When a bartender decides to the leave the game and make their exit from behind the bar, it can be a devastating moment for the cocktail scene—namely, the barflies. Gone are the days of bellying up to the bar and sitting across from your favorite mixologist eager to tempt your taste buds with one of their latest concoctions.

Ryan Seng is one of those local curators of all things spirits who has since vacated his post from behind the bar to pursue other artistic and entrepreneurial adventures. For those missing the pleasure of partaking in one of the artist/bartender’s delightful distillations at local watering holes like Grange Restaurant and Bar and Shady Lady, take solace in knowing that the former bartender has taken his show on the road—well, in the form of a cocktail in a can, that is.

Aptly named Can Can Cocktails, Seng’s new venture continues his tradition of creating cocktails that are both complex yet accessible to all palates, a talent, no doubt, that emerged out of his New York art school background.

“I was like a shitty, little 14-year-old kid getting into a lot trouble,” Seng remarks about his transformation into a serious artist with a chuckle. “And then I got into art, and then I started taking art seriously and I moved out to New York to study painting.”

After completing his studies at the New York Studio School in Manhattan in his twenties, Seng and his wife made their way out to Davis, where he parlayed his experience in the New York restaurant scene and picked up restaurant and bar gigs to pay the bills. Seng was not only able to earn a living for himself and his young family, but he soon soared to the top of the heap of renowned bartenders in the region.

“I feel really lucky that I was able to do well in restaurants so I could support a family,” Seng admits. “I think that was the crazy thing about Can Can Cocktails, there is this funny law in California that you can’t be the owner of an alcohol company and work in the retail sector. So, then I couldn’t bartend anymore, which was crazy because that was my whole livelihood. So, now I’m full time at Can Can Cocktails, which is terrifying and exciting sometimes too.”

Known for creating erotic and lively scenes that evoke the freewheeling and occasionally debauched speakeasy culture, Seng will be showing his latest body of work to land on the canvas at an upcoming show at Sacramento State titled Call Your Corners!

“I used to kind of keep my art and my bartending separate,” Seng explains. “[I was] young and trying to pretend that I was a serious artist who was just bartending, but then I [came] to that point, like, ‘Who cares?’ So I just started mixing the worlds together. A lot of my bar experiences started coming into my painting and then sometimes painting stuff would come into my bar work, like the way I would compose a painting would be like a drink.”

The perfect example of the convergence of the two disciplines in Seng’s world, aside from the Can Can Cocktails project, can be seen at Shady Lady: the artist and entrepreneur’s work graces both the walls and at the bar (Seng collaborated with the master mixologists at the venerable R Street tavern). His grandiose piece, appropriately titled Blind Tiger, harkens back to the days of the speakeasy and serves as one of the main points of interest in the establishment’s lush and sensual design aesthetic.

Now that he has completely dedicated his time and talent to making Can Can Cocktails a legit force in the portable libation sector—and no, we’re not talking those malt beverage selections out on the market—Seng is bringing only the best ingredients and quality spirits to the table.

Of course, building a brand and keeping on top of the supply-and-demand machine is a challenge all on its own; a beast that Seng says is only too happy to slay. And thanks to his background and notoriety in the bar scene, the long days and nights developing a business plan and then setting that plan into motion has been rewarding nonetheless.

Especially when that first can rolled off of the conveyor belt, accompanied by that first glorious hiss from the pull tab releasing the essence of his signature cocktail, the 120, an effervescent concoction that boasts 80-proof premium vodka, raspberry and lemon juice, and mint from Del-Rio Botanical, a local farming outfit that specializes in organically grown fresh and seasonal produce.

“I had so many connections from working in town for so long and people respect me as a bartender, so at least I should give it a try, and that was my goal: it had to be a really, really good drink in a can. It couldn’t be terrible. And that was a really fun challenge, too. Like, how to get that kind of craft into a can, a high-end product with that freshness.”

Gearing up for the Sacramento State show, Seng sees the upcoming exhibition, which opened on Jan. 23, 2017, as an opportunity for his artistic experience to come full circle from setting up provocative and engaging art shows as a young artist upon his relocation to the West Coast to the more studied and academic experience he now finds himself in.

“It’s kind of a funny show for me,” Seng explains. “When I was that shitty 14-year-old, I imagined being an artist and in my brain, I thought that art shows must be fun—like naked people walking around and crazy lights and music and drinks. And then [I found that] the artworld is nothing like that. So I started doing a bunch of art shows like that … we’d call around and do these shows in San Francisco, invite-only, and they were really fun. And now here I am full circle. The CSUS show is pretty academic.”

After being unceremoniously exiled from the bar scene that sparked some of his most creative moments: from creating signature cocktails at Shady Lady to blowing his patron’s minds at Grange, Seng encourages young artists to follow their own unique path—the opportunities are boundless, he reassures.

“When you’re a young art student, you have this idea of what an artist is and what kind of art you should make,” Seng says. “And then you get a little older and you realize it’s really exciting being in a time that nobody has ever been in before, and you’re going to do things you can’t easily define—and then you find yourself starting a canned cocktail company, but you still want to paint. So, use your talents as an artist and creative person to do creative and new crazy things.”

Ryan Seng’s exhibit Call Your Corners! will be on display Jan. 23–Feb. 16, 2017, at the University Union Gallery on the Sac State campus. The reception for the show will be held Thursday, Jan. 26, from 6–8 p,m, Find out more about Seng and Can Can Cocktails at Cancancocktails.com.

Bartender Andrew Calisterio on why Sacramento should be proud to be a “cow town”

Words by Anthony Giannotti

Sacramento has been labeled by many in larger metropolitan areas in California as a “cow town.” While this may or may not be true on many levels, the fact that we are surrounded by some of the best and richest farmland in the country is undeniable. Andrew Calisterio, bartender at Grange Restaurant and Bar, thinks we should embrace this “cow town” label.

“I grew up in rural Elk Grove before the whole tract home thing,” he says. “We had cows in my back yard. My family always had a garden and fresh food. Farm to table has always been a part of my life.” Growing up with a garden has definitely helped him know exactly what to do with the amazing produce we have around here. Calisterio continues, “We have tons of fresh ingredients. Look at all the citrus here. Don’t just put it on the side of the glass to make it look pretty, put booze in it and shake it up!”

Not only has Calisterio devoted his life to Sacramento and the fine local produce, but he is a big advocate of knowing what to do with it. He is one of the founding members of the Sacramento chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild–a national organization “of beverage service professionals dedicated to the continued refinement of [their] craft,” according to a mission statement on the USBG website. Calisterio makes no illusions of how important he thinks keeping up and furthering industry people’s knowledge is, “The education is what helps create and expand our creativity.”

It’s not just cocktails and shakers for Calisterio. He is also one of the key members in the resurrection of the Sacramento brewery Ruhstaller. “Ruhstaller was a brewery in Sacramento 130 years ago, started by Captain Frank Ruhstaller. I get to sell a really good beer to people in the industry, my friends.”

I got to catch up with the local advocate over a glass of whiskey, which of course he blended, to talk more about Sacramento and cocktails.

How did you start bartending?
I started this whole thing with coffee. I really enjoyed making things. I was 16 working at Starbucks. I liked making the things they had set for us, but I always wanted to make something different, something special. The guests wanted the same thing every single day, and to me that was just insane. I would try to work something in that was around what they liked, but pulling them toward something new or different. Eventually I got picked up by Java City, worked my way up the ladder there and came to a point where I could do anything I wanted with coffee. I really wanted to get into spirits. I’ve always been a fan of nice food and cocktails and experiencing flavors. I pride myself on having a good palate.

How did you start at Grange?
I went in applying for a bartending position, and they looked at me like I was crazy because I had no experience. So I asked what was available and they let me be a bus boy. There was no bar-back program there, so I would go behind the bar every chance I could to help, polish glassware, anything I could do to get in. I’d ask way too many questions and bother Ryan Seng, interrupt his conversations with guests to find out what he was doing and how he made that drink. I basically declared myself a bar-back position. One day a bartender didn’t show up. Since I knew how to make all the drinks–I even had two of my own drinks on the menu, and I was familiar with our wine list–I finally got to start bartending.

Grange is known for its affiliation with the slow food movement. Do you try to incorporate any of those principles into your cocktails?
Absolutely. I grew up in rural Elk Grove on four acres. I was in FFA [Future Farmers of America] as a kid, which ended up being beneficial for me when applying at Grange because I had this agricultural background. I knew the farmers that the food at Grange was coming from. When it came to building my cocktails, I wanted to represent the local Sacramento area.

You recently won a couple of cocktail contests. Can you tell us about that?
The big one was put on by Hangar One Vodka. It was a California-wide cocktail competition. I was already familiar with the brand because it is a farm to bottle spirit–right up my alley. A rep came in to ask me to join the competition but said they weren’t stopping in Sacramento. They were going to be in different major cities around California–Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose. I was a little offended that they weren’t going to be representing the capital city of California, where so much of California’s produce and agriculture comes from. So I came up with my cocktail and started networking, using social media to let my friends and peers know what I was working on and trying to represent Sacramento.

You are one of the co-founders of the Sacramento Bartenders’ Guild. What is that and what do you guys do?
As bartenders, we go visit other bars or bartenders that we respect and like to see what they are doing and learn from them. It started as this kind of informal gathering and eventually some of us decided to get together and make it formal and official. We wanted the education of bartending to be brought forward. It’s $100 a year, and if you go to just a couple meetings, you’ve already gotten your money back in products and education. We have tastings and training with brands that share their products but also teach us about spirits and what the differences are and help us learn how to use them to our best ability. We are using our connections to gather and share brands and ideas with our coworkers in town. Bar owners and workers get a chance to meet, so whether someone is looking for a job or needs a bartender, it’s just a great way to communicate. All of us are career bartenders, not just some guy who pours shots. We are trying to raise the bar around Sacramento. We have a great cocktail scene here; we just want to always see more out of it and let it shine.

So you think it’s important for bartenders to have extra education, to be able to do more than just give a shot or a beer?
Well even with that, there is a proper shot and a beer pairing, it has value. Sometimes you don’t want a cocktail. Sometimes you just want a shot or a beer. Dickel is a whiskey brand that has become really popular as a shot. Someone decided that that was a good shot to pair with a beer. And the beers aren’t Budweiser anymore. North Coast Company Blue Star is the inexpensive beer on tap now. So the bar is being raised even for just a shot and a beer. Having a vast knowledge of spirits and cocktail ingredients helps you to attract more guests and give them that experience they are looking for when they go out to eat or have a drink. I love when someone comes in and says “Make me something.” My next question is what do you usually like? And I will try to avoid that.

You’re not just a cocktail guy. You are also involved with Ruhstaller Beer…
I was brought on early with this company. I am honored to be able to help with the resurrection of the old Sacramento brand… They asked me to help build the brand because they know I am a social guy. I lug around kegs and talk to people and help with sales. I’m doing the same thing I do every day, but on the other side of the bar. I’m getting the bartenders to try this beer, telling them how good it is and then they buy it for their bars. The company has grown a lot and I help when I can, mostly with social networking or helping pour at events.

Do you ever try to combine your knowledge of beer and cocktails to make a beer cocktail?
For beer week, we had a beer pairing dinner at Grange with some big names from Sacramento. I put together a cocktail that was in the fashion of a shot and a beer, with a twist. I took [Ruhstaller] 1881 and made syrup out of it and made an Old Fashioned using Woodford Reserve. I even used local Sacramento oranges in it. I served it with a shot of beer on the side to help represent the beer. Darell Corti [gourmand and co-owner of Corti Brothers] said it was the best aperitif he’d had in Sacramento. I was so happy, I couldn’t stop smiling. It was a great boost.

What’s involved in a great cocktail?
Balance, first and foremost. I try to balance where the flavors hit on your palate. I generally start with a great spirit or an end result flavor. Or I try to pick out flavors that will work well in the cocktail and pair with the food. Sometimes it’s hard when I really like a certain spirit that has so much great flavor on its own because I’d rather just drink it neat.

Midtown Cocktail Week is coming up. What sort of blowout is Grange doing this year?
Blowout is a good word. Last year was such a success that it was too busy to accommodate everyone in the hall. So this year we will be using the dining room. Grange’s dinner service will come to a screeching halt and be replaced with amazing cocktails and appetizers. The band The Silent Comedy will play. The theme this year is Sacramento, so a little politically driven. At Grange, we are doing the anti-prohibition act. We want people to come out and vote for the cocktails. We are also going to have hometown hero Jayson Wilde come back and guest bartend the event.

Is there anything you’d like to see out of the Sacramento food and cocktail scene?
Sacramento has had a lot of successful people start here and make names for themselves, but they always end up leaving. It’s great when they come back around and visit, but Sacramento needs some talent to stick around. If Sacramento is going to grow or be more successful, we need these people to stay and be a part of this city. I would like to see some of the people from Sacramento that have been successful elsewhere be successful in Sacramento. I enjoy other cities and traveling, but this is my home. I have a lot of friends and inspiration here. We are the capital city in the largest state.

Midtown Cocktail Week will take place at various venues from Aug. 19 through 26, 2012. See what Andrew Calisterio comes up with at the “Repeal Prohibition – High Styled 1920’s Political Rally” event at Grange on Aug. 24, 2012. The event will run from 5 p.m. to midnight. To keep track of other Cocktail Week happenings, go to http://midtowncocktailweek.org/.

Sacramento’s Top Bartenders Talk Brews and Booze

Words by Submerge Staff

We probably don’t have to tell you that Sacramento has many talented bartenders. If you’ve ever sipped on a concoction from the masterminds at places like Shady Lady Saloon, The Red Rabbit, Grange or a number of other joints around town, you know what we’re talking about. Much like the musicians and artists we regularly feature in the pages of Submerge, Sacramento’s best bartenders have an extraordinary amount of passion for their craft and a ton of talent. With the fifth annual Midtown Cocktail Week happening from Aug. 19 through 26, 2012, Submerge decided to catch up with some of our region’s finest mixologists so that you, our valued readers, can learn a little bit about the folks that mix, muddle, shake, stir, garnish and serve your drinks.

Midtown Cocktail Week’s theme this year is “A Spirited Debate” (get it, it’s an election year!), so all of the host venues have come up with “political party” names like the Free Thinkers (Ink Eats and Drinks), Forza Italia (Hot Italian), the Kennedy Conspiracy (Blackbird Kitchen and Bar) and the American Bourbon Drinkers Union (Golden Bear). On Tuesday, Aug. 21 2012 catch these bartenders, as well as a number of others not featured here, represent their respective political parties at the “Super Tuesday” Bartenders Cocktail Competition at Shady Lady. Or, just stop in and say hello to them on any given night and see them in their zone, we’re sure they’d be happy to make you a drink. And hey, at least now you’ll know what they prefer after a long shift so you can buy them a round!

Christopher Sinclair

Representing The Red Rabbit {AKA RR Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
In October, I will have been behind the stick for a decade.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
I work behind the bar at The Red Rabbit Thursday through Monday nights and co-own Coley’s Flask and Co., a cocktail company specializing in private events and cocktail and bar consulting.

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
I’ve got to be honest, I love a crappy beer and a shot of whiskey, or tequila. Honestly Oly [Olympia], PBR or preferably Miller Low-Life makes me feel so much better. I’ve read a ton of responses to bartenders all over the country who have admitted to liking crappy beer like I do that have been super negative and degrading–this sucks. Honestly at the end of a long shift, nine times out of 10, I’m too tired to want to think about the flavor of anything I’m drinking. Of course I geek out and love complex and fascinating wine, beer or other. All I’m saying is at that time I just want cold, refreshing booze.

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
It really depends. I have been to a great many bars I have loved and honestly never wanted to leave (despite the bartenders ushering movements). Ranstead Room in Philadelphia is unbelievably cool. It is so sexy and chill in there that just thinking about it now kind of makes me tingle. If you come to my bar on any given night and tell me to surprise you, you will most likely find me giving you the drink that they served up to me. Rickhouse in San Francisco has got to be the bar I’ve been to the most to celebrate anything, for any reason. I have such a great time there every time. Not to mention a ton of Sacramento bartenders have worked behind that bar. The thing that really makes a good bar, though, are the bartenders, not the bar itself. The bar is just a frame, the bartender and the service they provide are the painting. I have been to bars with peanuts on the floor and bars where a well drink costs damn near as much as a car payment, but the only thing that really mattered was the fun time I had. It is because of this that my all time favorite bar has to be The Rabbit. I know, I know. Shameless self promotion and all, but really, the bar staff there not only is super knowledgeable and can whip up a drink made with anything from Sriracha to twinkies or gin. But we all love what we do. We love coming to work and love making people smile.

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
The Daiquiri, classically speaking. It’s a super simple drink, really easy to make with only three ingredients (rum, lime, sugar. No, not whipped cream), and it’s so incredibly tasty. There are so many ways it has been maligned over the years, but the original Cuban drink has to be one of my all time favorites. Its foundation is present in many other popular drinks like the Mojito, Caipirinha, Old Cuban and so many more. It’s such a versatile drink and is so solid at its core that it can play well with almost anything you throw at it. My hope is that my skills are fundamentally sound, while still playful with variables, like this drink.

Patrick O’Neil

Representing Blackbird {AKA The Kennedy Conspiracy Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
I started tending bar full-time back in 2008. I’ve been in the restaurant business since I was 15 years old. I started off as a busser at a brewery In Southern California where I’m from. Then worked my way to the bar as a bar back by the time I was 18. Something about being behind the bar was exciting to me. I would always try and pour beers and make cocktails even though I was not of age, so I just had to be sly about it. If you got a drink from me back then it was probably an eight count as opposed to the standard four.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
I currently reside at Blackbird Kitchen and Bar. We opened at the beginning of April. I had met Carina Lampkin (chef/owner) a couple times in the months before. I knew that I wanted to come work for her. The name alone sucked me in. So I bugged her for a while and she finally gave me the job. The Blackbird flock is quite a mixed bag of talent. It’s awesome to be able to come to work every day and just get inspired by what Kevin [O’Connor, Chef de Cuisine] and Carina are doing in the kitchen with our food, and it fires me up to create cocktails that are up to the standards of our food, which is very fuckin’ high.

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
I’ll usually walk down the street to Henry’s and order a Bud Light and a shot of Fernet. Which usually leads to more and more of that. The Fernet shots Matt pours over there are huge man. But it’s the perfect cure for busting your ass all night, and if you know you put everything you had into service that night, it’s damn rewarding. After that it’s home to play with the dog.

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
My favorite bar has to be The Continental Room in Fullerton, Calif., my hometown. It’s the oldest bar in that city. It’s dark as hell, smells like an old stogie that was lit up probably 40 years ago is still lingering. The booths have the old school button you push that lights up a bulb above your booth to let your server know you’re ready for another. I know I’ve probably pissed a few of them off after a night with my good friend Jameson. Every Wednesday they have an Elvis impersonator who does like three sets a night. And of course the drinks are awesome. They don’t do much as far as modern cocktails, which is what makes it even that much more special. I love when people just do what they want and believe in and if you don’t like it, that’s your problem dude. That “we ain’t changin’ for no one” attitude is what it’s all about. It’s like when you write music. You write what you want to hear, or at least I do. You have to believe in what you do. It might not be for everyone but it will mean everything to some. So many great bars here in Sac also. I’m grateful for all the spots I’ve tended and a huge shout to the guys over at Shady, Jason [Boggs], Alex [Origoni] and Garret [Van Vleck], those guys have been my boys for a long time and working there was what lit the fire for me to want to step up my game.

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
A cocktail I made recently called the “William Tell.” Maker’s Mark, Antica Carpano, Cherry Heerings, Luxardo and orange juice. I was taking light rail to work on a Monday, we are closed on Mondays, so I like to come in and workshop some drinks and see what happens. But I was listening to the Brand New song “You Won’t Know,” and there are some references to William Tell in that song. Got to work and started playing around and all of the sudden I had this cocktail. I was happy with everything in it. Then I threw a slice of green apple over a rock cube and threw a cherry on top of it and there it was in front of me. And the name sealed it. I love when you can take something so simple as a song and use that inspiration to make a cocktail. There is nothing better than a drink that has a story behind it. Guests love to hear that stuff and I love to tell it. Pun intended. William Tell has his legend and I am glad I can pay it my respect.

Jocelyn McGregor

Representing Ink Eats & Drinks {AKA Free Thinkers Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
I’ve been bartending a little over three years.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
I’m pouring, shaking and stirring at Ink Eats and Drinks in Midtown, but if you adventurous, I also run the Lamplighter Bar out at Burning Man.

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
It’s usually a shot of Jameson and a PBR. But if it’s a particularly long and trying day, it just may require a double Jameson and ginger or quite possibly multiple shots of Fireball. Since Ink is open until 4 a.m., there’s always a chance that you may just catch me (and the sturdier members of my late night crew) for first call and Irish Coffee at Zebra Club!

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
Although I do enjoy a fancy cocktail, something infused and topped with an exotic foam, my favorite bar is a dive bar. If you ever have a chance, I suggest you stop in at Buckshot in San Francisco. Each wall is an eclectic mix of Bob Ross paintings, skateboards, Kiss dolls and various taxidermied critters. You can get beer in a can, play an assortment of bar games and don’t forget to try their “Chicken Fried Bacon” with maple syrup on the side. Once again, if you’re ever out at Burning Man, I do suggest finding the 7 Sins Bar or the Party Naked bar. No details, you’ll have to experience those first hand.

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
At a base level, I’m a total nerd. I love science and I love to cook, bake and get creative with it. Any time I can combine that with cocktails I’m a happy camper. I’m constantly trying to create new cocktails with homemade syrups, preserves, purees and anything else I can get my hands on. Bacon? Tea? Yep, I’ll put that in a cocktail! I never know quite how they’ll work out, but I never have a lack of people willing to try them. Cocktails are one big, involved science project for me. Sometimes they’re a first place winner, sometimes they totally suck. But I like to play “I win” so I’m always back at the drawing board.

Brad Peters

Representing Centro {AKA Mezcalistas Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
Six years.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
Centro Cocina Mexicana, Shady Lady Saloon and Pour House.

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
Honestly, a pillow. If I am going to have a drink it’ll most likely be a beer.

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
Great question, I would have to give a top 5 in no particular order: Clyde Common (Portland, Ore.), Rob Roy (Seattle), Noble Experiment (San Diego), 15 Romolo (San Francisco), The Patterson House (Nashville, Tenn.).

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
Manhattan. Simple, classic, straightforward.

Ryan Seng

Representing Grange Restaurant & Bar {AKA Barrel Dandy Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
I started tending bar full-time about seven years ago. Before that I was serving, bussing, line cooking and dishwashing.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
Just at Grange, on top of my art career. I did the painting at Shady Lady, and being a father of three, one job is enough. I opened Shady, but too many gigs is not fun.

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
After work drink is what is in the cabinet above my refrigerator. I just finished off a Glenfiddich 18 that I was mixing with Galliano’s vintage recipe and Angostura. Those were good. Wine and gin and tonics are also grand!

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
Bourbon & Branch, Rickhouse, Comstock Saloon, Shady Lady, but the place that really started it for me was the Flatiron Lounge in New York, back in 2003 or so.

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
Currently I guess the “No Pimm’s Pimm’s Cup” or the “London Style California Gin Flight,” both on our Olympic happy hour. I like drinks that are color smart, playful, thoughtful.

Amy Battaglia

Representing Golden Bear {AKA American Bourbon Drinkers Union Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
Well, I’ve tended bar on and off for a few years, but never at a place that had embraced the classic cocktail until The Golden Bear. I’ve learned so much in the last year from working with people like Chris Tucker and Tyler Williams that, in a way, I can say I’ve been bartending for years.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
The Golden Bear!

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
A long shift definitely ends with a shot of Jameson. After that, it all depends on my mood.

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
That’s a tough question! I really like Heaven’s Dog in San Francisco. They’ve got a great cocktail program and walls adorned with rad paintings of pit bulls.

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
The Bond Girl. Dewar’s White label, Campari, Peychaud’s bitters, vanilla bean simple syrup and grapefruit juice. While not everyone wants to get down with a peat monster served neat, I hate hearing the phrase, “I don’t like scotch.” Scotches can be so complex, and thus rewarding to mix with, and the vanilla/citrus combo in the Bond Girl mellows the smokiness into something everyone can dig.

Ian Beightler

Representing Hot Italian {AKA Forza Italia Party}

How long have you been tending bar?
I’ve been bartending for roughly five years and I love it! I’m always learning new things and meeting interesting people. I’ve spent some time in Tahoe as well as Sacramento learning the trade and always like the change of scenery to introduce you to new spirits, pun intended.

Where can people currently find you serving up drinks?
I currently make magic behind the bar at Hot Italian. We have an elite team of personalities and wonderful people. They are definitely my second family.

After a long shift…shot, beer, cocktail? All of the above?
After a long shift I like to settle into a pint of my current obsession. However, depending on the company and atmosphere shots and cocktails are not far from my thoughts. If I’m taking shots it’s usually whiskey and if I’m drinking cocktails I’ll let the bar menu decide. I’m up for trying new things; however, when I’m out I also stick to what I know and drink the classics.

Favorite bar you’ve ever been to?
Asking me what my favorite bar is would be like asking me to choose my favorite movie, impossible to pick just one. I like to enjoy different environments whether it be a classy joint or a run down dive bar, I’ve seen it all. I’m really enjoying what Sacramento has to offer as far as creative cocktails, compelling atmosphere and style. When I think favorite bars I’m immediately drawn to alluring cocktails. But scenery in and out play a big part, I like to feel relaxed and as though I’m on vacation at my “favorite bar.”

What drink do you make that best describes your style?
I created a custom cocktail that infuses cucumbers and jalapeños in a refreshing yet spicy cocktail. I call it “Between the Sheets,” because it’s hot. It’s an off menu cocktail. I bring classic ingredients together with wild card spirits to form a perfect combination and taste that you would otherwise disregard.

Submerge Facebook friends chime in on their favorite cocktails

We have a ton of input on cocktails and booze from Sacramento bartenders in this issue, so we figured we should ask our friends on Facebook what their favorite cocktails in town were and where they get them. You have a voice too, after all, and apparently a lot of you love Shady Lady. Here are some of your responses!

Adrienne Cheng says, “Hibiscus margarita from Tres Hermanas, just be careful, Jared has heavy hands.”

Breanna Giannotti says her fave is “the basil gimlet at Shady Lady.”

Jimmy Bell agrees with Giannotti on locale: “The Missy Bell at the Shady. Our favorite breakfast drink.”

Noel Matthew DeWitt says, “Vodka soda and Jameson shot, Press Club! I love that place.”

Phil McNeill says, “Ball and a Bat at Clark’s Corner, it’s a 24oz Pabst and a shot of well whiskey for six bucks, can’t go wrong!”

He later chimed in again with, “For a frou-frou drink, go get the Sex Kitten at Hideaway, I’m not into them kinda drinks, but that one sets the standard.”

Jennafer Phillips says she is all about the “Zombie Brains shooter from Powerhouse Pub on a Wednesday night!”

Anne Laccopucci and Chris and Marita Hambek all agree on “the Bloody Mary at 33rd Street Bistro.”

Joseph Davancens thinks “If specialty is the real question, Horses Neck at Shady. The tenders know how to respectfully pour whiskey.”

Apparently Anthony Lee Pellerin is on the same page as Davencens because his response was simply, “Old Fashioned at Shady Lady!”

And last but not least, Jarrod Affonso digs the “Blackberry Crush from Dive Bar.”

Bartender Jayson Wilde finds a potent way to harness his creative energies

Words by Anthony Giannoti – Photos by Nicholas Wray

Have you ever wanted to quit your perfectly good 9-to-5 job to pursue your passion? Well in May 2009 that is precisely what Jayson Wilde did when he quit a good job to learn how to be a bartender. To explain why he threw away 10 years at a good company, Wilde said through his patented goofy smile, “Full benefits are great but being happy is better.”

And happy this guy is, in fact he is one of the happiest guys I’ve ever met. His natural good cheer and hard work has led him from never having stepped behind a bar to being a manager at one of the top 10 bars in America within two years!

This Sacramento native started his quest at Midtown’s very own Shady Lady Saloon. “I would hang out at Shady with my Bartender’s Bible and just bombard the bartenders with questions,” he said. “After a month or two of that they were like, ‘Do you want a job here?’

Wilde had to put in his dues, starting at the bottom as a lowly bar back. “I broke a lot of glasses,” he said with a laugh. “But those guys were super supportive and taught me the ropes.” This may have been a relatively short road for Wilde, but it was not an easy one. “My first year I was working pretty much seven days a week and any days I had off I was going into the city [San Francisco] to try out new bars and new drinks. I was trying to learn as much as I could so I could bring it back to Sacramento.” With hard work and ambition he was able to challenge and improve his palate. After a year or so of this, Wilde was given the chance to work at one of the best craft cocktail bars in San Francisco and arguably one of the best bars in the country, Bourbon and Branch. Six short months later he was promoted to bar manager and since then has done guest spots all over California, cocktail demonstrations at the W Hotel in San Francisco and was recently named one of SF Weekly’s New Generation of Bar Stars.

I had a chance to sit down and talk drinks with the cocktail whiz kid at the scene of the crime, Shady Lady Saloon.

What got you interested in tending bar?
Well, I had been working at an insurance company for about 12 years, and it was great because I had full benefits and five weeks paid vacation. The vacation time was great. When I was playing guitar with Whiskey Rebels, I could do a ton of touring. But that started to fizzle out. Everyone started getting married and doing the mortgage thing. I realized I needed to do something that allowed me to be more creative, because the insurance job was going to make me murder myself. [Laughs] I was going to kill myself. I have a creative drive. That’s how I have fun, and the insurance job wasn’t going to allow me to have any fun. I knew the guys here at Shady, and they were kind enough to let me step behind the bar, and I fell in love with it.

What exactly made you “fall in love” with bartending?
When I stepped behind the bar I was like, “This is so great. I get to talk to people and have a good time.” I still had an audience just like playing music. I’m still being creative just like music–instead of writing a piece for a song I’m writing a piece for a drink and pleasing my customers.

How do you feel about being called a mixologist?
It’s bartender. I feel like the whole mixology thing…I get it, whenever anyone says that to me I’m not like, “No, no, no, listen here son.” I don’t correct them. Being a good bartender is all about being humble and making sure that the customer is having a good time. I don’t want anyone to feel like, “This guy right here in front of me is amazing and makes all these things that are great.” I don’t want to be put on a pedestal. I’m not doing as much for society as a teacher or anything. I just make drinks, and we have a good time together. The term mixologist makes everything seem so serious, and that’s not what being behind a bar is. I don’t wear a lab coat.

What are the components to a good cocktail?
There are three major things to making a great cocktail: The first thing is appearance. It’s true what they say, you feast with your eyes first. If you see something that looks appetizing it’s going to boost your interest, “That looks awesome, it must taste awesome.” Second is smell–you get a lot flavor out of your olfactory sense, your upper palate. It’s got to smell enticing. If you have a cocktail that has egg whites in it, and it smells like eggs, it may taste good but it’s going to give the wrong sensory impression. Third, obviously it’s got to taste great. Just like a chef puts a meal together, a drink should have complementary flavors and not too much of this or that, balance is key. Don’t just grab spirits and try to force them to work together. Think about cooking a meal or desserts. What flavors do you know already go together? Use ingredients that make sense: apples and cinnamon, raisins and rye–a lot of times if there isn’t a drink that uses certain ingredients, it’s because they don’t go together. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Where do you get the inspiration for some of your more unique drinks?
I get a lot of my inspiration from cooking. I like going to a restaurant, not to rip them off but to get inspiration. It’s like music, when you hear a good song with a part you like, it can inspire you to write something. When I have a drink I like, maybe with rye, I try to think, what can I do with this but use rum? Or some things I’m just walking through the grocery store and I see like a chocolate bar with chili peppers in it I’m like, “Wow that’s cool, how can I make it into a cocktail?” I try to keep an open mind but honestly it’s all trial and error.

So do you have a favorite to make?
As cheesy as it sounds, my favorite drink to make is the one that will make the patron feel the most excited about what they are about to have. It doesn’t matter whether I make a vodka soda or an elaborate six-ingredient cocktail. It matters when I hand the customer a drink and they say, “Perfect, exactly what I wanted.” Having people like what I make makes me the happiest.

Have you seen any new trends in what people are drinking or bartenders are making?
A lot of people are starting to move onto this room temperature cocktail thing or barrel aging and stuff like that. It’s interesting as a fad, but it’s not something I think will stick around. If someone hands me a room temperature drink I’m going to be like, “Really? It’s warm, I want something refreshing, cold and nice.” I have noticed a lot of bars are moving toward the slow food thing, the farm to table mentality, which is great to see. There are a lot of smaller cities that are getting into it. Sacramento has really been stepping toward fresher ingredients.

Speaking of the Slow Food Movement, you are doing a guest spot at local slow food restaurant, Grange, for Midtown Cocktail Week. What is the concept or theme if you will?
Complete and utter mayhem in the funnest way possible, that’s the easiest way to put it [laughs]. Ryan Seng [resident Grange bartender] and I have been getting together to construct a cocktail menu for a vintage carnival theme. What we mean by that is we are taking carnival foods: cotton candy, cracker jacks, snow cones and all the interesting fun carnival stuff and putting them in cocktail form. We also hired a really cool French noir-style act from Oakland called The Vespertine Circus, to perform during the event. So basically we will have a free punch for you when you walk in the door and mayhem will follow. It’s going to be super fun, no frowns allowed. No sad clowns allowed!

What tips do you have for the home bartender?
Have a good time. Start out with simple stuff and don’t try too hard. Try making an old fashioned, get your bearings. Another good thing would be to get a bartending book. Scott Beattie has a great book Artisanal Cocktails, or Jerry Thompson has good stuff too. Be adventurous but keep it simple. Try new things. That’s what spirits and food is all about, being fun and adventurous.

Midtown Cocktail Week is Aug. 15—21, 2011. Jayson Wilde and Ryan Seng will host an event at The Citizen Hotel Ballroom on Aug. 19, 2011. “The Greatest Cocktail on Earth” will feature carnival-inspired drinks such as The Bearded Lady and Strong Man as well as others. Admission is free, and drink tickets will cost $8. For more info on Midtown Cocktail Week, go to Midtowncocktailweek.org.

Midtown Cocktail Week will raise your drink awareness
Words & Photos Anthony Giannotti

What is your favorite alcohol? Whiskey? Vodka? Tequila? How do you like to drink said favorite libation? Sip it? Shoot it? Mix it? Well no matter what your drink of choice is or how you prefer to get it down your throat, Midtown Cocktail Week will have an event for you. This week of cocktail enlightenment will be held Aug. 9—15, 2010 at various locations around Midtown Sacramento. It isn’t a week for just getting trashed and throwing up on your neighbor’s lawn–being a little tipsy may be a by-product of the festivities–but this week’s focus is cocktail education and appreciation. “Our goal is to educate people,” says Joe Anthony Savala, one of the event organizers and founder of the drink program at Zocalo. “We want people to drink better. People in Sacramento are eating better than ever, so why not drink better? We want them to know what fresh ingredients taste like. We also want people to get out and try new stuff!”

Education is an apparent theme in the week’s list of activities. Starting off the festivities on Monday will be L Wine Lounge, where the theme will be the art of drinking well, and timely drinks. They will be showing how you should be drinking through an entire meal, from aperitif to digestif. “We are excited to be involved again this year,” says Chris Tucker, lead mixologist of L. “We are trying to raise people’s expectations of their local bars.”

Tuesday’s events will give some of the local bartenders a chance to show off their chops with a mixology competition. This cocktail creation competition has a similar format to Iron Chef. The battle for cocktail king will take place at Lounge on 20.

For all you whiskey enthusiasts out there, De Veer’s Irish Pub will be showing off their impressive whiskey selection with their Whiskey Around the World tasting on Wednesday. The whiskey experts at De Veer’s will be sharing some pretty intense knowledge while helping you find a whiskey that suits your palate. So come with a thirst and an open mind. Shady Lady Saloon will be handling Wednesday’s after party, as well as hosting a number of their own events throughout the week. “We are really excited about this event,” says Shady Lady bartender Travis Kavanaugh. “We have different events going every night of the week.” Just a few of the special attractions at the Shady Lady during Midtown Cocktail Week will include a Don Julio presentation, a tiki-themed night, live hand-rolled cigars and visiting guest bartenders from San Francisco’s prohibition-themed saloon Bourbon and Branch.

“We really want people to know how much better fresh hand crafted cocktails taste,” Kavanaugh says.

Tequila guru Joe Anthony Savala breaks down Thursday’s activities at Zocalo. “I love Latin spirits–mezcal, pisco and tequila,” he says. “We want people to enjoy them as much as we do, that is why we are doing a mezcal tasting and education.” Zocalo will be sampling different mezcals from different regions of Mexico. They will also be demonstrating how you can make simple, fresh drinks from south of the border at home. As if a smorgasbord of tequila and regional Mexican food isn’t enough, notable fine dining restaurant and bar Ella will be dispensing late-night drinks and tastings to finish off the evening.

The new dim sum restaurant Red Lotus will be starting off Friday with specialty block ice cocktails. If you have not had a chance to indulge at Red Lotus, this would be a great time to sample from its diverse menu and try an Asian fusion cocktail. Grange will be closing out Friday with some local spirits and food pairing. To say that Sacramento is proud of its local produce is an understatement; we like to see it in our local restaurants. The staff at Grange Restaurant are also very strong believers in the slow food movement. “We have some really neat local alcohols and fresh local ingredients, as well as some very high profile bartenders guest spotting,” said Ryan Seng, mixologist at Grange.

We all know that The Golden Bear is known for their enticing front patio, tacos and $2 Miller High-Life, but on Saturday afternoon, be sure to investigate their newly remodeled back patio and freshly devised cocktail list. Sunday will kick off at Hot Italian for some unique Italian cocktails. I don’t know exactly what Italian cocktails consist of, but I’m sure my fellow I-tie’s will bring more flavor than Steve Zissou’s campari and grapefruit juice concoction. Sunday night the wrap party will be held at The Torch Club. The Torch Club was founded the year Prohibition ended, so come dressed in your best suspenders and flapper dresses. It will be a Prohibition-themed party featuring five classic drink recipes.

Remember these are just a few of the events at a few of the locations. Check Midtowncocktailweek.org or ask your favorite local bartender for a full list of events.