DJ's Corner.

...a creative enabler with a simple blog. Cocktails, favorite spirits, creations, bar/food recs, and stories from behind the bar..which really is what you wanted amrite? Pull up a stool, first rounds on me.

[drinkjumpnboogie]

It's been a while, but figure I start up again.

#offmenujawn Spirit free edition! Fun with parts Clean & Co spirit free Apple Vodka, Lime, Pineapple, Mango, Honey, Egg white. Garnished with Sumac and a Mint leaf.

[drinkjumpnboogie]

Your Booze-free January doesn’t have to be a Snooze Fest

Dry January doesn't mean you have to avoid bars altogether.

My Contribution to Dry January

Dj’s Corner Best of 2023..

If there’s one thing I hope to elevate this year? Is having spirit free options. I’ve said it once and I will say it again, if you’re sitting at MY bar? I will make whatever you want. Fun fact? I was sober for two in a half years in the infancy of my industry life, so while I was behind the bar? I can say as a patron I drank a lot of soda. Mainly for the reason I got looked at funny if I asked for a Virgin Mojito (I never ordered one, i just needed an example). Time has moved forward and just like time, the innovation of creating spirit free options has evolved. It’s more than just sugar and soda there are many MANY ways to create a one of a kind spirit free libation for that one patron who just wants to enjoy the atmosphere. Last year around this time I had the pleasure of being interviewed on what my thoughts were on the Spirit Free/ Non Alcoholic movement that is happening. I remain on this hill on how I feel about it and as someone who works in the industry? You shouldn’t snub your nose at a patron who doesn’t want a beer or a shot. Here is the link to my contribution to Dry January, and a cocktail you can try, you can top it off with ginger beer or club soda.

Interview by Danielle Buckingham, courtesy of Reckon News.

[drinkjumpnboogie]

My in at the Club.

DJ’s Corner Best of 2023..

So I know I’m past the new year bench, but I feel like I can share some of my favorite moments in the industry this past year. I would like to talk about the ONE thing I have always wanted since I started my life behind the bar. The Fernet Coin.

Now what is Fernet??

Well, it is an Italian type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but usually include myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and especially saffron,with a base of distilled grape spirits.

Fernet Branca is a style of Amaro, created in 1845 by Bernandino Branca, an Herbalist who at that time was selling it as a medicine. Fun fact? It was marketed as a pick-me-up and as a cure for worms, for fever, for cholera and menstrual pains. It is composed of 27 herbs and other ingredients that include rhubarb, chocolate, chamomile, saffron… you get the point. Long story short to say that THIS is a digestif, and it’s God damned delicious. Totally biased and I stand ten toes on what I preach on.

Now why is the Fernet Coin a big deal??

Good question. The coin first of all is something that cannot be purchased, so already that has my attention. But rumor has it that if you possess it? You never have to pay for shots. So you pretty much have to EARN your way into this specific club. I’ll be honest, when I was behind the bar in DC? I wanted nothing more than this coin and the way I am talking about it, I’m FULLY aware that I’m Smeagol and this is clearly the “precious” I would have jumped into the lava for.

 So when I started back my life behind the bar in NJ, I just figured I would be one of the many faces in the industry.. What I didn’t expect was to be in a small network where I would be privy and fortunate to partake in such things LIKE learning about Fernet and building a network, and dare I say? Friends in the industry. It may not mean much to some but it meant and STILL means a lot to me. It’s the one industry item that made me feel that my hard work was worth it. I don’t know if it’s a love letter I'm writing to a coin but it definitely feels like I’m writing a sonnet. Again, long story to say that earning this in my NJ chapter of this industry life is something that I will treasure for sure. A constant reminder that I am in the right industry. 

[drinkjumpnboogie]

ᴛʙʜ? ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴏʀ ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ 2023. ɪ’ᴍ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴅɪsᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ɴᴇɢʀᴏɴɪ ᴏғ 2024.

ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ɪ ᴀᴍ sʜᴀʀɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴍᴀɴɪғᴇsᴛᴏ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪs ʏᴇᴀʀ..ɪɴᴅᴜsᴛʀʏ ᴡɪsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs:

1) ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ ʙᴇ ᴅᴇʟᴜsɪᴏɴᴀʟ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ.

2) ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴀʀs ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙɪɢɢᴇsᴛ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴇʀs. ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɢᴏʟᴅ.

3) ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs? ᴛʜᴇʏ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ “ᴡᴏʀᴋ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs.“ ᴀɴʏ ɢʀᴜᴅɢᴇ ᴏʀ ᴀʀɢᴜᴍᴇɴᴛ ɪs ɴᴜʟʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠᴏɪᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʟᴏᴄᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀɪɴᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʏ’ᴀʟʟ, ᴏʀ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀʏ? sᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss.

4) ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ? ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀɪɴᴋ. ᴡʜʏ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ? ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ.

5) ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴏ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʀ ɪs ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ, ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ʜᴏᴡ ɢᴏᴏғʏ ɪᴛ ɪs. ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ ᴅᴇғɪɴᴇᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ɪᴛ.

6) ɪᴛ ɪs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴀʀᴇᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴊᴏʙ.

7) ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴀɪᴅ? ғɪɴᴅ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜʀsᴜᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴜʀsᴜᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴀʏᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ.

8) ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ? ɪs 20% ɢʀᴀᴛᴜɪᴛʏ.

9) ɪғ sᴏᴍᴇ “ɪɴᴅᴜsᴛʀʏ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs“ ɢᴀᴛᴇᴋᴇᴇᴘ? ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴏғ ᴡʜᴏᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʀᴀʏ ᴛᴏ? ᴄᴜᴛ ᴛɪᴇs ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴏᴡɴғᴀʟʟ.

10) ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ғɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ʙᴀʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴏɴ ᴡʜʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜɪs.

ʜᴏɴ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ: ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ. ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇɴ’ᴛ ᴄʜᴏᴏsɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ (sᴇᴇ ɴᴜᴍʙᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ).

ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ᴀʟʟ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ. ᴛᴏᴍᴏʀʀᴏᴡ ᴛᴏᴏ. ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ.

[drinkjumpnboogie]

...as a Bartender? I feel that one should have a signature cocktail. This is mine.

"The Honeypot"

1oz lemon

.75 Sorel liqueur

.5 honey

.5 Italicus

1oz Bounty White Rum

A very refreshing cocktail, could be a brunch vibe, could be a drink you have when you want to remember the good days. Either way? Yes.

[drinkjumpnboogie]

It took me half a year...half a year to follow up. I guess if I gotta be consistent in posting content? It means on ALL forms.

As promised? The cocktail in the video below.

El Diablo Guapo

1oz lemon

.5 cayenne/chili simple syrup

.5 elderflower

1.5 oz Tanteo Tequila

Shake, pour into mini hurricane glass, top off with ginger beer, jalapeno garnish.

Photo cred: Dominique Marinzulich

I swear I'll be better at this.

[drinkjumpnboogie]

...A Creative Enabler.

Welcome to DJ's Corner! I'm DJ your Bartender, sometimes an Artist. What both of these things have in common is the ability to create. If you're here? You're a friend with a permanent spot at the bar. Here I'm sharing tasty cocktails, food/drink/bar recs (but I'm NOT an influencer, can't stress that enough), and a LOT of stories of the industry, good, bad, and some that probably need to be 86ed from my memory bank.

Hope you become a regular! In the meantime? here's a vid of me in action.

Cocktail is my own creation. Will Tell you what it is in the next post.

#into #drinkjumpnboogie