Bit by a Fox Podcast

This week's guest is New York-based spirits and cocktail writer, Kara Newman. Kara is the Spirits Editor for Wine Enthusiast and is the author of multiple cocktail books including the forthcoming little gem: Nightcap: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening - available October 16th. What defines a nightcap cocktail and what makes for an especially good one? Find out why these might be the sexiest drinks of all.

This week's featured cocktail is the Open & Shut. This is a Scaffa cocktail, a room-temperature nightcap, shared by Chicago bartender Julia Momose in Kara Newman’s Nightcap: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening.

Open & Shut 1 1/2 oz Amaro Lucano 1/2 oz of Cognac

Combine Amaro and Cognac in a rocks glass with no ice, and stir. Garnish is optional, a lemon or orange peel is nice. In Julia Momose’s words: "Simply build in the glass, retire to bed, sip, and ease yourself into slumber."

Links: Kara's website Kara's Twitter Kara's Instagram Nightcap: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening Bit by a Fox: blog: http://bitbyafox.com instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitbyafox/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BitByAFox/ twitter: https://twitter.com/bitbyafox music: https://www.humanworldwide.com

Raj Peter Bhakta has been a successful entrepreneur, a former contestant on The Apprentice, and even a political candidate. But he is best known in the spirits industry as the founder of the premium rye whiskey brand WhistlePig. After selling the popular brand last year, Raj has now moved on to reviving another spirits category that has long been under appreciated - Armagnac brandy. BHAKTA Brandy, launched over the summer, is a blend of 8 Armagnac vintages 50-152 years old, and finished in Islay Scotch casks. Raj and I discuss his move from whiskey to brandy, the story behind these hidden vintages, and why you should be buying these bottles of history now. BHAKTA Brandy Links: Website Instagram Facebook Raj's Instagram Bit by a Fox Links: Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter Podcast Music

Hobbiest mixologist, viral video personality, and cocktail book author of Suck It Up: Extraordinary Cocktails for Everyday People, Dan Magro has a real-talk and hilarious approach to mixing drinks and taking names. We talked about the proliferation of multi-hyphenates in LA, his deep love of brunch as a lifestyle, and his ultimate, if unexpected, drinking buddy.

This week's cocktail recipe is a brunch favorite from Dan's book, Suck it Up.

Lavender Mimosa - served in a champagne flute Brut Champagne or Sparkling Wine Lavender Honey Infusion* a lemon, quartered Garnish: fresh lavender Rub the lemon slice around the rim of the flute, squeeze the juice into the glass, and the drop the wedge in. Fill the glass with 3/4 of bubbly, top off the remainder of the glass with the lavender honey syrup. Garnish with lavender. *Lavender Honey Infusion Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 1/3 cup of honey and stir for 3 minutes, then reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 cup of dried lavender, and stir for 1 minute making sure all lavender is immersed in water. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit overnight. Strain the cooled liquid, discarding the solids. Store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

LinksSuck it Up: Extraordinary Cocktails For Everyday People Dan's Viral Buzzfeed Video Dan Magro's Instagram

Bit by a Fox Links: Bit by a Fox Blog Instagram Facebook Twitter music: https://www.humanworldwide.com

This week we have a bonus St. Patrick’s Day episode! Jack McGarry, co-founder of famed NYC Irish bar The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, and return guest Tim Herlihy, Brand Ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, joined me to discuss their upcoming book,'From Barley to Blarney - A Whiskey Lover’s Guide to Ireland’

This week's cocktail recipe is the legendary Dead Rabbit Irish Coffee recipe from the book: Dead Rabbit Irish Coffee 1 oz Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey 1/2 oz Demerara Syrup 3 1/2 oz medium-dark roast, made in a French Press Thumb of prepared whipped cream Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg In an Irish Coffee glass, build all ingredients, top with whipped cream and grated nutmeg Links: From Barley to Blarney - A Whiskey Lover's Guide to Ireland The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog Tim Herlihy's Instagram Tim Herlihy's Twitter Tullamore Dew Bit by a Fox Links: blog: http://bitbyafox.com instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitbyafox/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BitByAFox/ twitter: https://twitter.com/bitbyafox music: https://www.humanworldwide.com

It's our one year anniversary of the Bit by a Fox Podcast and we are diving headfirst into our second season with Episode 50! In continuation of our discussion from last week about mindful drinking or not drinking, and wellness, this week's episode has a little bit of everything. I spoke with Gaby Mlynarczyk - bartender, drinks writer, and author of Clean + Dirty Drinking, 100+ Recipes for Making Delicious Elixirs, With or Without Booze.

This week's cocktail recipe - Gaby's Carrot + Cardamom cocktail - includes the "Clean" and "Dirty" version

Clean: 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp of fresh carrot juice 2 Tbsp of Cardamom Simple Syrup* 1 Tbsp fresh yuzu juice or fresh lime juice 1 drop of alcohol-free gentian root tincture Ice cubes for shaking and serving fennel frond, parsley sprig, or pea shoot for garnish Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add 5 ice cubes, and shake hard for 3 seconds. Fill a stemless wineglass or double Old-Fashioned glass with ice cubes. Using a Hawthorne strainer, strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with the fennel frond, parsley sprig, or pea shoot. Dirty: 3 Tbsp Old Tom Gin or other dry gin 3 Tbsp fresh carrot juice 1 1/2 Tbsp Aperol 1 Tbsp fresh yuzu juice or fresh lime juice 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp Simple Syrup 2 dashes of Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters Ice cubes for shaking fennel frond, parsley sprig, or pea shoot for garnish In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, carrot juice, Aperol, yuzu and lemon juices, syrup, and cardamom bitters. Add 5 ice cubes, and shake hard for 3 seconds. Follow the same instructions for the Clean version, garnish and enjoy! *recipe on the Bit by a Fox Blog Links: Clean + Dirty Drinking Gaby's Instagram Gaby's Twitter Gaby's Blog Bit by a Fox Links: blog: http://bitbyafox.com instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitbyafox/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BitByAFox/ twitter: https://twitter.com/bitbyafox music: https://www.humanworldwide.com