The story of the very first cocktail - where it came from, the strong opinions it breeds and what the way we drink it says about us. The word “cocktail” was first defined in print in 1806 with a simple recipe - strong spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters. Since then the specs have morphed...

An Italian favorite and the curious intersection of bitter times with bitter flavors. The Negroni doesn’t have a rise and fall and rise again story. It pops up here and there, peculiarly always in the wake of tragedy. Why do we gravitate towards this sharp, botanical beverage in times of rebuilding...

Capitalism made the Moscow Mule - birthed it, shaped it and groomed it into the superstar it is today. But it also left behind a mystery that took 75 years to solve. What is the Moscow Mule without the copper mug? That’s a question many people over the years have wrestled with. It’s almost as tricky...

One man invented it. Another one named it. And over the years their clashing personalities shaped the Hemingway Daiquiri. When Ernest Hemingway arrived in Cuba he was nearing the end of his days as a young man. When one day he stumbled into La Florida in Havana he met a man who would become his...

A poorly designed law that works and an expertly designed drink that sucks. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933 American drinkers had a lot of catching up to do. Tastes had changed and big brewers took note, cutting costs and striking ingredients until Americans were left with a low ABV bubbly...

A countdown to WWI and a bright, bubbly festive drink named after a killing machine. As the great old powers of Europe marched toward war the conflict seemed inevitable. But was it? Was there a way these men could have resolved their differences? Joining us on this journey is the French 75, a bright...