How many different kinds of agave can be used to make mezcal? Well, heck, that’s easy: the regulations allow you to use any of them. So why have there been so many articles saying it’s “more than 40”? When 159 species … species … have been identified in Mexico?! We...

If you hang around a certain crowd, they’ll tell you that mezcal needs to be at least 50% alcohol by volume to be true to the cultural heritage of the spirit. And while that is certainly true in some communities, Mexico is not homogenous. We geek out on some 28%...

Agave Road Trip locates the origins of the phrase "vino de mezcal" which is used by communities all over Mexico.

The cigarettes you smoke and the food you eat will kill you sooner than the alcohol you drink. But make no mistake: in the USA, alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death. And yet, alcohol also brings people together, which has its own health benefits. So is...

It all began with Dr. Ryan Aycock telling us about “The Effects of Alcohol and Your Shrinking Brain.” Then we had an on-air therapy session for Chava, who both wants to drink agave spirits but also wants to maintain a fat brain. Now… Chava lands on his solution. We do...

A conversation about agave spirits and the difference that 1% can make.

A few weeks ago, Cocktail MD Dr. Ryan Aycock joined us for “The Effects of Alcohol and Your Shrinking Brain,” an episode so titled because … well, drinking alcohol causes your brain to shrink. This freaked out Chava (and apparently several of our listeners). So I made him talk about...

Okay, we really liked our conversation with renowned food journalist Dan Saladino, author of Eating to Extinction. In last week’s episode, we talked about the importance of consuming a diversity of options. This week, we talk with him about the importance of that diversity coming from a specific place. And...

We’ve talked a lot on this podcast about the importance of biodiversity in agave. But Dan Saladino takes that conversation to the next level, explaining how what we eat – and drink – will determine whether or not we can survive as a species. We have that conversation with the...

For years, I’ve heard that a glass of wine each day is good for you — makes you healthier, helps avoid heart problems. So will a bottle a day make you even healthier? We call in Dr. Ryan Aycock, Cocktail MD, to answer this question. Get set for the best...