Radio Imbibe Episode 10: Sother Teague

Amor y Amargo’s beverage director talks with us about holiday cocktails, running a bar in the age of COVID, and mental health in the hospitality community.

Photo: Kyle Ford

December 08, 2020

Radio Imbibe is the audio home of Imbibe magazine. In each episode, we dive into liquid culture, exploring the people, places, and flavors of the drinkscape through conversations about cocktails, coffee, beer, spirits, and wine.

Sother Teague is the author of I’m Just Here for the Drinks, a co-host with Damon Boelte of The Speakeasy podcast, and beverage director of Amor y Amargo in New York City. In this episode, he walks us through using bitter liqueurs in holiday cocktails, and he mixes an Amor y Amargo original, the Bald Mountain. He also catches us up on the state of his bar amid the ongoing pandemic, and he shares mental health resources he’s found helpful during these challenging times, including FOH (Focus on Health, from bartenders Lauren Paylor and Alex Jump), and The Healthtender, from bartender Amie Ward. For more coverage of mental-health issues, including links to resources, check out this article from 2018, as well as this story from April 2020.

Bald Mountain

1 oz. Varnelli Punch Fantasia
½ oz. aged rum (Amor y Amargo uses The Real McCoy)
½ oz. overproof rum (Amor y Amargo uses Smith & Cross)
½ oz. rich cinnamon syrup
¼ oz. Giffard Caribbean Pineapple Liqueur
2 dashes Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Aromatic Bitters
Mulled Hot Water, to top

Glass: 8 oz. mug or cup (Amor y Amargo uses the iconic New York City takeout coffee cup)
Garnish: orange twist, fresh-grated nutmeg

Combine all of the ingredients in a cup, and top with mulled hot water. Twist a piece of orange peel over the drink, and sprinkle with fresh-grated nutmeg.

Rich Cinnamon Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of demerara sugar, 1 cup of water, and 4 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces. Bring to a boil while whisking to dissolve sugar, then let simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool, then strain and bottle for use; keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Mulled Hot Water: Fill a small saucepan or electric kettle with water, then add one or two cinnamon sticks, several whole cloves, and a couple of whole star anise, to taste. Let mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes, and keep warm for serving.

Blake Walker, Amor y Amargo, New York City