They’ve Got Spirit
by Cézanne Colvin
Craig Cressman
The Mint Bartender
#alwayslearning
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING? 15 years.
BEST THING THAT’S HAPPENED TO YOU BEHIND THE BAR: Every now and again, someone will come in and then unexpectedly tip $100 on a drink.
WHAT “UNCOOL” DRINK DO YOU LOVE? A Malibu Cranberry or a Miller Lite on the weekend—if I’m cutting the grass, I can’t drink 9 percent ABV beer.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING ON A FRIDAY NIGHT IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO WORK? Camping or hiking with my wife.
WHAT’S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I have a bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation and Human Services.
WHAT’S YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS WHEN YOU COME UP WITH A NEW DRINK? I start with a spirit or flavor profile in mind, usually based on which season it is, and then build around that.
I LOVE IT WHEN GUESTS … make eye contact and say hi.
BUT PLEASE DON’T … ask me to “make it strong.”
YOU’RE NOT A REAL BARTENDER UNTIL YOU …break a glass in the ice bin in the middle of a dinner rush. (Yes, that happened once.)
Recipe: Blood & Tears
Ingredients
- 1 oz. gin
- 1 oz. Blood Orange liqueur
- 1/2 oz. Aperol
- 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Build in a glass, stir with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
As seen in the Winter/Spring 2018 Issue
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