Bartender Journey - Cocktails. Spirits. Bartending Culture. Libations For Your Ears.

Repeal Day Conference – Tampa Florida Bartender Journey Podcast # 140   This week we take the show on the road!  We visit the United States Bartender Guild – Tampa Chapter.  This was the Tampa USBG’s second educational conference, which is paired with their Repeal Day Party Gala.   Listen with the player below, on the Bartender Journey Web Site or subscribe iTunes or Stitcher Radio.   Repeal Day is the celebration of the end of Prohibition on December 5, 1933.  An anniversary worthy of an epic Party!    The educational conference in Tampa was amazing, informative and fun. The Repeal Day Gala on Saturday December 5, (2015) was incredible!  With four floors of craft cocktails, wonderful food and exciting entertainment, it is an event to look forward to all year!   The conference is aimed at bartenders and enthusiasts who are looking to learn, improve, network and move to the next level.   The Repeal Day Gala is open to anyone looking for a great time!  Proceeds benefit the U

Its a short podcast this week, as we head off to Tampa Florida for the U.S. Bartender Guild's Repeal Day Party. The Tampa Chapter of the USBG hosts an event with seminars, tastings and of course parties to celebrate December 5, 1933, the day that Prohibition ended!  This is a traditional day for bartenders to celebrate!

On Bartender Journey Podcast # 138 we learn all about the South American made Spirit Pisco, mix up some Pisco Sour Cocktails, and talk about using Egg Whites in Cocktails.Listen with the player on below, on bartenderjourney.net or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio. ·      Pisco is the native spirit of Peru and Chile.  It is made from grapes, so can be considered a Brandy.  It is usually, but not always, a clear (un-aged) spirit. ·      We will learn all about it with Kappa Pisco Brand Ambasador Anne-Louise Marquis.  We spoke to Anne-Louise in episode #121 about Grand Marnier. ·      Cocktail of the week is Pisco sour.  I followed the recipe on kappapisco.com: o  2 oz Kappa Pisco o  1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice, (I used 1 1/4 oz) o  1 oz Simple Syrup, (I used 3/4 oz) o  1 Egg White o  Shake vigorously with ice o  Strain into a chilled coup glass (or they suggest a champagne flute). o  Top with a few drops of Angostura bitters for decoration (and taste).

Pour A Better Pint & Do Inventory Faster Bartender Journey Podcast # 137 Listen with the player below, or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio. ·      At the 2015 Hotel Experience Show at the Javitz convention center in Manhattan we got a chance to speak with 2 very interesting people: o   Greg Elliott of the Chill Rite 32 company o   Vanessa De Caria from Bevinco ·      The Chill Rite company makes draft beer systems that deliver beer to the tap at 32 degrees (or whatever temp you like), regardless of the temperature of the keg. This system promises zero waste.  We talk to Greg about a lot of issues regarding draft beer. They also make the Frost Rail.  The frost rail is a frozen rail built into the bar surface, which the guest sits their drink on and it keeps it cold! ·      We also speak with Vanessa from Bevinco - a company that has a system for liquor inventory for bars & restaurants that is very fast and accurate.  We’ll learn a lot about doing inventory, (which is such a dreadful task!)  ·    

Bartender Journey Podcast # 136   ·      Guest this week is Andy Watts Master Distiller of Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky from South Africa. ·      Bains is made from 100% corn (or maize as it is called it in South Africa).  It is double matured in first fill Bourbon barrels. ·      In South Africa, Whisky is spelled without the “e”, as it is in Scotland, Canada and many other countries.  American Whiskey is always spelled with the “e”. ·      Cocktail of the Week - Cape Mountain Boulevardier: o   1 ½ oz Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky o   1 oz Sweet Vermouth o   1 oz Campari o   6 drops Sea Salt Saline Solution: (1 teaspoon Sea Salt - Himalayan Sea Salt preferred) dissolved in 1 oz very hot water) o   Stir in mixing cup with ice.  Strain into Old Fashioned glass with one large ice cube o   Express oil from a lemon twist into glass o   Add twist as garnish ·      A Boulevardier is a Negroni but made with Whiskey (traditionally, Rye Whisky), instead of Gin.  I used the Bain’s W

On Bartender Journey Podcast # 135 we talk with “Flavorist” Jamie Beurklian from Bar 40 Bitters. ·      The Bar 40 Bitters are very unique –they come in 4 varieties:    Sweet, Salt, Sour and Umami (or "savory"). ·      A few drops can really change the flavor of your cocktail.  Jamie tells us how the Bar 40 Bitters were originally designed to “fix a problem” with a cocktail. ·      Bar40Bitters.com says their bitters are “based on the five gustatory taste receptors. Each flavor includes the compulsory bitter component and is paired with either sweet, sour, salty or umami (savory) flavor profiles”.  This allows the  cocktail creator to “chose the specific taste profile of their liking for their personalized cocktail creations”. ·      So we’ll make our cocktails of the week during the interview – we do a Manhattan & a Negroni (my 2 favorite cocktails btw!)  We make the Manhattan first with Umami bitters and then add the Sour bitters. ·      Cocktails of the week, provided by Jamie Beruklian

Mezcal with Misty Kolkofen This week on Bartender Journey Podcast # 134 we talk with Misty Kolkofen from Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal about this intriguing, yet sometimes misunderstood, spirit. Take a listen the show with the player below or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio.  Misty shares a plethora of Mezcal knowledge and education, (and we share some copitas of Del Maguey)! Sales of Mezcal in the United States and around the world are growing quickly (up 72% in a decade according this article on thespiritsbusiness.com).  Mezcal has been made in Mexico for many generations, often with recipes and methods being handed down through family lines.  Mezcal is made from the heart of the agave plant, called the Pina.  Agave plants can take 7-12 to even 30 years in some cases, to reach maturity before they can be harvested, roasted (or steamed), and then turned into Mezcal. Tequila is a “sub-set” of Mezcal.  While Tequila can only be made from Blue Weber Agave, Mezcal can be made from a variety

Join us for a Sazerac and learn about the history of this iconic New Orleans Cocktail!   The Official Sazerac Cocktail Ingredients:   ·      1 cube sugar ·      1½ ounces (35ml) Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon ·      ¼ ounce Herbsaint ·      3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters ·      Lemon peel   Method: •                Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice •                In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud's Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube •                Add the Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon to the second glass containing the Peychaud's Bitters and sugar •                Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint •                Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel   The Bar Institute will be going on tour next year -  hitting six key cities across

Authentic Caribbean Rum Bartender Journey Podcast # 131 ·     This week we attend the ACR Authentic Caribbean Rum event in Brooklyn. ·     The ACR is a distiller’s association.  A group of distillers from the Caribbean Islands plus Belize in Central America and Guyana and Suriname in South America got together and decided that they wanted to set up some standards and a have a seal of quality and integrity.  And also they of course they promote their rums and rum education. ·     Jason Cousins was the presenter. I did a little interview with Jason after the event. ·     We are also talk to Washington DC Bartender and listener of Bartender Journey Walter Raubeson.  Walt is also a member of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild ·     BarSmarts Advanced is coming to San Diego on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 and Minneapolis on Wednesday, November 11, 2015. BarSmarts Advanced is a full-day of instruction, education, hands-on mixology, testing and certification that takes place in select cities each year. H

130 Craft vs. Mass Produced Spirits Bartender Journey Podcast number 130 ·      Can you really taste the difference between mass produced and craft spirits?  I tend to think that in many cases you can…most especially in Gin and Rye Whiskey.  We’ll talk with Nick Yoder from Journeyman Distillery in Michigan. ·      MGP Ingredients, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana is a commercial distillery which since 1941 has been offering alcohol for wholesale purchase.  Some brands purchase spirits from MGP and bottle it under their own brand name, (sometimes barrel aging &/or other additional processes before bottling). ·      A Chicago man successfully filed a class-action lawsuit against Templeton Prohibition Era Rye Whiskey for deceptive practices. ·      Book of the Week:  The Negroni, Drinking to La Dolce Vita, with  Recipes & Lore by Gary ‘gaz’ Regan ·      Cocktail of the Week:  Rosemary Salted Negroni: o   Toast fresh Rosemary and Sea Salt in a pan until the Rosemary releases it fragrance.  Discar

·      This week we talk to Joe Raya, owner of the Gin Joint in Charleston, South Carolina.  He & his wife also make delicious syrups for bartenders called Tippleman’s.  There are 6 varieties and they are all awesome: o   Burnt Sugar o   Island Orxata o   Falernum o   Ginger Honey o   Lemon Oleo Saccharum o   Barrel Smoked Maple ·      Its Bartender Journey Podcast # 129 ! ·      First lets do a cocktail of the week!  Its a Bourbon/Maple Old Fashioned using the Tippleman’s Barrel Smoked Maple syrup.  The syrup is made using barrels from Willett Distillery. I used about ½ oz.  I happened to have a lovely bottle of Willet Pot Still Reserve Bourbon, so I figured lets use that in our Old Fashioned!  It’s a pretty incredible Bourbon and it’s tempting to just drink it neat or with one ice cube, but I used it anyway -- 2 oz of Willet Bourbon in my quite decedent Old Fashioned.  I used Basement Bitters from Tuttletown distillery.  These are the guys that make the great Hudson Whiskey among other things and their

This week we raise a glass and toast the Summer of 2015 with some Tiki talk (& Tiki Cocktails!) It’s Bartender Journey Podcast # 128 - Tiki Edition! Listen with the player below or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio. We talk with Nicole Weston – coauthor of Tiki Drinks -Tropical Cocktails for the Modern Bar. ·      Since it’s a Tiki Party , let’s get to our cocktail of the week right away!  Its an authentic Mai Tai.  We will use the recipe from Nicole’s book: o   1 oz aged rum o   1 oz rhum agricole a style of rum originally distilled in the French Caribbean islands from freshly squeezed sugar cane juice rather than molasses.  I didn’t have any on hand, so I substituted Lablon Chasasa, which is the Brazilian spirit distilled from sugar cane juice.  We talked about Cashasa in episode #124. o   ½ Orange Curacao o   ¾ oz Lime Juice o   ¼ oz Orgeat o   ½ oz Simple Syrup o   Shake that all up serve over crushed ice During the interview we talk about: ·      Different ki

On Bartender Journey Podcast # 127 we talk to a Dan & Adam who are building a Craft Cocktail Bar & Restaurant in a relatively small town in Missouri.  How will Middle-America react? Listen to the show with the player below or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio. Our Book of the Week is Jon Taffer's Raise the Bar: An Action-Based Method for Maximum Customer Reactions Cocktail of the Week: Boulevardier 1 oz Rye Whiskey (I used Dad's Hat) 1 oz Campari 1 oz Sweet Vermouth (I used Martinez Lacuesta) Stir. Serve over large ice cube with Orange Twist.

·     This week on Bartender Journey Podcast # 126, our guest is Cocktail Blogger Natalie from BeautifulBooze.com.We talk about how to get great photos of your cocktail creations and also her imaginative original cocktail recipes. ·     Also, we make up a Tiki recipe featuring Falarum syrup.  We named “You Don’t Know My Mind!”  Recipe: You Don’t Know My Mind! 1 oz Silver Tequila 1 oz Anjo Rum 1 oz Lime Juice ¾ oz Tippleman’s Falernum Regans Orange Bitters Angastora Bitters 6-8 Basil Leaves Slap Basil Leaves and add to shaker.  Add remaining ingredients and ice.  Shake.  Double strain into a tall glass with crushed ice.  Garnish with a Strawberry and a sprig of Basil. ·      Natalie and Brian met at the Monkey 47 lunch at Tales Of The Cocktail this year.  Here are recipes for the Cocktails that were served at the event: Wickets and Tea - Pamela Wiznitzer 1.25oz Monkey 47 Gin 1 oz white tea infused blanc vermouth .5 oz lemon infused water 1 dash of absinthe P

This week on Bartender Journey Podcast # 125 there is a lot going on! Mandarine Napoléon cocktail competition in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail 2015.  We talk with owner of Mandarine Napoléon Marc de Kuyper and get a chance to talk to some of the bartenders competing in the contest...and taste their cocktails!  See below for pictures and cocktail recipes from the event! We also talk to Tony Abou-Ganim about his book Vodka Distilled: The Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka Cocktails.  Tony is also the author of The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails. The Cocktail of the Week is Warren Bobrow's "An Offer Of 250 Jamaican Dollars" made with Mezan XO Jamaican Rum.  Recipe below! We experiment with the Vacu Vin, a device that helps preserve your wine after opening the bottle.  The results were impressive and surprising! Take a listen the show with the player below on the Bartender Journey Web Site or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio. 

We get a lesson on making Caipirinha cocktails from owner of Leblon Cachaça, Steve Luttmann! 

Cachaça is the national spirit of Brazil and the base spirit for the Caipirinha cocktail.  Find the Caipirinha recipe below. Also, we pay tribute to Sasha Petraske, who left us way too soon and left a hole in the Bartending community.  Quoting from the New York Times article about Sasha's passing, "Mr. Petraske’s role in the modern cocktail revival is difficult to overstate."

Mix up a Classic Daiquiri with the recipe below and join us on August 31, 2015 at 9pm (you local time), as we raise a glass to Sasha Petraske, founder of Milk & Honey and inspiration to a generation of Bartenders. 
Listen to the Bartender Journey Podcast # 124 with the player below, or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher radio.
 Classic Daiquiri Recipe:
 2 oz Silver Rum
 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
 Shake with ice.  Double Strain into a chilled coupe glass.   Leblon Caipirinha Recipe: 2 oz Leblon Cacha

Jacques Bezuidenhout joins us for a great chat about Tequila.  Jacques is the Brand Ambassador for Partida Tequila.  We talk about the process of growing the Agave plants and distilling this traditional spirit. We also mix up some Tequila Cocktails and experiment with Bar40 Bitters. Listen to the podcast with the audio player below, or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

On the show this week we talk with Bartender and Author Tristan Stevenson.  It’s the Bartender Journey Podcast # 122! We talk about cocktail science, whiskey, his books , and how to taste spirits. Tristan Stephenson is the author of ·    -The Curious Bartender: The Artistry and Alchemy of Creating the Perfect Cocktail ·   -The Curious Bartender: An Odyssey of Malt Bourbon & Rye Whiskeys ·    -The Curious Barista's Guide to Coffee Also mentioned on the show this week: -Beachbum Berry's Potions of the Caribbean See Tristan make his elaborate cocktail: Mr. Hyde’s Fixer Upper! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dtAKlI3uY4

This week on the Bartender Journey Podcast we chat with the charming Anne-Louise Marquis, Brand Ambassador for Grand Marnier.  We have a great chat about Anne-Louise's experience as a young bartender in Manhattan, about the iconic Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur, and about the life of a Brand Ambassador.  A fascinating conversation! Listen with the audio player below, on the Bartender Journey web site, or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Last week we discussed Tales 2015, but there is still more to talk about!  Its the Bartender Journey Podcast #120: Tales Wrap-up Part II! We have additional interviews with Shake The Vine cocktail competition finalists.  We also talk to podcast listener Tony, who attended Tales for the first time this year, and hear his impressions of the event. Take a listen to the Tales Of The Cocktail 2015 wrap-up show Part II with the player below, or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio. The Book of the Week is Speakeasy from the creators of the award winning Employees Only bar in Manhattan.