The Speakeasy

This week, Damon and Sother are joined by the husband and wife team of Jackson Stamper and Tonia Guffey-Stamper, of Employees Only and Highland Park Distillery, respectively. Tune in for hiccup cures, beef tartare, and some pretty outstanding Scotch.

Eric Medsker is a New York City based photographer and content creator working on a variety of commercial, publishing, and personal projects centered around food and beverage. Some notable projects include Wylie Dufresne's WD~50 cookbook, Brian Bartel’s The Bloody Mary Cocktail Book for Ten Speed Press, and the social media for Death & Co. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

In her own words, Melissa “Mellie” Wiersma is just a girl who giggles a lot, makes lots of drinks, has a lot of love for Boston, and has started falling in love with New York. She's worked in every type of joint, from buttoned-up cocktail bars to roofs and dives, and has enjoyed every moment of it! She is also a contributor to the forthcoming book Drinking Like Ladies, which is dedicated to the proposition that a woman’s place is behind the bar. . . or in front of it. . . or really any place she pleases. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

Originally from the Finger Lakes, NY, Lauren Corriveau moved to NYC at the age of 17. After graduating college with a degree in Merchandising and Business Management, Lauren went on to work in the fashion industry for almost 10 years. Although she worked in bars and restaurants while in college, hospitality didn't factor into her career path until 2013, when she was hired as a member of the opening team for Battery Harris in Brooklyn. The process of opening a new space resonated with her experience in retail and design and sparked Lauren's passion for hospitality and menu development. Shortly thereafter, she started working at Donna, where she was fully introduced to the cocktail industry. Upon receiving a job offer from Natasha David in 2015, Lauren left fashion for a full time career in hospitality, becoming Head Bartender of Nitecap just one year later. During her time with the company, Lauren has been an integral part of running the business and shaping the brand alongside David. Lauren’s cocktails have been featured in multiple publications including Punch, Eater, Grub Street, Supercall, NY Post, and Sous Vide Magazine. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

Giancarlo Mancino is a gifted bartender and entrepreneur hailing from Pignola, Italy. Famous for his amazing hospitality, he has literally traveled the globe progressing the world of cocktails with his own Giancarlo BAR Ltd., a Hong Kong based bar and beverage consultancy firm. Giancarlo is also the creator of the Mancino line of artisanal Vermouths and the Aperitvo Rinomato. He recently launched his own glassware "the Wormwood Collection" in collaboration with Italesse. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

This week, Damon is joined in the studio by Nate Dumas, a Prime Meats alum, premium account specialist for the Campari portfolio of brands, and Wild Turkey connoisseur. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

Steva Casey is a bartender at The Atomic Lounge in Birmingham, AL. She also works on numerous projects including International Cocktail Karaoke and Tiki By The Sea. Her cocktail recipes and ideas about building drinks have been published in Cosmopolitan, Men’s Journal, and on CNN . When asked to explain her job, she quickly responds that it's mainly about being a good host. She owns more bottles of Scotch than dresses. Also sitting in this week is Greg Benson, co-host of the podcast Bar None, which focuses on one drink per episode as a lens through which to examine a particular era of history. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

This week, we're joined in studio by Eryn Reece, who has tended bar all over New York City, and is now heading up a new bar program at Banzarbar, a new concept above Freemans Restaurant in the Lower East Side. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

Kate Perry grew up in Maine, and earned degrees in Anthropology/Archaeology & Geography/Geology from the University of Denver. She moved to Seattle after college, drank a lot of sherry, opened a rum bar, and drank a lot of rum. She was invited to Haiti with the Velier spirits company, where she fell in love with Haiti and fell in love with Velier. After returning to the states, she moved to NYC to work for Velier, the Indiana Jones of rum -- so she's using her degrees and still drinking a lot of rum. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast

This week, Damon is without Sother...which is fine. He's joined in the studio by Rob Dietrich, Head Distiller of Stranahan's Whiskey, which, at tender age of fourteen, was the first company to be granted a distilling permit in Colorado. The Speakeasy is powered by Simplecast