The Speakeasy

This week _ The Speakeasy _ is back with a brand new show featuring guest Paul Clarke.  Paul Clarke is Imbibe’s Executive Editor and the author of The Cocktail Chronicles: Navigating the Cocktail Renaissance With Jigger, Shaker & Glass, released in July of 2015. He believes in the importance of a diverse liquid diet. While his heart belongs to spirits and cocktails—his inclinations often lean to bourbon and Boulevardiers—his days (and nights) are peppered with pour-overs and cold-brew, cab franc and cremant, and pilsners and gose. Because balance is so important.  Tune in for an in-depth talk on all things beverage and what’s next in the world of cocktails!

Ever been frustrated by the limited spirit selection at your corner store?  This week on _ The Speakeasy _, host Damon Boelte helps listeners solve this problem along with guest Steven Abt, founder of Caskers. Caskers helps you discover craft spirits that aren’t available at your local liquor store. Working to bring you the finest artisanal spirits, which are sourced from fresh, local produce, and are a celebration of the passion and dedication of the master distillers who make them by hand, Steven explains how he and his business partner founded the business and what sets them a part from any other purveyor of spirits! Take pride in what you drink.

Brennan Adams, brand ambassador for Santera Tequila, is in studio with Damon Boelte for this week’s episode of The Speakeasy.  Kicking off a thorough discussion on tequila, Brennan explains that though we’re delving into fall, tequila is an ideal cold-weather beverage.  Conversation touches upon the best bar set ups (visually and practically) to details about Santera’s various tequila recipes. From putting additional thought into their bottle design to placement behind the bar, tune in to hear how tequila can be more than a rushed shot combined with lime and salt. “I love whisky, but what I really love about agave is the incredible versatility.” [28:00] -Brennan Adams on The Speakeasy  

Drink slingers Jane Danger and Austin Henelly of the Lower East Side tiki inspired bar and restaurant, Mother of Pearl, are in studio for The Speakeasy this week with host Damon Boelte.  Talking the paths that led each to becoming cocktail experts plus their take on the tiki bar and the importance of making their customers happy, Jane and Austin wax poetic on hospitality and the intent behind their drinks.  This program was brought to you by Michter’s. “What we love about tiki we’re taking that and putting it through the bizarre algorithm that is my brain and Jane’s brain, and it comes out as something totally different on the other end.  It’s more tiki through the looking glass.” –Austin Henelly on The Speakeasy “Tiki needs to be as fun to make as it is to drink.” –Jane Danger on The Speakeasy

This week on The Speakeasy, host Damon Boelte is in the studio with Chris Balla, beer selector for their common interest oyster bar – Grand Army Bar. Talking all things beer, Chris relates how he developed his palate, where his beverage career began, and thoughts on German beers. Beer cocktails are also on the rise which prompts an in-depth conversation on the various uses of beer in concocted drinks and beer/spirit mixers, plus the guys’ personal favorites lately. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. “When you eat something or drink something there’s an emotional, historical trigger from your childhood.” [8:45] “Why use club soda when you could use beer in there?” [22:15] —Chris Balla on The Speakeasy

Steven Andrew Soderbergh is best known as an acclaimed American film producer, director, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. He’s behind a plethora of celebrated films including the Ocean’s Eleven and Oceans Twelve movies and most recently, Magic Mike XXL. What you might not know about him is that he’s also behind a brand new spirit, Singani 63. What is Singani 63? A muscat grape based spirit made in the Bolivian Andes. Sound interesting? Learn more as Damon Boelte interviews Steven on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy. This program was brought to you by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. “Learning a new thing is always fun. The last couple of years, as things have started to heat up, I’m hanging on by my fingernails. There’s a real pleasure when you’re able to bring a product like Singani 63 out and have people try it and like it. It’s fun to expose people to something new. This is what I call the beginning of Act 2.” [02:00] “This is not brandy, it’s its own thing. You spend a lot of time explaining what it isn’t to people, rather than what it is. I stumbled upon something nobody had heard of or been exposed to here, yet has this long history. We got the best of both.” 06:00 “The general knowledge level of a bartender is much higher than it was 10 years ago. I look at a bar now completely differently than I did when I first started this process.” [10:00] “I didn’t get into this to get bought out – I got into this so that people can get it. Hopefully at some point it becomes sustainable.” [16:00] “I’m the Tony Montana of the spirit world. I’m definitely hitting my own supply.” [32:00] –Steven Soderbergh on The Speakeasy

Star bartenders and all-around awesome gals Ivy Mix & Julie Reiner are back on The Speakeasy, this time to talk about their brand new bar – Leyenda in Cobble Hill. With a focus on Central American spirits, Leyenda carries some of the high-quality tradition of Clover Club while shifting the attention to a particular part of the world. Hear how they opened the space and what plans are next for this powerful duo. This program was brought to you by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. “Let’s do something different and not pigeonhole ourself in this taco tequila sombrero world. Let’s go further south!” [03:50] –Ivy Mix on The Speakeasy

This week on The Speakeasy Damon chats with multi-talented bartender Will Peet of Donostia and the NoMad. The two have a casual conversation about everything from the nature of bartending to the subtleties of Sherry. This program was brought to you by Union Beer. “Those barrels [For Wine] have been used for hundreds of years, you’re gonna get some really cool s**t from them.” [20:00] “It’s doing god’s work man [Making Sherry Wine].” [24:00] — Will Peet on The Speakeasy

Tune in for a canid conversation between cocktail professionals on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy. Damon is joined by April Wachtel, a phenomenal spirits + cocktail educator. She’s worked for Lani Kai, the Bacardi portfolio, and Solbeso. She is currently teaching recreational cocktail classes at Astor Center, Haven’s Kitchen and ICC and has recently launched her own consulting and education company, Swig and Swallow . This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center. “If I see a beautiful cocktail across the room I just want to go consume it!” [02:00] –April Wachtel on The Speakeasy

This week on The Speakeasy Damon interviews Jimmy and Eddie Russel of Wild Turkey Bourbon. Jimmy and Eddie talk about their experiences within the company over the past decades and their first experiences with bourbon. The two give their opinions on flavored whiskey, current whiskey demographics, and how the industry has changed and how they view these changes. This program was sponsored by The International Culinary Center. “I’ve worked here [Wild Turkey] since 1981 and i’ve loved every minute of it.” [5:00] — Eddie Russel on The Speakeasy