
The Speakeasy
Hosts Damon Boelte, Sother Teague, and Greg Benson sit down to talk cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, tea, coffee, and all the other exciting liquids in the universe. With each episode, learn from some of the world’s experts in mixology, bar history, distillation, and brewing. Bringing on guests ranging from bartenders and brewers, alchemists and ambassadors, roasters and regulars, and every expert and enthusiast in between, The Speakeasy introduces listeners to all the unique ways we enjoy imbibing today.
Latest episodes

Dec 6, 2024 • 51min
Buried Treasure
Outlawed until 1992, Bacanora is an ancestral Mexican agave spirit that’s making a play to join tequila and mezcal in the limelight. Rodrigo Bojorquez of Kilinga Bacanora sits down with the band to talk about his own journey of going legit, what makes this spirit from Sonora so special, and how he’s crafting his spirit for lighter, fruitier notes to compete on liquor stores’ already well-stocked agave shelves.Plus, Thanksgiving is over and that means it’s hot cocktail season baby! The relative merits of the hot toddy are weighed, discussed and ultimately found to be in the eye of the beholder (if not necessarily the palette of the podcast hosts).Follow Kilinga on Instagram at @kilingabacanoraLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Nov 22, 2024 • 1h
True That
Sergio Mendoza’s family has been farming agave in the highlands of Jalisco for five generations. Five. And now he’s partnered with Jim Ruane to bring the world Cierto tequila. The two sit down with Greg to talk about Highland vs. Valley tequila, what it’s like to work with your uncle, the controversy over additives that won’t go away, and how exactly Sergio learned to balance three glasses in his fingertips at once.Plus, Thanksgiving is coming up. I know right? Greg has some words of wisdom for anyone who isn’t feeling it this year.Follow Cierto on Instagram at @ciertotequilaLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondFill out HRN’s listener survey at heritageradionetwork.org/survey and be entered to win a $250 gift card at Goldbelly!Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.And back by popular demand, Shaker & Spoon is bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75 And now, without further ado, Greg's Thanksgiving cocktail recipe: Apple Bottom Gene 1.5oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy .25oz Peychaud's Aperitivo .75oz Lemon Juice .5oz Orange Juice .75oz Cinnamon Syrup *Shake or pre-batch for larger gatherings. Top with ice and sparkling water for a collins or hot water for a toddy. Either way, lemon wheel garnish. Photo Courtesy of Sergio Mendoza. Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Nov 15, 2024 • 49min
Talking Türkiye
Live from the Turkish Coast, Shavinraj Gopinath joins Damon and Greg to talk about his gig as Group Beverage Manager for Maxx Royal Resorts, which sounds pretty sweet all things considered. Between discussing their foraging program, the elite level of hospitality he’s playing at and how the place even smells nice, Sha has the guys pretty much sold on a guest shift. He also discusses what it’s like to take on a mentorship role in hospitality.Plus, Damon and Greg were on the road this weekend, to judge a cocktail competition and sample some delicious apple brandy respectively. Follow Sha on Instagram at @thefairy_godfatherLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondFill out HRN’s listener survey at heritageradionetwork.org/survey and be entered to win a $250 gift card at Goldbelly!Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.And back by popular demand, Shaker & Spoon is bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75Photo Courtesy of Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort. Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Nov 8, 2024 • 55min
Gin Living Color
Feeling “ginspired” by the French Riviera? Tom Nichol and Matthieu Perrin sure were when they created the Gardener Gin, a bright, refreshing spirit with botanicals inspired by the beauty of France’s southern coast. The two of them sit down with Greg and Damon to talk about the genesis of this idea, working with a movie star (tune in to find out which one) and what color this particular spirit tastes like.Plus: we’re not gonna talk about it. We are NOT going to talk about it.Follow The Gardener on Instagram at @thegardener_ginLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondFill out HRN’s listener survey at heritageradionetwork.org/survey and be entered to win a $250 gift card at Goldbelly!Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.And back by popular demand, Shaker & Spoon is bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75Photo Courtesy of The Gardener Gin.Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Nov 1, 2024 • 59min
Deep Dive Into the Hive
Claire Marin started out the way all distillers do - by keeping bees. The founder of Pollinator Spirits sits down with the band to talk about her first forays upstate, the move from making honey to making rye whiskey, and what she looks for when making her own not-Campari Campari. She also discusses the role her company’s namesake - those busy bees - play in her work and in our world.Plus, Greg was warned he couldn’t talk about politics, so everyone gets baseball instead. Greg breaks down a controversial piece of fan interference from the World Series for the less-sports inclined. Follow Joseph Solis on Instagram at @pollinator.spiritsFollow Maison Solis on Instagram at @beerealclaireLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondFill out HRN’s listener survey at heritageradionetwork.org/survey and be entered to win a $250 gift card at Goldbelly!Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.And back by popular demand, Shaker & Spoon is bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75 Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Oct 28, 2024 • 59min
Step Up for Asheville
A few weeks ago the city of Asheville, North Carolina was hit by a devastating hurricane. Lives were lost and the damage topped $50 billion. Danny Boyer manages The Crow & Quill, just one of many bars impacted by Hurricane Helene, and he sits down with Greg to discuss the extent of the damage, how Asheville is pulling together as a community, and what you as a listener can do to help. Plus, the two of them wax poetic about Western NC’s favorite gas station/bar which apparently also moonlights as a music venue. It turns out there’s very little Asheville’s gas stations can’t do.Looking to make a difference? Donate to one (or all!) of these amazing organizations below:Pansy CollectiveBeloved AshevilleROAR WNCStatic Age RecordsThe Crow Crew Relief FundEda Rhyne Follow The Crow & Quill on Instagram at @thecrowandquillFollow Pansy Collective on Instagram at @pansy.collective Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Oct 25, 2024 • 58min
The Sweet Scent of Success
A collector’s set with a blanco, a reposado, and an añejo? Yeah, we’ve seen it before. A fragrance collector’s set with those three varieties? Now you’re talking! Joseph D. Solis of Maison Solis sits down with Greg and Damon to talk about growing up as a fragrance collector, moving from the beverage space to the fragrance space, and how he adapted the essences of three different tequilas into scents you can wear. The world of fragrances and the world of spirits are very similar processes, and yet adapting one to the other isn’t easy. Tune in to find out how it’s done and what sunset at golden hour in an agave field smells like!Plus, Halloweekend Part 1 is upon us! Greg and Damon talk about their plans and costumes gone awry.Follow Joseph Solis on Instagram at @jdsolisFollow Maison Solis on Instagram at @maisonsolisLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondFill out HRN’s listener survey at heritageradionetwork.org/survey and be entered to win a $250 gift card at Goldbelly!Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.And back by popular demand, we’re bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75 Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Oct 18, 2024 • 1h 5min
This is Rumming
When it turned out everything he knew about Navy Rum was wrong, Alexandre Gabriel sailed out to set the record straight… and start making his own. The brains behind Maison Ferrand Cognac and Planteray Rum, Alexandre set about relearning everything he ever knew about this unique style of rum which resulted in a book - Exploring 300 Years of Royal Navy Rum & its Techniques - and Mister Fogg, a new bottling that bears the name of a real British navy veteran. Alexandre sits down with the band to talk about the journey, the knowledge, and the rum that is definitely rumming.Follow Planteray on Instagram at @planterayrumLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.Back by popular demand, we’re bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75 Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Oct 11, 2024 • 1h 2min
Spooky Megan
Get your ten-foot Home Depot skeleton out on the lawn because it’s Spooky season y’all! Megan Rickerson, the owner of Brooklyn’s Someday Bar joins the band live from Portland Cocktail Week to talk about her journey from host to bartender to bar owner and all the tears and joy that entails. Megan talks about forging bonds with local lawmakers, cultivating a devoted band of regulars and occasionally, turning her whole bar into a haunted house, like she did for this year’s Black Lagoon. It’s Serious and Spooky and all-together ooky! Plus, her and Damon are neighbors, so tune in to find out what that’s like.Plus, a bar that bans tank tops for men only? Greg smells some queer-phobia and the gang weighs in.Follow Someday Bar on Instagram at: @somedaybarnycFollow Megan on Instagram at @megoslegosFollow Black Lagoon on Instagram at @blacklagoonpopupLove The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBondCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.Back by popular demand, we’re bringing you another thrilling journey through the world of bitters! They come in small dashes, yet open up enormous and wide-ranging flavor possibilities! Check it out using our exclusive link just for Speakeasy listeners at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shakerandspoon/the-better-with-bitters-experience-the-journey-continues?ref=e0dh75 Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.

Oct 11, 2024 • 53min
A Tip Top Bonus Episode
Sam Ross, Joaquin Simo and Miles McQuarrie of Tip Top cocktails swung by the studio and we just couldn't say no to having them on! Tune in as they discuss their latest ventures in the RTD space and how it feels to be a powerful voice in a movement that's now in its twenties. Plus, how bout those Mets?? Find out how Sam's first group of friends in NYC is doing and how the gang is feeling about them.Love The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, video podcasts, access to pre-sales and drink recipes from all our guests. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBond Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. 🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:Damon Boelte @DamonBoelteSother Teague @CreativeDrunkGreg Benson @100ProofGregSpeakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcastFOLLOW US ON TWITTER:Sother Teague @CreativeDrunkSpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadioHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member!The Speakeasy is Powered by Simplecast.
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