The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 029 - Egg Cocktails Dec 14, 2017

Show notes

This egg-driven episode kind of fell into our lap when Dennis Sendros, a DC-based home bartender and podcast listener, reached out to the podcast with the subject line: Come Drink with Us!

Turns out, Dennis hosts a monthly gathering called Cocktological Evenings, where he selects a theme and creates an intimate, booze-driven gathering to explore cocktails through that particular lens. You'll hear Dennis speak more about this in just a minute, but there are two important details I want to share with you:

First, if you want to check out some pictures of what he and his guests are up to, head over to Instagram and follow @cocktologicalevenings. Or visit cocktologicalevenings.com.

Second, if you'd like a special code to sign up for one of these events please email podcast@modernbarcart.com, and we'll hook you up with one of the special signup codes that Dennis has reserved for exclusively for listeners of the Modern Bar Cart Podcast.

Some of the topics Dennis and I discuss in this episode include:

The major egg-driven cocktails: Nogs, Flips, Fizzes, and Sours
What properties yolks and whites lend to our favorite drinks
Tips for hosting intimate cocktail gatherings like a pro
The art of the dry shake and the reverse dry shake
Ancient, egg-related creation myths
How Walt Whitman likes his Whiskey Sours
And much, much more

This is a great episode for the winter season, when we tend to enjoy darker, more textured cocktails, and when we tend to do more indoor hosting at home, both of which are great reasons to break out the egg nog or make a round of flips.

Episode 028 - The Vodka Episode Dec 07, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, we investigate the intriguing and often-slandered character of Vodka. It's a clear spirit with a less-than-clear list of cocktail applications, and we intend to give it a fair shake.

Our list of guests this episode include:

Jordan Wicker and Alex Luboff of the Speaking Easy Podcast
RB Wolfensberger of Gray Wolf Craft Distilling
Alla Polyakova, former USSR citizen and Russian culture expert

It's a strange and fascinating episode, and we hope it broadens your perspective on one of the world's great spirits.

Episode 027 - Strange Cocktail Ingredients Nov 30, 2017

Show notes

Today's topic is unusual cocktail ingredients - either those you've tasted in a cocktail, or those you'd like to see used more often.

I think many of us have had the experience of sitting down at one of the more experimental cocktail bars in our area, looking at the menu, and saying: "You've got to be kidding me. How the heck are they gonna use that in a cocktail?" And the results - in reality - are usually mixed. Sometimes the unusual ingredients are well-incorporated, and the drink is tasty, and sometimes it's just there for the novelty factor, and the drink isn't balanced.

This episode's guests include:

Charlie Berkinshaw of Element Shrub
Josh Wulf of the Wulf Cocktail Den
Maria Littlefield of The Owl's Brew
Chris Kiertz from Socktails
Valerie Echeveste from Cocktails + Craft
And Jordan Wicker of the Speaking Easy Podcast

Episode 026 - Cocktails and Place Nov 23, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, Eric interviews six different cocktail and home bartending experts on their favorite places to enjoy a well-made cocktail.

This episode's guests are, in no particular order:

Charlie Berkinshaw of Element Shrub
Josh Wulf of the Wulf Cocktail Den
Maria Littlefield of The Owl's Brew
Chris Kiertz of Socktails.co
Valerie Echeveste of Cocktails + Craft
And Alex Luboff of the Speaking Easy Podcast

Episode 025 - Chef Driven Cocktails Nov 16, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, Eric chats with Chef Matt Finarelli about achieving flavor balance in food and cocktails.

There's a lot of cross-over between cocktails and the culinary arts, and this episode is dedicated to investigating the tools and techniques that span both disciplines.

Episode 024 - Pointillism as a Metaphor for Flavor Nov 09, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, we investigate the link between neo-impressionist painters, proto-human visual schemas, and the way our brains process flavor and smell images.

Seem like a lot of weird stuff to cram all into one episode?

It is. But we think you'll come away from it with some really great insights about flavor, cocktails, and life.

Episode 023 - The Rum Episode Nov 02, 2017

Show notes

Rum.

It's an intriguing, tropical spirit with a dark and sordid history, and we had the happy privilege of digging into all the weird and wonderful details with my friends Ben Lyon and Jaime Windon of the Lyon Distilling Company, makers of all things yummy and rummy.

In this episode, we discuss:

The differences between all those rum varieties you never knew existed
How distillers make rum that tastes grassy, funky, and every flavor in between
The surprising history of rum in the United States and abroad
Classic Rum cocktails and spinoffs you should try at home
Why Bananas belong in dunder pits
And much, much more.

Episode 022 - Decoding Spirits Labels Oct 26, 2017

Show notes

The topic of this episode is how to read the label on any spirit bottle and know what all the numbers, terms, and designations ACTUALLY mean.

How do you calculate proof vs. ABV? What's the difference between a V.S. brandy and a VSOP brandy"? How do you know if your distiller is making their spirit from grain to glass, or just bottling somebody else's juice?

These are all things we'll talk about in this episode.

Episode 021 - Making Cocktail Friends Oct 19, 2017

Show notes

This week, we had the chance to sit down virtually with Chris Kierts, who runs a home bartending community called Socktails.

Socks and cocktails. Seem like an odd pairing?

It's actually not as weird as it sounds. See, Chris uses his vibrant and quirky sock collection as the backdrop for his cocktail pictures on social media. Just like an interesting pair of socks is a great conversation starter, so are the glasses garnishes that Chris uses to stage his drinks.

Chris and I share a common goal, which is to get people thinking about cocktails and to bring the discussion to the people who are making and enjoying excellent drinks at home.

This is a great episode for you to check out especially if you're interested in photography, brand building, social media, and all of the hard work that goes into those beautiful pictures that you see on Instagram.

Some of the things we discuss in this episode include:

The current state of Chris' sock drawer
Which online venues are the best for cocktail feedback and information
Advice for staging a sexy cocktail photo
How to use hashtags to find great cocktail content on social media
What kind of rum to drink on a desert island
And much, much more.

As promised during the episode, there's a link in the show notes to Chris's Home Bartending Facebook Group, which you can join if you want a dedicated online space to talk about great drinks and get some pointers. So definitely check that out if you're interested, but for now, please enjoy my conversation with Chris Kiertz of socktails.co.

Episode 020 - Infinity Bottles Oct 12, 2017

Show notes

I sit down to chat with none other than Chad Robinson, who spearheads sales and distribution at Catoctin Creek Distillery, which means he gets to travel around the country talking to people about great spirits. He has also been known to enjoy a cocktail or two.

Some of the other things we cover include:

Chad's book of spirit-inspired poetry, entitled Gadabouts Abound
How to break the ice and build relationships in the world of craft spirits.
The art and science of blending whiskey, rum, brandy, and even amari (with generous tasting notes)
What to drink when you run into H.L. Menkin in Baltimore
And much, much more

Running into Chad at an event is always a treat, and it was a real blast to spend a few hours with him to record this episode. So please enjoy my spirited conversation with Chad Robinson.

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