This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with Steve Schneider, partner at Sip & Guzzle in New York and one of the defining figures behind modern cocktail hospitality.

Steve talks through his journey from the Marines and high-energy DC bars to Employees Only and eventually building Sip & Guzzle alongside Shingo Gokan. What starts as a conversation about cocktails quickly turns into a deep dive into bar identity, hospitality, storytelling, service culture, and what it actually takes to create bars people emotionally connect with.

Steve breaks down the philosophy behind Sip & Guzzle, explaining how the venue was designed as a “love story between New York and Tokyo,” inspired by the history of Japanese samurai arriving in New York in the 1860s and the evolution of Japanese bartending culture. He also opens up about building concepts with intention, managing high-volume service, training teams, and why modern bartending is now more about flavour and experience than showing off technical knowledge.

The episode is packed with stories, hospitality philosophy, operational insight, and the unmistakable energy Steve has become known for.

In this episode:

• Steve’s journey from the Marines into bartending

• Winning speed bartending competitions and early industry life

• Joining and eventually becoming partner at Employees Only

• Building Sip & Guzzle alongside Shingo Gokan

• The concept and storytelling behind the venue

• The difference between SIP and Guzzle

• Japanese bartending versus New York bartending culture

• Designing hospitality experiences around emotion and atmosphere

• Why lighting and music matter more than people realise

• Managing consistency in high-volume cocktail bars

• Training experienced bartenders versus younger staff

• Why patience matters for young bartenders wanting to open bars

• The evolution of modern cocktail guests and flavour-driven drinking

Highlights:

• “Sip & Guzzle is a love story between New York and Tokyo.”

• “You fight through the hustle and bustle upstairs, then go downstairs and drink amongst the samurai.”

• “The worst thing somebody can say is: ‘I don’t understand this place.’”

• “The gloves are off now. You can really do whatever.”

• “I stayed behind the bar for 13 years before opening my first place.”

• “We’re smarter downstairs at SIP, but we’re better looking upstairs at Guzzle.”

• “I don’t like telling people what they should or shouldn’t do behind the bar. If your guests are happy, go for it.”

Steve also shares his thoughts on:

• Why the best bars aren’t necessarily the ones with the best drinks

• How hospitality has evolved in the social media era

• Why experienced teams matter in high-volume environments

• The importance of understanding your concept and market

• Why guests today are far more educated and adventurous than ever before

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Instagram: @welovecocktails

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Facebook: @welovecocktailsx

www.thecocktailacademy.com

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From recipe databases and home bar apps to batching systems, dilution calculators and profitability tools, Damian breaks down the difference between cocktail enthusiast apps and genuine professional bartender tools.

He shares honest thoughts on apps like Mixel and My Bar, before exploring why Bartender's Choice remains one of the most respected cocktail apps in the industry.

The centrepiece of the episode is a deep dive into Bevnap, Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s modern bartender toolkit built around batching, costing, scaling, carbonation, ABV calculations and operational consistency.

Damian also reflects on how modern bartending is changing:

• Are bartenders relying too much on apps?
• Is memorisation disappearing from cocktail culture?
• Are we moving from artistry to systems and scalability?
• What actually separates a cocktail enthusiast from a working bartender?

This episode is packed with practical insight for bartenders, bar managers, hospitality professionals and cocktail enthusiasts alike.

• The rise of cocktail apps in modern bartending
• Why Damian doesn’t love Mixel
• The difference between enthusiast apps and professional bartender tools
• Why Bartender’s Choice is still highly respected
• How Bevnap is changing cocktail batching and bar operations
• Costing cocktails and running profitable bar programs
• The future of batching, prep systems and bartender education
• Why consistency matters more than memorising specs
• Julie Reiner’s “batchology” discussion revisited
• The evolving role of the modern bartender

• Mixel
• My Bar
• Bartender's Choice
• Bevnap

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone in hospitality.

Follow The Cocktail Academy:

Instagram: @welovecocktails

TikTok: @welovecocktailsx

Website: The Cocktail Academy

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Julie Reiner joins The Cocktail Academy Podcast for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build a lasting career in hospitality.

A true legend of the modern cocktail world, Julie is the force behind iconic New York bars including Clover Club, Milady’s and the former Flatiron Lounge. In this episode, she talks about hiring for hospitality over skill, why warmth matters more than technical knowledge, and how great bars create opportunities for people to grow.

Julie also reflects on how the cocktail world has changed since the early days of the modern cocktail revival, from the rise of social media and awards culture to the impact of batching on bartender education. She shares honest thoughts on burnout, mentorship, women in bartending, Speed Rack, and why young bartenders need to slow down, learn the classics and put the time in.

This is a conversation about longevity, leadership and the kind of hospitality that actually makes people feel better than when they walked in.

In this episode:

• Why Julie hires for personality first

• What makes someone naturally suited to hospitality

• How Clover Club and Milady’s develop staff

• The impact of awards culture on modern bars

• Why bartenders need to understand the classics

• How batching has changed bartender training

• The importance of mentorship and women-led networks

• What good hospitality really means

Follow Julie Reiner:

Instagram: @mixtressnyc

Bars: @cloverclubny, @miladysnyc

Follow The Cocktail Academy:

Instagram: @welovecocktails

TikTok: @welovecocktailsx

Website: www.thecocktailacademy.com

For bonus content, resources and more from the show, visit thecocktailacademy.com.

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