Jen Keyser has lived the Grapes of Wraith American tale. Her immersion in culture and conflict was the perfect breeding ground for the latent creativity that she's unleashing at Geraldines in Austin, TX. With obstacles from California to Texas, Jen could construct the perfect folk record. The tumultuous tale carried Jen into Texas where her career experienced a brilliant renaissance. As an amazing gig at The Highball introduced Jen to the incredible Drafthouse crew and community, her love of whiskey also started to blossom. Known for her cheekiness and love of the brown trickle, Jen is now the Chief of Bar Operations at Geraldines at the Hotel Van Zandt in Austin, TX. Will the corporate gig cause turmoil, or is it the perfect launching point to achieve even greater success? We sip bourbon, talk about love lost, and stealing all the right things.
From Germany to Ohio to Texas, The Roosevelt Room's Dennis Gobis is a devotee to family and hard work. A father of 4 pit bulls and an amazing cocktail destination in Austin, TX. He continues to learn and innovate in the cocktail world. A strange trip from Germany ejected Dennis into the United States without a grasp of the English language or a sense of what was next. After years of pummeling drums, working in real estate and construction, he ultimately found solace in the hospitality industry. Austin has embraced his personality with awards and now he is finally making his mark with the Roosevelt Room. With an unparalleled dedication to detail and cerebral ingredients, Dennis continues to defy the parameters of stagnant cocktail ingredients while romancing his patrons from behind the bar. We sip Mezcal and talk about America's predilection to solve problems with pills.
Justin Lavenue is the perfect candidate for the cover of GQ. He embodies fashion- forward thinking, wit, intelligence, and the pure essence of a gentleman. A child of divorce and ironically great role-models, Justin Lavenue balances classic chivalry and metropolitan ambition. From an unlikely start at an Indian restaurant in Boulder, CO, to being one of the owners of Austin's The Roosevelt Room, JL has only begun to take the industry by storm. We talk father influence, wrestling our younger brothers, and how working hard will always make you appreciate hard work. Despite the accolades, peer recognition, and natural talent though, will Justin be able to ever take a moment to enjoy it? We chat long term workloads, and how maybe sometimes we have to seize those moments of reflection.
40 episodes to freedom! This milestone interview captures the brilliant Francisco Terrazas, an erudite mezcal savant who educates and shares the gospel of Mezcal Vago across the nation. With a rich academic past in Arizona, and a resume that would make agave lovers awe, Francisco loves what he does and is a spokesman for tradition. His core appreciation of family and chivalry also makes him an amazing role model. We sip a rare bottle of Del Maguey and talk marriage, absentee fathers, and partying it up at Arizona State University.
"East coast Italian American meets the warmth and opportunity of the Texas hospitality industry." It's an interesting headline for an equally interesting story of the intelligent Rachel DelRocco. A New Jersey native bound to break out of her small town upbringing and thrive in the metropolitan spoils of New York City, Rachel's aspirations of being a songwriter mutated into being one of the finest minds in wine and spirits today. From New Jersey to New York to Houston, TX, she had made an amazing name for herself in such a short amount of time. It's hard to believe that at a young age of 29, Rachel hasn't even touched the tip of the career iceberg. We chat ankle injuries, marriage, and pork rolls in this sommelier friendly conversation.
Music fanatic, sound engineer, and all around taste virtuoso, Jesse Torres is one of the most inspired creators in the San Antonio cocktail scene. From playing in a Korean school band, to studying at the Culinary Institute of America, Jesse has explored all of the tangents of flavor and art. With sonic textures, and dissected flavors, Jesse brings his unique blend of military and kitchen training to the Esquire Tavern in SA. The wildly varied projects of life often take things down dark paths and we chat about finding poor business partners when it’s exactly too late. Sipping George T Stagg and relaxing at The Brooklynite, this conversation traverses everywhere.
Love's got everything to do with the brilliant journey of Josh Hendrix. From Georgia, to Louisiana, to Texas, Josh's diverse experiences fatefully catapulted him into the newly actualizing Dallas cocktail scene. As one of the "Dream Team" at Smyth, Josh established himself as a trustworthy, hard working, and lovable guy filled with integrity. This dedication to professionalism and keeping his wits led him to an amazing opportunity across the bar with Moet-Hennessey. The shift from shakers to spreadsheets is a jolting one, but a necessary step in becoming a formidable force in this industry. Josh and I talk music, milk punch, and the influence of the right woman.
At the switchboard of the industry, an ambitious, sociable, and shrewd business woman connects us all. Lindsey Johnson is the founder/owner of Lush Life Productions and the essential friend to the industry. Whether it's education in rum, bourbon, bar ownership, or just being humane, LJ is helming a movement while being one of the brightest icons in the booze industry. Part Texas and part New York, Lindsey is here to raise the bar of quality, connection, and education. As Lush Life evolves and matures, the dawning of a new Bar Institute program emerges. Traveling from city to city, this amazing educational summit will hit Austin in June of 2016. Without Lindsey's contributions to the booze narrative, many of us would have never forged the wonderful friendships we share today. We sip Russell's Reserve 1998 and discuss how the Cure can sometimes put us to sleep.
You would never suspect that most beer fanatics also have an adept appreciation of physical health, but Hops and Grain's Josh Hare is an amazing amalgam of health and business savvy. An Abilene fence builder in his youth, Josh understood fermentation as not just a scientific equation, but a basic means of making alcohol for the weekends. With a brief stint as a biology teacher, and a deflated sense of empowerment brought upon by antiquated Texas education curriculums, Josh headed to the health capital of America: Boulder, Colorado. After biking, swimming, and selling running accessories, Josh found a great opportunity in Austin and ultimately understood that he had to make beer for the people that needed it, health conscious Austinites. We sip bourbon and chat sex education.