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In this issue, we’re excited to take you to San Francisco to meet Josh Harris and the incredibly talented team behind Trick Dog, last year’s “Best U.S. Cocktail Bar” Spirited Awards winner at Tales of the Cocktail. Our cover story (Page 8) offers a look at the history of this famed bar, known especially for its creative cocktail menus. Their story is a reminder that success doesn’t happen by accident, it comes from passion, hard work, and a stellar team.
We’re also proud to spotlight on Page 12 Pendleton Whisky, a brand that has earned a devoted following in the Pacific Northwest and is now bringing its distinctive spirit to whiskey lovers nationwide. And we celebrate a true icon of our industry, Julie Reiner, as the newest inductee into the BARTENDER “Hall of Fame”®. Through her groundbreaking work behind the bar and her mentorship of countless hospitality
Ryan Foley Publisher
professionals, Julie has helped shape modern cocktail culture and opened doors for generations of bartenders to follow. Flip to Page 10 to read all about her, and the legacy she’s created.
Also in this Summer issue, we take a closer look at the Rémy Martin Bartender Talent Academy (Page 14), an initiative dedicated to investing in the future of our profession by providing a platform for emerging talent to grow and thrive.
At its heart, this magazine is about celebrating the people who elevate our industry every day, the innovators, educators, mentors, and hospitality professionals whose dedication, creativity, and passion are the lifeblood of what we all do.
As always, thank you for reading, for supporting BARTENDER® Magazine, and most importantly, for everything you do to keep the spirit of hospitality alive.
Cheers
To be included in the next issue of BARTENDER ® , send your creative cocktail to info@bartender.com
BY LEANDRO PARI DI MONRIVA
As the weather gets warmer, I almost always start dreaming about blender drinks. Although generally looked down upon by polite cocktail society, blender drinks offer a promise of a beach and a vacation somewhere tropical. That’s why so many people flocked to the tiki bars of the 1940’s and 50’s. Somewhere along the way though, this category of drink became the go to for any bar offering a lazy bar program. The drinks looked good but were mostly too sweet, unbalanced and ultimately dissatisfying. Luckily for us, we’re living in one of the most creative times for cocktails. A time when many culinary techniques have made their way into mainstream bars to give us next level, mind blowing experiences. And blender drinks are no exception. This month I’ve been playing with the Piña Colada template to try and reimagine it as a dessert. But not something cloying and sweet, something balanced and satisfying and ultimately an ideal I’ve been chasing for many years.
200g Fresh pineapple cubed
200g House Made Coconut Cream
➜ Blend smooth and freeze in silicone ice cube mold.
COCONUT CREAM RECIPE:
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
375g Sugar
one Large pinch sea salt
➜ Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and lightly heat until sugar dissolves. Lasts 2 weeks.
FOR COCKTAIL:
300g Piña Colada Sorbet
2 oz. (60ml) Rum Of Choice
Fat ½ oz. (20ml) Lime juice
Toasted Coconut Flakes Garnish
➜ Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass and top with coconut flakes. Serve with a spoon.
Red Martini
2 oz. Olive oil-infused gin
1 oz. Lemon juice
1 oz. Ginger syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitters
0.15 oz. Spicy olive oil
Egg whites
—Joel Komara, Floor Manager
Ginger Ristorante
Midtown Manhattan, NY
Send
1¼ oz. Pineapple Rum
¾ oz. Lime juice
¾ oz. Simple syrup
¼ oz. Pineapple juice
5 dashes Angostura
Garnish: Mint sprig, pineapple slice
➜ In a collins glass, add 5-6 mint leaves with lime juice, simple syrup, and pineapple juice. Fill with crushed ice and churn with a bar spoon (keep mint leaves at the bottom of the glass.) Add 1¼ oz. pineapple rum blend and top with crushed ice. Dash Ango bitters 5 times, turning the glass to ensure even distribution. Top with additional crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple slice and mint sprig.
—Robert
Lang, Bar Manager
Mama Tried, Miami, FL
Since opening in 2013, the bar has become an institution in the Bay Area and continues to innovate and reinvent its menu.
BY NOAH ROTHBAUM | PHOTOS BY NICOLA PARISI
When Josh Harris was growing up in San Francisco in the 1980s, his father bought him an old-school cast-iron mechanical bank. You’d put a penny in the mouth of a dog who at the press of a button would spring forward and fly through a large ring held by a garishly painted clown. The coin would then drop into a slot in a barrel where it would be kept safe and sound. Emblazoned on the side of the toy’s base was the name “Trick Dog” in gold letters.
“As long as I can remember I always had a Trick Dog bank,” said Harris. “It just was something that always came with me. I’d move apartments. Go to college. I always had my Trick Dog just up on the shelf because it’s a cool looking thing.”
When he opened his bar in 2013 in the Mission District neighborhood of San Francisco, Trick Dog was the obvious choice for the name of the establishment. But it also played a bigger
role in the overall development of the watering hole’s concept. “There are theatrics in the Trick Dog bank. There’s bright colors. It’s indestructible. Those are all things that I would tell you are essential parts of the DNA of Trick Dog,” said Harris.
At the time, this was actually quite a bold decision given if you wanted to be taken seriously you needed to be wearing suspenders and working in the shadows of a faux speakeasy. Trick Dog was the exact opposite—light, bright and airy with a wry sense of humor. These key attributes were also essential in creating Trick Dog’s now signature rotating thematic cocktail menus.
It all started because the bar didn’t want to have a typical drink list. “The only thing we knew at the time was that we were going to run a cocktail menu for six months and we were believers that San Francisco has two seasons and not four,” said Harris.”
While many of the most famous craft cocktail bars were then focused on exclusively serving the classics, which had recently been rediscovered in old recipe books, Trick Dog was focused from the start on featuring fresh ingredients. “Apply as much Alice Waters farmer’s market thinking,” said Harris.
During Trick Dog’s lengthy build out, Harris and his crew became quite familiar with the Pantone color chart when
they were looking for paint samples. The names of the different colors were super catchy and almost sounded like drinks. So much so that “we pulled all of the paint names that we thought would make great cocktail names into a list,” said Harris. “And then we ultimately picked 13 and started linking them up to cocktails.”
The real genius was that the menu also looked like a Pantone color chart. When the bar opened, the Pantone-inspired menu was an immediate sensation. In particular it was a hit with many of the customers from the neighborhood who themselves were creatives and were quite familiar with Pantone. “People loved it,” said Harris. The bar even had trouble keeping customers from taking one of the menus home as a souvenir of sorts. “The Pantone menu fits really well into someone’s back pocket,” admits Harris. The menu was so successful that it arguably put the bar on the map and locked the establishment into finding other creative ways to present its drinks. However, “we didn’t have any idea of what the next menu was going to be,” admits Harris. Ultimately, he realized “we have to continue to do these menus. It’s the thing that defines our personality!”
“There are theatrics in the Trick Dog bank. There’s bright colors. It’s indestructible. Those are all things that I would tell you are essential parts of the DNA of Trick Dog.”
—Josh Harris
Since the iconic Pantone menu, Trick Dog has introduced 24 more innovative and memorable menus, everything from one that looked like a set of records to another that looked like a Broadway show Playbill. The menus are more than a gimmick, they create excitement for the bar and give customers a reason to come back. They also require a significant amount of work and take months of planning.
In 2017 and then again 2019, the bar won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for World’s Best Cocktail Menu. But the Spirited Award that Harris is most proud of Trick Dog won at last year’s Tales for Best US Cocktail Bar. “For us to be 12 years old and win that award was something that to me was an acknowledgment of continuing to put in the hospitality work and creative work day after day after day,” he said. “To be recognized at that age was almost more
of a lifetime achievement award.” It is also a testament to Trick Dog’s talented and dedicated staff, which includes the bar manager Travis Howse who joined the team in 2021.
Famed bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler thinks the secret to the bar’s enduring success is really its staff. “The crew has to be the biggest part of it for me,” he said. “They’ve always had the best team there. I think about that often. It’s really beautiful.”
Around the bar there are now several vintage Trick Dog mechanical banks on display. But “I have never bought another Trick Dog bank, because people bring them to us,” said Harris. Fairly frequently a friend or a customer will spot one of these toys in an antique store or at a flea market and will ask him if he wants them to buy it for the bar. “My reply is always the same: leave it there. Great advertising!”
BY NOAH ROTHBAUM
For one week every September, northeast Oregon becomes the center of the rodeo world. More than 50,000 cowboys and spectators from around the world flock to the Pendleton Round-Up for a range of activities—everything from parades and concerts to bull riding and steer roping. There is even a bar located beneath the grandstands that can serve up to 600 people at a time.
In 2003, Pendleton Whisky was introduced to celebrate the Round-Up’s legacy, which began back in 1910, and western lifestyle in general. The spirit was made in Canada, aged in oak barrels and proofed down with glacier-fed spring water from Oregon’s highest point, Mount Hood.
At first, the whisky was just served at the Round-Up and sold in a handful of western states. But in its first year it became a break-out success. What began as
a niche whisky tied to a single rodeo unexpectedly struck a chord for the broader American West and beyond. “It was a great surprise,” said Tia Bledsoe, Pendleton Whisky’s Brand Heritage Director. “What’s been eye opening is that people of all walks of life have an interest in this western culture and in these western athletics, and how much they’ve all embraced Pendleton Whisky as a way to celebrate that tradition.”
Now at the Round-Up, Pendleton Whisky is served in more than 100,000 cocktails and 3,500 bottles are typically sold throughout the week. While its initial success may have been a surprise, its continued popularity is no accident. It has as much to do with the brand’s origin story as it does with the liquid. As a result, Pendleton Whisky is now available across the United States and sales continue to grow. In fact, in Oregon, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, the brand is the second best-selling whisky. It is more popular
than much bigger and more famous rivals from around the US and across the world.
The original Pendleton Whisky, which is still going strong, has now grown into a veritable portfolio, including Pendleton Midnight Whisky, which is aged in barrels that previously held American brandy. Thanks to this unique aging process, the whisky has big notes of candied fig and caramelized banana. And at 90 proof, it works great in cocktails, since it won’t get lost when mixed with other ingredients. “It stands up well in classic cocktails, like our Midnight Manhattan and Midnight Boulevardier, thanks to the complexity of the brandy finish, but also offers an excellent base to get creative with,” said Bledsoe.
In 2011, Pendleton Whisky introduced 1910 Rye, which, of course, honors the founding of the Round-Up. It’s also made in Canada from a 100-percent rye mash bill and is aged for 12 years. The brand has since followed that up with
a corresponding 1910 Bourbon, which is made from a mash bill of 64.5% corn, 31.5% rye and 4% malted barley, and is aged for ten years.
And for special occasions, there is the super-premium Pendleton Directors’ Reserve Whisky, which is aged for 20 years. “When it first launched in 2005, it was a limited-edition created specifically for the directors of the Pendleton Round-Up, which is a group of 17 volunteers who invest their time and expertise to bring the event to life,” said Bledsoe. She suggests simply sipping it over one big ice cube. The neck of the bottle is wrapped in a special leather cuff designed by the famed saddle maker Randy Severe who passed away in 2021.
But as much as Pendleton Whisky has grown, it has managed to stay true to itself. The brand is now not only involved in the Round-Up but last year it sponsored dozens of western events around the US. And every bottle of the brand’s whisky prominently features the Round-Up’s iconic red bucking horse logo.
“The Round-Up is really one of the most iconic and beloved rodeos in the US. What started in 1910 as a frontier exhibition has evolved into this celebration of western heritage through rodeo. It has proven that you can retain tradition but still evolve and be relevant and fresh today,” said Bledsoe.
She says that authenticity and sense of place are what continue to resonate with Pendleton Whisky fans today. “There’s a real heritage and integrity behind the Round-Up, from what it represents to the way it gives back to the community,” she said. “Those are all values that Pendleton Whisky strives to live up to every day. More than anything, we want every bottle to reflect that same grit, tradition and independent spirit symbolized by the iconic red bucking horse on every whisky we make.”
This article was published in partnership with Pendleton Whisky.
“What’s been eye opening is that people of all walks of life have an interest in this western culture and in these western athletics, and how much they’ve all embraced Pendleton Whisky as a way to celebrate that tradition.”
— Tia Bledsoe Pendleton Whisky’s Brand Heritage Director
BY PATRICK ABALOS
PHOTOS BY SHIFT CHANGE CREATIVE
The Bartender Talent Academy Presented by Remy Martin in partnership with BARTENDER® Magazine has returned for its 11th season to showcase the batching skills needed in today’s modern cocktail culture in eight selected markets in the US. The Academy presents a unique opportunity for bartenders and trade professionals to show their skills and passion for cocktails. The winner of the US Finals will move onto the international level of the competition in France where they will be faced with new challenges that will push their ability to create cocktails, tell a story, and showcase their creativity.
This year’s competition focus was centered around the art of creating a unique cocktail that is prebatched with consistency, precision, stability, and speed in mind. After all, bartenders should be focused on the guest experience and best in class service. What better way to do it than with a creative take on a prebatched cocktail serve. This season’s national finalists proved to the local industry judging panels led by the Remy Martin national brand ambassador team: Kyle Marve and Kyle Smith. They had what it takes to accomplish a one-ofa-kind creative serve that highlighted the major key points of the challenge and expressed the notes of Remy Martin VSOP. From twists on a Vieux Carre, clarified punches, and carbonated sodas, the eight finalists brought their serves to the forefront.
ORESTES CRUZ
@orestesmixdrinks | ATLANTA
Orestes created the “Breezy Carré” a play inspired on the classic Vieux Carré tying in his roots in both New Orleans and Mexico City as a bartender and visual artist. Building off the notes of Rémy Martin VSOP he built a brighter, summer forward riff utilizing Cointreau, strawberry aperitif, hibiscus, honey, saline, and bitters finished with coconut oil dipped cube and lime zest coin. He describes it as bright, dry, and citrus forward.
KEVAN ASH
@kevanash | HOUSTON
Kevan poured his milk punch cocktail “Jamais Vu” from a mix of nostalgic flavors and experiencing something familiar but new. He washes Rémy Martin VSOP and Mount Gay Black Barrel with brown butter and Nilla wafers, adds some banana oleo, key lime, banana water, and smoked shoyu then milk washes it to add roundness. The cocktail is served in a soy sauce bottle with a side of “soyana” cream, banana candies, and Nilla wafers.
Presenting this year’s US National Finalists:
@_bypast | WASHINGTON D.C.
Ben ideated the “Storgé” built around the sibling story of the brand and familial love with his family. With that in mind, he built a clarified milk punch style cocktail that plays on “Two Siblings, Two Paths, One Shared Legacy” where each ingredient plays a vital role in his cocktail’s foundation. He combines Rémy Martin VSOP, Cointreau, Maesil Cheong (Fermented Green Plum), turbinado, lemon and mandarin juice, lactic acid, and saline then rounds it out with a silken toku clarification. The cocktail is finished with a isomalt linden leaf.
@dessertsandalcohol | CHICAGO
Daddy Long Legs had the “ah, ha” moment for their cocktail “Yes, Chef” when tasting their Chef’s fish sauce caramel. From there they took their culinary skills to bring to life the duality of Front and Back of House in the serve. They combined Rémy Martin VSOP, banana liqueur, rhubarb alpine amaro, sesame infused Oloroso sherry, and fish sauce banana skin demerara syrup. It is finished with a banana tuile and candy to create this riff on a Harvard cocktail.
@jtuck2814 | PHOENIX
Jay carbonated his cocktail “The V.S.M.B.” aka (Very Special Mint Blues) as a new bartender who wanted to do a twist on a classic Rémy Martin Highball. He wanted to create a fruity and refreshing cocktail with a tight bubble structure like Champagne to enhance the backbone of Rémy Martin VSOP. His creation combines clarified lime juice, blueberry liqueur, Champagne-mint syrup, and water for dilution. It’s then mixed, force carbonated, and served over a Collins cube with mint and Andes chocolate blueberries.
@joecanton | MIAMI
Joe leaned into his Cuban heritage to create a milk punched highball that tied in the fruits of labor and history of Rémy Martin called “Antilles-Charente”. He focused on the connection of sugar cane and harvest in Cognac with the working class to showcase a refreshing and tart carbonated serve. He takes fresh guava, guarapo, sweet vermouth, Amontillado sherry, lime, and cane sugar then milk washes it to create the “Guava Guarapo” soda. From there, he combines the soda with Rémy Martin VSOP over a Collins cube.
@sota_kandaka4 | NEW YORK CITY
Sota took inspiration from his favorite cocktail, a Sidecar to create his serve “Essence of Time”. Having worked in Japan and Beijing, now most recently in New York, he wanted to create a cocktail that focused on time utilizing aging, roasting, and fermentation as the key points of his build. With that in mind, he built his serve using white miso and milk washed Rémy Martin VSOP, roasted hojicha, and lemon. He then washes it again with Amazake before finishing it with black walnut bitters. It is shaken, strained, and topped with a miso caramel shard.
@zohrab.geonjyan | LOS ANGELES
Zoro took the Rémy Martin phrase “Feet to the ground, Head in the stars” to heart when he created his serve “Above the Stars”. He built his martini riff cocktail on that foundation of looking to the future. He combines Rémy Martin VSOP with cacao nib infused Belle de Brillet, tonka bean infused alpine amaro, clarified banana water, strawberry shrub, decanter bitters, and saline. He serves it in a glass painted with a cocoa butter night sky and a boarding pass to the future.
BARTENDER® Magazine is proud to continue our support of Speed Rack, the all-women+ cocktail competition that celebrates speed, skill, community, and some of the best talent behind the bar.
This season, six incredible regional winners from across the country are headed to New Orleans to compete for the Speed
WEST REGIONAL WINNER
SID LEWIS @siddsy_
Sid Lewis is Speed Rack’s Season 14 West Regional winner and a Denver-based bartender who began her career in 2016. After honing her craft in some of San Francisco’s most respected cocktail programs, she returned to Denver in 2021 and has since become a dynamic force in the city’s hospitality community. A multidisciplinary artist and illustrator, Sid is also the founder of Family Values, a sober-inclusive, neurodivergent-friendly industry party series and emerging streetwear brand rooted in creativity, accessibility, and connection.
MIDWEST REGIONAL WINNER BECCA PETERSEN @becca_petersen
Becca Petersen (she/her) is a Chicago bartender currently on the opening team at Bar Bambi in West Town. She has spent her past few years at familiar establishments around the city, including MICHELIN GreenStarred Daisies, and as the Bar Manager at Scofflaw. When the Northern California native is not behind the bar, she’s pursuing her passions of being an amateur ceramicist and a good friend.
NYC REGIONAL WINNER
ZOE DAVIDE @zoeddavide
Zoe Davide (she/ they) has spent the past decade in hospitality, including nearly eight years behind the bar. What started as a way to work through school became a true passion—drawn to the bar’s ability to spark connection and build community. From a wide range of bars and restaurants, Zoe has gathered experience at every step, always inspired by the people they meet and committed to helping create spaces for others in the industry. Beyond the bar, Zoe is also deeply engaged in social and political activism.
Rack Season 14 title. We are honored to be a partner and excited to help spotlight these amazing bartenders as they take the national stage.
Join us in celebrating the finalists below and cheering them on as they compete in New Orleans!
MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL WINNER BEX FRAZIER bexfrazier
Bex (she/her) is a bartender with nearly a decade of experience, known for her thoughtful, craft-driven approach. After 15+ years as a pre-professional ballet dancer, a severe injury brought her back to Wilmington, NC, where she discovered the same joy and discipline behind the bar that she once found on stage. She helped open and manage Starling Bar, a whiskey and wine spot in a cargo container, and later joined the team at Bespoke, helping launch its new cocktail program, which earned a spot on Imbibe 75.
NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL WINNER JEN ROMERO jenromero_
Jen Romero (she/ her) is a Bostonbased bartender at Yvonne’s in Downtown Crossing. Born and raised on the South Shore of Massachusetts, she has spent the past decade in Boston honing a nine-year career behind the bar, with experience in high-volume, craft-focused environments. Known for her creativity and attention to detail, Jen thrives on the freedom to craft thoughtful, guest-driven cocktails. Outside of work, she enjoys live music, baking, reading, working out, and spending time with her cavapoo, Chester.
NORTHWEST REGIONAL WINNER JESSIE LARSON jessieklarson
Jessie Larson is a Seattle-based bartender at Dark Room and The Doctor’s Office. With four years in the industry and experience across eight bars, she has become an active and collaborative presence in the city’s cocktail scene, regularly participating in pop-ups alongside chef Amy Beaumier and fellow bartenders. Known for her creativity and love of spirits, Jessie thrives on building connections with guests and other bartenders. Outside of the bar, she enjoys singing and hiking.
BY JOHN GAKURU
Some of the best leaders in hospitality do not have “manager” on their business card. They are not always the loudest person in the room. They are not always the one running pre-shift. They are not always the founder, the owner, or the most decorated bartender on the team.
But when they are on the floor, things feel better. The bar runs better. The team settles. Standards lift. Guests feel looked after. Problems get caught earlier. Newer staff breathe easier because they know someone steady is there. That, to me, is leadership. And I think it is worth saying clearly, especially to younger people coming up in this industry, because hospitality still has a habit of confusing hierarchy with influence. We talk as if leadership begins when the title arrives. It does not. Real leadership usually shows up much earlier than that, in standards, behavior, judgment, mentorship, and the decisions you make when nobody is clapping.
If you have worked enough shifts, you know exactly what I mean. Every team has people whose presence shapes the room. Some make everything feel more frantic. Some make everything feel calmer. Some lower the standard without even realizing it. Some raise it without needing to say much. That influence is real. The team feels it. The guest feels it too.
Hospitality is a live environment. Everything moves quickly. Energy travels. Carelessness travels. Panic travels. Calm travels too. That is why leadership behind the bar is rarely about grand gestures. Most of the time, it is quieter than that. It is being switched on when others are drifting. It is holding your standards when the room gets slammed. It is helping someone who is struggling without making them feel small. It is noticing what needs doing and getting on with it. That may not sound glamorous. Good! Most real leadership is not glamorous. It is useful.
And useful is one of the best words we have in hospitality. A useful person makes the room better. A useful person solves problems. A useful person does not need the spotlight to be valuable. Some of the best people I have worked with made themselves indispensable through reliability, composure, and care, not ego. That is leadership too.
I first started out at TGI Friday’s in the south of England, and one of the lessons I still carry with me was something they called “Tacit Approval.” The idea was simple. If I walked past a napkin on the floor, a spilled drink, or a wet bar top and did nothing about it, then I was silently approving of that moment. Tacit approval means silent approval. I have never forgotten that.
Leadership teaches us to lead by example, and in hospitality
JILL DEGROFF
that often shows up in the smallest things. What you walk past, you permit. What you correct, you shape. Standards are not built in speeches. They are built in moments.
One of my leadership mentors, Patrick Borg, preaches “wow,” and I have always loved how simple and human that idea is. What wowed someone today will not necessarily wow them tomorrow. That is why great leadership is not about teaching a team one polished move and hoping it lasts. It is about creating a culture where people feel trusted, awake, and confident enough to keep noticing what the moment needs.
A new wow every day comes from standards, yes, but also from permission, curiosity, and care. When a team feels supported, proud of where they work, and empowered to think for themselves, wow stops being a trick and starts becoming a way of seeing. That is when hospitality stays alive.
For me, one of the clearest signs of leadership is how willing you are to bring others through. Mentorship in our world does not always look formal. More often, it is a quiet word after service, a correction delivered with respect, an introduction made at the right time, or somebody choosing to explain rather than just instruct.
The people who leave the deepest mark on this industry are rarely the ones who hoard what they know. They are the ones who raise the level around them. That matters even more when we talk about representation and whose leadership gets recognized in the first place. Too much leadership in hospitality is still overlooked until it comes wrapped in a familiar package. A certain title. A certain accent. A certain background. Meanwhile, there are brilliant people leading from the floor every day whose influence is obvious to everyone except the people making decisions.
I care deeply about that. I want more women recognized for the leadership they are already showing. More people of color trusted for their judgment, not just their labor. More LGBTQ+ hospitality professionals able to lead fully as themselves. More international voices shaping how our industry thinks about service, culture, and excellence. Because the leadership is already there, already useful, already shaping the room. The only thing missing is who gets to see it.
So, if you are early in your career, here is what I would say. Do not wait for a title to start becoming the kind of person people trust. Do not wait to be called a leader before you act like one. You do not need to dominate a room or perform authority. You do need to be dependable, care about standards, and treat people well. You do need to think beyond yourself and understand that somebody is always learning from how you behave.
If you do that consistently, leadership has a way of finding you. And when the promotion does come, if it comes, you will not be scrambling to grow into it overnight. You will already have been doing the real work.
That, to me, is the best kind of leadership in hospitality. Not borrowed from a title. Not performed for attention. Earned quietly. Proven in service. Felt by the people around you, long before anybody formally names it.
As competition in the ready-to-drink cocktail category continues to intensify, High Noon is continuing to evolve its marketing strategy and product innovation to maintain momentum with RTD drinkers and Gen Z consumers.
The brand’s newest launch, High Noon Transfusion Vodka Seltzer, now available across the U.S., marks the company’s first-ever limited flavor drop, introducing a new flavor that blends grape, lime, and ginger in the brand’s traditional Vodka Seltzer format. Packaged in High Noon’s iconic can at 4.5% ABV, the product is designed to deliver a sessionable take on the classic “Transfusion” cocktail long associated
with golf clubs and country clubs. The flavor profile balances sweet grape notes with citrusy lime and a subtle ginger finish – perfect for most any occasion.
“As the leading premium hard seltzer, High Noon has always led the category by showing up for the peak occasions of our fans’ lives,” said Britt West, Chief Commercial Officer at Gallo, the brand owner of High Noon. “With our first-ever flavor drop, we’re driving real excitement in an increasingly crowded RTD space.”
Unlike many RTD launches that become permanent additions to the lineup, High Noon is positioning Transfusion as a limited-time offering, creating a sense of exclusivity around
the product. The company describes the launch as a “limited flavor drop,” a strategy more commonly associated with fashion, footwear, and lifestyle brands than traditional beverage marketing.
The flavor itself is closely tied to one of the brand’s fastest-growing lifestyle platforms, golf. Once considered a niche country club pastime, golf has experienced a surge in popularity among younger consumers in recent years, fueled by social media creators, entertainment-focused golf content, and changing perceptions around the sport.
High Noon has increasingly aligned itself with that shift, and the Transfusion launch further deepens the connection. To support the release, the brand is bringing Transfusion to life with “It’s Fusion Time,” a campaign that encourages prioritizing sunshine and friendship over digital noise, and they have partnered with golf brand Good Good Golf to introduce a range of branded merchandise, including branded driver covers, rope hats, and t-shirts.
The product positioning reflects High Noon’s broader strategy of associating the brand with social occasions and fun outdoor experiences. Since launching in 2019, High Noon has built much of its identity around beach days, boating, tailgates, festivals, and other daytime social settings where RTDs are especially popular. On-premise, High Noon is especially popular at outdoor bars and patios, neighborhood bars, entertainment venues, golf clubs, and resorts.
That approach has helped transform High Noon into one of the most successful brands in beverage alcohol. The premium seltzer brand has become a major force within the spirits-based RTD category, differentiating itself through real vodka, real tequila, real fruit juice, and real tea.
High Noon is part of Spirt of Gallo, an award-winning spirits portfolio that includes E&J Brandy, New Amsterdam Vodka, Pink Whitney, RumChata and more.
1 oz. Coco Lopez® Coconut Milk
1 oz. Sonrisa Oro Especial Rum
1 oz. Rumchata pumpkin spice
Grated nutmeg
➜ Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add Sonrisa Oro Especial Rum, RumChata Pumpkin Spice, and Coco Lopez® coconut milk. Shake vigorously until well chilled and smooth. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg on top.
Sammy’s Toasted Colada
2 oz. Coco Lopez® Real Cream of Coconut
2¼ oz. Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum
3 oz. pineapple juice
Toasted coconut (for garnish)
Maraschino cherry (for garnish)
➜ Served on the rocks.
Coquito (Serving: Punch Bowl)
12 oz. Coco Lopez® Cream of Coconut
16 oz. BACARDÍ Superior Rum
12 oz. Evaporated Milk
12 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
Vanilla Spices
➜ Pour all ingredients into large punch bowl & mix, Refrigerate until chilled. Serve in individual cordial glasses or mugs. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or cinnamon stick.
Tropical H-2-0
3 oz. Coco Lopez® Coconut Water
1½ oz. BACARDÍ Tropical Flavored Rum
➜ Fill a highball glass with cubed ice. Pour in BACARDÍ Tropical Flavored Rum, followed by Coco Lopez® coconut water. Stir gently, garnish with a lime wheel.
By Rachel Signer
Available at Amazon.com
$24.99
➨ Everything you ever needed to know about natural wine, from acclaimed natural wine journalist and winemaker Rachel Signer. In How to Drink Natural Wine, she explains the movement and covers its wineries, wine shops, the basics of organic farming and then wine tasting. Natural wine has entrenched itself in the bistros and bars of global cities. A movement founded on organic farming, artisanship, and minimalism in the cellar, it is a complex world of colorful, modern labels and surprising blends. Through stories and photography from vineyards across the world, journalist and winemaker Rachel Signer introduces readers to the wild, global journey of natural wine: Discover the established styles of natural wine from orange wine to pét-nat, and the iconic producers you should try. Learn how natural wine is made and why it’s so special. Explore how to taste, store, and serve natural wine, as well as how to pair it with food, including recipes. Be inspired to taste natural wines in the vineyard and discover the bars and fairs you should visit around the world.
By Tom Maas
Available at Amazon.com
$27.00
➨ In Tastes Like Money, veteran liquor industry executive and the founder and creator of RumChata, a popular cream liqueur, Tom Maas delivers a no-holdsbarred account of how he transformed a homemade horchata recipe into one of the most successful cream liqueur launches in modern spirits history. Drawing on close to fifty years’ experience with industry powerhouses like Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, and Canadian Club, Maas reveals how he bootstrapped RumChata into a billion-dollar phenomenon that generated over $2.5 billion in retail sales across 26 countries.
This gripping entrepreneurial memoir takes readers inside the high-stakes world of the spirits industry. Along the way, you’ll explore the critical importance of passionate selling, unwavering quality standards, and brand protection strategies that turned a long-shot startup into a top five liqueur in the United States. Tastes Like Money is essential reading for aspiring entrepreneurs looking for actionable insights into building a business against impossible odds, spirits industry professionals fascinated by one of the category’s greatest David-versus-Goliath success stories, and anyone who believes in the power of perseverance, creativity, and the American Dream.
By Danielle Frank
Available at Amazon.com
$24.99
➨ In a world where parenting advice often feels heavy, wine industry veteran Danielle Frank helps harried parents turn tantrums into tasting notes and stress into satire. In her debut book, A Wine Lover’s Guide to Parenting: The Fine Art of Wine & Whine Management, Frank pairs real wine knowledge with relatable child-rearing chaos, reminding adults that sometimes the healthiest response to a meltdown is a well-timed metaphor and a well-poured merlot.
Written strictly for adults and peppered with candid, uncensored language, this tongue-in-cheek collection transforms parenting’s most trying moments into clever, rhyming “lessons.” With whimsical illustrations and wordplay like “Much Like a Fine Wine, A Kid Needs To Breathe” and “Que Syrah, Syrah … What Will Be, Will Be!” Frank reframes frustration as fermentation — proof that a little time, perspective and humor can improve almost anything.
“As an avid wine lover, someone who works in the wine and spirits industry, and a nurturer, I loved bridging these two worlds,” Frank said. “As a proud aunt, I get the best seat in the house. I witness the triumphs and the tantrums, but with a glass in hand and no carpool duty.”
BY NOAH ROTHBAUM
On May 13, Philadelphia bartender Alexis Ortega joined a very select club by becoming the 2026 US Bartender of the Year in the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Presents World Class Sponsored by Diageo program. It is one of the highest honors that a bartender working today can achieve. There have been only 16 other people who have achieved this impressive feat.
The prestigious and rigorous international competition, sponsored by Diageo and is now presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation tests bartending technique and skill as well as liquor knowledge — all in front of an all-star panel of judges. This isn’t an accolade that is simply handed out but truly earned by its victor.
CREATED BY ALEXIS ORTEGA
1 oz. Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
½ oz. Tequila Don Julio Reposado
½ oz. Grapefruit syrup
1 dropper Saline (20%)
Ortega’s journey started months ago when hundreds of bartenders submitted a formal application to the competition, which included cocktail recipes and a video interview. These submissions were then judged and the top 15 applicants were invited to a national final in Chicago.
Over three intense days, Ortega shared a total of 10 unique cocktails (four brand challenge recipes and six recipes for his speed round), and was grilled by the judges, including legendary bartender Julie Reiner and Charlotte Voisey, the executive director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.
His victory is particularly impressive given that Ortega had only entered the competition once before but didn’t make the cut to compete in-person. While his previous result might have been disappointing, he thinks the experience helped with this year’s successful run. “Having the time to reflect on things I did in the previous year in the paper application gave me the opportunity to put myself out there and put a better thought into it,” said Ortega.
But he was determined to enter World Class again because “I wanted to challenge myself and see what I can do and put myself out there and have the opportunity to tell my story.”
Ortega has had a meteoric rise from first entering the hospitality industry 22 years ago. “I was a busboy when I was 15,” he said. “It was my first job working in restaurants.” He then was a server for more than a decade before finally switching to being behind the bar where he has since worked for 11 years.
Having grown up outside of Philadelphia and now working and living there for years, Ortega takes great pride in representing the city at World Class. “I’m the first person, that I know of, from Philadelphia to make the top 15 and the first to win,” he said. “I love my city!” And he hopes his win will inspire other bartenders in Philly to enter next year’s US World Class competition.
But Ortega admits that he still finds it hard to believe he’s World Class US Bartender of the Year. “The day after I won, I sat by myself by the river and I cried,” he said. “That was the first time it hit me what had happened.”
Ortega will now head to Scotland in the fall to face talented bartenders from more than 50 countries in the World Class Global Finals. Mix up his winning cocktail recipe below and toast Ortega’s big win!
This article was published in partnership with Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Presents World Class Sponsored by Diageo.
Grapefruit soda
Garnish: Grapefruit wedge
Glass: Collins
➜ Combine Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, Tequila Don Julio Reposado, grapefruit syrup,
and saline in a shaker with ice and shake thoroughly. Double strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice. Top with grapefruit soda and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Christine’s Corner features Christine Wiseman’s interviews with her favorite bartenders from around the globe.
1. If you could invent a drink named after yourself what would it be called?
I would probably name a drink created after me Paradox. I am absolutely a human paradox.
2. What cocktail are you most like?
I would be a crispy little Gin & Tonic with lime. A little sweet, a little bitter and they’re undeniably good if that is your thing.
3. Name the most unique recipe you have ever created
The most unique cocktail I’ve created is probably my Biscochito Old Fashioned. It is based off a classic New Mexican Christmas cookie. They’re a cinnamon and anise sugar cookie. They’re not popular many other places in America.
4. What’s your favorite part of working in the hospitality industry?
I mean, it’s cliché, but I love to see my guests have a good time. I love to be able to show people what true hospitality should look like!
5. When you’re off, what’s your go-to drink?
Shot of tequila and a tequila soda with a dumb amount of lime.
6. Share with me the funniest excuse you have ever heard from a colleague for being late.
Oh man! A long time ago, an employee told me their car door got ripped off but drove up with a perfectly intact door. Come on!
7. Do you have a secret weapon for dealing with rowdy customers?
I never stoop to their level and will always hold my ground. Also, taking the high road helps, too!
8. If you could have any superpower while bartending, what would it be?
My bartending superpower would be the ability to never run out of ice in the well, but make it instantly disappear when I want it to!
9. You can only make one cocktail for the rest of your career, what would it be? It would have to be something I’m deeply in love with. It would have to be a Pineapple Last Word.
10. How do you balance providing excellent service while managing your own well-being?
The first step to taking care of others is making sure you’re taken care of first. Don’t put off eating. Take the 30 seconds to drink some water. Give yourself a two-minute cool down in the walk in. Whatever you may need to get through the shift without crashing is the first step to providing excellent service.
11. What strategies do you use to foster a positive team dynamic, especially during busy shifts?
Always make sure that we’re having fun! Most people want to see a smile on everyone’s faces as they sit down. Good energy and high vibes are crucial. You must keep a positive spirit or else everything will come crashing down. We remind each other to not sweat the small stuff and even if someone is being difficult, it’s not forever and we’ll all deal with it together.
12. How do you ensure that the bar is inclusive and welcoming for all customers?
I make sure my staff is inclusive and welcoming of everyone. That’s huge. Making sure we allow
people to enjoy what they want. You want to come in and drink two Miller Lites and go home? Sick! You’d rather try out all the house original cocktails? Also sick!
Aliya Harrison (@yourflavormother_) is the bar manager and a bartender at Dorothea Fine Greek in Albuquerque, New Mexico
This interview has been condensed and edited.
Christine Wiseman is a distinguished figure in the craft cocktail industry, celebrated for her innovative mixology and leadership. In 2023, Wiseman won Bartender of The Year at Tales of the Cocktail and was honored with the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award by North America’s 50 Best Bars, a peer-voted accolade recognizing her significant contributions to the industry.
For more than four decades, BARTENDER® Magazine has been dedicated to celebrating the people behind the bar. The ones shaping hospitality, building community, creating culture, and moving the industry forward.
As BARTENDER® Magazine continues to grow, so do the opportunities to work more closely with the bartenders who have supported us and helped carry our mission into bars and communities across the country. With that, we are proud to introduce our first-ever BARTENDER® Magazine Ambassador Team.
The Ambassador Team will serve as an extension of the BARTENDER® Magazine community, receiving first access to upcoming brand opportunities, writing opportunities, activations, swag and other various projects across the country. More importantly, they will help us continue to spotlight new bars, bartenders, and hospitality voices from coast to coast.
Each ambassador has already shown a genuine passion for supporting the industry and has been helping BARTENDER® Magazine continue to grow in meaningful ways. They are trusted voices, respected professionals, and our friends who we are proud to have representing the next chapter of BARTENDER® Magazine.
The launch of the BARTENDER® Magazine Ambassador Team marks an exciting new chapter for us and we are so grateful to this group for their continued support, partnership, and belief in all things BARTENDER® Magazine. Cheers to many more fun things together!
We will be opening up more opportunities for those interested in becoming a BARTENDER® Magazine Ambassador in 2027! Stay Tuned.
WE ARE HONORED TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST BARTENDER® MAGAZINE AMBASSADOR TEAM:
$14.95
The Best Irish Drinks delivers countless recipes of cocktails straight from the Emerald Isle. Also included is information about Irish liquors, as well as famous Irish sayings and toasts.
Ray Foley is the ultimate authority on bartending. He is the founder of BARTENDER® magazine, the No. 1 magazine in circulation for the bartending trade. This book is the result of his years of experience working with bartenders.
GIRLS’ NIGHT: $10.95
Girls' Night is chock-full of cocktail recipes distinctly designed with women in mind. Featuring over 1,000 cocktails and a wealth of bartending tips, this book is sure to please ladies who love libations.
Featuring recipes from America's best bartenders, the readers of BARTENDER® magazine and www.bartender com, this book contains the best women's drinks served in professional bars.
Take a walk on the wild side with X-Rated Drinkssure to heat up any party, date or night at home.
With more than 250 recipes for the adventurous, young and young-at-heart, you’ll have a blast with these sultry concoctions.
Featuring recipes from America's best bartenders, the readers of BARTENDER® magazine and www.bartender com, this book contains the best X-rated drinks served anywhere. Drinks you can’t resist!
BEER IS THE ANSWER...I DON’T REMEMBER THE QUESTION: $16.99
The best bar jokes you can’ve never remembered! From the publisher of BARTENDER® magazine comes this incomparable collection of bar jokes, quotes and cartoons that are sure to make you appear witty and charming at the life of your next cocktail party Wow your drinking buddies and impress your dates with such clever and entertaining hilarious quips as: “You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on ” “I saw a sign that said “Drink Canada Dry,” so I’ve started.” “Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin.”
THE VODKA 1000: $19.99
The Ultimate Collection of Vodka Cocktails, Recipes, Facts, and Resources
Ray Foley, founder of BARTENDER® magazine, presents 1,000 cocktails, food recipes, fascinating facts, and resources about the spirit that inspired such marvelous inventions as the Martini, the Cosmopolitan, and Vodka Lemon-Meringue Layer Cake.
THE TEQUILA 1000: $16.99
The Ultimate Collection of Tequila Cocktails, Recipes, Facts, and Resources Ray Foley, founder of BARTENDER® magazine, presents 1,000 cocktails, food recipes, fascinating facts, and resources about the spirit that inspired such marvelous inventions as the Margarita, the Tequila Sunrise, and Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken.
BARTENDING FOR DUMMIES: $1 .99 6th Edition
This latest edition of Bartending For Dummies features over 1,000 drink recipes in an A-Z format with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. This 6th Edition also provides over 40 new cocktail ideas for those who want to know how to serve cocktails professionally, for themselves, or for their guests.
RUNNING A BAR FOR DUMMIES: $26.99 3rd Edition
If you want to BYOB (be your own boss) and fulfill your dream of running your own bar, this hands-on, friendly guide has everything you need to get started. You’ll discover how to obtain a liquor license, manage inventory, plan drink and food menus, meet financial and legal requirements, attract customers, make a profit, and more!
WE ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING CARDS: end check or money order to: BARTENDER® Media, P O Box , , N J 07 (Extra shipping fee will be charged for Canadian & foreign customers) www.bartender.com or www.mixologist.com or e-mail barmag2@gmail.com ALL BOOKS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE
Providing education opportunities for Bartenders and their families.
In 1999, Ray Foley, Former bartender and founder of BARTENDER® Magazine, created the Bartenders’ Foundation™ to award scholarships to bartenders and/ or their children. For each BARTENDER® Magazine subscription, $5.00 is donated to The Bartenders’ Foundation™. The Foundation is registered 501(c)(3) with the IRS as a non-profit, so all contributions are tax deductible.
The goal is to award one scholarship per year. Each student selected will be awarded $5,000. The first scholarship was announced on Bartender Appreciation Day, June 18, 2001.
Although Ray Foley made the initial contribution, we need to raise the money to achieve our dream. If you would like to make a contribution, no matter how large or small, please send your tax deductible gift to:
The Bartenders’ Foundation™ P.O. Box 651
Short Hills, NJ 07078
Bartenders, or their sons/daughters who are interested in applying for next year’s scholarship should write to the addresss above or visit bartenderfoundation.com or email info@bartender.com for an application.
Scan the QR code with your smartphone and download the app today!
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“Thanks for the Mai Tai breaker.”
Diane O. Port Charlotte, FL
“I feel the normal tension, Came here to get a grip.”
Dan Helming Conshohocken, PA
“In a different world, we might be a good match.”
Janet Davis Waller, TX
“She left me for a pickleball paddle.”
Richard Marcil Clinton Twp, MI
Thank you to all who entered. Try this issue’s contest!
“I
—Lee Stillerman Riverside, CA
and the several we received:
➼ “Anything stronger, I’m a little high strung.”
➼ “Love, what’s the point?”
➼ “Please keep the racket down!”
➼ “I’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places, I’ll settle for Sex on the Beach. “
➼ “I (she/he) got served!”
