The Curious Bartender Podcast

Padraig Fox has spent 21 years at Guinness, starting out as a tour guide at the Storehouse in Dublin and working his way through sales, quality, and trade before landing the title of Global Brand Ambassador.In this episode, Padraig takes us deep into the world of Guinness: what's behind the brand's remarkable recent surge in popularity, the surprisingly exacting science of pouring the perfect pint, and why the two-part pour is a hill Padraig is prepared to die on. We get into the history: Arthur Guinness's audacious 9,000-year lease on a rundown Dublin brewery in 1759, the switch from ale to Porter recorded on a single turned-over page of a recipe book, and the Welshman who quietly invented draught Guinness in a London lab. We also explore how a brand that refused to advertise for 150 years eventually gave the world the toucan, the surfer ad, and the Guinness Book of Records. And what it actually means to pour the same beer consistently from Dublin to Astana.

Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout - https://denverandliely.comGet 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS1500:00 Why is Guinness Having a Moment? Taste, Look, Quality03:50 Arthur Guinness’ 9000 Year Lease, Bringing Porter to Dublin, The Difference Between Stout & Porter07:30 The Size of the Guinness Today09:05 Guinness Variants: Guinness Original, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Draught Guinness, Innovation Products, Foreign Markets11:42 Ingredients for Guinness: Roasted Barley, Malt, Hops, Yeast14:35 Why Is Guinness Creamy? Introducing Nitrogen Gas, What Nitrogen Does to Flavour17:00 Why Is Guinness Poured in Two Parts?18:30 Where is Guinness Brewed?19:40 What Temperature Should Guinness Be Served At? Guinness Extra Cold21:50 What is the Correct Mix of Gas for Guinness?23:30 The Secret to A Great Tasting Pint of Guinness: Line Hygiene 27:00 The Correct Glass for Guinness31:35 The Cult of Guinness, Discernment & Taste Acquisition35:20 Best Guinness in Dublin37:30 Why Is the Irish Bar Exported? Difference to British Pub, Balancing Irishness42:00 Guinness Advertising: The Surfer, the Toucan, Evolution Ad47:45 Association with Rugby & Other Sports49:45 Guinness Goes Viral51:02 Guinness 0.0 - Production, Scale53:20 Guinness Book of Records55:20 Is the Trend for Guinness Sustainable?56:20 The Opengate Brewery: Innovation, Nitrogen Foreign Extra Stout, Barrel Aged Guinness59:00 Being the Guinness Brand Ambassador1:00:00 The Guinness Storehouse Experience1:01:40 Is Guinness a Craft Beer?📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne are the co-founders of London Cocktail Week and the Pinnacle Guide. Having launched London Cocktail Week 16 years ago, they have built one of the drinks industry's most recognised consumer-facing events, taking it through multiple ownership structures - from its origins under Simon Difford, through the Whisky Exchange and Pernod Ricard — before buying it back outright in January 2026. Together with business partner Dan Dove, they also created the Pinnacle Guide, a Michelin-inspired rating system that awards one, two, or three pins to bars across 14 countries and counting.In this conversation, Hannah and Siobhán talk about the decision to move London Cocktail Week from October to March, how the event has evolved from its early days of London buses and pop-up bars in Seven Dials to a more purpose-driven celebration of bartenders and bar culture. They go deep on the Pinnacle Guide — its two-year consultation process, the extensive application form, how bars are assessed and reviewed, and the deliberate "skew of kindness" built into the system. They also reveal Curate Your City, a new venture that will offer a turnkey framework for anyone to create their own multi-venue festival in any industry, anywhere in the world. Plus, some quick questions from Jake Burger at the end on the golden age of UK bartending.https://londoncocktailweek.com/https://www.thepinnacleguide.com/Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout Get 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/00:00:00 Introduction00:02:12 London Cocktail Week: 16 Years and Counting00:03:09 Taking Back Full Ownership00:04:12 Moving LCW from October to March00:08:04 How London Cocktail Week Has Changed00:10:31 The Cocktail Village Era00:14:38 Wristbands, Guidebooks and Building Community00:17:01 The Evolution of London's Cocktail Scene00:21:21 The Ownership Journey: Difford, Whisky Exchange and Pernod Ricard00:24:43 Burnout, the Pandemic and Pivoting00:27:36 What's Next for LCW in 202700:33:14 Introducing the Pinnacle Guide00:38:50 The Scoring System and "Skew of Kindness"00:43:21 Reviewers: Industry Pros and Interested Amateurs00:48:48 How the Application Form Elevates the Industry00:54:48 Global Expansion: 146 Bars Across 14 Countries00:57:36 How the Pinnacle Guide Will Make Money01:05:53 Curate Your City: A New Venture for Festival Creators01:14:52 The Hannah and Siobhán Partnership01:16:19 Is the Golden Age of UK Bartending Behind Us?

Agostino Perrone is the Director of Mixology at The Connaught Bar in London — one of the most acclaimed bar programmes in the world, and the only bar to have featured in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since its inception, claiming the top spot in both 2020 and 2021. Originally from Lake Como in northern Italy, Ago moved to London in 2003 and worked his way through the city's bar scene — from Dusk in Battersea to the beloved neighbourhood bar Montgomery Place in Notting Hill — before being approached in 2008 to launch and lead the newly reimagined Connaught Bar. What followed is nothing short of a legacy: he has been recognised as Industry Icon at the World's 50 Best Bars 2022, Best International Bar Mentor at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2023, and in 2024 saw the publication of The Connaught Bar book with Phaidon. He is also an accomplished fine art photographer, with exhibitions across Europe and beyond.On the episode we explore what it really means to build something that lasts. Ago takes us through the philosophy of Italian hospitality, how growing up in a culture of community, generosity, and warmth provides a natural foundation for world-class service, and why those soft skills translate seamlessly to the highest stages in the world. We discuss patience as a professional virtue in an industry increasingly driven by speed and visibility, and how the slow, organic accumulation of experience ultimately wins out over ambition alone. We get into the famous Connaught Martini Trolley — its origins, its evolution, and the clever way it turns flavour into a conversation about how a guest is actually feeling. We talk about the balance between creativity and innovation, the symbiotic relationship between a bartender and their bar, what it takes to build a team that endures, and how to stay mentally healthy when awards and recognition start reshaping your world. Ago also reflects on photography as meditation, legacy as mentorship, and what he would say to his younger self walking into the Connaught Bar for the very first time.Be sure to check out The Connaught Bar book, published by Phaidon, and follow Ago's photography work on Instagram @agodragos @a_perrone_photographyhttps://www.the-connaught.co.uk/bars/connaught-barGet 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout - https://denverandliely.comGet 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/00:00 Watering the Plants of Opportunity03:10 Paying Attention - Learning the Basics, 50,000 Hours06:10 The Vision of The Connaught, Changing Fashions08:40 Montgomery Place: Inspiration & Style12:00 Fundamentals of Hospitality & Italian Culture, Generosity, Patience22:10 The Relationship Between Bar & Bartender, Understanding Business Needs, Humility29:30 The Martini Trolley: Bitters, Menu Development in 2008, Theatre38:00 Creativity: Evolution of the Connaught, Innovation, Beauty in Bars, Theatre in Pouring & Ice49:05 The History of The Connaught Hotel & Connaught Bar50:37 A Home Away From Home55:50 Longevity, Consistency, Enjoyment, Sustainability, Approach to Awards1:10:02 Recruitment at The Connaught1:13:10 Visual Content at The Connaught1:18:40 What Brings You Joy? Photography as a Snapshot of Life, Exhibitions, Art, Meditation1:27:05 Advice To Your Younger Self

Tom Oliver is one of the UK’s most respected cider and perry makers, based in Herefordshire. A farmer first and foremost, he works with traditional orchards, rare varieties and long, slow fermentations to produce some of the most expressive cider and perry in the country. His approach is hands-on, low intervention, and deeply rooted in place.In this conversation we get into why perry is so difficult to make well. From awkward fruit that sinks instead of floats, to tannins that can return in bottle, to fermentations that refuse to behave. Tom explains why you can do everything “right” and still end up fighting nature. And why that struggle is exactly what gives great perry its depth.We get into the agricultural reality of managing orchards across the full calendar year, from winter pruning and wassailing through to blossom, pollination, frost risk and the impact of drought. Tom explains why perry pears demand extraordinary patience. Some can take up to twenty years before yielding properly, yet once established they may live and produce for centuries. That long view shapes everything.We also discuss fire blight and the very real threat it poses to traditional pear trees, along with the biannual nature of cropping, shifting climate patterns and the hard economics of growing fruit in Herefordshire. It is a precarious balance between agriculture, time and cashflow.On the production side, we explore wild fermentation and the idea of house character. Where does the yeast really come from. The fruit, the air, or the buildings themselves. We talk about why cider can ferment for months, sometimes right through winter, and how that slow, unmanaged process builds complexity you simply do not get in rapid fermentations.From there we move into keeving, residual sugar and bottle conditioning, and how sweetness, tannin and acidity can be structured with intent rather than correction. We debate blending versus single variety bottlings, and whether the romance of a named orchard fruit sometimes overshadows the craft and judgement of the blender.Finally, we look at premium cider as an alternative to wine. Not just in theory, but at the table. Can cider outperform wine with food. And if it can, why is it still fighting for that recognition.Along the way we taste a still, barrel-aged perry that would sit comfortably alongside white Burgundy, and debate whether apples suffer from over-familiarity. If they grow everywhere, do we take them for granted?https://oliversciderandperry.co.uk00:00 The Incredible Challenges of Making Perry, Perry as Route Into Premium Cider05:50 Cider & Perry as an Alternative to Beer & Wine, Respect09:30 Managing an Orchard: Traditional vs Bush, Tree & Fruit Development, Harvesting, Yield, Fire Blight32:30 A Year of Cider Making: Wassail, Pruning, Weather, Climate Change, Foxwell Apple, Fermentation & Yeast*, Blending53:40 Tasting Eskimo Eyes Still Perry - Barrel Ageing56:30 Keeving - Process, Purpose, Tannin & Sweetness & Alcohol1:08:40 Filtration. Pasteurisation & Bottling, Bottle Fermented Perry1:12:40 Cider Regions: Hereford & Somerset1:16:00 Single Variety Cider vs. Blends, Intention of the Cider Maker, Oliver’s Orchard Variites1:23:00 Origin Stories: Why Become a Cider & Perry Maker?1:26:00 The Search for Good Eau de Vie, Apple Pommeau, Royal Cider, Development of Cider Brandy📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

The Temperley family oversee the Somerset Cider Brandy Company, which became the UK's first independent distillery in living memory when it commenced operations in 1987. Thus, for almost 40 years, the Temperley family have been committed to reviving and preserving England’s traditional apple spirits. They have planted and maintained orchards with over 100 apple varieties, and earned a coveted Protected Geographical Indication for their cider brandy. Matilda handles day‑to‑day operations and looks to the future, while her father Julian draws on decades of craft knowledge and a passion for Somerset’s agricultural heritage.
In this wide‑ranging conversation, we trace the fascinating history of cider brandy in England: how clandestine stills and museum licences paved the way for the Temperleys to become the country’s first licensed craft distillers. We explore the family’s deep connection to their land: planting pear and oak trees for generations yet to come, fostering a "if we don't grow it we don't use it" policy, and championing the unique character of Somerset’s smallholdings. Matilda and Julian explain the strict rules they set to mirror Calvados production, their use of Coffey stills to retain fruit character, and the impact of different casks, from sherry and port to locally coopered Somerset oak.
Along the way we taste through their range, from perfumed eau‑de‑vie to five and ten‑year cider brandys, and the dessert‑style Pomona. We also discuss the romance and pragmatism of running a family farm, and hear how collaborations with whisky makers like Glenfiddich showcase the versatility of cider‑brandy casks. The episode concludes with reflections on the meaning of “craft,” the challenges of taxation and regulation, and what the future holds for Somerset’s apple‑spirit tradition.
00:00 Why Make Cider Brandy? Cider, Heritage, Pride
07:30 Where Does Cider Brandy Fit Into the Cider World
09:15 Origins of Somerset Cider Brandy: Local Tradition, French Tradition
14:22 Licensing a Cider Brandy Distillery in the 1980s - Bertrand Bulmer, Precedent, Customs, Museum Licenses, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), Changing Regulation
21:20 The Importance of Being a Family Business: Building for Future Generations, Planting Pear Trees
25:00 Tasting Apple Eau de Vie, Apple Varieties & Styles
29:10 Comparing Somerset Cider Brandy to Calvados
31:20 Distillation at Somerset Cider Brandy, Continuous Distillation
36:11 Tasting 10 Year Old Somerset Cider Brandy, Cask Management, Somerset Barrels
47:50 Tasting Alchemy, PX Casks, Evaporative Losses and Bottling Strength
53:00 Tasting 20 Year Old Cider Brandy, Partnering with Glenfiddich
58:00 Tasting Pomona & Kingston Black Aperitif
1:02:15 Why Aren’t There More Cider Brandy Distillers? Pride in Somerset, Politics
1:08:45 Somerset vs Herefordshire, Loss of Orchards
1:12:15 The South West of England Cidermakers’ Association
1:14:00 Can Cider Brandy Become a Bigger Category? Applejack
1:23:45 Glastonbury Festival
1:27:35 Tasting Quince Liqueur, Growing Fruit
1:32:10 The Craft Distillery Movement, Business & Passion, Marketing, 101M Views on Instagram
1:45:45 The Prospect of 30 Year Old Cider brandy*, Apple Blossom, Seasons
1:51:28 New Product Development
1:54:45 Comparing 15 Year Old to 20 Year Old
1:59:00 Tasting 2 Year Old Cider Brandy Aged in Somerset Oak
2:03:15 Balancing Romance & Business
https://somersetciderbrandy.com/📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/