Drinking Like Misty Kalkofen Pt. 2

Shift Drink

Misty Kalkofen needs no introduction in the spirits community — or if you listened to my interview her on our last episode,Drinking Like Misty Kalkofen Pt. 1. But regardless of whether or not you’re familiar with her work, you’ve likely encountered it. After spending the first half of her career behind Boston bars as a protégé of Brother Cleve, she met her soul mate… agave.

Misty’s impact on the world of mezcal can perhaps only be topped by the producers themselves. After meeting Ron Cooper of Del Maguey, she was along for the ride and her career took a hard turn southwards – in geography only. As they say, “you don’t find mezcal, mezcal finds you.” And Misty was found.

She now keeps an apartment in Oaxaca, Mexico in addition to her home in Boston. Before COVID-19, she was spending more time at her home in Mexico than in the United States. And for many of those visits to palenques in Oaxaca, Misty brings bartenders and spirits professionals from around the world to meet the faces behind the product. As one of the world’s oldest distilled beverages, mezcal is as much about preserving tradition and heritage as it is about running a business.

All of this knowledge and wisdom is moot if you don’t spread it. So, just a few years ago, Misty and her friend Kirsten Amann co-authored a book called Drinking Like Ladies. It is now her mission to highlight the community of female bartenders and spirit professionals that are overshadowed by the male-dominated hospitality industry.

The success of the book also grew into a podcast during the shelter-in-place orders imposed by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic. So please like and subscribe to Drinking Like Ladies Podcast to hear stories of love, struggle, and perseverance in the face of adversity.