Dan Aykroyd can make you laugh at any moment.    His comedic sense of timing, of course, has been honed from his years on Saturday Night Live and his roles in a long list of smash-hit movies, including Ghostbusters, Spies Like Us and the Blues Brothers. But when it comes to his Crystal Head Vodka brand, he’s as educational as he is entertaining. This is no vanity project or fluffy celebrity endorsement.   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, Aykroyd joins co-hosts...

Thankfully 2020 is finally drawing to a close. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss what they are planning to drink during the rest of the year and the appeal of starting the new year out with a run. They are also joined by Knob Creek® ambassadors Amanda Gunderson and Tim Heuisler to chat about a new jogging program for professional bartenders that they are helping to organize, which starts on February 28 and...

We have all certainly earned a decadent treat this holiday season. While you could whip up a big bowl of Eggnog, there’s another traditional (and no-less rich) concoction we recommend: Hot Buttered Rum. This delicious mix of dark rum, hot water and—you guessed it—butter is historic and delightfully appropriate for the season. On this episode of the podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by award-winning Half Full columnist Wayne Curtis to debate the...

Scotland has claimed ownership of single malt whiskey for years. But the spirit is now made around the world, including in the U.S., which boasts a thriving industry of its own. Can Scotland maintain its supremacy in the face of ever more competition?   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Matt Hoffman, co-founder, managing director, and head distiller of Westland Whiskey; Becky Paskin, award-winning Half Full...

In December of 1935, America’s whiskey industry was on life support. While Prohibition was finally over, the future for distillers was, to say the least, incredibly bleak. After 13 long years of being out of business, would people still want to drink bourbon and rye? Would the Great Depression ever end? Would the temperance movement succeed in getting Prohibition reinstated? In the midst of these turbulent times, entrepreneurs saw an opportunity. The Shapira family, which ran a small...

It takes courage to create cocktails with older whiskies, but it’s more than worth the effort. To help you overcome your fears of ruining a dram, on this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum share some tips and advice for using mature spirits in mixed drinks along with a chaser of spirited history. They are also joined by Knob Creek® ambassadors Amanda Gunderson and Tim Heuisler who offer insights and their favorite recipes...

For far too long, hot cocktails have been lumped in with dessert drinks and made increasingly sweeter with honey, sugar, cider and even ice cream. But the classic recipes for these steaming concoctions are, in fact, not overly sweet—and quite delicious. So delicious, in fact, that it’s time to give hot cocktails another shot. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origins of these warming cocktails and how they...

Once upon a time, there were bourbon drinkers and there were rye whiskey drinkers. You couldn’t be both. When the rye industry fell apart in the second half of the 20th century and its distilleries, located in the mid-Atlantic states, faltered and ultimately disappeared, an unexpected savior stepped in: bourbon distillers. As a result, rye has been made in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country for decades. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David...

Dale DeGroff is a storyteller, teacher, mentor, bon vivant and consummate host. He is also responsible for changing how people around the world drink by starting the modern golden age of cocktails. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by DeGroff to talk about the new edition of his seminal book, The Craft of the Cocktail, and what’s next for cocktails and spirits. So fix yourself a drink and listen to this...

The coronavirus pandemic has managed to affect nearly every facet of life in America. Bars are certainly not exempt and the industry will find itself dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic for years to come.  So how will this unprecedented period change the layout of bars and how they function? On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Alexis Brown from Chicago, Ivy Mix from New York,...

During times like these, how are bars across the country changing their drinks menus? Is it better to go with tried-and-true classics or to offer innovative and creative concoctions? On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Claire Sprouse from New York, Erick Castro from San Diego and Omar Yeefoon from Dallas—about what folks want to drink now and how the pandemic has changed the thought...

If there was ever a time to have a glass of bourbon, now is it.  Back in 2007, Congress passed a resolution declaring September National Bourbon Heritage Month. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon, to talk about why the month-long holiday was created and how to properly celebrate it. So fix yourself a glass of bourbon and listen to this episode of Life Behind...

If hiring, training and managing a staff is one of the hardest parts of running a bar, try doing it during a pandemic. On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Ryan Fitzgerald from San Francisco, Anu Apte from Seattle and Derek Brown from Washington, D.C.—about their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic and how their roles and management styles have evolved.  So mix yourself a drink...

Bartenders and bar owners are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. And one of the greatest challenges facing them today is getting their customers to wear face masks.  On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Neal Bodenheimer from New Orleans, Alex Jump from Denver and Masa Urushido from New York—about this important issue. They discuss how patrons have reacted to wearing masks in...

Thanks to coronavirus closures, cities across the country have now allowed bars and restaurants to offer customers to-go drinks. On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Karl Franz Williams from New York, Christine Wiseman from Los Angeles, and Andrew Volk from Maine—about this important change in the bar industry. They discuss the new-found skills required to create to-go cocktails, as well...

The Martini and the Manhattan are two of the bedrock drinks that hold up the entire world of cocktails.   While both have their own lore, mythology and fans, they in fact may be essentially the same drink. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origins of both drinks and how they evolved into distinct recipes.   So mix yourself a Manhattan or a Martini and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!   Life...

On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Garrett Oliver, the head brewer at the Brooklyn Brewery. He recently became the founding board chair of the new Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling, which is named for the late legendary beer and whiskey writer. They discuss with Oliver his organization’s scholarship and mentorship program for black, indigenous, and people of color, and how he hopes these...

The coronavirus has the potential to decimate bars across America. Already a number of well-known establishments have announced that they won’t reopen and many others are struggling to stay afloat during these challenging times.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Nate Whitehouse, co-founder of Thirst, to talk about his organization’s efforts to get insurance companies and the federal government to help bars...

David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum, the co-hosts of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, share the bars they wish were still open: From a pioneering 18th-century punch house to Jerry Thomas’ legendary New York bar to Dale DeGroff shaking up drinks in the Rainbow Room to the recently closed Pegu Club.    Their virtual bar crawl across centuries and continents covers the establishments that they have long dreamt of visiting, as well as some modern personal favorites that are no more. Which...

After months of sheltering in place, David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum, co-hosts of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, are daydreaming about visiting their favorite bars around the world. Listen in as they plan a bar crawl for the ages, which will hit New York, New Orleans, Detroit, Miami, Havana, Tequila, London, Paris and spots in between. Did they miss your favorite establishment? Let the hosts know on Twitter what bar you’d like to visit right now.  So fix yourself a cocktail...

After weeks of being closed for a mandatory coronavirus shutdown, bars in New Orleans have begun to reopen with limited capacity.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Neal Bodenheimer, owner of James Beard Award-winning Nola bar Cure, to talk about his recent experiences reopening and the challenges that he’s had to overcome.   So fix yourself a Sazerac and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars....

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, liquor store sales are up across the country with many folks fixing cocktails at home.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the return of America’s nightly cocktail hour and what people are mixing up. They also discuss the long-term effects of the coronavirus on the bar industry and how it might change after this pandemic is finished.    So mix yourself a drink and listen to...

What happens when two committed bar flies can’t go to a bar?  Find out on this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars. While sheltering in place at their respective homes, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the history of drinking during plagues and some of the cocktail cures that were created and popularized. (Spoiler alert: Rock and Rye doesn’t actually protect you from tuberculosis.)  So fix yourself a drink and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars....

From the Hurricane to the Hand Grenade to the Shark Attack, some of the world’s most potent cocktails call Bourbon Street home. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the drinking culture of this famous New Orleans street. They are joined by acclaimed Half Full columnist and NOLA resident Wayne Curtis to discuss these infamous drinks and their creators. So fix yourself a cocktail and listen to this episode of Life...

You should really have a whiskey today—but better make it a bottled-in-bond whiskey. Why? Congress enacted the Bottled-in-Bond Act on March 3, 1897, which set a new standard for American whiskey and ushered in a new era of consumer protections. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum, discuss the history of these important federal regulations and their modern implications. Wondrich and Rothbaum are joined by Beau Beckman, who...