The Zephyr

Raising the ba R : the ZephyR

from V&T T o Z

Built in 1925 as a single bedroom home adjacent to the V&T

Railroad (the tracks were about 15 feet from the house), the building at 1074 South Virginia Street ultimately became known as the Zephyr Bar in 1979 - named after the Zephyrs, a local rugby team. A classic “dive bar”, frequented by many over the years, the Zephyr succumbed to hard times and closed its doors after 30 years. The property's owner, Archie Granata, decided it was time for a re-birth of the Zephyr, so he and son K.J. began an extensive renovation in 2011. The concept? Re-position the Zephyr as “home of the craft cocktail”, catering to the professional crowd. A bar is only as good as its bar staff, so Archie and K.J. set out to find someone who could fit the bill. That someone turned out to be Boyd Allen, who started out in the culinary industry in New York City, working in kitchens with a variety of chefs, where he learned about the importance of ingredients and taste. After stints as a bartender in places like New York, the Virgin Islands and Las Vegas – during which time he won some notable cocktail competitions. Boyd found himself in Reno for a job at an area ski resort. After meeting K.J., he saw the Zephyr as an opportunity to continue his profession of 25 years.

Ingredients play a huge role in the process of making the best, handcrafted cocktails. “I start with fresh, local ingredients.” Boyd states. “When you start with fresh, you can't go wrong. Not using any refined sugars is a big deal for me, too. I use other ingredients which, unlike refined sugar, don't give you a hangover. I would never use anything that comes out of a paper bag. All my juices are fresh squeezed fresh, every day. I crush apples to make my own Applejack, then I mix it with other ingredients and use it to create cocktails.” Boyd's approach to making great cocktails is much like that of a master chef. He and K.J. spend hours preparing ingredients each day. Fruit, nuts, purees, juices. . .it's all part of their ambition to create only the finest hand-crafted drinks. “You have nine thousand taste buds in your mouth, but you have a million olefactory sensors in your nose.” says Boyd. “So it's an all-encompassing approach to anything, much like food. The first thing that's going to hit you is the smell. For me, from the glassware to the way it hits your lip, to the top of your tongue and to the finish, all of those things play a huge part in what I do. You have to tinker with every single recipe, and you have to taste it with a straw before it goes over the bar. Period.” K.J. has learned some things from working with Boyd. “I do whatever I'm told.” says K.J., who attended bartending school and was a bartender in Las Vegas, before returning to Reno in time for the re-opening of the Zephyr. “That was nothing. They didn't teach me anything, just working with a bunch of food coloring, things like that.” he states. His vision for the Zephyr was to have a classier place, with no smoking inside, and the result is exactly that. Cocktails are a focus at the Zephyr, yet beer aficionados can find over 100 bottled beers behind the bar. “We also carry a few bottles of wine,” says Boyd, “but cocktails are our specialty, and that's what we're becoming known for.” Recent changes at the Zephyr include a new color scheme on the outside of the building, windows on the Virginia Street side and the addition of a pool table. A spacious outdoor patio, complete with a fire pit, complements the bar. The biggest change, though, involves the name. Passersby will still see the classic “Zephyr” sign outside, but it'll be known as “The Z Bar”, officially. Change, after all, is good. Very good, indeed.

I start wIth fresh, local IngredIents... all my juIces are freshly squeezed, every day. I crush apples to make my own applejack, then I mIx It wIth other IngredIents and use It to create cocktaIls

K.J. BoYd ALLeN

Special advertiSing publication from the reno newS & review | rn&r nightlife 2013 13