E AT & D R I N K
DISCOVERIES
Sip, Sip, Hooray! National Cocktail Day is this month, so we sat down with master bartender Gregory Genias, AKA BootlegGreg, to chat about spirits, bar essentials and how you can level up your cocktail-making at home. Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT
F
rom a young age, Gregory Genias knew how to treat his runny nose or disinfect a cut by foraging for the right herbs near his home in Jamaica. He also grew up watching his dad, a local bootlegger, distill moonshine. As an adult, Genias turned his admiration for nature and his knowledge of plants into a thriving business that develops beverage programs for restaurants and bars, with a special focus on local, fresh ingredients. And as a nod to his dad, a coworker once called him Bootleg Greg. The nickname stuck. Genias has worked with global brands like Marriott and Holland America, and he’s developed bar programs for concepts in Texas and the Bahamas. But these days, he’s hyper-focused on supporting local brands here in Florida, his new hometown, where he’s been since 2015.“Name brand doesn’t mean quality,” he says.“We want to support our local brands because they’re right in our hometown and they care about what they’re doing.” Genias is also a strong supporter of local farms and reminds us that there’s plenty of fresh produce just west of I-95. When discussing the ingredients used in cocktails, he believes nature has done most of the work.“You can’t make an orange juice flavor that tastes better than fresh orange juice,” he says.“So I try to capture those ingredients in their purest form, balance them and combine them into a final product that lets them speak for themselves. If you do it right, you should get a superior product.” A few industry tips he offers to improve your cocktail-making skills include familiarizing yourself with each spirit’s flavor profile and studying the bottle’s label to learn where it’s from, its ABV and more. Once you get more comfortable with each spirit, you can level up by making your own syrups and customizing drinks for each season, like turning a classic margarita into a watermelon-flavored treat this summer. bootleggregcocktail.com FAVORITE COCKTAILS Mai Tai: “It combines different ingredients, but when it’s made well and comes together, it’s the absolute perfect cocktail.” Fun Fact: The garnish is essential. The half lime represents an island, and the umbrella evokes a beach, so “it’s the official harbinger to a beach vacation.” Vesper:“A true martini is made with gin and vermouth. This take is made with gin and vodka. A martini made only with vodka is called a kicker.” Fun Fact: This modern classic was created for the first James Bond novel, “Casino Royale,” by author Ian Fleming. HOME BAR ESSENTIALS Hand juicer:“Nothing beats freshly squeezed citrus juice.” Metal beaker: “Novices should avoid glass.” Simple syrup: “Please don’t buy it. It’s simply equal parts sugar and water.” Bitters: Start with Angostura bitters.“It’s the salt and pepper of the bar.”
124
Gregory Genias
Just like chefs have spices in the kitchen, the bar has bitters in different flavors that really balance everything together.” Quality spirits: Vodka, gin, whiskey (bourbon or rye), rum (aged and unaged), tequila, vermouth (white and sweet). SUPPORT SMALL, DRINK LOCAL • ChainBridge Distillery, chainbridgedistillery.com • Noxx & Dunn Florida Rum, noxxanddunn.com • Gulf Stream Brewing Company, gulfstreambeer.com • Munyon’s Paw-Paw Aperitif, munyonspawpaw.com
MAI TAI RECIPE
1 ½ ounces ChainBridge white rum ¾ ounce Munyon’s PawPaw ¾ ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed ½ ounce orgeat ½ ounce ChainBridge sour cherry spiced rum ½ lime, mint sprig and umbrella for garnish • Add the white rum, Munyon’s, lime juice and orgeat into shaker with crushed ice and shake lightly (about 3 seconds) • Strain into a double rocks glass over fresh ice • Float the dark rum over the top and garnish
bocamag.com • • • • March 2026
DINING GUIDE BRM MAR 26.indd 124
2/5/26 3:02 PM