Kaitlyn Stewart has been called the World’s Best Bartender. And from her craft cocktails and signature drinks to her hospitality and knowledge of spirits, it’s easy to see why. We talk professional bartending, the secret to good craft cocktails, the best new spirits, the next big thing in the bar industry and her favorite bar stories. Then, we countdown the Top 5 Water Activities.
Kaitlyn Stewart: 01:55ish
Pointless: 33:01ish
Top 5: 50:07ish
Show email: nickvinzant@gmail.com
https://www.tiktok.com/@likeablecocktails (Kaitlyn Stewart Tiktok)
https://linktr.ee/likeablecocktails (Kaitlyn Stewart - Likeable Cocktails Linktr.ee)
Interview with Kaitlyn Stewart: Global Bartending Champion
Nick VinZant 0:11
Welcome to Profoundly Pointless. My name is Nick VinZant Coming up in this episode cocktails and water activities
Kaitlyn Stewart 0:19
I got into bartending to help pay for university. So when I found the world of like craft cocktail making, I was like, oh, okay, this is like an art form. This is like a chef working in a high end restaurant, I won the title of the World's Best Bartender. And it's one of those things that it was really, really, really hard to get there. I'm into people knowing what they want. That's why like, I find it so fascinating when somebody's like, Okay, I need a gin Martini. With just like a whisper of Vermouth. I want three olives, and a twist, anything that involves fire, I am down for the cars.
Nick VinZant 0:56
I want to thank you so much for joining us. If you get a chance, subscribe, leave us a rating or review. If you weren't with us last week. Right now we're in the process of trying to make the show a lot more interactive. So if there's something that you'd like about the show, or don't like about the show guests that you want to hear from top fives, whatever, we really do want to hear from you. And we really appreciate everybody who took time out of their day to send us a message. It's awesome to hear from people it really is. So our first guest has been named the best bartender in the world. And not only does she have some great tips and drink recipes, and some really funny and interesting bar stories, but she also has this fascinating perspective on what makes a good bar, a good bartender, and where the future of the industry is going. This is global bartending champion, Kaitlyn Stewart, did you always want to be a bartender? Or did you did you just kind of like naturally fall into this?
Kaitlyn Stewart 2:00
You know, I grew up in a family full of hospitality, people. So like my parents worked in owned and ran restaurants for pretty much my entire life. So when I got into the business, my parents ever pressured me to, like, move on and be like, now do what you went to school for? Or, you know, you know, all those conversations were people like, Matt, what's your real job. So I was very lucky to be super supported. And I was I got into bartending, to help pay for university, as most people do. And I found that there was this way to actually create a massive kind of career and network and it was more than just liquid in the glass at that point. Because there's many different styles of bartending, right, you've got like your, say, run of the mill, chain restaurant, you've got your nightclub, you've got your craft cocktail bar, you've got, I don't like hotel, like, there's many different levels to it. So when I found the world of like craft cocktail making, I was like, oh, okay, this is like an art form. This is like a chef working in a high end restaurant, to dry comparison. So I kind of fell in love with playing around with flavors, and just like the whole experience, and then
Nick VinZant 3:12
so when I was growing up, like bartending was something that alright, you phase out of that 25 Maybe you got to keep that job to like 30. Has it always been a professional kind of career? Or is this a transition that was really made in the last couple of whatever years?
Kaitlyn Stewart 3:28
No, I mean, I think this was it's truly a career. And it has been for a lot of people for a long time, you go back to the Savoy cocktail book, which, you know, was produced in like the late 1800s, early 1900s. And there's bartenders that, you know, have cocktails in that, that are well known. And they were like in their 50s. So clearly, it was a profession that, you know, people kind of stuck in. But even now, like some of the people that I look up to that I consider mentors, and I got lucky enough to then consider them friends and be almost like MK would say, on an equal but in the same kind of group as them. And I saw what they could do and what they were doing with their life. And I was like, damn, I want to get to that level. So I can also do that. The people like Dale DeGroff, who famously ran the Rainbow Room in New York City, and like, basically brought the Cosmo to life and to popularity. And he, you know, writes cocktail books, he does seminars all over the world, and he's just so well known as like, King cocktail. And same with somebody like Julie Reiner, who owns a couple of different bars in Brooklyn, like the Clover Club and Les ENDA. So when I saw people like that, I was like, Ah, damn, okay, that's what I want to aspire to do and to be not just not that there's anything wrong with just being a bartender, but going beyond like you said that like liquid in the glass and being a mentor for the next generation of people that come into it. So there's always something to look forward to. And it's always changing. So no one day is ever the same. And I think now, especially with social media and the rise have like, you know, kind of stepping into somebody else's world as an outside. Like spectator. I think looking at the world, especially of like a craft cocktail, bartending people can kind of like immerse themselves. And like I said, kind of watch somebody's social media and be like, Oh, holy shit, okay. Like, there's some really cool things going on. Like, I just got back two days ago from Scotland and I was doing an immersive trip in Edinburgh to, you know, go to a bunch of whiskey distilleries, and, you know, get myself better acquainted with the process of certain whiskies and how they're made and whatnot. But like, I that's part of my job, that was a, that was a trip that was considered work.
Nick VinZant 5:41
So what makes you good at it? Right? Are you? Do you have a fantastic sense of smell that can detect the smallest of changes? There you the most precise pour of liquid? Like, why are you essentially good at it,
Kaitlyn Stewart 5:54
who there are many different types of bartenders, there's like the showman. You know, there's the, the somebody who has like the best style of hospitality. But I just break it down to like, what the word actually is like bartending, you know, you're tending to the bar. And that's encompasses so many different things. So I think, to become a good party bartender, or at least to be somebody who's recognized as a good bartender, you need to, of course, make balanced, delicious cocktails, interesting cocktails, keep up with the trends somewhat. But also continue to educate yourself. Keep yourself out there, like in the public eye, whether that's again, doing tastings, you know, teaching classes, going to seminars, all those kinds of fun things. But then at the same time, like you have to be likable, you have to be somebody who is known for their hospitality, you want to be able to, you know, look at somebody and be like, Yeah, I want to go back to their bar and sit down, and have a conversation with them. And I don't care what they serve me, I just want to hang out with them and be in their presence, because they seem like a really cool person. And they know what they're talking about. I mean, for myself, like, I won the title of the World's Best Bartender in 2017. And it's one of those things that it was really, really, really hard to get there. But it gave me that like notoriety within my, my, like, small niche circle of this craft cocktail world that, yeah, I can like walk into a bar and be like, somebody be like, Hey, I know you, I have respect for you. And especially as a woman in this industry, industry doesn't always happen. So having that little push, definitely helps with that with like, you know, staying in this business and getting opportunities.
Nick VinZant 7:30
So how did you win the the award? Did you get submitted or was there like a competition or what happened?
Kaitlyn Stewart 7:36
There's a, there's a really prestigious competition in the craft cocktail world called world class. And it's put on by Diageo spirits, and it's held every year. And first if the when your country. So I competed and I won for Canada. And then you go and compete in the global finals, and there's about 60 countries so everybody's best winner from 60 countries comes together. In 2017. When I did it was hosted in Mexico City. So we all came together in Mexico City and it was like a week long competition of many different challenges. So there was like tasting challenges where we you know, you had to like nose and taste whiskies and be able to explain if it's from Highlands, lowland, Speyside Isla, or a blend of whiskey and kind of like pick out different notes and characteristics, you know, blackbox competitions, where you're just given like a basket and you're like, Okay, make a cocktail out of this, you have 20 minutes, different ones, you could prepare for speed challenges, all that kind of stuff. So you're competing against the top bartender from 60 other countries, and you go seven rounds, basically. And there's, like you said, a bunch of judges, they're keeping score of all the challenges and the judges are, you know, in my world like industry heavyweights that I look up to and then and yeah, so I ended up winning in in in Mexico City. So that year I was named the World's Best Bartender so it's it's one of the most prestigious competitions in like in the in in the industry. So it's definitely pushed me and basically put my career on a trajectory like, like that. And I got to travel so the last like five years, not so much in COVID but traveled around the world and from Thailand to Taiwan to Brazil to Ireland everywhere in between and get to judge cocktail competitions, put on seminars do guest shifts behind some really awesome bars and yeah, meet other bartenders from around the world.
Nick VinZant 9:34
When you like, as big as the champ right? Yeah, the bell, so to speak. But like if somebody went in and like, alright, this is the champs, and this is somebody who's pretty good. Am I going to be like, Whoa,
Kaitlyn Stewart 9:49
it's it depends on the style of cocktail, different techniques used, but like, ultimately to like, taste is such a spectrum, everybody You know, likes what they like and doesn't like what they don't like. So you know, if I'm serving you something that's like, you know, heavily peated and really smoky to you, you may be like, hell yeah, I love this flavor profile. But the person next to you could be like, hey, this, this is awful. I can't drink this. I want like a strawberry daiquiri, which are two completely different cocktails, right? So again, it's not so much just about the liquid in the glass, but it's about the whole experience around it. You know, whether that's the hospitality and how you actually serve that cocktail.
Nick VinZant 10:30
We don't usually do this necessarily this early, but a lot of our listeners submitted questions kind of fit around things I think we would naturally talk about. So are you ready for some listeners submitted
Kaitlyn Stewart 10:39
questions, fire away, fire them at me, please.
Nick VinZant 10:42
I'll start off with the starting off with some of the easier ones. What do you feel like is overall the best mix, drink not just in taste, but like overall, the taste, the history, the whatever?
Kaitlyn Stewart 10:55
It's so hard to say. Because so many cocktails are steeped in so much tradition. That like every cocktail has a story, especially going back to like the classics. So if you think about something like the Sazerac or like the Ramos Gin Fizz, which are like steeped in like tradition from New Orleans, and they've just got these really, they still make these authentic cocktails in New Orleans, this, like from the 1870 Whatever way, but I would say one of my favorites, is probably ooh, oh, um, I mean, I really love the simplicity of like a sidecar. You've got brandy, you've got orange look, you're and you have lemon juice, three basic ingredients, your basic sour style cocktail. And you can do a little sugared rim on the outside of it if you need a little extra sweetness. But it's cool because it kind of brings that tradition tradition in of using brandy as the base and just bringing in one small modifier from the orange liqueur and another small modifier from the lemon juice. And it's really balanced. It's nice and dry on your palate. And it's yeah, it's just a great classic cocktail that is so simple. It's only three ingredients. But with the right balance, it just works.
Nick VinZant 12:12
Is there a certain point like where you say, like, Alright, these ingredients are great. Like, what number of ingredients? Would you say like, alright, people are again, right? Like, we need the sweat from a Brazilian accent and put that in the drink and mix it with tears from a duck. Right?
Kaitlyn Stewart 12:30
Listen, hey, Stranger Things. But I mean, if you think and you think about like most Tiki cocktails, right? Tiki cocktails, like the zombie or the Singapore Sling, you've got like, 578 ingredients in there. And you're like, alright, like, but traditionally, those were made back in the day when, like, the quality of rum that they were using was pretty crap. So they had to kind of mask it with a bunch of other things. So it was like, Oh, just throw in some of this and throw in some of that. And you know, now we've got this cocktail, which you could probably make it in a lot easier way now, but that's part of the fun of it. It's part of like the history of like, alright, let's let's mess with bartender and order zombie when they're busy as all hell behind a bar and see how long it takes them or the dreaded like Ramos Gin Fizz, because technically, it should take 12 minutes to shake. Yes, yeah, it's it's a long one. There's there's ways to go about it now with modern techniques, that you could make it in two minutes. But traditionally, you put ice in it and you're supposed to shake it until the ice completely dissolves, which takes about 12 minutes. Like
Nick VinZant 13:32
why would ya 12 minute that Oh, yeah. That's that makes sense. Why would take that long?
Kaitlyn Stewart 13:40
Yeah, that's the way they still do it in New Orleans. So they stick with the stick with tradition. The 12 minute round was, as you get have like seven or eight bartenders, and you pass it off between all of you when you're shaking it.
Nick VinZant 13:51
I was gonna say like, what are the arms of that person look like? Oh,
Kaitlyn Stewart 13:55
it's not fun. I've done I mean, I like I've got my own techniques to make it nice and quick. But if you're doing it the traditional way, it's it can be a bit of a definitely a shoulder workout, that's for sure. Like jello
Nick VinZant 14:08
drink you like but always forget how to make
Kaitlyn Stewart 14:13
so many to be honest, sheesh. There's so many cocktails out there that like I always have to like check back on my notes and be like, alright, was it half an ounce or three quarters of an ounce or what? I really enjoy a cocktail called the journalist which again is like a really old kind of early 1900s drink. It's gin base. It's got sweet and dry vermouth in it. And I believe some lemon juice and chartreuse. But I always forget the the levels what the measurables how
Nick VinZant 14:42
it goes and how Yeah, how precise on that stuff. Do you have to be right? Like if it calls out it's an ounce. You put 1.1 ounces in the drink is screwed. Right like
Kaitlyn Stewart 14:53
that's is it usually one ounces. Okay.
Nick VinZant 14:56
Are you like how much wiggle room do you generally have before like Oh, You screw this up.
Kaitlyn Stewart 15:01
It depends on the spirit. So like, vodka is very, very different to something like a green Chartreuse or like a Maraschino liqueur. Green. Chartreuse is super herbal, and you know, it's, you only have to use it in very small doses or it's going to completely overpower the drink and it's not gonna taste very good. Say with Maraschino liqueur. It's like a, you know, a cherry liqueur that tastes like perfume, your Nana's perfume. And if you added in massive amounts, it's not so good. But in small amounts, it's really nice. But I'm a firm believer in measuring all of my cocktails because mostly because of consistency. So if you come in one day, and you come in the next day, or the next week, and you order the same drink, I want it to taste the same every single time.
Nick VinZant 15:41
Most overrated, we're like, oh, honestly, it's not that it's not good. It's just not what people really like. It's okay. Yeah, I
Kaitlyn Stewart 15:53
mean, I'll probably get a lot of flack for this, but I'm not a coffee drinker. So for me, the Espresso Martini is overrated. But I just don't drink coffee. So I don't know. Maybe like a bee's knees. I might get a hate for that one, too. It's like gin, honey and, and lemon juice. Again, I'm not a huge fan of like, have a strong honey flavor. So
Nick VinZant 16:17
drink you are sick of making.
Kaitlyn Stewart 16:20
Drink I'm sick of making is probably. i Everything goes through phases, you know? Like, like the Negroni made a really big like resurgence and then it was like Aperol Spritz was like everybody was drinking spritzes. So I don't think there's one drink in particular. But I think it's like just like the trends and fads that will kind of like, come and go where you're like, you get to the end of one you're like, okay, one is everybody going to stop, you know, wanting to make and drink milk punches. Because it takes two days to like, prepare, and you're like, Alright, gotta go through that process. But yeah, I mean, I like them all. They're kind of fun. For fun for me. vodka soda. I hate making vodka sodas. There you go.
Nick VinZant 17:04
Are you disappointed if somebody's just like whiskey need? No, not at all. I was gonna make something.
Kaitlyn Stewart 17:10
No, I mean, listen, I I'm, I'm a big proprietor in drink what you like, and don't want anybody to, you know, tell you otherwise. I used to get people that would come and sit at my bar and be like, I'm so so sorry. But can I just have a beer? And just like, it's not just a beer like, yeah, of course, you can like don't apologize to me, like, Oh, I know that you You're known for your cocktails and you make really great drinks. But like, I just want a Pinot Grigio and like, Great, perfect, because that's going to take me three seconds, I'm going to serve it to you. And no sweat off my back. Right? So I don't I don't mind it at all. If somebody you know, has a preference. I like it. When I can start to gain trust from somebody who's maybe very narrow minded. It's like, I only drink old fashions, they only drink that's my drink of choice. And then once you kind of get to know them and break them down a bit, you're like, Listen, if you like an old fashion, and you're at all curious, like, let me let me make this for you. And you know, and if you don't like it, don't have to drink it. But I just you know, I just want to show you what else what else kind of is out there. And you know, somebody be like, oh, cool, I would have never thought to order this or now it's my new favorite drink. So. So it's about building that trust.
Nick VinZant 18:16
That is true, right? Like I just I think people are always willing to try something they just don't know what to do. It's a
Kaitlyn Stewart 18:23
big it's a big world right? It's a the spirits category is massive. And the drinks category is massive. So again, I think people go to like their, you know, their trustees, and they're like, gin and tonic. That's all I'm drinking. I don't want to read the menu. I don't understand what half of these words are. But I think with now more and more people kind of talking about it again, like on social media through podcasts and different articles. It's cool because people are really starting to pick up much as they would in like the food world for like I don't know what goes through Jiang is like, Oh, cool. Like now I know what this like delicious fermented chili paste is and I want to eat it. It's the same in the cocktail world. It's like, Oh, I'd never knew what Angostura bitters were, I didn't know you could drink them in a cocktail, but also just drink them and soda water to help with a stomachache. It's like, oh, cool. I learned something new. So, you know, it's again, it's always opening up people's minds to like new things is always really fun for me.
Nick VinZant 19:19
What is the difference between shaken and stirred?
Kaitlyn Stewart 19:22
Right? I mean, they're both different techniques. So when you when you shake a cocktail, you're kind of bruising the spirit and everything that's inside the shaker tin, you're bringing an instant chill and you're getting your dilution. And also, it's just marrying everything together. When you're stirring a cocktail, you have way more control over the dilution. So bringing introducing water into the cocktail, but also you're not bruising the spirit. So you're really just opening up all the aromatics in the Spirit. Now normally you would only stir well normally you would stir cocktails that are only spirit. So like a martini LaGrone a Manhattan an old fashioned And because they don't have any juices or purees added into them, whereas you would shake anything that has like a juice of puree, maybe like muddled fruit or mint or basil or something like that, because you want to extract all those flavors and really bring them to life. So shaking is for that more delicate, balanced, kind of rounded feel and taste. were shaken. You're getting that really bright, refreshing, super cold cocktail.
Nick VinZant 20:29
Okay, this is where my personal bias will come in. Yeah, I've mentioned this before on this podcast that I don't have a sense of smell. And so to me the idea that somebody because my sense of taste is like way, way reduced by Oh, totally. Nobody really tell the difference. Like, could you like, take a sip of one say that's shaken that stirred? Could you can you tell?
Kaitlyn Stewart 20:51
Yes, yes, but I've been doing it for so long. So but also to it changes, it changes the way it feels on your palate. I I use the word mouthfeel. But it has a big it has a it's a big part of it. It's a big component of of a cocktail is the way that how it how it feels on your palate. So yeah, if you shake something, again, you're kind of you're shocking the ingredients. So you're not getting those like lovely flavors. Say if you're having like a gin Martini. All of those flavors in the vermouth and the botanicals in your gin are seized up because they've just been shocked with a bunch of ice. So you're not going to get that same beautiful aromatic finish as if it was stirred. Now some people prefer you know, I mean, I think Ian Fleming kind of screwed us all when he wrote in his James Bond books like shaken not stirred, because everybody thinks the Vesper Martini is meant to be shaken, but it's ultimately meant to be stirred. But thanks to James Bond, you know, everybody wants to order it shaken not stirred
Nick VinZant 21:52
wine in a box or wine cooler.
Kaitlyn Stewart 21:55
Oh, I can't remember the last time I had either or, but I mean, why don't box is quite convenient. It does last a lot longer. I will say that. Why not? Wine? Not?
Nick VinZant 22:07
Well, no wonder you're the champ. Seal the
Kaitlyn Stewart 22:12
seal. Right there?
Nick VinZant 22:14
How good are you at spotting a fake ID?
Kaitlyn Stewart 22:17
Oh, there's a lot of really good ones out there these days, man, I get being in Canada, the legal drinking age is obviously younger than in the States. So I would get a ton of people that would come up from Seattle, because they had just turned 19. And you know, I'd get there like Washington license. And I'm like, I need to like go and check like Google to see exactly what this what a Washington license is supposed to look like. Because like, you know, people come from all over the place. Vancouver's a pretty like international hub. But, but there's some good ones out there these days that are dangerous, but a lot of places if you're going to like a nightclub or whatnot, they will swipe them or scan them or these backlight on them. So
Nick VinZant 23:01
drink that says the most about somebody who I
Kaitlyn Stewart 23:05
think it's a personal preference. So I love it when somebody orders a martini, and they're very, very specific and how they order it. Like it's I think it's the most personal drink and it's probably the drink that gets sent back the most because people are like not that wasn't dirty enough or that wasn't like that's way too much vermouth. So I like it when somebody orders like, like a like martini, like very specific. But then at the same time, too. You're like, oh, yeah, you're, you're this particular with your martini. I wonder what else you're very particular about. But
Nick VinZant 23:37
I can imagine somebody who's probably like, got some money and is stuck up. Like sometimes or maybe just knows what they want. Like exactly what they want.
Kaitlyn Stewart 23:48
Oh, like I'm I'm into people knowing what they want. That's why like, I find it so fascinating when somebody's like, Okay, I need a gin Martini. With just like a whisper of Vermouth. I want three olives and a twist. I want you know, and it's like, did the just run down the gambit? And then you're like, Shit, I better make this right for them. Because, you know, God forbid I put more than a whisper vermouth like they're gonna be able to tell. Yeah, it's always pretty funny to me.
Nick VinZant 24:14
Just saying make it strong work.
Kaitlyn Stewart 24:18
I mean, maybe in the States, but in Canada, we have like such harsh laws on like measurements of spirits. So like, if you order a double, it's going to be two ounces or like 50 mils or 60 mils. So like, it's it's we're very precise. But like when you order a cocktail, you're like, Oh, can I get a margarita but like make it strong? Again, like I can't put any more alcohol and then when I'm specified to like put in and also like in Canada, alcohol is like super expensive. So like when you're doing your inventory at the end of the night or what have you and you're like out a bunch of, you know, ounces of spirit. You're like, I'm out a lot of money. But no, I mean Especially I like it when people ask for like, easy ice or like less ice because they think they're gonna get more drink. You're not I mean, a game the system. Yeah, I mean and also like, for me cocktails are all about balance. So if I start like, I don't know, putting way too much of something in it, then it becomes off balance and it's just not doesn't taste right doesn't taste the way it's supposed to taste. But like if you want something strong order a cocktail and then order like a shot on the side, I guess. And then do it yourself or take your shot and then trigger your cocktail, but I don't know,
Nick VinZant 25:31
oh, weirdest conversation you've ever overheard. Oh,
Kaitlyn Stewart 25:35
I used to work in like the financial district. So I used to get some like really interesting conversations between like people who were like investments and like all that kind of stuff. And you're like, I don't know if this this sounds kind of shady to me. But I don't know, like the weirdest. I've heard some pretty random conversations in my life. I've had some like good ones, where people you know, are talking about like, the like, what happened to them, like, they met a girl or you know, whatever the night before. And they're like talking to their buddy about it. And then they're buddies. Like, that's my ex girlfriend or like, you know, they start like going at it. And you're like, this is this is drama over here. Like, I don't know about this, or like so you can totally tell when somebody's like elaborating their story to their pal. When you watch the whole encounter happen, like maybe 20 minutes before, like, Oh, I just met this girl at the bar, she was totally into me or bla bla bla, and you're like, No, she wasn't buddy. Like she tried to cheat she ran away from you know? So, if you don't, if you don't think the bartender is listening, trust me, we're always listening. It's our job.
Nick VinZant 26:38
Best way to they use the word hit on if you're into somebody, like how do you how do you approach
Kaitlyn Stewart 26:44
like at a bar or to the bartender to the bartender?
Nick VinZant 26:47
Like, if you're into the bartender? What's the best way to kind of like, Hey,
Kaitlyn Stewart 26:53
I mean, I would say don't. But it's, I would say, Okay, if you want to be a maybe like a good customer and leave like a good impression. go that route. I would say it's always really nice. And maybe not everybody can afford to do it. But it's always nice to say like, Hey, can you add a round of beers or whatever to my tab for like, for the bar staff at the end of your shift? You know, sometimes I'll do that if I go into a restaurant and like I really enjoyed the meal. I'll be like, Hey, can you throw like a couple of beers on my bill for like the kitchen staff like just as a thank you. I always think that's like super kind and grabs you know, grabs your bartenders attention and be like, hey, thanks. That's that was very, very kind of your that's very sweet of you might open up the conversation a little bit.
Nick VinZant 27:42
Is there an overall like funnest drink to make like, We love making this one? My favorite?
Kaitlyn Stewart 27:47
Yeah, I mean, I like anything that's like fun and tropical. And like, there's like a bunch of Tiki cocktails that you can kind of set on fire that I'm like, hell yeah, I want to set something on fire. And I want to like, you know, throw some cinnamon on it. And the cinnamon makes it spark and kind of go all over the place. And it's a bit of a show. So I mean, yeah, anything that involves fire, I am down for the cause. Or if it's blue, I love a blue drink. I'm like, hey, it's got an umbrella on it. It's blue. And it's got fire. All three sold?
Nick VinZant 28:18
Do you put water in whiskey? Are you supposed to?
Kaitlyn Stewart 28:20
I'm not. I mean, again, it's a personal preference. You I'm sipping whiskey, I'll sip it as it is versus like the straight spirit. But sometimes just like a tiny little drop of water will just help open up all the flavors even more.
Nick VinZant 28:34
Where do you what do you think is the future? Future who are attending this future of the industry that kind of like where do you think it's going?
Kaitlyn Stewart 28:41
It's It's honestly, it's been really cool to kind of see in these last couple of years that it's not so much about getting like messed up. I think people are actually drinking for like the experience and like the enjoyment of like, the true authentic, like flavors and craftsmanship of a cocktail, that it's not so much about like, what can I drink to get me fluffed up, like I just want to slam sometimes I want to be wasted. I'm sure there's still that out there. But I think the craft is being a little bit more appreciated these days. And people are really, you know, respecting that but also think like non alcoholic cocktails have been very big. And I don't like I've kind of seen it ever since. I mean in Canada, like weed is legal here. So I find that some of my friends especially have kind of like diverted and they're like I want to go the cannabis route more so have a cocktail at night. So there's also kind of that like ebb and flow too. But yeah, I think non alcoholic cocktails have been really big. Even like CBD and like THC. Beverages have become like super popular as well. But yeah, I mean, I think I think people are eager to get back out there and socialize which is really awesome as well. Last two years people were like stuck at home so people are really appreciating going out sitting down enjoying a well crafted cocktail and maybe something to eat and enjoying time with friends. And I mean, I love I love to see it. I think it's fantastic.
Nick VinZant 30:08
Do you think that there's there any indications? Right. And um, you know, ultimately I think it's like a political and elected official thing. But is there any indications that you think that okay, we might be having the mix of like in bars where we're mixing marijuana and alcohol at the same places? Yeah. The industry preparing for that?
Kaitlyn Stewart 30:27
I would say yes, there's a ton of I even have friends that have come up with spirits, spirits, you'll never see alcohol and cannabis mixed in the same cocktail. I don't think not for a long time anyways, just like the adverse effects of the two of them are kind of completely opposite of one another. But there is a ton of like, like non alcoholic mixers now that are either cannabis infused or you know, CBD infused, and people are using those in economical Holic cocktails. So I think once that kind of, you know, becomes a little bit more regulatory, you'll definitely see that hop into the bar scene for sure. Yeah, I think it's, I think it's an interesting, budding market. Again, no pun intended.
Nick VinZant 31:16
But I got two of them. That's two of them.
Kaitlyn Stewart 31:18
It's only 10am. And I'm only 32 Puns deep.
Nick VinZant 31:22
Oh, um, that's pretty much all the questions that we got. Is there anything else that you think that we missed? Or what's kind of coming up next for you? Oh,
Kaitlyn Stewart 31:30
I mean, I like I've been super busy doing lots of really fun, like consulting projects, and like, even doing like some really great doing some really fun content online. Whether it's through like, tick tock, which I never thought I would be on in my entire life. Be my age, I was like, I'm too old for this app. But then I found like, a really cool audience that have been really enjoying the content of just learning about cocktails, and learning about the history and just like the art of making beverages, and it's been really fun doing that. I'm in the process of opening a new bar in Vancouver. So a lot of work. So hopefully, by the end of July, we'll be open. So just hitting the ground running with that, trying to get inspired.
Nick VinZant 32:16
Do you have the name yet?
Kaitlyn Stewart 32:17
Yeah, it's called the Herrick and it's at it'll be at the like historic hotel Georgia down in like the basement. And it's yeah, it's gonna be a really awesome kind of like cocktail lounge and cocktail club. And, yeah, it's gonna be pretty wild.