Drinks At Work with Sam Bygrave

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Sean Baxter, to discuss recent developments at Never Never Distilling Co., including a brand refresh, the upcoming Never Never Cocktail Competition, and the impact of being acquired by Asahi. He shares insights on navigating the spirits market, the importance of label design, and the role of bartenders in creating memorable experiences. Sean also highlights the innovative spirit of head distiller Tim Boast and offers advice for bars facing current market challenges.Learn more about the Step Into The Never Never bartender challenge here.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Giorgio Bargiani about the Martini, The Connaught, Grey Goose Altius, and what makes a great bar.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to George Curtis about what it takes to open not one but two Brisbane bars, why food is so important in the industry right now, about Bartenders' Weekender, and loads more.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, we're doing things a little differently. Host Sam Bygrave is joined by Sebastian Cosmo Soto to unpack the last few weeks in bars in Australia, talking about the Maybe Cocktail Festival, the benefit of takeovers, Sorry Not Sorry, and new wine and cocktail joint, Bar Demo, before putting together a list of iconic bars you must visit — whether or not they make good drinks today.

Sam Bygrave speaks with Sebastian Tollius, the beverage director New York’s Clemente Bar and Eleven Madison Park. We discuss the evolution of cocktail culture, the importance of creating unique bar experiences, and the collaborative nature of crafting cocktails that pair beautifully with food. Sebastian shares insights into his journey from Boston to New York, the challenges of maintaining high standards in a fine dining environment, and the significance of community in the bartending world — as well as what makes a great bar and what he looks for in a bartender.

There are many cocktail competitions in the bar world, 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.And in 2025, Speed Rack is returning to Australian shores with the assistance of William Grant & Sons.

We talk to Matty Opai abouthis time at Icebergs overlooking Bondi Beach. We talk about the significance of hospitality, the evolution of the bar scene, and how they create unique experiences. The discussion highlights the challenges and excitement of managing multiple venues, the art of hosting, and the balance between local patrons and tourists. We talk about the Icebergs Sgroppino, too!

In this episode of Drinks at Work, I spoke to Stefano Catino from the Maybe Group because in April the Maybe Cocktail Festival is back, that’s when a big bunch of the some of the world’s best bars and superstar bartenders come to Sydney for a week of guest shifts, hosted at Maybe Group venues. So on this episode I’m talking to Stefano at one of the newest of those bars, Little Cooler, about what we can expect from this year’s festival. It’s a massive undertaking, it takes the whole Maybe Group team to pull off, and it’s a great time of year to be getting to Sydney and checking out some of the city’s bars.