This week's episode has two parts. In the first and main portion of the show, our guest is Cristido Robles, who joins us from Guadalajara, Mexico, also known as Lady Tequila, Chris' Assumalia, and a certified Tequila expert. Chris is currently a global advocacy coordinator for House of Tequila at Pranorecard. Make sure you check out Chris Online on Instagram at Lady Tequila underscore.
In the bonus part of the episode, previous guest for the show, Elyssa Dunn returns for a new recurring segment, and we talk with Alyssa about her experiences talking on a panel at Tales of the Cocktail, as well as how she develops her instructional bartending videos. You can find Alyssa on Instagram at the.batass.bartender. Enjoy the show. Okay, we're back with another episode of the industry podcast, and we should mention the industry podcast is supported by the Case for Wine, your local agent for the Southwestern Ontario region is Rick Banchelli.
Rick Lissen-Larrar-Louis, and happy to take care of all of your wine needs, whether you're a wine buyer, food, or beverage manager, Sommelier, or private individual, Rick will be happy to discuss your wine needs. Act now and receive $25 off your first order by mentioning the industry podcast. And this is the industry podcast. I'm Kip, this is Dan.
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Okay, that's par for the course. Let's move along. Yes, it's in C.E.E. We're going to bring in Christina Robles.
She is coming to us from Guadalajara, Mexico. How are you, Chris? Hey guys, I'm doing great, and you? We're all right.
We're all right. It's an honor for me to be here. Oh, well, I think it's more of an honor for us. Okay, so you've had a long career in the service industry and then getting into what you're doing now.
Maybe let's jump into it by talking specifically about what your current role is and how you describe it. I'm actually working as a global advocacy coordinator for Pernore Carr's Lash House of Tequila, and House of Tequila is the brand owner who's on charge of all the tequila and discounts from the group. Probably it sounds like huge, like just the title of Global Luxe Critters. But basically part of my job is developing create newest tragedies and programs to help the bartenders in their careers.
Like global countries that we have with the brand, like huge event, like World 50 Best, like VCB, Baramechico and programs, basically our programs who focus in bartenders and brand bachelors. It's a good idea. Right, so I mean that sounds like a lot though. Like maybe walk us through like what an average day for you it looks like.
I mean, it's a lot, but I really, really enjoy it. I used to be the Mexican brand bachelors for one of the brands, so I really enjoy doing it. Of course it's tough, you know, sometimes when I have meetings with the team from China or Japan, of course my day will start at 7am because it's between the difference between Mexico and Asia. Or I have meetings with Australia, my day probably will 9pm again because of the difference, but it's not always.
So basically you're working for a big agency and you're focused on the tequila brands in that agency. So what are the brands that you're repping now? We have Altos Quila, Olmecha Tequila, Avian Tequila, and also we have Delma Gaynestal. I have to say that we're going to be like not in charge of 100%, but we develop some things with Ojola Tequila Mescal, which is only brand Quila and Mexico, and also with one Mexican whiskey, the name is Appacolo, and one corn, liquor, the name is Nixita.
So yeah. Oh, interesting. Yeah. Mexico's on the spirit, so basically.
Yeah, so basically you focus on Mexican spirits within this bigger agency. And so for people who don't know, sorry, the agency's called... The company is for Norwekard. So obviously they do what's brand no, but what are some of the other big brands in the agency?
So we have brands like Chivas, the Jameson, Absolut, Habanaklou, Bfether, Malentines, it's a huge portfolio. So for you specifically, so I'm kind of interested in this because you're dealing with essentially Mexican brands in this massive conglomerate of a company that wraps all these different spirits. Like what kind of day-to-day interaction do you have with sort of the higher ups in the Pernoc company? I mean, it's a great question because if we compare with another huge tequila companies, I have to say that, of course, the budget is not the same.
So imagine us trying to win territory in the United States, for example, with against huge brands who side a lot of budget. Of course, it's a challenge, but for us and part of the mindset is like, be 100% focused on bartenders and brand ambassadors because for us, they are like the perfect channel to win the battle in the own trade with bartenders and the barman and theirs that actually were there. So it's not the same when someone recommends you something that literally comes from the heart or some brand ambassador that actually really care about the bartenders program and the barman and career against someone who just show up into your venue and told you, like, hey, I have money, just put my brand up there. It's kind of different.
So just so I have it, right? You also have like brand ambassadors for each individual brand of tequila or a mess gal as well. And then you just are you sort of just overseeing all those brand ambassadors? Is that most of your work?
Yeah, the pants of the country, the pants of the brands. For example, in Mexico, the brand ambassador that I have is focused only in tequila, but I have one guy in South Africa who's focusing on tequila. So it depends on the brands and depends on the market. And so how much of your work is actually spent physically in bars and how much is just basically talking like over zoom to people like you're doing with us right now?
I think it's 50-50. Yeah, okay. So you still are out there like actively in bars occasionally. It sounds like if you're looking at the people in South Africa and Asia and like a lot of your fucking time is probably spent doing this.
I mean, of course, after Kobe, it was like two years of no trouble. My first trouble was like two months ago. I went to New York from the North America where 50-50. And I think that I'm going to start traveling again, which makes me really happy because I can be quiet in one place.
Like I'm not that office person. I don't work like that. Yeah, that's probably why you enjoyed getting into this work in the first place because of the travel, right? Yeah, absolutely.
And so pre-pandemic, how much of your time has spent actually traveling around the world? It was a lot because before pandemic, I used to be the Mexican brand ambassador from Alta Tequila. So part of the job was like traveling all around the cities. Like spreading this agave love and giving mentoring and masterclassness.
I had the chance to release Alta's in Madre then also in Cuba. So I travel a lot. And I have to say that it's something I really, really like and love about this industry. It's just the fact that you have the chance to listen to the stories behind the people.
It's not only about the cultures and like of course, when you travel to another country, you will learn a lot. But it's like what's beyond. I really love to listen to people's stories. Like who are you working here?
Where are you starting to work in there? Where do you want to be a brand ambassador? You know those kind of things? I really enjoy it.
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I can remember them. Usually it's after having a few more. Well, that's great. Just mention that Rick at thecase for wine gives you black out drunk.
I just can't have one. It's like take tax. But getting back to you, Chris, you are actually the only A as well. And you also obviously have done a lot of studying in the field of tequila.
So talk to us a little bit about some of that educational work you've done. It was actually one of one of the funny stories because, as you say, I studied for being in summer a year after I studied culinary arts. And I did it because I wanted to have this master degree. But once I was studying that, I remember that we have one subject.
It was like a experience in general. And I remember that my day one, when they started talking about tequila, I was like, I want to do that my whole life. I don't know how. I don't know how I'm going to do it.
But I need to do the tequila work. So two years after that, I was working in a restaurant here in Guadalajara, Mexico in some guy from Uruguay, who actually found me. And he offered me the job as a portfolio brand, only Guadalajara. I was like, I need to grow deeper in that.
So I started becoming a tequila, which is like some of the year, but just focus on tequila. And it was like a six month. Six months I studied that. And that lead to me pushing me to keep working on developing programs so I can transform people into the gavics.
Because that's what I really love to teach, how tequila is made. Not only because it's the only spirit that I drink. Basically, that's why everybody called me Lady Tequila. It's the only spirit that I have.
But I really love everything that it brought. The production process, the history. And of course, I'm Mexican. I'm so proud to represent this.
And of course, like to spread this gift that we have to the rest of the world. Having tequila. So it was really cool. And after that, I told you I started that for fully brand-based art.
And one year after that, they offered me like having just out those like in the national level, not only in some cities from a city. Right. Well, this is a we have listeners from all over the world. So this is a good platform for you to discuss maybe a little bit of what you would teach in a master's class to somebody who's trying to learn about tequila.
Obviously, you're not going to run through the whole class here. But if you were to give fresh audience the basics on what you would teach them if you were giving like sort of beginners course on understanding tequila and mesquial, how would you do that? There's a lot of places where you can find information, of course. But I will suggest like go deep into the CRT, which is the tequila chamber.
And they always have all the information on their website. And they offer sometimes I think it's every six months. They offer one like her when you can have this distinctive tea, which is like the category who value as an expert on tequila category. That would be the basic.
But even I'm working for a huge company. And that's one of the reasons why everybody called me Lady Tequila. I always open my social media and I always open all the information where everyone can tell me. And if they have any questions, like simple questions like create some in the restaurant and this is tequila ten cards.
So why should I ask for it? So from that to like, hey, I really want to know about tequila process. So for me, it's like a pleasure to explain it. But yeah, I'll go into the CRT or this one book that I always recommend is the tequila, ladoos, or in Mexico, ladoos de tequila.
And you can find all the information that you have to know about tequila category over there. And what's actually a good time for us to mention some of your social media. So if our listeners want to follow you to learn some of this stuff that you're posting about, where would they do that? Mainly in Instagram and it's just like Lady Tequila, Andrew.
That's why it's supposed to be. So backing up a little bit, like you're growing the next book, obviously you're into tequila and mesquial. But like how did you break into the service industry to begin with? I started when I was 16.
So it was 16 years ago and I started as a hostess. It was like my high school job. So I've been into restaurants since forever. But I told you I started as a portfolio brand ambassador.
But I have to confess that it was not an easy way to start. Because of course, when the company gave me just out us, I have to move to Mexico City, which is the main city of the country. And I was by myself, I know like anybody there. And my role started after one of the biggest, and I think for me is the best bartender that Mexico have, Jose Leland.
This guy who operates Leland Tour by part of the World 50 Best Bars. And I started with his position. So, all Mexico knows him. And as I said, for me, the best bartender that Mexico have.
I was not a bartender, but I was such a career. So imagine me, like seven years ago, arriving to a city. Like I was a total stranger for the industry. And I remember when I started giving my mentor, it's the first question that everybody told me we're like, oh, you're a bartender.
It was like, ah, really? I was like, of course I have to confess. And it's true. And all the people that know, probably not everybody knows this story.
Of course, it fed me because I was like, with this emotion and this passion to spread all the information that I have in the first question that everybody asked me, what are you about Bartender? I was like, I don't know if I can do this. Of course, I remember that I was sitting on the table, like do I make the right decision? Like, I don't know if I do handle this, because of course I'm not about to end it.
I play in this role after this guy. Then I realized that my witness will make me stronger. So after that, when I was going to start my mentoring, I was like, hey, I'm Chris Robles, everybody knows me, I'm a tequila, I'm a tequila. I'm not a bartender, but I'm a tequila.
And I can explain everything about the tequila category. And everybody was like, okay, no, I can say, I have nothing to say so I can piss you off. Like, you're not a bartender, so I'm like, I'm not a bartender, I can't tell you. And it's just like, I can make you a beautiful cocktail.
It's either tequila in a glass or tequila in a glass with ice. Of course, after the time I learned. But for me, it's a thing with a lot of respect. You know, I studied culinary arts, and I remember the best chef that I ever knew, it was people who start washing dishes.
Not because they studied something, like the biggest chef of history, they started cutting or chopping onion, whatever. And I never liked to come into a kitchen and say, like, I'm a chef, just because it was like, no, I know how to grade food, and that's it. And for me, the same with bartenders, of course. Now, after seven years, seven years later, now I can develop a drink and I can try to do it for the bartenders, I can develop a drink, I can try to do it for the brand of bachelors.
But I don't like to say that I'm a bartender because I never work behind a bar. And for me, it's a lot of respect, so I will never say I'm a bartender. I know how to make up this. That's good to hear, because I get a lot of dipschs who give me resumes, who are like, I went to bartending school, so therefore I'm a bartender, I'm like, you have a word one second behind the bars, so you're not a fucking bartender.
Exactly, that's my toy. Of course I can make in this personal martini, but I've never worked behind a bar, so I love bartenders. But it's also like, I like what you said about the whole studying culinary school, but not, but then you hadn't been in a kitchen shopping and onion or whatever. But you can relate it back to sort of your career starting as a hostess, that's how you get this experience more than just, it's always more valuable than what you're reading in a book or what you learn in a class.
Exactly, 500%. Yeah, touch on the culinary school. Why don't you decide to go into school for like culinary arts? You're like, you're cooking all the letters.
Why that asked me the same question. Yeah, my dad still asked me the same question. Why that is a lawyer, so when I told him, he was like, is that an actually a career? He's like, I'm gonna pay for that.
I have to say the culture, as I told you, like every day, every food, every drink, every cocktail has a mystery behind. I was like, I really want to know what's behind everything. And yeah, I think it was, and also about the grandmas. I don't know, have you ever saw Coco, this is the same movie.
And all this story about the Mexican grandmas who was cooking for the entire family, it was like, I went up like that. I was cooking a lot of things for the entire family, for 30 or 40 people, and it was like, I was always like, the kitchen, like asking what are you doing, what are you doing? And I was like, I need to do that. There's something romantic about putting together a meal or a cocktail for somebody, and the care that goes into it, all the different ingredients.
And then there's something so much better than that than microwaving a burrito or fucking pouring a glass of draft beer, you know what I mean? Yeah, like, like, like, it's just like, yeah, when you put together the other, it's like, sort of a, I don't know, it's romanticized to me anyway, at least. So I get it completely. So to be at Tequila Air, like, you said it was a six month course, and what kind of things are you learning in that course, like outside of sort of the history of how they'll tequila?
You need to identify, like, with a blind tasting, which tequila aside from the highlands, and which tequila aside from the tequila valley. Oh really? You have to know, like, the name of the brand, the name of the valley, yeah, if it's an H and X, right, where it's right, so yeah. Oh, I'm interested in that, not to cut you up, but like, talk to me a little bit about, like, what are some of the tequila brands that people would know about to come from the highlands compared to the valley?
Do you want the name of the brands? Yeah, yeah. Okay, if we go into tequila valley, we will have Cuervo, Tradura, we'll find Casa Sosa, like, we will have Fortalesa, we'll find Casca Wien, which kind of new, we'll find 1800, Maestro Tequila. Yeah, I don't like any of these tequilas so far.
I was like, I'm guessing I'm more of a highland guy. Yeah, I mean, of course from the valley, you will know Cuervo and Tradura. Yeah, and like, yeah. Yeah, but if we go to the highlands, we will find Don Julio, we'll find Tapatio, Ocho Tequila, Alto's of course, Patron, Casadores, Casamíos, Cite de Leuas, like, yeah, and it's a fact that the sugar concentration that the gabes has are higher in the highlands than in the tequila valley.
Oh, and so it makes sort of like a softer tequila that way, right? Yeah, that's why. Uh-huh, interesting, I didn't know that. Let's see, I'm wearing fucking learning there.
That's why we have people like you on the show. I was just writing a host of tequila actually for myself. That's great, because next week I'm gonna come over to do this podcast and he's gonna have some of these tequilas. Yeah, you can say, like, now I know that the tequila is from the highlands.
Fucking highland, yes. I think, you know, the sugar comes in higher and that's what makes for us off our product. That's interesting. So one of the things we discussed with a couple of people who are tequila experts that have been on the show is, what is your opinion on, like, the sort of celebrity tequila brands that are taking over now and how they're affecting the tequila industry in general?
Yeah, it's a great question, to be honest. Yeah, I don't like it. Because it's like, if you can see it, like, in my eyes, there's a lot of people, a lot of hands who are involved in making tequila. The story behind, and once you decide to create a brand, I think it needs to be because it's something that you really, really love.
And everything, like, if you don't have passion for anything you do in your life, it's like, why are you doing that? Like, would you guys, would you podcast? Of course you love it, of course you have passion. But it's like, it feels, and I totally agree, and I understand why people say, like, this cultural occupation, because it is what it is.
It's like, you came to this country, like not knowing anything that represents the tequila, and just because you have the money, and you try to pretend that you really love the heritage, and you really love what's behind. It's like, if you ask me, like, all the Mexicans don't like the celebrity brands, we don't like it. Yeah, and it's because it's like, the fucking hot spirit now. So that's all, like, honestly, like, what 10 years ago was all celebrity vodka, right?
And now it's like, oh, celebrities discover that you keep people like they get tequila, because it's a different kind of experience when you're getting a little buzz on with tequila. It's a much mellower, sort of, like, almost high experience, which is, I love it. We've been and I drink a lot of tequila. But it's like it's become the hot thing.
So now all these celebrities are moving, and next thing, start with George Clooney and whatever. And now we like, every fucking half-ass celebrity has a tequila brand now from like, the rock to, I don't know, who are some of the other ones? Yeah, no, and especially- I still want to. Yeah, yeah.
I won't say the name, but this one guy who has actually a huge tequila. And the stillery is not by himself. Like, there's a stillery share with another 13 brands. And it's really funny because you can so on this social media, like, he's so touchy with the people, and like, feeling so proud in the photo, with all the crew and et cetera.
But I was there once, and the guy was like, no one can even talk to me. I don't want to be sure. I don't like it. I don't like it.
I don't like it. Interesting. Not surprising. Yeah.
I did the shoot in California, probably. And it's a lot of models than I just say. Is it legitimately causing a shortage of agave plants? Sure.
Yeah. So this is a big problem. So how do we solve that problem? And I don't expect you to solve all the rules.
Particularly shortage problems on this show. But if you'd like to, do you have any solutions for this? Like, how do we stop it? I mean, regarding agave, of course, it is a problem.
And it's so expensive right now. And it will always be a problem because once you harvest or do the hemat, you have to wait at least two or three years to live like the soil, like half the proper rest. You can keep like, you can produce agave like once you harvest the first ones. You have to wait at least three years.
And then you can put like another, I don't know how to say it. Like I forgot the name in English of this. Like, but yeah, you have to to live the field rest. And then you can keep like doing it again.
And imagine at least you have to wait to harvest agave. It needs properly between six and eight years. But there's a lot of brown who made the harvest when agave has three years. But even though it's like six years of waiting.
So yeah, how can we stop it? I have no idea. But I don't want you guys to stop drinking tequila because it's amazing. Yeah.
And it all gets pushed off on the consumer. So while it might seem awesome that like your favorite celebrity has a new tequila brand, it's actually hurting the industry because they're making maybe lesser products, but with sucking up all the plant life. Probably will be a tequila who I'm not against like this industrial process because every tequila has their own profile and we have one tequila for each other. Like it's not saying that this one is the best.
But of course it's going to be a tequila with an autoclave is of course going to be a tequila with a roller meal with a column. I'm not saying they're bad, but the process is going to be so different. If we compare that you have like this brick oven, so this copper pot stills or even the whole net. It's going to be so different.
Yeah, that's sad. And we have gone through several like quote unquote tequila shortages in my lifetime as well. Like I remember even back when I was in university there was a time which was way too long ago, which there was a time where tequila was a tequila shortage and we thought people were bullshitting about it just to raise the price of tequila. But no tequila prices were getting raised because they run out of plants.
Exactly. It's mainly most of the reason. And also as I say, it depends on the production process because it's not the same that you have an autoclave and the guy will be cooking eight hours that having this week happens and your guy will be cooking three days. So of course if your brand had that process, time is money.
And of course, if you spend more time, it's going to cost you more. Right. And people should be willing to pay for stuff that's more carefully produced anyway, right? Just like anything else.
You were talking about you have some whiskies on your in the grander portfolio of Bernoulli card. You age whiskie for 15, 20 years. Nobody minds that. No one minds paying for that.
Exactly. So the interesting thing about tequila though, and I'm interested in your opinion on this, is because it has to be with blue agave plants that are rarer, like for instance if you make vodka, you can make it with grapes, potatoes, corn, like you make it with whatever the fuck, right? So there's no ever risk of a vodka shortage. There's no risk of a whiskey shortage because you can make it with grains, right?
And grains are abundant. But this is a small parcel of land in the grand scope of the world that grows these plants. Exactly. Yeah.
Exactly. Well, Mexico has like more than 250 agave varieties. As you say with tequila, we can only use one because of the appellation of origin. Yeah.
So it's five states of the whole country and Jalisco is like the main state that actually produced the tequila for the entire world. Right. Exactly. So of course, like the tequila should probably be ironically more expensive.
Yeah, I agree with that. And so when the scallop course, you don't have to use agave plants, but they don't have to be necessarily blue agave plants. So there's more of it growing around the country. And so do you assume that we're not going to have these shortage issues with the scallop as opposed to tequila?
For the rare priorities? Yeah, probably. Because talking about a tepe, for example, it will take you 45 years to like grown properly, so you can harvest it. But if we're talking about spadeen, which is the most popular, it will be like the same of blue agave from the miscal.
Like it's like a plant that you like eat your cultivates by yourself is not a wild priority. So probably for the wild ones? Yeah, of course. Yeah, interesting.
Okay, so before we let you go, thanks for giving us all the time today. And you also jumped in on this podcast that we had a cancellation this week and Chris was so wonderful to come in and jump in at the last second. So thank you for that. Thank you.
But I'm sort of interested in like because the pre pandemic you're doing all this traveling all over the world. Like your job is so interesting to get to go to all these different places as a specific ambassador for these brands or an advocate for the brands is a better way to put it. Obviously, what were some of your favorite places that you visited and some of the coolest bars that you hung out in? Oh my God, that's a great question.
I have to say that one of my favorite countries with the Scotland, I really enjoy being there. Talking about favorite brands that Robbie in New York was really, really cool because they have this camera percent memorial and camera percent was one of the oldest co-creator. What else? And I think talking about bars in London, of course, I just have it all over the bartender so off.
It really is. Yeah. What's a cool, if one of our guests or listeners, I still have the mindset is like if somebody's at my bar, one of my guests. But if one of our listeners is going to London, what's one of the best kilobars to go to in London?
Oh my God, that's a great question. It's a kilobars. I don't know if it's still open, but there was a bar that was fun and they have a great gap solution. But I can recommend some bars in Mexico, of course.
Yeah, let's do that. Before we let you go, you've got to do that because a lot of people have to go to Mexico. Well, of course, if someone who's listening to Canada, please let me know and I will give you all these restaurants bars and etc. But if you're in Mexico City, of course, Lee Mantudis-Most, I will have say Brujas as well in Guadalajara, I'll go for Matil and El Gajual Taneo.
Awesome. And what you guys, I'm sort of interested in what's going on in Mexico right now. What is the crime situation there? Like people are coming to these majors.
You understand as gringos out in the rest of the world, that's all we fucking hear about. And I'm sure that that's not the actual scenario of what goes on. Talk to our listeners about why it's so cool to come to Mexico. I think it happens in every country.
If I'm going to Canada, probably you will tell me, don't go to this neighborhood at this time of night. No, they're all nice. We're just offering. Sorry, all times.
You go to the worst part of Toronto, there's the holding doors open for you. Before you get robbed, they'll ask you. Would you mind if I robbed you right now? Yes.
That'd be okay. So, yeah, what I'm trying to say is, of course, you can be in a market, you can be in every part, I know not in every part of the world. But of course, them are places that are from Mexico, I'm not even going, because I know that it's dangerous, you know. But for all the touristy parts, like downtown or the main spots, of course, you will be safe.
Like me as a women, I still have the chance to hang out without feeling that danger. But of course, as I say, there's some areas that I will never be by myself, not even with my Mexican crew. Right, right. That's the same all over the world.
So, that's good to know, because I feel like if you read, well, I mean, God, if you pay attention to the media at any point right now, they're basically telling you never leave your house ever. You're going to get shot, you're going to get sucked up at the typhoon. You're going to melt from climate change. If you're going to see some shot, probably will induce you.
You're going to get long COVID. You're not supposed to leave your house ever. So, it's good to know that, but you do hear a lot of shit about crime in Mexico, and it's good to know that things are still cool. People still be going there.
I was recently a Mexican guy at a blast. Thanks so much, Chris, for coming on the show. We really appreciate it. It was super fascinating, entertaining, and fun.
So are you. Thank you for the invitation. As I said, it was another... I really had a big time, though.
Thank you for giving me this space. Thank you. Thank you very much. And now the bonus part of the episode with Alyssa Dunn.
There are a few more weeks of barbecue left. What to drink? Rick, the case for wine, has many options. Whatever the budget he can help with.
Modus Lee Price, Cabernet Sauvignon, from California, or heavy hitting reds from Borolo, my favorite personal area. It's by Borolo or Lujiano Santorone. Whatever the event, whatever the meal, call Rick and save $25 off your first case by mentioning the industry podcast. That's Rick at thecaseforwine.com.
Wonderful. And welcome back to a new feature we have going on at the industry podcast, a new monthly feature with... We're calling our monthly Talk with the Badass. This is Alyssa Dunn, the Badass by our tender.
Good to see you again, Alyssa. Hello, I'm good. How are you guys? Good.
Yeah, it's great. I don't know how many fucking months ago it was that you were a guest on the show, but you were... This was a while ago. Yeah.
A more recent one, we had a spot on the spot interview in New Orleans that tells us the cocktail. And then we dreamed up this idea of you doing a monthly spot now. So our listeners can enjoy our new monthly feature with the Badass. And I kind of wanted to talk a little bit about New Orleans while we have you and we can still remember sort of what happened there.
Yeah, right. Now that it's like fresh prepared and we first got to meet in person, finally. Yeah. So many people I finally got to meet in person.
I know so many people from social media have it. And you're like, oh yeah, you're just as cool. Especially for us too. Basically this podcast developed over the pandemic.
And so we had even some of the people locally who were on the show, we were still interviewing over Zoom for so long. And then all these people that we met including you that we just met over Zoom. And then so yeah, it was same for me like seeing all these people in person for the first time. It was awesome.
And you and I drank AdSense in the morning for some reason. We did. We had a nice little tasting of some absinthe and some... What we drinking rum too?
Was it all the rums? Oh fuck yeah. You have the rum bar? So yeah.
Yeah. I had to go for an app after that. And you were just getting on a flight I think, right? I was.
I was prepping for a flight right there. That would be prepping for the flight. For the flight home. Yeah.
We shot this briefly on the interview in New Orleans. But I wanted to talk basically about your experience doing the panel at Taez-Lakoto. Because we were mentioning, when we had our first interview with you, it's got to be almost a year ago now. I think so.
Yeah. And you were just developing this new social media presence where you were obviously developing enough that we learned about you. And why we reached out to you to be on the show. So I'm not trying to say that you hadn't done it already.
But it really kind of exploded since then. And when I met you in person finally, we were talking about that. And how I like to take credit for it. You can take all the credit you want.
Yeah. I'm okay with that. It's just like a man. Fuckin' moving in and taking credit for it.
But in all seriousness, it's really good impressive what you've done. Essentially, during a pandemic, when every, literally, every fucking buddy was doing kind of what you do over social media on an Instagram channel doing at home cocktail making. But somehow your specific presence really blew up. So let's talk a little bit about that.
Why do you think you stood up? I wish I could tell you. I have, honestly, it's just chance at this point. I have no idea.
Well, if I were the two person out of your office, man, and you're on the show. But do you feel like yourself just with it on your own phone? Or how are you doing it? Yeah.
Everything is basically in my apartment. My dining room is my bar studio area. So I got some makeshift lights from Amazon. I have my little tripod and my phone.
And that's about it. That's crazy. It looks really good. Yeah, I think so.
Yeah. We interviewed some other people who were doing some of these at LaGossam as well. And they're doing multiple cameras. Yeah.
You look at some people like the High Proof Preacher, who's really amazing. He has his full garage built out into a home bar. He has professional cameras and all that. I can't work the camera to save my life.
So if it can't be on the phone right now, we're square. Well, that's good. And so one thing I wanted to talk about specifically while we got you for our first bad-ass episode is how you did eventually end up doing a panel discussion for Tales of the Cocktail, which is a huge fucking deal. There are people who've been going to Tales of the Cocktail for years and years and haven't been invited to do a panel.
So maybe talk to us a little bit about how that process happened, how did you get invited, and your experience doing it? Yeah. I do have to say we all have our goals or what we'd like to accomplish. And having a talk at Tales or speaking at Tales was always one of mine.
So it's been really fulfilling to be able to check that out. So early too, I was like, I thought for sure this was going to be like 10 years from now, 20 years from now. But okay, we're not going to say no. Right.
So, you know, obviously working within the social media, I've gotten to know a lot of the people who also do the social media stuff as well within their career. And so Tiffany Barr, who is the drinking coach, fabulous fabulous woman, she reached out to me about a talk that she was planning on having. She's on the board for Tales. So she kind of put in a talk for about virtual and doing virtual mixology classes in social media and how people can really make a living doing that.
And so she asked me and a couple other ones if we would kind of just talk about our experiences and I was like, absolutely. And were you intimidated at all? Like, is there like, like, you to do it? Yeah.
I was so scared. I was so scared. I thought for sure I was going to throw up before. I did it, though.
I did it. But I was sweating and I was so nervous. Well, because it's a little bit different, right? Doing what you do, which is basically talking into your phone.
90% of the time as a book. Now you're talking to a room full of people and people are finally allowed to go out and public again. And yeah. Yeah.
And you have to remember, like, for the social media videos, I can edit those, right? Like, I don't have to like, I can, I can, there's no fumbling with my voice. Because I just edit that out. Even with my classes, when I do my virtual next-ology classes, they're to the point now where it's so like, you're doing kind of the same cocktails and like, you can say the wrong thing kind of and people don't know because they don't know anything.
When you're sitting in front of everyone who is within your community, you know, and you're on a panel with all of these, like people who you're like, you've looked up to and now you're sitting up there with them and you're just like, what is going on? That's the whole different vibe. And yeah, it was very nerve-wracking. But I'm so so happy I did it, obviously.
And I just, I hope, you know, I get the opportunity to do it again. And again, I had such a good time. I hope I get to continue to share with everyone. Did you ever think that bartending would get to this point where there would be a panel discussion at Tales of the Clock Tale about Instagram bartending or online bartending?
Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Fucking crazy, right? I mean, I remember when I started, it was, it took me a very long time to really lean into the social media because I would always get the backlash.
Like, oh, you want to be an Instagram nerd? You know, you're on the Instagram, like, you know, going into work and being like, taking pictures of cocktails and like people just making fun of rolling their eyes at me. Did I think, no, that like, this was going to go this way? I mean, I guess I was hopeful because I thought there's other people doing it, so why can't I?
But at the same time, no, not at all. Right. And so that's an interesting thing to talk about as well. Like, what you're doing is not the same as like trying to be a fucking social media influencer.
Like, I mean, I think some people try and do that with the bartending thing now that has become a thing. But you're actually just trying to get knowledge out into the community and you found a way to do it during a pandemic. And now it's just be kind of blown up into being a big thing, right? So you're not, it's like the goal is not to be an influencer.
The goal is to educate. Yeah, I mean, at first it really started as like a portfolio because I was working as a traveling bartender. I think we talked a little bit about that when I first came on. And then, yeah, I mean, eventually it's, it always became about wanting to just like share my knowledge, share my passion and educate people and teach people how to make craft cocktails, not be so intimidated by it, you know, and how to improve their craft cocktails and just feel more comfortable about that stuff.
Here's a process question for you. How do you figure out what cocktails do feature during your, during your post and how many times do you post like making a specific classic cocktail? So, you know, it's taken me kind of a while to get to decide what kind of cocktails, what kind of aesthetic I want to have. I started out, I started out very like wanting to impress the craft cocktail bartenders.
I was doing a lot of like cool ingredients, things like that. That is not necessary. Which is fine if that's what you want to do, but now that I kind of moved more over to the mainstream and I am looking to kind of generate income from this and teach, I'm getting a little bit more where I want to be more in like a home bartender, general population, people who are interested in learning just the beginning of spirits and that kind of thing and make it less intimidating for them. So now I moved into more of just the straight classes.
Like I really don't even do that many original cocktails anymore. I really stick with this is how to make a my time. This is exactly how to make an old fashioned. This is exactly how you should make a man or how I make it, you know, whatever those seem to be the ones that get the most views.
That's kind of also, you know, I have to kind of go off of that. I do want to make whatever I want. If I want to make something, I'm going to make it. But you know, you want to, when you're generating, you're trying to generate what people, you're going to go with what sells classic cocktails like my time video that I put up on Instagram, I think two weeks ago, it's at like 100,000 views.
And it's just a my time. Like it's the most basic my time you've ever seen, but then I can go and make this like beautiful infusion and like no one will give a crack. But I'm not going to make it. So that's very interesting.
But obviously a lot of this has to do with the force of your personality on the stage that you're putting on because like, I mean, if I went on fucking Instagram and made a my time, I know I would get to it. So obviously that's something to do with you. But that is interesting to learn that like the classics are the ones that get the most views. And what do you think the reason behind that is because the amateur bartender at home really just wants to learn how to make a fucking Manhattan or rather than like learning Oh, some creative cocktail that you made that they can probably only drink one time in a bar in a specific location.
Yeah, I think, you know, especially with people, you know, with the pandemic and now, you know, we're seeing at least here in the States, someone of a recession, people are wanting to drink at home, but they're wanting to have the same. They're wanting to be able to recreate those classic cocktails that they can go and get out of bar. They want it to taste the same and they just don't understand the difference. But they don't necessarily want to be making like, you know, this syrup and this infusion and then have these all these different bottles to make one cocktail that they might only drink once, you know, they're really looking for more of like a general, a general sense of what craft cocktails can be in classic cocktails can be.
So I think that's why those do do the best because that's always what I get asked questions about the most is like, how do you make your man had how do you make your own fashion? How do you make your simple, something as simple as simple as how do you make simple syrup and I'm like, what? You guys don't like, come on. Yeah.
Yeah. I know, but it's funny. Like, I remember also remember like back when I first started bartending in the Stone Ages, the like nobody knew what the fucking syrup's like we weren't doing. Yeah, no.
So it was like, so like, I remember being like simple syrup, honey, make that and it's like sugar and water dumbass. But yeah, I mean, so for the average home bartender who was not growing up in the industry, that's kind of what you're doing this show for. Yes, I'm starting to move move into more of that market. Yeah.
The post to being very craft cocktail for the craft cocktail bartenders. Right. Right. Well, there's enough of those fucking people out there already.
Let me help some people who actually need some help. I don't think I need to inspire any of the craft cocktails. There's so many amazing people out there doing so many amazing things. You know, I don't, I just, that's just not me.
You know, I love doing that stuff every once in a while, but talking about it all day, every day is a little bit gets a little bit much for me. The details that go into it and all that. It becomes a little masturbatory after a little while. Like we're all just jerking each other off.
It gives us shit. Yes. Yes. This is like, this does really make me happy as opposed to being like a little bit more detail oriented face down in the kitchen.
Nobody talked to me. This is kind of my genre and what I like doing. So I think this general public benefits more from this and being able to like break things down a lot easier for all of them. So that's what I'm going with.
Yeah. Well, it's working for you and thanks. We're excited about this new monthly feature. Yeah, I'm excited.
Stay tuned. Everybody should go back into the archives and listen to Elise's original episode, but then stay tuned for many monthly ones. Her names, Elise had done. She's a fucking badass and she's doing a monthly feature on the industry podcast going forward.
Stay tuned.