#110, Ektoras Binikos, founder, Sugar Monk, Bitter Monk and Atheras Spirits

Ektoras Binikos opened Sugar Monk cocktail bar in Harlem just 9 months before the COVID lockdowns kicked off, after a career in both art and mixology, having emigrated to Manhattan from his native Greece. While weathering the storm of the lockdown, he and his team started making and selling amaros and liqueurs, and this venture has blossomed into a company, Atheras Spirits, which has a distillery and a cocktail bar/tasting room, Bitter Monk, in Industry City, Brooklyn. We sat down on a gorgeous day and talked about his career, opening a bar, trying to keep the wheels turning during a lockdown, the delights of gin/aquavit martinis, and the frankly wild inspirations of each of his amaros and liqueurs which, of course, we tasted our way through. Enjoy!(And shout-out to Helen Baldus, Sugar Monk's publicist, who suggested this - thanks Helen!)Ektoras on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ektorasb/Sugar Monk on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sugarmonknyc/Bitter Monk on IG: https://www.instagram.com/bittermonkbrooklyn/Atheras Spirits on IG: https://www.instagram.com/atherasspirits/ (Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries:  [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, nor listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview (or lurk on the Zoom.)  And our AI automatically deletes pitch emails that are clearly written using AI. Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Faceboo...