Shift Drink

Latest Episodes:

Alexandre Gabriel and Plantation Rum Aug 30, 2017

Show notes

Alexandre Gabriel, Master Blender and Owner of Maison Ferrand, has turned the company into one of the most important producers of fine spirits in the industry. He’s a bibliophile, voracious reader of historic texts, a farmer, and a perfectionist. As the charismatic leader of a band of misfits, he and his team have brought the world elegant Cognac, obtained permission to distill gin in Cognac stills during the off-season, and produces liqueurs that recall his childhood in Burgundy. But one of the biggest marks he’s leaving on the industry is with Plantation Rum. There is nary a rum producer that he doesn’t know. His Grands Terroirs series of rums exhibit the very essence of the islands from which they’re produced. His recent acquisition of the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados is guaranteed to ensure that we’ll be tasting new expressions of Plantation Rums for decades to come.

Door 74 with Timo Janse Aug 16, 2017

Show notes

Still bar hopping in Amsterdam, this week Ed and Arthur met up with Timo Janse of Door 74. He started out working at hotel bars before there was a cocktail scene in Amsterdam and soon enough he was running a place considered one of the World’s 50 Best Bars. As an active participant as a judge and competitor at cocktail festivals around the world, he’s proven that the Dutch are a force to be reckoned with. With such a diverse population around him, he draws inspiration from cultures all over the world and the spirits that connect us. So grab a glass of baijiu and have a listen.

Hiding in Plain Sight with Guillermo Gonzalez Aug 02, 2017

Show notes

The guys are in Amsterdam and hitting some of the best bars in the world – in Amsterdam. Born in Argentina, raised in Miami, and now residing in Amsterdam, Guillermo Gonzalez is operating one of the best bars in the world. This week he sits down to talk with the guys about life in Amsterdam, how he operates his bar, Hiding in Plain Sight (HPS), under the radar and still serves some of the best drinks in town, and how the cocktail scene in Amsterdam has grown by leaps and bounds over the last several years.

Ashblaeds and Knifemaking Jul 19, 2017

Show notes

Aric Geesaman of Ash Blaeds has a background in the sciences, but his frustration with cheap knives lead to a whole new business. He drops by to talk about metallurgy, forging blades, making custom knives for professional chefs and home cooks, reality television, choosing the right sword for the right armor, and “The Blondes Age”.

Black Metal BBQ Jul 05, 2017

Show notes

It’s our Independence Day Episode! What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than with BBQ and heavy metal? This week’s guest does it all – a food truck, competitions, full-time work in Criminal Justice, and brings it all together with the edge of black metal. Chris Morrison’s Black Metal BBQ has been working it’s way up to the top of BBQ competitions. Though he’s relatively new to the circuit, he’s been barbequing for over a decade. Chris fills us in on regional styles, how the competition judging works, and offers some tips for those of you looking to become the neighborhood pitmaster. Hint: drink a lot of bourbon.

Wines of Alsace with Patrick Aledo Jun 21, 2017

Show notes

Patrick Aledo took over as General Manager of Pierre Sparr in Alsace, France in 2009. Under his direction, the winery has released some beautiful expressions of the Alsace terroir. Uniquely situated on the border between France and Germany, Alsatians make wines that, according to The World Atlas of Wine, are “Germanic wine in a French way”. Varietals like Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, and Gewurztraminer thrive here, but Riesling is king. Patrick discusses why wines of Alsace are so different from their French and German cousins, a bit of the history of Pierre Sparr, Alsatian dogs, and invites us to the Alsace Wine Fair – which we immediately decided we would attend. Look for shows from Europe in August.

Speed Rack & Sherry with Mony Bunni Jun 07, 2017

Show notes

Mony Bunni is one of Chicago’s hardest working bartenders – working three jobs while serving as a brand ambassador for Bodegas Lustau sherry. Fresh off her win at Speed Rack, Mony drops in to talk about sherry, brandy, travel, and the Speed Rack competition and how the organization helps raise money and awareness for breast cancer research. Special note to bartenders: there is a Lustau cocktail competition happening now. We talk about it at the end. You have until June 30th, 2017 to submit.

Craft Beer Branding May 24, 2017

Show notes

Breweries are popping up across the country so fast that it’s hard to keep up. Our guests this week, Isaac Arthur and Cody Fague of CODO Design, specialize in helping craft brewers with the branding process – from the taprooms, logos and website, to the story behind the breweries themselves. Having worked with dozens of breweries, CODO Design just released a new book – the Craft Beer Branding Guide. We sat down the the guys, drank some great local brews, and talked about the pitfalls of creating a beer brand.

Beekeeping and Mead Making May 10, 2017

Show notes

It’s spring, and that means it’s swarm season. This week, we’re sitting down with beekeeper Kate Franzman of Bee Public and mead maker Brett Canaday of New Day Craft to learn about honey, bees’ murderous tendencies, the battle for the throne, their portrayal in film, and mead – the nectar of the gods. If it’s good enough for the Vikings, it’s good enough for you. Valhalla, we are coming!

Unicorn Booze with Nico Palazzi Apr 26, 2017

Show notes

After deciding a career in chemical engineering wasn’t his calling, Nicolas Palazzi did what any insane person would do – he started an alcohol import business with no knowledge of how to do it. Now, just 6 years later, his company, PM Spirits, is known as the go-to for the rare and esoteric. Each bottle has a story, and Nico knows them all because he knows each producer personally. He champions the little guy and brings you all the things you didn’t know you wanted. Until now.

You can find photos of the bottles mentioned in this episode on our Instagram feed.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected