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Ten unmissable drinks podcasts

Podcasts can provide listeners with hours of entertainment across a vast spectrum of subjects. Here are 10 online shows offering everything from lighthearted interviews with bar industry legends to cocktail-making tips and a wealth of spirits knowledge.

Erick Castro’s Bartender at Large podcast looks at the modern cocktail renaissance

According to recent statistics from Podcast Insights, there are around 900,000 podcasts available on iTunes – an indication of the medium’s growing popularity.

As on-trade venues are forced to close their doors around the world to mitigate the spread of covid-19, there’s plenty of time to enjoy a podcast while carrying out your at-home tasks or for simple relaxation.

For those in the drinks world, there are many options including a digital series featuring interviews with musicians on their favourite whiskey and a discussion on the greatest cocktails of all time.

Click through the following pages to see our pick of unmissable podcasts covering spirits and cocktails. 

Whisky Cast

Founded in 2005 by writer Mark Gillespie, Whisky Cast is a weekly podcast focusing on the whisky world. The series covers the industry’s latest news, and features in-depth interviews and tasting notes on various whiskies. For two years in a row, Whisky Cast was one of the 10 finalists in Tales of the Cocktail’s annual Spirited Awards for Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series.

Liquid Assets

The Liquid Assets podcast from Rabobank’s global beverage team dives into the drinks world to discuss innovation, trends such as as cannabis and sustainability, as well as mergers and acquisitions. The podcast features interviews from leading executives from major drinks companies, as well as founders of small spirits, wine and beer brands.

Bartender at Large

Hosted by Erick Castro, co-owner of San Diego bars Raised by Wolves and Polite Provisions, online series Bartender at Large is described as a “love letter to the art of bartending and the world of craft cocktails”. The weekly podcast takes a look at the modern cocktail renaissance and features interviews from some of the industry’s biggest names, from bartenders and distillers to spirits experts and cocktail historians.

The Fred Minnick Show

Music and Bourbon fans will enjoy spirits author Fred Minnick’s online digital series, which features discussions with musicians about their experiences with whiskey. The guests open up on the music business, taste whiskeys and discuss their favourite foods. Minnick has interviewed the likes of rock legend David Byrne, songwriter Jessi Alexander, The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne and American Idol winner Trent Harmon.

Life Behind Bars

Hosted by Noah Rothbaum, editor of The Daily Beast’s Half Full section, and senior drinks columnist David Wondrich, Life Behind Bars discusses the greatest bartenders and greatest cocktails of all time. In 2018, the online series won Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Award for Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series.

From the rise of vodka cocktails to drinking like a bartender, the podcast looks back at the history behind some of the world’s most loved cocktails, dives into drinks trends and uncovers the bar scene in a number of cities.

Bartender HQ

With 14 years of experience as a bartender, David Sangwell started his Bartender HQ podcast in 2014 originally as a resource for new bartenders. The podcast aims to be a hub for people who want to increase attention for their bars or drinks brands. The series also features Bartender’s Breakfast, a daily update on what’s happening in the UK’s bar world as it navigates the covid-19 crisis.

Shift Drink

Hosted by self-professed rum lover Ed Rudisell, owner of Indiana tiki bar The Inferno Room, and wine and spirits educator Arthur Black, Shift Drinks explores cocktails, wine and food in this bi-monthly series.

The podcast features interviews with bartenders, distillers, chefs, winemakers, farmers and anyone with their finger on the pulse in the food and drinks sector.

The Speakeasy

Every Wednesday at 2pm EST, hosts Damon Boelte and Sother Teague discuss all manner of drinks including cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, tea, and coffee with guests ranging from bartenders and brewers, alchemists and ambassadors, as well as coffee roasters.

Teague works as beverage director at Amor Y Amargo in New York City, and helped open the city’s first charity-focused bar, Coup, while Boelte is the co-owner of Grand Army Bar in Brooklyn.

Living Proof: Conversations for Bartenders

Described as the podcast for bartenders and anyone who likes to drink well, Living Proof is presented by broadcaster Nicole Haack and bartender Marcus Motteram, founder of Australian cocktail den Hains & Co in Adelaide.

The series features guests such as renowned bartender Dale DeGroff, who talked about everything from his favourite cocktail to the craft movement, Brad Thomas Parsons on bitters, amaro and his final drink, and Will Edwards, founder of Sydney-based distillery Archie Rose Distilling.

Unjiggered

Bartenders Michele Mariotti, Alex Murphy and Adrian Besa interview a bunch of Asia-based bar personalities and industry legends from around the world in the new Unjiggered podcast.

Martin Hudak, Jesse Vida, Bannie Kang, Elon Soddu and Declan McGurk are just a few of the industry names to be featured on the series.

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