The Speakeasy

Baiju is the worlds most popular spirit, but outside of a handful of nerds few people in the states know about it. Whiskey, on the other hand is a movie star. So naturally you’d combine them into a new category, right? That’s what Matt Rubin and Karl Josef Co did, and they’re here to talk about how they fell in love with this ancient Chinese spirit, why and how they’re redistilling it into whiskey, and how they’re teaching a skeptical public about this new type of spirit. Also, the bottle may have won some design awards.PLUS, nostalgia is a powerful emotion, which makes it dangerous in the wrong hands. But are bars the right place to indulge it safely?Follow Shang at @shangwhiskeyLINKSBecome a RegularCheck out bartender.com and use promo code Speakeasy for 15% off!For resources on dealing with cold, hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is on YouTube!Check out Quiote Imports and use promo code “Speakeasy” for free shipping.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How exactly does one go from movie star to spokesdude for a small independent distillery? That’s the course that William H Macy charted for himself in the world of spirits when he joined up with Woody Creek Distillers. Together with man about town Sean Kenyon, Bill sits down with Greg and Sother to discuss his journey from everyman to something of a whiskey expert, why he fell in love with the brand, and how a whiskey with his name on it came to be. That, and the perils of making potato vodka.PLUS, why is the corner bar full while the cocktail bar’s empty? Greg, Sother and their guests investigate.Follow Woody Creek at @woodycreekdistillersLINKSBecome a RegularCheck out bartender.com and use promo code Speakeasy for 15% off!For resources on dealing with cold, hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is on YouTube!Check out Quiote Imports and use promo code “Speakeasy” for free shipping.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kapri Robinson has a story to tell. At Allegory in Washington, DC she weaves together Alice in Wonderland, Ruby Bridges, post-apocalyptic archetypes, banned books, Bad Brains… and of course, delicious cocktails. She sits down with Greg and Sother ahead of the 2026 midterms to discuss how her storytelling and hospitality weave together, what it’s like flipping a menu that complex, how she feels about minimalism, and what it’s actually like to run a bar in the nation’s capital.PLUS, go vote.Follow Kapri at @kapri.possibleFollow Allegory at @allegory_dcLINKSBecome a RegularCheck out bartender.com and use promo code Speakeasy for 15% off!For resources on dealing with cold, hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is on YouTube!Check out Quiote Imports and use promo code “Speakeasy” for free shipping.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone loves a good wig, especially Oscar Simoza for reasons that will be clear to our video listeners. The Beverage Director for The Wig Shop sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about his journey through hospitality, 90s nostalgia and how he mentors his “kids” behind the bar.PLUS, does 100% really mean 100%? Greg and Sother dive into a lawsuit that alleges otherwise.Follow Oscar at @mustache.flexFollow the Wig Shop at @thewigshopbostonLINKSBecome a RegularCheck out bartender.com and use promo code Speakeasy for 15% off!For resources on dealing with cold, hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is on YouTube!Check out Quiote Imports and use promo code “Speakeasy” for free shipping.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 go from a bartender to building a career and an identity around a type of rum you’ve grown to absolutely fall in love with? And then, once that’s done, how do you walk away? That’s what Kate Perry, National Portfolio & US Market Manager for LM&V is doing right now, and she sits down with Greg & Sother to talk about falling in love with some of the Caribbean’s funkier rums, talking her way into her dream job, and then knowing when it was time to turn the page and walk away.PLUS, we all know there are too many breweries in this country, but are there too many distilleries too? Greg and Sother discuss.Follow Kate at @wheninrhumFollow LM&V at @lamaisonandvelierFollow Cazimi at @cazimi.vashonLINKSBecome a RegularCheck out bartender.com and use promo code Speakeasy for 15% off!For resources on dealing with cold, hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is on YouTube!Check out Quiote Imports and use promo code “Speakeasy” for free shipping.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.