This week on The Speakeasy host Damon Boelte speaks with Justin Briggs, bartender, brand ambassador, consultant, and mixologist. Justin Briggs currently bartends at The Gin Palace and Barbes in New York City, is a Brand Ambassador at Imbue Vermouth, and often consults at James Restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. Recently, Briggs has been hard at work on various bitters, which he has had the pleasure of presenting at Cecil and Merl in his Cherry Bitters, which contains a delicate balance of bright, sour cherry notes, soft vanilla tones, and a pleasantly bitter finish. Briggs has also recently been an ambassador for Imbue Vermouth, makers of the Bittersweet Vermouth, a flagship aperitif designed to be poured simply onto rocks and sipped. Tune-in to learn more about these great products that can be stocked in your home bar today! This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

"Cocktails are almost like folk music, everybody has their own version." [8:35]

-- Justin Briggs on The Speakeasy

Leslie Pariseau, New York Brand Ambassador for Pernod Ricard & Ria Soler, Bar Smarts Manager join Damon Boelte on this week's episode of The Speakeasy. Learn about some common misconceptions surrounding absinthe and learn more about some of the other products Pernod Ricard has in its portfolio including Pastis. Also find out how the Bar Smarts program is helping educate people in the bar industry all across the country. This episode was sponsored by

This week on the Speakeasy host Damon Boelte is joined by Rennaissance man Mayur Subbarao. Not only is Subbarao a cocktail afficianado, a bartender, and a spirit crafter at Bittermens, but he also works by day as an environmental lawyer helping with green energy and building. Tune in for a panoramic discussion on extreme bartending, starting DIY cocktail clubs, and one of Damon's favorite subjects: bitters. Learn how Mayur has been recreating his own bitters such as Amer Picon and bringing back lost flavors to the cocktail world. This episode is sponsored by Whole Foods Market.