The Speakeasy

Get some great insights and go deep into the world of craft cocktails on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy, as host Damon Boelte is joined by bartender/drink impressario and author, Greg Seider. His latest book, Alchemy in a Glass: The Essential Guide to Handcrafted Cocktails is full of original, ingredient-driven recipes for cocktails, mixers, garnishes, and bitters, this book by a cocktail expert for master chefs shows readers how to transform spirits and flavors into inspiring, mouthwatering drinks. In bars and restaurants across America, drinkers are being exposed to the artistry of the modern cocktail. Seider, who has created cocktail programs for top bars and restaurants in New York and Los Angeles, approaches cocktail creation as the art of understanding how flavors work together and develop over the course of a drink. Drawing on his experience developing cocktail programs for chefs such as Eric Ripert, Seider goes beyond recipes to show readers how flavors work, giving them blueprints for constructing a balanced drink. This program was brought to you by Michter’s.

“The danger with a lot of cocktails is too many bitter components in a rink that knocks out complexity or flavors.” [11:00]

–Greg Seider on The Speakeasy

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Tune in to a fun, friendly and informative episode of The Speakeasy as host Damon Boelte is joined by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, bar manager at Clyde Common and Pepe Le Moko in Portland, Oregon and author of The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. Damon and Jeffrey talk shop and discuss the importance of technique over recipes, subjectivity in cocktail tasting and the state of drinks in 2014. Tune in and get some serious insight into the world of cocktails on another awesome episode of The Speakeasy. Today’s show was brought to you by Rolling Press.

–Jeffrey Morgenthaler on The Speakeasy

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This week on The Speakeasy, Damon brings on Natasha David who talks about how she got into the bar industry, from her humble beginnings as a cocktail waitress to restaurant manager to eventually a Co-Owner and Head Bartender of Nitecap in the Lower East Side. Natasha discusses her specific approach to making amazing drinks that happen to have low alcohol content. She goes on to explain that patrons should be able to taste many profiles in cocktails without quickly feeling the effects of the alcohol. Damon and Natasha talk about drinks throughout the city and how the popularity of well-crafted cocktails have changed in the past few years. This program was sponsored by Michter’s .

“What inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing is that customers are so much more savvy now and it’s inspiring that people are demanding a good product.” [10:02]

“I like the idea that I’m helping create memories for people.” [15:52]

— Natasha David on The Speakeasy

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Any good tradesman needs good tools. Bartending is no different. Tune into a thematic episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte chats with Ethan Kahn of Cocktail Kingdom. Cocktail Kingdom offers a full spectrum of professional and custom barware, artisan bitters and syrups fit for the most discerning bartender. With knowledge as a bartender’s most valuable tool, Cocktail Kingdom provides books of remarkable recipes and bar know-how spanning from pre-Prohibition era publishing to the world’s most modern concoctions. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on all the things that go into a delicious drinks that are not immediately obvious. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market

Photo by Alice Gao

–Ethan Kahn on The Speakeasy

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The summer is here and that means one thing. Well, maybe more than one thing, but it definitely means Gin & Tonics are back in style. This week’s episode of The Speakeasy is about.. you guessed it.. gin! Tune in as Damon Boelte is joined by Steven DeAngelo of Greenhook Ginsmiths, a small, artisan distillery located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Tune in and learn everything you want to know about gin – tasting notes, distillation techniques, pairings and more. This program was sponsored by Rolling Press.

“The reason I’m making gin is because that’s always what I’ve loved to drink.” [05:00]

“Gin and tonic is one of the few cocktails that pairs well with food because it’s dry.” [12:00]

–Steven DeAngelo on The Speakeasy

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Fresh off their James Beard Award for best Bar Program, welcome some of the team from The NoMad Hotel on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy! Damon Boelte is chatting with bartenders Jessica Gonzalez and Karen Fu and together they talk shop, dish dirt and complain about vodka zombies. Tune in and get an inside look at some of the ladies behind the best bar program in the country. This show was brought to you by Rolling Press.

—Jessica Gonzalez on The Speakeasy

“There’s very much still a romanticized angle to hotels in New York.” [28:00]

—Karen Fu on The Speakeasy

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This week’s guests on The Speakeasy are the guys behind The Dead Rabbit. The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog embodies the conviviality of Old New York and the Irish-American tradition. They are dedicated to advancing the art and practice of hospitality, as it was understood then and as it is understood now, for all residents of and visitors to this great metropolis. Tune in and learn the story behind the name and find out how Jack and decided to combine the pub and cocktail bar concept into an award winning establishment. This program was sponsored by Rolling Press.

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The Old Fashioned is the ultimate cocktail. Not because it’s the biggest, baddest or most inventive but because it represents what a cocktail is. A cocktail in its most original form is comprised of some combination of spirit, syrup and bitters. The Old Fashioned has gone through many makeovers, missteps and revivals and today’s episode of The Speakeasy is dedicated to the prototypical cocktail. Hear from Robert Simonson, author of The Old-Fashioned: The Story of the World’s First Classic Cocktail. This program was sponsored by Rolling Press.

–Robert Simonson on The Speakeasy

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Whiskey is everywhere. Whereas once most people ordering booze at bars wanted vodka soda’s, now the whiskey revolution is in full effect. This week on The Speakeasy, Damon is chatting with friend Amanda Womack, who now is the spirit buyer at Cask in San Francisco. They have an in depth conversation about whiskey – proof, style, finish, bottling and more. Whether you’ve just tried your first bourbon or you’re a connoisseur – this episode’s got something for you. This program was sponsored by Of a Kind.

–Amanda Womack on The Speakeasy

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The 2012 American Bartender of the Year has seen it all. Joaquín Simó has poured drinks at some of the best bars in the country and now is the partner/bartender at Pouring Ribbons, a new bar in the East Village featuring cutting edge cocktails and a much-talked about matrix style menu. Hear host Damon Boelte talk shop with Joaquin on another awesome episode of The Speakeasy. This program was sponsored by Edwards VA Ham.

–Joaquin Simo on The Speakeasy

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