"Thinking outside the box."  Perhaps an overused phrase, but is an appropriate term for Summer Jane Bell's Seminar:  Shake Outside of the Box: Avant-Garde Cocktails.  Many great ideas were floated at this seminar.  Take a listen as Brian reads through his notes from this wonderful Tales of the Cocktail seminar.
Take a listen the podcast with the audio player on this page, or on:•Apple Podcasts*Google Play Music*Stitcher Radio for a slice of the Tales experience!
We also talk to Jeff Quint, founder and owner of of Cedar Ridge Distillery in Iowa, who is making farm to glass spirits.  We caught up with Jeff at Dicky Brennen's Bourbon House in the French Quarter during Tales.  We ate some oysters, sampled some whiskey and chatted about Jeff's Journey from Accountant to Distiller.
The American Distilling Institute named Cedar Ridge “Distillery of the Year", for 2017.
Plus, we catch up with Hazel Alvarado, as she tells us about the many industry events she has attended in NYC this summer, including the grand opening of the new Oscar Wilde-Themed Bar in the No-Mad neighborhood of Manhattan.
Book of the Week:Beach Cocktails: Favorite Surfside Sips and Bar SnacksSummer may be ending in a few weeks, but there's still time to up your "thirst aid" knowledge and add a few summery cocktail recipes to your cocktail library.
Cocktail of the Week:El Presidente
1 ½ oz Aged Rum Real McCoy 5 year
¾ Dry Vermouth
½ oz Orange Curacao
Bar Spoon GrenadineStir with ice.  Strain into a chilled coup glass.  Orange twist.
Toast of the Week:(From the book Toasts: Over 1,500 of the Best Toasts, Sentiments, Blessings, and Graces)
May you have peace in you igloo, oil in your lamp and peace in your heart.