Life Behind Bars with Noah Rothbaum & David Wondrich

Latest Episodes:

’Tis the Season for Hot Cocktails - Life Behind Bars Nov 22, 2020

Show notes

For far too long, hot cocktails have been lumped in with dessert drinks and made increasingly sweeter with honey, sugar, cider and even ice cream. But the classic recipes for these steaming concoctions are, in fact, not overly sweet—and quite delicious. So delicious, in fact, that it’s time to give hot cocktails another shot.

On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origins of these warming cocktails and how they have evolved over time, as well as share their favorite recipes for the Hot Toddy, Hot Buttered Rum and Irish Coffee.

So mix yourself a drink and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!

Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior Drinks Columnist David Wondrich as they discuss the greatest bartenders and greatest cocktails of all time. It won the 2018 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for the world’s best drinks podcast.

Edited by Alex Skjong

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How Kentucky Bourbon Distillers Saved Their Archrival Rye Whiskey - Life Behind Bars Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

Once upon a time, there were bourbon drinkers and there were rye whiskey drinkers. You couldn’t be both.

When the rye industry fell apart in the second half of the 20th century and its distilleries, located in the mid-Atlantic states, faltered and ultimately disappeared, an unexpected savior stepped in: bourbon distillers. As a result, rye has been made in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country for decades.

On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Knob Creek© Bourbon ambassadors Beth Burrows and Adam Harris to talk about this astonishing American whiskey story.

So pour yourself a glass of rye or bourbon and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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Meet Dale DeGroff, the Father of the Rebirth of the Cocktail - Life Behind Bars Oct 23, 2020

Show notes

Dale DeGroff is a storyteller, teacher, mentor, bon vivant and consummate host. He is also responsible for changing how people around the world drink by starting the modern golden age of cocktails.

On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by DeGroff to talk about the new edition of his seminal book, The Craft of the Cocktail, and what’s next for cocktails and spirits.

So fix yourself a drink and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!

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What’s Next for Bars? - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

The coronavirus pandemic has managed to affect nearly every facet of life in America. Bars are certainly not exempt and the industry will find itself dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic for years to come.

So how will this unprecedented period change the layout of bars and how they function? On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Alexis Brown from Chicago, Ivy Mix from New York, and Jeffrey Morgenthaler from Portland, Oregon—about what the near future holds.

So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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The Modern Cocktail Menu - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

During times like these, how are bars across the country changing their drinks menus? Is it better to go with tried-and-true classics or to offer innovative and creative concoctions?

On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Claire Sprouse from New York, Erick Castro from San Diego and Omar Yeefoon from Dallas—about what folks want to drink now and how the pandemic has changed the thought process behind putting together menus.

So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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Staffing Up During a Pandemic - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

If hiring, training and managing a staff is one of the hardest parts of running a bar, try doing it during a pandemic.

On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Ryan Fitzgerald from San Francisco, Anu Apte from Seattle and Derek Brown from Washington, D.C.—about their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic and how their roles and management styles have evolved.

So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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Yes, There is an Official Bourbon Holiday - Life Behind Bars Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

If there was ever a time to have a glass of bourbon, now is it.

Back in 2007, Congress passed a resolution declaring September National Bourbon Heritage Month. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon, to talk about why the month-long holiday was created and how to properly celebrate it.

So fix yourself a glass of bourbon and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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The New World of To-Go Drinks - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned Aug 28, 2020

Show notes

Thanks to coronavirus closures, cities across the country have now allowed bars and restaurants to offer customers to-go drinks.

On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Karl Franz Williams from New York, Christine Wiseman from Los Angeles, and Andrew Volk from Maine—about this important change in the bar industry. They discuss the new-found skills required to create to-go cocktails, as well as which drinks are (and aren’t) selling out.

So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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The Fight to Get People to Wear Face Masks in Bars - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned Aug 28, 2020

Show notes

Bartenders and bar owners are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. And one of the greatest challenges facing them today is getting their customers to wear face masks.

On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Neal Bodenheimer from New Orleans, Alex Jump from Denver and Masa Urushido from New York—about this important issue. They discuss how patrons have reacted to wearing masks in their establishments and offer advice on how to conduct these occasionally fraught conversations.

So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

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Are the Manhattan & the Martini the Same Cocktail? - Life Behind Bars Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

The Martini and the Manhattan are two of the bedrock drinks that hold up the entire world of cocktails.

While both have their own lore, mythology and fans, they in fact may be essentially the same drink. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origins of both drinks and how they evolved into distinct recipes.

So mix yourself a Manhattan or a Martini and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!

Edited by Alex Skjong

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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