The Decoding Cocktails Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chris LeBeau
The goal of this show is to understand the inner workings and evolution of mixology, hospitality, and community. As I further my own knowledge of the field, I’m inviting you to join me.
You’ll hear me interview people from around the industry to hear about their work and beliefs.
JSS website, Instagram
10 facts about Shochu
Shochu production by region on the island of Kyushu
The State of Shochu webinar Hiromi presented in
2023 JSS Powerpoint on Shochu
Read about food pairings for Shochu
Want to dive all the way in? Pick up Christopher Pellegrini's The Shochu Handbook
Want to hear about sake? Listen to my conversation with Andrew Lamb of High Water Sake.
Cocktail books I mention: The Book of Cocktail Ratios, The Bartender's Manifesto
Upcoming guests mentioned: Blue Hill Farm, Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association
Today's conversation is with Jackie Williams of Bar Convent Brooklyn
Follow Kevin on Instagram as well as Tullamore D.E.W.
Watch Kevin's video tribute to "The Lament of the Irish Pub"
See Kevin at The Buena Vista Café in San Francisco. They regularly serve over 2,000 Irish coffees a day.
As the number of celebrities aligned with brands grows, Tullamore has adopted the campaign, "Celebrity Free since 1829"
Alcohol consumption in Ireland has decreased by 32% since 2001
In the US, Irish whiskey sales are set to overtake Scotch by 2030
More on why we should not use the term "Irish Car Bomb"
The word whiskey is Gaelic in origin, Uisce Beatha, meaning "water of life"
Kevin mentioned the book The Body Keeps the Score and that he'd love to be a part-time therapist for those in the industry that can't afford it.
Are you looking for contemporary Irish music? Read this.
Get a copy of The Book of Cocktail RatiosBooks mentioned: The Bar Book, The Cocktail Codex, The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails
We discussed his first book on Ratios focused and his book on the egg (book page on his site)
People cited: Phil Ward, Thomas Keller, Harold McGee, J. Kenji López-Alt
Ingredients noted: Absinthe, Maraschino liqueur, Lustau, Drambuie, home-made lime cordial, lactic acid
How Michael takes his martini, 6:1
Keep up with Andrew (@lambdogg) and High Water Saké (website) (Instagram).
Tippsy's Intro to saké, True Saké on varieties
Table rice vs. saké rice (sakamai)
More on saké's intertwined nature with Japanese tradition and culture
Places and things: Accidental bar in NYC, World Saké Day, Pan-Asia Supermarket, 'Ssippi, Ben's Tune Up
NYT piece on saké's rising popularity in the US
People referenced: John Gauntner, Michael Tremblay, Nina Murphy
His certifications: Saké Sommelier Association and Saké Scholar
What we drank on air: Tensei's Endless Summer
Check out Maison Premiere (website)(Instagram) and follow Will (Instagram). Their new book is The Maison Premiere Almanac.
"Do Easy" by William S. Burroughs
Pastis vs. Absinthe
Á La Louisiane is the cocktail Will says embodies Maison
Chef Daniel Boulud dropped off an antique bottle of Pernod to the Maison team
Will talked about "double jiggering". Watch bartender Tom Macy demonstrate it.
The Japanese Hard Shake
Thanks for listening. I'd love it if you'd write us a review on your podcast platform or send an episode to a friend.
Find Phil on Instagram, Twitter, watch his presentation "How the Global Drinks Business Works", and listen to his podcast conversation about NA spirits, which he says are Veblen goods (aka luxury goods).
Old Duff Genever is made at the Herman Jansen distillery, which has operated since 1777.
"Delightes for Ladies" by Sir Hugh Plat
Phil mentions attending a Beefsteak at Gage & Tollner
If you want to know what's going to happen in spirits and cocktails, read beer books from 10-20 years ago like Beer Blast and Grit & Grain.
Give Molly a follow @whiskey.biscuit. Visit Freeland Spirits on their website and Instagram.
Molly's still "hell bitch" is made by Kothe
Molly uses a rotary evaporator to create fresher flavors
Women have more olfactory senses than men
Why corn that is less sweet is necessary for whiskey production
Visit Plantation's website and Instagram. Follow Adrienne on Instagram.
Adrienne shared why she thinks the Sazerac is more of a bartender's drink
Tiki references: Donn Beach, Trader Vic, and Paul McGee
What esters impart upon alcohol
Plantation has voluntarily submitted itself to a Bonsucro certification.
Per Adrienne: any orientation to rum should start with Barbados. If you want to go lighter from there, try Panama. Want bolder? Try Jamaica.
Want to know more about column vs. pot distillation?
See the grades of molasses
Rum, Puerto Rico, and taxes
Read up on Adrienne's muse, the pope of trash, John Waters
Follow Steven (Instagram) and keep up with Lustau (Instagram)(website)
Some sherries are sweet like port but ~95% of what is produced is dry. The style that caught Steven's attention was the driest, Fino. If you're looking for a sherry to begin with, he suggests Amontillado.
Yeast, referred to as "Flor", is used in the production of all wine. In biologically-aged sherries, this yeast is left in for years as the sherry ages, thus removing a greater amount of the wine's sugar, accounting for its striking dryness.
Like Champagne, Sherry can only come from a designated region in southern Spain (The Consejo Regulador).Only 3 grape varietals are permitted for making Sherry: Palomino Fino, Moscatel, and Pedro Jiménez.
Are you looking for a place to start with Sherry in cocktails? * Use Fino or Manzanilla in a sour like a daiquiri in place of the rum or cut out half and substitute it in.
* Try a Manhattan-style cocktail with Amontillado, Palo Cortado, or Oloroso in substitution for the vermouth.
Did I mention Lustau also makes vermouth?! They're fantastic!!
I referenced Talia Baiocchi's book, Sherry.
Follow Steve on Instagram and check out Quaker City Mercantile.
Brands mentioned: Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, and Fistful of Bourbon, which are owned by William Grant & Sons. He's also worked with existing brands like Miller High Life and Guinness (see Open Gate Brewery).
Steve and Aaron Goldfarb co-authored Brand Mysticism: Cultivate Creativity and Intoxicate Your Audience. Steve's distillery Tamworth created a whiskey for the book called Dunce Whiskey, commemorating John Duns Scotus.Influences: As If by Michael Saler, Jules Verne, Malcolm McLaren, and J. R. R. Tolkien, Starbucks has ties to Moby Dick, Disney, Star Wars, The Simpsons, Hermés, Doug Aitken
Get in touch with MariCarmen here or on Facebook.
Tequila-producing states include Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and Guanajuato. See a map of them.
The UNESCO certification for the agave landscape.
Dia de Los Muertos (day of the dead)
Check out Tequila Matchmaker
An examination of ways to cook agave plants: oven v autoclaves v diffusers
Learn more about Edward on his website. Find the book here.
He says the two major dangers of the modern era are distillation (blog article) and isolation (blog article)
Ingredients and drinks that surprised me or are worth checking out
Cane & Table's Hurricane
The Sherry Cobbler
Roffignac at Peychaud’s & Maison Premiere
Raspberry shrub recipe
Bitter gentian liqueurs: Suze and Salers
Southpaw @ Lazy Tiger
Taped holiday cocktail webinar
Need last-minute gear gifts?
Fratelli Branca is the parent company of Fernet Branca, Carpano Antica, Punt e Mes, and other notable brands. You can find Nicola here on Instagram.
Learn about Fernet coins. "Fernet-Branca coins rapidly came to symbolize bartender community membership. They traveled across oceans and continents to the most remote corners of the world. They not only represented a momentary achievement but an authentic collectible, jealously guarded as a status symbol and a privilege."
Amari have between 30 & 100 grams of sugar per liter. Fernet has 30 grams or less.
Fernet Cocktails: Hanky Panky, Fernet and Cola, La Petite
Want to read more? Try Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet Herbal liqueurs by Brad Thomas Parsons.
Join me this holiday season for a deep dive into agave spirits.
Check out The Botanist's website and on Instagram.
Follow Jeff at @fatherofcups
Equipment Jeff mentions: vacuum sealer, centrifuge, rotary evaporator ("it looks like science"), dehydrator, pocket refractometer (for measuring sweetness)
Jeff's house martini is a freezer martini.
What in the heck is Lacto-fermentation?
Learn more about genever
Join Nicole Gilbert of J. Rieger & Co and me on November 7th for a virtual class on Thanksgiving and batching. Register here.
Learn about Jackie and Sorel. Follow Jackie & Sorel on Instagram.
What's in Sorel? North African hibiscus, Nigerian ginger, Indonesian cassia (cinnamon), Brazilian cloves, Indonesian nutmeg, Pure cane sugar, Neutral wheat grain spirits, and deionized water.
Check out Fawn Weaver of Uncle Nearest and the Nearest Green Foundation.
Emma got her start with David Alan, aka "The Tipsy Texan"
The first cocktail Emma remembers taking an interest in is the Dark and Stormy
She mentioned Mayahuel by Phil Ward as one of the pioneer mezcal bars in the US
Agave varietals mentioned: Cupreata, Tepeztate, Cuishe, Madrecuishe, Salmiana
Emma's website, Instagram, and Twitter
The articles I referenced: "The Great Mezcal Heist" and "Mindful Mezcal"
Keep up with Decoding Cocktails via our newsletter or on Instagram.
Beyond the cocktail recipe and technique books I've read, Robert's book A Proper Drink transformed my understanding of how cocktails arrived at where they are.
Robert recalled a (potentially illegal) seminar conducted by Ted Breaux about Absinthe
Drinks and bottles that were big in San Francisco: Mojito, Pisco Punch, and Pisco Sour, and Fernet Branca
Drinks and bottles that were big in New Orleans: Pimm's Cup, French 75, Ramos Gin Fizz, Milk Punch, Sazerac, and The Hurricane
Robert mentions drinks like Little Italy and Tom & Jerry.
He reminds us that until books like The Craft of the Cocktail and The Joy of Mixology came out, forums like DrinkBoy and egullet were how people learned. He also recommends Straight Up or On the Rocks.
Greg Boehm of Cocktail Kingdom launched Mud Puddle Books which began reissuing and publishing various books.
Robert's latest book is Modern Classic Cocktails. Check him out via his website, Instagram, and Substack.
Check out Kiowa on Instagram. Before working for Spiribam, she was at The Eveleigh. She is on the board of Another Round Another Rally.
Kiowa's boss is Ben Jones, a descendant of Homere Clément, who founded Rhum Clément. During Clément's lifetime, Mount Pelée erupted, one of the largest eruptions in recorded history, wiping out an entire city.
Hopefully, we can chat again and discuss another product she was very proud of, Chairman's Reserve from St. Lucia.
Learn more about the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) that governs Agricole. The difference between sugarcane vs. sugar beets
Learn about the varietals of sugarcane that can be used
The difference between Rhum Agricole and Cachaça
Why should tipping be abolished?
Kiowa mentions congeners. What are they? They impart flavor into spirits.
When Kiowa mentions Agricole being distilled between 65 and 75 degrees, she is talking about its proofing.
The most iconic Agricole cocktail is Ti' Punch. Kiowa is a big fan of using Agricole in place of gin for a Martini, or as she calls it, a Martini(que)
Kiowa Bryan hails from Vermont originally, where she took her first job in hospitality over 20 years ago. While at The Eveleigh in Los Angeles, she first tasted a Ti’Punch and realized her intended career path advocating for the education of all things Rhum Agricole and the French Caribbean. Since then, she's been lucky enough to spend the last seven years growing professionally into the role of US Brand Manager of Spiribam Fine Spirits Family while the company did the same, expanding into a seven-brand portfolio. In her spare time, she listens to Christmas carols far into February, studies history, and snuggles her dog Martinique Warrilow McFly.
Thanks to my monthly patrons! Check out my page and become one today.
Kelsey Ramage and Erin Hayes are the co-founders of Black Lagoon.
Kelsey co-founded Trash Collective, which in part focuses on sustainability in hospitality. Check out their sustainability recipe tips. She's also worked at bars like Supernova Ballroom and Dandelyan
Erin is currently the beverage director at Fairmont Century Plaza and has worked at bars like Lost Lake and Three Dots and a Dash. Check out Erin's ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail called "Rocket Queen" from Livewire, which won best-in-show at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
For tiki drinks, Erin recommended checking out Jeff Berry and Shannon Mustipher. You should also check out Chockie Tom of Doomersive.
Tying into both Kelsey's work with Trash Collective and Erin's comments about the improved quality of RTDs, many bartenders are now turning to things like "fake lime juice".
Check out Kelsey's Spotify and Erin's for their Halloween tunes.
One drink you can expect at the popup is a riff on the Kingston Negroni.
Today's episode is brought to you by a handful of my patrons: Drew, Jenine, and Leslie. You can read more about the benefits they're enjoying here.
Follow Ryan and J. Rieger & Co.
The first place Ryan mentions working is Pierpont's. This is where he had both a terrible and life-changing Sazerac. He mentions ingredients like Peychaud's, Old Overholt, and Grand Absenté.
He mentions Mr. Boston cocktail books as well as Dale Degroff's The Craft of the Cocktail.Ryan talks about visiting bars like Milk & Honey (New York) and Chicago establishments The Violet Hour and Drawing Room.
He mentions bartenders Sasha Petraske and Charles Joly. People mentioned involved in launching J. Rieger & Co include Andy Rieger, Steve Olson, and Dave Pickerell.
Places Ryan has opened include Manifesto and The Rieger (both are now closed) as well as The Hey! Hey! Club and his newer sprawling J. Rieger & Co distillery, bar, and more.
Rieger's Kansas City Whiskey is made unique by having a small percentage of oloroso sherry make up the total. He also mentioned their Caffé Amaro.
When I asked him about menus he loved he mentioned The Violet Hour, Pouring Ribbons (now closed), and The Aviary.
Special thanks to Chris Bay for production and editing support.
Thanks to my guest stars Arianna Hone and Marshall Minaya.
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP), Spirited Awards
Marshall mentioned Normindia gin, which employs Calvados
I discussed a wonderful session on clarifying milk featuring Garreth Howells
We discussed the increased wellness push at Tales involving Seedlip, Arianna's Espresso Martini courtesy of Lyre's, and Livener by Three Spirit.
Bars: Peychaud's, Arnaud's, Two Schmuck's, Clover Club, Leyenda
People: Dale DeGroff, Dave Arnold, Jeff Berry, Ivy Mix, Dave Wondrich, Julie Reiner, Phil Duff
Brands and organizations: Diageo, Suze, Finger Lakes Distilling, Bar Convent Brooklyn
One term I'd never heard that Arianna mentioned is bump pouring. A quick up-and-down motion while pouring, creates an air bubble that causes a short gap in the stream, allowing one to reposition over another glass and not spill on the counter or interrupt your pour. This helped Arianna pour more seamlessly when moving fast in the Speed Rack competition.
Find Tad on Instagram. Learn more about Gruppo Montenegro.
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR)
The now-shuttered Tippling Bros, was a consulting practice Tad ran with his partner Paul Tanguay. The Tippler in Chelsea market.
Tad is the co-author of A Lime and a Shaker: Discovering Mexican Inspired CocktailsColumn vs. pot distillationBitter flavors trigger the production of pepsin, which fires up the digestive system.
The history of Amari and other bitter beverages back to ancient Rome and beyond in the form of wine.
Tequila: blanco vs. reposado
Grandma mix: combine equal parts Grand Marnier and simple syrup to tone down the orangey quality in a margarita.
Amari referenced: Montenegro, Meletti, Averna, Nonino, Averna, Ciociaro, Ramazotti, Fernet Branca
Aperitivi referenced: Select, Aperol, Campari, Capelletti
Cocktails referenced: Espresso Martini, Monte & tonic, Monte & soda, Negroni, Spritz, Toronto, Tommy's Margarita,
Follow Marshall on Instagram and take a peek at Valerie.
Marshall's recommended gin flight and easy-drinking gin cocktails (PDF)
What is rich demerara syrup?
Books I'm planning to read based on Marshall's comments: The Savoy, The Drunken Botanist, I'm Just Here for the Drinks, Regarding Cocktails. Books I've already read that he mentioned: Meehan's Bartender's Manual, Cocktail Codex
Negroni Week
What's a swizzle?
Don't like Campari? Marshall recommends splitting any call for Campari between two other bitter liqueurs. Aperol and Bruto Americano.
Marshall loves, AND I MEAN LOVES Suze. He promised to help me like it because I find it hard to take down.
Fortified wines: When it comes to vermouth, Dolin reigns supreme in many cases. Valerie also makes use of Routin. Marshall said you could always substitute in a different style of fortified wine like Cocchi Americano or Lillet Blanc. He also said you need more Sherry in your cabinet. His preferred brand is Lustau.
Want to keep up with their new concept Madame George? One of the first takes on things will be Marshall sprucing up the cloying Midori Sour.
Artisanal vs. mass-produced tonic water. e.g. Fever-Tree and Q vs. Schweppes
Lynnette (Twitter, Instagram) got her start at the Flatiron Lounge. She has worked in many capacities across the industry and most recently ran the bar program at the Llama Inn and Llama San.
Alongside bartender Ivy Mix, she co-founded Speed Rack, an all-female high-speed bartending competition designed to highlight up-and-coming women and raises money for breast cancer.
She is the head of education for Bar Convent Brooklyn and is one of two bartenders featured on Masterclass, the other being Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr. Lyan). In 2021, Lynnette was voted "the bartender's bartender" at The World's 50 Best Bars award show.
Industry resources: Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation, Another Round Another Rally, Southern Smoke, USBG
Pisco varietals: Capurro, Macchu Pisco & La diablada, SUYO
Pisco cocktails: Pisco Sour, Pisco Punch
People mentioned: Kelsey Ramage on art and design, Amanda Elder on digital menus, Dale Degroff, David Wondrich, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, Gaz Regan.
Terms you may not know: Grappa (an Italian grape-based wine), Shochu (a Japanese spirit that can be made from a host of items like sweet potato, barley, rice, and more), Bacanora (an agave distillate from the Mexican state of Sonora), Sotol (a distillate from a plant called the desert spoon. While the plant is not part of the agave family, it's flavor can be mistaken for a mezcal).
Barrel aging cocktails
Corey was involved with Firecracker Pizza and Atomic Cowboy until COVID-19 hit. Team members referenced from The Lucky Accomplice: Will Brawley, Kelsey McClure, Chef Logan Ely The early bar program at TLA was in part built by the team of Anvil in Houston. Early cocktails included classics like Jungle Bird and Sidecar. Tools that Corey mentions: Sous Vide circulator, Gastrovac, fat separator
Recipes: Blue Cheese washed vodka, Fake lime juice, Pineapple pulp syrup, citrus stock
Chicago bars Corey mentions: Lost Lake, Billy Sunday, The Violet Hour
Books: Death & Co, Meehan’s Bartender Manual, The Bar Book Gins to check out: 1220 Origin, Yuzu
According to Corey, you should be drinking more highball cocktails. In their simplest expression, goo booze is served over ice and topped with club soda. He specifically mentions St. George’s Baller Single Malt Whiskey and Iwai 45. Pour 1 oz of each into a glass filled with ice, and gently stir, top with 4-5 oz of cold club soda
Interested to be involved in one of my palate honing pilot classes? Check it out here. More are coming soon.
One of Steve's influences for The Royale: The MatchBox
Some of Steve's favorite places to visit: Cafe Natasha, Turn, Dressel's (planning to reopen this summer), Iowa Buffet, Pop's Blue Moon, No Wake Zone, Slo Tom's, Playboy Cappucino Lounge
Steve also thinks you should visit East Carondolet
Two of Steve's advisors: Matt McBride and Tim O'Connell
The bar I mentioned in Valley Park: The Fireplace
You need to check out the board at Brennan's
A Proper Drink by Robert Simonson
Prohibition
World War II and industrial alcohol
The advent of sweet and sour mix
Dick Bradsell
Dale Degroff
Audrey Saunders
Ron Cooper and Del Maguey
TGI Fridays and blindfolded drink making
Sex and the City and the Cosmopolitan
Tales of the Cocktail
Dave Arnold and Liquid Intelligence
David Wondrich: Esquire, Imbibe!, Punch
Follow Kayla on Instagram @dailycordial
The New Cocktail Hour by André Darlington is the book that kicked off Kayla's journey
Kayla's favorite drink: Oaxaca Old Fashioned
Josephine Baker and the marketing of Cognac
What is sloe gin anyways?
Batching a Manhattan
Batching a Martini
Check out the course
4 Hour Chef by Tim Ferriss
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
Twenty by Michael Ruhlman
Fortified Wine
Liqueur vs. liquor
Tim's establishments: Retreat Gastropub, Lazy Tiger, Yellowbelly
Death & Co
Taste bar
The Last Word: Chartreuse and Maraschino liqueur
Agave spirits: tequila, raicilla, and Mezcal
Sugarcane spirits: rum, rhum agricole, and cachaça
The raicilla brand La Venenosa has pushed things forward
Short shake
Flip family of cocktails
Travis Howard
"The Arms" (The Scottish Arms)
Recommendations from Tim
Bottles that change people's minds: Génépy, Letherbee, and Averna amaro
Large-format cocktails to serve a group: Make a spritz. Combine equal proportions of Aperol and Cappelletti in a pitcher. Pour that over ice in a glass and top with 1-3 oz dry sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange
Make a more shelf-stable lime cordial
Dry January notes
Annie O'Donohue of Sans Bar STL
Mindful drinking
Chef Dan Barber on Flavor
I started keeping Busch NA in the house during January. If I felt like a drink but was trying to abstain, I found that satisfied my craving. I'm planning to keep an NA product in the house going forward for the occasions when I want to abstain but the taste sounds good.
Mardi Gras
The bar that created the hurricane: Pat O'Brien's
Cane & Table: a bar that released a great hurricane recipe
Check out my hurricane cocktail video
Have feedback on what I should include in my upcoming on-demand course? Reach out: info@decodingcocktails.com
Drew's Instagram Drew's website
Fever-Tree
Wine and Cheese Place A heavy glass can make your drink taste better Frazer’s
Clinebell machines and “directional freezing” Tempering ice to avoid thermal shock: 2-5 minutes prior Two at-home methods for making clear ice: cooler method or insulated mold Takashima Record Bar Casa Don Alfonso Blood & Sand Angel’s Envy St. Louis Club Whiskey Sour Paper Plane Planter’s House
Places
Listen Bar. At first I thought she was talking about Japanese listening bars.
Annie's popup: Sans Bar STL
Annie was enthusiastic about the #zeroproof #Negroni she had at Planter’s House
Drinks and ingredientsShirley Temple
Annie is a fan of Seedlip and Lyre’s
For Annie, brands like Ritual, which try to imitate the actual spirit, hit too close to home
Busch NA is a favorite of Annie's. I've also heard Portland bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler praise it too. Important: Busch NA falls under the certified non-alcoholic guidelines but like O'Douls is ~0.5% ABV. Another NA beer along these lines she likes is Victory Citrus Wheat by WellBeing.
Annie is also a fan of Grüvi's "Dry Secco" and "Bubbly Rosé"
Better Rhodes: a zero-proof emporium
ResourcesMindful drinking
Disordered eating vs. an eating disorder
Annie's full-time work is with PreventEd.org
I mentioned consulting my employer's Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Coping tactics: Have an excuse to leave, bring an accountability partner, have someone available to call you, take a time out from certain events, bring your own drinks, and most important have a plan
Substance Abuse Disorder tells you that you are alone. It’s a disease. Do not feel alone or shameful. Almost 20 million Americans (12 and older) suffered from a substance abuse disorder in 2017.
Annie suggests moving away from terms like mocktail, spirit-free, non-alcoholic, and soft drinks. I've heard many people they most prefer zero proof
BooksGood Drinks by Julia Bainbridge
Zero: A New Approach To Non-Alcoholic Drinks by The Aviary
What I’ve learned The importance of terroir. Are we using quality raw materials to make alcohol? How was it grown? Was the fermentation or distillation rushed?
Many drinks that I think of as overly sweet can be quite delicious including the Amaretto Sour and Tequila Sunrise
Zero proof (alcohol-free) drinks are on the rise: vinegar, shrubs, teas, etc. What I’m looking forward to Diving deeper into the Spanish wine sherry
Touring a Raicilla distillery in Chacala, Mexico
Pre-taped classes or other tools that give people other ways to learn from and access what I’ve learned or created without having to be in the room Books for the beginner
3-Ingredient Cocktails by Robert Simonson
The Office by The Aviary
Welcome Home by Death & Co Books for someone getting serious
Modern Classic Cocktails by Death & Co
Finding Mezcal by Ron Cooper
The Flavor Matrix and The Flavor Bible
Novelty
Black Walnut Bitters
Craft ice with initials or a logo
Learn more about Kira, iNDO, and Nippon Tei.
Ingredients and drinks we discussed
Tom Yum lollipop
Yuzu
Soju
Aperol
Campari
Contratto Aperitif and Bitter
Licor 43
Corona seltzer: what Kira would sneak into a concert
Typical staff shots for the staff: Four Roses, Old Overholt, Toki, Iwai
Natalie's juices: Kira mentioned this as good quality bottled juice
Bars where she's worked and that were mentioned
Bar Louie
The Preston
The Bao
The Office
People
Kira talked about taking a staff shot with Chef Grant Achatz of The Alinea Group
One of Kira's early mentors was Sasha Alms who is currently at Vino Gallery
Chef Nick Bognar oversees the kitchens of iNDO and Nippon Tei
Books
Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails
The Flavor Bible
The Flavor Matrix
Liquid Intelligence
Zero
PDT
Other items
Alcohol intolerance
My guest for the inaugural episode of the Decoding Cocktails podcast is Demetrius Cain. The founder and head distiller of Nobletons Distilling House. Their first product, Duckett rhum, was like all good things, worked on for years before launching in 2018. Nobletons has since created an orange liqueur called Curaçao Noir, Peoples Gin, apple brandy, and whiskey with more on the way. Nobletons recently expanded, moving their operations to Marthasville, MO which is the home of the orchards that supply the apples for their farm-to-glass brandies. With the move has come the addition of a tasting room and public events, which will include educational and other distiller centric activities.
You can learn more at Nobletons.com or give them a call at 314-252-8990. Tours and tastings are available from 4-8 pm on Fridays and 2-8 pm on Saturdays.
Things we discussed
Richard Seale of Altamar
Maggie Campbell of Mount Gay (formerly of Privateer)
And a Bottle of Rum by Wayne Curtis
More along the lines of Demetrius saying rum is the original American spirit Caipirinha Hot Buttered Rum
Rhum Agricole and Cachaça
Molasses All alcohol must first be fermented. This yields beer, wine, and other alcoholic mashes in the range of up to ~15%. From there to achieve hard spirits, you must distill it. Origin of sugarcane Sugarcane and slavery
Chris LeBeau brings you Decoding Cocktails, launching Friday, November 19. Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode.