The Tasting Panel magazine

October 2015

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october 2015  /  the tasting panel  /  103 Thom Sigsby, Lead Bartender and Spirits Director of Mohawk Bend in Los Angeles, CA. [and Los Angeles] all the way. It's not just talk. We love hanging out there because their drive to use only locally-produced spirits means a high level of creativity with their cocktails." Thom Sigsby, Lead Bartender and Spirits Director of Mohawk Bend, mirrors this senti- ment: "Not having big brands is not a limitation; it allows me to curate a collection that I am very proud of and pushes us to be creative with our cocktail program." Although most patrons come to the restaurant for its extensive list of California craft beers, the spirits program continues to grow under Sigsby's direction. "Greenbar moved to their downtown location just about the same time that Mohawk Bend opened," he explains. "Since we look for California producers who truly care about the spirit they create, it just made sense to carry them." When we visited Mohawk Bend in August, Greenbar's Fruitlab Organic Orange Liqueur found its way into the Ramona Daisy, the cocktail of the month, served in honor of the restaurant's fourth anniversary. Other offerings from the distillery are also mixed into the top-selling and longest-running cocktails. Complementing the account's love of California and homemade tonics, colas and syrups, Greenbar uses real food grown in the Golden State to produce and infuse its products. (Greenbar's Ixá Tequila is an exception, since by law it can only be produced in Mexico.) Beyond ingredients, both companies strongly believe in education: Mohawk requires that all of their bartenders pass the first level of the Cicerone Certification Program, and Greenbar hosts hands-on tours of its facility. "There are so many great things about having your producers so close in proximity," remarks Sigsby. "We can take our employees to the distillery for in-depth learning that can be passed on to our guests, and Litty and Melkon can come in to try out the cocktails that their spirits play a main role in. You can really have a relationship with the people behind the spirit." The relationship they have fostered has grown into one that has developed many opportunities for both parties, including an exclusive spirit for the restaurant's second anniversary: Proof that we all get by with a little help from our friends. The Ivy ◗ 2 oz. Tru Organic Gin ◗ 1 oz. basil/hibiscus simple syrup ◗ ½ oz. fresh lemon juice ◗ ½ oz. fresh lime juice Shake and strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with a mint sprig. The Monrovier ◗ 1½ oz. Ixá Silver Tequila ◗ ½ oz. Fruitlab Hibiscus Liqueur ◗ 1 oz. pink peppercorn/vanilla simple syrup ◗ ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice ◗ 2 fresh jalapeño slices, muddled ◗ Pinch cilantro, muddled Shake and double-strain over fresh ice into a bucket glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

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