Romeo’s opened in New York City this past December, promising to bring a new kind of cocktail experience to the East Village. For this episode, we talk to owner Evan Hawkins about the kind of bar he wanted to open with Romeo’s, and about how the bar combines his years of experience bartending in nightclubs with the lessons he learned at craft cocktail bars like Mother’s Ruin and Broken Shaker. Find Romeo’s on Instagram: @romeosnyc Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episod...
Apr 09, 2024•14 min•Ep. 96
Vermouth is an essential cocktail ingredient, and it can also be spectacular when served on its own. For this episode, we talk to several bartenders about the many reasons vermouth fascinates them and factors into their work: Alf del Portillo and Marta Premoli, owners of Quattro Teste in Lisbon, Portugal, and Francesco Lafranconi , who helped establish the vermouth program at the Rosevale Cocktail Room in New York City. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive ...
Mar 26, 2024•28 min•Ep. 95
François Monti is a Madrid-based journalist, educator, and Imbibe contributing writer, and the author of books including El Gran Libro del Vermut . For this episode, he joins us to talk about all things vermouth (the focus of our March/April issue), exploring vermouth’s rich history in cocktails, its culinary connection, and the future of this aperitif wine. He can be found on Instagram @francoismonti . Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid cultu...
Mar 12, 2024•26 min•Ep. 94
In 2021, we recognized Victoria Eady Butler as one of our Imbibe 75 People to Watch for her work as the master blender for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey . For this episode, we catch up with her on her ongoing work at Uncle Nearest; get a glimpse into future plans for the brand as it looks toward Cognac; and talk about the Uncle Nearest HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge , which aims to raise up to $1.4 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe m...
Feb 27, 2024•12 min•Ep. 93
Tequila and mezcal are booming in American bars, and other Mexican spirits are making their way to the mainstream. For this episode, we explore this growing part of the drinks world with Salvador “Chava” Peribán , host of the Heritage Mezcal podcast and one of this year’s Imbibe 75 People to Watch; and Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez , a partner and master of ceremonies at Superbueno in New York City, one of this year’s Imbibe 75 Places to Watch. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In eac...
Feb 13, 2024•32 min•Ep. 92
In the January/February 2024 issue, San Francisco bartender, bar owner, and author Thad Vogler shares his story of the Single Village Fix. Vogler first created this simple mix of mezcal, lime juice, and pineapple gum syrup for a bar menu in 2008, tying together his passions for agriculturally rooted spirits and simple, classic formulations. In the years since, the cocktail’s become not only a modern classic, but it’s come to epitomize San Francisco’s cocktail culture during the heat of the cockt...
Jan 30, 2024•25 min•Ep. 91
We’re continuing our coverage of this year’s Imbibe 75 list of people and places who’ll change the way we drink in the year ahead. For this episode, we talk to two of 2024’s People to Watch: cocktail journalist (and Imbibe contributing editor ) Robert Simonson , and Baylee Hopings , a Southeast Regional Speed Rack champion who recently made the move from Atlanta to New Orleans. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, ...
Jan 16, 2024•24 min•Ep. 90
We’re kicking off 2024 by introducing you to some of this year’s Imbibe 75 list of people and places who’ll change the way we drink in the year ahead. For this episode, we talk to Denver bartender and beverage consultant Alex Jump about her work as co-founder and senior manager of operations for Focus on Health , and her work with no- and low-ABV cocktails. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors o...
Jan 02, 2024•24 min•Ep. 89
No holiday season is complete without festive drinks, and among the seasonal standards is eggnog. Jeffrey Morgenthaler is an eggnog evangelist, serving his signature Tequila and Sherry Eggnog to guests at his bar, Pacific Standard , in Portland, Oregon. For this episode, Morgenthaler reflects on how he arrived at his recipe, and he shares some tips for making excellent eggnog at home. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the p...
Dec 12, 2023•21 min•Ep. 88
The Cosmopolitan is a modern classic cocktail that’s reached far into drinks culture. For this episode, Cosmo creator Toby Cecchini (owner of Brooklyn’s Long Island Bar ) shares the story of the drink’s origins and its rapid takeover of cocktail culture, along with his approach to making his signature drink. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors of the drinkscape through conversations about cockt...
Nov 28, 2023•26 min•Ep. 87
The San Francisco Bay Area has been at the heart of craft brewing for more than 50 years. For this episode, we track craft beer’s tumultuous trajectory with Dave McLean , co-founder of Admiral Maltings in Alameda and founder of Magnolia Brewing, San Francisco Beer Week, and the Bay Area Brewers Guild. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors of the drinkscape through conversations about cocktails, c...
Nov 14, 2023•20 min•Ep. 86
The Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling aims to provide scholarship support to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the brewing and distilling industries. For this episode, we check in with Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster and MJF chair, Garrett Oliver , about the rationale behind the foundation’s mission, some of the people it’s supported over the years, and what he’s learned since the foundation’s launch. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episod...
Oct 31, 2023•18 min•Ep. 85
As co-founders of London Cocktail Week, Hannah Sharman-Cox, and Siobhan Payne are familiar with the growing complexity of the bar world. Early next year, Sharman-Cox and Payne (along with co-founder Dan Dove) will introduce The Pinnacle Guide , a bar evaluation and ranking system that’s been compared to the Michelin Guide in the culinary world. For this episode, we talk with Pinnacle’s three co-founders about the genesis of the project, how this effort will unfold, and what this bar recognition ...
Oct 17, 2023•16 min•Ep. 84
Halloween is one of the most popular holidays around, and with this year’s Black Lagoon Cocktail Pop-up, bars everywhere are getting in on the celebrations. For this episode, we talk with Black Lagoon co-founders Kelsey Ramage and Erin Hayes about the origins of Black Lagoon, what visitors can expect from this years’ experience, and what it takes to put together a full menu of Halloween-themed cocktails. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid cult...
Oct 03, 2023•13 min•Ep. 83
Negroni Week is taking place right now, from September 18-24, 2023. For this episode, we explore the wide world of Negroni variations with Lindsay Matteson. Currently the bar manager at the bitters-focused Barnacle and The Walrus and The Carpenter in Seattle, she’s also former head bartender at Amor y Amargo in New York City, and a longtime veteran at working with the Negroni both as a cocktail and as a creative template. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we div...
Sep 19, 2023•14 min•Ep. 82
Drinkers are increasingly looking for great-tasting cocktails that reduce or avoid the use of alcohol, and bartenders are stepping up to the challenge. Our September/October issue delves into the details of making great NA cocktails, and for this episode, we’re joined by veteran bartender Derek Brown , author of Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails , to talk about the many ways we can approach making excellent alcohol-free cocktails. Radio Imbibe is the audio ...
Sep 05, 2023•35 min•Ep. 81
The Mojito is one of the key cocktails to originate in Cuba, and it’s gone on to become a worldwide standard. For this episode, we take a deep dive into the Mojito—its composition, methodology, and history—with Julio Cabrera , a Cuban-born bartender and now owner of the award-winning Café La Trova in Miami. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors of the drinkscape through conversations about cockta...
Aug 01, 2023•21 min•Ep. 80
Tales of the Cocktail has shaped the cocktail world in myriad ways over the more than 20 years its been taking place in New Orleans. With the 2023 event about to kick off on July 23, we check in to talk about the event and the organization’s global reach. For this episode, we’re talking all things Tales with Tales of the Cocktail Foundation CEO Eileen Wayner, and board members Claire Warner and John Gakuru. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid c...
Jul 18, 2023•27 min•Ep. 79
Perhaps no 20th-century cocktail has resonated as strongly (or been misinterpreted as widely) as the Mai Tai . This episode considers the Mai Tai from every angle, with drinks historian, author, and bar owner Jeff “Beachbum” Berry ( Latitude 29 , New Orleans) delving into his first-hand research into the Mai Tai’s history and how it became an international sensation, and sharing his own approach to the drink, along with best practices for Mai Tai success. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe...
Jul 03, 2023•40 min•Ep. 78
Marco Dionysos helped San Francisco become one of the most influential cities of the contemporary cocktail renaissance, and his Chartreuse Swizzle has become a modern cocktail classic. For this episode, we explore the drink’s origins and how it grew to prominence, and Dionysos (now a bartender at Comstock Saloon ) shares his experiences seeing his recipe become a global favorite, and his thoughts on approaching the drink at a time when Chartreuse may be harder for some consumers to find. Radio I...
Jun 20, 2023•14 min•Ep. 77
Nick Kokonas is a Chicago-based bartender and writer. The author of the award-winning book Something & Tonic , he also contributed a feature on tonic water for our May/June issue. In this episode, we talk with Kokonas about the deep global history of tonic water and its defining ingredient, cinchona bark, and explore the many ways it continues to touch today’s drinks world. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, ...
Jun 06, 2023•20 min•Ep. 76
Joshua M. Bernstein has been a contributor and contributing editor to Imbibe since 2006. For this episode, we talk with Josh about the completely revised and updated edition of his best-selling book, The Complete Beer Guide (first published in 2013), and about the many changes that have taken place in the beer world in the 10 years since its initial debut. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors of...
May 23, 2023•24 min•Ep. 75
Bartenders Caer Maiko ( DrinkWell , Austin) and Sharon Yeung ( The Walrus and the Carpenter , Seattle) organized their first Daijoubu pop-up bar event four years ago, and found ways to keep the self-described “super-Asian cocktail pop-up” going through the pandemic, with events in cities ranging from New York City and Houston to San Francisco and beyond. For this episode, we check in with the Daijoubu duo during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month to talk about Daijoubu’s origins, som...
May 09, 2023•16 min•Ep. 74
Tropical drinks have a timeless quality, but that doesn’t mean the recipes and techniques for making them need to be stuck in the past. Brooklyn bartender Garret Richard ( Sunken Harbor Club ) and author Ben Schaffer ( The Rum Reader ) bring today’s cutting-edge bar knowledge to the world of tropical drinks in their new book, Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes . In this episode, we talk with Garret and Ben about the enduring appeal of tropical drinks; how modern bar ...
Apr 25, 2023•31 min•Ep. 73
Camper English has been experimenting with ways to make the perfect ice for cocktails since 2009 and documenting his findings on his blog, Alcademics . With his new book, The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts , coming out this spring, we catch up with the San Francisco–based writer and educator to talk about the origins of his clear-ice experiments, the impact of his work on the cocktail world, and where his future ice studies may lead him. Radio Imbibe is the ...
Apr 11, 2023•16 min•Ep. 72
Few cocktails have demonstrated such historical staying power as the Manhattan. For this episode, we consider this classic cocktail from all angles with Toby Maloney, who’s mixed Manhattans at influential bars ranging from Milk & Honey and Pegu Club in New York City to The Violet Hour in Chicago, where he’s a partner and now co-author of The Bartender’s Manifesto . Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, a...
Mar 28, 2023•20 min•Ep. 71
Over the past 20 years, rye whiskey has moved from being an also-ran to taking the spotlight, with bartenders and distillers nationwide rediscovering its promise. Our March/April 2023 issue dives deep into today’s world of rye, and for this episode, we talk with three distillers about their enthusiasm for making rye whiskey: Nicole Austin from Cascade Hollow Distilling , Todd Leopold from Leopold Bros. Distillery , and Greg Metze from Old Elk . Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. ...
Mar 14, 2023•34 min•Ep. 70
Thousands of hospitality professionals have honed their bartending skills over the past 15 years via the BarSmarts bartender education program. For this episode, we talk with Kevin Denton Rex , the director of mixology and education for Pernod Ricard, about the newly revamped BarSmarts program, how BarSmarts has evolved over the years, and how it’s filling an essential role in today’s hospitality world. Radio Imbibe listeners can access BarSmarts for free as individual users by heading to barsma...
Feb 28, 2023•19 min•Ep. 69
We wrap up our Imbibe 75 coverage for 2023 by checking in with Julio “Jules” Gutierrez, the founder of the bar pop-up series Chuntikis . Designed to help tell the stories of Latinos and immigrants through the medium of tropical drinks, Chuntikis has appeared at a number of bars near Gutierrez’ home in Long Beach, California, and this past summer he shared his experiences during a seminar at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, ...
Feb 14, 2023•24 min•Ep. 68
We continue our Imbibe 75 coverage by catching up with Christine Wiseman , one of our People to Watch for 2023. A longtime bartender in LA, most recently at Broken Shaker, Wiseman moved to Miami in 2021 to step into the role as beverage director for Broken Shaker’s parent company BarLab . In this episode, she fills us in on what the transition has been like moving from West Coast to East, the things that excite her about overseeing a range of bar programs, and what she’s looking forward to in th...
Jan 31, 2023•12 min•Ep. 67
