Drinks At Work with Sam Bygrave

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The world of drinks is a big one. Drinks At Work is hosted by Boothby editor Sam Bygrave, and each week he talks to bar owners, bartenders, ambassadors, distillers, writers and more to get a taste of the cities in which they live. Produced by Boothby Media.

  1. Sep 2

    Adelaide with Lachlan Harrison

    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.

    Adelaide with Lachlan Harrison

  2. May 6

    How to win the Suntory Cup, with advice from last year's winners

    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.

    How to win the Suntory Cup, with advice from last year's winners

  3. Feb 5

    What does it take to be Glenfiddich’s malt master? In depth with Brian Kinsman

    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.

    What does it take to be Glenfiddich’s malt master? In depth with Brian Kinsman

  4. Jan 21

    An ambassador with 18 years on the card, Linus Schaxmann talks The Glendronach’s new releases

    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.

    An ambassador with 18 years on the card, Linus Schaxmann talks The Glendronach’s new releases

  5. 11/27/2025

    Bar industry strengths and weaknesses with Dre Walters

    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.

    Bar industry strengths and weaknesses with Dre Walters

  6. 10/29/2025

    How Himkok collaborates to reach new audiences 10 years in

    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.

    How Himkok collaborates to reach new audiences 10 years in

  7. 10/23/2025

    Friends with benefits: how to get brands to work better for your bar

    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.

    Friends with benefits: how to get brands to work better for your bar

  8. 10/02/2025

    It’s time to “Rack and roll,” says Speed Rack co-founder Lynnette Marrero

    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

    It’s time to “Rack and roll,” says Speed Rack co-founder Lynnette Marrero
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About

The world of drinks is a big one. Drinks At Work is hosted by Boothby editor Sam Bygrave, and each week he talks to bar owners, bartenders, ambassadors, distillers, writers and more to get a taste of the cities in which they live. Produced by Boothby Media.

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