The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

In this well-lit and impeccably styled conversation with photographer, drinks educator, and newly-minted author Jordan Hughes, some of the topics we discuss include: Jordan’s voyage into the world of spirits and cocktails, including the pours and flavors that first got him hooked on mixology and spirited guides who helped him along his journey. How he thinks about staging and lighting cocktail photos (which you can view on Instagram @highproofpreacher and @cocktailcamera), including one very important tip that will help you take your Instagram game to the next level. The concept and development process behind his new book, Twist, which is chock full of inspiration for anyone who might feel like they’re in a “rut” making the same old handful of cocktails. Along the way, we cover the struggles of producing and photographing 10 gin fizzes in a single evening, Jordan’s controversial views on vodka, what to drink with Michelle Obama at one of the world’s most legendary bars, and much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

In this fascinating deep-dive into the world of cane distillates with Matt Pietrek, author of Modern Caribbean Rum, some of the topics we discuss include: How Matt and his wife Carrie collaborated to create an 800+ page self-published treatise on the rums of the Caribbean: through strategy, structure, and of course visiting so many of the incredible producers who pour their life into this spirit. Then, we get into the weeds on a wide-ranging set of topics related to the classification of rum. And this is really the heart of the book. We talk about: The broad-strokes differences between British-style, French-style, and Spanish-style rums The impact of colonial history and economics on the timelines and styles that were propagated in different islands and regions Why Matt thinks about Rum as a “Meta-category” of spirits that contains multitudes of styles and flavors Along the way, we cover the palletized nuances of self-publishing, the four main decision buckets that dictate the kind of rum that a given producer will bottle, the surprising influence of Canadians on overproof rum bottling strength, And much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

Eric investigates the words we use for large groups or collections of spirits and cocktails. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

In this eye-opening conversation with Walter Meyenberg, founder of Hanky Panky, some of the topics we discuss include: Why this bar, which is so famous for being a modern “speakeasy,” wasn’t originally planned that way, and how they evolved from not even charging for drinks to winning international awards for hospitality. What it’s like to locate, enter, and drink at Hanky Panky, according to our mixological travel correspondent, Adam Bauer. How Walter thinks about developing individual members of his bar team and building a community of international “friends of Hanky Panky,” and why this people-first mentality allowed the program to thrive, even during the pandemic. We also explore some of Walter’s other projects, like his bar Casa de las Brujas, which places an all-female bar team in the spotlight, and Liquid Show, an educational initiative launched in partnership with other leading bar figures in Mexico City. Along the way, we cover the books that inspired Walter’s approach to hospitality, the design aesthetic behind throne-like bar stools and mirrored tables, foundational memories of being fed and pampered by his Lebanese mother, and much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

American Studies professor Cecelia Tichi discusses mid-20th-century drinking culture: evolving cocktail trends in urban vs suburban areas, bibulous subcultures like the beat generation, and the influence of Tiki culture. The episode explores the impact of the Playboy Bar Book, portrayal of the era in Mad Men, and societal shifts post-World War II.

In this truly wide-ranging conversation with bartender, spirits maker, and entrepreneur Robby Haynes, creator of the Sunday's Finest Golf Fashioned, some of the topics we discuss include: Robby’s rise through the service industry ranks, beginning as a valet standing out in the cold on Chicago winter nights, then eventually manning bars like the legendary Violet Hour. What he learned about making cocktails - from carving ice in hotel pans on his first night as a barback to the ways in which mixing a cocktail is like mixing and mastering a record in a recording studio. We also chat about his first spirits project: Apologue Liqueurs, which continues to capture rare and often savory flavors like celery root and aronia berry so that professional and home bartenders can jazz up their favorite cocktails. Then, of course, we sample and discuss the $150 Sunday’s Finest Gold Fashioned, a product that can be said to truly DEFINE the luxury bottled cocktail category. Robby and I talk about what that means, how it was created, and how to think about a $150 bottle spend, relative to the other costs associated with a night out at your favorite cocktail bar. Along the way, we touch on what it means to “nail the center” of a cocktail, how bartenders learn their bar guests’ “love languages,” why you might want to start thinking about cocktails as a “spa experience,” and much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

In this fascinating conversation with Victoria Eady Butler, Master Blender for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, some of the topics we discuss include: How Victoria transitioned from a career in criminal justice fighting organized crime to her role as the Master Blender for Uncle Nearest, where she won back-to-back titles as Master Blender of the Year in 2021 and 2022. What happened when she teamed up with historian and Uncle Nearest CEO Fawn Weaver to unearth the living legacy of her great-great grandfather, Nathan “Nearest” Green who was touted during his lifetime as the best distiller in the region. The importance of the Lincoln County Process, which is the primary differentiator between Tennessee whiskey and bourbon, and which was perfected by Nearest as a signature production technique. Then, of course, we taste Uncle Nearest’s flagship product: 1884 Small Batch whiskey, which won Best American whiskey in 2021. We also investigate Victoria’s signature approach to blending, which involves specific techniques to protect her palate and ensure that she addresses the all-important “finish” of the whiskey. Along the way, we learn about the deeply important philanthropic work of the Nearest Green Foundation, why Tennessee Whiskey is “Bourbon plus one,” where you can go to drink at the longest bar in the world, and much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

In this wide-ranging conversation with Jackie Summers, creator of Sorel, some of the topics we discuss include: How Jackie has led a life of continuous transformation on his way to creating Sorel: battling a spinal tumor, leaving a successful corporate career, and becoming America’s first black distiller since Prohibition. The intriguing wellness and flavor properties of hibiscus, which has more vitamin C than most citrus fruit, but that can be problematic as a single-note flavor. Why it took hundreds of test batches and experiments to perfect this product, which comes to us as the result of centuries of stolen bodies, stolen spices, and a resilient oral tradition that sings at the genetic level. The difference between “Sorrel,” the drink and “Sorel” the brand, by way of some apt wisdom from Jackie’s childhood speech coach. Along the way, we cover the terroir of North African Hibiscus, why liquor years are like dog years, what to drink with the philosopher who went toe-to-toe with Machiavelli, and much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

Eric and Ethan review new and noteworthy bottles, including: Clever Fox Silver Rum Mason Dixon Distillery Tsipouro Old Bay Vodka Empirical Ayuuk Bare Zero Proof Fernet

Eric reviews the most common types of structured tastings you may encounter in the fermented and distilled beverage world. These include: Blind vs. Non-Blind Tastings Vertical and Horizontal Tastings Triangle, Triad, and Duo-Trio Tastings Component and Inverted Component Tastings This episode also explores the reasons WHY we structure our tastings, and how engaging in these exercises can provide value beyond simply stimulating our taste buds. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.