The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

This episode, we’re sharing a double feature of two episodes that came out WAY BACK in January of 2018 - that’s closing in on two years ago. Part One of this feature is dedicated to our Iki Japanese bitters, and it includes a really cool phone interview with Jennifer Bloeser of Oregon Coast Wasabi. She is literally the farmer who tends these crazy plants, plucks em out of the dirt, and ships them on ice to our team so that we can create these super unique bitters. We also do a little romp through the culinary history and culture of Japan so that you can understand how this island nation and its cuisine has inspired us. Part Two is focused on the cocktails (and other alcoholic libations) of the American Frontier. Of course, our Frontier Sarsaparilla Bitters are another really popular member of the Heritage Collection, so in addition to talking about ingredients that are native to North America, we also do a really cool march through the drinking history of our nation from its inception to roughly the year 1900. This sounds like a long time, but when you zoom out and consider the vast sweep of drinking history, it’s a really condensed period when a lot of really important changes happened. And they happened here in America, which makes the cocktail a uniquely American invention.

This time around, we catch up with Dan Marlowe, who’s a really talented bartender currently heading up the brand new tavern program at BlueDyer Distilling Co. In this spirited conversation, some of the topics we discuss include: How Dan worked his way through the bartending ranks to take the helm at the brand new tavern program at the BlueDyer Distillery. Why a “barkeep” is a bit different than a “bartender” The merits of a fancy handcrafted rum & coke and when it’s appropriate to call it a Cuba Libre. How Dan thinks about things like hospitality, and how he has developed his personal brand of cocktails and bartending What to bring when you’re grabbing drinks with Theodore Roosevelt And much, much more.

In this spirited interview with John Ravis of Maximo Mezcal, some of the topics we cover include: How John made the move from shucking oysters, to tending bar, to consulting in the business world, to ultimately helping found a Mezcal brand designed to elevate the American palate. Why Maximo Mezcal is as much a DC brand as it is Oaxacan How the mezcaleros and funders behind Maximo Mezcal have balanced tradition with innovation, especially when it comes to their production methods. Why barbecue is a great analogy for anyone trying to understand the various roasting procedures in agave spirits. A few little hacks to help you understand bottle design and pricing in the tequila and mezcal world Where we plan to grab drinks with restaurant mogul Danny Meyer, And much, much more.

In this episode, we do a close reading of David Wondrich's extremely influential new article, "Plato & Aristotle Walk into a Bar - A Meditation on the Daiquiri." Some of the topics we discuss include: Platonic and Aristotelian ideals of matter, logic, and metaphysics How to make a proper Caipirinha The strengths and weaknesses to a top-down vs. bottom-up bar program What embodiment biology and psychology have to do with anything And much, much more.

In this episode, we talk about the confluence of cocktails, boats, and the high seas. In addition to the history of cocktails, boats, and culture, we also cover a number of helpful tips to help you make better drinks next time you go out for a cocktail cruise.

In this interview, we sit down with Derek Brown and Bob Yule, co-authors of Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World. Some of the other topics we cover include: How Bob and Derek fused their expertise on opposing sides of the bar to create this book as a tribute to a ten part cocktail seminar series at the National Archives. Why and how we experience historical “echoes” in the cocktail world, and how these echoes can help connect us - at least in spirit -  with our tipsy ancestors. The importance of names and definitions in the cocktail world- both for the original cocktail and all the variants that spun off through the ages. Then, we get a little funky - we talk about what grows on the graves of dead Virginians, who’s about to take a hatchet to Derek’s bar, and the merits of a TGI Friday’s caesar salad. During this interview, we laugh, and we cry. We daydream about what Edgar Allan Poe liked to drink before he died in a puddle, and then we share our most embarrassing book errors and widely published typos.

In this episode, we interview Tory Pratt, founder of Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. Some of the things we discuss include: How a childhood spent in and around the catering industry gave Tory the inspiration to start her own company and taught her to approach cocktails from a culinary perspective. What it means to get back to the true roots of a traditional cocktail ingredient, and why it sometimes takes 47 test batches until you’re happy with the end result. The intricacies of sourcing ingredients like exotic Kola nuts and Turkish Pomegranates How Tory built her business from a kitchen concept to brand being sold in 14 States and Partnering with Whole Foods. Strategies for re-branding a line of existing products. Equipment you need and mistakes to avoid when you’re making syrups in your own home kitchen And much, much more.

In this episode, we answer user submitted questions about spirits and cocktails. Specifically, the topics we cover include: Why moonshine is illegal, and also why legal distillers can sell products called "moonshine" The difference between the dry shake and reverse dry shake method for creating egg white cocktails How to create your own house made orgeat and falernum with an eye toward shelf stability And a cocktail challenge involving the state of New York and a visiting family contingent from Italy Submit your mailbag questions to podcast@modernbarcart.com, and maybe your query will be featured on a future mailbag episode!

In this fun chat with author and bartender Shannon Mustipher, some of the topics we discuss include: How Shannon shifted her passion for art from the canvas to the bar What cocktails and great coffee and lattes have in common What it looks like to go from designing a simple brunch menu to an entire cocktail program featuring over 50 rums The discipline, sacrifice, and passion required to assemble a book that contributes meaningfully to the Tiki discussion How to think about Tiki as a “modern” cocktail genre What to drink in Cuba with actress and philanthropist Rosie Perez And much, much more Shannon’s book, Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails, can be purchased online, or by visiting your local bookseller and requesting that they carry it. Personally, I love how this book is organized, and I love the photography that accompanies the cocktail recipes - each picture really whets your appetite and inspires you to spend time on the presentation of the drink. So please, if you’re in the market for a good read and some awesome recipes, grab your copy today.

In this inspiring conversation with Chase Babcock of Saint Benevolence Rum, some of the topics we explore include: How Chase’s childhood visits to Haiti - the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere - inspired him to create a rum brand that could enhance and catalyze the great charitable work his father began doing in Haiti back in the early 2000s. What it takes to source and import rum that tells a story and inspires bartenders to make great cocktails. The legacy that Clairin has in Haiti as essentially a family moonshining tradition, and why this open fermented rustic agricole product is making a huge splash in the spirits industry today What different sugar cane varietals can bring to the clairin making process Why Chase and his dad Calvin publish their tax returns on the internet How to order rum like Ernest Hemingway at a Parisian cafe And much, much more During this conversation at Tales of the Cocktail 2019, we taste through Saint Benevolence’s two keystone or flagship products: their five year aged caribbean rum, and their clairin, which is just now hitting the market in Florida, California, and Louisiana, so if you’re based in one of those states, be sure to request Saint Benevolence next time you visit your favorite bar or liquor store.