The Speakeasy

Humans have been perfecting the science of alcohol production for ten thousand years, but modern scientists are only just beginning to distill the complex reactions behind the perfect buzz. In Proof: The Science of Booze, a spirited tour across continents and cultures, Adam Rogers puts our alcoholic history under the microscope, from our ancestors’ accidental discovery of fermented drinks to the cutting-edge laboratory research that proves why—or even if—people actually like the stuff. Tune in to this week’s episode of The Speakeasy as Damon chats with Adam about the book and the science of booze! This program was brought to you by Michters. “I’m a science writer by training and I try to understand the world through that lens.” [04:00] –Adam Rogers on The Speakeasy

Almost a year ago, popular Williamsburg bar Donna was forced to close due to an electrical fire. Now – they are back and stronger than ever. Tune in to a fun episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte is joined by the crew at Donna who have brought a kegged cocktail to the studio with them. Yes, you read that right, they are pouring draft cocktails on-air in the studio! Learn about the advantages of cocktails on tap and why carbonation almost always makes a drink better. Hear why architecture is such an important component in bar design and find out how they are making craft cocktails more accessible for everybody. This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center. “There’s a psychology to architecture. If you can tweak little tiny things it affects how people move in the space and how they enjoy themselves in it.” [08:00] “We take our beverage program really seriously but we want it to be fun and accessible. We want people to come in and get a drink quickly and party. That’s what this draft cocktail program is all about.” [25:00] Leif Huckman on The Speakeasy

Find out how to become the best home bartender you can possibly be on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte chats with David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, the husband-and-wife authors of The 12 Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles. Hundreds of Cocktails. A New Way to Drink, and publishers of the popular blog 12bottlebar.com. Mr. Solmonson has written for both film and television, while Ms. Solmonson, spirits and wine writer for L.A. Weekly, is also the author of Gin: A Global History and the forthcoming Liqueur: A Global History. 12 Bottle Bar was created with the simple goal of making classic cocktails accessible to the home bartender. Despite having a voluminous liquor cabinet, home bartenders David and Lesley Solmonson were continually frustrated by drink recipes that called for more and more esoteric ingredients. Their solution? Create a fixed list of main ingredients – the twelve bottles – and present hundreds of classic and original cocktails that could be made from them. Unlike other cocktail publications, which cater to the professional or seasoned amateur, 12 Bottle Bar is targeted specifically at the novice home bartender. The primary goals are to engage and excite the reader and generally raise the quality of drinking in the average American home. This program was brought to you by Michters. “I saw a real divide in what was happening in the craft cocktail movement and the home bartendering scene.” [06:00] —David Solmonson “Taste is subjective that’s the whole point of cocktails – we always say drink what you like.” [15:00] —Lesley Jacobs Solmonson

On a casual and insightful episode of The Speakeasy, Damon Boelte chats with bartender Tim Miner of Long Island Bar, a Brooklyn landmark, serving food and drinks for almost 55 years. Tune in for thoughts on everything from bourbon to bar design as Damon and Tim talk shop. Find out why you shouldn’t chug your craft cocktail and why sometimes the drink isn’t all that matters at a bar. This program was brought to you by Michters “I hate when people slam a cocktail in a quicker amount of time than it took for me to make it!” [17:00] “Going to Long Island Bar is like walking into a cozy little time machine.” [21:00] –Tim Miner on The Speakeasy

Get some great insights and go deep into the world of craft cocktails on a brand new episode of The Speakeasy, as host Damon Boelte is joined by bartender/drink impressario and author, Greg Seider. His latest book, Alchemy in a Glass: The Essential Guide to Handcrafted Cocktails is full of original, ingredient-driven recipes for cocktails, mixers, garnishes, and bitters, this book by a cocktail expert for master chefs shows readers how to transform spirits and flavors into inspiring, mouthwatering drinks. In bars and restaurants across America, drinkers are being exposed to the artistry of the modern cocktail. Seider, who has created cocktail programs for top bars and restaurants in New York and Los Angeles, approaches cocktail creation as the art of understanding how flavors work together and develop over the course of a drink. Drawing on his experience developing cocktail programs for chefs such as Eric Ripert, Seider goes beyond recipes to show readers how flavors work, giving them blueprints for constructing a balanced drink. This program was brought to you by Michter’s. “The danger with a lot of cocktails is too many bitter components in a rink that knocks out complexity or flavors.” [11:00] –Greg Seider on The Speakeasy

Tune in to a fun, friendly and informative episode of The Speakeasy as host Damon Boelte is joined by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, bar manager at Clyde Common and Pepe Le Moko in Portland, Oregon and author of The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. Damon and Jeffrey talk shop and discuss the importance of technique over recipes, subjectivity in cocktail tasting and the state of drinks in 2014. Tune in and get some serious insight into the world of cocktails on another awesome episode of The Speakeasy. Today’s show was brought to you by Rolling Press. “Recipes and flavors are so subjective, which is great! We don’t have to agree about the proper proportions for a whiskey sour because there are so many different palettes and preferences. One thing we can agree on is that we should strain the lemon juice before the whiskey sour so theres no pulp. The technique is more objective, which is fun for me.” [13:00] –Jeffrey Morgenthaler on The Speakeasy

This week on The Speakeasy, Damon brings on Natasha David who talks about how she got into the bar industry, from her humble beginnings as a cocktail waitress to restaurant manager to eventually a Co-Owner and Head Bartender of Nitecap in the Lower East Side. Natasha discusses her specific approach to making amazing drinks that happen to have low alcohol content. She goes on to explain that patrons should be able to taste many profiles in cocktails without quickly feeling the effects of the alcohol. Damon and Natasha talk about drinks throughout the city and how the popularity of well-crafted cocktails have changed in the past few years. This program was sponsored by Michter’s . “What inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing is that customers are so much more savvy now and it’s inspiring that people are demanding a good product.” [10:02] “I like the idea that I’m helping create memories for people.” [15:52] — Natasha David on The Speakeasy

Any good tradesman needs good tools. Bartending is no different. Tune into a thematic episode of The Speakeasy as Damon Boelte chats with Ethan Kahn of Cocktail Kingdom. Cocktail Kingdom offers a full spectrum of professional and custom barware, artisan bitters and syrups fit for the most discerning bartender. With knowledge as a bartender’s most valuable tool, Cocktail Kingdom provides books of remarkable recipes and bar know-how spanning from pre-Prohibition era publishing to the world’s most modern concoctions. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on all the things that go into a delicious drinks that are not immediately obvious. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market Photo by Alice Gao “We’re not beholden to anybody so we can really sit there and experiment – stir water for an hour and figure out what it takes to get it to proper temperature” [13:00] –Ethan Kahn on The Speakeasy

The summer is here and that means one thing. Well, maybe more than one thing, but it definitely means Gin & Tonics are back in style. This week’s episode of The Speakeasy is about.. you guessed it.. gin! Tune in as Damon Boelte is joined by Steven DeAngelo of Greenhook Ginsmiths, a small, artisan distillery located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Tune in and learn everything you want to know about gin – tasting notes, distillation techniques, pairings and more. This program was sponsored by Rolling Press. “The reason I’m making gin is because that’s always what I’ve loved to drink.” [05:00] “Gin and tonic is one of the few cocktails that pairs well with food because it’s dry.” [12:00] –Steven DeAngelo on The Speakeasy

Fresh off their James Beard Award for best Bar Program, welcome some of the team from The NoMad Hotel on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy! Damon Boelte is chatting with bartenders Jessica Gonzalez and Karen Fu and together they talk shop, dish dirt and complain about vodka zombies. Tune in and get an inside look at some of the ladies behind the best bar program in the country. This show was brought to you by Rolling Press. “A silencer is a generous helping of….wine….white…rose…something cold.. and you chug it fast. It’s kind of like the wine equivalent of shotgunning a beer.” [22:00] —Jessica Gonzalez on The Speakeasy “There’s very much still a romanticized angle to hotels in New York.” [28:00] —Karen Fu on The Speakeasy