Roman Sydorenko

I’m writing a book. It’s called BEYOND WINE: The Gourmand’s Guide to No & Low ABV Specialty Beverages. In fine dining, the wine list still reigns. But quietly, across the world, a new category is emerging. A new generation of beverages is being created for wine occasions, yet not defined or limited by wine. These drinks carry structure, nuance, origin, and intent. From single-origin teas and botanical ferments to verjus-based blends and koji fermentations, they are quietly reshaping the future of pairings. Over the past two years, I’ve tasted more than 250 bottles. I’ve spoken with producers, chefs, and sommeliers, and have begun documenting a movement that is unfolding across the globe, from Brooklyn to Copenhagen, Paris to Tokyo. This book is my attempt to chart that shift and help give this emerging category the language, depth, and cultural standing it deserves. What the book will include: – Profiles of 20+ pioneering producers and their stories, including names like MURI, Proxies, Unified Ferments, Ama Brewery, Villbrygg — each expanding the possibilities of what belongs in the glass. – A bottle atlas featuring 100+ standout bottles, with details on ingredients, processes, intent, tasting notes, structure, and food pairings. – A technical primer on core processes and ingredients. – Case studies from restaurants delivering exceptional non-alcoholic beverage programs. Why “Specialty Beverages”? When I began this research, “wine alternative” felt like a fair description. It no longer does. I now advocate for the term "Specialty Beverages". Specialty Beverages are defined by a distinct set of qualities: – Ingredient Integrity: single-origin, seasonal, or otherwise traceable ingredients with no synthetic additives. – Sensory Character: layered, memorable flavors created through thoughtful formulation and precise technique. – Craftsmanship: small-batch production rooted in experimentation and attention to detail. – Transparency: clear sourcing, open production methods, and honest labeling – Sustainability: ecological responsibility, ethical labor, and low-impact practices. – Rarity: limited-run expressions with a strong sense of place or intent. This book is for chefs, sommeliers, and gourmands who care as much about what’s in the glass as what’s on the plate. It’s for those who’ve noticed that while menus have evolved, beverage lists often lag behind. And it’s for people like me — who once believed wine was essential to the dining experience, until discovering that complexity, craft, and joy can exist without alcohol. It’s for those who believe the next chapter of fine drinking won’t be written by wine alone. The book is a work in progress. I’m currently speaking with producers, sommeliers, and restaurateurs who are shaping this space. If you’re creating something exceptional, I’d love to hear from you.

We now have 21 participants enrolled in trials worldwide. Check out how our Neuralnauts are driving BCI technology forward. neuralink.com/updates/two-ye…

Just started Tesla Robotaxi drives in Austin with no safety monitor in the car. Congrats to the @Tesla_AI team! If you’re interested in solving real-world AI, which is likely to lead to AGI imo, join Tesla AI. Solving real-world AI for Optimus will be 100X harder than cars.

I spent a lot of time studying Alexander Pushkin, the famous Russian poet, back in high school. A few days ago I came across a short piece I’d somehow never read. He wrote it in 1836, a year before he died in a duel. It felt like reading my own thoughts, written two centuries ago. So I took the liberty of translating it, for your enjoyment or maybe your discomfort. I do not value loud and lofty rights That make the heads of fools spin with delight. I do not grumble that the gods denied The sweet reward of fighting over taxes, Or stepping in as kings march off to war. I do not care if printing runs unchecked, If fools are duped by what they don’t detect, Or watchdogs mute the wit they should despise. You see… it’s all no more than words, words, words. I prize another kind of rights — far more. I need a better kind of freedom. To depend on king or crowd? Who cares? Not I. To rule myself, beholden to none. Not bend my mind, my conscience, or my knee To crown, or mob, or power in disguise. To wander freely, guided by desire, In awe of nature’s elemental fire. And tremble still before what art ignites, That burst of joy in beauty’s purest rites. Those are the rights I claim.

@OpenAI claims its mission is to ensure AI benefits “all of humanity.” It’s time to walk the talk: take the company public. Let ordinary people, not just the VC and PE gatekeepers, own a slice of the future

@DavidSacks So cool to see cans of Ito En, my favorite Japanese green tea for drinking on the go!

Marc Andreessen on the AI race: 20 years from now, the world is going to be running on either Chinese AI or American AI. AI will be the control layer to everything, and it will teach your kids.

Still or sparkling? No, you won’t impress me with Acqua Panna, San Pellegrino, or, god forbid, disgraced Perrier. If I’m in Germany, I want to drink German water. Give me Gerolsteiner or Rosbacher or Flens. In Spain? At the very least, Vichy Catalan or Sant Aniol should be on the table. Even if you’re running an Italian restaurant, offering just those default waters signals one thing: laziness. And that’s a shame, because Italy happens to be home to some of the most elegant and distinctive waters out there, think Ferrarelle, Smeraldina or Galvanina. And if your restaurant claims to care about local produce, seasonality, sustainability, yet you default to the same industrial water brands as everyone else, it rings hollow. You undermine your own values before the first course even lands. These brands have become the fast food of bottled water: mass-produced, over-branded, and shoved down our throats under the illusion of “premium.” But there’s nothing premium about being the default. And it’s a missed opportunity. Water is the foundation of a meal, the quiet partner to everything that follows. And yet it’s treated like something to pour and ignore. The result? A homogenized, uninspired experience. It’s time to do better. Because if you claim to care about provenance, craftsmanship, and terroir, from farm-to-table carrots to low-intervention wines, then no, Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino won’t cut it anymore. It’s about curiosity. About taste. About respecting the incredible diversity of the world’s waters instead of outsourcing that responsibility to the same tired corporate duopoly. What’s your favorite mineral water?

@AnadaLakra @boldvoiceapp Two daily sets, perfect balance for me, not too easy, not too hard.

@romasydo @boldvoiceapp That's a serious streak! 👏🏻

Today was my 48th day of daily practice with @boldvoiceapp and this app is awesome. English is my second language and pronunciation was and still is my core insecurity. What stands out is how they integrated AI in giving me feedback down to every vowel and consonant, and being able to compare my recordings to the coach’s voice is incredibly useful. They also put real humans, accent coaches, in front of you for micro lessons and all key interactions and this is so good! Listening daily to Ron and Elisa is a treat. Great job @AnadaLakra If you're ever raising, I'd love to hear about it.

I always ask for the prompt first, then tweak and test it multiple times. And I run multiple structured projects inside ChatGPT. Health lives in its own context, its own chats, and its own medical documents. Over time the results evolve. Precision grows. Less generic. More about me.

I use ChatGPT. My friend uses ChatGPT. Donald, who we hate, also uses ChatGPT. So no, using AI doesn’t make you special. A $200/month subscription won’t help. AI’s default mode? Averageness.

Compare these two: A. Analyze my leg MRI. B. Analyze this MRI report of the leg for a 46-year-old male who has no current symptoms or complaints. Assess the anatomical structures and note any abnormalities, age-related changes, or subclinical findings, even if they are not causing pain or discomfort. Then, provide:  1. Clear explanation of any findings – including clinical relevance and whether they might become symptomatic later.  2. Lifestyle recommendations – including specific exercises, movement patterns, footwear changes, or recovery protocols to optimize leg health and prevent future issues.   – Include pros and cons of each lifestyle change.   – Prioritize evidence-backed suggestions.  3. Potential medical interventions (if any) – from physical therapy to monitoring to possible imaging follow-up or specialist referral.   – Include benefits, downsides, and when (if ever) they’d be appropriate.   – Flag anything requiring watchful waiting or routine monitoring.  4. An overall recommendation summary – should the patient just ignore this, monitor it, or take action? Aim for clear, no-nonsense advice.

I ditched the default mode. It’s not about “learning AI.” It’s about prompt engineering. And the great way to do that? Ask the AI to write the first draft

@rrhoover @DrinkProxies Cool, I love their sparkling rosé and red in a can. Turned to Brez for a bit of a buzz.

@romasydo @DrinkProxies I drink Surely (also an investor). But sometimes I want to get tipsy.

I know drinking is uncool and all but if you do, take Zbiotics. It crushes hangovers for me. (time to reorder)

AI query pipeline: - User submits query - Preprocessor #1 removes misinformation - Preprocessor #2 removes hate speech - Preprocessor #3 removes climate denial - Preprocessor #4 removes non-far-left political leaning - Preprocessor #5 removes non-expert statements - Preprocessor #6 removes anything that might make anyone uncomfortable - Preprocessor #7 removes anything not endorsed by the New York Times - Preprocessor #8 adds many references to race, gender, and sexuality - Query is processed, answer generated - Postprocessor #1 removes bad words - Postprocessor #2 removes bad thoughts - Postprocessor #3 removes non-far-left political leaning - Postprocessor #4 removes anything not endorsed by the New York Times - Postprocessor #5 removes anything interesting - Postprocessor #6 adds weasel words - Postprocessor #7 adds moral preaching - Postprocessor #8 adds many references to race, gender, and sexuality - Answer presented to user With the assistance of inter-industry coordination, global governance, and pan-jurisdiction regulation, this pipeline is now standard for all AI.

Neuralink was kind enough to open their doors for me to tour their headquarters a few weeks back. It was an amazing experience and a day I'll never forget. This was at a company wide meeting at the end of the day. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. Hope y'all enjoy! I'm hoping to tell my story in full some day.

Seriously, being alive right now is just awesome.