We talk with Alberto Vollmer CEO of Santa Teresa 1796 Rum, made in Venezuela.
Also a chat with Attaboy alum Zachary Pease at his new bar in Manhattan called My Friend Duke.

Photos taken at the My Friend Duke media party on July 30, 2019

Listen in to the Toast to Tales, hear about the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s  grant recipients for 2019 and hear about the Grey Goose Great Bar Race.  Also, we talk to Jonathan Pogash about his edition of Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide.

We speak with Raymond Edwards, Chief Mixologist for House of Angostura during Bar Convent Brooklyn.

Raymond’s passion for mixology, coupled with his innate curiosity, motivated him to take part in mixology competitions, and soon after he was crowned Triple National Bartending Champion of Trinidad and Tobago in 2006-2008 and Bartender of the Year (Taste of the Caribbean) in 2007. Raymond also won the People’s Choice Award at the ANGOSTURA Global Cocktail Challenge that same year. Recognizing his talent, the Caribbean Hotel Association inducted Raymond into their Hall of Fame in 2012.

His curiosity did not stop there. Having had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the industry’s top mixologists and developing an acute understanding of the fundamentals of spirits, Raymond decided to enroll in the World Spirits Academy, where he earned his certification as a Master of World Spirits.

Raymond is known for his unique creations including the “Saga Boy Mojito,” “The Trinidad Swizzle” and the “T’Amaro Morning.” Raymond enjoys leading Master Classes where he can educate and inspire bartenders and share his love of the craft.

After 12 years in the industry, Raymond’s philosophy on the role of the bartender can be summarized by three key qualities: “You must first understand the ingredients, then the consumer, and ultimately, you must have passion for your craft.”

Hey Bartender Journey Fam!
While the Team did take a sabbatical for the month of June, your liquid libations for the ears will resume soon as Brian preps for his annual pilgrimage to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail.,

Meanwhile, we are excited to announce the addition of Wayne Clarke as a regular contributor. to the Bartender Journey Podcast Team..
​While Wayne's professional focuses as an expert in the realm of cigars, as a spirits enthusiast,  he offers a unique perspective on taste and texture and a healthy respect for the hospitality industry. 
Check out his bio here.

This is Wayne's first article for the Bartender Journey Podcast. Photos below are his.
Feedback welcome!

Indie Spirits Expo in New York City, Penn Club - June 10, 2019
by Wayne Clarke

Oh, the anticipation!

While anxiously waiting in line to give my name and retrieve my tasting glass at the 2019 New York Indie Spirits Expo, I could feel the excitement building. It was in the air. Waiting for me upstairs were 150 different small batch distillers in one room. For a lover of fine spirits, this was to be a sublime experience. Let the fun begin.
​
Immediately upon ascending the spiral staircase to the top floor of the Penn Club in Midtown, my senses were overloaded with the sights, smells and sounds of whiskey glasses clanking, conversation and camaraderie. I could tell already-this event was not going to be your average tasting.  There was no pretentiousness, no egos, no snobbery. This was an event for people who truly love small batch spirits! Kudos to the event planner for ensuring that the venue wasn’t too packed with people, giving each individual ample opportunity to chat it up and network with brand ambassadors about their craft.

My tasting began with a bang, as I went straight for one of my personal favorite bourbons, Widow Jane. I started with their standard ’10 Yr Bourbon Whiskey’. Flavors of vanilla and caramel, together with an aroma of spice and cinnamon make this bourbon perfect for any newbie. Next I moved on to something totally different and tasted their ‘American oak and Applewood Aged’ Rye. Incredibly complex and unique with an ever so subtle hint of applewood flavor. You pick up tiny hints of smokiness and perhaps even dried tobacco. As the resident cigar guy, this is the perfect whisky to pair with any medium-bodied cigar you may have in your humidor. 

As I made my way around the tasting room, trying as many different spirits as possible, a few more stood out to me. One of which, I had never heard of. I had the pleasure of meeting David Woods, President of Wiggly Bridge Distillery, based in my home state of Maine. David explained to me that they make their whiskey, vodka and gin in very small batches using a 60 gallon, handmade, copper pot still. I tried their ‘Small Barrel Bourbon’ and it was simply incredible. Artfully balanced and subtle, but full of flavor on the finish. I can say with confidence that this would make a great cocktail, or tastes lovely straight up, neat. If you can find it, I highly recommend giving Wiggly Bridge Bourbon, Rum, and Vodka a shot as your next adult beverage. You can find out more about the Woods family and their distillery on their website: http://wigglybridgedistillery.com/distillery/spirits

Overall, what an incredible night this was! I would recommend any consumer check out this expo when it rolls around next year! It was fantastic to discover so many distilleries that were completely unknown to me, and that’s what makes this event unique. The usual big goliaths stayed home, and for one night, the little guy shined at Penn Club in Manhattan. 

Don't let those darn Fruit Flies take over you bar!  Give them an inch and they will take a mile!  There is a lot you can do to prevent them from flourishing.  Here's some things you can do:

• No standing water, anywhere!
• All drains including floor - sanitizer
  
• Plug beer taps
• Clean and plug beer drip tray
• Rinse and store empty beer bottles
  
• Cover liquor bottles
• Wipe down bottles
• Clean soda gun
• Bar mats must be clean
  
• Keep garnishes covered and cold.  Wash fruit before cutting.
• Don’t be surprised if fruit flies feed on the residue remaining on damp mops, moist cleaning rags and sponges, or near buckets of wastewater.
• Bottom of trash cans?
  
• Last resort - traps
  
  

Creating cocktails since 1997 at some of the top resorts on the West Coast, Amin Benny ("Benny") also known as The Bar Host, has definitely earned his position within the cocktail community.

After over a decade as a bartender in Las Vegas, Nevada at Caesars Palace and Mandalay Bay, Benny returned to his native home in Southern California.
He joined the United States Bartenders’ Guild ("USBG") and noticing there was a need for Orange County (previously the only chapters were Los Angeles and San Diego), pitched, promoted and established the   where he became the founder and President of the  USBG Orange County, complete with a Press Release announcing its creation..

​We chat with Benny about the rigorous bartending training required to work on "The Strip" (including the Nevada certified training), flair bartending and high volume. as well as other things like barrel aged cocktails, maintaining a room's presence, cocktail creation and the parallel between chefs and bartenders as Tribes of Fire and Ice.  

We also welcome Benny officially to the Bartender Journey Podcast team as  a regular contributor and de facto West Coast rep.bartender advocate!

On this week's Episode No. 277, Brian chats with Chad Arnholt and Claire Sprouse of ​Tin Roof Drink Community about green practices for sustainability in the cocktail industry in honor of Earth Day, April 22nd.

In 2016, Chad and Claire's efforts were recognized at Tales of the Cocktail with the first Sustainable Spirit Sward and hosted the first Sustainability Summit at Tales in 2017.

For past outtakes on sustainability in the cocktail industry on the Bartender Journey Podcast,, listen to 
Bartender Journey Episode No. 166  featuring a sample from a Sustainability Seminar from Tales 2015 with Mr. Lyan  (Ryan Chetiyawardana), who opened the first cocktail bar in 2013 to use nor perishables (i.e. no fruit, no ice), White Lyan in London and
Bartender Journey Episode No. 219, You are Throwing Away Money!.

Share Your Green Methods!
What do you do at your bar to help promote sustainability? Comment below or email us at the Bartender Journey Podcast.

Our sponsor is CAKE  POS.
Find our special link for our Bartender Journey listeners at trycake.com/bartender. You can get $750 off the activation fee. That's a 75% discount.  Go to trycake.com/bartender  and request a demo!  Or just go take a look. 

Benny's Review
Drink is an extensive journey through cocktails and everything it takes to make them. Beautifully laid out with elegant photography, this manual has everything you will need to make some mixing magic. For beginners, it may come across as slightly intimidating, but after flipping through it, you realize the writing style is instructional for you to enjoy. For moderate to advanced professional bartenders that have mastered the basics, this is a perfect step to continue your journey; you may get cool ingredients out of it, learn interesting stories, and read important interview.
Within this guide lays 1,100 recipes, the history of cocktails, how spirits are created, and information on the brands that propel those spirits. It showcases some of the coolest cocktail bars and interviews with the leaders that drive them. This is more than a book of cocktail recipes, it is a storybook bringing it all together.

Hazel's Review
Opening up the package, my first thought looking at Drink was “Encyclopedia Cocktalia!”. But don’t let this massive bohemoth of a book intimidate you! As a home bartender humbled enough to be in the constant company of Professional Bartenders, besides the gorgeous layout and over 1,000+ recipes, I was pleased to see that content gives the average person a peek into cocktail culture industry whether it’s a sidebar explaining Negroni Week, a cameo of a bar such as Bar Hemingway in Paris or in-depth interviews (“Industry Insiders”).
Going beyond the average cocktail book, there are sections on the role of ice in a cocktail, infusions and its impact on mocktails (which “live and die on taste alone”),shrubs,and a dedicated chapter to flask cocktails (!)
This book makes a great addition to your shelf and is a fun and informative read about spirits and cocktails Kurt’s own journey through bartender culture.  ​

COMMUNITY 
One of the best things about being a bartender in New York is community.
​
In May 2018, Bartender Chris Reed of Bar Goto in the Lower East Side was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal

cord. Since the diagnosis, Chris has been attempting to continue to work as much as he can but his health has been rapidly deteriorating. Bar Goto owner, Kenta Goto and his team have started a GoFundMe page. 
Please donate to the GoFundMe if you can. and/or share the link with others.
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” – Helen Keller

EVENTS AND Such
TONIGHT in BROOKLYN
Say hello to Hazel Alvarado and taste a dram of the Single Malt French Whisky Brenne at tonight's Whiskey Extravaganza in Brooklyn. Don't have a ticket? Women Who Whiskey has been kind enough to extend their 20% discount to friends of WWW members, code WW20. Visit bit.ly/2Daz3UL for tix! 

BAR METHODS
Applications are STILL open for the 2019 session to be held on August 25-28th at the Park South Hotel in NYC.
Admission cost once approved is only $200 and covers instructor led focused courses, hotel accommodations, and meals. (You will need to cover your own travel fees.)

On this week's Episode No. 275 Brian chats with Keli Rivers of Sipsmith Gin in honor of National Gin & Tonic Day, Tuesday, April 9 2019. and chats about gin things such as

• The distillation of gin for gin beginners
• The definition of London Dry Gin
• Distillery legislation in London
• Sipsmith as the first copper pot distillery in London in 200 years with 3 founders, 4 cooper pot stills, and 5 distillers 
• Sipsmith's unique basket 
• Sipsmith's latest expression, Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle is an homage to both England's love for Lemon Drizzle Cake and Victorian era 1900s gin.
• 2/3 of all classic cocktails are made with gin

Fun Keli Facts

• Bay Area born (Oakland), European raised and returned to San Francisco before moving to New York for Sipsmith
• Lived in every continent but Antarctica
• First bartending job was in Tokyo

​

Have an idea for an episode? Click here to submit your idea to us!​

Watch this video on Mindful Bartending from Gaz Regan!

BARTENDER BACK TO SCHOOL!

Bar Methods is an annual  4 day intensive bartending course.of which Brian was part of the inaugural class. Listen to ourBar Methods Back To School Episode No. 180 for his insight on the experience.
Applications are now open for the 2019 session to be held on August 25-28th at the Park South Hotel in NYC.
Admission cost once approved is only $200 and covers instructor led focused courses, hotel accommodations, and meals. (You will need to cover your own travel fees.)

Our Sponsor this week is CAKE  POS. Bartender Journey friends can get a 75% discount ($750 off the activation fee) by visiting this link and requesting a demo!

I recently attended a huge wine show at the Javitz Center in Manhattan called VinExpo.
There were 1000’s of wines to try, plus a few spirits – I had some wonderful whiskey from France called Half Moon.

There were also classes and seminars. I attended a seminar sponsored by the Riedel company who makes beautiful glassware – mostly wine glasses.

In fact we use Riedel wine glasses at the Private Club where I work. The purpose of this seminar was to show that the glass has a substantial influence on your experience drinking the wine. Of course these glasses look beautiful, so that’s a great start. They feel great when you pick them up and are perfectly balanced…we all know to hold a wine glass by the stem yes? In fact it was said in the seminar “if a glass has a stem, use it!” This is of course so that you do not warm up your wine or whatever beverage with your body heat.

This week on the podcast we talk  with Anne Koziara from Riedel, who gave the seminar,

Our sponsor this week is CAKE POS from Sysco.

CAKE is the Point of Sale system that lets bar & restaurant owners focus on the guest experience. Stop worrying about tracking every sale  - CAKE does that for you.

CAKE is the Point of Sale system that lets bar & restaurant owners focus on the guest experience. Stop worrying about tracking every sale  - CAKE does that for you. You can automatically save information and review it later, from anywhere. That means maybe as the manager or owner can maybe actually take days off, which can be pretty rare in the restaurant business.

No matter where you are, you can check in on daily reports and know they’ll be up to date.
To get started with CAKE, check out trycake.com/bartender. For our Bartender Journey listeners, you can get $750 off the activation fee. That's a 75% discount. Go to trycake.com/bartender and request a demo!

Please feel free to get in touch with me via email with any questions, content suggestions, etc. for any reason. 

Toast:
May we always part with great regret
and meet again with pleasure.