Our Classes
The Classics
Like taking the time to read Hemingway, Proust, Austen, or Faulkner to understand great writing, it’s a good idea to start with the classics. From there we can build an understanding of timeless greatness. The cocktail world is very similar. We’ll take a look at a the classics, their stories, their ingredients and what makes them so damn good! We’ll deep dive with each one we make and understand their place in the beverage world. We may mix up things like Martinis, Manhattans, Sidecars, French 75’s or many others.
Spritzes & Low-Proof Cocktails
Americans may have invented the cocktail: bold, individual, exact, strong and refined. But the Europeans invented “day drinking in style”. They don’t just enjoy a bitter aperitivo before dinner or at the pool in the afternoon, they drink it with purpose and panache. They give practicality to their beverage of choice. Let’s dive in this sun-soaked pool and understand the place for low-proof cocktails, bitter ingredients and their place in your future. Let’s drink like the Europeans do. (Warning: you may drink something slightly bitter and you may like it!)
Tropical “Stay-cation”
Pineapple, coconut, passion fruit, cinnamon, lime, allspice, banana. Tropical fruits and spices have a way of quickly conjuring up a certain vibe. Mostly relaxation. The best cocktails are a blend of some really thoughtful, intentional flavors. Albeit bold, the “tropicals” pack a punch, yet an intellectual approach to cocktails with more fun included! We’ll examine a few tropical classics and taste how great they can be.
Zero-Proof Cocktails
Many folks love the ritual and celebratory nature of having a cocktail with friends. But some of us would just rather drink something else. No problem. The beverage world has expanded 10x to accommodate the tastes of zero-proof drinkers these days. We will discuss and incorporate things like tea, coffee, special waters, fresh juices, and the alcohol-free products in the world of modern zero-proof mixing.
504 Originals
New Orleans has been at the center of some important beverage history. This has shaped our local and even national drinking culture for the last few hundred years and gave us some of the most iconic cocktails still served today. We will take a look at our city’s history in the beverage world, the characters that created our classics and why they are still around today as we taste some of New Orleans greatest inventions.
Tasting and Education
Cocktails aren’t everyone’s thing. Sometimes I love focusing on a beverage category and tasting through a handful of examples to understand what makes them unique. We will line up glassware and taste through as we discuss the styles, the production methods, history and what makes them so special! Whether you want to focus on whiskey, gin, wine, sherry, vermouth, even tea, we can set up whatever style you’d like. Education is fun whether you’re brushing up or hoping to learn more for your professional development. Education is even more fun with a glass in hand. Let’s chat!