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Welcome to another episode of Drinking With Robots. I'm your host, Rob Nester, and today we're going to grab our sonic screwdrivers and hope the TARDIS gets us to our proper destination in time and space. That's right. We're talking all about the classic British sci-fi series, Doctor Who. Cam Byrley, bartender at the Durham, North Carolina location of Weldon Mills Distillery, will be stopping by a little later to talk to us about how he's been a lifelong Doctor Who watcher, how his love of cooking informs his cocktail crafting, and why he cried while eating in the dark. But first, a word from our sponsor. Upgrade your cocktail game with Remedy Cocktail Company's handcrafted bitters. Order online at RemedyCocktailCompany.com and choose from over 20 flavors. Elevate your drink experience today. Our story begins in 1963 on the cold evening of November 23rd. The BBC, looking to fill a gap in its Saturday evening television schedule, had embarked on a bold venture of creating a science fiction show that could educate and entertain. Sidney Newman, a science fiction fan himself and head of drama at the BBC, hoped the show would teach young audiences about history and science through the adventures of a mysterious time traveler known only as the Doctor. Warris Hussain, the director of the first episode, emphasized its purpose of educating kids about the human condition. It was a blend of educational content and entertaining science fiction, and it proved to be a combination more successful than anyone could have predicted. This first episode introduced many of the components that would become staples throughout the Doctor Who series. The Doctor, which was originally played by William Hartnell, the TARDIS, a police box that is frequently described as much larger on the inside than the outside, which serves as a time and space machine, and companions, one or more individuals who go adventuring with the Doctor. Despite its modest budget, which often meant wobbly sets and less than perfect special effects, Doctor Who captured the imagination of viewers. Its use of innovative, electronic music and groundbreaking special effects set a new standard.

And then came the master stroke that ensured its longevity: 2:31

the concept of regeneration. It was introduced when William Hartnell's health necessitated a change in the lead actor. This clever narrative device allowed Patrick Troughton to step in as the second Doctor, thus beginning a legacy of reinvention that has kept the show fresh and exciting through the decades. Each actor who's played the Doctor has brought a unique flavor to the role. William Hartnell, the first Doctor, started it off with a mysterious and sometimes cantankerous demeanor. He was followed by Patrick Troughton, whose whimsical, almost chaplain-esque portrayal brought a lighter tone. John Pertwee's third Doctor brought action and a dash of sophistication, often seen battling aliens on Earth. Then came the unforgettable Tom Baker, who is often remembered as the quintessential Doctor. With his iconic scarf and quirky personality, Peter Davidson brought a youthful charm while Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy each added their own twists, bringing depth and complexity to the character. The show took a hiatus after 1989, only to be revived in 2005 with Christopher Eccleson's ninth Doctor, who brought a darker, more intense portrayal. He was followed by the charismatic David Tennant, the quirky and youthful Matt Smith, and the gravitas-filled Peter Capaldi. Most recently, Jodie Whittaker broke new ground as the first female Doctor, bringing a fresh, energetic perspective to the role. And now, as we eagerly await the arrival of the 15th Doctor, portrayed by Nkuti Gatwa, we're reminded of the show's incredible ability to evolve, reflecting the changing times while staying true to its core of wonder, adventure, and the belief that everyone, no matter how small, can make a difference. In the universe of Doctor Who, several iconic big bads have challenged the Doctor and captivated audiences with their unique blend of terror and complexity. Let's delve into these classic adversaries and the impact they've made on the series. The Daleks, perhaps the most notorious of all, made their debut in 1963 in the second-ever Doctor Who story, The Daleks. These genocidal creatures in tank-like armor are driven by a desire to conquer and exterminate all non-Dalek life. Their mechanical voices chillingly utter the catchphrase "EXTERMINATE!" Originating from the war-ravaged planet Skaro, the Daleks stories such as Genesis of the Daleks and Dalek offer a deep dive into their origin, philosophy, and relentless nature. Upgrade in progress! Another formidable adversary, the Cybermen, first appeared in 1966 in the 10th planet. These humanoid robots seek to convert all life forms into emotionless Cybermen, a process they believe leads to a superior race. Originally hailing from Earth's twin planet Mondas, their story expanded to include alternate universes and other planets like Telos.

Episodes like "Earth's Shock" and "Rise of the Cybermen: 5:58

The Age of Steel" are pivotal in understanding the Cybermen's relentless pursuit of conversion. I am the Master. The Master, a renegade time lord like the Doctor, emerged as a brilliant but diabolical tactician in 1971's Terror of the Autons. The Master's schemes involve intricate machinations fueled by a deep personal rivalry with the Doctor. Portrayed by actors such as Roger Delgado, Anthony Ainley, John Sim, and Michelle Gomez, each has brought unique charisma and menace to the role. Episodes like "The Deadly Assassin" and "Utopia" showcase the Master's cunning and complex plots. Don't blink! In 2007, the series introduced the Weeping Angels. These quantum locked creatures, appearing as stone statues when observed, move incredibly fast when unobserved. Feeding off the potential energy of their victims by sending them back in time, the Weeping Angels represent a unique form of terror. Blink is considered by many to be one of the best Doctor Who episodes ever, brilliantly showcasing the eerie nature of these adversaries. I laid my plans for the revenge of the Suntaran Empire. Lastly, the Suntarans. Introduced in 1973's The Time Warrior, they're a race of militaristic clone warriors obsessed with war and conquest. Recognizable by their short stature, large heads, and a distinct vulnerability at the back of their neck, they have been a recurring threat. Episodes like "The Centauran Stratagem", "The Poison Sky", and "The Invasion of Time" provide a window into their war-centric culture and their ongoing battle with the Rutan host. Through its long run, Doctor Who has given us some of the most creative and memorable stories in television history. The End of Time Part 2 marked the end of David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor, featuring an emotional farewell that left fans teary-eyed. The impossible astronaut brought a mix of mystery and intrigue, with the Doctor and his companions embarking on a journey that starts with a shocking assassination."Listen", a thought-provoking episode from the 12th Doctor's era, explores the primal fear of the unknown. Another standout is "Human Nature", where the Doctor takes on a human persona to hide from relentless alien hunters. The Doctor's Wife, pinned by the acclaimed Neil Gaiman, gave personality to the TARDIS, creating a unique and heartwarming narrative."The Stolen Earth" was a high-stakes crossover episode, bringing together characters from the extended Doctor Who universe to face the Daleks. And how can we forget "The Angels Take Manhattan", a beautifully crafted story that marked the bittersweet farewell to companions Amy and Rory. Each of these episodes, along with many others, have not only entertained, but also pushed the boundaries of storytelling and science fiction. Turning our gaze past the 60th anniversary celebrations that are coming, the excitement around the 15th Doctor, portrayed by Nkuti Gatwa, is palpable. Gatwa's casting marks another step in the show's journey of diversity and representation. It's a bold move that speaks to the show's commitment to reflecting the world we live in today. Fans are eagerly speculating about the direction Gatwa will take the character. Will he bring a more dramatic tone, or will he lean into the whimsical aspects of the Doctor's personality? The introduction of a new Doctor is always a time for renewal for the series. It's a chance to bring in new ideas, confront new challenges, and explore uncharted territories. Gatwa's tenure as the Doctor is not just about carrying on a legacy, it's about creating his own unique stamp on the character and taking the show into its next era. As we await his debut, we're reminded of the magic of Doctor Who. It's a show that has always embraced change, encouraging us to accept and celebrate the new and the different. The Doctor's journey is endless, and with Gatwa at the helm, we're guaranteed a ride that's full of surprises, heart, and the unquenchable spirit of adventure that's always been the show's hallmark. To conclude our celebratory journey through Doctor Who, we're left with a sense of awe at what this series has achieved and the excitement for what's to come. Doctor Who isn't just a TV show, it's a phenomenon that has touched hearts and sparked imaginations across generations. It's a reminder that in the vast, mysterious universe, there's always room for exploration, growth, and most importantly, hope. Now, don't drift away in time and space. After the break, we'll be sitting down with Cam Byerly from the Durham, North Carolina location of Weldon Mills Distillery. A little later, he'll be going head-to-head with our AI challenger in a showdown to see who made the best Big Bad-inspired cocktail. Will Cam be the winner, or will the AI's cocktail exterminate his chances? Stick around to find out. Are you a full-time professional bartender who thinks they have what it takes to defeat our AI competitor? If so, we'd love to talk to you about being on the show. Slide into our DMs on Instagram or email us at bookings@DrinkingWithRobots.com I want to take a moment and say thank you for listening so far. I'd love it if you'd connect with the podcast on social media. We're Drinking With Robots on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Threads. And we definitely appreciate your likes and follows. Make sure to hit the subscribe button on whatever platform you're listening to our podcast on so you don't miss any episodes. Also, check out DrinkingWithRobots.com while you're at it. Hey, folks. We're here today with our guest, Cam Barley. He is a bartender at the Durham location of Weldon Mills Distillery. Cam, thanks for being here. Hey, happy to be here. Thanks for having me, Rob. Absolutely. You know, we talked about in the first part of the show all about Doctor Who. We're coming up to the 60th anniversary for it. I wanted to make sure to have you on the show because in previous conversations, we discussed the fact that both of us really enjoy Doctor Who. And I thought, who better to have than you? So with that said, tell me a little bit about your exposure to Doctor Who. We were talking a little bit before we started and I think you came into it a little earlier, didn't you? Yeah, Doctor Who is honestly one of the TV shows that I've grown up with ever since I can remember. Obviously, it started in, I think, 1963. My mom, not to, you know, put anybody on blast, but she was born around that time. And so she's been watching it like her entire life. So therefore, as a as a child, you know, I was always kind of a secondhand watcher. So I've seen, you know, I can't say that I've seen every episode, but I've seen so, so many episodes of Doctor Who out of order throughout my life, which if there's one show to watch out of order, I feel like Doctor Who works. Yeah, it's amazing because I feel like you can kind of drop in and drop out, especially the classic era easily. Yeah, like that the post seven doctor, I think, is when it's like every doctor, I guess, is sequential, but they're kind of all at the same time. So it's just kind of like seven plus one, seven plus two. And so really, almost everything is happening at the same time, but not. So, yeah, it really works well for that. So, like you said, I came to it kind of much later. And it's been interesting to look at the love, the sheer just force of will of Russell T Davies in bringing back the show and being showrunner for those first few seasons and how other showrunners like Stephen Moffat and Chris Chibnall, who just finished his run and to see how they've expanded the classic idea of Doctor Who. You know, we saw a return of a lot of the big bads from the original series. We've seen some expansion as far as some of the big bads that were brought in for we'll call it the rebooted series. But I wonder what it is. I almost feel like things like Dalek, Cybermen, the Master, you know, those three. I think there's something about them that they embody as villains that is almost timeless and universal. What do you think? Well, I mean, you're definitely right about them being timeless. And, you know, part of that, I think, just comes from how campy Doctor Who is. And I don't mean that as a disrespect at all. I love a campy thing, which is why I like Doctor Who. But, you know, it's just like every every time that the Master gets defeated, it's like the Master gets defeated, but not really. But the Doctor loses his memories, you know, and so he thinks that they've been defeated. So it's one of those things where it's just like you always know that it's going to come back at some point. You don't know when it's going to be, but it just it keeps you on your toes. Right. Especially with like the Master in particular. I think the portrayal of the Master in the last series with Jodi was just absolutely awesome. But I do have to say I loved the gender swapped version of the Master as well that preceded that. I thought it was a really fun approach and she played it so maniacal and just cold, you know, it was beautiful. Yeah, definitely. I mean, it goes really well with Jodi as the Doctor. It's really interesting thinking about the Master, especially the most recent one, because of the way that similar to those Doctors that come after Doctor 7, you know, the Master is are we on Master 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13? Or is it the Master, you know, finding a new body? And in the most recent season, it doesn't really give you that hard answer, which I think plays even better into the coldness that the Master has in the most recent season. And on top of that, you know, we get so much more emotional interest into the Master with the whole timeless child. We've seen the Master so many times. And of course, there's always like a little bit of that, you know, you got to relate to the villain a bit. But the timeless child really sank my emotional hooks into the Master. So I'm going to ask this question because everyone has one favorite doctor. I mean, it's it's hard to not say David Tennant, right? I mean, he's just kind of one of the best character actors of all time from any any position. He's been in any show. I love David Tennant. But I think I think maybe even a better question would be what's your second favorite doctor? And it's maybe a little bit of a hot take, but I really liked Jody. I thought that there was a lot of like I said before, a lot more emotional investment in the season. I think that obviously it's more modern and therefore more relatable to myself. It's also, you know, a little bit of a hot take, which makes me like it even a little bit more as a little bit of a contrarian myself. I love Jody Whittaker's portrayal of the doctor. I will say two things. One, I felt that it was really unfortunate that the moment they brought a woman into the role, that whole first season was saddled with. Well, now you have to do all of these stories that are, you know, socio political. Not that I have a problem with the socio political component of it, but I feel like that was something that was never foisted upon any other actor portraying the doctor. You're definitely right about that. And it's it's it's not fair that, you know, Jody Whittaker had to, you know, do all that. It's she deserves to have fun episodes. And that's not to say that her episodes aren't fun. But I would love to see her maybe get like, you know, a David Tennant. What is it? Ten and a half type of thing, maybe just like a quick little thing in the future. Sure. You know, maybe maybe David Tennant will regather all the doctors or something like that. I'd love to see her just kind of be a little goofy, be a little fun. Yeah, I have to say I love the energy that she brought to the role the last season. I thought she did a great job because she was no longer saddled with kind of more of the socio political components. It was kind of more classic doctor action. Yeah, it was more, I think, in line with what you wanted from Doctor Who. And she definitely delivered. Now, I will say I have an even hotter take. Okay. Tennant is not my favorite. No kidding. No kidding. Really? Yep. I actually loved Capaldi. Okay. Yeah. I love this like kind of slightly grumpy old man, especially where he falls in the actors who portrayed the doctor. Right. Tennant is great. People listening, if you want to yell at me, that's fine. Tennant's great. I like Matt Smith a lot. Yeah. But you went through these two kind of almost overly emotional portrayals at times. Very melodramatic. Yeah. And Capaldi shows up and he's just like, I'm grumpy and where's the tea? I love that Capaldi never refers to himself as the doctor in the show. You know, he has that extreme guilt that the doctor has, you know, following the time war and all of that. And he's just like, I am barbarian man. I am angry. I'm angry. And it is fun to watch, especially like you said, kind of following Tennant. And we have Matt Smith, who's also super young and dramatic and sexy and all that. Do you have a favorite villain? I mean, I would say weeping angel is my favorite just because of the aesthetic around it. You know, the Gothic statues, the way that they sneak up on you. Like it's one of the most utterly terrifying things that I've ever thought about. And it's from this, you know, TV 14 show. But if we're not talking about weeping angels, I, you know, Daleks, of course, those are kind of what my mom would always say when we were going to watch Doctor Who. She'd be like, oh, the Daleks are coming. You know, we exterminate, exterminate. And so my whole life, it's just that's just kind of been a running, you know, not joke, but just a, you know, a happy kind of turn of phrase. So while the weeping angels bring me absolute terror, the Daleks do bring me joy. Well, listen, we've been talking a lot about Doctor Who, obviously, but I don't want to get too far without getting back into a little bit about you. Let's do it. Tell me a little bit about you. You are originally from North Carolina. I spent most of my life in North Carolina. I was born in Fairfax, Virginia, which is just on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. The first bit of my life there. But I think I was eight years old when I moved to North Carolina. That's close enough. We'll consider you a native. Yeah, pretty much. Other than that, you know, I've spent, let's see, probably 16 years or so in North Carolina with two of those removed where I moved to Boston. Yeah, we were talking actually before we started recording. While not contemporaneous with one another, we probably lived about a mile apart in Boston. Yeah, kind of crazy. And I think we both moved up there because we have beautiful, brilliant partners that we're with that were going up there. To, you know, achieve some kind of degree. My girlfriend was getting a master's in geochemistry. She's incredibly impressive. And mine was doing a master's as well. And they are both B.C. alum. Both B.C. alum. Yeah. So it's kind of crazy, the parallels that we have there. Yeah, I moved up to Boston. I was there for about two years. Opened up a craft cocktail bar. Opened up a craft beer bar. And I also had a lot of fun working at an Irish pub. I tell you what, people think fireball is a young person's drink. I don't think I've ever seen as many fireball shots go into somebody as I did the 75 year old men that would come in every day and watch Red Sox games. It was it was a good time. It was it was a good time for sure. I will say the only place I've ever been asked to leave was an Irish pub in Boston. Oh, yeah. You wrote it was called. Oh, I know exactly what it was. OK, I guess we don't want to dox that. Right. I still contend it wasn't my fault, but we'll leave that where it is. You know, I believe you. All right. So you kind of got your start, cut your teeth working in the Boston area. You come back to North Carolina. Yep. Been back for about a year. My girlfriend Sky finished her master's degree up and we decided to go travel throughout Southeast Asia for about a month. Oh, tell me about that. Where all did you go? It was great. So we went to two countries. We went to Thailand and Vietnam. We spent time in Bangkok, of course. How can you not? And Chiang Mai, which is the city of temples in Thailand. Some of those beautiful places that I've ever seen, you know, best food as well. And I was going to ask because I know you love cooking. You love being in the kitchen. And how amazing was it for you to kind of be able to be a culinary tourist as well there? Everywhere that I go, wherever I'm a tourist, I am a culinary tourist. And my girlfriend is so wonderful for pleasing me with that. She's more of a food for fuel person and I am a food for pleasure type of person. But we definitely, you know, we did some cooking classes up there, which was a great time. We went and visited Jay Fai, who is the only street hawker to ever receive a Michelin star. Oh, wow. That's amazing. It really was. On top of that, we also we went to this restaurant experience. It was called Noir Dining in the Dark, where every front of house employee in this restaurant is blind. And most of the employees in the back of the house slash the rest of the supporting staff have some kind of, you know, maybe maybe it's deafness or being mute or something like that. And so we eat this 14 course meal completely in pitch darkness. Our waiter, who, like I said, was blind, is, you know, basically showing us where everything is, you know, guiding our hands to our plates and we don't know what it is. So every bite, you know, we feel it, we smell it, we try to taste it, try to figure out what it is. And I I'll be honest, I cried on, I think, course 10. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. I've heard of these kind of things. I've never done this. And I'm not going to lie. I'm always skeptical about everything. And I kind of thought, oh, this is probably cheesy and hokey or whatever. But I mean, hearing you talk about it, it sounds like it has to be intense. It really was intense. It really was intense. You know, you go into like the main kind of lobby. So it starts off, they put a blindfold on you and you do a little puzzle game and drink a cocktail, try to get yourself kind of acquainted with the dark. But then you actually take the blindfold off and the room that you're in is completely pitch black. I can't say that every experience all around the world will be the same. But I can tell you the one in Hanoi, Vietnam was white, quite exquisite. That's awesome. Talking about the fact that you enjoy being a food tourist, you have a passion for cooking yourself. I do. I do. Do you think that your love of crafting flavors and cocktails is informed by your cooking or was it the reverse? You know, I think it probably is informed by the cooking. There was a time in my life where I thought that being a chef was, you know, kind of the end all be all for me because I because I like I said, I do love to cook and I went to culinary school. At the time I was, you know, I was working in the morning at a restaurant and I was going to culinary school at night to start up my relationship with Sky. I was getting burned out. I ended up pretty much stopping cooking for pleasure, which is a pretty difficult thing for me to experience because I get so much joy out of cooking and making food for others and they like it. So I kind of took a step back. But a lot of those skills that I have with flavor pairing and, you know, the culinary education and whatnot caters really well to cocktail building. And I think specifically it might actually be my sense of smell. My sense of smell really developed when I was when I was in school and I can almost create a cocktail without tasting it just based off of all the smells of everything. I think I do think gives me a little bit of a leg up on my competition as it were. One of the questions I love to ask, especially given the context of the podcast, have you used AI at all in cocktail creation or in any of the capacity of like being behind the bar? You know, I actually haven't. I've never used it in my professional life. I have been to bars that have used, you know, ChatGPT to like name some drinks. But no, I've never used it personally for that regard. I am very nerdy. Love playing games. Big Dungeons and Dragons guy here. So there was one day where our whole group went around and plugged in our character description into ChatGPT and it came out with a fun photo for all of us. Oh, nice. That's that's really the extent of my personal use with AI. OK. All right. Yeah. So I can be assured that you didn't run your submission for this episode. I assure you. I assure you. I did not. You know, you made mention of being a fan of like fantasy games and things like that. Dragons and Dragons specifically. Oh, yeah. Does that go back to that idea of being able to kind of have kind of free form and and anything's possible? And does that kind of inform some of your at least thought process on cocktail creation being able to kind of think of what else you can do besides the norm? Yeah. Yeah, I would say I would say so. Definitely. I often think about it like kind of creating a potion and I've mentioned, you know, I think about food a lot when I'm making cocktails. But a lot of the time I also just kind of think of kind of like what you do for this podcast. I kind of give myself a prompt and try to come up with something that fits into that. So like recently I made a cocktail that was based off of the dragon Elizabeth from Shrek Donkeys wife. Oh, yeah. And hence it's called Elizabeth the dragon. But I was like, you know, it needs to have that kick in it that a fiery breath of the dragon would have. But also the soft side of Elizabeth. We all know she's a wonderful, caring wife and mother to donkey and their donkey dragon hybrid babies. But, you know, so, yeah, it kind of comes into that. I ended up with something that looked like the dragon, you know, had that purple, pink, green hue and then tasted like it had some heat. But also tasted sweet. You know, at the end of the day, put a little bit of maple syrup in there just for donkey. You know, he loves making waffles. So speaking of prompts, you know, we talked about the prompt right before the break, but I'm going to repeat it here and we'll get into talking about the cocktails. So the prompt for this episode goes like this. Dr. Who has journeyed through various points in time and space facing a plethora of formidable foes along the way. Your challenge is to select your favorite big bad from the series and concoct a drink that encapsulates their essence. Whether you draw inspiration from their appearance, notorious deeds or the lore surrounding them. Let the spirit of the villain guide your mixology magic. Yeah. So the cocktail that I have made for you today, Rob, is called the Don't Blink. Of course, as I mentioned, the Weeping Angels are kind of the number one image that stands out in my mind. They're not the biggest of bads, but I, you know, they are sinister. Oh, absolutely. So the cocktail that I've made for you today, kind of a culmination of a few different things that I enjoy drinking. You know, it's kind of a Manhattan meets a Sazerac meets a smoky Mezcal type of drink. So we're going to start off with our beautiful rocks glass. We want to put as much design on the side of that as possible to just kind of incorporate that Gothic, you know, art that the Weeping Angels statues have. And we're going to mist that or rinse it if you don't have a mister with just a little bit of absinthe. I used lucid absinthe just because I really like the flavor of it. It's got a nice high ABV and a nice sweetness. But I like to do that first and then let that sit there for a minute while I mix the rest of the cocktail. And then in the rest of the cocktail, we're going to start off with an ounce and a half of Weldon Mills, of course, reserve bourbon. That's our cask strength bourbon. It has a really caramelly, deep, rich flavor to it. One and a half of that. One ounce of Vita del Mague Mezcal to add some smokiness. Obviously, those statues are made out of stone. But the kind of grayness and the dustiness that those stones have really brings my mind into smoke. Especially the way that they, you know, kind of almost appear to vanish and reappear on you whenever you blink or look away. So we're starting with that. That's a good strong start to our cocktail. Beyond that, we're going to add a couple of Amaros. My personal favorite Amaro, which I put in as many drinks as possible, is Amaro Montenegro. It has a nice sweet cinnamon-y cherry kind of lusciousness to it. And then we're just using a half an ounce of that with a quarter ounce of Amaro Averna. This is a Sicilian Amaro. It has a little bit more heat, a little bit more bite to it. Almost kind of somewhere in between bitters and an Amaro with like the strength of flavor there. And then just a couple more ingredients on top of that. We have a half an ounce of a Earl Grey vanilla bean simple syrup that I made. And a little bit of orange bitters. So we're going to mix all of those liquor components and a little bit of simple syrup into your big mixing glass. Stir it around. Make sure you spin that ice. You know, you don't want to have any ice chips in your final product. We're going to pour that cocktail back onto a big rock in our absinthe washed glass and smoke it. This will end up with a very, you know, a little bit of licorice, a little bit of smoke, a little bit of sweetness. A very well-balanced cocktail that in my mind, you know, the reason that I kind of went with this is obviously we have the Earl Grey for British. Obviously, we have the smoke and the Mezcal for the smokiness and then absinthe, you know, kind of a I was kind of making myself laugh with it. You know, they're made of stone. Absinthe would use to kind of get you stoned a little bit. Right. But then finally, at the end of the day, it just sneaks up on you. It's such a delicious cocktail. It has a decent bit of sweetness, but not overwhelming so that you can really drink them as if they're not 95 percent liquor drinks. So you blink and then you're gone. Love it. Love it. Oh, and of course, the Luxardo cherry for garnish. Oh, of course. Luxardo cherry. How could I forget that? A little sour treat at the end of your cocktail or really wherever you want to have it. You could have in the middle. I won't blame you. Well, like you said, it was it was rather delicious. And we'll get into the scoring of it after we talk about your competition. OK, I'm excited to hear. All right. So the AI came up with the following. So the AI decided to select the Daleks. Naturally. And they created what they call the Skaro Degeneration. OK, I like the name. All right. Two ounces of smoked Isla Scotch. They suggested maybe Laphroaig. I didn't have Laphroaig on hand. I went with Lagavulin. They said to bring the peaty smoky essence of Skaro's bleak landscape. OK. Half an ounce of absinthe to introduce an element of the Daleks otherworldliness and their hallucinogenic hatred. Oh, OK. A half an ounce of pomegranate syrup, which they said is a nod to the bloodshed caused by the Daleks with its deep red hue. Three quarters of an ounce of fresh lemon juice for brightness and to cut through the heavier flavors. A quarter ounce of simple syrup to balance the tartness and a rinse of Mezcal to infuse the glass with an extra layer of smoke embodying the Daleks destructive fire. And then a dash of saline solution to mimic the metallic nature of the Daleks. Begin by rinsing the glass with Mezcal. Then in a separate glass, you combine the scotch, absinthe pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, simple syrup and saline solution with ice. Stir. I love how they say this. Stir the concoction into well chilled to represent the Daleks calculated coldness. It's 60 spins. Oh, yeah. It then has you do a smoking on to the rocks glass and then strain the cocktail into the smoked glass and present. How much absinthe was in that? Oh, let's see. That was a half an ounce. That's a lot of absinthe. That is a lot of absinthe. That's an interesting cocktail. I think me and the AI were thinking pretty similarly there. You know, it is. I am always amazed. And I've commented on this in a few episodes where what the human bartender brings and what the AI brings are weirdly similar sometimes. It is. And, you know, I give the prompt to ChatGPT in this case. At the time, I create the prompt. Right. So, I have no idea what the bartender is going to bring. And I'm always kind of amazed when it is so similar. We had an episode early on about driving movie theaters and the specs on these cocktails were, I mean, eerily similar. You know, now that you bring that up, I do remember listening to that and seeing the posting of those ingredients and being like, what? Yeah. Yeah. So, like I said, it's super weird how close it can be. As you know, we have a rubric. Of course. That's established. And we have three kind of big buckets of points. Just to recap for anybody who's new here. A potential 50 points for taste because ultimately, you know, that's what we care about. These are the things we're going to consume. They're cocktails. Definitely. We have a potential 30 points for presentation because although we're drinking them, you know, we like to see a nice looking cocktail. And then we have a potential 20 points for originality. Okay. So, since you went first. Oh. Moment of truth. Yep. There we go. All right. Taste for your cocktail, 43 points. That's a pretty, out of 50? That's respectable. I appreciate the compliment. That is very respectable. For presentation, 23 points. Okay. Yep. Okay. Presentable. Very nice. Originality. Out of a potential 20 points, 18. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. So, not bad there. Wow. You guys are so kind to me. Thank you. Now for your competition. Oh, boy. Here's where it gets tough. For taste. Out of 50 points, 45. For presentation, 20. Originality, 17. So, that puts you at 84. The AI at 82. Congratulations, Cam. Oh, boy. I've done it. I've beat the machine. Thank you. Thank you to all my sponsors and avid listeners out there. I am the people's champion. Well, like you say, congratulations. It's funny because I think when we started this podcast, you know, talking with folks, they were like, oh, well, there's no way the AI is ever going to win. You know, it's always going to be the human. And we've seen bear out that the AI is no slouch. So, congratulations. No, I've made a couple of those AI cocktails that you've posted about in the past. And, you know, I got to say, it kind of knows what's up. Yeah. I mean, my line is always that it's never something you're going to drop directly on a menu. It may be something you can totally have fun with at home. But you're probably going to want to tweak it a little here and there. A couple little notes. I always love reading the judge's notes. So, for your cocktail, well-balanced and wholly enjoyable. While the presentation isn't unique, the flavor is complex and unique due to the variety of spirits and Amari used. Would drink a second. Love that. Yep. And for the AI, complex and enjoyable. Slightly tart, but balanced well with the smoke and absinthe flavors present. It lacks a garnish. The judge is big on garnishes, but it did present well. If I may. Yes. To maybe assist the AI in victory next time. Mm-hmm. I think that the cocktail that it's designed would suit well with a little bit of time in there. Oh. I'm a granite, lemon, scotch, and thyme, I think is a wonderful combination. It's also a great garnish because, you know, you don't see time on that many things. Maybe, you know, if the AI had thought about that, it could have beaten me. Well, there we have it. Cam Barely working with our robot overlords. Mm-hmm. All right. You've listened to a few episodes. You know what's up. It's time to play everybody's favorite segment. Don't get me started. The rules are simple. I'm going to give you a topic. You've got 30 seconds to completely rant against it. Okay. All right. Just as I always do, my little bit of PSA here. The views expressed by Cam are not the views of drinking with robots. They're not the views of his employers. Hell, they may not even be Cam's views. Who knows? All right. Cam, don't get me started on gin. All right. Don't get me started on gin. Rob, you gave me a tough one because you know I love gin. But, you know, gin, it's a drink for old people. It's a drink for gingers. It's a drink for psychopaths. None of us enjoy drinking it. We drink it warm. We drink shots that cost $5 because we hate ourselves. But at the same time, we love ourselves. All right. All right. All right. I won't make you do any more than that. And it is true. He does love gin. It's everything to me. It's kind of scary. Well, listen, I want to say thank you so much for taking time to come by and hang out with us and do the show. If folks want to keep up with you online, where can they find you on social media? All right. You can find me on Instagram at Cam underscore Byerly. That's B-Y-R-L-E-Y. Or if you want to see more of the professional side of what I do at Weldon Mills Distillery Durham. I work at the Durham location. Brianna Neville, who was on a former episode, is my counterpart in Weldon. Follow us both. We would love to have it. All right. And as always, you can find us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, threads, whatever it is this week at Drinking With Robots. As always, drink well, be well. Thanks for listening. for listening. Cheers.