Life Behind Bars with Noah Rothbaum & David Wondrich
by The Daily Beast
Life Behind Bars, which is hosted by the Daily Beast’s Half Full editor Noah Rothbaum and its legendary columnist David Wondrich, allows listeners to be flies on the wall as two of the world’s foremost drinks experts talk about cocktails and spirits. It is a mix of engaging stories and historical facts about the greatest bartenders and drinks of all time. In 2018, it won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for the world's best drinks podcast.Please drink responsibly.
Episodes
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The Past, Present & Future of Gin - Life Behind Bars: The Oxford Companion
Gin has been a bartending fixture for hundreds of years and stars in countless famous cocktail recipes. On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about gin’s roots and how the spirit has evolved and kept current for centuries—including during the...
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The Birth of Luxury Spirits - Life Behind Bars: The Oxford Companion
The launch of Grand Marnier in the late 1800s helped to establish a new standard for luxury liquor brands. The Cognac-and-orange liqueur also inspired the creation of several delicious cocktails, including the original version of the Bijou. On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts...
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How the Margarita Became a Cocktail Sensation - Life Behind Bars: The Oxford Companion
Everyone has heard at least one story about how the Margarita came to be—at last count, there were seven credible origin stories. On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum explore the possible stories behind the Margarita’s invention, as well as a...
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La Dolce Vita The Birth of Italian Cocktails - Life Behind Bars: The Oxford Companion
The Negroni and the Americano are perennial favorites of professional and amateur bartenders around the world. But when were these classic cocktail recipes created? And how did Italy’s bar culture become a sensation? On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah...
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A Look Inside the Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails - Life Behind Bars: The Oxford Companion
For nearly ten years, Life Behind Bars co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum have been working on a special project: The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails. A few weeks ago, the nearly 900-page book debuted with more than 1,100 entries from 150 contributors. On this special episode,...
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The Past, Present and Future of Rye Whiskey - Life Behind Bars Live
Rye whiskey beguiles the palate with a range of slow-to-reveal flavors. The same could be said of the spirit’s long and complex history, which continues to delight (and frustrate) modern distillers, historians and journalists. On this special live episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind...
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The Next Cocktail Frontier? Smaller Cities - Life Behind Bars
The rebirth of the cocktail started in big cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. But over the last few years, smaller markets have arguably made the biggest bartending strides. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and...
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The Next Cocktail Book Collecting Obsession - Life Behind Bars
People have been writing about drinks as long as they’ve been enjoying them. And with the rebirth of the cocktail during the last 20 years, prices for vintage drinks books have risen dramatically and bargains are much harder to find. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars,...
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Rebuilding an Irish Single Malt Whiskey Powerhouse - Life Behind Bars
Single malt Irish whiskey is in distiller Darryl McNally’s blood. His ancestors made the historic spirit for centuries in Ireland. Now he’s trying to rebuild his family’s Limavady distillery at the northern tip of the island. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts...
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The Canned Cocktails Craze: Are They Here to Stay? - Life Behind Bars
From bartenders to craft spirits brands to liquor behemoths, everyone seems to be launching a new canned cocktail these days. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by acclaimed Half Full columnist Wayne Curtis to…
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Bourbon’s Newfound Star Power: Andy Roddick and Peyton Manning - Life Behind Bars
Forget wine. Forget vodka. Forget tequila. Celebrities are starting American whiskey brands. Over the last few years, quite a few professional athletes, actors and musicians began selling bourbon or rye. Is a whiskey brand the new ultimate celebrity status symbol? On this episode of the...
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The Good, the Bad & the Ugly—The Long Island Iced Tea - Life Behind Bars
Whether you love it or hate it, it’s hard to escape the Long Island Iced Tea. The enduringly popular guilty pleasure—which calls for a potent combination of white spirits, triple sec, sweet and sour mix, and cola—was invented in a bar on New York’s Long Island for a cocktail competition. It first...
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The Search for the World’s Fastest Bartender - Life Behind Bars
It’s hard enough to make a round of four delicious classic cocktails on a slow night for a couple of regulars. Now imagine trying to make them on stage in front of a screaming crowd for a group of prestigious judges prepared to critique them—out loud. This scenario, which is the stuff of…
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Nick Offerman is Living his Best Scotch Life - Life Behind Bars
Nick Offerman should not be confused with Ron Swanson, the character he played on the hit show Parks and Recreation. But the two share at least one thing in common: A love for Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, Offerman joins…
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What Do Bars Do Now? - Life Behind Bars
It’s been one hell of a year for bartenders and bar owners. Now that America is starting to reopen, bars are trying to navigate this new post-COVID world while dealing with industry burn-out, labor shortages, evolving business plans and changing drink trends. On this episode of the award-winning...
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The Future of Craft Whiskey is Hyper-Local Ingredients - Life Behind Bars
Can the flavor of a whiskey reflect the place where it’s made? How about the people who produced it? Distillers around the globe are exploring the idea of terroir, experimenting with locally grown heirloom grains, and making barrels from regional species of oak. On this episode of the…
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Does the Type of Cocktail Glass You Use Really Matter? - Life Behind Bars
The Martini is the most famous drink. Its signature glass is equally iconic and perhaps even more ubiquitous. But the world of cocktail glassware is vast and there are all kinds of supposed rules for using each style and type. So where did all of these traditions and customs come from? And does…
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Mission Impossible: Reinventing the Piña Colada - Life Behind Bars
Love it or hate it, the Piña Colada is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. But it’s been largely forgotten by craft bartenders. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by tropical drinks expert Jeff “Beachbum”...
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Christopher Kimball & the Grateful Dead School of Bartending - Life Behind Bars
Nobody has ever accused Milk Street founder Christopher Kimball of being indifferent. Viewers of his acclaimed PBS television show and readers of his newsletter and books are accustomed to his strong opinions on cooking and ingredients, as well as his fascinating stories of eating and drinking...
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The Secret History of Bourbon - Life Behind Bars
From important still designs to the real reason why distillers began charring barrels, many important details of bourbon history are often missing from modern accounts of the spirit. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk…
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It’s Time to Change Your Cocktail Game. Here’s How to Do It. - Life Behind Bars
The greatest bartenders in the world bring disparate ingredients and flavors together to create new cocktails—and they do it seemingly with ease. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about the art of cocktail creativity and...
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The Hunt is On for Rare Vintage Spirits - Life Behind Bars
Never mind Pappy Van Winkle and Sazerac 18-Year-Old Rye Whiskey: Some of the most sought-after bottles of liquor are the dusty, obscure ones hiding on liquor store shelves and in the back of home liquor cabinets. Over the last few years, bartenders and drinks enthusiasts alike have become...
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Can the Roaring Twenties Teach Us about Post-Pandemic Life? - Life Behind Bars
From the cocktails to the speakeasies to The Great Gatsby, there are few periods in history as celebrated in modern culture as the Roaring Twenties. As we look forward to the end of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s worth exploring how the Roaring Twenties followed the last global pandemic: the 1918...
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How to Avoid Overhyped and Overpriced Bourbon - Life Behind Bars
You can buy bourbon as young as a few years old and as old as 30 years. But what is the perfect age? Half Full columnist and whiskey authority Lew Bryson tried to answer this question in a recent article he wrote, which went viral. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars,...
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Vodka is No Laughing Matter for Dan Aykroyd - Life Behind Bars
Dan Aykroyd can make you laugh at any moment. His comedic sense of timing, of course, has been honed from his years on Saturday Night Live and his roles in a long list of smash-hit movies, including Ghostbusters, Spies Like Us and the Blues Brothers. But when it comes to his Crystal Head Vodka...
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Closing Time: Running Out the Clock on 2020 - Life Behind Bars
Thankfully 2020 is finally drawing to a close. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss what they are planning to drink during the rest of the year and the appeal of starting the new year out with a run. They are also joined…
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Forget Eggnog. Hot Buttered Rum is the Drink of the Holidays. - Life Behind Bars
We have all certainly earned a decadent treat this holiday season. While you could whip up a big bowl of Eggnog, there’s another traditional (and no-less rich) concoction we recommend: Hot Buttered Rum. This delicious mix of dark rum, hot water and—you guessed it—butter is historic and…
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Single Malt Battle Royale: The U.S. vs. Scotland - Life Behind Bars
Scotland has claimed ownership of single malt whiskey for years. But the spirit is now made around the world, including in the U.S., which boasts a thriving industry of its own. Can Scotland maintain its supremacy in the face of ever more competition? On this episode of the award-winning podcast...
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Building a Whiskey Empire in 85 Years - Life Behind Bars
In December of 1935, America’s whiskey industry was on life support. While Prohibition was finally over, the future for distillers was, to say the least, incredibly bleak. After 13 long years of being out of business, would people still want to drink bourbon and rye? Would the Great Depression…
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Is it Sacrilege to Use 15-Year-Old Bourbon in Cocktails? - Life Behind Bars
It takes courage to create cocktails with older whiskies, but it’s more than worth the effort. To help you overcome your fears of ruining a dram, on this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum share some tips and advice for using mature...
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’Tis the Season for Hot Cocktails - Life Behind Bars
For far too long, hot cocktails have been lumped in with dessert drinks and made increasingly sweeter with honey, sugar, cider and even ice cream. But the classic recipes for these steaming concoctions are, in fact, not overly sweet—and quite delicious. So delicious, in fact, that it’s time to…
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How Kentucky Bourbon Distillers Saved Their Archrival Rye Whiskey - Life Behind Bars
Once upon a time, there were bourbon drinkers and there were rye whiskey drinkers. You couldn’t be both. When the rye industry fell apart in the second half of the 20th century and its distilleries, located in the mid-Atlantic states, faltered and ultimately disappeared, an unexpected savior...
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Meet Dale DeGroff, the Father of the Rebirth of the Cocktail - Life Behind Bars
Dale DeGroff is a storyteller, teacher, mentor, bon vivant and consummate host. He is also responsible for changing how people around the world drink by starting the modern golden age of cocktails. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah...
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What’s Next for Bars? - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned
The coronavirus pandemic has managed to affect nearly every facet of life in America. Bars are certainly not exempt and the industry will find itself dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic for years to come. So how will this unprecedented period change the layout of bars and how they...
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The Modern Cocktail Menu - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned
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...
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Staffing Up During a Pandemic - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned
If hiring, training and managing a staff is one of the hardest parts of running a bar, try doing it during a pandemic. On this special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk to three top bartenders—Ryan Fitzgerald from San Francisco,...
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Yes, There is an Official Bourbon Holiday - Life Behind Bars
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,...
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The New World of To-Go Drinks - Life Behind Bars: What I’ve Learned
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…
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The Fight to Get People to Wear Face Masks in Bars - 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…
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Are the Manhattan & the Martini the Same Cocktail? - Life Behind Bars
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…
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Fostering Diversity in the Beer & Spirits World - Life Behind Bars
On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by Garrett Oliver, the head brewer at the Brooklyn Brewery. He recently became the founding board chair of the new Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling, which is…
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Can Bars Survive the Pandemic? - Life Behind Bars
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,...
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Gone but Not Forgotten: Bars We Wish Were Still Open - Life Behind Bars
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...
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The Bars We Can’t Wait to Visit Again - Life Behind Bars
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…
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Test Case: Bars Are Reopening in New Orleans - Life Behind Bars
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...
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Life Behind Bars - Episode 57 The Return of Cocktail Hour
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...
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Life Behind Bars - Episode 56 The Bizarre History of Pandemic Cocktail Cures
What happens when two committed bar flies can’t go to a bar? Find out on this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars. While sheltering in place at their respective homes, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the history of drinking during plagues and some of the…
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Life Behind Bars - Episode 55 A Concise History of Bourbon Street’s Cocktail Culture
From the Hurricane to the Hand Grenade to the Shark Attack, some of the world’s most potent cocktails call Bourbon Street home. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the drinking culture of this famous New Orleans street....
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Life Behind Bars - Episode 54 Toasting a Bourbon Legend
You should really have a whiskey today—but better make it a bottled-in-bond whiskey. Why? Congress enacted the Bottled-in-Bond Act on March 3, 1897, which set a new standard for American whiskey and ushered in a new era of consumer protections. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life...
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Life Behind Bars - Episode 53 Fixing the Craft Cocktail Menu
Having trouble figuring out what to order in a craft cocktail bar? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. From exotic ingredients to wildly creative new concoctions, even for drinks experts picking a cocktail can be overwhelming at times. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars,...
About this show
Life Behind Bars, which is hosted by the Daily Beast’s Half Full editor Noah Rothbaum and its legendary columnist David Wondrich, allows listeners to be flies on the wall as two of the world’s foremost drinks experts talk about cocktails and spirits. It is a mix of engaging stories and historical facts about the greatest bartenders and drinks of all time. In 2018, it won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for the world's best drinks podcast.Please drink responsibly.
Hosted by
The Daily Beast