This week on The Speakeasy, Damon is joined by Paul Franich, brand rep for 42 Below Vodka. Learn more about the New Zealand-based vodka and how it all started as a DIY operation in a garage! Find out what The Cocktail World Cup is all about and discover why the kiwis know what they’re doing when it comes to drinks! This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery .
Damon Celebrates his 30th birthday on a heady episode of The Speakeasy with friend, bar manager and reggae/dancehall DJ Shane Feirstein. Tune in as they talk about Jamaican rum, Jamaican music and the Jamaican lifestyle while sipping on rum and listening to some great tracks. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. For more information visit Surry Farms .
The studio is packed as Damon & Brian Miller invite from friends from Oslo, Norway to The Speakeasy to remiss on drunken nights, discuss the brilliance of Akvavit and remind listeners that it’s not about what you have but how you use it! This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery .
This week on The Speakeasy, Damon is joined by Angus Winchester, Global Brand Ambassador for Tanqueray Gin. Damon & Angus share their love for gin over a Negroni and discuss the differences between the Manhattan Cocktail Classic and Tales of the Cocktail events. Tune in to find out what makes a good Gin & Tonic, and why your grandmother might know best when it comes to gin! This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market....
This week Damon Boelte invites the team from Santa Teresa Rum to speak about the current rum industry and their new Venezuelan rum products. The main goal of Santa Teresa is to keep the culture and tradition of true rum alive using special brewing techniques to ensure the highest pure quality rum. Watch out for Santa Teresa rum at your local bar! This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. For more information, visit Surry Farms ....
Ari Form returns to The Speakeasy with a strange strange bottle of Irish Liqueur that tastes like Malibu. What does this mean? You’ll have to listen to find out. Tune in as Damon and Ari talk pick-me-up cocktails, Irish whiskey and more on the best spirits show around. This episode was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.
Things get rowdy on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy as host Damon Boelte hangs out with Employees Only’s wild bartenders Steve Schneider and Vincent Vitek. Steve and Vincent touch on the brotherhood and camaraderie felt amongst bartenders and explain what it’s like working behind a bar with high quality drinks and exceptions that come along with them. Tune in for some ice smashing fun as the crew talks shop and makes a slammin mint julep on-air. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwa...
This week’s guest on The Speakeasy is Frank Cisneros, aka Frankie Cocktails. Frank and Damon discuss how music can influence cocktails and spirits, talk about the decline and rise of Vodka & imagine a post-cocktail bar world. Learn how Frank got started in drinks and find out more about the wonderful world of spirits. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market & Do Something Reel
Maxwell Britten is this week’s guest on The Speakeasy. Tune in to hear how he became the Beverage Director and Marketing Manager at Maison Premiere and why he thinks people still want to show themselves a good time even during a recession. Learn more about one of his favorite spirits, absinthe, as Maxwell dispels myths and helps listeners understand how to truly appreciate this drink. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. For more information visit www.CainFive.com...
On today’s episode of The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte is joined by Scott Krahn, 1/2 of the American Gin Company. Scott talks about the return of gin, and reminds us that it’s “essentially flavored vodka”. Learn more about gin production, tasting notes and applications and find out why the Averell Damson Gin Liqueur is such a unique product. Sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market.
This week on The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte is joined by former head bartender of Death & Co. Phil Ward, currently of Mayahuel. Phil discusses his interest in agave based spirits and tequila cocktails as well as the past, present and future of agave production in Mexico. Tune in to learn more about the Tequila Interchange Project, a venture dedicated to promoting awareness about the culture of tequila for industry professionals in USA and Mexico. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards...
This week on The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte is joined by Nic Cowles of Minibar. Nic talks about the community vibe of Minibar and how it serves as a warm and familiar place for those in the service industry to come relax at after a shift. Tune in to hear why Yelp reviews are hardly helpful and why you might not actually know what a real Manhattan tastes like. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. For more information visit www.CainFive.com...
Tune into the latest episode of The Speakeasy hosted by Damon Boelte. This week he highlights the United States Bartenders Guild. Tune in and hear from Jason Littrell of The Randolph at Broome & preview guest Nick Jarrett about how the Bartenders Guild helps protect our bar talent and opens an endless amount of networking possibilities for bartenders all over the country. Learn more at www.USBG.org . This episode was sponsored by the Museum of Food & Drink....
This week on a special one-hour long episode of The Speakeasy, host Damon Boelte sits down and chats with friend and bartending troubadour Nick Jarrett. Nick talks about his experience at Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co and how he successfully managed to split his time equally between NYC & Philly. Tune in to hear stories about Bill Murray, tequilla, hotel room Old Fashioned’s, and a forthcoming mobile green bar. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market...
This week on The Speakeasy, Damon is joined by Brad Farran of The Clover Club. Brad explains how he went from running a record label in North Carolina to moving to New York to become one of the city’s premier bartenders. Tune in and hear why Brad love cream drinks, how he uses Sherry in creating cocktails and find out the story behind his Midnight to 6 cocktail. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch. For more information visit http://www.hearstranch.com
This week on The Speakeasy Damon is joined by Ian Wolff, Wine & Spirits editor at La Cucina Italiana. They discuss the collaborative nature of writing and the transition from the kitchen to the pen. Tune in and learn how good grappe can derail any conversation and why being behind a bar talking to people everyday is an art in itself. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. For more information visit www.surryfarms.com...
This week on The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte is joined by Ari Form of the JakeWalk. Ari & Damon discuss everything from Damon’s huge hands to Ari’s time spend at Pluck-U. Tune in and hear more about why a sense of community is so important in Brooklyn and why it’s not always easy to gracefully kick people out of a bar. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market.
On the third installment of The Speakeasy, Damon sits down with Adam Kolesar, tiki drink expert and proprietor of Brooklyn Orgeat Works. The two sit down to discuss the origins of the traditional Mai Tai and how it’s been lost in modern cocktail culture. Tune in the find out where you can go for an authentic tiki experience in New York City, and how rum profiles matter more than you might expect in the execution of an excellent cocktail. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Son...
This week on The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte is joined by guest Thomas Waugh, head bartender at NYC’s Death & Co. Damon and Thomas discuss the similarities and differences in style between East and West coast cocktail culture and the rise of Fernet Branca. Tune in to learn more about cocktail competitions, transitioning from bartending to consulting and why you should NOT throw shot glasses against the wall. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market.
On the innaugral episode of The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte overcomes a brief power outage in the studio and chats with friend & colleague Brian Miller, formerly of Death & Company. Brian explains how he went from a food runner as a fresh New York transplant to becoming one of the best bartenders the city has to offer. Later in the show, Damon & Brian discuss Tiki cocktail culture and history and how under appreciated these fruity rum based drinks are these days. Tune in and learn more a...
