Press & Booking
Information for press, podcast hosts, and potential collaborators.
The Host
Shawn Spitaleri is the founder of The Alchemist's Bar and the host of Distillate — a narrative podcast about the history, culture, and science of drinks. His editorial lens is alchemy as proto-chemistry: transformation through material process, observed with precision.
He approaches the subject as a writer and researcher first. The interest is not in drinks as lifestyle objects but as historical artifacts — records of what people needed, feared, and were willing to do. The same rigor that goes into the podcast goes into every public appearance.
Quick Facts
For Podcast Hosts & Event Organizers
Shawn is available as a guest on podcasts, panels, and events covering drinks, food history, culture, and adjacent subjects. He speaks from research, not performance.
— Drink history and culture
— The chemistry of fermentation and distillation
— Narrative podcasting and editorial craft
— Independent publishing and brand building
To Book Shawn
Send an email with your show or event name, audience size, proposed topic, and preferred format. Response times vary — allow at least two weeks for scheduling inquiries.
Press & Booking Email
press@thealchemistsbar.com
For Distillers, Historians & Practitioners
Distillate is currently a solo narrative show. Guest appearances are a planned future phase once the show has established its voice and audience. Pitches are accepted now and reviewed when that phase opens.
Strong pitches come from people with a specific story to tell — not a general expertise, but a particular thing they know that most people don't.
Pitch Guidelines
— Who you are and what you do
— The specific story or subject you want to discuss
— Why that story is surprising, counterintuitive, or underreported
— Any previous podcast or public speaking experience
Guest Pitch Email
distillate@thealchemistsbar.com
Brand Press
The Alchemist's Bar is a publication and editorial voice exploring the history, culture, and science of drinks. It operates through four interconnected properties: the Distillate podcast, The Alchemist's Ledger newsletter, a book in development, and an Instagram presence.
Press inquiries about the brand — interviews, features, partnership inquiries — can be directed to the press email below. Please include your publication or outlet, the nature of the inquiry, and your deadline.