The Curious Bartender Podcast

Mathieu Sabbagh spent fifteen years navigating the corporate corridors of Pernod Ricard, working on the relaunches of absinthe and Suze, before packing it in, driving around France looking for something real, and ending up buying a mobile still in Beaune. He's now the sole travelling distiller in Burgundy, running Alambic Bourguignon and his own label Sab's — and in this episode we pull apart how that happened and why it matters. We talk about the slow industrial death of France's once-thriving network of mobile distilleries, the customs regulations that govern when a still is allowed to run, and the three-pot preheating system that means someone has to be up at 4am during distilling season. Mat explains the difference between Marc de Bourgogne and Fin de Bourgogne, why Burgundy's grapes (Pinot noir and Chardonnay harvested at full maturity) make a fundamentally different spirit to cognac or Armagnac, and how he sources wine barrels from some of the most sought-after producers on earth because, quite simply, they're next door. We taste through an extraordinary range: four gins (including a navy strength, a barrel-aged expression and one infused with Pinot pomace), aged Marc and Fin finished in Islay whisky and mezcal casks, and three unaged fruit eaux-de-vie from apricot, mirabelle and pear. The conversation keeps circling back to the same idea: a great spirit is just great ingredients honestly handled.Find Mathieu and the full Sab's range at alambic-bourguignon.com.

Franz-Arthur MacElhone is the fourth-generation custodian of Harry's New York Bar, the legendary Paris institution founded in 1911 when its original Manhattan fittings were shipped across the Atlantic. His great-grandfather Harry MacElhone — a young Scotsman who arrived in Paris via Ciro's in London — bought the bar in 1923, put his name above the door, and set about building one of the most consequential addresses in cocktail history. Franz now runs the bar day to day, oversees its social media, has opened a second Harry's Bar, and has recently revived the International Bar Flies — Harry's original membership society.In this episode, recorded inside the bar itself, we work through the cocktails that made Harry's a cornerstone of the canon: the Bloody Mary (anchored by a 1967 Newsweek interview as the key documentary evidence), the Sidecar, the White Lady in both its original and better-known gin form, and the French 75 — originally made with Calvados, named after a piece of WWI artillery, and still the bar's best-seller. We also dig into Harry MacElhone as a personality: a WWI Royal Flying Corps pilot, a gifted self-promoter who distributed crying towels and earplugs during the 1929 financial crash, and — as Franz argues — someone who invented marketing before marketing was even really a word. Franz reflects on what it means to be born into that legacy: the daily responsibility of keeping 115-year-old American mahogany in good repair, serving 600 cocktails a day, and running through thousands of bottles of Cognac a year, while living by the philosophy he has coined to capture the whole thing: traditionally inventive.🥃 Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout - ☕ Get 15% off the best coffee liqueur I have tried at Algebra Drinks with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails

Kami Newton is a flavour expert, sensory analyst, and founder of Sensory Advantage, whose career took him from wine shelves at Oddbins to leading tasting panels at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society — and eventually to one of the most fascinating corners of the drinks world: the gap between chemistry and perception.This is one of the most illuminating conversations about flavour we've ever had on the show. Kami unpacks why the drinks industry has become extraordinarily good at talking about technical production while almost entirely ignoring how chemistry becomes experience — and why that matters enormously for how people engage with spirits. We explore flavour as a cross-modal, non-conscious construct involving all of the senses; why tasting notes are snapshots of a movie that's constantly changing; how genetics, mood, environment and even your microbiome shape what you taste; and why the real difference between a novice and an expert taster is fundamentally about language, not sensitivity.Sponsored by Denver & Liely whose whisky tasting glass will level up your flavour experience - get 15% of their glassware with this linkFollow Kami on Instagram:

Padraig Fox has spent 21 years at Guinness, starting out as a tour guide at the Storehouse in Dublin and working his way through sales, quality, and trade before landing the title of Global Brand Ambassador.In this episode, Padraig takes us deep into the world of Guinness: what's behind the brand's remarkable recent surge in popularity, the surprisingly exacting science of pouring the perfect pint, and why the two-part pour is a hill Padraig is prepared to die on. We get into the history: Arthur Guinness's audacious 9,000-year lease on a rundown Dublin brewery in 1759, the switch from ale to Porter recorded on a single turned-over page of a recipe book, and the Welshman who quietly invented draught Guinness in a London lab. We also explore how a brand that refused to advertise for 150 years eventually gave the world the toucan, the surfer ad, and the Guinness Book of Records. And what it actually means to pour the same beer consistently from Dublin to Astana.Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout - https://denverandliely.comGet 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS1500:00 Why is Guinness Having a Moment? Taste, Look, Quality03:50 Arthur Guinness’ 9000 Year Lease, Bringing Porter to Dublin, The Difference Between Stout & Porter07:30 The Size of the Guinness Today09:05 Guinness Variants: Guinness Original, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Draught Guinness, Innovation Products, Foreign Markets11:42 Ingredients for Guinness: Roasted Barley, Malt, Hops, Yeast14:35 Why Is Guinness Creamy? Introducing Nitrogen Gas, What Nitrogen Does to Flavour17:00 Why Is Guinness Poured in Two Parts?18:30 Where is Guinness Brewed?19:40 What Temperature Should Guinness Be Served At? Guinness Extra Cold21:50 What is the Correct Mix of Gas for Guinness?23:30 The Secret to A Great Tasting Pint of Guinness: Line Hygiene 27:00 The Correct Glass for Guinness31:35 The Cult of Guinness, Discernment & Taste Acquisition35:20 Best Guinness in Dublin37:30 Why Is the Irish Bar Exported? Difference to British Pub, Balancing Irishness42:00 Guinness Advertising: The Surfer, the Toucan, Evolution Ad47:45 Association with Rugby & Other Sports49:45 Guinness Goes Viral51:02 Guinness 0.0 - Production, Scale53:20 Guinness Book of Records55:20 Is the Trend for Guinness Sustainable?56:20 The Opengate Brewery: Innovation, Nitrogen Foreign Extra Stout, Barrel Aged Guinness59:00 Being the Guinness Brand Ambassador1:00:00 The Guinness Storehouse Experience1:01:40 Is Guinness a Craft Beer?📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne are the co-founders of London Cocktail Week and the Pinnacle Guide. Having launched London Cocktail Week 16 years ago, they have built one of the drinks industry's most recognised consumer-facing events, taking it through multiple ownership structures - from its origins under Simon Difford, through the Whisky Exchange and Pernod Ricard — before buying it back outright in January 2026. Together with business partner Dan Dove, they also created the Pinnacle Guide, a Michelin-inspired rating system that awards one, two, or three pins to bars across 14 countries and counting.In this conversation, Hannah and Siobhán talk about the decision to move London Cocktail Week from October to March, how the event has evolved from its early days of London buses and pop-up bars in Seven Dials to a more purpose-driven celebration of bartenders and bar culture. They go deep on the Pinnacle Guide — its two-year consultation process, the extensive application form, how bars are assessed and reviewed, and the deliberate "skew of kindness" built into the system. They also reveal Curate Your City, a new venture that will offer a turnkey framework for anyone to create their own multi-venue festival in any industry, anywhere in the world. Plus, some quick questions from Jake Burger at the end on the golden age of UK bartending.https://londoncocktailweek.com/https://www.thepinnacleguide.com/Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout Get 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/00:00:00 Introduction00:02:12 London Cocktail Week: 16 Years and Counting00:03:09 Taking Back Full Ownership00:04:12 Moving LCW from October to March00:08:04 How London Cocktail Week Has Changed00:10:31 The Cocktail Village Era00:14:38 Wristbands, Guidebooks and Building Community00:17:01 The Evolution of London's Cocktail Scene00:21:21 The Ownership Journey: Difford, Whisky Exchange and Pernod Ricard00:24:43 Burnout, the Pandemic and Pivoting00:27:36 What's Next for LCW in 202700:33:14 Introducing the Pinnacle Guide00:38:50 The Scoring System and "Skew of Kindness"00:43:21 Reviewers: Industry Pros and Interested Amateurs00:48:48 How the Application Form Elevates the Industry00:54:48 Global Expansion: 146 Bars Across 14 Countries00:57:36 How the Pinnacle Guide Will Make Money01:05:53 Curate Your City: A New Venture for Festival Creators01:14:52 The Hannah and Siobhán Partnership01:16:19 Is the Golden Age of UK Bartending Behind Us?

Agostino Perrone is the Director of Mixology at The Connaught Bar in London — one of the most acclaimed bar programmes in the world, and the only bar to have featured in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since its inception, claiming the top spot in both 2020 and 2021. Originally from Lake Como in northern Italy, Ago moved to London in 2003 and worked his way through the city's bar scene — from Dusk in Battersea to the beloved neighbourhood bar Montgomery Place in Notting Hill — before being approached in 2008 to launch and lead the newly reimagined Connaught Bar. What followed is nothing short of a legacy: he has been recognised as Industry Icon at the World's 50 Best Bars 2022, Best International Bar Mentor at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2023, and in 2024 saw the publication of The Connaught Bar book with Phaidon. He is also an accomplished fine art photographer, with exhibitions across Europe and beyond.On the episode we explore what it really means to build something that lasts. Ago takes us through the philosophy of Italian hospitality, how growing up in a culture of community, generosity, and warmth provides a natural foundation for world-class service, and why those soft skills translate seamlessly to the highest stages in the world. We discuss patience as a professional virtue in an industry increasingly driven by speed and visibility, and how the slow, organic accumulation of experience ultimately wins out over ambition alone. We get into the famous Connaught Martini Trolley — its origins, its evolution, and the clever way it turns flavour into a conversation about how a guest is actually feeling. We talk about the balance between creativity and innovation, the symbiotic relationship between a bartender and their bar, what it takes to build a team that endures, and how to stay mentally healthy when awards and recognition start reshaping your world. Ago also reflects on photography as meditation, legacy as mentorship, and what he would say to his younger self walking into the Connaught Bar for the very first time.Be sure to check out The Connaught Bar book, published by Phaidon, and follow Ago's photography work on Instagram @agodragos @a_perrone_photographyhttps://www.the-connaught.co.uk/bars/connaught-barGet 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout - https://denverandliely.comGet 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/00:00 Watering the Plants of Opportunity03:10 Paying Attention - Learning the Basics, 50,000 Hours06:10 The Vision of The Connaught, Changing Fashions08:40 Montgomery Place: Inspiration & Style12:00 Fundamentals of Hospitality & Italian Culture, Generosity, Patience22:10 The Relationship Between Bar & Bartender, Understanding Business Needs, Humility29:30 The Martini Trolley: Bitters, Menu Development in 2008, Theatre38:00 Creativity: Evolution of the Connaught, Innovation, Beauty in Bars, Theatre in Pouring & Ice49:05 The History of The Connaught Hotel & Connaught Bar50:37 A Home Away From Home55:50 Longevity, Consistency, Enjoyment, Sustainability, Approach to Awards1:10:02 Recruitment at The Connaught1:13:10 Visual Content at The Connaught1:18:40 What Brings You Joy? Photography as a Snapshot of Life, Exhibitions, Art, Meditation1:27:05 Advice To Your Younger Self

Tom Oliver is one of the UK’s most respected cider and perry makers, based in Herefordshire. A farmer first and foremost, he works with traditional orchards, rare varieties and long, slow fermentations to produce some of the most expressive cider and perry in the country. His approach is hands-on, low intervention, and deeply rooted in place.In this conversation we get into why perry is so difficult to make well. From awkward fruit that sinks instead of floats, to tannins that can return in bottle, to fermentations that refuse to behave. Tom explains why you can do everything “right” and still end up fighting nature. And why that struggle is exactly what gives great perry its depth.We get into the agricultural reality of managing orchards across the full calendar year, from winter pruning and wassailing through to blossom, pollination, frost risk and the impact of drought. Tom explains why perry pears demand extraordinary patience. Some can take up to twenty years before yielding properly, yet once established they may live and produce for centuries. That long view shapes everything.We also discuss fire blight and the very real threat it poses to traditional pear trees, along with the biannual nature of cropping, shifting climate patterns and the hard economics of growing fruit in Herefordshire. It is a precarious balance between agriculture, time and cashflow.On the production side, we explore wild fermentation and the idea of house character. Where does the yeast really come from. The fruit, the air, or the buildings themselves. We talk about why cider can ferment for months, sometimes right through winter, and how that slow, unmanaged process builds complexity you simply do not get in rapid fermentations.From there we move into keeving, residual sugar and bottle conditioning, and how sweetness, tannin and acidity can be structured with intent rather than correction. We debate blending versus single variety bottlings, and whether the romance of a named orchard fruit sometimes overshadows the craft and judgement of the blender.Finally, we look at premium cider as an alternative to wine. Not just in theory, but at the table. Can cider outperform wine with food. And if it can, why is it still fighting for that recognition.Along the way we taste a still, barrel-aged perry that would sit comfortably alongside white Burgundy, and debate whether apples suffer from over-familiarity. If they grow everywhere, do we take them for granted?https://oliversciderandperry.co.uk00:00 The Incredible Challenges of Making Perry, Perry as Route Into Premium Cider05:50 Cider & Perry as an Alternative to Beer & Wine, Respect09:30 Managing an Orchard: Traditional vs Bush, Tree & Fruit Development, Harvesting, Yield, Fire Blight32:30 A Year of Cider Making: Wassail, Pruning, Weather, Climate Change, Foxwell Apple, Fermentation & Yeast*, Blending53:40 Tasting Eskimo Eyes Still Perry - Barrel Ageing56:30 Keeving - Process, Purpose, Tannin & Sweetness & Alcohol1:08:40 Filtration. Pasteurisation & Bottling, Bottle Fermented Perry1:12:40 Cider Regions: Hereford & Somerset1:16:00 Single Variety Cider vs. Blends, Intention of the Cider Maker, Oliver’s Orchard Variites1:23:00 Origin Stories: Why Become a Cider & Perry Maker?1:26:00 The Search for Good Eau de Vie, Apple Pommeau, Royal Cider, Development of Cider Brandy📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

The Temperley family oversee the Somerset Cider Brandy Company, which became the UK's first independent distillery in living memory when it commenced operations in 1987. Thus, for almost 40 years, the Temperley family have been committed to reviving and preserving England’s traditional apple spirits. They have planted and maintained orchards with over 100 apple varieties, and earned a coveted Protected Geographical Indication for their cider brandy. Matilda handles day‑to‑day operations and looks to the future, while her father Julian draws on decades of craft knowledge and a passion for Somerset’s agricultural heritage.In this wide‑ranging conversation, we trace the fascinating history of cider brandy in England: how clandestine stills and museum licences paved the way for the Temperleys to become the country’s first licensed craft distillers. We explore the family’s deep connection to their land: planting pear and oak trees for generations yet to come, fostering a "if we don't grow it we don't use it" policy, and championing the unique character of Somerset’s smallholdings. Matilda and Julian explain the strict rules they set to mirror Calvados production, their use of Coffey stills to retain fruit character, and the impact of different casks, from sherry and port to locally coopered Somerset oak.Along the way we taste through their range, from perfumed eau‑de‑vie to five and ten‑year cider brandys, and the dessert‑style Pomona. We also discuss the romance and pragmatism of running a family farm, and hear how collaborations with whisky makers like Glenfiddich showcase the versatility of cider‑brandy casks. The episode concludes with reflections on the meaning of “craft,” the challenges of taxation and regulation, and what the future holds for Somerset’s apple‑spirit tradition.00:00 Why Make Cider Brandy? Cider, Heritage, Pride07:30 Where Does Cider Brandy Fit Into the Cider World09:15 Origins of Somerset Cider Brandy: Local Tradition, French Tradition14:22 Licensing a Cider Brandy Distillery in the 1980s - Bertrand Bulmer, Precedent, Customs, Museum Licenses, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), Changing Regulation21:20 The Importance of Being a Family Business: Building for Future Generations, Planting Pear Trees25:00 Tasting Apple Eau de Vie, Apple Varieties & Styles29:10 Comparing Somerset Cider Brandy to Calvados31:20 Distillation at Somerset Cider Brandy, Continuous Distillation36:11 Tasting 10 Year Old Somerset Cider Brandy, Cask Management, Somerset Barrels47:50 Tasting Alchemy, PX Casks, Evaporative Losses and Bottling Strength53:00 Tasting 20 Year Old Cider Brandy, Partnering with Glenfiddich58:00 Tasting Pomona & Kingston Black Aperitif1:02:15 Why Aren’t There More Cider Brandy Distillers? Pride in Somerset, Politics1:08:45 Somerset vs Herefordshire, Loss of Orchards1:12:15 The South West of England Cidermakers’ Association1:14:00 Can Cider Brandy Become a Bigger Category? Applejack1:23:45 Glastonbury Festival1:27:35 Tasting Quince Liqueur, Growing Fruit1:32:10 The Craft Distillery Movement, Business & Passion, Marketing, 101M Views on Instagram1:45:45 The Prospect of 30 Year Old Cider brandy*, Apple Blossom, Seasons1:51:28 New Product Development1:54:45 Comparing 15 Year Old to 20 Year Old1:59:00 Tasting 2 Year Old Cider Brandy Aged in Somerset Oak2:03:15 Balancing Romance & Businesshttps://somersetciderbrandy.com/📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Henry Jeffreys is a drinks writer and historian. On this episode we talk about how deeply the British Empire shaped the way the world drinks. We start with a simple counterfactual: If the British Empire had never existed, which drinks would look completely different today, or perhaps not exist at all.Henry reflects on his book Empire of Booze, now nearly ten years old, and why the book has had such a long, slow life. From there, the conversation widens into a broad look at how British tastes, trade networks, and commercial priorities influenced everything from port and Madeira to Marsala, Bordeaux, cognac, rum, and Scotch whisky. Not just where these drinks were sold, but how they were made, fortified, blended, and priced.We talk about early booze marketing, the rise of Bordeaux as a prestige wine deliberately aimed at London, and the way fortified wines evolved as much in response to consumer demand as to the practical realities of long sea voyages. Marsala’s forgotten golden age, Madeira’s strange modern undervaluation, and the loss of clear drinking rituals around these wines all come into play.Beyond wine, we dig into empire, alcohol, and power. Why the British seemed compelled to make alcohol wherever they went, rather than simply importing it. How rum functioned as currency, medicine, morale booster, and disciplinary tool in the Royal Navy. And how booze sat at the intersection of curiosity, science, commerce, and conquest in a way that feels distinctly British.We finish by talking about historical drinking habits, Winston Churchill’s often misunderstood relationship with alcohol, and how modern attitudes to daytime drinking differ sharply from those of the past. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about how history, taste, trade, and alcohol are far more entangled than we usually admit.00:00 Writing and Promoting Empire of Booze03:15 If the British Empire Never Existed Which Drinks Would Never Have Existed?05:45 How the English Established Bordeaux Wine10:30 The Birth of Cognac: Dutch, English 13:00 Why Fortify Wine? Transport & Taste, Thomas Jefferson16:15 What is Marsala Wine? History, Production, Brands, Comparison to Sherry24:45 What’s Up with Madeira Wine?29:15 Did the British Empire Need Booze to Function? Brokering, Producing, Trading36:10 The British Navy & Rum40:10 Was Winston Churchill an Alcoholic? Day Drinking, Beer for Recovery52:45 Drinking with George Washington: Toasting, Rum, Revolution57:20 Becoming a Writer59:03 English Wine: Development, People, Quality1:06:05 Gin - Craft vs. Classics, Cocktails1:10:20 Favourite Cocktails, Exploring Flavours of the World1:16:10 Is Cider England’s Wine? 1:20:47 The Invention of ‘Strong Glass Bottles’ 1:24:20 John Mytton - Legendary Drinker and Party Animal1:26:20 Future Project: Wine & Class⁠Henry on Substack⁠ *DISCOUNTS ON STUFF I LOVE*☕ The best coffee liqueur from ⁠Algebra⁠ - use discount code CURIOUS15 for 15% off in their web shop.🍷 Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using ⁠this link⁠📷  ⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠ 📚 I've written ⁠quite a few books⁠ on spirits and cocktails

Tom Dyer is a flair bartender, founder of the World Flair Association, and a bartending educator. Tom rose through the ranks of the flair bartending in the early 2000s and over a fifteen year stretch he won 12 UK championship titles, 2 World Championship titles and over 80 international flair bartending competitions across the globe. Unlike many of his contemporaries Tom has remained one of the leading figures in the flair community to this day, so is uniquely positioned to comment on the history and current status of this often misunderstood side of bartending. Tom has recently co-written the Flair Bartending book, which chronicles in great detail the story of flair going back almost 400 years!On the episode we discuss the history of flair, from the early days of TGI Fridays, through to the movie Cocktail, and into flair competitions, the so-called 'golden age' of flair in the noughts, right up to present day stars of flair. We also touch on the evolution of flair, discussing craft flair, bar magic, and much more.This was such a fun conversation and Tom is genuinely the best ambassador for flair bartending that I can imagine.⁠The Flair Bartending Book is available here⁠*DISCOUNTS ON STUFF I LOVE*☕ The best coffee liqueur from Algebra - use discount code CURIOUS15 for 15% off in ⁠their web shop⁠.🍷 Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using ⁠this link ⁠00:00 Documenting the History of Flair Bartending04:20 *What it Takes to Become a World Class Flair Bartender07:10 How Flair Competitions Work - IBA, FBA, WFA - Competition Structure, What Its Like Competing in a Flair Final, How Competitions Have Evolved15:35 The Flair Bartending Book18:24 The Origins of Flair Bartending - Jan Steen, Jerry Thomas, Japanese Flair20:47 John Mescall - The First Modern Flair Bartender, TGI Friday’s21:40 Cocktail Movie - Tom Cruise, John Bandy25:40 The First Flair Competition - Bartender Olympics26:37 Regional Distinctions Between Flair: US vs European, Lee Miller & Bottle/Tin31:25 Working in Flair: Bennigan’s, TGI’s, Ray Blade, Everyone’s a Flair Bartender36:00 Craft Flair: Marian Beke, 5-Star Flair40:30 Flair During a Bar Shift 45:10 Bar Magic, Dickens50:07 The Golden Era of Flair - Nicholas Saint Jean, Christian Delpeche, Tom Dyer, Neil Lowey59:15 Flair in Las Vegas in 2004: Mindaugas Gradeckas1:01:35 Tom Dyer Flair: Bottle Tin Is King1:02:35 Legendary Flair Bars, Opening a Flair Bar Today - Pressure, Failure1:08:20 Social Media: Flair Education, Entertainment, Exposure1:12:52 The Difficulty of Originality1:15:00 Physical Punishment of Flair Bartending1:17:42 Current Flair Competitions: Arctic Flair, Las Vegas, Food Town Flair, Legends World Flair1:19:42 Who are The Current Best Flair Bartenders in the World? Who are the Best of All Time?1:22:50 Learnings from Writing the Book📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Sunny Hodge is an author, bar owner, and wine educator. He is the founder of two London wine bars: Diogenes The Dog and Aspen & Meursault. Sunny recently published his first book 'A Cynics Guide to Wine', which takes a refreshingly scientific approach to exploring the viniculture and wine making and shatters a few romantic notions in the process. On the episode we delve deep into the science of roots, soil, minerals, and nutrients, exploring how soil impacts the health of vines and the flavour of grapes. This takes us right down to the atomic level, through plant biology, and into the drink in the glass. We also discuss rootstocks and how they impact viniculture and wine, delve into other drink categories such as agave spirits, discuss the importance of telling (true) stores, and linger on wine service and education.This one gets very technical at times, but hopefully there's enough there to begin to get to grips with what is happening underground. Be sure to check out Sunny's book for more!https://www.diogenesthedog.co.ukhttps://www.baraspen.co.ukGet 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 or clicking this link.00:00 Why Are Cynics Important? Diogenes The Dog04:35 Being Cynical about Terroir - Defining Terroir18:00 VERY TECHNICAL: Does Soil Matter for Growing Grapes? Soil Composition, Roots, Rain, Minerals, Nutrients, Water Chemistry, Cations & Anions41:45 Potassium, Tartrate Crystals & Cold Stabilisation44:35 The Right Amount of Nutrients - Green Growth and Fruit Optimisation48:30 Killing The Romance: Education, WSET, Inertia to Change1:00:10 Does Dust and Dust Flavour Wine? Natural Fermentation1:04:30 Rootstocks, Grape Species, Phylloxera 1:10:20 Updating Education & Stories1:19:10 Terroir in Agave Spirits: Ocho, Atanasio1:21:30 Biological Terroir and Pesticides & Herbicides 1:27:20 Sunny’s Wine Bars: Diogenes The Dog, Wine Service, Demystifying Spirits & Wine

Peter Dorelli has worked in UK hospitality for 65 years, having moved from Rome in the 1950's when he was 18. He is best known as the sixth head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy (arguably the top bar job in the world) where he worked for over two decades. Despite his 'retirement' in 2003, Peter is still a regular feature on the London and international bar scene, serving as a judge for World Class and often seen at parties with his partner in crime, Salvatore Calabrese (who has also been on the show).On the episode Peter shares stories from his early years as an illegal immigrant in the UK, which include drinking competitions with Scottish trawler men, how a surprise fire burnt down the hotel he was working at in Leamington, and what it was like working under the legendary Joe Gilmore at the Savoy. We also get into a bit of a debate about whether bartenders should taste drinks before serving them. It was a great pleasure to interview Peter and I'm grateful to him for lending his time to the show.If you like these conversations, please consider subscribing, liking it, and sharing with other people who will like it too. This genuinely helps grow and support the show, and will allow me to continue recording conversations with people like Peter.00:00 The Last of the Dinosaurs - How Has Bartending Changed? The Cycle of Classic Cocktails, Creating Stories07:45 Has Bartending Lost Some of its Romance? Ambition and Pace of Younger Bartenders, Knowledgee Acquisition 14:20 Peter’s Early Career - Arriving in UK, Pendower Hotel, Becoming a bartender27:00 Becoming a Fugitive, Challenging a Scottish Trawler Man to a Drinking Competition* 40:35 Burnt Down Hotels in Leamington & Becoming a Butler, Going Legal53:00 Stones Restaurant, Pebbles Bar: Roger Moore, Alec Guinness1:02:55 The American Bar & Joe Gilmore: Art of Hospitality, Becoming a Master1:15:50 The American Bar in the 1980’s: Team, Operations, Cocktails, Savoy Cocktail Book, Harry Craddock & Ada Coleman, Being a Custodian, Peter’s Style1:34:30 DEBATE: Is it Necessary to Taste Every Drink Before Serving?1:47:40 The UKBG: Founding and Function1:51:20 Cocktail Competitions, Ego, Lessons Learned: Shoes2:00:00 Retiring & Closure of the Savoy (2004 - 2010), American Bar Stories, DeathSpotify not accepting videos from me for some reason - video version of this podcast is available on YouTube along with images to illustrate some of Peter's stories.📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Spotify will now include a video version of the podcast 🎉 Which also means I've done away with the introduction (probably also a 🎉 for most of you). These show notes will offer a glimpse though, as well as the chapter markers.To support please share, like & subscirbe.Claire is a veteran of the hospitality industry having served as Global Belvedere Vodka Ambassador for many years, before moving into the non-alc space when she co-founded Æcorn Aperitifs with Seedlip founder Ben Branson. She has served as the Head of Luxury brands at Diageo, is a non-exec at Tales of the Cocktail, and spends great deal of time these days extolling the virtues of third spaces, social connection, and responsible consumption.This episode is sponsored by Algebra Drinks - use code CURIOUS15 to get 15% off at https://algebradrinks.com/00:00 Is Dry January Still Relevant?05:01 The Gamification of Health07:35 The Growth of Alcohol Free Brands - Function, Marketing, Occasions18:10 The Cost of Non-Alcoholic Brands vs. Alcohol, Homemade Non-Alcohol Spirits, Legacy of Seedlip24:40 Is Alcohol An Important Part of Socialising?29:05 How is Socialising Changing? Atrophy of the Social Muscle40:30 The Loneliness Epidemic44:58 Hospitality as a Framework for Social Development52:25 What Are Gen Z Doing if They’re Not Drinking?55:02 Can Being Fit Mitigate the Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption?1:04:40 Is Sugar Still Bad? Sweeteners: Taste & Health1:08:30 Alcohol & Sleep1:10:30 Solutions to the Hospitality & Social Crisis: Evolution of Hospitality1:15:55 GLP1 Inhibitors and Hospitality1:19:10 Is Health Just Another Trend?

Is the British pub dying?In this episode I’m joined by beer and pub writer Will Hawkes, who has spent years travelling the country and visiting thousands of pubs for his reporting. We talk honestly about where British pub culture stands in the 2020's: the closures, the economic pressures, but also the surprising resurgence of affection for traditional boozers with carpets, darts boards and multiple rooms. Will argues that while the industry has been shrinking for over a century, what people still crave is the warmth, social glue and sense of belonging that only a great pub can provide. From there we explore how pubs have evolved since the post-war years, from the dominance of breweries and the rise of the Big Six, through to gastropubs, craft beer and the shifting power of pub companies. Will explains why the person running a pub matters more than anything else, how regional quirks still define pub culture, and why some fiercely idiosyncratic rural pubs continue to thrive despite being miles from anywhere. We also dive into pub history – from gin palaces and tiled Victorian interiors to misleading claims about “the oldest pub in England” – and what really separates a pub from a bar or restaurant. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about class, nostalgia, architecture, community and why, despite everything, pubs still matter.https://www.willhawkes.net/Thanks for listening, to support please share, like and subscribe.

Rémy is the founder and co-founder of some of the most talked-about venues of the last five years, including A Bar with Shapes for a Name, Bar Nouveau, and his most recent Paris project, Abstract. His work is unapologetically high-concept, with design, intent and philosophy baked into every decision.This is one of the most thought-provoking and, at times, intellectually demanding conversations I’ve recorded so far. Together we dig into the fundamentals of art, creativity, motivation and human nature, using drinks and bars as the jumping-off point.We discuss whether drinks can truly be considered art, why it can sometimes be useful to make guests feel uncomfortable, how Rémy develops new cocktails, and why children might actually help us understand flavour better. We explore where the line between art and craft begins to blur, whether legacy really matters, what technology might offer hospitality, and how it could just as easily threaten it. There’s also a full lowdown on all of Rémy’s venues, plus a wider discussion on whether bars can still play a meaningful role in society.Whether this is your first episode or you’ve been listening for a while, welcome to 2026. I’ve got an exceptional run of guests lined up over the coming weeks, so make sure you’re subscribed. Missing out would be a pretty poor way to start the year.LinksRémy Savage (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/remysavageA Bar with Shapes for a Name: https://www.abarwithshapesforaname.comBar Nouveau: https://www.instagram.com/barnouveauparisAbstract Paris: https://www.instagram.com/abstract.paris

Big thanks to all of my guests this year - every one of you brought amazing things to the conversation and I am incredible grateful to you all. Here though are 12 conversations that really stood out - if you like what you hear be sure to check out the full episode if you haven't already.See you next year...00:00 Introduction02:50 Sandor Katz - The History of Fermentation05:50 Serge Valentin - Are We Taking Whisky too Seriously?08:15 Tony Cecchini - How the Cosmopolitan Was Invented24:10 Harold McGee - That Magic of Salt & Seasoning27:15 Jeffrey Morgenthaler - How To Start a Trend31:06 Jared Brown & Anastasia Miller - The Origins of Distillation34:34 Kevin Armstrong - Souring Agents in Cocktails37:07 Dave Broom - On Writing and Researching40:36 Henrietta Lovell - Where Does Tea Come From?43:46 David Mabberley - Is Citrus Doomed?47:01 Luca Gargano - Haiti and Clairin53:04 Megs Miller - Exploring Agave Species for Wellness

Gabe Cook (aka Ciderologist) is a cider expert and educator based in the UK. On the episode (recorded at Haywood Cider Farm in Cornwall) we take a deep dive into the culture, history and appreciation of cider, tasting our way through half a dozen English and American ciders. See links below for those producers and products.Find Gabe here - https://www.theciderologist.com/Tasty Stuff -https://www.haywoodfarmcider.co.uk/https://www.wildingcider.co.ukhttps://www.baumanscider.comhttps://www.greggs-pit.co.ukhttps://oliversciderandperry.co.uk/https://chancecider.com/

Simon is a writer, publisher and business entrepreneur. He is the founder of Diffordsguide.com, Class Magazine and Difford's Guide to Cocktails book Series which is now in its 18th Edition.To support the show please rate and subscribe - thanks!

Dr. Johnny Drain is a materials scientist turned fermentation obsessive, flavour innovator, and co-founder of the cocoa-free chocolate company pushing the industry to rethink everything it thought it knew about cacao.Johnny’s one of those rare thinkers who can sit comfortably in the worlds of cutting-edge science and high-end hospitality. He’s worked with some of the most boundary-pushing restaurants and bars on the planet, helping them unlock new flavours, reduce waste, and harness the incredible power of microbes. His new book, Adventures in Fermentation, is part manifesto, part manual, part love-letter to the invisible life that shapes what we eat and drink.In this episode, we get into the evolution of chocolate, the future of fermentation, how microbes actually make flavour, why pasteurisation isn’t the enemy, what gut science is really telling us, and what a “sound-tuned” ferment might taste like. It’s a conversation about flavour, sustainability, identity, and the weird, wonderful magic of transformation.Settle in — this is a fascinating deep dive with one of the most interesting flavour thinkers working today.Where to find Johnny:Website: drjohnnydrain.comBook: Adventures in Fermentation (available now in print + audiobook)podscan_ABnstXrbweK9idIY2nCk9XKfeChCbWtD

In this episode, Richard Seale of Foursquare Distillery joins me for a fast-moving deep dive into the history, culture and technology of rum — from 17th-century Barbados to the modern distillery.Key Topics:Is Barbados the birthplace of rum?Richard explains why the island is the true origin of cultural rum-making — not because it was “first”, but because it produced the earliest consequential, documented rum industry with skilled distillers, equipment, trade routes and scale. Sugar, the Dutch, and the rise of an industryWe explore how Dutch traders brought Brazilian sugar technology, how Barbados’ wind and water resources made large-scale production possible, and how early planters rapidly adopted boiling, milling and distillation methods. Early rum wasn’t crudeContrary to modern assumptions, 17th-century rum was sophisticated: spontaneous fermentations managed with skimmings and dunder, double distillation in copper, and a deep practical understanding of acidity and microbial balance. Export markets and the fall from dominanceBarbados supplied the American colonies with vast volumes of rum until war, revolution and hurricanes collapsed its export market — paving the way for Jamaica and others to dominate. The sugar industry’s long arcRichard traces the rise, centralisation and 20th-century collapse of Barbados sugar, from hundreds of estates to the single remaining factory today. The double retort pot stillA highlight of the conversation: why the double retort became the Caribbean’s signature still. Richard explains its structure, how low wines and high wines recycling works, and why it produces high proof, clean separations and excellent ester development. Batch vs continuous distillationWe cut through common myths: pot stills versus continuous stills, why “hybrid still” is a misnomer, why strength doesn’t equal flavour loss, and how batch and continuous distillation differ fundamentally in chemistry and output.