What were you doing before you came to Dry Land, and what drew you to cocktails and distilling?
Before Dry Land I worked in New Orleans and New York as a distiller and distiller's assistant, as well as a bartender, beverage director, cocktail program consultant, cocktail educator, and brand ambassador across 3 continents and a dozen cities. I've been lucky enough to work in some of the world's most decorated bars, and with more amazing mentors and collaborators than I can name. My love of cocktails and distilling are interlinked--the more I learned about the subtleties of great cocktails, the more I realized the difference that choosing the right brand or style makes in a cocktail. The difference between a daiquiri made with Bacardi and the same recipe made with Rhum JM XO is so drastic that they could barely be called the same drink.
My educational background in psychology, history, and molecular biology led me to seek out the stories and the people behind the spirits I was growing to love and admire, and to search for how people have differentiated their spirits from others for centuries. Talking incessantly about how cool the chemistry of distillation was led a couple of dear friends to get me a still for Christmas one year. I made a batch of (very terrible) rum for the first time on a small apartment stove in NYC. From there it was a done deal--I would aspire to making and sharing great spirits for the remainder of my career.
What was it about Dry Land Specifically that made you want to join the team?
Two words: Earnestness and authenticity. I have worked with brands that wanted to lay claim to "hand making" spirits with a "sense of place" while making decision after decision that contradicted that ethos. Looking at what Dry Land is and what Dry Land does--working with local farmers, working with local grains, demanding single batch, single barrel releases for every expression regardless of the difficulties--it is obvious that they live their values rather than simply preaching them. If I never had a single conversation with Nels about what our corporate values are, the company's actions make them obvious.
Since you are usually behind the scenes making spirits, what made you want to step out and start hosting cocktial classes?
I've been making spirits for about 5 years; I've been educating people on cocktails and spirits for nearly 20 years. I love getting to share the knowledge I've earned and it is extremely gratifying to watch people who are nervous or intimidated by cocktail culture become more confident in how they make and order cocktails because they understand them a little more deeply.
How does knowing exactly how a spirit is made change the way you build a cocktail around it?
For the most part, the style of manufacture has little to do with changing a build for a cocktail--that is determined by things like proof, body, weight, taste, nose, and all the other little things that create a spirit's "character." What does make a real difference is knowing the effort that went into creating a spirit. Knowing that people who care deeply about a product are working hard to meet the highest possible standards for flavor, community, and sustainability engenders real respect for the spirit. That respect will carry over into the ingredients I would choose, the effort I would put into highlighting the subtleties of the spirit, and the enthusiasm with which I would serve the cocktail to guests.
What is the biggest lightbulb moment you see have when they are learning to mix drinks with you?
The biggest surprise to most people is learning how important dilution is to a cocktail. I've watched so many people come into a class with a recipe from a bar or a blog that they remember loving when they tried it but couldn't recreate it at home, even with the full recipe. A few minutes of learning and shaking later, and the cocktail has come together in a way they'd never expected.
What is the number one thing you hope people take away after spending an evening making drinks in your class?
That making delicious cocktails is not difficult. Learning a few key ratios, some basic techniques, and how to choose the right spirit for a cocktail makes it actually really simple. I also want people to learn a little more about their own palate. If a "perfectly balanced" daiquiri tastes too sour to you, that's good to know! Just ask the bartender to make yours a little on the sweet side the next time you order one. Enjoying cocktails is about enjoying what you like, not what other people think you should like.
