The Speakeasy

This week on The Speakeasy, Sother Teague rejoins Damon Boelte for a sit-down with Tom Richter, bartender at Dear Irving, Attaboy, and the creator/formulist/chief bottle washer of Tomr's Tonic. Tomr’s Tonic is a 100% organic elixir/concentrate that combines the unique flavors real cinchona bark (quinine), citrus, herbs and cane sugar. Tune in for a live on-air gin & tonic tasting!

This week on The Speakeasy, host Damon Boelte is joined in the studio by Tyson Buhler, head bartender for Death & Co, one of the most important, influential, and oft-imitated bars to emerge from the contemporary craft cocktail movement. Tyson began his career in the kitchen, from dishwasher, to the line, to running a small kitchen. After culinary school, he began bartending and immediately fell in love with it. In June 2015, the United States Bartenders’ Guild and Diageo World Class named him World Class Bartender of the Year. The prestigious competition brings together the country's best bartenders to show off their shaking, stirring and serving skills with the ultimate goal of representing the U.S. at the global competition.

Today on The Speakeasy, Damon and Sother are joined in the study by brand ambassadors from the worlds of vodka and whiskey. Matt Eisenman and Jeremy Hawn represent WhistlePig Rye and Absolut Elyx, respectively. But it's not all shop talk. On this Thanksgiving eve (when bartenders bring in a record number of patrons), the crew also talk about what venues make for a perfect winter day in New York City.

Today on The Speakeasy, we're joined in the studio by Everyman Espresso's Sam Penix! He tells us about the values and service behind bringing top quality caffeine to everyone from morning commuters to the chiller crowds that roll in later in the day.

Today on The Speakeasy, we're joined by Lindsey Johnson of Lush Life Productions. But before that, Damon and Sother discuss where they were on Election Day 2016, and agree that they'll be hanging "let's talk about anything else" signs outside their establishments this evening...

Today on The Speakeasy, we're joined in the studio by Blaine Ashley, the one-woman machine behind Champagne Week! We talk about what the event means to her and fans of bubbly – with a side of puns – plus her very own bottle, Bulle de Rêve.

This week on The Speakeasy, we're joined by Tim Master, who knows a thing or two (or two thousand!) about Chartreuse. And we do more than just talk about it, cracking open a bottle from the 70s!

Today on The Speakeasy, it's video on the radio. Tess Mix of Le JIT Productions joins us in the studio to tell us what it takes to make excellent videography happen.

Today on The Speakeasy, hosts Damon Boelte and Sother Teague are joined in the studio by Jack McGarry, co-owner of Dead Rabbit, which just last week was named World's Best Bar! That's according to 400 experts over at trade publication Drinks International. McGarry tells all about how he started bartending at age 15, what it takes to succeed (hint: friendly bartenders), and why he's not resting on his laurels.

Today on The Speakeasy, spirits writer Kara Newman joins us to tell us about her new book! Shake. Stir. Sip.: More than 50 Effortless Cocktails Made in Equal Parts is all about no-fuss cocktails with even portions. The Cucumber Gimlet, for instance, combines one part each vodka, lime juice, and lemonade. Drop a few cucumber slices in and garnish with a basil leaf. If you strike upon a drink you especially like, it's pretty easy to scale it up for your next party. Writing about the book for the Times, last week's Speakeasy guest Robert Simonson explains that "Equal-parts cocktails have long been part of the cocktail canon. Older examples include the corpse reviver No. 2 (gin, Curaçao, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice) and the Negroni (gin, sweet vermouth, Campari), arguably the king of this drink subset. Modern classics include the paper plane (bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice) and the trident (aquavit, Cynar, dry sherry)." The book's proving popular already; it's already been renewed for a second print run.