Cutwater Spirits founder Yuseff Cherney drops by

Today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour is sponsored by The Westgate Hotel and their Sunset Poolside Jazz Series, hosted on the rooftop every Thursday through September 13. On today’s show, Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson along with producer Archana Ram are taping from The Westgate Hotel, where we’re talking restaurant openings, including the new El Carrito in Barrio Logan and El Tianguis in North Park, plus who’ll be a part of Carlsbad’s Windmill Food Hall. We’re joined by Gilbert Castellanos, the acclaimed jazz musician who’s shared a stage with everyone from Liza Minelli to Dizzy Gillespie and plays every Friday at The Westgate’s Plaza Bar. He talks about curating the music for this year’s Sunset Poolside Jazz Series and the upcoming performances you can’t miss. Our guest is Yuseff Cherney, founder and Master Distiller of Cutwater Spirits and the former head brewer and COO of Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits. The UC San Diego grad talks to us about starting at Home Brew Mart, things he’s learned with his 26 years in the industry, and what that billion-dollar Constellation Brands acquisition felt like. Plus, he’s giving us the scoop on Cutwater’s most popular canned cocktails and what makes them “crushable.” We’re gearing up for our big 100th episode, which we’ll be taping on Hornblower Cruise’s Sights & Sips Cocktail Cruise June 22. And we want you there! Enter here for a chance to win one of 10 pairs of tickets to join us on the bay.