The Speakeasy welcomes very special guest, David Wondrich this week who was born on the banks of the Monongahela and raised mostly in suburban New York City. After working as a house painter, a mattress stuffer, messenger, clerk and process server for a mob lawyer, bass player in more bands than he can count and a dozen other things, he settled down and earned a doctorate in Comparative Literature, specializing in Latin scientific poetry. That led to a job as an English professor, which he didn’...
Jan 27, 2016•37 min•Ep. 170
You think you know Daiquiri’s, but you have no idea. Tune in to a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Bridget Firtle, who established The Noble Experiment NYC to bring the timeless tradition of rum distilling back to New York City. The company aims to produce all natural, premium quality distilled spirits distinctive to New York City through the use of 100% domestic ingredients. Small batch, hand-crafted spirits were once a thing of the past – our dream is to reinvent...
Jan 20, 2016•31 min•Ep. 169
Tune in as The Speakeasy celebrates its 5th anniversary with guest Lucinda Sterling! On the precipice of opening the new Red Hook based bar, Seaborne, she and Damon chat about the late Sasha Petraske, a pioneer of the current cocktail revival and his vision when initially dreaming up the bar’s concept. Simplicity is key! After the break, the duo discuss Lucinda’s journey through the beverage industry and more details on the opening of Seaborne....
Jan 13, 2016•28 min•Ep. 168
The Speakeasy is back for 2016 with none other than veteran bar man Toby Maloney, Beverage Director at Mother’s Ruin and Lorenzo’s, a new Latin themed restaurant bar in Bushwick. Talking the evolution of the cocktail scene in the city plus details his latest projects, find out what Toby has been up to since his last sit down with Damon.
Jan 06, 2016•30 min•Ep. 167
https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/heritageradionetwork This week on The Speakeasy , Damon Boelte is in studio with Meaghan Dorman, of the Raines Law Room, Dear Irving, and The Bennett. In charge of the menu, cocktail development, and staff training at both destinations, Meaghan highlights her early dedication to learning the classic drinks and acknowledges the importance of improvising behind the bar. What’s it like to be a part of so many iconic places in New York City? What is going on in t...
Dec 02, 2015•31 min•Ep. 166
This week on The Speakeasy , Damon is on the line with bar industry vet Lucas Plant, a founder at Bull in China located in Portland, Oregon. Bull in China started as a passion for collecting vintage barware that quickly turned into product development of one of the most prized possessions—the mixing glass. Not aiming to reinvent the wheel, but to instead make better bar products by addressing the issues that we find in the field, Luke explains that Bull in China seeks to move the barware industr...
Nov 25, 2015•27 min•Ep. 165
New York City is full of history, and no place knows it better than The Brooklyn Inn. Celebrating the establishment’s 130th birthday, this week on _ The Speakeasy _, Damon welcomes guests Tom Vaught and Joel Shifflet to chat about the bar’s interesting past, how it survived prohibition, as well as details surrounding Brooklyn’s brewing scene in the early 1900s.
Nov 18, 2015•31 min•Ep. 164
This week _ The Speakeasy _ is back with a brand new show featuring guest Paul Clarke. Paul Clarke is Imbibe’s Executive Editor and the author of The Cocktail Chronicles: Navigating the Cocktail Renaissance With Jigger, Shaker & Glass, released in July of 2015. He believes in the importance of a diverse liquid diet. While his heart belongs to spirits and cocktails—his inclinations often lean to bourbon and Boulevardiers—his days (and nights) are peppered with pour-overs and cold-brew, cab fr...
Nov 04, 2015•33 min•Ep. 163
Ever been frustrated by the limited spirit selection at your corner store? This week on _ The Speakeasy _, host Damon Boelte helps listeners solve this problem along with guest Steven Abt, founder of Caskers. Caskers helps you discover craft spirits that aren’t available at your local liquor store. Working to bring you the finest artisanal spirits, which are sourced from fresh, local produce, and are a celebration of the passion and dedication of the master distillers who make them by hand, Stev...
Oct 14, 2015•30 min•Ep. 162
Brennan Adams, brand ambassador for Santera Tequila , is in studio with Damon Boelte for this week’s episode of The Speakeasy. Kicking off a thorough discussion on tequila, Brennan explains that though we’re delving into fall, tequila is an ideal cold-weather beverage. Conversation touches upon the best bar set ups (visually and practically) to details about Santera’s various tequila recipes. From putting additional thought into their bottle design to placement behind the bar, tune in to hear ho...
Oct 07, 2015•30 min•Ep. 161
Drink slingers Jane Danger and Austin Henelly of the Lower East Side tiki inspired bar and restaurant, Mother of Pearl, are in studio for The Speakeasy this week with host Damon Boelte. Talking the paths that led each to becoming cocktail experts plus their take on the tiki bar and the importance of making their customers happy, Jane and Austin wax poetic on hospitality and the intent behind their drinks. This program was brought to you by Michter’s . “What we love about tiki we’re taking that a...
Sep 23, 2015•39 min•Ep. 160
This week on The Speakeasy, host Damon Boelte is in the studio with Chris Balla, beer selector for their common interest oyster bar – Grand Army Bar. Talking all things beer, Chris relates how he developed his palate, where his beverage career began, and thoughts on German beers. Beer cocktails are also on the rise which prompts an in-depth conversation on the various uses of beer in concocted drinks and beer/spirit mixers, plus the guys’ personal favorites lately. This program was brought to yo...
Aug 05, 2015•31 min•Ep. 159
Steven Andrew Soderbergh is best known as an acclaimed American film producer, director, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. He’s behind a plethora of celebrated films including the Ocean’s Eleven and Oceans Twelve movies and most recently, Magic Mike XXL. What you might not know about him is that he’s also behind a brand new spirit, Singani 63. What is Singani 63? A muscat grape based spirit made in the Bolivian Andes. Sound interesting? Learn more as Damon Boelte interviews Steven on a b...
Jul 01, 2015•35 min•Ep. 158
Star bartenders and all-around awesome gals Ivy Mix & Julie Reiner are back on The Speakeasy , this time to talk about their brand new bar – Leyenda in Cobble Hill. With a focus on Central American spirits, Leyenda carries some of the high-quality tradition of Clover Club while shifting the attention to a particular part of the world. Hear how they opened the space and what plans are next for this powerful duo. This program was brought to you by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons . “Let’s do some...
May 27, 2015•30 min•Ep. 157
This week on The Speakeasy Damon chats with multi-talented bartender Will Peet of Donostia and the NoMad. The two have a casual conversation about everything from the nature of bartending to the subtleties of Sherry. This program was brought to you by Union Beer. “Those barrels [For Wine] have been used for hundreds of years, you’re gonna get some really cool s**t from them.” [20:00] “It’s doing god’s work man [Making Sherry Wine].” [24:00] — Will Peet on The Speakeasy...
Apr 08, 2015•30 min•Ep. 156
Tune in for a canid conversation between cocktail professionals on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy . Damon is joined by April Wachtel, a phenomenal spirits + cocktail educator. She’s worked for Lani Kai, the Bacardi portfolio, and Solbeso. She is currently teaching recreational cocktail classes at Astor Center, Haven’s Kitchen and ICC and has recently launched her own consulting and education company, Swig and Swallow . This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center . ...
Mar 18, 2015•32 min•Ep. 155
This week on The Speakeasy Damon interviews Jimmy and Eddie Russel of Wild Turkey Bourbon. Jimmy and Eddie talk about their experiences within the company over the past decades and their first experiences with bourbon. The two give their opinions on flavored whiskey, current whiskey demographics, and how the industry has changed and how they view these changes. This program was sponsored by The International Culinary Center. “I’ve worked here [Wild Turkey] since 1981 and i’ve loved every minute ...
Mar 11, 2015•29 min•Ep. 154
This week on The Speakeasy , Damon Boelte is joined by bartender, musician and all around great guy Kevin Denton. Denton crafts cocktails that utilize obscure ingredients and modern techniques. Denton worked his way up as a journeyman bartender at establishments steeped in classic and neo-classic form.Denton was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1979. He earned his Bachelors and Masters of Regional Planning degrees from the Architecture, Art and Planning College of Cornell University in 2001, and 2003...
Mar 04, 2015•38 min•Ep. 153
We’re talking Moonshine today on The Speakeasy as host Damon Boelte is joined by Brent Thompson from Sugarlands Distilling Company. Sugarland produces craft quality moonshine and whiskey. The distillery in downtown Gatlinburg, Tenn. is a popular attraction where guests are invited to taste free samples of authentic Sugarlands Shine, take behind the-scenes tours of the production, and purchase a variety of moonshine flavors, mountain merchandise, and apparel. The distillery also offers live music...
Feb 25, 2015•33 min•Ep. 152
This week on The Speakeasy Damon interviews Jamie Salas, the Milagro Tequila Brand Ambassador. Salas tells us about the evolution of the tequila industry and how the openness of the industry has changed over the past few decades. The two then discuss the expense of producing tequila and how it can be an extremely taxing process. This program was sponsored by the International Culinary Center “Tequila is one of the most expensive spirits to produce.” [45:00] “Its a labor of love [Producing tequil...
Feb 18, 2015•35 min•Ep. 151
The one and only Jordana Rothman rejoins Damon Boelte on The Speakeasy for a candid thirty minute conversation on everything from leather aged cocktails to national spirit trends. Jordana, formerly of Time Out New York, has been freelancing, focusing on bigger picture journalism and just finished working on Alex Stupak’s upcoming book with Clarkson Potter. Damon and Jordana asses some of the things going on across the country in the world of cocktails and spirits and give listeners some real ins...
Feb 11, 2015•23 min•Ep. 150
If you like your drinks bitter and stirred, Amor y Amargo is for you. Tune in to a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Sother Teague and Austin Hennelly of the aforementioned Amor y Amargo – a small bar in the East Village that bills itself as a “bitters tasting room and general store”. Tune in and find out what inspires them behind the bar, why the 240 square foot space was meant to be a clubhouse and what both guys are excited about in the industry today. This progr...
Feb 04, 2015•34 min•Ep. 149
Steve Schneider is the star of the film Hey Bartender, Principal Bartender at Employees Only NYC, 2012 Cocktail World Cup World Champion, 6-time Speed Bartending Champion and an all-around American badass who now has his own podcast, The Steve Schneider Show . Tune in to a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Steve catches Damon up on what’s been going on in his life and shares some of his thoughts about the beverage industry. He also serves up a mean Macho Man Randy Savage impression. This pro...
Jan 28, 2015•32 min•Ep. 148
Beloved bartender and inventive ice-man Zach Gelnaw-Rubin is this week’s guest on THe Speakeasy ! He’s behind the bar at Dutch Kills and Attaboy and helps run Hundredweight, the first company of its kind, supplying New York City with the highest quality ice specifically for use in craft cocktails. Their cubes, spears, spheres and punch blocks are all cut from 300 pound blocks of crystal-clear, totally pure ice, and lend a new level of quality and aesthetic to cocktails. Tune in and find out why ...
Jan 21, 2015•34 min•Ep. 147
What is American brandy and why should you care? Find out on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Joe Heron, the co-founder of Copper & Kings Distillery. Copper & Kings is an American brandy company based in Butchertown, Louisville, Kentucky, USA. They make a differentiated, uncommon, unadulterated, pure pot-distilled natural American brandy. Tune in and find out what all the fuss is about and what Copper & Kings is doing to serve the community and push A...
Jan 14, 2015•36 min•Ep. 146
To kick off the new year on The Speakeasy , Damon Boelte is joined by Heather Greene, Whiskey Sommelier at The Flatiron Room and author of Whisk(e)y Distilled . Heather Greene is one of America’s leading whiskey experts, media’s newest “go-to” woman on the topic of brown spirits, and the author of Whiskey Distilled, A Populist Guide to the Water of Life on Viking Studio, an imprint of Penguin Random House. She is also The Director of Whiskey Education and sommelier at The Flatiron Room in Manhat...
Jan 07, 2015•33 min•Ep. 145
Misty Kalkofen of Del Maguey
Dec 17, 2014•31 min•Ep. 144
Damon Boelte is talking shop with Adam Bernbach, bar manager at Washington, D.C., cocktail spot 2 Birds 1 Stone, on this weeks episode of The Speakeasy . Adam waxes poetic on the cocktail scene in Washington DC, the state of science driven drinks and his personal favorite – banana cocktails. The conversation is candid and the commentary is sharp on another episode of the best booze show on the net! This program was brought to you by White Oak Pastures ....
Dec 04, 2014•30 min•Ep. 143
This week’s episode of The Speakeasy is all about whiskey. Damon Boelte is joined by Avianna Ponzi of Bomberger’s Distillery. Bomberger’s is the reincarnation of the original whiskey distilled under the same name, which dates back to 1753. Commemorating the historic Bomberger’s Distillery; this blend of American whiskey represents collaboration across generations and traditions to preserve the history and future legacy of Pennsylvania Craft Whiskey. Tune in and get the inside school on this incr...
Nov 12, 2014•29 min•Ep. 142
Learn about cognac and other esoteric spirits on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits, an uber small operation “importing and distributing geeky spirits in the US.” Tune in and find out how the often overlooked Cognac is a staple in French and European culture and hear what makes it different than any other category. They also discuss other specialty imported spirits and even taste some on air! This program was brought to you by Rolling ...
Oct 29, 2014•30 min•Ep. 141
