The Speakeasy

“Sustainable” and “Farm-to-Table” sound good on a business plan, in a press hit and on social media. But what does it actually mean for a bar to be sustainable? Fred Beebe has taken one approach, and focuses on sourcing almost everything at Post Haste in Philadelphia from east of the Mississippi. Fred sits down with Greg and Sother to unpack his decision to source most of the ingredients he uses from somewhere you can drive to in under 18 hours, what that means in terms of common bar ingredients (like lemons and limes) and what it’s like to open a Philly bar as a native New Yorker. PLUS, can I get that in a man’s glass? Greg and Sother unpack a patriarchal trend that’s once again rearing its ugly head, and how that relates to the future of unreasonable hospitality (as seen on “The Bear”!) Follow Post Haste at @posthastephilly LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars Bon Appetit’s piece on the end of unreasonable hospitality: bonappetit.com/story/will-guidara-unreasonable-hospitality-criticism For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Mixers have to fight an uphill battle to make an impression. They’re not as sexy as whiskey or gin, and if you’re starting a new company one question inevitably comes up: Does the world really need another tonic water? Fortunately David Vogel, the Founder & CEO of Badger Bevs has the answers. He sits down to talk about breaking into the business, the R&D required to get the quinine and citrus in his tonic just right, and how working for a pet food company gave him a secret edge in supply chain management PLUS, new bobbleheads just dropped, and Greg and Sother take a moment to reflect on one of their favorite regional traditions: the beloved local beer of, let’s say less than stellar quality. Follow Badger Bevs at @badger bevs LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

When Damola Timeyin co-founded Bayab Gin he set out to “put Africa on the world’s back bar.” Greg and Sother chat with Damola about what that entails, how his company is aiming to avoid the mistakes of colonialism, and what that means the gin in the bottle actually tastes like. Spoiler, one of his four gin expressions is absolutely bursting with pineapple flavor. PLUS, a beer heist and a new, slightly less simple way to make simple syrup. It’s news you can use! Follow Bayab at @bayabgin LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars Read Damola’s substack: theafricanflavourmanifesto.substack.com For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

What does it take to get consumers to try Vermouth straight? Not in a Negroni, or a Manhattan or a Martini, but by itself? And would it be any easier if you told them hey, that’s the way they drink it in Barcelona? Raj Nallapothola and Àlex Cardona, the co-founders of LAIE Vermouth join Greg and Sother for the first show of their fall season to discuss the native Catalan ingredients that make this bottle taste like home, why you should really just try vermouth by itself, and why putting it in a cocktail “ruins it.” PLUS, Greg and Sother catch up on the industry news from their time off the air, including AI in promotional posters and whether or not anyone is impressed with your guest shift. Follow LAIE at @laievermouth Follow Àlex at @aborigens Follow Raj at @ rajnallapothola LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

We're on summer break this week but we've got an announcement about the community we're building. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The minds behind World Gin Week, Philip Duff and Karl Finegan sit down with Greg and Sother to discuss the inaugural festival which took place this summer in New York City. They discuss the learnings from their first go-round, which was made possible in part by the fantastic staff at Ivory Peacock, their plans for world gin domination, and how to gently change the minds of folks who swear they don’t like gin. PLUS summer break is upon us and Greg is headed to Iceland. Find out what he’s traveling for and share some of your own summer travel stories with us on Instagram. Follow Philip at @philipsduff Follow Karl at @finegk Follow Ivory Peacock at @theivorypeacock Follow World Gin Week at @worldginweekofficial LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Nikki McCutcheon started working with Tao Group Hospitality when she was eighteen. Now she's the VP of Beverage in New York and her career has progressed from passing the level two somm exam, to designing cocktail menus, to opening a punk rock sake bar. She chats with Sother and Greg about what’s changed in the world of wine, how she and her team decide which drinks make it onto the menu, and how their tasty instagram snacks and Magnum Mondays work to bring guests (including Sother) through the doors. PLUS bars around the country are “benefitsmaxxing” by finding clever workarounds for healthcare and wealth inequality. Is it ingenuity, an indictment of a broken system, or both? LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Greg and Sother are live on the red carpet at Bartending’s Biggest Night! They speak to the winners of the 2026 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, including Amanda Gunderson and Travis Nass who took home Best Bar Mentor for their work with Another Round Another Rally, the team from Allegory in Washington, DC fresh off their win for World’s Best Cocktail Menu, Moe Aljaff from schmuck which snagged the plate for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar, and the inimitable David Wondrich after he was honored with the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award. PLUS Charlotte’s back to reflect on her time as a judge for the Spirited Awards, and she shares a life hack she wishes more people knew: that you can just nominate yourself! Follow Tales of the Cocktail at @tales_of_the_cocktail LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Next week David Muhs is going to open his cocktail bar Monkey Thief for the third time. He sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about the different incarnations of his concept, what he’s learned by opening the same bar three times in Hell’s Kitchen, and how the bar has been refined in the process. They also discuss the other concepts on that same street corner, including Rita’s a taco and margarita joint, Same Same Wine Bar and Sama Za, a pizza place that manages to pull of 90s nostalgia in a non-cringe way. PLUS Greg and Sother are safely returned from Tales! They talk about what they saw, what they learned, why their voices sound like late-stage Johnny Cash, and what sparked them at this year’s festival. Follow David at @muhsman Follow Monkey Thief at @monkeythiefbar Follow Sama ‘Za at @samaza_nyc Follow Same Same at @samesamewinebar LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Greg and Sother are back in the pool at Tales of the Cocktail 2026! On Day Four they’re joined by Shawn Lickliter and Vay Su, the owners of Vandell in Los Angeles which is up for best new cocktail bar at this year’s Spirited Awards. They discuss what makes Los Angeles different from New York City, their approach to inventing drinks (and when you cease tweaking a classic and start inventing something new) and what the incredible success of their bar has meant to them and their team. Then everyone gets a poolside spritz delivery, courtesy of Luxardo. PLUS Charlotte returns to talk about her career in the industry, going from bartender to brand rep to her current position at Tales, and what she’s looking forward to in the hospitality industry. Follow Shawn at @shawninverta Follow Vay at @bearandstone Follow Vandell at @vandell.losangeles Follow Luxardo at @luxardousa LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Greg and Sother are back in the pool at Tales of the Cocktail 2026! On Day Three they tough out tropical storm Bertha with Kate Gerwin, the owner of Albuqurque’s Happy Accidents and a Top Four Finalist for Best US Bar Mentor. Kate walks through her philosophy of bar mentorship, how her feelings on being a mentor have evolved over the years, and what it’s like to go from bartender to bar owner. Plus, she teases her new concept Bad Apple over some delicious apple brandy from Laird’s PLUS, Charlotte Voisey joins Greg and Sother to talk about the good work Tales of the Cocktail Foundation does behind the scenes. Follow Kate at @alchemistkate Follow Happy Accidents at @happyaccidentsbar Follow Laird’s at @lairdsapplejack LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Laird’s at lairdandcompany.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Greg and Sother are back in the pool at Tales of the Cocktail 2026! On Day Two they sit down with Taln Rojanavanich from Bar Us in Bangkok. Talk is up for three awards at this year’s spirited awards including Best Cocktail Menu, Best International Bar Team and Best International Cocktail Bar, presented by Gruppo Montenegro. They discuss the bar scene in Thailand, her approach to designing one of the best bars in the world, and what it feels like representing Asia at Tales of the Cocktail. And as a bonus, expect a lot of talk about Thai Street Food. PLUS, Charlotte Voisey joins Greg and Sother to talk about this year’s festival and how its theme, Spark, is inspiring her to inspire others. Follow Taln at @taln Follow Bar Us at @bar.us.bkk LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Learn more about Gruppo Montenegro at gruppomontenegro.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Greg and Sother are back in the pool at Tales of the Cocktail 2026! For the first day of Tales they’re joined by Libby Lingua from Highball in Phoenix, who’s a Spirited Award top four finalist for Best US Bartender, presented by Brown-Forman. Libby discusses the down-to-earth approach to bartending she’s cultivated at Highball (including a pony beer and hotdog combo) her time at Century Grand and its legacy of experiential bars, and how she deals with being recognized by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation as one of the best bartenders in the country. PLUS, Charlotte Voisey joins Greg and Sother to discuss her career working with the TotC foundation in New Orleans, and the Tuesday seminar that lights a spark in her. Follow Libby at @oolalibby Follow Highball at @highballphx LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance Learn more about Old Forester and Brown-Forman at brown-forman.com Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

A lot’s changed since Tommy Tardie opened the Flatiron Room in 2012. New York is different, guests are different… and Tommy’s expanded the business from a whiskey bar to an award-winning restaurant and jazz club, as well as to a second New York location and a third one coming soon in Miami. Tommy talks about lessons from the last decade and a half, including what he’s learned from amassing a massive whiskey collection, what being a type-A creative means for you as a business owner, and how a career in advertising prepared him for life as a bar owner. PLUS it’s Tales of the Cocktail time baby! Greg and Sother are going to be at the festival all next week poolcasting, so tune in for daily updates and more than a few drinks. Follow Tommy at @tommytardie Follow the bars at @theflatironroom_nomad, @theflatironroom_murrayhill and @theflatironroom_miami LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

How do you follow up one of the most acclaimed modern classic cocktail books of all time? By writing a modern book about classic cocktails, naturally. Toby Maloney and Emma Janzen sit down to talk about their new book “The Classic Cocktail Sessions” which Toby almost considers a prequel to their first collaboration “The Bartender’s Manifesto.” They talk about their creative process (including who’s a stricter editor), how the hospitality industry has changed since their first book, and why underrated drinks like the Hurricane and the White Russian deserve more respect than they get. PLUS, Greg’s running a promotion! Post a pic of yourself with a fresh bottle from Workhorse Rye or Modern Ancient Spirits AND Violet Crown Spirits, tag him and the podcast, and he’ll send you a free bottle of Quiote Imports Agave Nectar. Follow Emma at @emmajanzen Follow Toby at @tobycocktail Follow the book at @theclassiccocktailsessions LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Speakeasy is off this week BUT we have a special announcement. This show is an official media partner of Tales of the Cocktail 2026. Tune in for live updates from the festival and in the meantime enjoy this classic episode from Club Bardo in Savannah, Georgia. LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

What’s harder than building out and opening a new cocktail bar in Williamsburg Brooklyn? Building out and opening a new dance floor underneath the bar you just opened. That’s the task Patty Dennison & Ally Marrone set for themselves when they opened up Kinda Nice and Shenanigans earlier this year and in the next few months respectively. They sit down and talk about the buildout, what makes their partnership special and unique, and why they think the high/dive concept in bars has captured so many hearts and minds (and awards) over the last few years. PLUS, does it seem like those touchscreen soda machines are everywhere these days? Greg does a shallow deep dive into the history and mechanics of the coca-cola freestyle machine, including how they might be introducing dairy next, and how the answer to “are these things mining my data?” is exactly what you’d expect. Follow Kinda Nice at @kindanicebk Follow Ally at @alpal_625 Follow Patty at @pineapple_patt LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

How do you innovate in a world built on luxury and tradition? Justin Meade sits down to talk about how Maison Telmont is innovating to make sustainable champagne. That includes shipping their bottles only by sail power, redesigning the glass and the shape of the bottle itself to be lighter, and partnering with organizations like SailGP and the Billion Oyster Project to reduce their carbon footprint while still making great bubbles. Incidentally, the whole thing takes on kind of a nautical theme, which is a bonus. PLUS, Knicks in Five! Sports are heating up across the country but what does that mean for bars and liquor stores. Some people are betting big, but whether the fans show up remains to be seen. Follow Maison Telmont at @champagnetelmont LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The first issue of Imbibe Magazine hit store shelves twenty years ago in 2006. It was a fascinating time to be a drinks magazine because drinks – and magazines – have changed A LOT since then. Paul Clarke, Imbibe’s Editor in Chief sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about the last twenty years in the drinks publication’s history: from its Y2K roots to the heady days of the cocktail revolution in the 2010s to the bad situations we’ve all had to make the best of in 2020 and beyond. Paul gets into what has and hasn’t changed, what modern drinkers want in a cocktail program, and how it’s always important to make sure you’re serving your readers… and your listeners first. PLUS, Greg went to Canada and guess what’s in full swing up there? It begins with “summer” and ends with “sherry.” Follow Imbibe at @imbibe Follow Paul at @cocktailchron LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

How does a cocktail menu affect the layout of a bar? How does the floorplan inform your martini spec? These are questions that Matthew Maddy and Milos Zica, the Desinger and Beverage Manager of Williamsburg’s Bar Susanne have been puzzling out. They sit down to talk about designing a bar program almost from scratch, how you build a vibe and feel to a place, their love of raw bars, martinis and seafood towers, and how exactly one becomes a bar designer in the first place. PLUS, the robot bartenders are here and Greg is… unimpressed. Hear about the latest “tech” from Minneapolis/St. Paul airport as we kick off the Summer of Sherry! For real this time. Follow Bar Susanne at @barsusannenyc LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycalliance The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .