The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

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.

In this wide-ranging conversation with Lars Williams and Mark Emil Hermansen, co-founders of Empirical, some of the topics we discuss include: How Mark and Lars met and bonded while working at the world-renowned Nordic Food Lab at the Michelin-star restaurant, Noma, and then spun their passion and expertise into a project that bottles flavorful memories. Why Empirical is referred to as a "Flavor Company," as opposed to a distillery, rectifier, spirits purveyor, or any other typical moniker. The research and flavor building process that led to the development of their newest product: Soka, a spirit made using the fresh-pressed juice of sorghum cane, which they're using as a way to spread the word about this regenerative, nitrogen-fixing crop. Why the density of flavor packed into these Empirical spirits impacts the way that they can be used in cocktails, specifically where sweetness is concerned. How Lars and Mark think about scaling the impact of their partnerships with farmers, using their adventures in Oaxaca as a case study for creating spirits that not only capture the flavor of a place, but also find ways to give back to it. Along the way, we explore sensory pathways in the brain, the importance of a beginner's mindset, the socioeconomics of pasilla chiles, 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 delicious, philosophical conversation with James Doherty of Sliabh Liag Distilling and The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey, some of the topics we discuss include: The geography and culture of the Donegal region of Ireland, located in the far Northwest of the country, and how this elemental landscape inspires their mission and their products. Why James and his wife and distiller Moira consider themselves "scatterlings," having come to Donegal after traveling and collecting flavors from around the world, and how this informs their approach to creating spirits with a sense of time and place. Then, of course, we explore the legend of the Silkie, a maritime yarn deposited in Ireland by the Vikings, and taste through the three primary expressions of the Legendary Silkie: the flagship product, the Dark Silkie, and the Midnight Silkie. Along the way, we cover why Irish whiskey is beginning to return to its smoky roots, how building a blended whiskey can be like carving a block of marble, why Australians don't understand what the world truly loves about them, 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 tasting and fireside chat with Stephan Kopp of Fassbind Eau de Vie and Henry Preiss of Preiss Imports, some of the topics we discuss include: The heritage fruits, sourcing practices, and protected designations of origin that set Swiss brandies and eaux de vie apart from the other fruit distilling traditions in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The difference between a "wasser" and a "geist" spirit, particularly as it applies to the types of fruits used and how those fruits are turned into potable alcohol. The venerable, yet poorly-understood tradition of adding dosage (or "bonificateurs") to aged fruit brandies to impart consistency on the end product, as well as establish a unique proprietary fingerprint on the flavor profile. Why resting eaux de vie in stainless steel tanks is an integral part of the production process - not only from a flavor perspective, but also as insurance against the occasional poor harvest. We also discuss the notions of "purity" vs. "complexity" and "seasonality vs. consistency" in these laser-focused fruit eaux de vie and their aged, slightly fortified brethren. Along the way, we explain how to take your cocktail program to the next level using fruit brandies, why Henry thinks a great gumbo and a great eau de vie aren't so different, how to make a perfect cheese flower, 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 Tremaine Atkinson of CH Distillery, manufacturers of Jeppson's Malört, some of the topics we discuss include: How Tremaine left his career in finance to jump-start an old dream that once had him peddling kegs of beer in San Francisco - a move that ultimately resulted in the founding of CH Distillery The complicated story of Jeppson's Malört, which began as a DIY Swedish palate cleanser, then had a harrowing, medicinal encounter with Prohibition, took a decades-long detour to the Sunshine State, and finally made a triumphant return to its spiritual home in Chicago. Why bitter tastes come with some strange psychological baggage, and why wormwood - specifically Northern European wormwood - is so crucial to the iconic bitterness of Jeppson's Malört. We also delve into some of the more humbling experiences involved with acquiring a legacy brand - like the need to reverse engineer the Malört recipe from scratch and that awkward moment when a room full of bartenders tells you it might taste a little TOO good. Along the way, we explore the history of Scandinavian "besk" spirits, the marketing move that had consumers asking, "Is there Malört in that Bourbon?", why taking shots is sometimes necessary to ensure quality control, 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.