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Cognac Park with Anais Brisson Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

Anaïs Brisson has Cognac running through her veins, literally and figuratively. She was born and bred in the region, her family is in the business, and she’s spent her career working with everyone in the area – from the large, multinational brands to the small, family-owned producers. She’s now working as U.S. Sales Manager for Cognac Park. So who better than to give us a rundown of what makes a Cognac so special?

Cognac Park makes some very interesting expressions from four of the sub-regions, called crus, within the larger region of Cognac (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, and Fins Bois). They’ve recently added a Borderies bottling that is finished in Japanese oak casks (a new favorite for me), and they have some other adventurous projects in the works. The ink isn’t yet dry on Cognac Park’s new import deal for the United States, and they already are looking at some serious expansion in 2020.

A lot of Anaïs’ time is spent is educating. To truly understand Cognac, you must understand terroir. Today we’re spending some time talking about the regulations, the fruit, the production, and what the future holds for Cognac. She’s also tasked herself with bringing the tradition and quality of Cognac into the 21st century by teaching how to integrate this historic spirit into cocktails. This is our first episode that concentrates solely on Cognac, so expect a return of Anaïs in the coming year. Santé

Kuma’s Corner: Unapologetically Metal Jan 22, 2020

Show notes

Luke Tobias, the operating partner of the famous Kuma’s Corner in Indianapolis joins the show this week to talk about the now-legendary boutique burger bar. He’s went from a line cook there nearly 13 years ago to operating partner. And he’s seen it all. The place is unapologetic in its attitude – from the spiked-collar tattooed crew, the blaring death metal playlists, giant burgers named for their favorite metal bands, and their fair share of national controversy of their infamous Ghost Burger. And we can’t forget about their epic beer list. Luke is a beer geek himself and helps to manager a list of well over 100 beers at any given time.

Sitting in with us this week is none other than Mike Miczek, the drummer for a number of acclaimed metal bands. He’s currently playing and touring with Broken Hope, Canyon of the Skull, The Atlas Moth, and recently spent time with legendary metal outfit, Powermad – who was featured in David Lynch’s film Wild at Heart. In his “down time” he works with the award-winning coffee shop Dark Matter Coffee.

This is a fun one. Grab your favorite metal band/craft brew collaboration and turn it up to 11.

The Poisonous Charms of Camper English Jan 08, 2020

Show notes

Camper English is back! A few years ago he was just starting his research into dangerous cocktail ingredients after several blog posts on his blog, Alcademics . After a several seminars and a grant from the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation he launched CocktailSafe.org. The website is dedicated to spreading awareness of potentially harmful, yet all-too-common, ingredients that might make their way into your drink. It’s an important topic that we touched on on our previous episode, Camper English and Tonic…WTF?!. Whenever Camper is around, we always end up having Tiki drinks and discussing what’s happening in the world around us. This time we had microphones. The rabbit hole keeps getting deeper and Camper is always there to dive in.

Apricot Schnaps in the Wachau with Claudia Bailoni Dec 25, 2019

Show notes

Claudia Bailoni was raised around apricots and apricot schnaps. Her family has owned orchards and stills since the 19th century and she spend her youth helping harvest apricots from the ground for the family business, aptly named Bailoni. And now that we’re in the midst of a craft cocktail revival, Claudia is helping her family forge a path forward and looking for new ways to integrate a spirit that is typically consumed neat in her native Austria.

When many people (particularly Americans) hear the word “schnaps” they think of syrupy-sweet liqueurs better suited for teenage party punch. But that is a misunderstanding and misuse of the word. Schnaps could also be called “brandy” or “eau de vie”. And the some of the world’s best is found in the picturesque Wachau Valley – an area more recognized for Riesling and Gruner Veltliner than for distillates. Tune in to hear Claudia talk about her family’s history and how why she’s often traveling to spread the gospel of Bailoni Apricot Schnaps!

The Cult of Tiki with Martin & Rebecca Cate Dec 11, 2019

Show notes

Martin & Rebecca Cate returns to the show this week to talk about the Cult of Tiki. The Smuggler’s Cove book is an award-winning book that is used by home bartenders and professionals alike, and has inspired thousands of people to look beyond the cocktails and learn more about the artwork and history of tiki. The co-author of the book is Rebecca Cate, who did the in-depth research (where her PhD doesn’t hurt) to make sure it is a timeless tome.

The book itself is also the most comprehensive history of tiki legend Steve Crane. Through his career, Martin has become one of the leading authorities on Steve Crane so we’re talking about the oft-overlooked playboy of Hollywood that became a tiki icon.

But we’re digging deeper than just a book. Rather than talking about cocktails for an hour, we’re discussing how the artistic aspect of tiki culture plays such a big role in the aesthetic, and how to pay homage to the cultures that brought us that artwork in a tasteful manner and how that has informed and inspired the work of modern day carvers, painters, and crafters.

Make yourself a Jet Pilot or two for this one.

Return from the Far East 2, Electric Boogaloo Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

I’m back in the United States and I’ve got some stories to tell. I wasn’t nearly eaten by a tiger, and there were no glasses of jackal-infused moonshine like Arthur (see Black in Black: Arthur Returns from the Far East) – but I DID meet some great people, many of whom you’ve heard on the past 5 episodes, ate the best street food on the planet, and was witness to some of the most creative cocktails in the business. Listen in to hear about Asian speakeasies, Singapore’s Cocktail Sherpa, and overestimating how many edibles one should eat before going through immigration. I’ve got a thousand more stories, but you’ll just have to hear them in-person if you’re interested. Chaiyo!

Wild Honey Cocktails with Niks Anuman Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

Niks Anuman seems to be ever-present in Bangkok’s cocktail scene. He runs two successful bars in an up-and-coming part of Chinatown. Though his voice is soft but his enthusiasm is contagious. He first opened Teens of Thailand in a seedy neighborhood of the city called Soi Nana, serving Spanish-style gin and tonics to just a handful of diehards. Within a few years he expanded and opened another bar just around the corner called Asia Today – the bar that he proudly calls the “non-supermarket bar”. His bartenders are instructed to only use ingredients that have been grown themselves, foraged, or purchased from local farmers.

And Asia Today is the perfect home for his honey collection. He’s obsessed with the terroir of wild honey and the bees that produce it. So much has his obsession taken over that he now regularly travels across Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia hunting for new varieties of honey and teaching rural beekeepers how to produce honey in an eco-conscious way. There are many variables that affect the taste of honey – the available plant nectar in the area, how each species of bee produces that honey, and the surrounding microclimate. It seems that the possibilities for honey variations are endless. And Niks is just scratching the surface.

On top of all that work, Niks is also the founder and organizer of the annual Bangkok Gin Festival. The fest just wrapped up last week, and saw record attendance. Still in it’s infancy, the Bangkok Gin Fest is destined become much, much larger and the prevailing wisdom is that it will eventually morph into a Bangkok Cocktail Week. There is a lot of work between now and then. And Niks is up for it.

Asian Craft Beer with Sylvester Fedor Oct 30, 2019

Show notes

Sylvester Fedor is relatively new to Bangkok and he’s already helping to lead the charge in the craft beer revolution in Southeast Asia. As the General Manager of Mikkeller in Bangkok, he’s on the front lines and is the gatekeeper for many of the specialty brews being imported into Thailand. I caught up with Sylvestor just after the conclusion SEA Brew, an annual craft beer conference for industry professionals that takes place in Bangkok. Brewing regulations in Thailand are quite complex and archaic, and introducing beer like Mikkeller or Grimm to the market requires a lot of maneuvering.

As we sat in a small beer bar during this recording, I met two small brewers in Thailand that refused to have their photos taken for fear of being shut down. These were elegant beers with professional packaging that were built to appease even the most skeptical of craft beer geeks. And yet, it was illegal to have them on the menu. The bar owner and the brewer both could face heavy fines if the police so choose. And yet, the scene is thriving. Listen in to hear what’s going on in the world of legal and illegal brewing in Southeast Asia.

Tropical Cocktails in the Tropics with Sebastian de la Cruz Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

Sebastian De La Cruz started working in bars in Stockholm where he was born and raised. A visit to Clover Club and Death & Co. in New York changed everything for him. He returned home and quit school to work at a Tiki bar. And thus began his obsession with tropical cocktails (and Donn Beach). At 27-years-old he decided to move to Thailand with no knowledge of the language or culture. He initially started working for a speakeasy but soon moved on to open his own place, Tropic City. The bar itself brings a sort of “Miami meets Southeast Asia” tropical atmosphere to an off-the-beaten-path neighborhood in Bangkok where he makes one of the best Pina Coladas you’ll ever have. Follow Tropic City on Instagram to keep up with the happenings. In the meantime, make yourself a Zombie and listen to Sebastian talk about tropical escapism in a locale that is already an escape for Westerners.

Beyond Sustainability with Vijay Mudaliar Oct 02, 2019

Show notes

Vijay Mudaliar is a soft-spoken gentleman in Singapore. He runs a small bar named Native that seats no more than 30 people. But the way he operates his bar is revolutionizing the way to think about waste, sustainability, and responsible bartending. From drinking vessels made of oyster shells, coasters from lotus roots, murals painted with vegetable dye, and even going so far as to weigh the amount of waste created by his popular bar every night. All of this has lead to a lot of recognition. Native placed 4th on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Vijay was named Bartender of the Year by DRiNK Magazine’s Bar Awards, and was a finalist at Tales of the Cocktail for Best International Cocktail Bar. But his real mission is teaching others how to succeed in the restaurant and bar industry without leaving a footprint. Saving the world seems to be an impossible task for one small bar. But we have to start somewhere… and Vijay Mudaliar is leading the way.

EDIT: A few days after this interview was recorded, NATIVE was announced at #14 on the World’s 50 Best Bars.

To learn more about Native’s practices and how you might be able to implement into your own home or bar program, check out A NATIVE GUIDE TO DECENT BARTENDING.

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