Organic Spirits with Melkon Khosrovian of Greenbar Collective

Episode 45 : The Wine Down

Episode Synopsis

Melkon Khosrovian of Los Angeles’ Greenbar Collective comes to the Wine Down to share his exquisite organically produced spirits. We taste his company’s Tequila, Gin and Orange Liquor, and get insight into the creation of his label and their collaborations with growers in the old-world way.
We get clued in to the real motivations for going organic, as well as the carbon footprint of standard booze making and bottling, and learn how by supporting Greenbar you can get deliciously tipsy while helping the rainforest.

Guest Bio

When husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew first launched the company in 2004, they handcrafted their line — called Modern Spirits Artisan — using conventional spirits and infusions of local and exotic produce.
Soon, their unique and natural tasting products, like Celery Peppercorn and Grapefruit Honey, won many awards. While Melkon and Litty would have liked to have taken all the credit, they learned their success hinged on some silent partners: their local farmers.
It turned out that several of their local farmers had begun converting their farms to organic, resulting in better quality produce. The couple noticed that their spirits began to taste better and better. (Organic produce has higher concentrations of flavor and aroma.)
At that point, their minds were made. Organics held the key for them to make better tasting spirits. They also opened a path to connect their success to a better planet.

Episode Breakdown

00:01 Welcome to the Wine Down.
00:34 Introducing Melkon Khosrovian of Greenbar Collective.
01:32 Tasting the Orange Liqueur, and the taste for straight spirits.
03:14 Homemade roots of their distillery, and getting creative with infusing ingredients.
05:47 The emphasis of using organic ingredients for the best taste.
07:15 Tasting everyday and the flexibility of natural ingredients.
08:50 The marriage connection that grew into distilling spirits and learning flavor philosophies.
11:34 Current trends in spirits and mixed drinks.
13:35 Experimenting with complex flavors with mixed success.
15:22 The culinary and taste roots of their marriage.
16:34 A failed experiment in Shiso and Vodka.
17:52 The early days of buying supplies retail.
20:50 Tasing the Lemon Vodka.
23:36 The cocktail and ‘mixology’ inspiration behind Greenbar.
25:30 The carbon footprint of consumers, and absorbing pollution through green methods.
28:12 The transition to green packaging for organic liquor.
30:05 Replanting trees in Central America with profits.
33:23 The old school gin recipe and reducing your carbon footprint.
34:58 Moving near downtown LA and working with the city.
38:43 Creating a space that is a community resource.
40:43 The boom in craft distillers.
43:04 The cocktail invented in LA: the Moscow Mule.
43:27 Tasting the Tequila-a collaboration made in Mexico.
47:35 Creating collaborations with Bartenders: some exceptional Bitters!
49:31 How to find Greenbar, and Cheers!

Additional Links

http://www.greenbar.biz/
http://twitter.com/GreenBarDrinks
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbar-Collective-World-Headquarters/396241653742934

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Hosted By

Sonja Magdevski

My voracious appetite for knowledge has led me to incredible journeys as well as halted me in my tracks. Through all I have done the one thing that connects me to the earth, to my work and to others is information.

Brandon Bartlett

Brandon Bartlett is a Senior Sales / Channel Manager at Beam. Beam owns Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Sauza Hornitos, Effen vodka, Knob Creek, Cruzan rum, and many others. Brandon has been in the hotel, restaurant, bar, nightclub, cigar, wine, and liquor business for 25 years.