In the world of home bars, very few are as unique and meticulously crafted as Joe's basement speakeasy. What started as a spontaneous idea around a table with friends quickly turned into a full-fledged project that blended Joe's love for bourbon, his construction skills and a passion for creativity. Deep rooted in carpentry and an enthusiasm for Whiskey, Joe transformed his basement into a hidden gem, complete with a secret entry, Prohibition-era decor and a rich history of collaboration and brand partnerships. In this interview, we sat down to get into the inspiration behind Joe's decision to build his home bar, the triumphs of it and how his journey as a content creator intersected with his love for crafting unique whiskey experiences.
What inspired you to build a basement bar, and how did the idea come about?
I've enjoyed whiskey and bourbon for quite some time, it's been a hobby of mine for probably a decade or longer. One night, I was sitting around the table with a couple of friends and the idea to do it came around and I jokingly said “I'm going to build a speakeasy in the basement!” My wife looked at me and asked “what did you just say?”..... “I’m going to build a speakeasy in our basement”. A lot of people can attest to this, but when I set my mind to something I have to do it. During the next 2-3 weeks, I was tearing down walls and started working on it. I didn't have much of a game plan so it all kind of spiraled from there, but I knew the space that I was working with and started going to town on it.
Can you walk us through the process of designing and building your basement bar? What were some of the key considerations?
When I decided to do it, I knew I wanted it to have a hidden entry, so I decided on a bookshelf door. I had seen a bookshelf door before made by Murphy Door, so I knew that that was going to be the focal point and just kind of took off from there. I had no plans or ideas whatsoever for the other side of the door, so I just needed to determine the theme. I knew I didn't want to do anything modern, so I went with a Prohibition-era kind of speakeasy theme with brick walls and a ton of oak and wood everywhere with dim lights. I knew I wanted something really fancy for the ceiling, so a tin ceiling was the choice. It honestly came about with me making decisions while I was building, things like “oh this would look really cool here” and everything evolved well during the process.
Did you have any background knowledge when you started construction given your Real estate background ?
A large portion of my family were carpenters and in the construction field. I've been around it for a most of my life. My dad is a carpenter, so was my grandfather as well as my uncle so I've been around it my whole life so it started from a young age. If I didn't have that background, I don't think I would have done it because it cut down the cost tremendously. I admittedly built it at probably the worst time because during the pandemic the price of building materials were through the roof, it wasn't at the most ideal time but the fact that I could do this myself kind of offset a lot of that.
What are your thoughts around the Klaris machine?
I had been looking at Klaris for a while, honestly for a couple of months. I was telling Chase when we first spoke a couple weeks back that I was on a trip to Kentucky and one of the Klaris videos had popped up. I was showing my buddy who was in the car with me and literally within 2 hours I got an email from him. I was thinking “Oh my god, this is kind of strange, what are the chances?” I used different ice molds in the past and honestly nothing even compares to the quality of what Klaris makes which is crazy, and the process is so simple. You can push the button, walk away, and you come back to perfect ice cubes. I also really like the fact that it's an external unit and you don't have to use any freezer space. I haven't come across anything that even comes close to it as far as the quality of the product or the ease of use.How do people react to it?
It's a conversation piece for sure. If people are drinking at home, they may use simple ice molds or just ice cubes. I don't think most people have used ice that is that perfect at home unless they experience it at a restaurant or a craft cocktail bar first, very rarely do you come across that in someone's home.
How did your journey as a content creator intersect with building your bar? Did one influence the other?
I have enjoyed whiskey and cocktails for a lot longer than I have been making content about it. The account that I have now started about 4 years ago, and prior to that I just posted on my own personal Instagram or Facebook page. I feel like once I dove down the rabbit hole and entered a very niche area of social media, it just kind of exploded, and it's been a wild ride for sure. I think my social media approach is a little different than most people, I try to have a less serious mindset towards it than it needs to be and just try to have fun. Anything I do, I do for myself, I selfishly put things out that I enjoy and if people like it, great, and if they don't then that's perfectly fine with me as well!
You’ve collaborated with brands as part of your work. How has having a personal, curated space like your bar influenced these collaborations?
Murphy Door, who manufactures the hidden doors, came over and they did a photo shoot and filmed some commercials in the house, which was pretty cool. Pretty early in this journey Whisky Advocate Magazine did a piece on it. They did a story about 3 years ago about home whiskey rooms and home whiskey bars and they sent someone out to do a photo shoot and an interview which was amazing as well. Brands gravitate towards it, and I think a lot of it is not necessarily the fact that it is just an in-home bar but the following that it has built off of that probably more than anything.
Anything you would’ve done differently when you started?
My wife kind of pokes me about the fact that I didn't start documenting it until it was done. I think if I would have started doing videos on social media about it during the building process it would have probably launched it even further. I was building it for myself and my own enjoyment, and for friends and family to enjoy. I wasn't necessarily building it to promote it or get brand deals or anything like that, but I'm very thankful any opportunities that have come from it. My wife always pokes me about the fact that I waited way too long before I started posting about it, so I would say documenting your process either for yourself or just to look back on it would be my advice. Also, when you fall into situations make the best of them and to try different things.
As someone who occasionally judges food online and whiskey reviews, What are some of your favorites?
For food, there's a local restaurant here in Des Moines, Oak Park. It opened about a year ago and it's the best culinary experience that I've ever had in Des Moines. There's a local Des Moines Food Review page on Facebook, and the first night that my wife and I went I posted a long review about it after a couple drinks and for whatever reason it gained a bit of traction and took off. The next time we were in the restaurant, Kathy, one of the owners sat down and talked to us and thanked us. Oak Park has elevated their experience in the ice realm as well, beautifully crafted ice with every cocktail, and they serve one of the best Old Fashioneds in Des Moines.
Reflecting back on your journey, what would you change? Any future prospects you have for this or visions?
Looking back, I don't think I would change anything. I believe that I have always stayed true to myself. There's nothing that I've done that I regret or wish that I would have done differently. The initial starting of the account a bit earlier and documenting that stuff would have been great, but other than that, the best thing would be to always have fun and be happy.
I don't have any vision to make this a career or a primary source of income or anything along those lines. The brand stuff is always fun especially when I can work with distilleries and companies that I align with. That's the other thing with all of this, I get emails all week long about reviewing things/promoting products but I definitely turn down more opportunities than I accept. If it's a product that I wouldn't enjoy, I'm not going to just take a paycheck to make a video about it. It has to be something that I align with or something that I would actually use in my life for me to promote it. That's the biggest thing that I'm always going to stay true to. I feel like I never want to focus on it too much to the point where I get burnt out from it, then it's no longer fun.
From the early days of tearing down walls without a game plan to becoming a sought-after collaborator in the whiskey community, his basement bar has become more than just a personal space but a symbol of his dedication and love for bourbon. Whether it's perfecting the speakeasy vibe or exploring new ways to use the Klaris machine, Joe’s approach to building, crafting and sharing his love for whiskey has inspired many. Joe's story is one of staying true to himself and as he continues to balance his passion with a light-hearted approach to content creation, Joe remains committed to authenticity, quality and the joy of a well-made drink just like us here at Klaris. Be sure to follow his crafter journey on his page @theblindpigbasementpub and keep up with all things Klaris below by subscribing to our newsletter.
