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What’s your general thinking when you’re naming cocktails?

Try and push the envelope as far as possible on what people would find normal, but also, I guess some people would say I have a sickness for puns. I like to try and really bring the pun aspect into the naming of cocktails.

Do you have any favorite names so far for cocktails you’ve come up with?

Sometimes we’ll just riff on cocktails. The other night at The Varnish, myself and Julian Wayser and Chris Bostick, we had an entire night of just riffing on names for cocktails based on James Bond theme, The Man With The Golden Rum, Golden Rye, stuff like that. I think one of my favorites recently was based on a Guns ‘N Roses album, it was Chartreuse Your Illusion, Parts 1 and 2.

Black Magic cocktail, a blackberry smash with two ounces of chartreuse, blackberries and mint

What’s the biggest continuing challenge to being a bartender?

The cocktails are the smallest part of being a bartender, to be honest. They’re the most intriguing. The creativity that comes with those is the most rewarding, sometimes, but I think the toughest part of being a bartender is just turning it on every night and being everybody’s friend and sometimes dealing with the unbelievable drunk people in a personable, professional and ethical way, especially when you’re sober. That’s the toughest part of being a bartender.

What was the last situation that really tried your patience?

I had a guy a couple weeks ago at Descarga accuse me of stealing his credit card because he was famous. I had no idea who he was. Apparently he was on CSI or something. I don’t really pay attention to television, so I didn’t know. It was one of those situations where you just have to step away and call on someone else to diffuse it. He was too inebriated to let me talk him down. It turns out somebody had closed his check down an hour before and he had forgotten to pick his credit card up off the bar, and someone else grabbed it. We caught it on camera and informed him the next day. I think it all got resolved, but those are the dangers of bartending.

Who’s a bartender who you’ve never worked behind the bar with that you would most like to work with?

After Test Kitchen, I got to work with so many amazing people behind the bar. Actually, it would really be interesting to work behind the bar with Chad Solomon. He’s a guy I’ve hung out with a few times and really respect. I think that would be a good time.

When you’re not working, where and what do you like to drink?

When I’m not working, you can probably find me at The Varnish drinking Bianco Vermouth, a little bit of Dolin Blanc Vermouth on the rocks with an orange twist. That’s a big favorite of mine.

What’s a cocktail you recommend that people make at home that just about anybody can pull off?

I’d say keep it simple. You don’t want to be juicing a bunch of citrus for yourself at home. I’d say an Old Fashioned. It you do it well, it’s going to always be good. You just need a spoonful or cube of sugar, a couple dashes of Angostura bitters, which you can get and it will last you forever, basically, then just a touch of whiskey. Two ounces of whiskey, to be exact.

Another one that I make for myself a lot is the Pink Gin, a few dashes of Angostura bitters, two ounces of gin, with or without ice, it doesn’t really matter. I like to put a twist of lemon in there and you’re ready to go. It’s a nice little aperitif.

For the Old Fashioned, any particular brand that you like to use, and what’s your garnish?

I like to use Rye. Recently I’ve been using High West Rendezvous Rye. I like that it’s over-proof. It’s got some really nice spicy “treble” notes, like high end notes, and I like to garnish with an orange and lemon twist.

Do you still play music at all?

I do. I write some music. I help to compose a little bit with a friend of mine who does some electronic music. I also do a bit of DJing here at Harvard & Stone from time to time. I do a Yacht Rock night here, do basically music you’d listen to with your dad on vacation.

If you could only have one more cocktail, what would be in the glass, and how come?

A daiquiri. It’s the perfect cocktail. You can make that for someone who’s never had a proper daiquiri before and they always go, “Whoa, what is this?” It’s a daiquiri. They’re always surprised because their idea of a daiquiri is always a tall tulip glass full of crushed ice and usually strawberry syrup at Chili’s, but a real proper El Dorado 3 or Barbancourt White daiquiri, I’ll never get tired of those.

Who would you let make it for you?

Julian Wayser.