Recommended Reading and Cocktail Party Conversation Starters Vol. 5

Welcome to this week’s roundup of interesting cocktail and spirits related articles plus a few fun bits of news just made for cocktail party conversation starters.

Reading Roundup

Understanding Japanese Bartending Techniques
(PUNCH)

Read about five Japanese bartending practices that now appear regularly in the West and give a little insight into how Japanese methods are fetishized in the US. For me the surprise was to realize that the up rocks was from there.

If Instagram Existed in the 1980’s Flair Bartenders Would Be Influencers
(VinePair)

Meet the Bruce Lee of Flair Bartending and consider the craft cocktail hero Jerry Thomas as the O.G. of flair. Plus I’ve been thinking for a while that we’re going to see this trend becoming more prevalent again in the future.

Plantation O.F.T.D. Overproof: Behind the Scenes and Deeply Deconstructed
(Cocktailwonk.com)

Take a deeper look at the creation of this overproof rum from Plantation and the dream team behind it.

“Thanks” to KFC, Gravy Cocktails Now Exist
(Cosmopolitan)

Well, the title of the article pretty much says it all. The only question is… Why? And is it crazy or creative marketing genius? Plus this one does double duty as a great cocktail party conversation starter, too!

Beefeater’s Desmond Payne ‘truly honoured’ by MBE
(Imbibe)

Gin legend and the man behind Beefeater, Desmond Payne, received an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

Cocktail Party Conversation Starters

Get all tongue tied around new people? Try this week’s cocktail party conversation starters next time you’re stuck for small talk…

Did you hear about…

The world’s first floating food truck?

The reason doughnut boxes are (usually) pink?

That fake London restaurant that was rated No. 1 on Tripadvisor?

And, this week, when I’m not reading cocktail news or finding bizarre conversation starters, I’m reading: Martini, Straight Up by Lowell Edmunds

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