Behind The Bar

JP Featherston, Southern Efficiency

1.5 oz Green Hat Spring/Summer
1 oz Dolin Blanc
0.25 oz Strega
0.25 oz Elderflower vinegar

Stir in a mixing glass with ice; strain into a chilled coupe. Press an orange peel over the cocktail; discard peel.

Morgan Stana, Il Fait Beau

1.5 oz Edinburgh Gin
1.5 oz peach elderflower shrub
0.5 oz lemon juice
Topped with 2 ounces sparkling rosé

To make peach elderflower shrub, combine 1 cup superfine sugar and 1 cup chopped peaches, and let sit in covered container for 2-3 days, stirring daily. Add 1 pint of Lindera Farms Elderflower vinegar, and stir. Let sit for 4-5 more days, then strain.

James Caston, VA Highland Malt Whisky

1.5 oz VA Highland Malt Whisky
0.5 oz Elderflower vinegar
0.5 oz rich honey syrup (2:1 honey/water)
4 drops Boston Bitahs
2 dashes Black Walnut Bitters

Stir all ingredients except the Black Walnut Bitters over ice until well chilled and integrated. Strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, adding the Black Walnut bitters right before serving.

Tyler Hudgens, The Dabney

1.5 oz Dorothy Parker Gin
0.25 oz Elderflower vinegar
3 oz Local pear soda

Build in a Collins Glass over ice. Garnish: Lemon Wheel, sprig of elderflower (use baby's breath if unavailable)

Jeff Faile, The Partisan

1.5 oz vodka
1 oz pear liqueur (Winter & Rothman)
0.5 oz lime juice
0.25 oz Honey vinegar

Shake. Strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a sage leaf.

Ben Matz, Wicked Bloom Social Club

1.5 oz Krogstad Aquavit Gamler
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.25 oz simple syrup (2:1 ratio)
0.5 oz Honey vinegar
6 drops habanero tincture

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into chilled coupe, garnish with grapefruit twist.

Chef James Strine, Cafe Boulud Palm Beach

2 cups sugar
1 cup Honey vinegar
1 cup jalapeno juice
1 sprig thyme
1/8 cup picked Thai basil
1 bay leaf

Bring vinegar to a simmer with aromatics. Add sugar until dissolved, let cool, then add jalapeño juice. Mix with Tequila, then "get out there and be somebody".

Adam Bernbach, Two Birds, One Stone

1 oz El Dorado 5yr Rum
1 oz Barbadillo Oloroso Sherry
3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Top with banana and spice bush vinegar soda over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Jamie Macbain, Daikaya

1.5 oz Bols Genever
0.5 oz honey syrup (1:1 honey and water ratio)
0.33 oz Honey vinegar
0.125 oz Yuzu Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake well and double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a fresh honeycomb.

Jose Andres, Barmini

1.5 oz Barry Hill honey vodka
1.5 oz Honey vinegar
1 oz ginger syrup
0.5 oz fresh lime juice

Shake all ingredients together with ice, strain into rocks glass.

Ashley Christensen and John Parr, Beasley’s Chicken and Honey

0.75 oz lemon Juice
0.25 oz Honey vinegar
0.5 oz Bee Blessed Honey Syrup
1.25 oz Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka
3 Sprigs of Raleigh City Farms lemon thyme
Fullsteam's Beasley's Honey White
Lemon wheel and thyme sprit garnish

Shake lemon juice, honey syrup, honey vinegar, 1 sprig of thyme and honeysuckle vodka with ice. Strain over 4 Kold Draft Kubes. Spank Raleigh City Farms thyme and drop into glass. Top w/ Beasley's Honey White. Lemon Wheel and Thyme Sprit garnish.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1.5 oz gin
0.5 oz lemon juice 
1 ounce honey
0.5 oz Honey vinegar
0.25 oz yellow Chartreuse

Shake, fine strain into a chilled coupe, no garnish.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1.5 oz gin
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz honey
0.5 oz Honey vinegar
1 bar spoon Luxardo Maraschino
1 bar spoon Creme de Violette

Shake, fine strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a brandied cherry.

Danny McDermott, Acacia Midtown

3/4 oz pomegranate molasses
0.5 oz New England aster vinegar

Build in rocks glass, stir to combine, add cracked ice, fever tree tonic, stir again to combine, lime twist.

1 oz strawberry vinegar
3/4 oz house made lime cordial

Build in rocks glass, add cracked ice, coconut water, turn.

3/4 oz wine berry vinegar

1/2 oz house made orgeat

Mint

Muddle above in rocks glass, top with house made ginger beer and cracked ice.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 oz Pimm’s
½ oz gin
½ oz Strawberry vinegar
½ oz ginger syrup
¼ oz lemon juice
2 ½ oz Fever Tree soda water

Shake everything except soda water, fine strain into highball/Collin's glass, top with soda, add ice, garnish with cucumber and lemon wheel.

Champagne Flute/Wine Glass

½ oz Pernod Absinthe
1 oz cucumber syrup
½ oz Strawberry vinegar
½ oz lime juice
2 oz Blanc De Blanc
4 Cucumbers

Shake everything but the bubbles, fine strain into champagne flute, top with bubbles, garnish with a strawberry.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 oz Aperol
½ oz Strawberry vinegar
¼ oz rich cane syrup
¼ oz lemon juice
2 oz Blanc De Blanc
1 oz Fever Tree Soda Water

Shake everything except to soda and bubbles, fine strain into Champagne Flute/Wine Glass, top with soda and bubbles, garnish with an orange slice and an olive.

Danny McDermot, Acacia Midtown

1 oz muscadine vinegar
0.5 oz Strega
0.5 oz orange juice
0.5 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac

Build in large tin, rock back and forth to combine, strain into wine glass, top with Fever Tree club soda, orange twist

3/4 oz Persimmon vinegar
0.5 oz Cardamaro
0.5 oz Manzanilla sherry

Build in large tin, quick shake, strain into coupe, top with house made sparkling cider and Dutch's Colonial Cocktail bitters.

Danny McDermott, Acacia Midtown

2 oz Del Maguey Vida mescal
0.5 oz Hickory vinegar
0.5 oz maple syrup

Build in rocks glass, cracked ice, stir to combine. Add Bittermen's Xocolatl mole bitters.

2 oz Botanist gin
0.5 oz Turmeric vinegar
0.5 oz yellow chartreuse

Build in large tin, stir, strain into coupe, Bittermen's celery shrub bitters.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

¾ oz Rye Whiskey
½ oz VS Cognac
¾ oz Cocchi Di Torino
¾ oz Averna Amaro
¼ oz Hickory vinegar
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish by expressing a orange peel at 45° over the cocktail and discard peel.

Tyler Hudgens, The Dabney

1.5 oz St. George Green Chili Vodka
0.5 fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz Aleppo pepper spiced honey (2:1 honey syrup with 1 gram Aleppo flake per 12oz syrup)
0.25 oz Ramp vinegar
0.25 oz Manzanilla Sherry (we used La Gitana)

Shake, serve neat in a coupe glass, with either a pickled ramp or no garnish.

Danny McDermot, Acacia Midtown

2.0 oz Plymouth gin
0.5 oz atsutake vinegar

Stir, strain into coupe, and add 5-7 drops orange bitters (to taste).

6 tomatillos
2 green bell peppers
One third cup chopped cilantro
A pinch of Fermented Ramp Salt
1 oz Ramp Vinegar
1.5 oz Ramp and Green Chile hot sauce
2 oz Grey Goose Vodka per glass

Preheat oven to the "broiler" setting.

Slice the green bell pepper and the tomatillos in half, and place them on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil (skin side down). Once the oven is ready, stick the tray in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until you see the peppers and tomatillos get a little charred.

Remove tray from oven, allow the ingredients to cool down, then chuck 'em in a food processor or a blender with the vinegar, the hot sauce, and the cilantro. Blend until mostly smooth and allow to sit for a few minutes. Or don't, if you're impatient like me.

Pour into a highball glass over ice, leaving room for the vodka. We used Grey Goose in our own drinks, but whatever you have on hand is fine. Add the vodka, stir, and garnish with remaining cilantro leaves and the ramp salt.

Beth Dixon, Pasture RVA

1 oz Battle Standard Navy Strength Gin (KO Distilling)
1 oz Øster Vit (James River Distillery)
0.5 oz Black Locust vinegar
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
1 lemon twist

In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, Øster Vit, vinegar, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake, strain over large ice cube in a rocks glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 Medium Amontillado
0.5 oz Bonded Bourbon
0.25 oz raspberry liqueur
0.25 oz Raspberry vinegar
0.75 oz rich cane syrup
0.5 oz lemon juice

Shake, fine strain into a coupe, no garnish.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1.5 oz white rum
1.5 oz blanc vermouth
1 oz barspoon Raspberry vinegar
1 oz barspoon rich cane syrup

Stir, strain into a chilled coupe, express orange peel at 45° over the cocktail, place on rim and drop a brandied cherry in.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 oz Brandy De Jerez
0.25 oz Luxardo Maraschino
0.25 oz Raspberry vinegar
0.5 oz grapefruit ginger cordial
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz PX Sherry

Shake, fine strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a brandied cherry.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1.5 oz blended scotch whiskey
0.75 oz ginger syrup
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.25 oz Ginger vinegar
0.25 oz Islay Scotch

Shake all ingredients except Islay scotch, fine strain over large cube in double old fashioned glass, float Islay scotch over the top.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 oz smokey malt whiskey
0.5 oz sage liqueur
0.5 oz ginger syrup
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz Ginger Vinegar
10 drops Bittermens Habanero Shrub

Shake, fine strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a piece of slapped sage.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 oz white rum
0.5 oz Smith and Cross
0.25 oz Black Strap rum
0.25 oz Allspice Dram
0.25 oz Ginger Vinegar
0.25 oz rich cane syrup

Build over a large cube in a double old fashioned glass, stir, garnish by expressing orange peel at 45° over the cocktail and placing it inside.

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 oz rye whiskey
1 oz dark rum
0.25 oz rich cane syrup
0.25 oz Ginger Vinegar
5 dash Peychauds Bitter
2 dash Absinthe

Sazerac prep

Paul Taylor, Southern Efficiency

1 ½ oz Bonded Bourbon
½ oz ginger syrup
½ oz Allspice Dram
½ oz Ginger Vinegar
3 oz Fever Tree soda water

Shake everything except the soda, fine strain into a highball/Collin's glass, top with soda, fill with ice, garnish with lemon wheel.

2 oz Weller 107 Bourbon
1/8 oz sorghum syrup
1/8 oz Chamomile Vinegar
2 dash Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 small lemon peel, pith removed
as needed Mint Sprigs
as needed Lemon Peel

Muddle lemon peel, sorghum, vinegar and bitters. Add ice and bourbon and stir until well chilled. Strain into an old fashioned glass over one large piece of ice. Garnish with lemon peel and mint.

1 oz Violet vinegar
1 oz Winter & Rothman Creme De Violette
10 oz dry sparkling white wine or rosé

Mix the Violet vinegar and Creme De Violette, place in a bottle and chill. When ready to serve, pour 1/2 oz of the mixture into a champagne flute and top with the 2.5 oz dry sparkling white wine. Serves 4. Or 1, depending on how your day went.

3 strawberries - fresh, sliced
½ oz Strawberry Magnolia syrup
½ oz Cognac (or preferred brandy)
1 oz white wine
4 oz Prosecco (or preferred sparkling white wine)
Fresh strawberries for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberries and the syrup.

Fill the shaker halfway with ice, add the brandy and white wine, and shake thoroughly.

Pour the contents of the shaker (including the ice) into a coupe, martini glass, or wine goblet.

Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a strawberry.

3 cups fresh strawberries
4 oz Strawberry Magnolia syrup
1 ½ cups ice
2 tbsp lemon juice
Fresh strawberries for garnish
Optional: 2 oz white rum

Toss all ingredients except for the garnish into a blender. Blend until completely smooth.

Pour into any glass, add garnish, enjoy!

1 oz Paw Paw Syrup
3 oz Kraken Black Spiced Rum
¾ oz St. Germain
Splash of ginger beer

Add everything except the ginger beer to a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake. Strain into a rocks glass over ice, and top with the ginger beer.

¼ oz Raspberry & Wild Rose Syrup
2 raspberries
2 oz gin
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
Club soda, to top
1 lemon wheel, 1 mint sprig, 2 raspberries (for garnish)

In a highball glass, muddle the raspberries and Raspberry & Wild Rose syrup. Add the gin and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Fill with crushed ice and top with the club soda. Garnish and enjoy!

½ oz Raspberry & Wild Rose Syrup
1 ½ oz vodka
½ oz pineapple juice
1 pineapple leaf (for garnish)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 - 15 seconds, and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple leaf.

1 oz Raspberry & Wild Rose Syrup
2 oz lemon-infused vodka
¾ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ oz heavy cream
1 ½ tsp egg whites
Rose petals (for garnish)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 45 - 60 seconds. Open the cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake again for another 15 - 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with rose petals.

1 oz Smoked Plum & Wild Ginger Syrup
2oz vodka
¼ oz fresh squeezed lime juice
Ginger beer, to top

Add everything except the ginger beer to a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake. Strain into a copper mug over crushed ice, and top with the ginger beer.

½ oz Honey & Chamomile Syrup
2 dashes of lavender bitters
2 oz Irish whiskey
½ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 dandelion leaf
1 lavender flower (for garnish)

Add all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 10 - 15 seconds. Double strain over ice in an old-fashioned glass and garnish with the lavender.

1 ½ oz Honey & Chamomile Syrup
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 oz pineapple juice
1 ½ oz vodka
1 pineapple leaf (for garnish)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 - 15 seconds, and strain into a highball glass with crushed ice. Garnish with the pineapple leaf.

¾ oz Honey & Chamomile Syrup
1 ½ oz vodka
¾ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ oz pear liqueur
Sparkling wine, to top
Pear slice (for garnish)

In a rocks glass, combine the lemon juice, vodka, syrup and liqueur. Add ice and stir until the drink is well chilled. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with the pear slice.