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Over a delicious drink, Flaviar's resident liquor experts, David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum, discuss all things cocktails and spirits. On each episode of Fix Me a Drink, the award-winning podcast hosts uncover lost liquor history, explore modern cocktail culture and interview an incredible array of spirited guests. So fix yourself a drink and enjoy the show!
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Life Behind Bars, which is hosted by the Daily Beast’s Half Full editor Noah Rothbaum and its legendary columnist David Wondrich, allows listeners to be flies on the wall as two of the world’s foremost drinks experts talk about cocktails and spirits. It is a mix of engaging stories and historical facts about the greatest bartenders and drinks of all time. In 2018, it won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for the world's best drinks podcast.Please drink responsibly. Hosted on Acast. Se ...
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Not long ago, we nearly lost rye whiskey. For decades, the historic whiskey was barely made in the United States, and most drinkers and bartenders had never tasted it. Just when it seemed that rye might disappear for good, a small miracle occurred. Thanks to a grassroots effort, Rittenhouse Rye became available for sale in New York and helped kick …
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On March 3, 1897, the United States Congress passed the Bottled-in-Bond Act, which irrevocably changed the future of American whiskey.The legislation established a designation that brands could use to differentiate their spirits from those that were basically knockoffs—neutral grain spirit flavored and colored with a range of deleterious ingredient…
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While making whiskey is definitely an art, it is also definitely a science. On this special episode of Fix Me a Drink hosts Noah Rothbaum and David Wondrich delve into the actual science involved in whiskey making and how subtle differences can have huge effects on the finished product. They are joined by special guest Dr. Pat Heist, co-founder of …
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From Mexico City, to Oaxaca to Guadalajara to Juárez, over the last decade Mexico’s cocktail scene has become red hot. On this special live recording of Fix Me a Drink, hosts Noah Rothbaum and David Wondrich delve into the tequila trends driving the country’s thriving cocktail culture as well as discuss the revolutionary new tequila category Crista…
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We’re in a new golden age of American whiskey with numerous distilleries across the country producing a veritable river of bourbon and rye. But only a few of these brands date back to the original golden age of distillation that occurred more than a century ago.On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, hosts Noah Rothbaum and David Wondrich focus on one o…
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From snowstorms to freezing rain to sleet, Scotch is the quintessential whisky of winter. So when it’s hazy, hot and humid, should you drink something else?Well, before you make a hasty switch, first listen to the new episode of Fix Me a Drink. Hosts Noah Rothbaum and David Wondrich discuss how they like to drink Scotch in the summer and how the wh…
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There are few things that go together better than a beer and a shot of whiskey.It’s a truly old-school pairing and it’s also a favorite order of our Fix Me a Drink hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum. On the latest episode of their podcast, they share their advice for matching spirits with beer and talk about some delicious Boilermaker combinati…
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On the hit Food Network TV show Chopped, celebrity chef Amanda Freitag judges amazingly creative menus that contestants cobble together using an unusual mix of ingredients. But when it comes to summer entertaining, her own tastes run fairly classic: hot dogs, potato salad and punch. On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, Freitag joins hosts David Wondr…
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For the first summer in years, there is an actual travel season. Fix Me a Drink hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are looking forward to visiting bars around the world, from old favorites to new finds. On this first globetrotting episode, the hosts chat over flutes of Champagne and pints of British beer about the establishments they want to dr…
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The internet holds a seemingly endless number of cocktail recipes, but most drinks are created by following just a handful of basic formulas. Once you know the key ratios, you can unlock a whole world of possibilities. On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum welcome award-winning author Michael Ruhlman to discuss h…
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Every week it seems like another new rye whiskey is introduced, featuring a range of novel ingredients and innovative production techniques. But this begs the important questions: What should rye whiskey taste like? And what is the authentic way to produce it?On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by au…
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For years, a number of British and American gin brands have touted so-called navy strength gin, which is a robust 57 percent alcohol by volume. As legend has it, the Royal Navy demanded that the gin be bottled at a very high proof so if it ever spilled on the ship’s supply of black powder, the powder would still light. There’s just one major proble…
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While most cocktail recipes are well known, the formulas for a number of drinks were kept top secret by their creators.On this episode Fix Me a Drink, hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Jeff Beachbum Berry, owner of New Orlean’s acclaimed bar Latitude 29 and author of Beachbum Berry's Sippin' Safari, to discuss cracking the code o…
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It’s no secret that Des Linden is one of the world’s best long-distance runners. In 2018, she became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in more than 30 years. Her gritty performance that day through driving rain and high winds was one for the history books. She followed that up with two Olympic marathon appearances, and then smashe…
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More than 40 years ago, Eddie Russell started working at Wild Turkey’s distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Ultimately, he became master distiller and created some of the brand’s most well-known whiskies. In 2010, he was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. It’s not unexpected—or even surprising—that he would have such a long and proli…
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In Scotland, Famous Grouse is way more than just a best-selling whisky. It’s an integral part of the country’s national identity. So it was big news last summer when the brand appointed Craig Johnstone as its new master blender. On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, Johnstone joins hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum to talk about how he makes Famo…
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Prices for many spirits brands have skyrocketed over the last few years. So can you still stock a home bar without breaking the bank? Are there any liquor bargains left?On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum challenge each other to find five high-quality spirits that are sold on the Flaviar website that total $150…
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Winter in Scotland is cold, gray, and seemingly never ending. But one the highlights of the bleak season is the birthday of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. Centuries after his birth, folks still gather to joyously recite his poems, eat haggis and, of course, drink Scotch.In honor of Burns' birthday, Flaviar recently partnered with Highland P…
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The winter of 2013 was one of the worst times in modern history to open a bar in New York City. Manhattan was still reeling from Hurricane Sandy, especially the southern tip of the island, which had been battered by destructive high winds and corrosive flood waters. The Dead Rabbit was no exception—the establishment’s ancient building sits just a c…
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The Boulevardier, the Last Word and the Pegu Club are some of the most popular drinks today. But while they date back decades, they weren’t actually popular when they debuted. So are these classic cocktails really classics? On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss these and other so-called sleeper recipes wi…
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It’s been years since we’ve had a proper old-fashioned holiday party season, so no doubt we’re all a bit rusty when it comes to the art of hospitality. To help you celebrate like a pro, Fix Me a Drink’s acclaimed hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by best-selling cookbook author Melissa Clark. She shares her personal strategy for hos…
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How do you put your own spin on a classic Scotch whisky? This was the challenge facing Dewar’s award-winning master blender Stephanie Macleod who was tasked with giving the brand’s well-known 12-year-old Scotch an update. Don’t change it enough and no one will notice the difference, but if you go too far it will be unrecognizable. On this episode o…
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‘Tis the season to discuss an important and controversial holiday cocktail: Eggnog.While the creamy concoction, which does indeed include plenty of eggs, often gets a bad rap, the classic version is incredibly delicious. The real problem? Most folks buy the pre-made supermarket stuff (a reported 135 million pounds of it each year)—and that just won…
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Given that New Orlean is home to a multitude of cocktails, from the Sazerac to the Ramos Gin Fizz to the Hurricane, you’d think a great book about the city’s drinks and drinking culture would already exist. In our humble opinion, we’ve found one: Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake just released the instant classic “Cure: New Orleans Drinks and H…
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Fall can be one of the most frustrating times of year for a cocktail and spirits drinker. Warm and summery one day, cool and wintery the next—the seasonal whiplash is almost enough to make you drink some kind of ridiculous pumpkin spice concoction. Fortunately, on this episode of Fix Me a Drink, award-winning hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum …
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If you love drinking Scotch, you need to read Dave Broom’s books on the subject. He has been writing about whisky and spirits for more than two decades and has single handedly created a veritable library of work. His latest book, “A Sense of Place: A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky,” is a heartfelt tribute to the folks who create Scotch and the co…
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Was it Trader Vic or Don the Beachcomber who created the best-selling tiki cocktail the Mai Tai? It’s one of the great drinks debates, but no matter who came up with this recipe, we can all agree that it's delicious. On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, award-winning hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origins of the Mai Tai, including…
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There’s only one thing that cocktail drinkers love more than having a drink: talking about the bartending scenes in rival cities and towns.Inspired by an opinionated 1902 newspaper story about the quality of cocktails across the country, on this episode of Fix Me a Drink, award-winning hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the state of reg…
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There is seemingly no detail too small for big-budget movies to get right–except bartending, that is. While lots of films depict bartenders at work, few of them get the details correct.On this episode of Fix Me a Drink, award-winning hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the history of bartending on film while enjoying classic Moscow Mules…
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Two of the world’s foremost drinks experts are launching a new podcast called Fix Me a Drink. Over a drink, Dave Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum will look at the trends, history and personalities behind your favorite cocktails and spirits. They’ll also explore the fascinating drinking roots of larger society and pop culture. The award-winning duo will b…
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Gin has been a bartending fixture for hundreds of years and stars in countless famous cocktail recipes. On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about gin’s roots and how the spirit has evolved and kept current for centuries—including during the modern cocktail renaissance. Sebastien Derbomez, mana…
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The launch of Grand Marnier in the late 1800s helped to establish a new standard for luxury liquor brands. The Cognac-and-orange liqueur also inspired the creation of several delicious cocktails, including the original version of the Bijou. On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origin of …
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Everyone has heard at least one story about how the Margarita came to be—at last count, there were seven credible origin stories. On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum explore the possible stories behind the Margarita’s invention, as well as a groundbreaking advertising campaign by José Cuervo that m…
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The Negroni and the Americano are perennial favorites of professional and amateur bartenders around the world. But when were these classic cocktail recipes created? And how did Italy’s bar culture become a sensation? On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum delve into the backstory of these drinks and t…
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A Look Inside the Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails - Life Behind Bars: The Oxford Companion
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For nearly ten years, Life Behind Bars co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum have been working on a special project: The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails. A few weeks ago, the nearly 900-page book debuted with more than 1,100 entries from 150 contributors. On this special episode, Wondrich and Rothbaum take you behind the scenes of this …
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Rye whiskey beguiles the palate with a range of slow-to-reveal flavors. The same could be said of the spirit’s long and complex history, which continues to delight (and frustrate) modern distillers, historians and journalists. On this special live episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum assem…
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The rebirth of the cocktail started in big cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. But over the last few years, smaller markets have arguably made the biggest bartending strides. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by chef Cheetie Kumar and b…
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People have been writing about drinks as long as they’ve been enjoying them. And with the rebirth of the cocktail during the last 20 years, prices for vintage drinks books have risen dramatically and bargains are much harder to find. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined …
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Single malt Irish whiskey is in distiller Darryl McNally’s blood. His ancestors made the historic spirit for centuries in Ireland. Now he’s trying to rebuild his family’s Limavady distillery at the northern tip of the island. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by McNal…
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From bartenders to craft spirits brands to liquor behemoths, everyone seems to be launching a new canned cocktail these days. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by acclaimed Half Full columnist Wayne Curtis to discuss the historic roots of these pre-mixed beverages. (S…
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