JACK MAXWELL IS BACK IN SEARCH OF THE WORLD’S MOST INTERESTING DRINKS

TRAVEL CHANNEL’S ‘BOOZE TRAVELER’ SERVES UP ANOTHER ROUND OF COCKTAILS AND CULTURE, SEASON TWO PREMIERES MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 AT 10:00 P.M. ET/PT

Host Jack Maxwell Kicks Off New Season with Eye-Opening Journey Through Greece, Discovering its Age-old Traditions, Resilient People and Distinct Spirits

CHEVY CHASE, MD (August 27, 2015) – Jack is back! Travel Channel’s global nomad, Jack Maxwell, is back for another round of searching for the world’s most interesting beverages and the people who drink them in the second season of “Booze Traveler,” premiering on Monday, September 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. In 16 all-new, hour-long episodes, Maxwell embarks on a journey crisscrossing the map to taste homemade liquors, fresh brewed beer and handcrafted cocktails in diverse locations including Argentina, Finland, Guatemala, Hawaii, Hungary, India, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sicily, Tanzania and Texas.

“It’s fascinating how a simple drink can bring people together,” says Maxwell. “It gives us a chance to learn from one another, to listen to each other’s stories and open our eyes to the world around us. We discover that we have much more in common than we thought – culturally and socially.”

In the season premiere of “Booze Traveler,” Maxwell steps back into ancient history as he explores Greece, a nation that’s using its traditions to help navigate itself through an uncertain time. He begins in the remote mountain town of Asi Gonia on the island of Crete, where nearly 30,000 sheep are herded to be blessed during the Festival of Saint George. While there, Maxwell samples homemade tsipouro, a traditional refreshment of distilled pomace liquor flavored by anise, and retsina, a local white wine flavored with pine sap dating back 2000 years ago. Next stop, the coastal town of Malia, where he crashes an ouzo-fueled bachelor party and partakes in the traditional custom of smashing plates, drinks rakomelo (raki and honey) with the bride and her parents and witnesses the most intimate part of the wedding preparation – krevati, a bed-making ceremony to bring good luck and fertility to the new couple.

In the capital city of Athens, Maxwell visits a restaurant that revives ancient food, drink and tradition from 5th century BC – complete with Ancient Greek clothes, feet washing and a symposium. He enjoys enormelo (traditional honey wine and a close cousin of mead) and is given the honor of raising the ceremonial ram head mug and leading a toast. The following day, Maxwell becomes one of the first Americans to try yamas, a new drink made by three innovative Athenians that combines carbonation and the three classic Greek liquors – ouzo, tsipouro and mastika. He learns how these Greeks are trying to innovate the old traditions in order to keep moving forward amidst the economic crisis affecting the country. Maxwell’s Greek exploration isn’t complete without a visit to the crescent-shaped island of Chios where he discovers its local mastic trees, the producer of the pure mastic gum and mastika liqueur, and learns a new toast – “Pieto na misi piet,” which means, “Drink it before it drinks you!”