cocktail menus that feel rooted in Irish culture while still speaking to San Francisco and California produce.

Gillian shares the story behind Casements, what it was like opening just weeks before Covid, how the team survived through grit and rapid delivery pivots, and how they continue to evolve the bar through strong hospitality, staff development, and thoughtful drinks.

The episode also dives into the inspiration behind Casements’ new cocktail menu, including landscape, language, Irish ingredients, and the influence of the late Manchán Magan. If you are interested in Irish cocktails, cocktail menu development, modern Irish hospitality, bar ownership, or running a successful contemporary bar, this one is packed with insight.

In this episode:

• What makes Casements one of the most talked-about modern Irish bars in San Francisco
• How to create an Irish bar without clichés, shamrocks, or plastic paddy nonsense
• The story of opening Casements just six weeks before Covid shut everything down
• How the team built a delivery model overnight to keep the business alive
• Why Irish hospitality should be welcoming, inclusive, and for everybody
• How Gillian approaches cocktail menu development at Casements
• Blending Irish ingredients and ideas with California produce
• Why constraints, limited space, and simple techniques can lead to better drinks
• How Casements develops staff knowledge and gets the whole team involved in menu creation
• The thinking behind the new Casements menu and its connection to Irish language and landscape
• Why curiosity matters when building drinks for guests
• The story behind the name Casements and Roger Casement’s legacy

Key takeaways:

• A modern Irish bar should reflect real Irish culture, not stereotypes
• Great cocktail menus are built on clarity, balance, and identity
• You do not need endless equipment or overcomplicated techniques to make outstanding drinks
• The best bars build people, not just menus
• Hospitality works best when every guest feels welcome
• Sometimes the drinks with the most soul come from memory, place, and personal connection

Notable moments:

• Gillian explains how Casements was designed to feel like an authentic, contemporary Irish space in the middle of San Francisco’s Mission District
• She shares the bar’s survival story during Covid, from batch cocktails to mobile Guinness service
• Damian and Gillian discuss the challenge of making Irish drinks feel modern and relevant
• Gillian breaks down how the team tests cocktails, what makes the cut, and why one weird drink always stays on the list
• The new menu is revealed as a tribute to Irish language, land, and the work of Manchán Magan

If you enjoy conversations about cocktail culture, Irish whiskey, bar ownership, hospitality, and menu development, make sure to follow The Cocktail Academy Podcast and share this episode with someone in the trade.

Contact and follow:

Casements Bar

Instagram: @casementsbar

Website: casementsbar.com

The Cocktail Academy

Instagram: @welovecocktails

TikTok: @welovecocktailsx

Facebook: @welovecocktailsx

Website: www.thecocktailacademy.com

Email: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian records live from Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London with Andy Loudon, Director of Bars, and Kris Bazys, Bar Manager, during the launch of the new Heroes & Villains menu.

Andy breaks down the thinking behind the menu, how Gerald Scarfe’s artwork shapes the identity of the bar, and why great bars are built on energy, escapism, and experience, not just what’s in the glass. Kris then takes us behind the scenes into the reality of service, explaining what actually changes when a new menu launches, how the team adapts, and what it takes to deliver consistency at scale.

This episode is a strong listen for bartenders, operators, and hospitality professionals who want to understand how top-level cocktail programmes are built and executed in a luxury environment without losing personality.

• How the Heroes & Villains concept was developed
• Why Scarfes focuses on experience over just drinks
• What really changes when a new menu launches
• The operational reality behind high-level cocktail service
• Why “villain” drinks like Mojitos and Cosmopolitans still matter
• How batching and classics work together in a modern bar
• The training system behind a high-performing bar team

Experience beats everything

Great drinks are expected. What separates bars is how they make guests feel from the moment they walk in.

Menus are built over time

A single menu launch represents months of development, testing, and team input.

Luxury doesn’t have to be stiff

Scarfes shows how to balance high-end service with warmth, personality, and energy.

Operations drive success

Menu changes impact everything—layout, prep, glassware, flow, and team movement.

Training builds consistency

Strong foundations, structured progression, and continuous development are key to maintaining standards.

Classics still matter

Even with modern techniques, classic cocktails remain essential for both training and guest demand.

• The thinking behind Heroes & Villains and its link to Gerald Scarfe
• Why certain classic cocktails became “villains” within the industry
• The hidden 48-hour prep behind some drinks
• How Scarfes trains and develops its team from the ground up
• The balance between batching for efficiency and maintaining craft

“People go to bars for escapism.”

“Luxury and comfort are not always the same thing.”

“You can train a monkey to make a good drink with the right recipe.”

“The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.”

“The first thing I protect is my team.”

Andy Loudon – Director of Bars, Rosewood London

Kris Bazys – Bar Manager, Scarfes Bar

Scarfes Bar: @scarfesbar

Rosewood London: @rosewoodlondon

The Cocktail Academy: @welovecocktails

Website: www.thecocktailacademy.com

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Tyler Zielinski has built one of the most interesting careers in modern drinks. In this episode, Damian chats with the author of Tiny Cocktails about his path from early bartending roles in Boston, to advertising in New York, to becoming a writer, consultant, educator, and content creator working across the global drinks industry.

They talk about what it really takes to build a career beyond the bar, why modern bartenders need to think differently about networking and visibility, and how Tyler carved out a lane that blends hospitality, media, and brand work.

The conversation also digs into the rise of tiny cocktails — what they actually are, why they are more than just glorified shots, and how they can create real value for bars and guests alike. Tyler also shares how the book opened the door to projects like Wheels Up and the Up Mini Bar, showing how one idea can evolve into something much bigger.

A great listen for bartenders, operators, drinks creatives, and anyone curious about where cocktail culture is heading next.

In this episode:

• Tyler’s route into hospitality
• From Boston bars to New York advertising
• Why content creation in drinks is harder than it looks
• Building a career outside the traditional bar path
• Why bartenders need to diversify their network
• What tiny cocktails actually are
• How smaller serves can work in a bar program
• Pricing, access, and tasting-menu applications
• The Wheels Up partnership and Up Mini Bar
• Why unusual ideas can lead to major opportunities

Follow Tyler:

• Instagram: @bon_vivantito
• Industry content: @zeststories

Follow The Cocktail Academy:

• Instagram: @welovecocktails
• TikTok: @welovecocktailsx
• Facebook: @welovecocktailsx
• Website: www.thecocktailacademy.com
• Email: [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a bartender mate, post it to your story, and tag us so we can see it.

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Lindsey Johnson has spent nearly two decades quietly shaping the global drinks industry from behind the scenes. From punk bar bartender to broadcast journalist to founder of the world’s first bartender advocacy agency, Lindsey built Lush Life Productions on one simple principle: take care of bartenders and they’ll take care of everything else.

In this episode, we dive into how she bridges the gap between brands and the bar community, why hospitality professionals should be treated like VIP guests, and the uncomfortable truths about awards, recognition, and what really matters in this industry.

• Lindsey’s unconventional path from punk clubs to brand strategist
• Why 80% of alcohol purchasing decisions are influenced by bartenders
• The founding of Lush Life Productions and 19 years of bartender advocacy
• Why brands still misunderstand the power of the bar
• Economic downturns and why they often lead to smarter brand investment
• The real reason some bartender programs fail
• Why hospitality must be practiced towards hospitality professionals
• Why awards don’t always equal impact
• Social responsibility and bars as community safe spaces
• Advice for bartenders who want to work with brands
• Advice for small brands trying to grow strategically

• If you want bartenders to champion your brand, feed them, respect them, and invest in them properly.
• Showing up consistently matters more than chasing visibility.
• Awards are nice — but mentorship and community-building matter more.
• Smaller brands win by focusing deeply, not broadly.
• Hospitality is not a buzzword. It’s logistics, care, trust, and follow-through.

🌐 Website: https://lushlifeproductions.com

📩 Sign up to the newsletter via the website

📸 Instagram:

• @livethelushlife
• @pdxcw (Portland Cocktail Week)
• @camp_runamuck

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone in hospitality who needs to hear it.

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In this episode, Damian sits down with Declan McGurk, a hospitality leader whose career spans high-volume bars, global spirits brands, and one of the most iconic hotel bars in the world.

Declan traces his journey from glass collecting and flair bartending in late-90s Leeds, through brand and sales roles in London, to managing the legendary American Bar at The Savoy. Along the way, he shares why systems matter more than stories, how classics training builds real confidence behind the bar, and why the martini remains the ultimate benchmark for hospitality standards.

The conversation also dives into his move to Boatyard Distillery, the realities of growing a spirits brand in a crowded market, and why bartender trust is still the most powerful driver of long-term success.

A must-listen for bartenders, managers, and drinks professionals who care about fundamentals, consistency, and genuine hospitality.

• Starting out behind the bar and learning through structured training
• Why everyone in hospitality is in sales (whether they realise it or not)
• Lessons from The Savoy: consistency over personality
• The martini as a diagnostic tool for bars and bartenders
• Classics vs over-complicated cocktail menus
• The current state of gin and why “real gin” still matters
• What great hospitality actually looks like heading into 2026

Great hospitality isn’t about perfection, i t’s about standards, energy, and making sure nobody leaves unhappy, guests or staff.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to The Cocktail Academy Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping modern hospitality.

Instagram 📲 Follow @welovecocktails for episode clips, insights, and bartender-focused content.

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Saeed “Hawk” House – better known online as @cocktailsbyhawk – joins Damian to talk about his path from Bay Area barback to LA content creator, why he still thinks like a working bartender, and how influencers with real bar chops can shape what guests drink around the world.

They get into the tension between “what works on Instagram” and “what works on a busy Friday night,” the responsibilities that come with reach, and Hawk’s campaign to make cocktails fun (and drinkable) again.

In this episode, we cover:

• Growing up in the Bay Area, studying audio engineering and falling sideways into bartending via Burning Man and Chelsea’s nudge behind the bar
• Building foundations at Cantina, Prizefighter, Perch and Mrs. Fish – and what high-volume vs high-craft venues each taught him
• Picking up a GoPro, posting rough early videos and realising a working bartender could step into the influencer space
• COVID as a turning point: brand deals, staying afloat and the decision to leave regular bar work for full-time content creation
• The responsibility of bartender-creators: transparency around paid partnerships and learning to say no to brands that don’t fit
• The inside story of the Batanga “conspiracy” and what it reveals about how online trends drive real-life orders
• Balancing social-friendly recipes with drinks that bars and home drinkers can actually execute
• Why Hawk is less interested in rotovaps and more focused on simple, repeatable cocktails you want four of—not just a one-off spectacle
• How films, food and ingredients inspire his recipes, including a deep dive into his Joker-inspired cocktail build

About Saeed “Hawk” House

Saeed “Hawk” House is a Los Angeles–based bartender, consultant and full-time creator behind Cocktails by Hawk. After years in San Francisco and LA bars, he now partners with spirits brands, develops menus, runs a mobile bartending business and shares approachable cocktail content with a global audience.

Find Hawk: @cocktailsbyhawk on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and more.

Find The Cocktail Academy: thecocktailacademy.com · IG @welovecocktails · TikTok @welovecocktailsx

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From culinary classrooms to cocktail culture, Sother Teague has built one of the most distinctive bars in the world... Amor y Amargo in New York’s East Village by doing what few dared: saying no to juice, sugar and shakers, and saying yes to bitter, spirit-forward drinks built on precision and hospitality.

In this episode, Damian sits down with the bartender, author and educator to talk about how a career that began in kitchens shaped his approach behind the bar, why “bitterness is the grown-up flavour,” and how a 240-square-foot pop-up turned into a global benchmark for flavour integrity and service culture.

• How Sother’s culinary discipline and mise en place mindset shaped his bar craft.
• The story of Amor y Amargo’s accidental beginnings — and why it still hasn’t stopped “popping” 14 years later.
• Building a bar around limitations and flavour focus: no fruit, no shakers, no syrups — only spirits, fortified wines and bitters.
• Turning “no” into “yes, but…” — educating guests through experience.
• The manifesto every team member receives: a two-way promise of mentorship, standards and care.
• Why true hospitality is about feelings, not transactions.
• New ventures: SAUCED, Sother’s upcoming podcast blending food, booze and creative friendship.

• “We sell hospitality — everything else comes with it for free.”
• The first 10 seconds at the bar are everything: eye contact, a menu, and a glass of water.
• Great bartending starts with knowing your ingredients like a chef knows flavour.
• Limitation can be a creative superpower.
• Hospitality isn’t service — it’s making people feel welcome, comfortable, and cared for.

• Follow Sother Teague → @CreativeDrunk
• Amor y Amargo — amoryamargo.com
• SAUCED Podcast → Check out the Kickstarter now live
• I’m Just Here for the Drinks – Sother Teague’s essential book on spirits and flavour

Follow & Subscribe:

👉 Instagram @welovecocktails

👉 TikTok @welovecocktailsx

👉 Listen & support → thecocktailacademy.com

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On this episode, Damian Cole sits down with Jamie Lewis and Drew Fleming from Kiki Lounge — the award-winning bar bringing tropical escapism to the windswept Isle of Man. The pair share how a pandemic pivot turned a small-island nightclub into one of the UK’s most talked-about cocktail destinations, and why they chose to drop the word tiki in favour of something more authentic and inclusive.

They talk origin stories, supply-chain nightmares, and the creative freedom that comes with isolation. With only 80 thousand residents and every delivery arriving by boat, Kiki’s team have learned to plan months ahead, reuse everything, and turn scarcity into a design principle. From fermenting pineapple trim into milk punch to developing house “super-juice” for consistency, they prove sustainability can be both pragmatic and profitable.

Jamie traces his path from McDonald’s in Sheffield to running Bath & Bottle and opening his first pop-up in a hotel basement. Drew recalls starting as a 17-year-old glass-washer before discovering hospitality’s addictive rhythm and rising to co-founder. Together they explain how Kiki Lounge began mid-COVID as a one-room experiment and evolved into a purpose-built venue mixing neon, pop culture, and tongue-in-cheek tropical style.

The conversation dives deep into:

• Island hospitality: how intimacy, consistency, and humour define service in a close-knit community.
• Cultural awareness: moving beyond tiki stereotypes to celebrate joy and colour without caricature.
• Sustainability by necessity: waste-free prep, local-first sourcing, and ingredient life-cycles that make sense on a small island.
• The zine menu: an ever-changing printed magazine that educates guests (“What the **** is Kiki?”) and keeps the team inspired.
• Hospitality outside the glass: the energy, soundtrack, and sense of fun that make a night at Kiki feel like an event.

Expect plenty of stories — from trading bar tabs for furniture in the early days to guest-shifts aboard the island’s heritage steam train. They also name their dream Kiki soundtrack (Spice Girls, Anderson .Paak, Madonna), confess the most Isle-of-Man thing that’s ever happened during service, and share their picks for overrated and underrated cocktails (spoiler: flavour-blaster bubbles out, 20th Century in).

Key takeaways for bar owners and bartenders:

• You don’t need a big city to build a world-class bar; you need a clear identity.
• Sustainability works best when it’s built into the workflow, not bolted on for PR.
• Fun and professionalism can coexist — “we take what we do seriously, but not ourselves.”
• Print menus can educate, entertain, and evolve with your guests.

Why it matters:

Kiki Lounge has redefined what island hospitality can be — proving that creativity, community, and a little irony can turn 36 miles of rock in the Irish Sea into a global cocktail destination.

Connect & Follow:

• Kiki Lounge @kikis.lounge
• Jamie Lewis @jamielewislewis
• Drew Fleming @drewfleming00
• The Cocktail Academy @welovecocktails | @welovecocktailsx
• [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode: share it with a hospitality friend, rate & review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and subscribe for weekly conversations with the bartenders, owners, and authors shaping modern cocktail culture.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Damian is joined by Emma Janzen, an award-winning journalist and drinks writer whose byline has become a fixture in the cocktail world. What started as a happy accident — cocktail classes in Austin, Texas, and a story pitch at her local newspaper — turned into a decade-plus career exploring drinks, design, and the culture surrounding them.

Emma shares how she transitioned from multimedia work at a paper into drinks journalism, eventually becoming digital editor at Imbibe magazine before striking out on her own to focus on spirits, cocktails, and book projects. Along the way, she became a trusted collaborator for some of the biggest names in bartending, including Julia Momose (The Way of the Cocktail), Toby Maloney (The Bartender’s Manifesto), and Jim Meehan (The Bartender’s Pantry).

In this conversation we cover:

• Emma’s unconventional path into the industry — from design writing to drinks journalism.
• The cocktail classes and first visit to Tales of the Cocktail that sparked her passion.
• Lessons from seven years at Imbibe and how that shaped her perspective on drinks writing.
• Moving into co-authoring books with leading bartenders and how her role flexes from writer to editor to project manager.
• Behind the scenes of The Bartender’s Manifesto and the challenge of translating Toby Maloney’s teaching into a book format.
• Why The Bartender’s Pantry feels like a pattern interrupt in cocktail publishing — with its focus on ingredients, culture, and ethics.
• Emma’s philosophy on what makes a book worth writing (and worth reading) in an industry full of recipe collections.
• Advice for bartenders and operators thinking about writing a book — from finding your niche to doing the research, and the realities of time, money, and motivation.
• Her favourite drinks books that continue to inspire her writing and thinking.
• What styles of cocktail books she’s ready to see less of.

Emma also talks honestly about the craft of writing — how she bridges the gap between a bartender’s knowledge and what readers actually need — and why books in this space are best viewed as a service to the community.

📲 Connect with Emma: Instagram @emmajanzen

🎧 Listen to more episodes & Lock-In sessions: thecocktailacademy.com

📩 Get in touch with Damian: [email protected]

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This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian welcomes back Tim Herlihy, co-founder of Lost Irish Whiskey, storyteller, and longtime champion of Irish hospitality.

Tim’s journey is anything but ordinary — from working on his family’s egg farm in Termonfeckin, County Louth, to becoming U.S. Ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W., and now building a modern Irish whiskey brand that celebrates the global Irish diaspora.

In this episode we cover:

• The buzz of the Irish House takeover at Tales of the Cocktail and why it marked such a powerful moment for Ireland’s bartenders, brands, and hospitality.
• Tim’s leap from farming to whiskey through the Bord Bia Fellowship and his early work with Cooley Distillery.
• Nearly a decade with Tullamore D.E.W., helping the brand grow across the U.S. and beyond.
• The spark behind Lost Irish Whiskey — how the concept of the Irish diaspora became both the story and the liquid.
• Sourcing casks from six continents, blending challenges, and the unexpected flavours that shaped the final whiskey.
• Why bottle design details like grip, cork acoustics, and visibility on the back bar were crucial to the brand’s identity.
• Insights from co-authoring From Barley to Blarney with the Dead Rabbit team, and how it influenced Tim’s approach to storytelling.
• What makes Irish pubs such enduring cultural spaces — unpretentiousness, community, and conversation.

Tim also shares his quickfire takes:

• Banished forever: Aquafaba in cocktails.
• Favourite cocktail experience: Irish Coffees at the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco.
• Best pint of Guinness in Ireland: The Palace Bar, Dublin.
• Best pint abroad: Graces Bar on 14th Street, New York City.

📩 To get in touch with Tim:

• Instagram: @lostirishtim
• Instagram (brand): @lostirishwhiskey

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📩 To get in touch with Damian: [email protected]

📲 Follow us on Instagram @welovecocktails

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