bARTENDER MAKERS

Make bar worthy cocktails at home, get insider tips, or just kick back and watch how it’s done.

Ariel Gosselin, Lost River Tiki Bar

Meet Ariel, Curator of Libations at Lost River Tiki Bar, a tropical neighborhood bar on Detroit's East Side.

At this little oasis, Ariel serves up creative tiki-style cocktails that go hand-in-hand with the rotating food pop-ups, good people, and funky vibes. Here’s an Ariel original favorite of ours.

OOLONG DISTANCE LOVE

2 oz American Liquor Co Vodka

1 oz strong steeped oolong tea

1⁄2 oz fresh squeezed lemon

1⁄2 oz lavender simple syrup (see recipe below)

Give it some love by DIYing the simple syrup and using freshly squeezed lemon juice. Ariel guarantees the extra effort is worth it. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until the shaker looks slightly frosty, and strain over fresh ice in your favorite vintage glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Lavender Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

1 1⁄2 tsp lavender

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat before the mixture boils. Let cool, leaving lavender in the syrup. Strain and keep refrigerated.

Drew Pompa, Takoi

Drew is well versed in all aspects of the culinary world from mother sauces to business plans. Now, as Beverage Director at Takoi in Detroit, we benefit from his passion for creative cocktails, unique spirits, and thoughtful wine curation. Here’s a taste of Drew’s talents combining vodka with sour beer and juicy tropical fruits.

17th STREET BREEZE

1 1⁄2 oz American Liquor Co Vodka

1 oz Hopewell Fun Punch Sour Ale

1⁄2 oz Cocchi American Aperitif

1⁄2 oz lacto fermented pineapple

1⁄2 oz lemon acid

3/8 oz ginger syrup

3/8 oz mango syrup

2 cubes

1 oz Topo Chico or other sparkling water

The tropical punch in this cocktail is the perfect distraction from any polar vortex situation you may find yourself in. Combine all ingredients, except the sparkling water, into a cocktail shaker and give it a good shake. Top with Topo Chico for a mineral boost, or other sparkling water, and strain into a highball glass.

Garnish with a piece of pineapple.

Kevin Peterson, Castalia

Combining a passion for fragrance, cocktails, and sensory experiences, Kevin and his wife Jane founded S’fumato, and Castalia. Perfumerie by day, cocktail lounge by night. Prior to that, Kevin was an engineer for General Motors... but that’s another story. Here’s a noteworthy Kevin invention.

A GLIMMER OF HOPE

1 oz American Liquor Co Vodka

1⁄2 oz raspberry liqueur

11⁄2 oz elderflower liqueur

1 oz sake

1⁄4 oz high proof Jamaican rum

This subtle sensory trip with botanical and floral notes ends in a Jamaican jolt. Stir all ingredients in a pitcher with ice. Then strain into Nick & Nora glasses. At Castalia, your drink would be topped with a scented S’fumato strip. While you can’t do that at home, you can watch the video and get a whiff of the full experience.

Aleahia Thompson, Standby

Aleahia’s inventive cocktails are served up with a shot of genuine, quick-witted hospitality. She loves working at Standby, a craft cocktail bar in Downtown Detroit, for its combination of great vibes, welcoming atmosphere, and intimidating giant menu of original craft cocktails. Here’s a simple standby that hits all the right notes.

THE TARTPOP

2 oz American Liquor Co Vodka

1 oz apple cider

3⁄4 oz smoked cherry syrup

1⁄2 oz lemon juice

When your taste buds are in that ‘want it all’ kind of mood, this is the way to go. Put all ingredients in a shaker with a cube and give it all you’ve got. Double strain over ice and garnish with apple slices dusted with cinnamon. Cheers!

Justin Dorris, DimeStore

Justin is the no-nonsense mixology master at the award-winning Dime Store. This American Brunch Bar in downtown Detroit specializes in from-scratch breakfast, lunch, and brunch classics and twists, plus booze. Here’s a Justin original that pairs well with just about anything.

THE CRAN 19

2 oz American Liquor Company Vodka

1 oz rosemary/ginger/cranberry syurp

2 oz fresh pomegranate juice

1⁄2 oz fresh lime juice

This festive cocktail gets your holiday cheer going but tastes just as good year-round. Put all ingredients except soda in a shaker with 2 ice cubes. Give it a good shake — enough to release some of that holiday tension. Pour into a highball glass over ice and top with a bit of soda. Garnish with rosemary & cranberries. Cheers!