Safe journey, friend. You are missed.

After a years-long effort by the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission American Single Malt has officially been ratified as the newest category of American Whiskey on December 18, 2024.

Minden Mill Master Distiller Joe O’Sullivan is a pioneer in the movement to make American Single Malt an official category of American Whiskey. Joe talks about apprenting under Steve McCarthy, the guy who’s generally considered the creator of American Single Malt in the 1990s.

Joe explains what it takes to make American Single Malt entirely on a single estate, cultivating the distinctive terroir of Nevada’s High Desert region.

Tracy embraces “punk rock” tequila!

“Comisarios” upheld tradition in defiance of oppression, preserving the 2000 year history of tequila making during prohibition.  Comisarios guarded natives clandestinely distilling tequila in the mountainous terrain of Los Altos of Jalisco.

John Milstead of Stellar Spirits & Wine visits to talk about “Truth In Tequila”; specifically Tequila Comisario.

Scott Seales has logged more than 16 years of experience in the Hospitality industry, 12 of them in Las Vegas. His professional history includes almost every job in the food and beverage world, from line cook/dishwasher to senior management.

Tracy and Scott met during his tenure as Craft and Import beer specialist for Johnson Brothers of Nevada. 

Scott’s adventures also include Able Baker, Anthem Country Club, Stoney’s Rockin’ Country … and now he’s preparing to introduce the Arts District of Las Vegas to Modest Brewing Company.

“Modest Brewing Company is ready to bring delicious beer to the Las Vegas Valley. With a 10 bbl brewhouse, Modest will not only be serving your new favorite beer at our taproom, but you’ll be able to get it at your favorite local watering hole as well.  We at Modest believe that modesty is the best policy. We’ll be serving up easy drinking, clean beer, perfect for the hot Las Vegas summers. But don’t fret, we can’t be modest all the time. That’s why we’ll have our ‘Un-Modest’ series, featuring delicious sours, classic European strong ales, and some other surprises.”

John “Griff” Griffith II started as a home brewer in 1992, and then joined Joyride Brewing in Edgewater, Colorado where he learned the finer points of the 10-barrel brewing system. He’s a nationally recognized BJCP beer judge, and travelled to compete at The Great America Beer Festival as a Pro/AM entrant with Joseph James Brewery (2015).

Griff and his wife, Kristi, decided to make Mojave Brewing Company a family-owned business in 2017, and signed a lease for a section of the old Bank of America building in Henderson, Nevada. 

With the help of many dedicated employees including head brewer Andy Kohon, members of the founders club, friends and regular customers, Mojave Brewing Company has grown and prospered. 

You can visit Mojave Brewing’s tasting room at 107 S. Water Street in the beautiful historic Water Street District, and you can also find Mojave beer and hard cider on tap and in cans at many of Southern Nevada’s restaurants, bars and grocery stores.

Get ready to tap into the mind of one of Las Vegas’s most accomplished brewers, Jeff Tewes. As he makes his way from the acclaimed Tenaya Creek/Beer Zombies, to Las Vegas Brewing Company (in the original Tenaya Creek building), Jeff has been a pivotal figure in elevating the local craft beer scene. He’s the mastermind behind a portfolio of exceptionally consistent and celebrated beers. Renowned for his meticulous technique and deep respect for brewing tradition, Jeff’s expertise has helped solidify Las Vegas as a destination for serious beer lovers.

Lauren Kennedy of Hotaling & Company returns to celebrate the second anniversary of the Thirst Trap Podcast. Just back from an adventure with Tracy to Dingle, the charming town on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

Dingle is home to the Dingle Distillery, a craft operation that has quickly gained international acclaim. The distillery produces a range of high-quality spirits, including whiskey, gin, and vodka, all crafted with a commitment to traditional methods and local ingredients, contributing significantly to the town’s growing reputation as a hub for artisan food and drink.

There were also side-quests to pubs in Dublin, and castles in Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s all recounted with varying degrees of clarity in this latest episode.

Cheers!

Las Vegas native Amanda Koeller, one of the only female head brewers in the state, shares the news that she’s leaving her hometown for a new opportunity at Last Best Place Brewing Company in Bozeman, Montana.

Before joining Las Vegas Brewing Company in March 2023, Amanda held key brewing roles at local breweries—including assistant and lead brewer positions at Big Dog’s and Bad Beat Brewing.

At Las Vegas Brewing, Amanda headed an all-women brew team alongside Becca Halpin, marking the only female-led brewing duo in Southern Nevada. She spearheaded the creation of a rotating series of beers, like the Set List Sour, IFYKYK IPA, and Dam Good Beer amber lager, embracing experimentation with yeast strains, hops, and grains.

One of Amanda’s standout creations is Vegas Light, a sessionable American light lager brewed specifically for Las Vegas’ hot climate and sold in 19.2 oz cans, including at T‑Mobile Arena during Golden Knights games.She remains deeply committed to fostering a collaborative, diverse workplace and is proud to support gender equity in brewing; she even helped found the Las Vegas chapter of the Pink Boots Society, empowering women in fermentation industries.

It’s an “Anniversary” visit with the guy behind Roseade, Karl Zeigler. He shares some news about what’s on the horizon for Roseade, the growth of the ready-to-drink market, wine-spritzer competitors, and “better day-drinking” in general.

Meet Tiki Bar Owner and Purveyor of Bettie Page Rum, Michael Cobb.

The High Roller Tiki Lounge is the first and only craft beer and wine bar exclusively featuring tiki style wine based and liquor alternative cocktails – tiki-tails, eclectic and popular beers and more. You’ll find tiki drinks like the painkilla, mai tai, suffering scandinavian and many more. Their house special is a drink called “This Drink Will Get You Lei’d”.