Advertise on podcast: Drinks At Work with Sam Bygrave

In this episode, Rohan Massie shares insights into Hobart's vibrant bar scene, the secrets behind Rude Boy's success, and the innovative spirit of Punch & Ladle. Discover how local produce, community engagement, and continuous evolution keep Hobart's hospitality scene thriving, and get Rohan's recommendations for drinks in town.

Sam Bygrave talks to Peter Chua, the bartender/operator/influential industry figure in Singapore, where he owns Night Hawk, a small, stylish, and creative cocktail bar. In addition to a glittering bartending career and stints as a bar consultant, Pete is also one of the founders of Singapore Cocktail Crossover, which took place earlier this year, and was a different way of doing the guest shift bar festival thing. He’s a busy guy, clearly thinks deeply about the industry, and has some great recommends for where to go in Singapore.

Holly Graham shares her journey from food and drink journalism to opening unique bars in Japan, including Tokyo Confidential and Niseko. She discusses bar design, menu concepts inspired by Japanese culture, and the evolving Tokyo bar scene.

This episode features Lachy Harrison, co-owner of Bar Bar in Adelaide and part of the Cantina group, talking through what makes his tequila-led neighbourhood bar work and what he's building next with No. 6 East. Sam Bargrave also steers the conversation into Adelaide's wider hospitality scene, with recommendations for where to drink, eat, and take out-of-towners. In this episode, Lachy shares how Bar Bar became a tiny but high-energy tequila and agave bar in Adelaide's CBD, why the venue is built around interaction rather than privacy, and how the team is shaping a new house-party-style space upstairs on East Terrace. He also gives a practical tour of the city's best bars, restaurants, and pub stops for bartenders and visitors alike.

The Suntory Cup is back for 2026, celebrating bartending talent with a $40,000 prize pool. Here, we talk to last year\'s winners Reuben Beasley-Palmer and Tom Smith, and together with Suntory Oceania group advocacy manager John Galiatsatos, they talk about this year’s brief, how to approach the competition, and share plenty more tips that just might help you get across the line and win the competition for yourself.

In this episode Sam Bygrave talks to Brian Kinsman of Glenfiddich and William Grant & Sons, and delves into the intricate world of whisky, focusing on the importance of aroma, the role of technology in whisky analysis, and why the human nose can't be beat. We talk about the significance of the human nose in identifying whisky characteristics, the innovative use of trained dogs for quality control, and the techniques for tasting and assessing whisky.

In October, I visited Melbourne to speak to Linus Schaxmann, one of the original Australian brand ambassadors and someone who has been at the gig for 18 years now. We caught up to discuss the latest addition to the portfolio from The Glendronach, which is a trio of whiskies: Ode to The Valley, Ode to The Embers, and Ode to The Dark. They’re all non age statement whiskies, and they show a different side of The Glendronach than you might normally see (they’re also rather delicious). But I also spoke to Linus about whisky more broadly, why the barrel finishing process some brands use isn’t his cup of tea, how bartenders can talk about The Glendronach to punters, and loads more — you can hear the full chat on Drinks At Work this week.

Dre Walters, owner of Old Mate’s Place and Old Love’s in Sydney, talks to Sam Bygrave as they conducts a SWOT analysis of his bars and the broader bar industry. Walters attributes the enduring success of his venues to a “timeless” atmosphere and a relentless focus on humble, attentive customer service rather than just cocktail complexity. He discusses significant industry threats, specifically the rising cost of goods and alcohol excise taxes, which forces operators to forecast extreme price increases over the next decade. Finally, he offers advice to aspiring bar owners, emphasising that rent is the most critical factor in site selection and that robust operational systems are essential for survival and scaling.

Today's guest is Paul Aguilar Voza, the R&D Manager at Himkok in Oslo, Norway. The bar has been around since 2015, and has picked up numerous accolades along the way. Himkok is also the Norwegian word for moonshine, and the venue is part bar, part distillery and part cocktail lab, as Paul talks about in this interview in Hong Kong during The World's 50 Best Bars. He talks about their menu development process — it takes between 8 months and a year for their menus to come to life — and about how they’ve structured the bar and their roster for high volume but innovative cocktails. He also talks about their approach to collaboration through their menus, which has exposed the bar to new audiences despite the bar being 10 years in.

This episode of Drinks At Work explores the dynamic relationship between bars and brands in the bar industry, and features Glenfiddich and The Balvenie ambassador, Ross Blainey, and his discussions with Monkey Shoulder & Sailor Jerry ambassador Rachael Bartlett, ALM’s Shawn Elliott, and Brisbane bar owner (and former brand ambassador) Pete Hollands — it's all about how bars can get the most from their interactions with brands.

There are a lot of cocktail competitions out there, but there isn’t one quite like Speed Rack. Speed Rack is the US-based high-speed bartending competition designed to highlight women and femme-identifying people in the bar industry, all the while raising money for charities supporting breast cancer research — and putting on one big party at the same time. On this episode, which we recorded back in August, we’re talking to Lynnette Marrero, who is the co founder of Speed Rack along with Ivy Mix, because the Speed Rack Australia final is happening in just a couple weeks’ time, Sunday the 19th of August in Sydney at Oxford Art Factory. You can get tickets to watch what really is the most exciting bartending test out there — hit the link in the notes and on the story on boothby.com.au to get yours, all proceeds go towards breast cancer charities. Which is clearly a great thing — we’ll see you there. TICKETS https://events.humanitix.com/speed-rack-finals-2025-sydney?ref=boothby.com.au

We’re in Adelaide, and a conversation we recorded with bartender, former brand ambassador, and now bar owner, Luca Baioni. Luca is the co-owner of Latteria in Adelaide, a bar and eatery that is now into its second year of trade. Latteria is inspired by Luca and his business partner, Nicola’s experiences growing up in the north of Italy — a latteria there is like a milk bar here, but Adelaide’s Latteria is a grown up and modern interpretation of it. In this conversation, Luca shares insights into his journey in the hospitality industry, the philosophy behind his cocktail menu, and the importance of community engagement in his venue. He discusses the evolution of bartending, the significance of storytelling in cocktails, and the future of cocktail culture in Adelaide.

Sam Bygrave talks to Kirsten Grant Miekle, about her journey within the whisky industry, the importance of family legacy, innovation, and the art of blending. They discuss the creation of the House of Hazelwood, a passion project that reflects their family's history and commitment to quality. The conversation also touches on the balance between tradition and modernity in whisky production, the responsibility of being a custodian of a legacy, and the essence of great hospitality in bars.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Alex Gilmour & Ross Blainey about the nuances of hotel bars, focusing on their unique characteristics, the importance of local flavors, and the challenges faced in the hospitality industry. The speakers share their experiences and insights on creating memorable bar experiences, the role of customer service, and the differences between hotel bars and indie bars. They also discuss the expectations of luxury clientele and how to navigate entitlement in high-end settings.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Sean Baxter, to discuss recent developments at Never Never Distilling Co., including a brand refresh, the upcoming Never Never Cocktail Competition, and the impact of being acquired by Asahi. He shares insights on navigating the spirits market, the importance of label design, and the role of bartenders in creating memorable experiences. Sean also highlights the innovative spirit of head distiller Tim Boast and offers advice for bars facing current market challenges. Learn more about the Step Into The Never Never bartender challenge here.