Drinks Podcasts, Video Streams & Social Channels you need to know about

Lockdown can feel a bit lonely, especially if you’re isolating from COVID-19 by yourself. However, the UK drinks industry has bowled us over with the sheer amount, scope and quality of its initiatives to keep the community together, thriving and engaged (you can read about a couple of our favourites here: Drinks Industry comes together in the time of Coronavirus). What’s more, this time alone has given many bartenders, brand ambassadors and general booze nerds the opportunity to launch their own podcasts and video channels. We’ve picked out a number of our favourite new projects, as well as highlighting some of the oldies we think you should know about and which will help keep you company during lockdown and beyond.

ThreeAfter3

ThreeAfter3 logo

ThreeAfter3 is a new initiative dreamed up by Lexa Ulijaszek (Callooh Callay), Tatjana Sendzimir (FAM Bar) and Alexandra Farrow (Silver Lining). If you’ve spent any time crawling around London’s best and friendliest cocktail joints, you’ve no doubt shared a couple of bevvies with these wonderful ladies.

ThreeAfter3 Founders
ThreeAfter3 Founders: Lexa Ulijaszek, Alexandra Farrow, Tatjana Sendzimir

Originally ThreeAfter3 was founded to create events to educate, inspire, and connect, with its inaugural, insanely well-attended iteration taking place at FAM Bar on 1st March 2020. The Coronavirus pandemic has forced the trio into isolation but this certainly isn’t stopping them. From Saturday 18th April, ThreeAfter3 will be streaming directly into your home, with a series of interviews with women in the industry and those known for supporting them.

Anna Sebastian at CLASS Bar Awards 2020 ©Sated Online
Anna Sebastian accepting one of her multiple trophies at CLASS Bar Awards 2020

Beginning with the much-loved and highly awarded Anna Sebastian (Bar Manager, Artesian), “the interviews will capture and continue the spirit of education and community that our industry is so strong for”, says Lexa. Anna will answer questions about lockdown life, building and maintaining your own personal brand, and how to keep this up during lockdown. whilst the ThreeAfter3 interviewers make her quaratine cocktail of choice.

Where do I find this?

Interviews will be streaming live from the ThreeAfter3 Instagram page. The first is on Saturday 18th April, 3pm: www.instagram.com/threeafter3

Daniele Macciò

Daniele with Monymusk 2010
Daniele Macciò, @daniele_maccio_

Daniele Macciò is a relative newcomer to the industry but one whose contagious enthusiasm, hunger for knowledge and general loveliness have seen him become an almost overnight staple on the London scene. Already a rum fanatic (and honourable Guardian of Rum), bartender at whisky haven Síbín, and brand ambassador to Bordiga 1888, COVID-19 saw Daniele accelerate his plans to start his video project. And here we are.

His self-titled show presents videos that are aimed at bartenders but which are entirely accessible for the curious consumer. Each episode will present a different bottle (mainly but not exclusively spirits), which Daniele will jovially discuss before playing with specs to make cocktails from. Tastings, masterclasses and presentations are all on the cards for the near-future, so stay tuned.

Daniele and Pete Holland (The Floating Rum Shack, Foursquare Rum Distillery, That Boutique-y Rum)
Daniele and Pete Holland (The Floating Rum Shack, Foursquare Rum Distillery, That Boutique-y Rum)

Describing himself in his own words:

“I am a massive rum fan, whisky discoverer, slight nerd and, 15kgs ago, a decent football player. As a very open mind bartender, I believe you should drink what you like but know what you drink. If you’re looking for rocket science I’m not your guy. Instead you’ll find a happy, ambitious and humble person with a smile on his face and a meatball in his pocket.”

Where do I find this?

Follow Daniele on Instagram to view his videos: www.instagram.com/daniele_maccio_

Drinks with Hebe

Drinks with Hebe
Hebe Richardson, @drinkswithhebe

After working in cocktail bars for seven years, Hebe Richardson decided to branch out on her own and open a company that managed social media accounts for the drinks industry. She found that being self-employed could be quite lonely so, in February of this year, she launched her podcast Drinks with Hebe, where she interviews women within the booze industry, giving subscribers the chance to get to know these drinks professionals for their personalities as well as their jobs.

Drinks with Hebe website
Interviewees on Hebe’s website: Clotilde Lataille, Desirée Balma, Kendra Kuppin

Recent interviewees have included Nicole Sykes (Satan’s Whiskers’, and recent winner of Bacardi Legacy UK 2020); Emily Chipperfield (Callooh Callay); Jameson Ambassador, Anna McLaughlin; and Talula White, owner and creator of Sekforde Mixers.

Hebe’s content is fresh and female-focused, presenting candid insights into her interviewees’ lives, the brands they represent, and how we can all support women in the industry.

Where do I find this?

You can find Drinks with Hebe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6spmY95TmCH2CGJKoLuFbD

Over the Bar

Jake O’Brien Murphy is a well-known figure within the UK bar scene; with an offbeat charm and self-deprecating humour brushing off his top notch industry credentials, a podcast by him is surely one worth a listen to.

Jake O’Brien Murphy, @jakeobrienmurphy

Currently working at the world-renowned American Bar at The Savoy, his previous stints have included Callooh Callay and Horatio Street Social Club. Over the Bar is, quite simply, a show about finding the perfect bar. Jake will chat with industry professionals, from bartenders to trade ambassadors, talking about their favourite things in bars, as well as pet hates. “Mostly this is just a self-indulgent chance for people in the industry to have a big old moan”, states Jake.

“I know that it’s a flimsy pretext for a show and that having a these days is about as common as having a haircut, and that the seven people who are probably going to listen to this are all the girls in my mum’s office, and I know that my voice is awful, and my accent sounds like a hoover sucking up screws and let’s all be honest now, the format that I’ve definitely stolen of other successful shows isn’t exactly fresh, but, you’ve got time on your hands, I’ve got time on my hands, so let’s all just agree to enjoy ourselves for now. And, once this is all blown over, we can ignore the fact that I tried to do something in new age media.”

Jake website sketch

With that as an intro, who could say “no”? Over the Bar promises to be a general good-humoured chin-wag with bar industry friends and much-loved characters, no doubt coupled with a smattering of informational gems embedded in the banter. The first episode is with former UK Chambord Ambassador, Matt Uden.

Where do I find this?

You can keep abreast of Over the Bar here: www.jakeobrienmurphy.com/podcast                 

DedYcated


If you’re going booze-free for the lockdown or want to learn more about mindful drinking, Domenico Di Bucchianico is your guy. Ex-bartender turned blogger, Domenico has done the rounds of well-known London venues, such as Cahoots and The Ritz Hotel. Earlier this year, he decided to commit himself to his blog, DedYcated – “the first cocktail blog where alcohol is not the protagonist”.

Dedycate NOLA cocktail

Domenico’s mission is to showcase alcohol-free cocktails, drive new bartenders to think differently, and change the way that alcohol is enjoyed in bars around the world. He has created a series of live events for “young mixologists and junior bartenders, restaurateurs, bar owners and bar managers, covering all aspects of alcohol-free mixology.”

Dedycated Instagram

Recent DedYcated social media events have shown viewers how to make healthy cocktails at home using superfoods that will boost their immune systems.

Where do I find this?

You can watch DedYcated’s videos on YouTube and Instagram

Propping Up the Bar

Propping up the bar

Propping Up the Bar is a brand new collaborative drinks collective by industry stalwart, Josh Linfitt (ex-Scapegrace, ex-Atom Brands). The platform aims to bring consumers and trade folk knowledge via engaging cocktail masterclasses and online tasting sessions along with interviews, talks and demos from hospitality leaders.

Boasting great imagery, quarantine-cheats for the depleted home bar and original content from top dogs in the industry, such as Emma Stokes (Gin Monkey), Thomas Aske (Bar Black Rock, Whisky-Me), G Franklin (Luxardo, Team Spirit CT) and Callum Rixson (The Hideout), this is a well-thought-out and fun channel that will see you through quarantine and beyond.

Look out for the latest video featuring The Stratford’s Enrico Gonzata, and stay tuned for cocktail classes using Mason’s Yorkshire Dry Gin, Tarquin’s Cornish Gin and many more.

Where do I find this?

Keep up-to-date with Propping Up the Bar via Instagram: www.instagram.com/proppingupthebar

Unjiggered

Unjiggered logo

Unjiggered is a project that got its beginning last year in Singapore, when Michele Mariotti (Mandarin Oriental Singapore), Alexander Murphy (Mo Bar)and Arian Besa (Mo Bar),decided they wanted to create a podcast that established a connection between industry legends and new bartenders.

Each episode talks about how the career of the guests started, which crucial steps shaped who they are, and enlightens listeners about their current ethos. Whilst the team is based in Singapore, the podcast aims to explore talents from all over the world. Some favourites so far include Jesse Vida (Atlas Bar, ex-Dead Rabbit), American Bar’s Maxim Schulte, and one of the Two Schmucks, Moe Aljaff.

With a year’s worth of experience doing their thing, the Unjiggered team has proliferated across the interweb, resulting the 40-or-so episodes being streamable from a number of platforms.

Where do I find this?

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Instagram, Youtube, Soundcloud – they gone done it all!