Cheers with Nat

Natalya Watson
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Cheering on women in drinks. Each week, I share a cheers and a chat with women who work in the drinks industry — to connect, celebrate, cheer us up and cheer us on.

  1. Victoria Garcia: Senior bartender, film fan, and team player

    −3 d

    Victoria Garcia: Senior bartender, film fan, and team player

    Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. It's time for the final episode of my NYC mini-series! Today's guest is Victoria Garcia, senior bartender at Sip & Guzzle. You'll hear how Victoria got her start in hospitality, what keeps her here, and what it's really like to work at the recently crowned 'Best Bar in North America'. She also shares why mentorship matters, what makes a good bartender, the hobby that keeps her grounded outside of work, and more. What stuck with me from this conversation: On her shifts at Sip & Guzzle: "We have a good time" On her love of films: "When I was watching them, I kind of saw the magic of people and what they were capable of doing and their talent. It made me fall in love with people and their passion. And I think that ties a lot into what I do now in hospitality." On the impact of the 'Best Bar' recognition: "We're really excited and ready for it. We all work in such a cohesive unit that it just works, and it makes sense and we're prepared. I think what it means for the team is just locking in… We want to enjoy the upcoming weeks, months, years of all of it." On free pouring: "I count, I eyeball it, I feel the weight of the actual glass, and then I smell and I taste, so I really try to use all of my senses and incorporate it into every cocktail." On her self-talk before a guest shift: "Yeah, I just tell myself to chill the fuck out and it's going to be fine." On what she learned from her mentor Steve: "…not necessarily learning the science and dynamics of how to work behind a bar – obviously that comes with it – but also the emotional and mental part of it, and I think that that's really important." On what keeps her in hospitality: "I just love people so much"   Links & things: What we're drinking: Coors Light Where Victoria's worked: Sip & Guzzle Employees Only Where she met her mentor Steve Schneider Victoria's film reccs: Harold & Maude Roadhouse (1989) Her favourite cocktails: Negroni Vieux Carre Check out the Difford's Guide data I mentioned here Highlights from our last call round: TV recc: I Think You Should Leave Producer we need to know: Donna's Pickle Beer Where Victoria wants to visit: Japan, Paris, and London Keep up with her adventures to these places here Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: Victoria's colleague, Andrea Grujic   Recording info: April 2026 in NYC   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    50 min
  2. Mandy Naglich: Professional taster, author, and silent retreat regular

    1 juli

    Mandy Naglich: Professional taster, author, and silent retreat regular

    Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We're continuing our four-episode mini-series from NYC! Today's guest is Mandy Naglich, an author, journalist, and professional taster. Mandy tells us about the daytime TV icon she aspired to be when she grew up, and the winding career path she navigated in pursuit of her passion for broadcast journalism. We also discuss what it means to be a professional taster and how Mandy became one, what inspired her to write a book about the topic, and how she trains bar teams with her tasting skills. The we get into Mandy's social media presence, her love of travel, how she stays grounded outside work, and more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On the why behind her book: "If I can help a couple people be more thoughtful about what they're tasting every day, that felt really exciting to me." On how scent makes us human: "About 20% of our genetic code is dedicated to us decoding different aromas… Like what makes us human – what our bodies and genetic code is built to do – is to decode scents around us all the time. It's what's keeping us safe, it's what's letting us know what we're eating, it's what's letting us know what environments were in. So I think it's something that's so important and really ignored. And when you think of what's making you a person and what makes you different to the person next to you, so much of it is how we smell the word and we just don't think about it." On her social media: "My goal isn't to make these beautiful things, it's to hopefully communicate knowledge in a way that is memorable and – it's such a buzz word, but – snackable. Someone can watch it, remember what I said, and then go to a party and be able to repeat it like they're a knowledgeable person. That's what's important to me." On what travel gives her: "What it does and [how] I've seen my life change is, really, understanding people better." On why she loves silent retreats: "We don't realize how little silence is in our life… being in silence, I can feel my brain function differently. I love a good podcast, I always love learning. But I really try to monitor how much time I have someone else's ideas in my brain rather than my own brain producing ideas."   Links & things: What we're drinking: Mandy's 'special brew' (a tea blend made on the day at Nomadworks where we were recording!) Listen in to learn why tea is great for 'waking up' your palate for a tasting! Mandy's work: Her book – How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life Her other writing Her social media (don't miss the ice video we chatted about!) Her TV appearances Where she travelled (just in April!): Lisbon – visiting Red Frog and Imprensa groups Amsterdam – to prep for Europe's 50 Best Bars Barcelona – to judge the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge and speak at Barcelona Cocktail Fest Vancouver – for the North America's 50 Best Bars announcement Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: Experimental History Producer we need to know: Duvel Where Mandy wants to visit: National parks in the US & the Cotswolds in the UK Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: Anna Sebastian   Recording info: April 2026 at Nomadworks in NYC   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    52 min
  3. Tara Hankinson: Brewery co-founder, customer experience whiz, and loves a chilled red

    24 juni

    Tara Hankinson: Brewery co-founder, customer experience whiz, and loves a chilled red

    Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We're continuing our four episode mini-series from NYC! Today's guest is Tara Hankinson, co-founder and co-CEO of TALEA Beer Co. TALEA was founded with a mission to bring craft beer to a broader audience – and you're about to hear exactly how they're doing it. From brand voice, to customer experience, to collaborations and partnerships, Tara tells us how her early inspiration and entrepreneurial spirit snowballed to get her where she is today… and she's got loads of great insight to share. What stuck with me from this conversation: On getting to where she is now: "This is probably my 5th or 6th career post-undergrad, so it's not as linear as most people think. I think a lot of people expect to find that dream job at age 23, 24 and that's just not practical. So, it took a bit, but I love it now. And I think Leann and I are actually good at it. Both because of all the non-linear starts and stops we've had in our career and because we are very agile and flexible and have built this business from the ground up." On her initial vision for a business: "I had always loved wine, and I felt such a connection to the experience of going to a great winery and wine tasting. And that high end hospitality-forward experience had never been a part of the beer world that I had explored. So that was kind of my original kernel for getting interested in beer." On being data-driven: "Nowadays, you can export every Google review you've ever gotten and put it into Claude or Gemini and say, what are the positive trends, what are the negative trends, what's the biggest opportunity in our negative reviews to turn this experience around. That didn't exist when we started the business, but I think just thinking of customer experience as something you can quantify, you can use data to make decisions and make investments." On TALEA's brilliant beer descriptions: "This is meant to be relatable and approachable and to convince you to stay on the beer side of the menu versus the wine and cocktails that are on the back." On collaborations and partnerships: "I think [they're] a way in which we are continuing to challenge the preconceived notions of what craft beer is and who it's for." On what the business is here to do: "In its simplest form, we are trying to give people little moments of joy."   Links & things: What we're drinking: TALEA's spicy marg sour (and their brite lager as a back up!) TALEA's: Taprooms Social, and Latest collaborations x NYPL x Flamingo x Levain Other shout outs: An early inspiration: Wölffer Estate Vineyard A mentor: Mike Seitz at Bare Bottle Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: Acquired Producer we need to know: Wild East Brewing Where Tara wants to visit: Germany Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: Jamie Fox from the New York Brewers Guild   Recording info: April 2026 in NYC We recorded in the basement of Talea West Village… right next to a rather noisy ice machine that decided to chime in part way through our conversation! The background noise settles soon after, so please do hang in there. (And thanks for your patience and understanding!)   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    51 min
  4. Courtney Iseman: Drinks writer, media consultant, and obsessed with creative people

    17 juni

    Courtney Iseman: Drinks writer, media consultant, and obsessed with creative people

    Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We're about to kick off a four-episode mini-series from my recent visit to NYC! Today's guest is Courtney Iseman, freelance drinks writer and media consultant. Courtney shares how her childhood love of Broadway turned into a degree in journalism and screenwriting and, later, a career as a writer. We also learn how she went from writing about fashion to craft beer, and the surprising parallels between the two. You'll hear about how she spots trends and makes connections, the many hobbies that keep her grounded outside of work, and lots more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On a dream piece of work: "The first time I wrote a story for Full Pour… I opened the contributors page, and to see my name next to some of these writers that I absolutely worship…that is, I think, the biggest deal. To see your writing in the company of writers that you've admired for so long. It is a pinch me moment." On a focus of her writing: "My whole thing with my writing – whenever I can – is I really like to bring in other subcultures and other things that speak to people and help break down the rigid 'bearded white dude' thing in beer." On how she helps businesses as a consultant: "Everyone has a story. You're not getting out there because maybe you haven't identified it. Here's how you do that. Here's how you pitch yourself… so it's just kind of giving them a toolkit." On freelancing: "It's not for everyone and it absolutely has its challenges and its downsides. Absolutely. But it is the only life for me. And I do ultimately love it." On what piques her interest: "Whether it was in theatre, music or fashion, I'm obsessed with creative people." On how she stays grounded outside of work: "I want to be consuming art every day"   Links & things: What we're drinking: Yoju White Peach Courtney's work: Journalism (She's pretty prolific! See all her work here) Copy & consulting Newsletter & podcast (right here on Substack!) Instagram Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: Threedom TV (& podcast!) recc: Hacks (watch in the US & the UK) & Hacks podcast Producer spotlight: Bayab Gin Another awesome woman in drinks we should know about: Stephanie Grant Other topics Courtney touches on: Brewers she was starstruck to meet: Dan & Martha of St. Mars of the Desert One of her favourite publications: Full Pour Craft beer's #MeToo movement Attaboy unionizing   Recording info: April 2026 in NYC We recorded in a private room in a co-working space in NYC… that happened to be right next to the kitchen! That said, apologies for the occasional chat and clinking in the background.   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    46 min
  5. Lucy Do: Micropub owner, community builder, and finds magic in the mundane

    10 juni

    Lucy Do: Micropub owner, community builder, and finds magic in the mundane

    In our final throwback episode, we're catching up with another guest from Beer with Nat season two, who I chatted with back in June 2019. Today's guest is Lucy Do, owner of The Dodo Micropub. We start by hearing what Lucy has been up to over the past 7 years, then we revisit our original conversation. Lucy shares us what a micropub is and why she decided to open one. She also reflects on some of her key learnings over the years, the advice she wished she had when she first started out, and a whole lot more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On community building: "Moving away from the corporate world, being successful was about being happy with who I am and what I've created and that's why I wanted it to be a community. I wanted people to not feel lonely. I wanted people to come in here on their own and make friends. I love that people make friends in here – I genuinely, genuinely love that. It's just heartwarming."   Links & things: Lucy's micropub: The Dodo Follow her on follow here(and don't miss her creative reels and TV interviews, too!) You'll find a full list of the awards she's won here and a few highlights below: Industry Champion of the Year at the Women in Beer Awards 2025 Bar / Pub of the Year at the Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards 2022 CAMRA Ealing & West Middlesex Pub of the Year 2020 & 2021 Her beginnings: The loan that helped Lucy get her start: Virgin Start Up Loan And the micropub that inspired her: The Just Reproach in Kent For more from Lucy: Listen in to the episode of the Good Beer Hunting podcast we recorded together in January 2021 P.S. If you're inspired by the idea of 'doodling at The Dodo', here's one of my favourite adult colouring books. Enjoy! 😄   Recording info: June 2019 in London + June 2026 voice note   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    40 min
  6. Annabel Smith: Beer taster, women-in-beer pioneer, and swimmer

    3 juni

    Annabel Smith: Beer taster, women-in-beer pioneer, and swimmer

    In this throwback episode, we're catching up with someone from season two of Beer with Nat who I recorded with back in May 2019.  Today's guest is Annabel Smith, Beer Sommelier and founder of the training, consultancy, and events business, BeerBelle. We'll start by hearing what Annabel has been up to over the past 7 years, then we'll revisit our original conversation.  You'll hear about Annabel's journey from pub landlady to self-described professional beer taster. She also shares her passion for cask beer, her many firsts as a woman in beer, and her research into why so few women in the UK drink beer (and what to do about it!)   What stuck with me from this conversation: On getting more women into beer: "I say this all the time. We don't need a 'beer for women'. We've got beer." On working in a pub: "Working in a pub teaches you to be a cook, a cleaner, an accountant. You learn crowd control. You learn to be an agony aunt. You have got to have so many hats and that's what I absolutely loved about being in the pub industry." On how to live: "I think we should all be a bit more dog." (You've got to listen to Annabel's update! 😄)   Links & things: Annabel's business: BeerBelle Annabel's women and beer interest group: DeaLatis The Gender Pint Gap (2018) The Beer Agender (2019) The Gender Pint Gap: Revisited (2024) Other organisations Annabel works with and teaches for: WSET (via Northern Wine School in Manchester) Guild of Beer Sommeliers Cask Marque   Recording info: May 2019 in Norwich + May 2026 voice note   Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    42 min
  7. Lotte Peplow: Beer ambassador, judge, and field hockey fan

    27 maj

    Lotte Peplow: Beer ambassador, judge, and field hockey fan

    This episode is another trip down memory lane, as we hear from a guest from the first season of Beer with Nat who I initially recorded with back in December 2018. Today's guest is Lotte Peplow, American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe at The Brewers Association. We'll start by hearing what Lotte has been up to over the past 8 years, then re-run our initial conversation. You'll learn how Lotte got her start in PR, how a beer and food dinner – a topic she's still incredible passionate about – led her to current role with The Brewers Association, her vision for the future (that she's since managed to accomplish!), and lots more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On getting into beer (at any age): "Everybody is welcome… no matter what age. If you're only just starting out in the beer world, it doesn't matter. Whether you're in your 20s, your 40s, your 60s, there is always a place and there is always a little niche that you can find. And I think that's important to retain and to keep hold of. Because it's just a great world to be in… and you'll always find something that you love here."   Links & things: Who Lotte works for: The Brewers Association Where you can find Lotte – and the American craft beers she represents – next: London Craft Beer Festival Lotte's bonus episode (from 2018) on beer & food pairing: Learn more here Listen here   Recording info: December 2018 in London + May 2026 voice note Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    41 min
  8. Jane Peyton: Drinks educator, novelist, and befriender

    20 maj

    Jane Peyton: Drinks educator, novelist, and befriender

    In today's episode, we're digging into the archives! You're going to hear from a guest from the first season of Beer with Nat, who I initially recorded with way back in December 2018. Today's guest is drinks educator, author, and founder of the School of Booze, Jane Peyton. We'll start by hearing what Jane has been up to over the past 8 years (wow!), then re-run our initial conversation. You'll learn how a Venn diagram helped Jane to discover her perfect career path after she left behind her previous role as a documentary film producer, what it took to set a Guinness World Record, the aspect of her work she's most proud of, and more.   What stuck with me from this conversation: On establishing a national beer day for the UK: "Beer is Britain's national drink and has been for thousands of years. We do beer really well in this country… We have this history and heritage, we have our amazing pubs, we have real ale, we have a vibrant brewing scene here, but we didn't have a national beer day… so I said, I'll start one!"   Links & things: Jane's business The School of Booze And some of her many accomplishments Her qualifications The Guinness World Record she set Beer Day Britain, which she founded Jane's books Non-fiction Novels   Recording info: December 2018 in London + March 2026 voice note   ––– Subscribe | Follow on Instagram | Email

    41 min
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Om

Cheering on women in drinks. Each week, I share a cheers and a chat with women who work in the drinks industry — to connect, celebrate, cheer us up and cheer us on.

Information

  • Skapad av
    Natalya Watson
  • Aktiva år
    2018 - 2026
  • Avsnitt
    76
  • Åldersgräns
    Vuxet innehåll
  • Programmets webbplats
    Cheers with Nat

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