Homeboy Bar Podcast

In this episode Aaron and Ciaran join co-owner of Dead Rabbit, Jack McGarry, to talk about what makes a great bar great.The trio agree that training and innovation are the most important aspects to ensure your team's progression and consistency. The guys also discuss how focusing on these aspects will ultimately optimise guest experience and employee's job satisfaction.

Mark Tracey, UK's Belvedere Vodka ambassador, joined the lads this week to discuss how a brand is made up of a lot more than just the spirit in the bottle.Mark and the guys discussed how they find music to be a key element in both creating an atmosphere and giving your brand a sense of belonging.Mark also talked about inclusivity amongst bartenders is the secret to making your brand successful.

On this episode, Ciarán and Aaron join Paul Tuohy on Ask Ed to discuss their experiences as an Irish man abroad. The guys talk about how working abroad has shaped them as individuals and also how these experiences kick-started their careers. The Irish hospitality industry is something which the guys are very proud to come from and they discuss the differences between Ireland and abroad.

On this episode Cathal, Aaron and Ciarán were joined by Irish Whiskey expert Liam Sparks. The focus of this episode was the series of events which saved Irish whiskey and ultimately led to the creation of IDL. Liam teaches us about the history of the brands we know and love today. More importantly, how they collaborated to stay in existence.

In this episode, Cathal, Ciarán and Aaron, were joined by Claire Best from ABC, to discuss the theme of Modern Irish Cocktails.With the category in continuous growth, the opportunity to create modern classics with Irish Whiskey is at an all time high.We discuss trends that we anticipate and cool ways we've seen Irish whiskey being used in cocktails of late.

This episode the guys explore the Irish coffee and what makes it special. The guys discuss why Jameson Black Barrel is their favorite to use in an Irish coffee. After hosting an Irish Coffee Lab, the guys discovered how amazing Redbreast 12 is in an Irish Coffee and have made it available as a premium option.Ciarán, Cathal and Aaron also express how they love to use Redbreast 12 in cocktails. They explain how the versatility of the spirit allows their creativity to shine through and how it is a fantastic expression of Single Pot Still.

In this episode, Cathal, Aaron and Ciarán are joined by Simon Thompson, to discuss how to make your bar more accessible.Simon is the owner of Present Comany, one of Liverpool's hottest spots which opened last year.Simon talk about the ups and downs of his first year and the guys discuss the difference between opening a bar in London and in Liverpool.

In part two of menu development, the lads delve further into what it takes to produce a banging menu.Cathal, Aaron and Ciarán discuss how having signature drinks can help the brand and talk about some bars who have become famous for their signatures. The guys also get into the nitty-gritty of creating a cocktail menu. We get an insight into how to GP our drinks and why it is important to factor in every element of the drink, when it comes to pricing.The trio also give us a sneak preview of a few drinks that are coming on the new menu.

In this opening episode of a menu double-header, Cathal, Aaron and Ciarán talk about the ins and outs of creating a drinks menu. They discuss the styles of drink that every menu should have and how to pick drinks to match your venue.In this part, the lads talk about everything from the physical design of the menu to the research and development process that goes in to creating the final product. All the guest sees is the drink, the guys want you to understand the process. This episode may be particularly helpful to bartenders who haven't got the chance to work on drinks menus but are keen to learn more.

In these week's episode, the guys are joined by Eddie Rudzinskas.Eddie is founder of one of bartending's biggest social media platform, Cocktails for you. Eddie talks about his background in the bar industry and why a passion for photography led him to explore the possibilities of Cocktails for you.We learn how the platform has grown over the years and how it has become a resource for bartenders to be educated and inspired. We also explore the endless ways in which social media can shine a light on our industry.

During this stage of global crisis, Cathal, Aaron and Ciarán discuss the current situation the world is facing.The trio reflect on all the positivity they have seen within the industry so far. They explore the avenues of the unknown, what the future may look like when bars get the green light to go ahead.Most importantly, the boys give you an insight into how they're looking after their physical and mental health during these testing times.

In this week's episode we pick up where we left off last week, with Aaron moving to London.The Big Man discusses the characters he met while abroad, what he learned and his journey.Cathal, Ciarán and Aaron explain how the concept of Homeboy came into play and what happened to develop from a concept to reality.A real intriguing episode, enjoy!

In this episode Aaron and Ciarán discuss the journey which has led them to opening Homeboy. Ciarán speaks about how coming up in the 5-Star hotel world has given him very high expectations and how being based in New York helped him spot trends in the industry.Aaron describes the ups and downs which he has faced in his career. The highs include representing Ireland at the cocktail world cup and how he rebounded from being fired.

In this episode the lads discuss a topic that is close to their hearts, Irish whiskey. As it is one of the fastest growing spirit categories in the world, and just bloody delicious, the guys thought it was essential to cover this topic.Cathal Slevin, Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith examine the diversity of the category, the beauty of the spirit and the best way to use it in cocktails.

In this episode of the podcast, Cathal Slevin, Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith are joined in the snug by a very special guest.Owner of Bar 1661 in Dublin and Poitín aficionado, Dave Mulligan dropped by for a candid chat about the industry, Ireland's white spirit and the affect of coronavirus on the industry.It's well worth the listen.

The trio of Cathal Slevin, Aaron Wall and Ciaran Smith return to discuss theories of service in episode 2. Theories of service are the foundations on which smooth efficient service is built in the hospitality industry.The lads discuss the benefits of theories,, how to implement them and how leads to consistency in the bar.

In the first ever episode of the Homeboy Bar Podcast, Cathal Slevin is joined by owners of Homeboy Bar, Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith, to discuss the concept of Modern Irish hospitality.Modern Irish hospitality is the ethos in which the bar is based around and the guys discuss how it has led to a successful opening year.