"I believe every cocktail crafted has its own unique story waiting to be told."
My biggest challenge behind the bar is to constantly challenge myself to increase my knowledge of craft cocktails and the origin of individual spirits and additives.
I have been bartending in mid to high-volume formats in New York, NY since 2019 and in my home state of Arkansas since 2015. I designed this page to share some of my bar specs, recipes, and highlight great bartending experiences.
I am an enthusiastic, experienced service industry professional bringing dedication, professionalism, and an exceptional work ethic. I have passion and an accomplished knowledge of craft beer, hand-crafted cocktails, and exceptional wine.
For most of my recent experiences, Iʼve had a centered focus on beverage programs with a large spirit library, fresh syrups and ingriedients, Americana style cocktails, as well as Japanese cuisine, culture, sake, and shochu. I have assisted with multiple successful restaurant openings; including the preparation and implementation of all FOH/bar procedures. My management experience includes bar supervision, labor/schedule management, training orientations, vendor relations, inventory oversight, and proficiency with POS systems.
I have contributed and consulted to specialty cocktail menus and brands across New York City, Central Arkansas, and more. In 2021, I participated in the Fernet Branca sponsored ‘Bushwick Babes’ 2021 calendar for the month of December. In March of 2021, I won People’s Choice at The Glenlivet Mixologist Competition which the details of which are below.
I also freelance my services of design, social media marketing, print marketing, and event planning for bar/restaurant events, restaurant menus, and more.
Resume available by request only.
People’s Choice Winner
THE GLENLIVET MIXOLOGIST COMPETITION
March 2020, Brooklyn, New York / Sweet Science / Featherweight
Cocktail brief: Woman themed, must use The Glenlivet 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Cognac Cask Selection
In collaboration with Chasity Cox, we made a signature cognac sour with texture and flavor. Crafted for the crowd to be “wowed.” I thought we should use Chasity as inspiration for the cocktail brief so we used her middle name for the name of the cocktail, Destiny, not only to highlight her experience as a woman but as a Navy veteran. We collaborated on specs together and even chose to use aquafaba juice instead of egg white because of her diet.
SPECS: The Destiny
2 oz Glenlivet 14 Cognac Cask
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
.75 oz simple syrup
1 oz Aquafaba (chickpea juice)
3 dashes Reagan’s orange bitters, mixed
Check it out.
UNIQUE BAR RECIPES & FUN HIGHLIGHTS
A collection of my favorite highlights from bars and some of my own bar specs from shrubs/syrups and individual cocktail recipes.
CORPSE REVIVER NO. 2
One of my favorite classic cocktails to make for someone looking for a boozy brunch. There are many ways to spec this tradition, mine is below. Pictured above at South on Main.
COCKTAIL SPECS
1 oz. London dry gin
1/2 oz. Lillet blanc or Cocchi Americano Bianco
1/2 oz. Mandarin Napoleon
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
absinthe spritz
shake, double strain into a coupe glass, garnish with brandied cherries or citrus twist
¡LA ATENCIÓN!
The challenge to make a spiced cold brew cocktail for a brunch menu (to appease the Chef’s wife), has turned into a cocktail hit that I have re-invented several times over the years.
A renewed spec was recently featured in NYC Autumn 2020 Tippler Passport for Echo Bravo 2020 using vodka, house-made habanero syrup, and PBR hard coffee.
COCKTAIL SPECS
1.5 oz Whole-grain vodka (Tito’s, Rocktown, Misguided Spirits)
2.5 - 3oz Spiced Cold Brew with Chile Peppers, Maple, Almond, & Vanilla
3/4 oz Rocktown Bourbon Cream or Beaverhill Bourbon Cream
shake & strain; served up in a coupe or neat in a rocks glass, topped with ground cinnamon
NYC TIPPLER STYLE
Version 2.0: 2 oz. whiskey, 1 oz. habanero agave, top with iced coffee, garnish with a splash of heavy whipping cream. Top with whipped cream!
WATERFALL MEZCAL NEGRONI
A more assertive negroni is always tasty. I designed this recipe to perfect a friend’s classic bar order that I happen to enjoy often as well. Pictured above at Runaway BK.
COCKTAIL SPECS
1.5 oz. Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
(50/50 blend: Carpano Antica, Cocchi Torino)
3/4 oz Cappelletti Aperitivo Americano Rosso
2 dashes Angustora bitters
stir, strain over rocks, garnish with an orange twist
SPICED CHAI SYRUP
Created with autumn cocktails in mind.
Chai, star anise, & cinnamon (sage optional)
INGREDIENTS
8 spiced chai tea bags
32 oz water
10 cinnamon sticks
2 cups white or raw sugar
3 oz cloves
4 oz star anise
combine ingredients and simmer for
20-30 minutes, yields 30 ounces
ADVENTURE TIME
Rhubarb Amaro x Oleo Saccharum
This cocktail recipe was born as an experiment with a house-made orange-citrus cardamom Oleo Saccharum and a rhubarb amaro. I was excited to play around with new ingredients, at South on Main in Little Rock, from one of my bar mentors and friend, Courtney Stowers
COCKTAIL SPECS
1 oz. El Dorado 12 YR Rum
.75 oz. Orange-Citrus Cardamom Oleo Saccharum
.5 oz. Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro
.25 - .5 oz. Lemon Juice
.25 oz. Dom Benedictine
shake, double strain into a coupe glass
NORMAN’S COURT 1.0
This cocktail is served in a Collins glass and named after the two rums featured in it. Sailor Jerry's real name was Norman Collins. Smooth acid notes are produced by combining the spiced syrup and citrus while amplifying all of the rum notes. Featured on the Fall/Winter 2018 cocktail menu at The Pantry Restaurant in Little Rock with El Dorado 12.
COCKTAIL SPECS
1.25 oz. Sailor Jerry
.75 oz.. El Dorado 12 yr
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. spiced chai simple syrup
shake, strain into a collins glass & garnish with a lime wheel, star anise
BEST BLOODY MARY
The most solid bloody mix recipe
SINGLE SERVING
1.5 oz. vodka
4-6 oz. bloody mix
shake or stir without dilution, strain into a pint or collins glass garnished with a half rim of spicy salt, pickled okra, citrus, and a fresh jalapeno slice.
BATCH RECIPE
138 oz. of fresh or 3 cans of 46oz. tomato juice
1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup lime juice
2 tbsp olive juice
1 tbsp worchestire, 1 tbsp horseradish
2 tbsp sriracha or hot sauce, 2 tbsp red pepper
3 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder
STEP 1: combine wet ingredients
STEP 2: sprinkle and whisk in dry ingredients.
STEP 3: 2-minute whisk stir.
YIELD: 138 ounces
SOLSTICE HORCHATA
I enjoy horchata year round but I crafted this recipe while listening to Vampire Weekend’s ‘Horchata.’ This cocktail can also be made using vodka but using a nice rum adds a perfect balance of sweetness without adding simple.
COCKTAIL SPECS
3-4 oz. Horchata
1.5 oz. El Dorado 12 Yr Rum
.75 oz. Rocktown Bourbon Cream Liqueur
or RumChata Cream Liqueur
shake, strain over rocks
ground cinnamon or cinnamon stick garnish
PUMPKIN-GINGER & CITRUS SHRUB
I created this original shrub for my Local Libations cocktail event for a complex pumpkin-spiced cocktail.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups of pumpkin/sweet potato puree
(2 small pumpkins, 2-3 sweet potatoes)
3-4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup ginger root
4 cups apple cider vinegar
2-3 apples
dashes of ground ginger and cinnamon
STEP 1:
blend pumpkin & sweet potatoes into a puree.
STEP 2:
simmer brown sugar, ginger, puree, and vinegar on medium heat for 20 minutes
STEP 3:
add apples, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger, and store cool for 24-48 hours
STEP 4:
serve chilled, double strain for cocktails
YIELD: 32 ounces