Shift Drink

Latest Episodes:

Minimalist Tiki with Matt Pietrek Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

The Cocktail Wonk is back on the show after six long years. And he’s accomplished a lot in that time. This week we’re talking about his influential book, Minimalist Tiki and his new tome, Modern Caribbean Rum, and how those books lead him and his wife Carrie to start their own publishing company, Wonk Press.

Toyko Confidential with Holly Graham Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

If you’re reading this we hope you’re in Tokyo, because you’re in for a real treat. Tonight is the opening of Japan’s newest craft cocktail bar, Tokyo Confidential. So today I’ve got Holly Graham on the show to discuss how she got here. Both literally and figuratively. How does a Londoner end up in Asia for 15 years, spending 10 of those years in Hong Kong, before picking up her life and relocating to a city she’s never lived in. And to open her first bar.

But this isn’t just any Londoner. Holly was the Managing Editor for DRiNK Magazine (where she will continue to help when possible). She has worked in, managed, and popped-up in every major city in Asia. Hear how she assembled her team of Avengers and the hurdles she’s had to overcome to make tonight’s opening a success.

Equal Access with Chris Montana Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Just a decade ago, Chris Montana opened DuNord spirits. In the ten years since, his role has grown in ways that he could have never imagined. Looking around rooms filled with craft distillers, he noticed that no one looked like him. So he set about to help remedy that through educational programs to teach young men and women of color how distillation works, how 3-tier distribution operates in the United States, and honed their business acumen.

Then COVID-19 hit and brought a new set of problems. But that’s now how Chris saw it. The pandemic shutdowns and subsequent George Floyd protests, literally in his backyard, brought new opportunities for communication and community in Minneapolis and beyond. How he has accomplished all of this and still maintains the quality and service with his distillery is a testament to his tenacity and enthusiasm for the industry.

Lullaby of Birdland with Brother Cleve Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

UPDATE: My good friend, Brother Cleve, passed away unexpectedly on Sept 9, 2022 — just a few months after this interview. Cleve was a mentor, a friend, and a confidant for me, as well as countless others in the industry. He was always quick with a smile, generous beyond reproach, and one of the kindest humans I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. He is missed. I think of him often. So that makes this final interview with him on of my most cherished of Shift Drink.

Returning to the show this week is the legendary cocktalien, Brother Cleve. Since our last conversation back in 2017, he’s been hard at work DJing, tending bar around Boston, and working as a brand ambassador for various spirits. As the pandemic brought about a lot of changes for all of us, Brother Cleve was forging new friendships and eventually business partners. And those relationships have given birth to the Lower East Side’s newest cocktail haven… Lullaby, in the space previously occupied by Nightcap. (If you happen to catch this interview the day it drops, you’re just in time for the grand opening on Thursday, March 10, 2022)

The partnership consists of Harrison Snow and Jacob Hodas, who are in their mid-20’s, and one of the originators and preservationists of the modern cocktail renaissance, the venerable Brother Cleve. Though he’ll still retain his home in Boston, expect to see him behind the turntables, and behind the stick on occasion. And you’ll definitely see him in the media as he acts as a sort of ambassador for the bar. It hasn’t opened to the public yet but it is already garnering attention from Eater NY (A Bar Backed by a Boston Cocktail Legend Takes Over Former Nitecap Space on the LES and the New York Times (A Boston Bar Legend Comes to New York). Tune in and drop out. Here’s Brother Cleve!

Don’t forget to check out some of his mixes (as discussed) on Mixcloud!

Japan Distilled: A Conversation with Stephen Lyman Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

After the first ever shochu episode back in 2017 A Shochu Lesson with Erik Zmara, I received a tweet from a gentleman in Japan that was working in a distillery. He sent some responses to questions we weren’t able to answer during that episode. That man was Stephen Lyman and his life has been a whirlwind since that tweet.

Stephen is now lives in Japan, is the co-author of the James Beard Finalist The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, hosts a podcast called Japan Distilled, and continues to spend every season working at a distillery in southern Japan.

There is a lot to unpack in an hour. So, if you haven’t listened to it already, check out A Shochu Lesson with Erik Zmara. It’s a great primer for this week’s show.

For further info on shochu availability in the United States, check out Honkaku Spirits, where Stephen works as an ambassador and educator.

KōHana Ohana with Kyle Reutner Dec 15, 2021

Show notes

A week ago I had the opportunity to visit KōHana Rum in Kunia, Oahu. And that visit was precisely what I needed to get my groove back. The trek to the distillery from Honolulu is a picturesque paradise. But the one thing that I didn’t see on that drive was sugarcane.

Sugarcane used to be an important crop for Hawai’i, but the industry up and vanished – seemingly overnight. So starting a distillery that not only highlighted native sugarcane (kō) but also worked to preserve heirloom varieties native to the islands was a monumental task. And it is a task that Kyle Reutner takes seriously. As the General Manager of KōHana Rum his charge is to make sure that heritage, culture, and terroir is translated into every bottle. All of their rums are made direct from the fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, much like rhum agricole in Martinique. But with fewer restrictions on production methods, and dozens of local canes to work with, their palette is infinite.

During my trip to the distillery I chatted with several members of the KōHana team and I couldn’t find a single person that wasn’t passionate about the rum that goes into those bottles. Everyone from the distiller to the tasting room. And that kind of enthusiasm starts with the management team.

Sherry with Chantal Tseng Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Over the last decade, Sherry has increasingly become a drink of choice for bartenders and service industry professionals. It has started showing up on bar programs, in cocktails, and the used casks have become a distiller’s favorite way to finish different spirits.

Although once as ubiquitous on the table as whiskey or rum, consumption dropped off hard in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leaving aficionados of the modern craft cocktail renaissance in the dark about terminology, production methods, and tasting notes. But, in DC, Chantal Tseng has been quietly educating drinkers about the world of Sherry. As a Certified Sherry Educator, she helped to open and operate the United States’ first Sherry bar, Mockingbird Hill, co-founded Redeye Menus – a social club focusing on Sherry and Asian cuisine, and now operates a collaborative series with famed cocktail destination, The Gibson.

And her new project, Cocktails for Endtimes, helps fans (and podcast listeners) figure out just what to do with all these beautiful bottles that you’ve got sitting around your home bar.

The Death of a Blog with Jennifer Matthewson Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

Today I welcome Jennifer Matthewson, founder of Daily Blender ,to the show. As the ripple effects of the pandemic are now becoming clear, it looks as though we are losing her blog as another casualty of COVID-19.

Food journalism has been going a major transformation over the last decade. The early 2000’s saw the rise of message boards which I turn spawned food blogs. And this helped to usher in the end of food writing as a newspaper’s domain. But as Instagram and TikTok took over as way we consume social media, blogs and newspapers have folded en masse. And those independent writers that were left standing in 2019 are now reevaluating their priorities.

Contento NYC: Accessibility Redefined Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

One in four Americans lives with some degree of disability – whether that is the need for a wheelchair, limited sight or hearing, or limited range of motion. Yannick Benjamin is one of those Americans. And he also happens to be the co-owner of one of New York’s hottest new restaurants. Contento, located in East Harlem, opened on June 10th of 2021 in the midst of a global pandemic.

And the accolades have been pouring in. Both The New York Times and Eater have written extensive articles about the small restaurant. Yannick is one of the most respected sommeliers in the country and, due to an auto accident, uses a wheelchair to get around. The access (or lack thereof) that many of us take for granted can cause major obstacles for a diner like Yannick. So he knew when he opened his first restaurant that accessibility would be at the top of the list of priorities. And Contento takes accessibility very seriously. Every table, aisle, bar seat, piece of flatware, and wine glass has been carefully examined to ensure that NO ONE is left feeling like a burden – a sentiment often felt by those struggling with different needs.

And accessibility reaches far beyond physical needs. The restaurant is designed to welcome anyone from all walks of life. It’s a diverse neighborhood, and one that Yannick has called home for many years as he works with The Axis Project, Wheeling Forward, and Wine on Wheels (listen to our 2018 episode, Wheeling Forward with Yannick Benjamin for more details). To open an exclusive place would that panders to the elite would contradict the fabric of Yannick’s being.

He’s a busy man, and he’s becoming even busier. As the media writes their pieces, Yannick is increasingly becoming the voice of accessibility. And he’s happy to help. He invites anyone with questions to email him at yannick@contentonyc.com.

“Great men do not seek power; they have power thrust upon them.” – Klingon Proverb

Kokonas and Tonic Oct 13, 2021

Show notes

Nick Kokonas has worked in some of the most well-known cocktail destinations in Chicago. But it was at Heritage that he curated a program that eventually led to an entire project. When his manager there told him that they’d do a book together once he had over 50 unique tonic recipes, Nick took it literally. His new book, Something and Tonic, came out in May of 2020 and it’s already selling out at his book tour / bar pop-ups. The book explores the historical importance of quinine and tonic and offers over 50 recipes that exemplify the way that cinchona bark use has evolved. The recipes are divided into 3 sections that demonstrate what has been, and what is being, done in the craft liquor world in 2021 – in amari, tonic, and tonic syrup.

This book is a perfect accompaniment to Camper English’s 2016 book, Tonic Water: AKA G&T WTF. To listen to Camper discuss malaria, syphilis, and cinchona bark, check out our episode Camper English and Tonic… WTF.

Both books are available at major retailers but please check the authors’ websites first to inquire about buying direct. More of the proceeds go directly to the writers and help to support their continued research and publications.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected