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Cold weather requires more robust drinks, not just pumpkin spice

Just because it has rained, doesn’t mean we are out of the woods yet, drought wise. But one massive storm, Halloween, and a time change, certainly…

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When the world really isn’t your oyster

“I’m vegan,” said one of the two women sitting directly in front of me. I didn’t think she was speaking to me, because at no point…

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Barfly Podcast: Season Three: Episode 13: Marsh Mokhtari of Gray Whale Gin

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There’s awkward, and then there is just plain weird

It wasn’t the pitter-patter of rain that drove the couple inside. It was more of a full on bum rush. Be careful what you wish for,…

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Marin restrauteurs redistill their passion with distillation

Alamere, French slang for “to the sea” (or more correctly “of the mother,” just sort of rolls off the tongue. In addition to being French, it…

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Think restaurant workers are lazy? Think again

A note from inside the Arena On most days I lace up my comfortable work shoes, tie my apron around my waist and head off to…

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“I don’t know” has no place in customer service

The young woman looked like a deer in the headlights. And all I’d done is ask a question. And it was a simple question, as questions…

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Vespas, Vespers, and Vesper martinis, oh my!

Get ready all you bartenders out there, both professional and amateur, because here come the 007 enthusiasts! With the release of the new James Bond movie,…

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Barfly Podcast Season Three: Chef Heidi Krahling Part 2

https://www.buzzsprout.com/169913/9351436-season-three-heidi-krahling-part-2.mp3?download=true

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When customers leave you shaken and stirred

They had already caused a fuss at the front door. News travels fast in the restaurant business. Take my word for it, if a customer is…

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The Press Loves “Twenty Years Behind Bars”

Top 25 iBooks Bestseller

Top 100 Amazon Bestseller

“more about mixing people than drinks”
Christopher Kimball America’s Test Kitchen

“racy and innocent”
Marin Independent Journal

“insightful writing about bar culture and human nature”
SF Examiner

“the best stories are of the clueless at their worst behavior — often before they’ve ordered their first drink” “juicier reads than you would find in the pages of a family newspaper”
Patch

“a book of riotous stories”
The Bold Italic

“great book, quite funny, and includes recipes!”
Joel Riddell, Dining Around, NewsTalk 910

“I love this book. It's insightful, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and includes expert cocktail recipes, too!”
Erika Lenkert, author of Last-Minute Party Girl and Raw: the Uncook Book

“Served straight up, with humor, irreverence and a one-of-a-kind perspective, Twenty Years Behind Bars takes us up close into the life of bars, bartenders, and those who frequent both. To get any closer, you'd need be an olive in one of Burkhart's martini glasses.”
Kimberley Lovato, author of the award winning cookbook, Walnut Wine & Truffle Groves

All Content Copyright 2026 Jeff Burkhart, All Rights Reserved