Episode 153
Haus Alpenz with Jake Parrott
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What’s shakin, cocktail fans?
Welcome to Episode 153 of The Modern Bar Cart Podcast!
This time around, we catch up with Jake Parrott (@jakehparrott) of Haus Alpenz – one of the premier spirits importers in the US, focusing on European spirits, liqueurs, and fortified wines. That last category is of particular interest, because it ain’t just vermouth or sherry we’re talkin, here. More on that later.
In this really informative chat with Jake Parrott, National Sales Representative for spirits importer Haus Alpenz, some of the topics we cover include:
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How Jake took a hobbyist interest in spirits and turned it into a profession – in essence, the sort of story that a lot of our listeners might find inspiring.
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How Haus Alpenz grew to become one of the foremost champions of spirits and fortified wines that don’t often make it to the US.
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The story of Dolin Vermouth and how it changed the face of the mixed drinks scene at a key moment in the cocktail renaissance.
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Then, we conduct a two-bottle tasting of Haus Alpenz spirits, including Pasubio Vino Amaro and Dolin Genepy.
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We also cover a lot of the ins and outs of the spirits importation and distribution game – including how bottles make their way to the US from abroad and how various regulatory and logistical hurdles are cleared.
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We also talk about the fascinating oxidized and rancio wines from Spain and the south of France (available via Sotolon Selections), what indispensable tool Jake carries on him at all times when doing demos, and much, much more.
This conversation has it all. Tasting notes, history, geography, culture, and some fun inside baseball that sheds light on often overlooked aspects of the spirits distribution game. Jake is a wealth of knowledge, and his palate is second to none, so we do recommend following him and Haus Alpenz on social media and calling your local liquor store to learn which of their labels are available in your neck of the woods.
