Episode 253 - Winning Dry January with Jon Schott

In this wide-ranging conversation with bartender and drinks consultant Jon Schott of Riffraff Drink Co., some of the topics we discuss include:

• The state of the non-alcoholic drinks space, and why language and placement are tricky and need to be dialed in for every unique bar or restaurant menu.
• Jon’s personal journey into sobriety, including a brief detour selling home security systems, and his return to working behind the bar.
• This also leads us to think about some of the softer nuances of making drinks of all sorts: how hospitality is an ingredient, how to make people feel good before anything goes into their body, and why drinking is ultimately about knowing yourself.
• Then, we explore some of Jon’s favorite hacks for making great non-alcoholic cocktails at home, which he is currently publishing as a series of videos over on the Riffraff Drink Co. Instagram page.
• Along the way, we explore how to use guest feedback like sonar, the use of clarity as a vehicle for surprise in cocktails, the joys of nose-to-tail mint butchery, and much, much more.

You can find Jon pouring FREE samples of his creations over at Umbrella Dry Drinks in Alexandria, VA pretty much every Saturday, and you can reach out or follow along for his awesome instructional videos over on Instagram @riffraffdrink_co.

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