The Speakeasy

How do you scale a molecular mixology program up from one property to several dozen? The first step is to love being busy and fortunately Mariena Mercer-Boarini fits that bill. The master mixologist for Wynn Resorts North America talks through her thought process for running beverage programs from Boston to Macao, the intense infrastructure she’s built in her hometown of Las Vegas to keep all her locations humming, and an upcoming street festival featuring a number of Speakeasy alumni. She also gets into her side projects highlighting buzz buttons, a naturally occurring compound that does a number on your taste buds. We can not fully endorse trying it while on air. Plus, it’s Curbside Dining Week! Or at least… it was. Greg and Sother process their feelings about this relic of the pandemic and how sometimes even if you love something, you have to let it go. Follow Mariena on Instagram at @mariena_the_wanderlush_ [https://www.instagram.com/mariena_the_wanderlush_/] Follow Electric Dust at @_electricdust_ [https://www.instagram.com/_electricdust_/#] LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] Check out Electric Dust: electricdust.shop [https://www.electricdust.shop/] For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com/] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Inside Julia's Kitchen by becoming a member [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

If people know one thing about Sherry, they usually think they don’t like it. But Daniel Azarkman likes it so much he opened El Lopo, a San Francisco tapas bar dedicated to sherry and its equally underappreciated cousin, vermouth. Daniel sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about introducing guests to unfamiliar ingredients, the guided tours he leads to Spain, and a program he runs for select regulars, who trust Daniel enough to just pour and serve them whatever he wants. Plus, Greg and Sother have been traveling the country and might have a bead on a new trend: cheese in cocktails. Is this a thing, how should we treat it, and can we blame the whole thing on a friend of the pod? Tune in to find out. Follow El Lopo on Instagram at @elloposf [https://www.instagram.com/elloposf/] LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] Check out Fern Bar: https://www.fernbarkc.com/ [https://www.fernbarkc.com/] For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] Love The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Become one of our Regulars on Patreon! Join now for sponsor-free listening, drink recipes from all our guests, and free kits every month from our friends at Shaker & Spoon. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com/] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can.  🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business.  FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: Damon Boelte @DamonBoelte [https://www.instagram.com/damonboelte/?hl=en] Sother Teague @CreativeDrunk [https://www.instagram.com/creativedrunk/?hl=en] Greg Benson @100ProofGreg [https://www.instagram.com/100proofgreg/?hl=en] Speakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcast [https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypodcast/] FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: Sother Teague @CreativeDrunk [https://twitter.com/creativedrunk?lang=en] SpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadio [https://twitter.com/speakeasyradio?lang=] Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Is the world ready for a mesquite-smoked Aguardiente? John Campbell sure seems to think so, which is why he’s bringing his Warbringer Aguardiente to a face near you! John sits down with the band to discuss his time as a distiller for Laphroaig, building a mesquite-smoked whiskey for Sespe Creek Distillers, and why they even called it that in the first place. PLUS, Ice Week is coming! This month while the regular show is on break Greg, Sother and Damon are bringing on special guests just for their regulars for a deep dive into all things Ice. Proceeds go to support our favorite type of ice, abolished. Follow Warbringer on Instagram at @warbringerwhiskey [https://www.instagram.com/warbringerwhiskey/] LINKS Become a Regular: patreon.com/BottledinBond [http://patreon.com/BottledinBond] For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] Love The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, drink recipes from all our guests, and free kits every month from our friends at Shaker & Spoon. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBond [http://patreon.com/BottledinBond] Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com/] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can.  🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business.  FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: Damon Boelte @DamonBoelte [https://www.instagram.com/damonboelte/?hl=en] Sother Teague @CreativeDrunk [https://www.instagram.com/creativedrunk/?hl=en] Greg Benson @100ProofGreg [https://www.instagram.com/100proofgreg/?hl=en] Speakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcast [https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypodcast/] FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: Sother Teague @CreativeDrunk [https://twitter.com/creativedrunk?lang=en] SpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadio [https://twitter.com/speakeasyradio?lang=] Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Are we loving mezcal to death? That’s just one of the questions Tim McKirdy set out to answer when he began working on a mezcal docuseries for his ongoing podcast Cocktail College. Airing now after two years in the making, Tim sits down with Greg and Sother to discuss his trip to Oaxaca, what he learned about agave farming and distilling, a possible espadin conspiracy, and the challenges of converting such an in-depth story into a three-part podcast. Plus, Tales of the Cocktail 2025 is in the history books! Greg and Sother talk highs, lows, regrets, and where Greg wound up crashing the whole time he was there. Follow Steve at @mightyschneidy [https://instagram.com/mightyschneidy] Follow Sip & Guzzle at @sipandguzzlenyc [https://instagram.com/sipandguzzlenyc] LINKS Listener Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ2TphhnHIZhPqqnZir9HAA7nPY1R0ok5KOwssNR8FirwCcw/viewform?usp=header] Cocktail College’s Mezcal Series [https://vinepair.com/cocktail-college/mezcal-series-pt-1/] Greg’s Brewery Article for Vinepair [https://vinepair.com/articles/bardo-americas-weirdest-brewery/] Tim’s email to RSVP for Vinepair After Hours: tim@vinepair.com [tim@vinepair.com] For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] Love The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, drink recipes from all our guests, and free kits every month from our friends at Shaker & Spoon. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBond [http://patreon.com/BottledinBond] Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com/] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. Don’t forget to click SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can.  🔥🔥Join us each week as industry leaders, Damon Boelte and Sother Teague, sit down with a wide range of hospitality and spirits experts from around the world to discuss everything that impacts our business.  FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: Damon Boelte @DamonBoelte [https://www.instagram.com/damonboelte/?hl=en] Sother Teague @CreativeDrunk [https://www.instagram.com/creativedrunk/?hl=en] Greg Benson @100ProofGreg [https://www.instagram.com/100proofgreg/?hl=en] Speakeasy Podcast @SpeakeasyPodcast [https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypodcast/] FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: Sother Teague @CreativeDrunk [https://twitter.com/creativedrunk?lang=en] SpeakeasyRadio @SpeakeasyRadio [https://twitter.com/speakeasyradio?lang=] Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Speakeasy by becoming a member [http://heritageradionetwork.org/donate]! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In our final Boomerang! from Tales of the Cocktail Greg and Phil sit down with Amir Babayoff, beverage director at Ophelia in NYC. The conversation takes a number of twists and turns around well-crafted martinis about the creative process, the chaos that is New Orleans in July and how this whole crossover series with the Philip Duff show might just come back next year. LINKS Listener Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ2TphhnHIZhPqqnZir9HAA7nPY1R0ok5KOwssNR8FirwCcw/viewform?usp=header] For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] Love The Speakeasy but wish there was more? Check out Bottled in Bond, our new Patreon podcast exclusively for you, our best regulars! Join now for sponsor-free listening, drink recipes from all our guests, and free kits every month from our friends at Shaker & Spoon. Higher proof and aged to perfection, check it out now at patreon.com/BottledinBond [http://patreon.com/BottledinBond] Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].