Bartender Journey - Cocktails. Spirits. Bartending Culture. Libations for your Ears. – Details, episodes & analysis

We chat with Chris Timmerman from Dano's Tequila.

We talk with Chad Cadden & Bill Varnell, founders of Whiskey, Bourbon, and Scotch Enthusiasts, (WBSE).

Also joining us is author of Beginner's Guide to Whiskey, Sam Green.

You can find WBSE on Facebook or their website.

On Episode No. 294 we talk with Frank Ciulla, Educator, Scientist and Founder of Hudson Educational Services about COVID-19, commonly known as "Coronavirus".

OUR FULL DISCLAIMER HERE FOR YOUR REVIEW.​

It’s been quite a week in the cocktail world.  Our cocktail community is in turmoil. People are upset. Nerves are raw. It all started with a Facebook Live video of Ann Tuennerman, Founder and Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail (Tales) during Mardi Gras wearing blackface.

Its the Bartender Journey Podcast # 203!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

Ann Tuennerman and her Husband Paul Tuennerman, who was co-owner and chief business officer of Tales, were on prepairing to ride on a Float in a Mardi Gras parade. They rode with the Zulu, Social Aid and Pleasure Club, when they went “Live” on Facebook.

The video was pulled off the internet of course, but someone got a screenshot of Ann in the blackface and Ann's comment on the for the video which said “Paul G Tuennerman, interviewing me on Mardi Gras Morning from the Zulu Den. As he said ‘Throw a little Black Face on and you lose all your media skills.’ He did his best as the interviewer”.

Ann said in her first of 2 pubic apologies:

“Earlier this week, I rode in a Mardi Gras parade with the Zulu organization, in which participants, both people of color and of all races, traditionally wear blackface makeup, and shared photos of myself in costume on social media. I now recognize how deeply offensive this is to many, and I am sincerely sorry. It was a naive and inconsiderate action, the consequences of which have made it clear that I have much to learn”.

Many people were deeply offended. Josh Davis, who apparently posted the original screenshot that quickly went viral, wrote the following as a Open Letter:

“This has been one of the most emotionally draining weeks, as a black man who has dealt with the daily trauma of racism throughout my life. At this point I thought I had become desensitized to the hurtful actions of others, but this week proved that the pain I have often displaced and neglected is still present.

Ann’s second public statement titled Gratitude from Ann Tuennerman and a Determination to Embrace Change begins: “Through publicly acknowledging the pain Paul and I have caused to many in our industry, we hope to demonstrate our sincerity, transparency and commitment to facing this head on.

Living up to this promise, on Monday 3/6/17, Ann did a live Facebook video interview with Ashtin Berry. Ashtin is a Bartender in New Orleans and happens to also be a female person of color. Ashtin has really taken great steps toward moving this conversation forward in a productive manner. You can find this video on the Bartender Journey Facebook page.

In his resignation note, Paul wrote, “My comment to Ann about blackface prior to the Zulu parade was meant to be a husband’s innocent teasing of his camera-shy wife, not a belittlement of others. In retrospect, the words were insensitive, hurtful and just plain dumb and I feel horrible for the pain they have caused.”

We’ll go back to my New Orleans Bartender friend to wrap this up. He said “I think Tales is a great thing and I hope the dust will settle. That being said…maybe the silver lining is the realization that black people as demographic are under represented in the Cocktail World".

I was honored to have the opportunity to travel to Mexico recently as a guest of Tequila Patrón. The trip was a is a program developed in conjunction with the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) and Tequila Patrón.

It's the Bartender Journey Podcast #202!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

A group of 25 Bartenders from all over the U.S. and Canada were treated to an amazing experience on this trip. We saw one of the farms that Patrón contracts with to supply them with harvested agaves. We were treated to lunch at the beautiful Hacienda Patrón, and then given a thorough tour of the distillery, (more about this later).

Cocktail of the Week: Margarita

• 2 oz
• 1 Lime Juice
• ¾ oz Grand Marnier
• ¼ Simple Syrup

Shake with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, or a double old fashioned glass with fresh ice. Lime garnish.

Book of the week ¡Tequila!: Distilling the Spirit of Mexico

Director of Eduction for Patrón Chris Spake – was our host and guide for the trip.

Patron works with about 10 agave farmers to source their agave.

Tequila can only be made in 5 regions of Mexico and must be made from at least 51% Blue Weber Agave (yes Weber…that’s my last name…no relation unfortunately to the botanist Frederic Albert Constantin Weber who this plant was named for in the early 1900s. So, as I said tequila must be made from AT LEAST 51% Blue Weber Agave. Quality tequilas such as Patron are made from 100% Blue Weber Agave. If you see the word “Mixto” on a tequila bottle…run away! This means they are mixing lower quality sprits into that bottle or adding raw sugar before distilation to save money. To make it even more confusing, a mixto tequila does need to state “Mixto” that on the label. It is usually labeled “Tequila”, (as apposed to “Tequila de 100% Agave”, (or similar wording)

There is a certain extremely popular tequila that is behind almost every bar, which will remain unnamed here, that IS a Mixto, but does not state it on the label. Carmel coloring may also be added.

The “jimador’s” use a tool called Coa to harvest the Agave plants by hand. They separate the leaves and roots from each agave

Patron contracts with these farmers and guarantees them a price per kilogram when they plant…they do not necessarily need to do this, but Patron thinks it’s the right thing to do, and it ensures a reliable supply in the future. These plants take at least 5 years to grow, and like any commodity, the price fluxuatues. It can be difficult for the farmers to plant something, and take care of it for 5 years, and not know how much they will be paid for it when it finally matures.

The agaves are split by hand with axes into 4 pieces and immediately fed into an oven where they are cooked with steam for exactly 79 hours.

It gets a little complex because after coming out of the oven the agaves are split into two different, but similar methods for the remainder of the process. For the silver Patron that everyone knows (their most popular SKU), its blended together at the end. For simplicity’s sake we will just follow one path here…which is the Tohana method, (Patron does produce the Roca line, which is the Tohana only product and are amazing).

So following the Tohana process – as I said the agaves are cooked for 79 hours. A Tohana is a giant heavy wheel made from Lava Rock. It goes around and around in a circle crushing the cooked agave. Its basically shredding the agave, but it forces the juices in and out of the fibers.

The fibers are then separated from the liquid. The fibers will be sent to the composting area. The liquid is mixed with yeast and then sent to 10,000 liter pine barrels where it will ferment for 3 days.

This liquid will be strained and sent to copper pot stills. Patron uses quite small stills for the first distillation, and even smaller ones (with a slightly different shape), for the distillation.

After the second distillation, we have Patron Silver. It is sent to the bottling facility where each bottle is packaged by hand. Its pretty reparative work, but the people that work in the bottling facility are very fast and efficient. Interestingly, the assembly line stops for 15 minute out of each hour so the workers can stretch and get a quick break. This is of course to avoid repetitive stress syndrome.

Tequila styles:

• Silver - which can legally be aged up to 6 months, but many producers, including Patron, choose not to age their Silver Tequila, (also can be referred to as to “blanco” or “un-aged”
• Reposado - aged a minimum of 6 months in oak barrels.
• Ano - aged a minimum of 1 year.
• Extra Ano – aged a minimum of 3 years

201

This week on the show we’ll talk to Brian Hoefling, author of Distilled Knowledge: The Science Behind Drinking’s Greatest Myths, Legends, and Unanswered Questions.

It's the Bartender Journey Podcast #201!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

This past Monday - just a couple days before recording this podcast was recorded - I did not know that in less than a week I’d be traveling to Mexico as a guest of Patron Tequilla! I’ll be staying at the Patron Hacienda where they actually make the Tequilla. I’ve spoken to other people who have made this trip and every one of them tells me its an amazing experience.

Of course I’ll have the portable audio recording rig with me and will be bringing you my adventures down there on future episodes of the show.

We have so much coming up for you on the show – we’ll be talking with Master Distiller of Jack Daniels Jeff Arnet, Sam Ross of Milk and Honey Fame, a really interesting and smart gentleman named George Bressler, we’ll talk to the Brand Ambassadors from Monkey Shoulder, Drambuie and Black Bottle Scotch, plus author and bartender Lou Bustamante.

Please Subscribe to the Bartender Journey Podcast so that you get the new episodes as soon as they become available.

Book Of The Week:

Distilled Knowledge: The Science Behind Drinking’s Greatest Myths, Legends, and Unanswered Questions, by Brian Hoefling

Cocktail Of The Week:

• 2 oz Patron Silver Tequila
• ¾ oz of the Frutations Grapefruit syrup
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Selzer

Add the Tequila, syrup and salt to a highball glass. Stir well to combine. Fill with ice. Top with Seltzer and stir again. Squeeze the juice from ¼ lime into the glass and add the lime to the drink.

Toast Of The Week:

Until we meet again – wishing you celebrations, learning and good spirits.

It has been quite a Journey!  The Bartender Journey Podcast has been going strong for nearly 4 years.  We have spoken to authors, bartenders, bar owners and major influencers in the industry.

It's the Bartender Journey Podcast #200!  Listen with the audio player on this page, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

Join us for some clips from past shows, (Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich, Jim Meehan, Gary 'gaz' Regan, Dave Pickerell) plus a discussion with fellow bartender and podcaster Ozeal, (No Permission Needed podcast).

Cocktail of the Week: Negroni Equal Parts

• Gin
• Sweet Vermouth
• Campari

Build in an Old Fashioned Glass over ice.  Stir.  Express oils from an orange twist.  Drop twist into glass.

Book of the Week: The Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, with Recipes & Lore by Gary Regan

Toast of the Week: To Longevity, Good Friends, And a Glass That's Never Empty

199

• This week on the Bartender Journey Podcast, we talk with Meagan Doorman, the bar director at the two Raines Law Room locations, Dear Irving and The Bennet, all in Manhattan.
• We’ll also talk to Tom Richter. Tom Bartends at Dear Irving and also has a company that makes Tonic syrup called TomR’s Tonic.
• Michael Rodgers organized the Dear Irving Pop Up during SACC. He’s the treasure of the SA chapter of the USBG.
• Book of the Week: Boston Official Bartender's Guide: 75th Anniversary Edition. The Mr. Boston Bartender Guide was my very first cocktail book, way, way back. I wish I could find that old book I bought when I was probably 17 years old!
  • There have been many editions since its debut in 1935, and the most recent version is edited by our friend Jonathan Pogash. This is an iconic book with tons of cocktail recipes.

Cocktail of the week: Bronx Cocktail:

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 oz. fresh orange juice

Glass: Chilled Coupe

Garnish: orange twist

• Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake, strain into a chilled glass and garnish.
• Toast of the week: "May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,
 The foresight to know where you are going,
 And the insight to know when you have gone too far."

On the Podcast this week we talk to Jake Corney (GM) and Derik Cortez (Head Bartender) of Jazz Tx in San Antonio, Texas.

It's the Bartender Journey Podcast #198!  Listen with the audio player on this page, on the Bartender Journey web site, or subscribe on iTunes, Android or Stitcher Radio.

• Book of the Week: Amaro The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, by Brad Thomas Parsons
• Amaro is such a fascinating category that we don’t talk about enough on Bartender Journey.  First of all, what is it?  According to Brad’s book it’s “the collective class of Italian made aromatic, herbal, bittersweet liqueurs, traditionally served as a Digestif after a meal”.
• To sum it up into a short sound bite:  it’s a bittersweet, herbaceous liqueur.
• Amari (plural) are an acquired taste, but  once you go down the rabbit hole, you open up into a world of  new and interesting flavors.
• Cocktail of the Week:  Aperol Spritz.  It’s a very popular drink right now.  Its low ABV and very tasty.  Its also quite festive looking if you build it in a big wine glass – that how I do it at my bar. 
• The recipe is easy to remember its 3-2-1. 
• Ingredients: 3 oz Procecco (or other sparkling wine) 2 oz Aperol 1 oz Sparkling Water
• Build in a big wine glass with ice, or you can do it in a double old Fashioned glass or even Highball glass.  Stir.  Garnish with an orange slice.
• Toast of the Week: "To making it count."
 - Jack, "Titanic"

We are just back from San Antonio Cocktail Conference!

Listen to our overview of this great event!

Lots more from San Antonio Cocktail Conference will be coming up in the next few weeks!

The Cocktail of the Week:

Classic Daiquiri

• 2 oz Silver Rum
• 7/8 oz to 1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice (to taste)
• 1 oz Simple Syrup
• Shake with Ice. Strain into a chilled Coupe glass

Book of the Week:

• Regarding Cocktails by Sasha and Gorgette Patraski. Gorgette finished the book after Sasha passed and it’s a wonderful book. I highly recommend that you buy it!