INTRO
In episode 78 our host Stephen Lyman is joined by co-author of The Bartender’s Pantry, bartender, bar owner, introvert, and writer Jim Meehan.
CREDITS
Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)
Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://www.uncannyrobotpodcast.com/)
HOSTS
CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before.
STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.
Stephen and Christopher have a deep admiration for people who are successful in hospitality.
If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Twitter. We would love to hear from you.
SHOW NOTES
Special Guest Jim Meehan
Jim’s bar tending career has spanned nearly 30 years from Madison, Wisconsin to NYC to Portland, Oregon. His 3rd book, The Bartender’s Pantry (released June 11, 2024), co-written with Emma Janzen (episode 71) is a must-have for any home bartender.
Jim began bar tending as a college student in Madison, Wisconsin where he fell in love with hospitality. He realized NYC was the epicenter for craft cocktails so moved there in 2002. Soon hew as working at the legendary Pegu Club and Gramcery Tavern before opening his own bar, PDT (Please Don’t Tell).
PDT put Jim firmly on the map as one of the bright young stars of the NY bar scene, which led to his first book, The PDT Cocktail Book (2011). His 2nd book, Meehan’s Bartender Manual, won a James Beard Award.
Today he and his family live in Portland, Oregon where he helped Japanese outdoor company Snow Peak open Takibi, an izakaya on the ground floor of their US headquarters (currently closed due to a kitchen fire). Rather than try to create a Japanese spirits focused bar program in Portland, he opted for the “spirit” of a Japanese bar experience, focusing on locally sourced drinks and Japanese accents.
Much More to Explore
As always, there is more to learn from listening to the episode or following Stephen, Christopher, and Jim on social media. You can find Jim @mixography on Instagram or at his website, mixographyinc.com.
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