During times like these, how are bars across the country changing their drinks menus? Is it better to go with tried-and-true classics or to offer innovative and creative concoctions? On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Claire Sprouse from New York, Erick Castro from San Diego and Omar Yeefoon from Dallas—about what folks want to drink now and how the pandemic has changed the thought process behind putting together menus. So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve […]
Podcast: Life Behind Bars
10 posts
If there was ever a time to have a glass of bourbon, now is it. Back in 2007, Congress passed a resolution declaring September National Bourbon Heritage Month. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon, to talk about why the month-long holiday was created and how to properly celebrate it. So fix yourself a glass of bourbon and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior Drinks Columnist David Wondrich […]
Thanks to coronavirus closures, cities across the country have now allowed bars and restaurants to offer customers to-go drinks. On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Karl Franz Williams from New York, Christine Wiseman from Los Angeles, and Andrew Volk from Maine—about this important change in the bar industry. They discuss the new-found skills required to create to-go cocktails, as well as which drinks are (and aren’t) selling out. So mix yourself a drink and listen to this important episode of Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned. […]
Bartenders and bar owners are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. And one of the greatest challenges facing them today is getting their customers to wear face masks. On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders, Neal Bodenheimer from New Orleans, Alex Jump from Denver and Masa Urushido from New York, about this important issue. They discuss how patrons have reacted to having to wear masks in their establishments and offer some advice for conducting these sometimes delicate conversations. So mix yourself a drink and […]
The Martini and the Manhattan are two of the bedrock drinks that hold up the entire world of cocktails. While both have their own lore, mythology and fans, they in fact may be essentially the same drink. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origins of the two drinks and how they evolved into distinct recipes. So mix yourself a Manhattan or a Martini and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior Drinks Columnist David Wondrich […]
The coronavirus has the potential to decimate bars across America. Already a number of well-known establishments have announced that they won’t reopen and many others are struggling to stay afloat during these challenging times. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Nate Whitehouse, co-founder of Thirst, to talk about his organization’s efforts to get insurance companies and the federal government to help bars stay in business. So, fix yourself a drink and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum […]
David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum, the co-hosts of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, share the bars they wish were still open: From a pioneering 18th-century punch house to Jerry Thomas’ legendary New York bar to Dale DeGroff shaking up drinks in the Rainbow Room to the recently closed Pegu Club. Their virtual bar crawl across centuries and continents covers the establishments that they have long dreamt of visiting, as well as some modern personal favorites that are no more. Which bars do you wish you could go back in time to check out? Let the hosts know on Twitter. So, […]
After months of sheltering in place, David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum, co-hosts of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, are daydreaming about visiting their favorite bars around the world. Listen in as they plan a bar crawl for the ages, which will hit New York, New Orleans, Detroit, Miami, Havana, Tequila, London, Paris and spots in between. Did they miss your favorite establishment? Let the hosts know on Twitter what bar you’d like to visit right now. So fix yourself a cocktail and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum […]
After weeks of being closed for a mandatory coronavirus shutdown, bars in New Orleans have begun to reopen with limited capacity. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Neal Bodenheimer, owner of James Beard Award-winning Nola bar Cure, to talk about his recent experiences reopening and the challenges that he’s had to overcome. So fix yourself a Sazerac and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior Drinks Columnist David Wondrich as they discuss the greatest […]
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, liquor store sales are up across the country with many folks fixing cocktails at home. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the return of America’s nightly cocktail hour and what people are mixing up. They also discuss the long-term effects of the coronavirus on the bar industry and how it might change after this pandemic is finished. So mix yourself a drink and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers! Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior […]