Podcast
The Speakeasy
Hosted by Heritage Radio Network · EN
Hosts Damon Boelte, Sother Teague, and Greg Benson sit down to talk cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, tea, coffee, and all the other exciting liquids in the universe. With each episode, learn from some of the world’s experts in mixology, bar history, distillation, and brewing. Bringing on guests ranging from bartenders and brewers, alchemists and ambassadors, roasters and regulars, and every expert and enthusiast in between, The Speakeasy introduces listeners to all the unique ways we enjoy imbibing today.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A Sotol Difference with Aaron Dujovne
1w ago00:47:41Tap to summarizeSotol is not an agave product, but it often gets marketed that way to consumers, posing a conundrum for the folks that make it. Aaron Dujovne, Co-Founder of Casa Lotos Sotol sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about differentiating his product from agave spirits, what makes a desert spoon plant unique, how you market sotol to today’s consumer and how the heck this stuff is distilled anywayPLUS, is Alamo Drafthouse enshittifying? Greg breaks down a recent experience and discusses whether ordering off a screen is the death knell of customer service.Follow Casa Lotos on Instagram at @casalotosLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Long Beach's Secret Japanese Speakeasy with Kevin Lee
2w ago00:41:03Tap to summarize At the end of an alleyway, behind a burrito shop, on a relatively unassuming street in Long Beach is one of the newest Tokyo style speakeasies outside of Japan. Kevin Lee, lead bartender of Tokyo Noir sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about the impact of classics on modern bar programs, how to make a high concept cocktail bar accessible to the general public, and what exactly a Tokyo style food and beverage program looks like in the first place… and how to build one from the ground up.PLUS, Attaboy unionized. Greg and Sother break down the momentous news out of one of New York City’s premiere craft cocktail bars and what it could mean for the rest of the city, and the service industry at large..Follow Kevin on instagram at @kevinbyunghunFollow Tokyo Noir at @tokyo.noir.barLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceRead Vinepair’s article on Attaboy’s Union: vinepair.com/booze-news/attaboy-employees-nyc-vote-to-unionize/The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Night at The Museum with Misha Chavez & Bobbi Adler
3w ago00:57:23Tap to summarizeA Natural History Museum-themed cocktail bar is coming to Bushwick and Greg couldn’t be more thrilled. Misha Chavez and Bobbi Adler join the show to talk about their new concept, discuss the “permanent exhibits” that will adorn their menu, (as well as the special exhibits) and break down all the diverse and wonderful ways they draw inspiration from the natural world. From crystals to zombies to tarantulas that keep tiny frogs as pets, they’re doing their best to create a third space that’s fun and inspiring.PLUS, a lot of news happened during spring break. Tune in to hear the rundown of the Pernod Ricard/Brown Forman merger that wasn’t, how home distilling was legalized, and the thrilling arrest of the founder of SantaCon found himself behind bars.AND Sother’s doing an event with Sandwiches of History and Garrett Oliver to benefit Brooklyn Org. Wednesday, May 6th at 6pm at Brooklyn Brewery.Follow The Museum on instagram at @themuseumnycLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Who Pulls a Better Budweiser Than Me? with Robby Dow
Apr 1100:49:32Summary readyWhere do you go for arguably the best pint of Budweiser in America? Why, Wilmington, North Carolina of course, where Robby Dow, formerly of Grand Army in Brooklyn, has opened his new place Bespoke which has been called, on this show, a perfect bar. He sits down to talk with Damon and Greg about the buildout, what it’s like developing a clientele of Regulars outside of a “major market” city, and why he takes incredible pride in serving the coldest Budweiser in town. PLUS, a restaurant in Italy is bribing customers to lock up their phones during dinner with a free bottle of wine. Hear what Greg thinks about it (spoiler: positively) and why this trend might soon be catching on.Follow Robby on instagram at @thevodkaartistFollow Bespoke on instagram at @bespoke.ncLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SummaryYou Can Take the Guy Out of the Bear Suit but You Can't Take the Bear Out of the Suits Guy with Anthony Moniello & Gabriel Macht
Apr 300:58:11Tap to summarizeWhat do you do if the spokesperson for your brand is an actual bear? What if the creative partner for your brand is a famous actor from a hit TV show? CEO Anthony Moniello and Actor Gabriel Macht sit down to talk Bear Fight, their whiskey brand that has launched an American single malt, a bourbon aged in reposado tequila barrels, and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Anthony and Gabriel talk about naming the brand, finding a place in a crowded marketplace, leaning into a new chapter after “Suits” blew up on Netflix, and the perils and upsides of funding a brand with retail investorsPLUS, the Staten Island Ferry is serving booze again, thank God. And, an old friend from Kansas City chimes in about a new challenge.Follow Bear Fight on instagram at @bearfightwhiskeyFollow Gabriel on instagram at @iamgabrielmachtLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Dine Fine with Funked Up Wine with Claire Paparazzo
Mar 2700:46:59Tap to summarizeWhat makes a good sommelier? Encyclopedic knowledge of the wine world? The ability to sell anything to anyone? Or something more empathetic and human? If anyone knows it’s Claire Paparazzo, Wine Director for Sunday Hospitality Group and the Hotel Chelsea. Drawing on her knowledge from such iconic places as Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Claire chats with Greg about the challenge of running four properties under one roof, the art of making wine approachable, and why the fad for natural wine and orange wine probably springs from somewhere deep and sick and wonderful in our collective psyche. And, she talks about the time she almost got mauled by a pig.PLUS, are AI somms coming for our jobs? Greg offers an oddly hopeful take on whether that industry’s days are numberedFollow Claire at @clairepaparazzoFollow her documentary work at @wineifyouwanttoFollow her art at @jasperheart2021LINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →You'll Never Find a More Pleasant Hive of Vibes and Hospitality with Patrick Shanahan
Mar 2000:54:09Tap to summarizeIn another Boomerang! episode from Raleigh, North Carolina Greg sits down with Patrick Shanahan in his new bar space Rosebud to talk about the space, the buildout, and what it took to incorporate influences ranging from Japanese hi-fi lounges to spaghetti westerns to midcentury modern aesthetic. Then, they dive into the vibe and culture of North Carolina’s capital city to discuss where it’s been and where it’s going next.PLUS, are savory cocktails the new mezcal? Greg and Patrick discuss.Follow Patrick at @pmshanahanFollow Rosebud at @rosebudraleighLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsThe Business Insider article about Zoomers and dive bars: businessinsider.com/gen-z-exclusive-restaurants-regularmaxxing-central-perk-2026-1For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Texas v. Kentucky: Battle of the Bourbons! with Heather Greene
Mar 1300:47:23Tap to summarizeWhat is Texification, and why do it to Kentucky whiskey? Heather Greene, Master Blender of Milam & Greene hops on with Greg and Sother to answer that very question. She delves into what the unique climate of Texas does to a barrel of bourbon (or rye), what place whiskey occupies in our lives these days, and how she met the partners in her whiskey supergroup in the first place.PLUS, the kids are alright, but the way journalists cover them still sucks. Greg and Sother break down a recent piece about how Zoomers have “discovered” dive bars and discuss what it might mean for the “Gen Z doesn’t drink” narrative.Follow Milam & Greene at @milamandgreenewhiskeyFollow Heather at @thewhiskeyauthorityLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsThe Business Insider article about Zoomers and dive bars: businessinsider.com/gen-z-exclusive-restaurants-regularmaxxing-central-perk-2026-1For resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Triple Barrel-Aged Tequila with Natasha Sofia
Mar 600:39:04Tap to summarizeEver age tequila in oak, cherry AND acacia barrels? Mijenta Tequila has and Natasha Sofia, their Global Advocacy Director, is here to tell us about it. She dives into their aging process, sustainability, and what it means to actually win the award for Best US Brand Ambassador at Tales of the Cocktail.Editor's note: at 3:46 Natasha misspoke: the second type of wood used is Cherry, not French Oak.PLUS, an update on BrewDog’s attempt to sell itself and what it means for the future of craft beer… and cannabis!Follow Natasha at @natasha_sofiaFollow Mijenta Tequila at @mijentatequilaLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Hennessy After Dark with Sean Johnson
Feb 2000:53:32Tap to summarizeIn a special late night edition of The Speakeasy Hennessy Ambassador Sean Johnson joins Greg and Sother to talk about the historic cognac brand’s legacy, the art of selling a spirit everyone thinks they already understand, and what it was like to start this job in summer of 2020, when not much was happening really. Sean also gets into Hennessy’s roots in Black culture and his recent experience at Bar Five Day, the Navy SEAL training of the bar world.PLUS, a happy and solemn Lent to all who celebrate. Sother unpacks the surprisingly jovial history of lenten beers and how they made fasting fun. And Greg has officially returned from Las Vegas, albeit a little worse for wear.Follow Sean at @wellbalancedseanLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceSupport the Salt Cure Fund at thesaltcurefund.orgThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →