TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF:
Beautiful Booze started in the spring of 2013 as a resource for the cocktail enthusiast and home bartender with a website dedicated to recipe development and photography, along with a small Instagram following. Over the past few years our website has grown into a popular source for home cocktail enthusiast and professional bartenders alike. The Beautiful Booze Instagram account has naturally cultivated over almost 70,000 followers and today, we work directly with noteworthy companies on projects incorporating Recipe Development, Professional Photography and Social Media Marketing.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR MOST RECENT PROJECTS?
My latest project was a compilation of photos celebrating the cocktail culture of Melbourne and Demond Payne's 50 years in gin featuring Beefeater Gin. This was a fun project because I got to visit some amazing bars and meet some of the most talented bartenders in the industry. Another project I have been working on is integrating booze travel into my Instagram page by highlighting bars, bartenders, distilleries and cocktail culture through photos. I have been on the road for 2 years straight and a lot of my followers are travelling to find booze all over the world.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE YOU HAVE COME UP WITH USING AN AJC PRODUCT? WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT?
My favorite cocktail is the Burnt Breakfast Martini which is a phenomenal cocktail. I have been making a lot of Breakfast Martinis lately because I just find them so simple and easy for anyone to create. Everything really came together on this one with the notes of the Ginger Gershwin working great with all of the components in the cocktail.
1.5 ounces gin (we use Monkey 47 who have amazing minis)
0.5 ounces mezcal (we use Fortuna or Montelobos)
3/4 ounce lemon juice
3/4 ounce Ginger Gershwin
1 table spoon of orange marmalade
Garnish: Dried orange wheel and/or dried ginger
1.5 ounces gin (we use Monkey 47 who have amazing minis)
0.5 ounces mezcal (we use Fortuna or Montelobos)
3/4 ounce lemon juice
3/4 ounce Ginger Gershwin
1 table spoon of orange marmalade
Garnish: Dried orange wheel and/or dried ginger
WHEN YOU ARE COMING UP WITH NEW DISHES OR DRINKS, DO YOU HAVE A SOURCE(S) FOR INSPIRATION?
Yes, travel is always my inspiration and visiting different markets within a new place give me the most inspiration.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT OR BAR, WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK DO YOU RECOMMEND IT, AND WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE CAN A VISITOR EXPECT?
Since I have been travelling out of a suitcase for the last two years I don't have a regular place I go to at the moment. One of my favorite places to go is Hanky Panky bar in Mexico City. It is a speakeasy located in the back of a taco shop with beautiful/imaginative cocktails. When you enter the bar it's so beautiful and when you exit it's through a beer refrigerator back into the taco shop.
WHAT INFO ABOUT COCKTAILS DO MOST PEOPLE MAKING DRINKS AT HOME NOT KNOW THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THEM?
It's a lot easier than it may look when you are ordering a cocktail from a bar. You can really utilize equipment and ingredients you already have at home. A couple of my pro tips include use fresh citrus juice because it's easy and cheap. Also, make use of jars at home which can be transformed into shakers.
FAVORITE AJC FLAVOR?
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
Beautiful Booze is about making easy and beautiful cocktails at home. Don't stress about always having the all the bar equipment or full bar at home. There are a ton of cocktails that can be made with 1 bottle of booze and a few ingredients from your local market.