The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

In this viticultural conversation with SUYO Pisco founders Alex Hildebrandt and Ian Leggett, some of the topics we discuss include: How two born-and-bred Peruvians met and became friends in the world of American corporate finance, then turned their sights on celebrating the flavors and aromas of their beloved home country. What it means for a distillate to be “single-origin,” and how Ian and Alex went off the beaten path to find and partner with Pisco producers who are making truly remarkable spirits. How to think about Peru’s fascinating Geographic Indication for Pisco, also known as it’s Denomination of Origin, which specifies what materials can be used, where grapes can come from, and even how many times it can be distilled. Then we taste through SUYO’s inaugural offerings, a fruity, complex Quebranta made in the foothills of the Andes, and a sea-swept Italia bursting with floral and mineral complexity. Along the way, we cover the complicated topic of “purity” in different kinds of spirits, the age-old controversy of Chilean vs. Peruvian Pisco, a potentially record-setting pisco sour performance by Ernest Hemingway, 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 part two of this audio essay, Eric zooms in on the recently passed legislation in Washington, DC (Initiative 82) that has eliminated the tipped minimum wage and is slated to take effect on January 1, 2023. Using an analytical framework known as "Stasis Theory," he carefully walks through the definitions, cause-and-effect logic, ethical values, and action points that prompted this change in the way service industry workers get paid. Then, he makes some projections about what the fallout from this new system may look like in our nation's capital.

Eric examines the history and culture of tipping in Europe and America as a way to explore recent legislation in Washington, DC that will change the way that bartenders and other service industry workers get paid. This, of course, will also have significant impacts on the cost and perceived value of dining and drinking out, changing the DC food and drink scene in a major way. This episode begins with a historical and etymological exploration of how and why we tip, with an important meditation on the racist legacy of the tipped minimum wage in the United States. Then, we take a look at two recent ballot initiatives aimed at changing the tipped minimum wage in DC. 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 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.