Eric presents a "soup-to-nuts" crash course on how to crush your next cocktail competition. If you'd like to view this seminar with slides, you can watch it on YouTube. Some of the topics covered include: How to structure your approach to cocktail competitions so that they can help to advance your career goals An overview of the three main types of…

In this globe-trotting, Japanofilic conversation with Awamori champion Jeremy Webb of Webb's Grainworks, some of the topics we discuss include: The technical definition of Awamori, especially with respect to how its distillate base, koji treatment, and aging practices differentiate it from Shochu and Japanese Whisky. How the history and culture of …

In this wide-ranging conversation with cocktail expert and bar mentor Jim Meehan (@mixography), author of The Bartender’s Pantry, some of the topics we discuss include: How ingredient sourcing and processing ties into the exercise of integrity--not just in sourcing the highest “quality” ingredients, but also exploring how your purchasing power play…

In this LIVE Seminar recording, Eric identifies two key strains of B.S. that run through contemporary tasting notes. Then, using a concept he refers to as "locating the 'heart' of a spirit," he explores how to generate tasting notes that say accurate things about flavor while also allowing people to connect with the liquid in a glass or a bottle.…

In this, sweet, funky, and occasionally grassy conversation with Ian Burrell (@therumambassador), author of Rum A Tasting Course, some of the topics we discuss include: Why Ian takes a “flavor-first” approach to rum (in general, but especially in this book), and how these flavors are gateways to history, geography, culture, and conversation. The di…

Eric investigates the Boce Coaster, descending into a noir mystery narrative to determine if it's possible for a drink coaster to reduce fusel oils in distilled spirits using "quantum tunneling." Buckle up. This is a weird one.

In this campy conversation with Reece Sims (@reecesims), creator of Flavor Camp, some of the topics we discuss include: How camps - like bars - act as intense and intimate “third places,” where people with shared interests or commonalities can gather and thrive. What Reece does to shake up the traditional ruts we fall into when tasting spirits--fro…

Eric shares some exciting previews of the episodes to come in the second half of 2024, including sneak previews of "Cocktail Futurism" interviews with Rob Nester (Drinking with Robots) and Jayme Blaschke (Lagoon of Mystery).

In this down-to-earth conversation with distiller and outdoorsman Tony Gugino of Eighth District Distilling Co., some of the topics we discuss include: How Tony’s childhood exploring and fishing in Upstate New York inform the way he moves through the natural world and experiments with botanicals in his spirits. The attributes and attentional facult…

In this American, singular, and distinctly malty conversation with Tyler Pederson (@cerealdistiller), master distiller at Westland Distillery, some of the topics we discuss include: How Tyler came to be an American Single Malt distiller and what it’s like to develop a resilient supply chain of farmers and malt houses that can sustain itself year af…

In this RTD redux with Keli Rivers, David T. Smith, and Joe Barber, some of the topics we discuss include: Emerging trends in the post-pandemic RTD (ready to drink) and RTS (ready to serve) cocktail space, including more bottled RTS SKUS, continued innovation by small producers, and marked improvements across the board in stability and flavor. Thou…

In this Seattle cocktail retrospective with Paul Clarke, Editor in Chief of Imbibe Magazine, some of the topics we discuss include: How Paul began his drinks journey in the early days of the cocktail renaissance and became a regular at the ZigZag Cafe, a Seattle cocktail den that rose to prominence thanks, in large part, to a bartender named Murray…

What will cocktails and bars look like in 100 years? 200 years? What about 500? In this introductory survey episode, Eric explores what "cocktail futurism" might look like and how we can start thinking NOW about how our drinks will evolve in the future. This isn't about projecting what cocktail will become "cool again" next year -- it's about under…

In this groundbreaking, down and dirty conversation with Gian Nelson of Jano Spirits, some of the topics we discuss include: How Gian found his home in the creative and multidisciplinary workspace of the wine and spirits industry and why he’s selected Agave Americana as the canvas on which he expresses his passion. An overview of the different type…

In this fascinating deep dive with Aaron Goldfarb (@aarongoldfarb), author of Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits, some of the topics we discuss include: What constitutes a “dusty” or vintage bottle and some of the historical forces that created the trend of hunting for them, especially in the Bourbon world. Some tentative answers to the ques…

In this roving, wanderlustrious conversation with Devon Trevathan of Liba Spirits, some of the topics we discuss include: Why Devon has chosen to cultivate a welcoming and mindful relationship with discomfort while traveling, and how this has allowed her to become a sponge for the sights, flavors, and sensations that make different cultures and des…

In this heady, fragrant chat with Dr. Kevin Peterson, author of Cocktail Theory: A Sensory Approach to Transcendent Drinks, some of the topics we discuss include: Why his time testing combustion engines in a laboratory made Kevin the perfect person to analyze the classic cocktail families for their ideal dilution, temperature, and ingredient ratios…

In this "Year in Review" / 2024 Preview episode, Eric covers 2023 by the numbers, including highlights and growth figures. Then: some quick previews of what this year has in store, and one big announcement that has been several months in the making.

In this spirited discussion with Alain Royer and Henry Preiss of Preiss Imports, some of the topics we discuss include: What precisely Izarra liqueur is and the geographic and cultural forces that allowed it to remain more of a regional specialty, while Chartreuse enjoyed wider exposure. How other specialty liqueurs, like Jaegermeister and Luxardo …

In this special holiday-themed throwback episode, we've decided to re-release part of an episode from 2020, where Eric interviews acclaimed cocktail author Aaron Goldfarb, author of the book, Gather Around Cocktails. Some of the topics covered include: How to master eggnog, even in a New York City apartment Ways to think about seasonality in cockta…

In this stirring, ice-cold conversation with bartender and cocktail batcher extraordinaire, Robby Haynes, some of the topics we discuss include: What people mean when they say, “Martini,” and why certain preferences and aversions pertaining to its construction may stem from unresolved fears and myths about ingredients. How Robby teamed up with dist…

In this nerdy deep-dive on the craft and science of Super Juice with bartender and cocktail competitor Mike Vander Horn (@cocktail.complex), some of the topics we discuss include: What Super Juice is and how it has risen to prominence in both cocktail bar and home bar settings. Different ways of formulating super juice, including recipes and method…

In this time-traveling, globetrotting conversation with Amanda Schuster, author of Signature Cocktails, some of the topics we discuss include: How Amanda went about sourcing 200 signature recipes from all corners of the globe and spanning over 500 years of history. What distinguishes signature cocktails from their more generic counterparts like Old…

Bar consultant and drink expert Philip Duff lends his multi-decade, international perspective to the debate on tipping trends, service fees, and legislative initiatives that affect tipped workers, bar owners, and restaurant patrons alike.

In Part 1 of my two-part conversation with bar consultant and spirits expert Philip Duff, some of the topics we discuss include: How a small Irish town of 5,000 people played host to the busiest pub in all of Ireland thanks, in part, to a trip to Texas, some stained glass, and knack for documenting its drink recipes The shift in consumer consciousn…