S3 E21 Use Your Egg-Noggin
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E21 Use Your Egg-Noggin In this holiday special, Bob Cutler crashes the George Hale Ric Tyler Show with mason jars and a mission: help hosts survive the entertaining season without being trapped behind the bar. Bob introduces his ultimate holiday “cheat code”—pre-batching cocktails, especially eggnog, so hosts can spend time with family and friends instead of mixing drinks all night. He explains that time is the one gift you can’t buy, but you can give it back to yourself with smart prep. Key Topics Pre-Batching as Holiday Survival By batching eggnog and cocktails ahead of...
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S3 E20 Jack Flash The Geologist Episode
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E20 Jack Flash The Geologist Episode Bob Cutler closes out the year by welcoming his SIX-year-old son Jack into the studio for a candid, funny, and deeply personal conversation about school, gems, birds, golf carts, lemonade stands, and big dreams—reminding listeners that the best conversations don’t need cocktails, just curiosity and love. Key Topics Curiosity as a Superpower Jack’s endless questions, love of nonfiction, and fascination with rocks, birds, and history show how curiosity shapes learning and confidence at a young age. Family, Work, and Play Intertwined From...
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S3 E19 Quirky Dogs Need A Home | Kathryn Ravenscraft
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E19 Quirky Dogs Need A Home In this warm, whimsical, and deeply human episode, Bob Cutler sits down with Bangor Humane Society’s Kathryn Ravenscraft for a “fun-filled,” “pun-filled” chat about cocktails, laughs, and quirky rescue animals. The two touch on responsible pet ownership, generosity, and how compassion, prevention, and community support keep families—and pets—together. Key Topics 1. Quirky Animals Need the Right People Not every dog or cat -- or donkey -- fits a traditional household. Kathryn explains how no-kill shelters commit to animals with...
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S3 E18 Bob’s Holiday Top Ten
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E18 Bob’s Holiday Top Ten In this festive holiday edition of Cocktails with Friends, Bob Cutler slides up to the mic with a jolly “ho ho ho,” ready to make gift-buying easier for friends, family, and cocktail lovers alike. Bob is making a list and checking it twice then counting down his Top Ten Holiday Gifts—the items he’d give listeners if they were invited to his house for Christmas -- or the eighth night of Hanukkah. Key Topics Building the Perfect Home Bar Bob’s list breaks down the essential tools—from glassware to jiggers to ice molds—that turn a casual drinker...
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S3 E17 Novio’s Radio | Bob’s Birthday Broadcast
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E17 Novio’s Radio Bob’s Birthday Broadcast Bob Cutler celebrates his final day as a FORTY-NINE-year-old with eggnog prep tips, a year-old barrel-aged Boulevardier, and a clarified chocolate-orange Boulevardier—mixing laughter, chemistry, whiskey lore, and birthday joy live on the George Hale–Ric Tyler Show. Key Topics Aging and Transformation From eggnog that develops depth over weeks to a Boulevardier mellowed for a full year in oak, the episode explores how time, temperature, and chemistry reshape flavor, texture, and aroma. Creativity in Cocktail Building Bob breaks down...
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S3 E16 Après All Day | Tara Lindley High West Distillery
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E16 Après All Day | Tara Lindley High West Distillery In this Après All Day episode, Bob Cutler and Rich Stoner warm up with pours of A Midwinter Night’s Dram—Bob with Act 9, Rich with Act 7—before welcoming Tara Lindley, High West Distillery’s Director of Sensory & New Product Development. The trip explore Tara’s journey from Napa to Park City, the art and science of rye-and-port-barrel finishing, the evolution of each Midwinter release, and the magic behind High West’s après culture, parties, cocktails, and upcoming new products. Key Topics The Art of Finishing &...
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S3 E15 Birthday Resolutions Episode
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E15 Birthday Resolutions Episode In this special Birthday Resolutions Episode of Cocktails with Friends, Bob Cutler opens with humor and honesty, pouring a Wyoming Whiskey Buffalo Bill Cody Special Release and inviting his co-host and fitness-minded friend Rich Stoner to help him prepare for a healthier year—and an upcoming ski trip to Jackson Hole. Key Topics Resolutions with Realism Instead of extreme diets or long gym hours, the episode focuses on attainable steps—better meal timing, short workouts, and incremental progress that fits a demanding schedule. Whiskey and Wellness...
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S3 E14 Why Do They Do It That Way Episode
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E14 Why Do You Do It That Way Episode Bob Cutler celebrates ten years of Novio’s by answering guest questions about the restaurant’s rhythms—from closing Sundays to designing the prefix menu—and by explaining how wine dinners, whiskey allocations, and work-life balance all connect to a simple philosophy: serve with integrity, creativity, and heart. Key Topics Hospitality and Balance Bob’s choices—like closing Sundays and summer Saturdays—reflect a belief that hospitality starts with caring for staff as much as guests. A rested, happy team delivers a better experience....
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S3 E13 Every Day Is Sunday | Ken Belson
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E13 Every Day Is Sunday | Ken Belson In this episode, Bob Cutler welcomes Ken Belson, longtime New York Times writer and author of Every Day Is Sunday, a deeply reported look into the business of the NFL. Over a Yuzu Suntory Sour and a plate of umami popcorn, they explore Belson’s journalism roots, his time living in Japan, and how his career evolved from teaching English abroad to chronicling the rise of one of America’s most powerful institutions. The conversation is equal parts newsroom war story and sports business masterclass. Key Topics The Business of the NFL Belson breaks...
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S3 E12 The Burgundy Experience | Justin Frazell
Cocktails With Friends
S3 E12 The Burgundy Experience In this jet-lagged, joy-filled episode, Bob Cutler returns from a whirlwind trip through Burgundy, France. He’s joined by Craft Guild Beer of Maine Brand Manager Justin Frazell to relive their week of vineyards, vintages, and very little sleep -- recalling Grand Cru tastings, Roman cellars, escargot, and French hospitality. Key Topics The Soul of Burgundy The episode captures how Burgundy blends culture, family, and craftsmanship—where even the smallest vineyards welcome guests like family, and history pours from every glass. Wine Without Walls From natural...
info_outlineS3 E4 Novio’s Radio | Uncomfortable Vendor Comments
This episode of Cocktails with Friends takes a sharp turn from lighthearted mixology into deeply personal territory. Bob Cutler opens up about an anti-Semitic remark from a vendor rep, the lack of immediate accountability from the company, and the personal toll it’s taken on him and his family, reminding listeners that bigotry in any form demands serious response and reflection.
Key Topics
The Personal Impact of Prejudice
Bob’s story illustrates how discrimination isn’t just offensive—it cuts into personal identity, family pride, and professional trust. His choice to abstain from drinking underscores the seriousness of the emotional weight he carried.
Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
The episode raises tough questions about how businesses respond to discrimination. A simple rep reassignment without visible consequences feels inadequate, highlighting the gap between apologies and real accountability.
Owning Identity in Public and Business Life
Bob speaks openly about being Jewish, reflecting on when and how he highlights that identity in his business branding. The episode underscores the ongoing challenge of embracing heritage while navigating a society where prejudice can still surface.
Episode Index
(2:10) Bob explains why he avoids drinking when angry—alcohol amplifies moods, and this situation has remained top-of-mind for two weeks.
(3:39) The conflict escalated when a vendor accused his wife Annie of dishonesty and then made an anti-Semitic remark toward Bob.
(5:34) Bob shares his pride in being Jewish, even if not always practicing, and his shock at hearing “don’t use the Jew card on me.”
(6:53) He points out how anti-Semitism often isn’t taken as seriously as racism or homophobia, with fewer immediate repercussions.
(15:01) After meeting with Pine State’s CEO, Bob gets an apology and a new rep but no clear policy answers, leaving him questioning accountability.