The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

In this Bar Cart Foundations Episode, we take a deep dive into Geographical Indications - you know - those things that verify where your booze comes from. Some of the guests who share their wisdom in this compilation format include: Melanie Asher, founder of Macchu Pisco Effie Panagopoulous, founder of KLEOS Mastiha RB Wolfensberger, distiller of Grey Wolf Spirits Matt Pietrek, Rum Wonk Lou Bank & Chava Periban, Hosts of the Agave Road Trip Podcast Lance Winters, Master Distiller at St. George Spirits The material we cover here is meant to be a crash course of sorts. There are many levels of nuance that we do not cover. However, if you're looking to understand the large-scale forces that affect the legal production and distribution of the spirits you drink, this is a great place to start.

In this first themed bottle tasting of 2021, we focus on Jamaican style rum, with two mass market bottles and two very special limited releases. The bottles we taste, in order, are: Appleton Estate 8 Reserve Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum Forsyth’s WP Single Jamaican Rum 2005 (Barrel Aged for 10 years) Forsyth’s WP 502 Single Jamaican White Rum from 2015

In this year-in-review episode, we put the final nail in the coffin of 2020 so that hopefully it doesn't rise from the dead to haunt us. Some of the topics we covered include: A bitter featured cocktail ("Eeyore's Requiem") Podcast downloads and milestones by the numbers Top trends and new legislation in 2020 What to look forward to in 2021 A holiday message from Eric

Eric is joined for this Modern Bar Cart LIVE episode by co-founder Ethan Hall to discuss the best gifts to give (or request) for home bartenders and mixology fans. Some of the gifts they discuss include: Boozy advent calendars Engraved and local spirits Cocktail mixer gift sets and variety packs New and holiday-themed cocktail mixers Clear ice solutions Cocktail smoking devices Fun and fancy glassware Small format spirit and cocktail aging barrels And much, much more This is a super fun and informative chat for anyone who's wracking their brain trying to find the perfect holiday gift for themselves or for a loved one who enjoys cocktails and home bartending.

In this inaugural bottle review episode of Modern Bar Cart LIVE, Eric, Ethan, and Russell review four bottles from two craft brands. In order, they are: Humboldt Distillery Organic Vodka (40% ABV) Humboldt's Finest Hemp Infused Spirit (40% ABV) Ten to One White Rum (45% ABV) Ten to One Dark Rum (40% ABV) Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook @modernbarcart for full reviews and bottle shots.

In this delicious interview and spirits tasting with Bertha González Nieves of Casa Dragones Tequila, some of the topics we discuss include:   How Bertha came to small batch Tequila by way of a company we’ve all heard of: Groupo Jose Cuervo. She talks about her time working with the one of the world’s largest purveyors of agave spirits and how it launched her into her current venture. What it means to be certified as a “Maestra Tequilera,” and why this trade certification is particularly special in Bertha’s case. Then, to my great delight, we jump right into the Casa Dragones portfolio. The marks that we taste through, in order, are their Blanco Tequila, their innovative Joven expression, and then finally their Barrel Blend. Of course, I provide nosing and tasting notes, but we also get pretty granular speaking about each spirit. We cover the mineral profile of the Mexican Trans-Volcanic Belt, the process of blending aged and un-aged agave distillates to create a new product altogether, and even the art of selecting barrels using Sessile oak (which is different from traditional Limousin French oak). And much, much more.

In this convivial and wide-ranging chat with drinks writer Aaron Goldfarb, author of Gather Around Cocktails, some of the topics we discuss include: Aaron’s experience writing for major publications in the drinks space beginning in the early 2000s straight through the cocktail renaissance to today, including his recent Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for “Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing.” The story of Gather Around Cocktails, which started with an Eggnog obsession, and grew into a book that’s on a mission to make parties more fun and less lame. Of course, we do dig into eggnog a bit - talking about the most important tools and techniques for batching this rich, creamy drink and even some of the surprising ingredients you can use as dietary substitutes (lookin’ at you, avocado).  Then we take a trip around the calendar year, dipping in and out of seasons and occasions for drinking and learning about the little things you can do to crank your most festive occasions to 11. We talk about everything from Eric's yearly tradition of wearing tricorn hats and drinking colonial era punch while watching The Patriot every 4th of July to the innovative cocktails that Aaron and others have designed to complement traditional Jewish holidays, which can sometimes be solemn occasions. Along the way, we cover why the gimlet is the perfect quarantine drink, how to order a frozen daiquiri in the style of Hunter S. Thompson, and much, much more.

In this inaugural Modern Bar Cart LIVE episode, Eric teams up with Modern Bar Cart Co-Founder Ethan Hall and live stream producer Eric Holtzman to bring you a comparative tasting of rare Chartreuse! Some of the topics we discuss include: The history of Chartreuse, including its origins as a medicinal elixir, its ties to the Phyloxera plague that killed all the grapes in France, and its rise to notoriety. What distinguishes Yellow and Green Chartreuse from one another flavor-wise, even though the recipes are known only to two people ON THE PLANET, and how their different distillate bases tell stories that extend far beyond their alpine cloister. What types of ingredients and flavors you’ll typically find in Genepies and alpine liqueurs across the board, and how Chartreuse fits into that category while also playing with a great deal of exotic spices and botanicals. Then we taste our rare bottle: The 9th Centenary Liqueur produced to honor the 900th anniversary of the Carthusian order who are responsible for producing Chartreuse. We talk about how we sourced this bottle, what makes it special, and how it adds to the flavor story of the Chartreuse lineup.

In this third installment of the "Breaking Bloody" series, we investigate the fifth flavor, umami by way of a hard-to-pronounce Bloody Mary ingredient: Worcestershire sauce. Guests include: Brinda Ayer, the editorial lead at Food52, a digital publication and community platform designed to bring cooks together from all over to exchange recipes and to support each other in the kitchen. Kate Quartaro. the founder of Colonel Pabst Worcestershire Sauce, which is a Wisconsin-based company that uses a formula designed by Kate’s great grandfather, Gustave Pabst, the son of Pabst brewery founder Frederick Pabst. Cookbook author, food podcaster, and Italofile Katie Parla. She’s here for her expertise in the umami-laden realm of anchovies and fermented fish sauces. The talented producer of the "Breaking Bloody" series, Cera Baker Along the way, we talk about the glutamate molecule, the miracle of fermentation, a fishy conspiracy about the origins story of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, and much, much more.

In this audio essay, Modern Bar Cart CEO Eric Kozlik walks you through the recent outrage in the spirits industry regarding sexist language in whisky expert Jim Murray's spirit reviews. This is a serious problem for people in all segments of the spirits and cocktail world - from producers to consumers - and it's important to come together and acknowledge the transgression this behavior represents and the ways we can work together to prevent this type of behavior from holding back our industry moving forward.