The Cocktail Academy
by Damian Cole
ArtsE · Explicit
Latest episode
Inside Himkok: Paul Aguilar on Oslo’s World-Class Bar
Inside Himkok: Paul Aguilar on Oslo’s World-Class Bar
About this podcast
Introducing "The Cocktail Academy" with your host Damian Cole, a seasoned veteran of the hospitality industry. Join Damian and his expert guests on a spirited journey through the world of cocktails, spirits, and all things booze-related.
Whether you're a home cocktail enthusiast or aspiring bartender, this podcast is your go-to source for practical tips and insider knowledge, served straight up with no nonsense. From mastering classic cocktail recipes to exploring the latest trends in mixology, "The Cocktail Academy" has everything you need to shake, stir, and sip like a pro. Tune in for candid conversations, industry insights, and plenty of laughs along the way.
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Episodes
The newest 20 of 82 episodes
- Inside Himkok: Paul Aguilar on Oslo’s World-Class Bar · 36 min · Episode 84This week, Damian sits down with Paul Aguilar, head of R&D at Himkok in Oslo – ranked No. 4 on Europe's 50 Best Bars 2026 – to talk clean Norwegian flavours, high-volume…
- Ian Burrell: Rum, Rolling Stones and the Story Behind the Global Rum Ambassador · 33 min · Episode 83This week, Damian sits down with Ian Burrell — The Global Rum Ambassador, founder of UK RumFest and author of A Rum Tasting Course. Ian shares how he created a career…
- Women, Tequila & Representation | Grace González & Tiffanie Barriere · 36 min · Episode 82This week on The Cocktail Academy, two conversations from Tales of the Cocktail 2026 bring together very different perspectives on tequila, bartending, representation and the…
- Why Plantation Rum Became Planteray | Alexandre Gabriel on Rum, Risk & Reinvention · 35 min · Episode 81What does it take to spend nearly four decades making spirits differently — and to be willing to risk what you've built when you believe something needs to change? Recorded at…
- Inside AJABU: The Rise of Africa's Cocktail Culture · 32 min · Episode 80AJABU: The Festival Putting African Cocktails on the World Stage Recorded live during Tales of the Cocktail 2026 in New Orleans, Damian sits down with Colin Asare-Appiah and…
- Leo Robitschek: What Would People Miss If Your Bar Closed? · 39 min · Episode 79In the first episode of our Tales of the Cocktail 2026 series, Damian sits down in New Orleans with legendary bartender and hospitality leader Leo Robitschek. Leo helped…
- Behind the Scenes at Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026 in Amsterdam · 26 min · Episode 76Damian recaps his trip to Amsterdam for the inaugural Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026. What started as an awards ceremony quickly became a full festival of cocktails, with bar…
- The Secret Behind Maybe Sammy's Success | Stefano Catino · 35 min · Episode 75Stefano Catino: Why Hospitality Matters More Than Cocktails This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with one of the most respected operators in global…
- Bourbon, Brand Advocacy & Hospitality Careers with Benji Purslow · 39 min · Episode 74Benji Purslow joins Damian this week to discuss his journey from pub bartender and aspiring musician to International Advocacy Manager at Heaven Hill. From pulling pints in…
- Inside Sip & Guzzle with Steve Schneider · 44 min · Episode 73This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with Steve Schneider, partner at Sip & Guzzle in New York and one of the defining figures behind modern cocktail…
- The Cocktail Apps Bartenders Actually Use · 20 min · Episode 72From recipe databases and home bar apps to batching systems, dilution calculators and profitability tools, Damian breaks down the difference between cocktail enthusiast apps and…
- Julie Reiner: Hospitality, Mentorship and the Noise of Modern Bartending · 30 min · Episode 71Julie Reiner joins The Cocktail Academy Podcast for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build a lasting career in hospitality. A true legend of the modern cocktail…
- Inside Casements: Building a Modern Irish Bar in San Francisco · 37 min · Episode 70In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian Cole sits down with Gillian Fitzgerald of Casements Bar in San Francisco to explore what it really takes to build a…
- Inside Scarfes Bar: Building a World-Class Cocktail Menu with Andy Loudon and Kris Bazys · 46 min · Episode 69In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian records live from Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London with Andy Loudon, Director of Bars, and Kris Bazys, Bar Manager, during…
- Tiny Cocktails, Big Ideas with Tyler Zielinski · 40 min · Episode 68Tyler Zielinski has built one of the most interesting careers in modern drinks. In this episode, Damian chats with the author of Tiny Cocktails about his path from early…
- Lindsey Johnson on Trust, Care & the Real ROI of Bartender Education · 33 min · Episode 67Lindsey Johnson has spent nearly two decades quietly shaping the global drinks industry from behind the scenes. From punk bar bartender to broadcast journalist to founder of the…
- Martinis, Standards, and Great Hospitality with Declan McGurk · 37 min · Episode 66In this episode, Damian sits down with Declan McGurk, a hospitality leader whose career spans high-volume bars, global spirits brands, and one of the most iconic hotel bars in…
- Saeed “Hawk” House on Bartending, Cocktail Content Creation & Making Drinks Fun Again · 36 min · Episode 65Saeed “Hawk” House – better known online as @cocktailsbyhawk – joins Damian to talk about his path from Bay Area barback to LA content creator, why he still thinks like a working…
- Sother Teague (Amor y Amargo): Bitterness, Balance & the Beauty of Saying No · 39 min · Episode 64From culinary classrooms to cocktail culture, Sother Teague has built one of the most distinctive bars in the world... Amor y Amargo in New York’s East Village by doing what few…
- Kiki Lounge: Building a Tropical Bar on a Not-So-Tropical Island · 39 min · Episode 63On this episode, Damian Cole sits down with Jamie Lewis and Drew Fleming from Kiki Lounge — the award-winning bar bringing tropical escapism to the windswept Isle of Man. The…
