In this live episode, Shawn Soole sits down with David Wondrich—cocktail historian, author, and one of the most respected voices in spirits culture—to explore how the bar world has evolved, where it’s headed, and what we’ve learned along the way.
🧠 What We Covered:
The early days of cocktail culture and Wondrich’s path to becoming a global authority
How bars reflect broader cultural shifts—from pre-Prohibition to the pandemic era
The value of storytelling in drink creation and hospitality
The future of bartending: education, sustainability, and relevance
A generous helping of wit, wisdom, and live audience questions
📌 Timestamps (approx.):
00:02:45 – Wondrich’s origin story & the roots of modern mixology
00:14:30 – Changing tides: 2000s revival to today
00:33:00 – The importance of primary sources and historical truth
00:48:15 – Questions from bartenders around the world
01:05:00 – What’s next for cocktail culture?
👀 Why Watch:
If you’re a bartender, cocktail nerd, or just curious about how drinks mirror history, this episode is for you. It’s a crash course in how the past informs the future—straight from the source.
📚 More on David Wondrich:
Author of Imbibe! and Punch
Editor-in-Chief at The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails
Follow him on Twitter/X: @DavidWondrich
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