On & Off

In this episode, we’re joined by David Mandell,  co-founder and CEO of Whiskey House of Kentucky, a new, state-of-the-art sourcing house in Elizabethtown, KY, about 30 minutes west of Bardstown. David discusses the state of sourced whiskey, industry technology, and the whiskey market in general.

We’re joined by Dan Kleinman, Chief Brand Officer at Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, to discuss one of the biggest trends in 2025: zebra striping, or swapping back and forth between alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages while drinking. What generations are leading this behavior? What does it say about the future of nonalc vs. alc drinking?

In this episode, we interview Sadr Amir, CEO of Downtown Spirits and Esquin Wine & Spirits in Seattle, Washington. These two off-premise brands remain at the forefront of industry trends. Amir discusses the importance of tech and date, experiences and events, the latest alcohol trends, and the scale and nature of the ongoing industry correction.

Ian Blessing and his wife Carly recently opened All The Bitter, a comprehensive zero-proof tasting lounge in Chico, CA. In this episode Ian shares the story of how they went from former French Laundry sommeliers to launching a cocktail bitters brand to opening the no-proof bar/bottle shop, along with some general NA trends and recommendations.

In this episode, we’re joined by Quinton Jay, founder and owner of Bacchus Wine & Spirits, a Top 100 Retailer based in Millbrae, CA. Bacchus is a leader in the beverage alcohol retail industry in terms of using data and analytics to shape successful business strategies.

There’s a lot to love about rum, but many consumers don’t understand all that the storied cane spirit has to offer. We chat with rum expert Chase Lanier, beverage manager at The Bamboo Room Tiki Bar in Savannah, GA, about some of his favorite brands and styles, popular cocktails and what he’s been doing to get guests into the spirit.

The popularity of Asian culture, flavors and cuisine stands to boost interest in sake, but what exactly is this ancient Japanese beverage? How do you serve it and what do you pair it with? We pose these questions and more to “Sake Samurai” Tim Sullivan, the director of education for the Sake Studies Center at the American craft sake brewery Brooklyn Kura.

In this episode we discuss The Good Pour, a Central Florida-based beverage alcohol retailer with philanthropy in the DNA of everything they do. Joining us is Carly Hollowell, VP of Marketing of The Good Pour, who also talks about how the retailer has succeeded on social media through savvy modern strategies.

What alcohol trends drove growth for wine and spirits in the past year? For answers, we interviewed Marina Velez, research director for our sister company, The Beverage Information Group. Especially during a difficult time for the alcohol industry, recognizing these winning trends is extremely important.

Beer has faced no shortage of headwinds in recent times, from changing consumer tastes to global tariffs. What does all that mean for the industry moving forward? For answers, we spoke with Kris Sjolander, Vice President Brand Development at United States Beverage (USB). USB is a leading independent beverage company in the U.S., specializing in imported and U.S. craft beer, ciders, and specialty beverages.

Unfortunately, U.S. craft distillers once again face the economic threat of global tariffs and trade wars. What exactly does this mean for the industry? We discuss with Becky Harris, Past President of the American Craft Spirits Association, and president of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville, VA.

Asian flavors may be a top beverage trend for 2025, but Ashley Castillo, food and beverage director of the Westin Atlanta Gwinnett hotel, was ahead of the curve on this one. She joins us in this episode to talk about what she learned from a year spent in Asia and how she has been translating that to the hotel's beverage program, as well as the drinks her guests are enjoying now and general trends she's seeing.

Nonalcoholic beer is on fire, with many consumers opting not to imbibe alcohol at all or choosing to drink less. The market has responded with a number of NA options in craft styles. Katherine Benecke, the general manager of New York beer hall and sports bar Treadwell Park, weighs in on the state of alcohol-free beer, what consumers want and her current NA favorites.

We talk top beverage alcohol hospitality trends for 2025 with the folks at af&co. and Carbonate, two San Francisco-based agencies that recently presented their 17th annual Hospitality Trends Report. Tune in to hear why pistachio is the flavor of the year, along with other top trends like Freezer Martinis, Sotol, Banana cocktails, lagers vs. IPAs, the continued growth of THC drinks, and more!

How much alcohol does Gen Z actually drink? And what exactly are they drinking? Will these trends maintain long term, or will they shift as Gen Z consumers get older? For answers to these critical industry questions, we interviewed Nick White, the research lead for the consumer research platform Attest.