The Cocktail Academy

This week, Damian sits down with Paul Aguilar, head of R&D at Himkok in Oslo – ranked No. 4 on Europe's 50 Best Bars 2026 – to talk clean Norwegian flavours, high-volume hospitality and how a bar gets noticed in a country where you can't advertise alcohol.

A quick note: this conversation was recorded before The World's 50 Best Bars 2026 was announced. Himkok was No. 14 in the world at the time, the ranking you'll hear mentioned, and it now sits at No. 24 on the 2026 list.

Paul arrived at Himkok almost ten years ago with a degree in marketing and...

This week, Damian sits down with Ian Burrell — The Global Rum Ambassador, founder of UK RumFest and author of A Rum Tasting Course.

Ian shares how he created a career championing rum around the world, his philosophy of putting the category before individual brands, and some incredible stories from more than two decades in the industry.

The conversation covers the legendary 17-year-old Wray & Nephew behind The Merchant Hotel’s £750 Mai Tai, Ian’s candid account of creating and ultimately leaving Equiano Rum, and what he learned from the experience.

Ian also re...

This week on The Cocktail Academy, two conversations from Tales of the Cocktail 2026 bring together very different perspectives on tequila, bartending, representation and the stories the drinks industry chooses to remember.

First, Damian sits down with Grace González, master distiller and part of the family behind El Mayor Tequila. Grace shares her family's nearly 150-year connection to tequila, what really goes into producing El Mayor, and what it took to establish herself in an industry that hasn't always made space for women.

She explains why Blanco is the expression she reaches for to understand t...

What does it take to spend nearly four decades making spirits differently — and to be willing to risk what you've built when you believe something needs to change?

Recorded at Tales of the Cocktail 2026 in New Orleans, Damian sits down with Alexandre Gabriel, the master blender and driving force behind Maison Ferrand, Planteray Rum and Citadelle Gin, for a conversation about spirits, history, leadership and the enduring importance of bars.

Alexandre traces his philosophy back to growing up on a small farm in France, where work, community and responsibility were inseparable. It's an outlook that st...

AJABU: The Festival Putting African Cocktails on the World Stage

Recorded live during Tales of the Cocktail 2026 in New Orleans, Damian sits down with Colin Asare-Appiah and Alexander Quest to explore one of the most exciting movements in global hospitality.

At the heart of the conversation is AJABU Cocktail & Spirits Festival—a festival built around connection, collaboration and celebrating the incredible diversity of African hospitality. But this episode goes far beyond cocktails.

Colin and Alexander discuss the philosophy of Ubuntu, why hospitality is deeply embedded in African culture, and how indigenous ingredients and lo...

In the first episode of our Tales of the Cocktail 2026 series, Damian sits down in New Orleans with legendary bartender and hospitality leader Leo Robitschek.

Leo helped transform Eleven Madison Park from a busy New York restaurant into a three-Michelin-starred institution and the number one restaurant in the world. He later created the acclaimed bar programmes at The NoMad, becoming a managing partner and helping expand the brand from New York to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and London.

Over a low-ABV tomato and basil Negroni, Leo explains why exceptional hospitality begins with culture rather than...

Damian recaps his trip to Amsterdam for the inaugural Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026.

What started as an awards ceremony quickly became a full festival of cocktails, with bar takeovers, brand activations, industry events, parties and a green-carpet ceremony bringing together some of the best bars in Europe.

From Rosewood Amsterdam’s stunning Advocatuur bar and the Meet the Bartenders media event, to the main Europe’s 50 Best Bars ceremony at De Kromhouthal and the rooftop closing party at LuminAir, Damian gives a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when 50 Best rolls into town.

He also r...

Stefano Catino: Why Hospitality Matters More Than Cocktails

This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with one of the most respected operators in global hospitality, Stefano Catino.

As the co-founder of the world-renowned Maybe Sammy and leader of The Maybe Group, Stefano has helped build one of the most celebrated hospitality businesses in the world. But as you'll hear in this conversation, his success has far less to do with cocktails than it does with people.

From growing up in his father's restaurant in Italy to building a hospitality empire...

Benji Purslow joins Damian this week to discuss his journey from pub bartender and aspiring musician to International Advocacy Manager at Heaven Hill.

From pulling pints in seaside pubs to representing one of the world's largest whiskey producers, Benji shares lessons learned from more than 25 years in hospitality and explains what modern brand advocacy really looks like.

The conversation explores career progression, supplier relationships, bourbon's current challenges, and why deep expertise remains one of the most valuable assets a bartender can develop.

Key Takeaways

Hospitality teaches resilience, adaptability...

This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with Steve Schneider, partner at Sip & Guzzle in New York and one of the defining figures behind modern cocktail hospitality.

Steve talks through his journey from the Marines and high-energy DC bars to Employees Only and eventually building Sip & Guzzle alongside Shingo Gokan. What starts as a conversation about cocktails quickly turns into a deep dive into bar identity, hospitality, storytelling, service culture, and what it actually takes to create bars people emotionally connect with.

Steve breaks down the philosophy behind Sip & Guzzle, explaining how...

From recipe databases and home bar apps to batching systems, dilution calculators and profitability tools, Damian breaks down the difference between cocktail enthusiast apps and genuine professional bartender tools.

He shares honest thoughts on apps like Mixel and My Bar, before exploring why Bartender's Choice remains one of the most respected cocktail apps in the industry.

The centrepiece of the episode is a deep dive into Bevnap, Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s modern bartender toolkit built around batching, costing, scaling, carbonation, ABV calculations and operational consistency.

Damian also reflects on how modern bartending is ch...

Julie Reiner joins The Cocktail Academy Podcast for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build a lasting career in hospitality.

A true legend of the modern cocktail world, Julie is the force behind iconic New York bars including Clover Club, Milady’s and the former Flatiron Lounge. In this episode, she talks about hiring for hospitality over skill, why warmth matters more than technical knowledge, and how great bars create opportunities for people to grow.

Julie also reflects on how the cocktail world has changed since the early days of the modern co...

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian Cole sits down with Gillian Fitzgerald of Casements Bar in San Francisco to explore what it really takes to build a world-class modern Irish bar.

Casements has become one of the most respected Irish bars in the US by doing things differently. This conversation goes deep into the bar’s identity, how Gillian and the team avoid tired Irish stereotypes, and how they create cocktail menus that feel rooted in Irish culture while still speaking to San Francisco and California produce.

Gillian shares the story behind Ca...

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian records live from Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London with Andy Loudon, Director of Bars, and Kris Bazys, Bar Manager, during the launch of the new Heroes & Villains menu.

Andy breaks down the thinking behind the menu, how Gerald Scarfe’s artwork shapes the identity of the bar, and why great bars are built on energy, escapism, and experience, not just what’s in the glass. Kris then takes us behind the scenes into the reality of service, explaining what actually changes when a new menu launches, how the team...

Tyler Zielinski has built one of the most interesting careers in modern drinks. In this episode, Damian chats with the author of Tiny Cocktails about his path from early bartending roles in Boston, to advertising in New York, to becoming a writer, consultant, educator, and content creator working across the global drinks industry.

They talk about what it really takes to build a career beyond the bar, why modern bartenders need to think differently about networking and visibility, and how Tyler carved out a lane that blends hospitality, media, and brand work.

The conversation also...

Lindsey Johnson has spent nearly two decades quietly shaping the global drinks industry from behind the scenes. From punk bar bartender to broadcast journalist to founder of the world’s first bartender advocacy agency, Lindsey built Lush Life Productions on one simple principle: take care of bartenders and they’ll take care of everything else.

In this episode, we dive into how she bridges the gap between brands and the bar community, why hospitality professionals should be treated like VIP guests, and the uncomfortable truths about awards, recognition, and what really matters in this industry.

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In this episode, Damian sits down with Declan McGurk, a hospitality leader whose career spans high-volume bars, global spirits brands, and one of the most iconic hotel bars in the world.

Declan traces his journey from glass collecting and flair bartending in late-90s Leeds, through brand and sales roles in London, to managing the legendary American Bar at The Savoy. Along the way, he shares why systems matter more than stories, how classics training builds real confidence behind the bar, and why the martini remains the ultimate benchmark for hospitality standards.

The conversation also...

Saeed “Hawk” House – better known online as @cocktailsbyhawk – joins Damian to talk about his path from Bay Area barback to LA content creator, why he still thinks like a working bartender, and how influencers with real bar chops can shape what guests drink around the world.

They get into the tension between “what works on Instagram” and “what works on a busy Friday night,” the responsibilities that come with reach, and Hawk’s campaign to make cocktails fun (and drinkable) again.

In this episode, we cover:

From culinary classrooms to cocktail culture, Sother Teague has built one of the most distinctive bars in the world... Amor y Amargo in New York’s East Village by doing what few dared: saying no to juice, sugar and shakers, and saying yes to bitter, spirit-forward drinks built on precision and hospitality.

In this episode, Damian sits down with the bartender, author and educator to talk about how a career that began in kitchens shaped his approach behind the bar, why “bitterness is the grown-up flavour,” and how a 240-square-foot pop-up turned into a global benchmark for flavou...

On this episode, Damian Cole sits down with Jamie Lewis and Drew Fleming from Kiki Lounge — the award-winning bar bringing tropical escapism to the windswept Isle of Man. The pair share how a pandemic pivot turned a small-island nightclub into one of the UK’s most talked-about cocktail destinations, and why they chose to drop the word tiki in favour of something more authentic and inclusive.

They talk origin stories, supply-chain nightmares, and the creative freedom that comes with isolation. With only 80 thousand residents and every delivery arriving by boat, Kiki’s team have learned to plan months...

This week Damian is joined by Emma Janzen, an award-winning journalist and drinks writer whose byline has become a fixture in the cocktail world. What started as a happy accident — cocktail classes in Austin, Texas, and a story pitch at her local newspaper — turned into a decade-plus career exploring drinks, design, and the culture surrounding them.

Emma shares how she transitioned from multimedia work at a paper into drinks journalism, eventually becoming digital editor at Imbibe magazine before striking out on her own to focus on spirits, cocktails, and book projects. Along the way, she became a trus...

This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian welcomes back Tim Herlihy, co-founder of Lost Irish Whiskey, storyteller, and longtime champion of Irish hospitality.

Tim’s journey is anything but ordinary — from working on his family’s egg farm in Termonfeckin, County Louth, to becoming U.S. Ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W., and now building a modern Irish whiskey brand that celebrates the global Irish diaspora.

In this episode we cover:

This week Damian is joined by Mandy Naglich, an Advanced Cicerone®, certified taster, drinks writer, and author of How to Taste. Mandy’s journey into the world of flavor started with homebrewing, where she won a gold medal at the National Homebrew Competition in 2016, and led her into the deep study of sensory science, fermentation, and tasting.

In this episode, Mandy shares:

This week, we sit down with one of the most influential voices in modern drinks journalism — Noah Rothbaum, author, editor, historian, and the man behind some of the most important cocktail publications of the last 20 years.

From bringing a mystery bottle to Dale DeGroff, to co-editing The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails with David Wondrich, Noah shares his personal journey through the golden age of modern cocktail writing — and gives us a peek behind the curtain at his latest release, The Whiskey Bible.

We talk about the pivotal role of bars like Pegu Club and the...

This week I’m joined by none other than David Wondrich – cocktail historian, author, and one of the most influential voices in the modern drinks world. If you’ve ever picked up Imbibe!, mixed a punch bowl from his recipes, or thumbed through the monumental Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, you’ll know why this conversation was such a treat.

We dive into David’s journey from punk-era bass player, to English professor, to Esquire’s drinks guy, and ultimately to becoming one of the leading authorities on cocktail history. He shares stories of working alongside legends like...

This week on the podcast, Damian is joined by Jordan Hughes, better known as the High-Proof Preacher — a former pastor turned cocktail creator, photographer, author, and educator. Jordan has become one of the most recognisable creative voices in the drinks world, with his striking visuals, viral cocktails, and approachable educational platform, Cocktail Camera.

We dig into Jordan’s unusual journey from the pulpit to Portland’s cocktail scene, how he built a career blending drinks and photography, and the lessons he’s learned about creating content that actually connects. Along the way, we touch on the rise of the c...

This week, we’re taking you straight to Bourbon Street for a very special episode recorded live at the legendary Irish House event during Tales of the Cocktail 2025.

Forget the quiet studio chat — this one’s got rooftop terrace energy, full-on party vibes, and the kind of background noise that puts you right there in the middle of it all. Over the course of the night, Damian grabbed mini-interviews with some of the biggest names in Irish hospitality, including:

Toby Maloney is one of the true architects of the modern cocktail movement — a bartender, author, and hospitality mind whose influence spans from Milk & Honey and Pegu Club in New York to The Violet Hour in Chicago, and now to The Elbow Room in Vancouver, Washington.

In this episode, Damian sits down with Toby for a wide-ranging conversation covering the early chaos of oyster shucking and club bartending, the epiphany of watching Sasha Petraske behind the bar, and the vision and legacy of The Violet Hour — the iconic Chicago bar that helped reshape American cocktail culture.

After a cancelled flight, three planes, and a lot of sweat (literal and metaphorical), Damian finally made it to Tales of the Cocktail 2025 in New Orleans — and lived to tell the tale... barely.

In this slightly foggy, totally unfiltered solo episode, he shares his jet-lagged recap of the biggest cocktail event on the planet. From Speed Rack chaos and legendary frozen Irish coffees at Erin Rose to Buckfast cocktails, light-up ice cubes, and back massages courtesy of Campari — it’s all here in glorious, semi-chronological detail.

Expect stories about Team Ireland’s iconic takeover, wild brand pa...

In this episode, Damian is joined by Slovak bartender, author, and mentor Stanislav Harciník, the creator of The Cocktail Balance and The Cocktail Balance 2.0. Broadcasting from Mirror Bar in Bratislava, Stan shares the unexpected beginnings of his hospitality career, the philosophy behind his writing, and his firm belief in the power of hospitality done right.

This conversation dives deep into what it means to be a modern bartender , not just in terms of technique and creativity, but as someone who understands flavour, business, and guest experience in equal measure. From the theory sections of his book t...

Preston Lee has helped scale some of the busiest and most beloved hospitality businesses across the UK and beyond — but his story started like many others: behind the bar, with no clue what he was doing.

In this episode, Preston breaks down how he turned personal failure into the foundation for The 30% Rule — a training and operations system that’s helped restaurants and bars go from chaos to consistency.

We talk about what most venues get wrong about training, why being nice isn’t the same as offering hospitality, and how systems can make your worst ni...

Damian is joined by Bart Miedeksza and Valentino Girotto, longtime collaborators, former bar owners, and co-authors of Bubbles: A Guide to Carbonated Cocktails. In this first half of the episode, they dive into the origins of their partnership, the evolution of Crossroads Bar into a consultancy, and the obsessive research process that led to their groundbreaking book. Expect tales of late-night DMs, deep dives into molecular flavor compounds, and why carbonation is more than just sparkle — it’s a science.

🧪 What You’ll Learn

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with one of modern bartending’s most influential voices Jeffrey Morgenthaler. Known for his no-nonsense approach to cocktails, pioneering work at Clyde Common, and the bestselling Bar Book, Jeff shares practical insights from 30 years behind the stick.

Together, they dive into what’s changed in the bar world, what hasn’t, and why sometimes the most successful drinks are the simplest. From how to make a better Amaretto Sour, to why great bars can thrive outside major cities, this conversation is full of sharp, honest, and empowe...

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with spirits educator and founder of Flavor Camp™, Reece Sims a true innovator when it comes to helping people taste differently.

Reece shares her winding path from marketing to bartending, blogging, sales, and finally launching her own immersive spirits education platform. She dives into the origins of Flavor Camp, explaining how her flavour-camp system simplifies the overwhelming world of spirits and empowers people to explore based on taste, not just category or branding.

We cover:

In this episode, Damian sits down with one of the sharpest pens (and palates) in the cocktail world — Kara Newman. Known for her work as a spirits reviewer for Wine Enthusiast and her no-nonsense, consumer-friendly cocktail books, Kara shares the unique journey that took her from writing about pork belly futures to profiling the future of drinks.

Together, they unpack the importance of equal-parts cocktails, the genius of batching, and why cocktail families are the real secret weapon behind classic and modern drinks. Kara also reflects on what she looks for when tasting spirits, the challenge of tr...

Marco Ortiz is the creator behind the wildly relatable @not_barspoontv — where bartender humor meets real talk about burnout, content creation, and bar culture. In this episode, Marco shares his unexpected path from med school hopeful to cocktail competition winner and full-time lead bartender, all while growing an online presence that connects with bartenders worldwide.

We talk about what keeps bartenders in the game, how to spot burnout before it spirals, why cocktail education needs an overhaul, and the difference between content that’s helpful vs. content that’s just for show. If you work behind the stick...

In this episode, Damian sits down with Keegan McGregor, 2024 World Class Global Bartender of the Year. Based in Halifax, Keegan shares the journey from touring musician to top-tier cocktail craftsman. They dive deep into how travel fuels his creativity, why he believes bartending is an expressive art form, and the surprising ingredients he's using to push Canadian cocktail culture forward. Expect sharp insights on competition prep, community, and why authenticity is the ultimate edge.

📌 Topics Covered

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian Cole sits down with Leandro DiMonriva — better known as The Educated Barfly — to explore what it really takes to combine bartending, content creation, and cocktail education at the highest level.

Leandro shares his journey from LA’s bar scene to YouTube success, how he uses technique to elevate even the simplest cocktails, and why authenticity and consistency matter more than chasing trends. They also discuss his upcoming book Home Bartending Mastery and what sets it apart from today’s crowded cocktail book shelf.

Whether you're a bartende...

In this episode, Damian sits down with the inimitable Gerry White – a true Belfast legend whose name is etched into the city’s hospitality scene. From pulling pints in White’s Tavern to creating one of Ireland’s most iconic gins... Jawbox Gin, Gerry shares the stories, the characters, and the moments that shaped his journey.

We talk bar culture, Belfast’s changing landscape, the soul of a great pub (hint: it's always the people), and how a sink inspired one of the most recognisable gin brands around.

From distilling with Echlinville to using Black Mountain h...

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, host Damian Cole sits down with Erick Castro — bartender, bar owner, and creator of the acclaimed Bartender at Large podcast — for a wide-ranging conversation that spans decades of hospitality, creative evolution, and the fundamentals of great bartending.

From scrubbing dishes as a teenager to launching industry-leading bars like Raised by Wolves and Gilly's, Erick shares his origin story, the pivotal moments that shaped his cocktail education, and why bartending is more demanding (and rewarding) than ever before.

This episode covers: