Jeff Morgenthaler has been a defining voice in the bar world for more than two decades. Bartender, blogger, and author, he’s shaped modern drinks culture through his long-running blog — still one of the most valuable resources on bar technique — his years at Portland’s much-missed Clyde Common, and his influential writing, including The Bar Book. Today he continues to travel, teach, and inspire, sharing clear, grounded insight into every corner of cocktail craft.

Jeff played a part in my own development early on, too. His blend of logic, humour, and precision helped validate the path taken by so many of us, and his influence on the industry — direct and indirect — is larger than most realise.

Although Jeff and I have known of each other for nearly twenty years, this was our first time sitting down together. The conversation ranged widely across the landscape of bars, technique, and drinks culture.

In this episode you’ll hear how Jeff found his way behind the bar, why baijiu deserves more appreciation, how to make your own cola, the early-2000s figures who shaped both our careers, how he riffs on eggnog, the common mistakes people make when batching syrups (and how his tools can fix them), what it’s really like to write a book, our thoughts on the World’s 50 Best Bars, what defines a truly great bar, and plenty more.

www.jeffreymorgenathaler.com