Seriously, thank you. I’ve been thinking about relaunching Shots of History for a while now, and to have you onboard from the start makes me that much more certain that now is the right time. I hope to over-deliver for you each and every day, starting tomorrow.

But before diving in, I figured the least I can do is catch you up on how this got started…and how it’s getting started again.

All it takes is one, great drink

At 20 I had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong and China on a 3 week trip through my college. After the day’s lessons were done we were free to walk around the city, and for the first half of our time we visited the places you would expect college kids to visit. Loud bars, crowded clubs, and the busy streets of Lan Kwai Fong made for fun nights with people who became fast friends. But after a week or so of this, a group of us decided to check out a bar called Ozone. Appropriately named, it’s on the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton and overlooks the entire Hong Kong bay. It’s a beautiful view of the city, one that shouldn’t be missed if you ever visit.

Feeling that my usual dive bar whiskey ginger wasn’t quite right for this occasion, I decided to order something familiar but not stray too far from the whiskey my pallet was accustom to, and went with a whiskey sour.

This was my first proper cocktail, so you can imagine my surprise when fresh lemon juice, egg white, and a quality whiskey found its way into my glass. The drink was strong but not overpowering, refreshing without being overly sweet. From that drink I was hooked, and I wanted to know everything about cocktails like this.

The Original Inspiration

I came back to the US determined to learn as much as I could. I watched every video I could find of David Wondrich, Dale DeGroff, Julie Reiner, Tom Macy, Jack McGarry(yes it was still mostly dudes, even then), and many others. Still not yet 21 I acquired spirits through roommates and friends in exchange for making them cocktails out of what they brought. Quickly I got interested in not just how to make drinks but in the history behind them. The cities, the bars, the bartenders, the culture, everything surrounding them. It was fascinating to me, and informally I started collecting these stories…these shots.

What ultimately sparked the idea for Shots of History was a class I took my senior year called The History of America through Baseball. The class used events in the history of baseball as a way to talk about American history, and also pulled in events from American history to show how they influenced the game. And I thought to myself:

The Podcast

And as some of you will know, Shots of History was first launched as a podcast in 2017. I began by sharing the stories I’d found in college, which quickly gained traction. Soon the show turned into a way to connect with people working in the alcohol industry, which in turn became a way for me exit my current career and start working for some of the brands that just months before I’d been studying. It was far from a smooth ride but those connections I made in the early years proved to be invaluable as I continued to advance in my new career.

But along the way, I feel that the podcast lost its original purpose and spirit. Instead of the show being a way to explore my passion for the history of drinks, it had become a sort of public cover letter, focused more on my career than on sharing interesting stories or connecting with great people. As it drifted more in that direction, the need, and the drive, to continue the podcast diminished. So a couple years ago I decided to take a break from the project and give myself some much needed time on reflect on what was next.

The Revival

But that brings us to today. I knew I wasn’t ready to bring Shots of History back as a podcast but after exploring several different formats, I feel like this newsletter is the right one to get started with. Recommitted to bringing short, engaging facts from the world of wine and spirits, I’m excited to share with you the history behind the people, places, tools, and events that surround the drinks we consume today.

So again, thank you for subscribing from the start. The only ask I’ll ever have is if you find the newsletter valuable to share it with someone who will enjoy it.

With that, look forward to delivering your first shot tomorrow! Cheers.