Drink Like Sailor Podcast

Ep11 - Turning Water Into Wine

It’s Part 2 of It’s The Spirit Talking, where I deep-dive with Reverend Rebecca Pridmore on religion, spirituality, and booze. In this episode, we discuss how and why spirits are used in spiritual and religious rituals. It’s said that Jesus turned water into wine. What other cultures used alcoholic spirits in their spiritual rituals?
Once again, we find ourselves talking about Hildegard of Bingen, a German Benedictine abbess and polymath who was active as a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and medical writer and practitioner during the High Middle Ages. She was the first to document the preservative qualities of hops when added to a beverage like beer.
Sailor also totally screws up the song Spill The Wine by War. If you find yourself screaming at the podcast, we apologize in advance.
Do you know the story of Lilith? Tune in and join us for this interesting journey!
We hope you will enjoy this series! Drink well friends.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes at: sailorwrites.com

Ep10 - A Retro Series, The 1950s

It’s another episode of our Retro Series where we deep dive into cocktail culture in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Kala and I are in our bathrobes and lipstick while we get into the food and drink culture of the early 1950s in America. 
Rock N Roll & Nat King Cole, crazy diets, and G=green Jell-O molds with shrimp? Yuck! What were Americans eating and drinking in the early 50s and how did that shape drinking culture?
Make the legendary Screwdriver with a nifty twist.
1.5 oz of vodka, try As Above, So Below Ritual Vodka
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz orange juice
.5 oz simple syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
1 pinch off sea salt
Shake it up and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange wheel.
 
We hope you will enjoy this series! Drink well friends.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes at: sailorwrites.com

Ep - 9 It's The Spirit Talking.

We are kicking off a new series called It's The Spirit Talking, in which I dive into the subject of religion and booze. As a curious person who didn't grow up with much religion, I am curious about the origins of religion and how religious rituals incorporate wine, beer, and spirits. Why were monks and nuns making booze? What are the origins of modern religions? And who were the rockstars and villains throughout history?
Grab a drink and follow me and guest Reverend Rebecca Pridmore down the rabbit hole.
Rev. Rebecca Pridmore is the Senior Pastor at Broadway United Church of Christ in NYC and a proud Church Lady. She is the former co-owner, co-founder, and spirits director of The Natural Wine Company in Brooklyn, NY, and is now pleased to call herself a "retired professional drinker." She is also a Burning Man Ranger, a beginner drummer, and has a yarn problem.  
We hope you will enjoy this series! Drink well friends.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes at: sailorwrites.com

Ep 8 - A Retro Series, The Mai Tai Cocktail

In this episode of Drink Like Sailor, it’s time for Curious Cocktails with Kala Ellis. Get retro with us as we introduce a new short series of deep dives into cocktail culture in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
We begin with the famous Mai Tai cocktail, which can be polarizing. It’s got an interesting history and can be a delicious cocktail, but much like the Martini, it’s been abused! What passes for a Mai Tai these days in certain places looks nothing like the OG cocktail.
Grab your bathrobe and a drink, and let’s get into it!
Here is the original Mai Tai recipe:
2 ounces Jamaican rum
½ ounce Orange Curaçao
½ orgeat syrup
¼ ounce rock candy syrup (rich sugar syrup)
Juice of 1 lime
Shake the cocktail and strain it into a 15 ounces glass over shaved or pebbled ice. Garnish with half of the lime shell inside the drink and a sprig of fresh mint. (Be sure to listen to our instructions.) Sailor’s variation: I do not add rich syrup, the Curacao and orgeat are sweet enough. 
 
We hope you will enjoy this series! Drink well friends.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes at: sailorwrites.com

Ep 7 - Why Do We Think We Hate Gin?

Why do we think we hate gin? 
Sailor & Kala ponder the question on behalf of American drinkers and dive into the history of gin. Do we really hate it? Or do we think we hate it? We promise this will be our last episode on gin for a while. But, hey, we are just giving the people what they want!
Please join us to explore the history of this herbal spirit, share our insights on cocktail trends, and discuss our plans for the next episode!
Here's a recipe for one of our favorite gin cocktails;
The Bee's Knees Cocktail
2 oz gin
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz honey syrup
Shake well until chilled and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Cheers!
 
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes at: sailorwrites.com
 
 

Ep 6 - The Legend of the Brass Monkey

Two distillers and one DJ. (Well, okay, one podcast host.)
This week Sailor is joined by distillers Riley Henderson and Ari Klafter to discuss the infamous Brass Monkey. Was it a real cocktail? Were the Beastie Boys obsessed with the Brass Monkey? What's the story? Grab a cocktail and join Sailor for a deep dive into the legend of the Brass Monkey and the mark the Beastie Boys left on music world. 
Make a Brass Monkey: (per Difford's Guide)
1 oz vodka
1 oz dark rum
2.5 oz fresh squeezed OJ
1/6 oz simple syrup
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled Collins glass over fresh ice and garnish with a lemon wheel. (This cocktail is NOT Sailor approved.)
 
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailorRead what Sailor writes at: sailorwrites.com
 
 

Ep 5 - The History of the Gin and Tonic

In this episode of “Drink Like Sailor,” we set sail on a flavorful journey through the history of the gin and tonic, a timeless favorite among seafarers and landlubbers alike. Discover how this iconic drink emerged from the medicinal properties of quinine and the rise of gin in the British Navy. We’ll explore the cocktail’s evolution, its role in maritime culture, and the unique twists that modern mixologists are bringing to this classic recipe. Join us for tales of adventure, refreshing insights, and tips on crafting the perfect G&T!
Joined by friend and bar professional Kala Ellis, we rap about this fascinating cocktail history. We touch upon the wild gin craze and have a 5 step program if gin hurt you. We have the answers, or we create more confusion. Clearly, we have a lot to say about gin.
We also drop some musical nuggets of what have we been listening to lately.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes at: sailorwrites.com

EP 4 - A Damn Good Manhattan & Book Club

In this episode of Drink Like Sailor, I am joined by guest Sydney Jones, lead distillery technician at the newly constructed Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. 
I make and enjoy a damn good Manhattan while discussing the historic role of women in distilling. Together, we highlight how the concept of the at-home drinking space and the role of the at-home bartender emerged because of women being largely excluded from drinking in most public spaces.
It’s interesting to consider how the idea of creating home bars gained popularity because bars and public spaces often excluded women. We explore this topic inspired by the book The Cocktail Parlor, How Women Brough the Cocktail Home, by Nicole Nice.
Sydney also shares her three most impactful hard rock albums of all time. Give it a listen and hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast app.
Tune in now.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes
Make The Rittenhouse Rye Manhattan
2 oz Rittenhouse rye
1 oz Little City Sweet Vermouth (out of NY)
2 dashes of Bitter Housewife Aromatic Bitters
Stir well with ice, strain it into a stemmed cocktail glass and I garnish with an orange zest.
 

Ep 3 James Bond And The Martini

In this episode of Drink Like Sailor with guest Kala Ellis, a hospitality veteran from Nashville, Tennessee, we deep dive into the Bond & American Martini and the cultural impact that Ian Fleming’s iconic character James Bond and his preferred style of “Shaken Not Stirred Martini” changed the cocktail culture.
Should you drink a Martini shaken? What is the Vesper cocktail, and why do Sailor and Kala feel it’s the cocktail that should replace the American Martini?
And find out Sailor & Kala's favorite Bond actors, villains, and Kala’s top 3 metal albums of all time!
Tune in now.
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes

EP 2 - Guest - Phil Steger, Founder of Brother Justus Whiskey Co.

This week I sat down with Phil Steger, founder of Brother Justus Whiskey Co to talk about the new official American Single Malt Whiskey category ratified this past December. While many distillers were cheering, some dissent. Hear all about Steger's position on this new category, his top three metal bands and the recipe for a killer Old Fashioned from moi!
Tune in now.
 
The cocktail:
2.5 oz Brother Justus Cold Peated Whiskey
2-3 dashes Hella Mexican Chocolate Bitters
.5 oz Orange Honey Syrup
Stir well with cubed ice and strain into an Old Fashioned glass.
 
Learn more about Brother Justus Whiskey
Follow the show on Instagram @drink_likesailor
Read what Sailor Writes