Episodes

In keeping with this travel laden season, we sit down with our Producer Jenz to discuss the traveler's staple - hotel bars. From their surprisingly deep connections to the spread of the cocktail, to their role as a quiet place to rest during a long trip, we talk about all the good and bad of these institutions! Cocktails Discussed: Royal Highball 1 oz. Leyrat VS Cognac 4 hulled strawberries 4 oz. Brut Cava Adapted from A Drinkable Feast by Phillip Greene Muddle the strawberries and cognac...

This week, we are proud to present our first live recording from our Drunk History event! Presented in collaboration with Alex Michael, Krista Olafsen, and the entire Liquor Cabinet group, here are some of the presentations from that evening! 1:19 - 17:35 Alex Michael - PUNCH: WE DRINK LIKE COWARDS https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11GrLBy3BOgfbuOUIjhRT-aa-tSkRJrnnT3ZvgLaFDkI/edit?fbclid=IwAR3al7xZ_TnH3T6qSYOtVelNc0tVsRgulzELeyXUr30uyHZp2GPPaVu0xMA#slide=id.g92034b9d09_0_13 17:50 - 55:0...

We pick back up on our marathon discussion of Absinthe with Matt Cadwallader with a discussion of the continued stigmatization of thujone, bootleg absinthe, and the absinthe revival in general! Cocktail Discussed Caiman 3/4 oz. Cachaça Germana Soul 3/4 oz. Viñas de Oro 100% Quebranta Pisco 1/2 oz. Killdeer Absinthe Traditionnel 1/2 oz. lemon juice Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled and fully diluted, around 18 seconds, and strain into a shilled coupe gl...

Even though Halloween has passed for the year, we're still in the holiday spirit! We are joined once again by Heather Noel for another crossover with Open Graves! We celebrate the spooky (or spoopy) season with a look at the history of celebrating the dead, or the supernatural, with some festive libations! Cocktails Discussed: Vestal Sour: 1 1/2 oz. Grappa 1 oz. lemon juice 1/4 oz. Tempus Fugit Créme de Violette 1/2 oz. honey syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters 3/4 oz. aquafaba 1/2 oz. Red w...

This week, we return with part one of our first ever two parter! We're joined by the wonderful Caddy to discuss all things absinthe - and with so much to say about one of history's most storied spirits, it's no wonder that this was an especially long and fascinating conversation! Cocktail Discussed: Midnight Sun: 1 1/2 oz. Mephisto Absinthe 1 oz. 64° Reykjavik Distillery Crowberry Liqueur 4 oz. Field Recordings Pet Nat Dry Hop Pour the absinthe into a champagne flute, and slowly pour the P...

This week, we sit down with the wonderful Bino Gopal to discuss single malt whisky, from Scotland and abroad. We talk about the origins of Scotch whisky, how the category has expanded, pronunciation guides, and much more in this wide ranging discussion! Cocktails Discussed: Abbot's Dram: 2 oz. anCnoc 12 Year Highland Single Malt 3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc 1/4 oz. Benedictine Liqueur 1/4 oz. Green Chartreuse 1 barspoon Wild Roots Orange & Bergamot Gin Inspired by the Poet's Dream cocktail as pr...

This week, we are joined by Jordan Paley to discuss the history of Happy Hours, from their origins in the Navy, to Jordan's own virtual Quarantine Happy Hour! Cocktails discussed: Battenberg Cup: 1 oz. Freeland Spirits Bourbon 1 oz. Sweet Gwendoline Gin 3/4 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. Tempus Fugit Cremé de Noyaux Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Nomu-Hai 2 oz. Shimakaze Unaged Awamo...

We're joined by our first time return guest, Nick (@nickburnit), to talk about the drink that used to define San Francisco, Pisco Punch! We talk about the gold rush history of the drink, and its modern revival, as well as Nick's experiences with pisco on his travels in Peru! Cocktails discussed: Pisco Punch: 2 oz. 100% Quebranta Pisco 3/4 oz. pineapple infused simple syrup 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice 1/4 oz. Falcon Spirits Apertivo Aplomado Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, and s...

This week, in the run up to Rosh Hashanah, we take another crack at the subject of kosher drinking, and the long intersection between Jewishness and distillation! We are joined for this redux by the wonderful Rachel Bieber, who brings a wealth of personal and familial experience to the table - as well as some great stories from her time working at the Lost Spirits Distillery! Cocktails Discussed: Undzer Shtik 2 oz. Single Malt Scotch 1 oz. lime juice 3/4 oz. Drambuie 2 dashes Angostura So...

This week, we are joined by Calixto Hernandez (@barriotiger), bartender extraordinaire from the Thirsty Crow and La Cita, to discuss one of the most ubiquitous cocktails in the world - the Margarita! We talk about the myths behind the drink's creations, where it actually came from, and the secret to making a truly excellent one. In addition to all that, we also chat about what makes a great happy hour, proper ordering etiquette, and a lot more! Cocktails Discussed: Desert Star: 1 1/2 oz. Moja...

This week we are joined by sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine Jenna Issacs, who brings her expertise to a discussion of biodynamics. We talk about what biodynamics is exactly, its history, and whether or not it's worth all the hype. Cocktails Discussed: Cava Á La Steiner 2 oz. Sweet Gwendoline gin 2 oz. Brut Cava 1/3 oz. Killdeer Absinthe Traditionnel 1/4 oz. Bénédictine Based on the Champagne Á La Fouquet, as printed in The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual Combine all ingredients save ...

This week we are joined by our very first distiller, Michael Craig of Goleta Red Distilling (@goletared distilling), to discuss the history of terroir and the role that it plays in craft distilling. We also talk about his experiences getting Goleta Red off the ground during a pandemic, the process behind crafting his line of spirits, and what new projects are coming soon! Cocktails Discussed: Note - these recipes, as well as the exclusive Patreon cocktail can all be found on a flyer at the Gol...

This week, we are joined by long time home brewer Michael Brocklehurst to discuss the growing world of beer cocktails. We discuss the history of beer cocktails, and talk about the potential that the craft brewing movement has to elevate craft cocktails (or the other way around, depending on who you're talking to.) Cocktails Discussed: Sunset Kingdom 2 oz. Vya Dry Vermouth 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. saffron simple syrup 2 dashes orange bitters 2 oz. American Pale Ale Based on the recipe ...

This week we are joined by Chicago native Jeffrey Damnit (@jeffreydamnit) to discuss the homegrown liqueur that they love to hate - Jeppson's Malört! We talk about the history of Jeppson's, what a Malört is to begin with, and disagree profusely about whether or not Jeppson's is as bad as everyone says. Cocktails discussed: Point du Sable 2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice 1 oz. Lillet Blanc 1 oz. Jeppson's Malort 4 dashes Angostura bitters Chilled sparkling water Based on the Mai by Rebekah Pe...

We're back to form this week with an extra long episode discussing the ins and outs of Mezcal! We're joined by Jake Faulkner (@jacobfaulknercomposer) who shares his history with Ron Cooper of Del Maguey and his trip down to Oaxaca to see the palenques in person. Alongside that, we talk about the deeper history of the spirit, with detours to talk about sustainability, distilling on the Iberian peninsula, and many other topics. Cocktails Discussed - Rayo De Sol: 1 oz. Yuu Baal Joven Pechuga Mez...

Our Negroni experimentation continues with a very different take on the classic! Join us, Nick (@nickburnit) and two bonus guests, Jenz (@j3nzie) and Tom, as we continue our discussion! Recipe Discussed - Iron Arm 1 oz. Aquavit 1 oz. Swedish Punsch 1 oz. Riga Black Basalm Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large block of fresh ice. Garnish with a orange peel studded with cloves, and serve.

This week we take a look at genever, the progenitor of gin as we know it. We're joined by our wonderful producer Jenz (@j3nzie) to see if genever hits the sweet spot between her gin loving palate, and Vesta's whisky leaning tastes. Either way, we'll talk about some of the fascinating history behind this spirit! Cocktails discussed: John Collins 2 oz. Bols 100% Malt Genever 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice 1/4 oz. Boomsma Frisian Beerenburger Bitters 1 spoonful of powdered sugar Club Soda Fill a...

This week, we embrace the summer heat and take a trip to the tropics with Andrew Loviska (@andrewloviska) to discuss the growing world of Japanese Rum, and its surprisingly deep history. Join us as we talk about the complicated story of the Ryukyu islands, how history keeps repeating itself, why they're poised to become one of the most interesting new names in the rum world! Cocktails Discussed: Deigo - 1 oz. Kiyomi White Rum 1/4 oz. Etsu Gin 3/4 oz. Yuzuri Yuzu Liqueur 3/4 oz. fresh lemon...

This week, we're joined by the wonderful Joe Keeper and Wesly Moore, both from our favorite liquor store. Bar Keeper (@barkeepersilverlake), to discuss the wide world of cherries and cherry liqueur. We go into why exactly there are so many different cherry liqueurs, what separates a Maraschino liqueur from a cherry brandy from a kirschwasser, and why expectations can be deceiving. Join us for this tour of a microcosm of fortified fruits, and then check out Bar Keeper to try some for yourself! R...

This week, we are joined by Deb Snitser Ledina (@leialavoix) and Jessie Ledina (@androgynart) to talk about the curious intersection between vodka companies and Pride month. Follow along as we talk about if this is an organic movement, or just a byproduct of rainbow capitalism, while getting a bit personal about what the month means to us all. Cocktails discussed: Stonewall 2 oz. Malahat Spirits Vodka 4 oz. 101 Cider House Scrumpy Hard Cider Combine ingredients in a highball or pilsner glas...

This week, we are joined by our guest Lydia (@lydvishus) to discuss the Bartender's Handshake, a.k.a. Fernet! We talk about Vesta and Lydia's common introduction to this famously bitter liquor, dive into where it came from in the first place, and branch out to talking about the wide world of Fernets past the ubiquitous Branca! Cocktails Discussed: Toronto 2 oz. Malahat 100% Rye Whiskey 1/4 oz. Black Market Spirits Throwback Fernet 1/4 oz. Demerara Syrup 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Combine ...

This week, we are joined by Alex Michael (@flexistopheles) to discuss the surprisingly complicated origin of geographical indications. Join us as we find the answer to a number of burning questions, such as - why can you only make Champagne in Champagne? Why does America have so few geographical indications? And when is violence the answer? We explore all of this and much more! Cocktails Discussed: The Disrespect 1 oz. Marian Farms Pisquita 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. St. George Raspberry l...

This week, we are joined by Heather Noël (@picturesofyore), cohost of the Open Graves podcast to talk about all things goth and gothic- or more specifically, the intersection of drinking with the culture. Our discussion winds from the shrouded monasteries imagined by Victorian novelists all the way to the clubs and cafés of today! Recipes Discussed: Udolpho: 3/4 oz. Occitan Gin 3/4 oz. Tawny Port 3/4 oz. Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, and stir u...

This week, we are joined by the effervescent Chris Wylie (@gothabillyfrankenstein) to discuss his favorite cocktail, the Corpse Reviver No. 2! Of course, we also take a look into the whole Corpse Reviver family, and try and figure out why there are so many of them, and why is the No. 2 the best of them all? Recipes Discussed: Ranch Reviver 1 1/2 oz. Banhez Mezcal Chilled Topo Chico Mineral Water 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Inspired by Leo Engel's Criterion Reviver, as published in American ...