Advertise on podcast: The Art of Drinking with Join Jules and Your Favorite Uncle

This week Uncle Brad and Jules get to the root... of root beer. Tracing it back centuries before it was ever a soda - long before A&W, before it even had a name. Then they build two rooty root beer cocktails:   Jules's Root Beer White Russian Float  1oz Ten To One Caribbean dark rum,   1oz Mario's coffee liqueur  1oz root beer  Topped with root beer cold foam  Brad's Root Beer Old Fashioned    2.5oz Buffalo Trace bourbon   0.5oz Dr. McGillicuddy's Root Beer Schnapps  0.25oz demerara syrup  2 dashes Angostura   0.25oz water  Tip: Why the spiral on your bar spoon matters for pouring anything carbonated without losing the bubbles.    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Uncle Brad and Jules dive into the Saturn, the gin-based tiki classic that somehow slipped past even Brad’s “tiki geek” radar, and use it as a launchpad into space‑age tiki history, modern bar culture, and real‑world home bartending. Brad finally makes and tastes a Saturn on air, explains why a tiki drink built on gin instead of rum still feels fully tiki, and walks through the cocktail’s 1967 Southern California competition origins and its later resurrection during the modern tiki revival. Jules leans into her garnish obsession with the iconic Saturn ring (lemon peel + cherry) and introduces her own riff, the Titan, layering in absinthe, rhum agric ole funk, and passion fruit for a richer, moodier take. Finally, we answer Spencer_Petersen81’s question about their actual at‑home “default” drinks - revealing a shared soft spot for old fashioneds, Brandy Crustas, and Spanish‑style gin and tonics.   Classic Saturn (Uncle Brad’s build)  2.5 oz gin (London dry; you used Mermaid Gin)  0.5 oz falernum liqueur  0.5 oz orgeat  0.5 oz passion fruit syrup  1 oz fresh lemon juice  Method:  Add all ingredients to a blender without ice and blend briefly to combine and aerate.  Fill a tiki mug or tall glass with crushed ice.  Pour the blended mix over the crushed ice.  Garnish with a “Saturn ring”: a long strip of lemon peel twisted into a circle around a cherry, skewered on a cocktail pick.  Titan – Saturn Riff (Jules’ build)  Absinthe, for rinsing the glass  1 oz gin (e.g., a London dry like Ford’s)  0.5 oz rhum agricole  0.75 oz fresh lemon juice  0.5 oz orgeat  0.5 oz passion fruit purée  0.25 oz falernum  Crushed ice (about 1 cup or slightly less)  Method:  Rinse your serving glass with absinthe, then discard or drink the rinse.  Add all remaining ingredients to a blender with the crushed ice and blend until smooth.  Fill the absinthe-rinsed glass with fresh crushed ice and pour the blended mixture over it, topping with more ice if needed.  Garnish with the same Saturn ring (lemon peel + cherry on a pick); optionally add a slapped mint sprig for extra aroma.    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into the rich, flavorful world of fat-washed cocktails, where culinary technique meets classic mixology. Jules and Uncle Brad each dive into the flavor: a bacon fat-washed bourbon Old Fashioned on my end, and a chili crunch fat-washed tequila creation from Jules that brings heat and intrigue in equal measure.  From there, Uncle Brad trace the origins of fat washing, exploring how this once-niche technique emerged from the evolution (or revolution) of cocktails.   We wrap things up with a listener question on what to do when a cocktail just tastes “off,” offering practical tips to troubleshoot and rebalance your drink like a pro.   The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Adonis is a late-19th-century, low-ABV sherry-and-vermouth aperitif, originally mixed to honor a record-breaking Broadway hit and quietly carried through the golden age of American hotel bars. In this episode, we follow the Adonis from the footlights to the backbar, using this seemingly simple drink to probe how aromatized wines reshaped ideas of pre-dinner drinking. Along the way, we play with the spectrum of sherry (subtly shifting between oloroso, amontillado, and fino) and watch how each choice bends the cocktail’s nutty, oxidative, and saline contours in unexpected ways.    Italian Adonis Ingredients  1.5 oz Fino or Manzanilla sherry  ¾ oz sweet vermouth  ½ oz Amaro Nonino  1 dash orange bitters  Optional: 1–2 drops saline  Stir well with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish: Wide orange peel or a thin lemon twist.  TIP: differences in Sherry    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jules showed up to the recipe section of this episode with a drink in each hand, fully convinced the Brown Derby was a Kentucky Derby cocktail. She was wrong - but her enthusiasm was entirely justified. It turns out the Brown Derby has one of the stranger origin stories in cocktail history: invented in London, stolen by a Minneapolis greeting card tycoon, falsely credited to Hollywood, ignored for seventy years, and then resurrected by the craft cocktail revival as if none of that had happened. Brad walks through the whole beautiful mess, while Jules delivers an exceptional side-by-side breakdown of bourbon whiskey profiles that makes this essential listening for anyone who's ever stood in a liquor store aisle wondering what difference it actually makes. Three ingredients. A lot of history. Surprisingly few of it true.    Brown Derby  In shaker add 1.5 oz Bourbon 1 oz Pink grapefruit juice (fresh)  2 tsp Maple Syrup  Double strain into chilled coupe  Garnish with grapefruit twist    Derby Sour  Ingredients:  1.5 oz Bourbon  ¾ oz Grapefruit juice  ½ oz Lemon Juice  ½ oz Orgeat syrup  1 Egg white    Dry Shake  Shake again w/ ice  Double strain  Garnish with fresh cinnamon on top    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1925, an American novelist and a British food critic walked into a French restaurant in London and changed cocktail history; even if nobody noticed for about seventy-five years.  This episode traces the remarkable origin story of the Champs-Élysées cocktail, beginning with the unlikely partnership behind Drinks - Long and Short, the book that first put the recipe to paper. We explore who Nina Toye really was (a supernatural thriller novelist, a Vogue contributor, and one of the few women of her era to put her name on a cocktail book, above her male co-author no less) and what her presence in this story tells us about how women have always thought about drinks differently. We follow the thread to A.H. Adair, whose role as drink-maker for chef Marcel Boulestin's celebrated London restaurant gives the book its true context: not a bartender's manual, but a love letter to a table, a season, and a moment.  Along the way, Brad and Jules explore what it means that this drink (named not for a technique but for a feeling, a boulevard, a place you want to be) was born from a distinctly holistic way of thinking about cocktails. One that asked not what's the correct spec but who's there, what are we eating, and what does the occasion call for. It's a question that Nina Toye was answering in 1925, and one that the best home entertainers are still asking today.  Plus: Cognac, Green Chartreuse, a French chef who famously hated cocktails, and a drink that disappeared for half a century before the craft cocktail renaissance brought it back to the glasses it always deserved.    Champs Elysees  Ingredients:  2oz Cognac – Pierre Ferrand Ambre  0.5oz Green Chartreuse – or a suitable alternate   0.75oz Fresh lemon juice  0.5oz Simple syrup  1 dash Agnostrua Bitters  Add to a shaker and shake with ice.  Double strain into a chilled coupe  Garnish with a lemon tiwst Yuzu Champs Elysees  Ingredients:  1 oz Japanese whisky, Suntori Toki  ½ oz Cognac  ½ oz Green Chartreuse  ¾ oz yuzu  1/2 oz honey 2:1 to help balance the yuzu tartness  Add to a shaker and shake with ice.  Double strain into a coupe  Garnish with a dehydrated citrus wheel  Optional: dust the rim with a citrus sugar salt   TIP: Citrus ins and outs    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before you slurp another jello shot out of a plastic cup, you might want to know where it actually came from... and it's not a frat house basement. Uncle Brad traces the surprisingly sophisticated history of alcoholic gelatin, from medieval banquet halls where aspic was the ultimate flex of wealth and status, to Victorian dinner parties where wine jellies were prescribed as health food, to the 1950s era of genuinely horrifying savory gelatin molds (yes, tuna in lemon Jell-O is a real thing), all the way to the spring break culture that turned it into party fuel. It's one of the great social reversals in food history; the same basic dish went from the most refined thing you could serve at a dinner party to the least, in about 150 years. Jules brings it all the way back around with a modern craft take that proves jello shots can actually be good. Whether you're a Victorian lady or a college sophomore, there's something here for you.  Want to party like it’s the 1800’s? Here’s a killer recipie for a champagne gelitan cake courtsey of the Jello Mold Mistress  https://jellomoldmistress.com/2009/08/24/sparkling-champagne-mold/  TIP: How to build your ideal Jello-shot   The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast     Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part one of a two-part history series, Uncle Brad traces the origins of one of the oldest cocktails on record, connecting its lineage directly to the Old Fashioned, explaining why 19th century Americans were drinking cocktails with their eggs and toast, and uncovering a surprising twist: the way we make this drink today is essentially the inverse of how it was originally prepared. The history of champagne itself is a story big enough to deserve its own episode - we'll get into that next week.  Chill your coupe, make sure your champagne is cold, and stay tuned - this is only the beginning.  Champagne Cocktail Take 1 sugar and place it on your barspoon Add 2 – 3 dashes of Angostura bitters to the cube Fill a chilled champagne flute or coupe glass ½ way with Brut champagne Drop it the sugar cube into your glass and top off with more champagne No garnish needed  The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we explore the Angle Face, a sophisticated cocktail that showcases one of France's finest spirits. We trace the drink's origins and cultural significance before diving deep into Calvados, the apple brandy that defines this drink. We uncover how this legendary spirit developed over centuries. We'll also explore the fascinating etymology behind it’s name and Normandy itself, connecting the region's Viking heritage to its world-renowned agricultural traditions and the creation of one of bartending's most underrated classics.    Angle Face  Glass: Coupe  Directions & Ingredients  In mixing glass add:  ¾ oz Calvados  ¾ oz Gin (London dry or whatever suits you)  ¾ oz Apricot liqueur (or brandy – NOT eau d vie)  Dash of water  Shake for 20 seconds  Double strain into chilled coupe     The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncle Brad and Jules explore the sophisticated and slightly scandalous Between the Sheets cocktail in this episode of The Art of Drinking. Uncle Brad walks through a few potential origin stories for this Prohibition-era classic - a variation on the Sidecar that balances cognac, rum, triple sec, and lemon juice into a drink worthy of its suggestive name. Meanwhile, Jules transforms the 1930s original with her signature tropical twist, bringing sun-soaked flavors to the elegant base. Whether you prefer your Between the Sheets straight from the Jazz Age or with a vacation vibe, this episode delivers both history and innovation in equal measure.    Between The Sheets  Glass: Chilled coupe glass  Garnish: Lemon peel  Directions & Ingredients  In shaker add  ¾ oz Cognac  ¾ oz Plantation 3 star rum  A scant ounce of Cointreau  2 tsp of fresh lemon juice (also known as 1/3 oz)  Pinch of sea salt or 2 drops of saline solution (20g salt to 80g water)  ¼ oz simple syrup (optional) Shake 20 seconds  Double Strain into chilled coupe glass  Add lemon peel garnish     Tropical Sheets  In shaker add  3/4 ounce cognac  1 ounce Coconut Fat Washed Rum  3/4 ounce Orange Curacao  1/2 ounce Mexican Lime juice  ¼ ounce orgeat syrup  Double Strain into chilled coupe glass   The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Final episode of our January rerun series! For today’s spotlight, we go all the way back to episode 1 where we talk about the old fashioned. Admittedly, this is a bit of a curve ball as we dive into the Wisconsin Old Fashioned, which is an... interesting take on the classic Old Fashioned. The classic is simply spirit, bitters, sugar, and water. But here’s the catch, any spirit will do and you can make things interesting by changing up the bitters and even playing with flavored simple syrups. The world is your oyster, slurp it up!  The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to our January rerun series! For today’s spotlight, I’m thrilled to revisit Episode 17, where we dive into the elegant and effervescent French 75. One of my ALL time favorites and my go to welcome cocktail to serve when hosting parties.  I chose the French 75 for this rerun because it’s a brilliant riff on the classic Sour cocktail—that timeless combination of spirit, citrus, and sweetener. What makes the French 75 stand out, though, is its use of sparkling wine as a mixer or lengthener. The addition of bubbles transforms the structure of the drink, making it light, festive, and perfect for celebrations or any time you want to elevate your cocktail experience.  By mastering the French 75, you’re stepping into the world of the Collins family of drinks. The Collins family is all about taking the basic sour template and “lengthening” it with something fizzy—traditionally club soda, but as the French 75 shows, sparkling wine is a fantastic twist. Other drinks in this family include the Tom Collins, John Collins, and Vodka Collins—each swapping out the base spirit or bubbly for different flavors and personalities.  And while we're here, it's worth tipping our hat to the Mojito. Though technically not a Collins, the Mojito follows a remarkably similar template: spirit (rum), citrus (lime), sweetener (sugar), and a bubbly lengthener (soda), plus the refreshing addition of mint. It’s a great example of how understanding the Collins structure empowers you to spot and create variations across cocktail families—even when they hail from different traditions or use different techniques.  As you listen (or re-listen) to Episode 17, think about how the French 75 not only showcases the versatility of the sour formula, but also invites you to play with sparkling ingredients in your cocktails. Once you get comfortable with this style, a whole world of bubbly, refreshing drinks is yours to explore.  Cheers to new adventures in the Collins family, and to a sparkling start to the new year! Thinking about purchasing a Klaris ice machine? Go to craftKLARIS.com and use the code AOD10 for 10% OFF your purchase. Trust us, you won’t regret it ;-)   Klaris IG: @craftklaris Website: www.craftklaris.com    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continuing our January return to cocktail fundamentals while Jules and Brad prep for the new year ahead. Last week we mastered the Sour; Spirit (rum), Sour (lime juice), Sweet (simple syrup) - better known as the Daiquiri. This week's Episode 11 introduces the Sidecar, which takes that Sour framework and swaps simple syrup for liqueur. This creates what's known as a Daisy style cocktail: Spirit (Cognac), Sour (lemon juice), Sweet (Cointreau). I always add a touch of simple syrup too, and you'll hear why.  What's another Daisy you ask? Margarita anyone? Tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec—and yeah, it's better if you add a touch of simple syrup to that one too. 😉  Thinking about purchasing a Klaris ice machine? Go to craftKLARIS.com and use the code AOD10 for 10% OFF your purchase. Trust us, you won’t regret it ;-)   Klaris IG: @craftklaris Website: www.craftklaris.com    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are kicking off 2026 with a strategic return to cocktail fundamentals. While Jules and Brad plan an exciting year ahead, they're revisiting four essential episodes for new listeners and seasoned fans alike. This week features Episode 2: The Daiquiri - the quintessential Sour cocktail that unlocks the understanding of dozens of other drinks.  Discover why the Sour formula (spirit + citrus + sweetener) is the backbone of home bartending. From the classic Daiquiri to Whiskey Sours, Lemon Drops, and Pisco Sours, Brad explains how mastering this simple balance of strong, sour, and sweet opens up endless cocktail possibilities. Whether you're new to The Art of Drinking or looking to refresh your fundamentals, this episode provides the essential knowledge every home bartender needs to build their repertoire with confidence.  Thinking about purchasing a Klaris ice machine? Go to craftKLARIS.com and use the code AOD10 for 10% OFF your purchase. Trust us, you won’t regret it ;-)   Klaris  IG: @craftklaris  Website: www.craftklaris.com    The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Uncle Brad and Jules as they explore the sophisticated French Martini, a modern classic that's more Manhattan than Paris. Brad guides you through the traditional recipe featuring vodka, Chambord, and pineapple juice—super-sized for maximum enjoyment—while diving into the fascinating history of Chambord liqueur and its royal French origins. Discover how this elegant cocktail earned its name and learn the techniques for crafting this beautiful drink. Jules then puts a creative spin on the classic before wrapping up with an invaluable tip: how to craft your own fruit-flavored liqueurs at home, opening up endless possibilities for custom cocktail creations. Whether you're a vodka enthusiast or a DIY spirits maker, this episode delivers both history and hands-on knowledge you can use behind your own bar.    Did Santa forget something? Treat yourself to a Klaris Ice machine – you deserve it. I mean, who doesn’t love clear ice (without the hassle of those clunky, never works, ice molds)? Go to craftKLARIS.com and use the code AOD10 for 10% OFF your purchase. Trust us, you won’t regret it ;-)    TIP: DIY Liqueur  Klaris  IG: @craftklaris  Website: www.craftklaris.com     The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices