Bit by a Fox Podcast

Kim Haasarud from the USBG National Charity Foundation, is here to answer all the hard hitting questions around their Bartender Emergency Assistance Program’s COVID-19 Relief campaign - why people may be having trouble getting the funds they're applying for, how the foundation actually works, and how to successfully apply for grant money from the foundation.

For this week's episode I spoke with Colin Spoelman, the Co-Founder and Head Distiller of Kings County Distillery - New York City's oldest, largest, and premier whiskey distillery, and a leader in America's craft distilling movement. Founded in 2010, Kings County was New York City's first whiskey distillery since prohibition. They are just now celebrating their 10 year anniversary. 

Hundreds of distillers across the country are now producing hand sanitizer to help fight COVID-19 - creating and packaging a product most of them knew nothing about in record time. This week's guests are: Eral Gokgol-Kline - Founder + Managing Principal for The Vale Fox Distillery, Becky Harris - Founder and Chief Distiller of Catoctin Creek Distilling, and Chris Swonger - President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States - DISCUS.

San Francisco-based cocktail & spirits writer, speaker & educator Camper English is here to discuss Cocktail Safe - his new-ish website dedicated to safety in cocktail ingredients and techniques. Cocktail Safe has been getting a lot of attention due to the discussion around anti-malarial drugs being an effective treatment for Covid-19. Since Camper also happens to be an expert in quinine, tonic water and cinchona bark, he's here to set the record straight on all of this.

This episode features Eric "ET" Tecosky - veteran LA bartender and founder of Dirty Sue Premium Olive Juice. We talked about his early days in the LA bar scene, his home away from home - Jones Hollywood, and life as an entrepreneur in the ever-changing cocktail landscape.

This week we have return guest, New York-based food, wine, and spirits writer Kara Newman on the show. She discusses her sixth cocktail book, an interactive sort of choose your own adventure book called Cocktails with a Twist. We also invent what we think should be a new classic cocktail, talk about babies making martinis, and our love of vermouth, gin and aquavit. 

For this week's episode, I spoke with Malek Amrani, entrepreneur, sommelier, and founder of The Vice Wine, a small batch Napa Valley wine label that's been getting a lot of attention since its launch a few years back. Malek and I discussed his journey from Moroccan teenager landing in New York, to his very early start in drinks business, and balancing his life as wine maker and business owner with a passion for Triathlons and physical fitness.

BONUS EPISODE! What happens when you structure a drinks business like a record label - highlighting the talent in the industry and their creations versus the brand itself? That's what Aaron Polksy (bartender, cocktail rockstar, friend of Bit by a Fox!) wants to do with his ready to drink canned cocktails LiveWire Drinks, working with some of the most acclaimed bartenders around the world, and bottling their genius for the masses.

This week we are talking all things Mezcal - the wild and smoky and often misunderstood cousin of tequila. My guest is Jeremy Simpson, the GM and Beverage Director at Bar Caló an acclaimed mezcaleria, cocktail bar, and restaurant in the heart of Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood. Join us as we dive into this extraordinary Mexican-made agave spirit.

What do Frank Sinatra, Awkwafina, LA's pioneering punk rock scene & craft cocktails all have in common? They all have a connection to LA's historic General Lee's Cocktail House in Chinatown.  On the cusp of the Chinese New Year kicking off tomorrow, we are taking a deep dive into one of the oldest family owned establishments in Los Angeles, originally opened by the Lee family in Old Chinatown in the late 1800s.   Guests: Sharon Lee; Jim Akimoto, Managing Partner; Philip Ly, Head Bartender

Kicking off the third(!) season of the Bit by a Fox Podcast with one one of my all time favorites -  Diplomático Rum from Venezuela. I spoke with Master Distiller Nelson Hernández as well as National Brand Ambassador Emmanuel Pena about what makes Diplomático so special, the radical sustainability efforts that have been implemented throughout their community, and how the business is able to successfully navigate in the midst of a country in turmoil.  

We’re closing out the year with our last interview in the Bartender Interview Series, The Master Blend - a collaboration with BERTOUX Brandy. This week’s guest is Austin Hennelly, Head Bartender at David Chang's first Los Angeles restaurant - Majordomo. Austin moved out LA two years ago to open the restaurant after working at some of the most iconic bars in New York City - Dave Arnold's experimental Booker & Dax, the little bitter jewel, Amor Y Amargo, and James Beard Award winning Maison Premiere

For this week's episode I'm talking to friend and journalist Dan Dunn - one of the OG booze writers, before the craft cocktail scene was even a thing. We talked about everything from those early days, hanging with cocktail legends and trying a Negroni for the first time, to his notorious Playboy column “The Imbiber”, what it's like to turn his life into a TV show, and his new podcast What We're Drinking with Dan Dunn.

This week, we’re continuing our Bartender Interview Series, The Master Blend - a collaboration with BERTOUX Brandy. This week’s guest is Aaron Michael Siak, bar director at Bibo Ergo Sum in Los Angeles. We spoke about Aaron's career change at 29 from public accounting to fine dining, his discovery of craft cocktails at The Franklin Bar in Philadelphia, and his journey from Philly to LA.

For this week's episode I'm talking to food and drinks writer Jason Horn about his most recent story as drinks contributor for Playboy.com: Climate Change is Coming For Your Cocktails. The changing weather is rapidly affecting our food and drink, and it may even be responsible for killing what could have been the best bar in the world.