From Finance to Fernet: Kara Newman’s Journey in Spirits Journalism

In this episode, Damian sits down with one of the sharpest pens (and palates) in the cocktail world — Kara Newman. Known for her work as a spirits reviewer for Wine Enthusiast and her no-nonsense, consumer-friendly cocktail books, Kara shares the unique journey that took her from writing about pork belly futures to profiling the future of drinks.

Together, they unpack the importance of equal-parts cocktails, the genius of batching, and why cocktail families are the real secret weapon behind classic and modern drinks. Kara also reflects on what she looks for when tasting spirits, the challenge of translating bartender intuition into writing, and why the rise of agave spirits (and even cheesy Dorito distillates) is reshaping what lands on our bar shelves.

🧠 What You'll Learn

• How Kara moved from finance journalism to becoming one of the most trusted voices in drinks writing
• Why Shake. Stir. Sip. became a sleeper hit with both home bartenders and industry pros
• The power of equal-parts cocktails for building flavor literacy and technique
• Kara’s approach to blind spirits tasting — what makes a bottle stand out?
• The nuanced world of mezcal, destilados de agave, and why she’s careful when critiquing craft
• The challenges and opportunities in the no- and low-alcohol space — including the hunt for new non-alcoholic "classics"
• A behind-the-scenes look at Kara’s writing process and what makes a good cocktail story stick

🛠️ Kara’s Tools of the Trade

• 📚 Books Mentioned:
• Shake. Stir. Sip. by Kara Newman
• Cocktails for a Crowd by Kara Newman
• Nightcap by Kara Newman
• Cocktail Codex by Death & Co
• Regarding Cocktails by Sasha Petraske & Georgette Moger-Petraske
• 
  

📦 Projects:

• Kara’s Cocktail Recipe Decks – A beautiful, accessible way to explore classics and creative riffs

📲 Connect with Kara Newman

• Instagram: @newman_kara
• Books on Amazon: Search “Kara Newman” on Amazon
• Articles: Wine Enthusiast, Punch, Bloomberg, Food & Wine, and more

🍸 Connect with The Cocktail Academy

• Instagram: @welovecocktails
• TikTok: @welovecocktailsx
• Website: www.thecocktailacademy.com
• Patreon: The Cocktail Academy Patreon

🎧 Like What You Heard?

If you found value in this episode, please consider:

• Subscribing to the show
• Leaving a quick review
• Sharing with your fellow bartenders and spirits nerds

And don’t forget — the “Lock-In” bonus segment with Kara is available exclusively on Patreon, where we dive even deeper into upcoming spirits trends, bar media strategy, and what makes a bar memorable.

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