Bar Hacks 2025: Top Episodes
by David Klemt
Thank you to every one of our incredible guests and our amazing audience for listening to Bar Hacks and Bar Hacks: ReFire this year!
Season six, which spanned 2025, was another fantastic year for insightful and fun conversations.
Among our informative and engaging guests were Hayden Lambert, who shared his “simplexity” philosophy. Michael Suomi, the creative mind behind several award-winning designs, dropped by for a great chat.
Matty Rangel popped in to chat tending bar, dive and neighborhood bars, crafting engaging content, and more. KRG Hospitality design partner Nancy Kuemper of Mabel Design Co. shared her journey in hospitality design, and her tips for maximizing the client-designer relationship.
Bar Hacks host David Klemt addressed real-world hospitality business situations with Bradley Knebel over the course of several Bar Hacks: ReFire episodes.
Of course, that’s just a handful of the guests and topics from 2025. We’re grateful for everyone who takes the time to stop by and chat with us, and for everyone who listens, subscribes, likes, and shares.
Thank you all so much!
Below, the top episodes of 2025. We’ll see you in 2026! Cheers!
Episode 136 with Hayden Lambert
Our number one episode of 2025! Hayden Lambert, co-founder of the unique and award-winning Above Board bar in Melbourne, Australia, pops by for an incredible chat.
When Lambert would explain the reductionist philosophy behind the concept for Above Board to others in the industry, he was told it wouldn’t work. Well, nearly ten years of operation, a few appearances on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, and other accolades later, Above Board continues to prove that its unique approach works.
On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Lamber discusses his journey through hospitality, traveling the world, still being tested as a bartender, “simplexity,” how brands can succeed in a bar without a back bar, the magic that is making guests feel like their experience was easy, and much, much more.
Lambert drops a ton of useful information and experience in this episode that veteran, new, and hopeful bar owners need to hear and consider.
Episode 141: Brand Authenticity: Robert Minucci of Talkhouse Encore
On this episode of Bar Hacks, host David Klemt sits down with Rob Minucci, CEO and co-founder of Talkhouse Encore, a premium RTD brand inspired by the legendary dive bar Stephen Talkhouse in the Hamptons. Together, they delve into the story behind the brand’s inception during the pandemic, discussing how Rob’s business partner Ruby Honerkamp (whose family owns the iconic bar), sought to bring the spirit of the Talkhouse to the masses through gluten-free vodka and tequila seltzers. Or, as Rob explains, dive bar classics in RTD form.
Rob shares insights into the challenges of launching a new beverage brand, from navigating distributor relationships to the importance of creating a standout product that resonates with consumers. He emphasizes the significance of authenticity and flavor, particularly for the Gen Z demographic, who are looking for more than just a drink;they want a story and a connection to the brand.
You’ll learn about the strategic decisions that shaped Talkhouse Encore, including its unique approach to market research and branding. Rob explains how they focused on building a strong local presence before considering expansion, ensuring that they meet consumer demands with quality ingredients and an engaging brand narrative.
Episode 134 with William Brooks
On this episode, host David Klemt sits down with William Brooks, the Global Brand Ambassador for Tequila Herradura. With a background from Johnson & Wales University and extensive experience in the spirits industry, William shares his fascinating journey from whiskey to agave.
Discover the unique qualities of tequila, as William dispels common myths and misconceptions. He dives into the importance of terroir, the differences between lowland and highland agave, and how these factors influence flavor profiles. The conversation also covers the innovative practices at Tequila Herradura, including sustainability efforts, and the creation of the reposado category.
Plus, William shares his favorite tequila cocktails, perfect food pairings, and tips on how to properly taste tequila (hint: replace the lime). Whether you’re a seasoned agave enthusiast or just starting to explore, this episode is packed with valuable insights and delicious ideas.
ReFire: Brilliant Burgers, Sloppy Service & Persnickety Perception
Guest experience drives perception, and perception shapes value. As you may have already learned, perception can be impacted on what may feel trivial to operators and their teams but is incredibly important from guest to guest.
On this episode of Bar Hacks: Refire, David Klemt, partner at KRG Hospitality, and co-host Bradley Knebel of Empowered Hospitality break down a real-world story of two restaurants offering the same menu and pricing, but with vastly different outcomes. One felt like a letdown because of disorganization and sloppy service; the other delivered a memorable experience simply by getting the fundamentals right.
The duo dig into why poor guest experience makes food and drinks taste worse; why discounting without strategy sends the wrong message; and why every detail—from lighting and music volume to greetings and check drop—matters. If your guests don’t feel good about the experience, they won’t feel good about the value. And if they don’t see value, they won’t see a point in returning for more visits.
Tune in to rethink what you’re really selling.
Episode 133 with Michael Suomi
Suomi Design Works is an award-winning hotel design studio dedicated to approaching every hospitality project with an exceptional level of creativity. In fact, Michael Suomi, president of the studio, actively seeks out unique, challenging projects.
On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, host David Klemt chats with Michael about a number of these extraordinary projects. Further, Michael shares his approach to onboarding clients, building unique teams for exceptional projects, trends he thinks may stand out in 2025 (and which he’d like to see disappear), and more.
Episode 139 with Matthew Rangel
We sit down with real-life bartender, actor, and social media creator Matthew Rangel (@therealmattyrangel) an hour before he needed to open one of the three bars at which he works in Wisconsin to talk neighborhood bars, dive bars, mental health, social media, and the Midwest.
For those who haven’t yet come across Matty’s bartending videos, they’re quick, funny, and relatable to anyone who has worked behind the stick, or worked at a bar or restaurant. Matty breaks down his approach to creating his videos, which is a quicker process than most would likely expect. He also explains that people don’t need to buy the most expensive recording gear or spend hours editing to make impactful videos.
Matty also discusses mental health and the hospitality space, in particular bartending. He hosts Mental Health Mondays each week, hoping for people to reach out, share, connect, and work through their struggles.
Episode 140 with Finian Sedgwick
Long-time listeners know we love it when previous guests return! On this episode, Finian Sedgwick, chief growth officer at BAXUS, comes back onto the podcast.
Finian and David chat about the growth of BAXUS and the BoozApp, including new features for the peer-to-peer marketplace, popular bottles and spirits categories, and the rabbit hole members can go down when searching for items to purchase and trade. They also talk about bottles that have grabbed Finian’s attention, why he’s bullish on wine, and how alcohol-free cocktail menus are more important than some operators may think.
Speaking of operators, the two also discuss the doom-and-gloom articles blaming Millennials and Gen Z for “killing” or otherwise “ruining” alcohol consumption and sales. Is that really the state of booze, or are people rage-baiting for clicks, and are some operators failing to meet their guests where they are?
Episode 130 with Giuseppe Gallo
Giuseppe Gallo has accomplished a lot in his two decades-plus in the hospitality and beverage spaces: he’s a respected vermouth and amaro expert, the winner of the 2014 Spirited Award for Best International Brand Ambassador, an educator and drinks historian, and a bartender’s bartender.
Among other topics, this episode explores the creation of SAVOIA Americano (and ITALICUS). Giuseppe introduces SAVOIA Orancio, an innovative new aperitivo made with natural orange wine. Throughout the conversation, Gallo
emphasizes the importance of bartender insights in shaping successful beverage brands, and the guest experience.
ReFire: Bad Behavior & Ridiculous Regulars
Hosts David Klemt and Bradley Knebel tackle two real-life restaurant and bar situations in the first ReFire of 2025.
The two tackle the topic of an operator who’s hesitant to believe it when multiple employees claim a culinary team member is rude, hostile, and abusive…but believes that team member when they make the same accusation against a quiet but hard-working back-of-house peer. Don’t worry – it gets worse!
Then, David and Bradley take a look at a stunning, on-the-spot termination of a bartender who had been in role since day one. The restaurant was busy, the bar was slammed, and the word of a regular got the bartender of five years fired instantly. Something doesn’t add up!
Look, firing someone is never pleasant. However, it’s going to happen. Operators and leadership team members need to have standards in place and communicated clearly, a process for terminations, and the understanding that how they fire people speaks to their credibility and reputation.
ReFire: “We’re Having Dinner—You’re Not”
We managed to squeeze three real-world hospitality situations into episode five of ReFire!
On the last episode, David and Bradley talked about guest perception, and how the “little” things can have a big impact. This time, they discuss brand perception, and how quickly a misstep can turn into a catastrophe.
Then, they talk about “skunking,” and how it impacts your team.
Finally, David and Bradley take a look at a restaurant’s new SOPs shared by a team member, and why they’re a problem.
Image: Spotify
