The Shirley Temple was my yoozh in restaurants as a child. As I got older, alcohol didn’t become a regular part of my life until I found a reason to appreciate it unadulterated.
Those last seven years of tippling were educational to say the least: reading beer and wine books; studying cocktail history and “studying” cocktail recipes; understanding the historical and current politics of the alcohol industry; joining an artisan wine club; and ultimately challenging myself to taste at least one different craft beer and hard cider weekly for a little over three years #WinnersCircle. I even took pics of each boozy find for posterity.
See, bartending school did end up being more than a Y2K bucket list item. Anyway….
Christmas Eve 2022 marked the night of my last drink….well okay, drinks. No doubt, the pros outweigh the cons when you stop swigging. But once in a while things feel a little off.
So, Mocktail Goals. I’ve buried enough accoutrements. Haven’t you?
To your health,
Bartender Bae
