It’s been a year (to the day), but the Speaking Easy Podcast is coming to you live through the airwaves again! First, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. To those who don’t but still have the day off, a merry day of drinkin’ to you! To those of you who have to work today, cheers to your after-work plan! That should cover everyone, but we hope you’re all well and imbibing responsibly and joyfully. When we announced a hiatus last December 25, we really didn’t know what the...

It’s the conclusion of another great year of the Speaking Easy Podcast, and we got into what’s become an annual tradition—having a one or two too many (which, believe it or not, is not our normal “being a better drinker” and having a conversation to ramble off our favorite episodes of the year, what we learned, and what we’re looking forward to.

This was a fun one for us to record, and it was the first time we recorded with a live audience! We had Jeff on our show the first time fairly early (Episode #022 – Interview with Jeff Cioletti, author of The Year of Drinking Adventurously), and he trusted us enough to a) hang out with us off the air and b) come back on the show. We set this date up to talk about Jeff’s newest release, The Drinkable Globe: The Indispensable Guide to the Wide World of Booze, where he merges two of the greatest...

Well, it must be of great surprise that we’d willingly and not compelled by a court somewhere submit ourselves to a vodka tasting, based on how we’ve typically treated vodka on this show (briefly, we’ve been quite dismissive). I mean, while the reliable Moscow Mule saves vodka from permanent banishment from our bars (well, at least Alex’s), it’s definitely not the first bottle we reach for. But when our good friend Eric Kozlik, the Chief Executive Officer and Supremely Cool Dude of the Modern...

This week Alex & Jordan answer a question we’ve gotten for our entire 2 years, and only ever answered in spurts: what bottle should I pick up? And we try to answer that question with a few of our favorite recurring bottles from our bars.

We know, we know—we haven’t done a wine episode. And this still isn’t it. But we felt that we owed our listeners some version of an episode dedicated to the fruit of the vine, in addition to our Sangria episode, and so we hope we came through with winetails.

While Alex really wanted to call this “Holiday-Drinkin’ #2 – Festive Boogaloo” in honor of the best movie about dancing ever (Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo), here is our second edition of Holiday cocktails. Seasons drinking!

We’re turning 100! No, that’s not about our age, but this is the Speaking Easy Podcast’s 100th episode! We’re so glad to have made it here, so we are celebrating—with dessert! Dessert cocktails can be a great punctuation to a great meal or a momentous occasion.

Blair Reynolds is a devoted drink aficionado and an innovative bartender and a well-loved bar owner based in Portland, Oregon. His dedication to sharing his passion for tropical libations and tiki culture is unmatched.

notes

It’s the SPOOKIEST time of the year—and we’re throwing parties! Classing it up a bit can be a bit of a task, but we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve.

More than an Amaretto Sour.

American Gin

While we don’t always suggest mixing caffeine and alcohol (Red Bull & Vodka is on the permanent “no way” list), coffee offers an intriguing flavor partner to many drinks. From vermouth to Amari, to all sorts of brown liquors, there’s a lot to offer.

Michael Veach was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2006. We talk bourbon, of course, and start to scratch the surface of its deep history.

In this week’s episode: We chat with Newman Miller, Chef-Owner of Star Hill Provisions at Maker’s Mark Distillery. Newman was born and raised in central Kentucky,  and went to culinary school in Louisville. After several years of cooking in Indiana, Scotland, and Chicago he returned to Kentucky to open his first restaurant. He is now chef-owner of Harrison-Smith House in Bardstown, and Star Hill Provisions at Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto. These restaurants are intimately connected to...

In this episode we chat with Dave Scheurich, Former Distiller at Woodford Reserve and Whisky Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, and Lisa Wicker, owner and principal at Saints and Monsters Distillery Consulting. The conversation was a lively one. Maybe even more lively than Alex and Jordan’s debates on simple syrup vs. sugar cubes. We can’t thank Dave and his wife Della enough for their hospitality while recording. On a Friday evening, they hosted us and had a wonderful time...

Happy Bourbon Heritage Month from the Speaking Easy Crew! We're going full bourbon this month, bringing you several episodes based on our favorite native spirit. Toast with us all month with episodes, amazing guests, and other features.

Where has all the rum gone?! Also, how did it take us until episode 89 to do a pure rum episode? We apologize.

We talk with Emma Janzen, author of Mezcal. Emma is a journalist, photographer, and editor based in Chicago, where she currently works as the digital content editor at Imbibe Magazine.

While a slushie machine is *probably* impractical for the home bartender, frozen drinks are fantastic for hot summer days. The great thing about Frozen cocktails for the home bartender is that you can experiment/hide mistakes easily.

This week on the Speaking Easy Podcast, Alex and Jordan head south for the border, to South America, to visit with one of the great unaged spirits of the globe, Pisco. This (typically) colorless brandy is made in Peru and Chile, and in the Peruvian version, made in pot stills, similar to scotch or Irish whiskey. And because it's made from grapes, the "terroir" of the region--the coastal areas of these countries play a role in the flavor. And in the United States, pisco had been drunk by...

While you may know of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, there are many other excellent brands to explore and more than enough cocktails to try them in.

Put on your best sundress or pastel colored slacks and grab a cold Pimm's Cup, before joining us out on the croquet field. No, not a pimp cup, a Pimm's Cup. What is a Pimm's Cup you ask? Let us tell you.