Bartending legend Dale DeGroff was the guest of honor at a mixology event featuring Hendrick’s Gin at 1928 Cocktail Club in Branford on Jan. 23. During the seminar titled, “The Sour: A Balancing Act,” DeGroff, known as the King of Cocktails and an iconic cocktail author, was accompanied by Hendrick’s East Brand Ambassador Erik Andersson, who together led guests through an educational talk on the importance of balancing ingredients and flavors when creating cocktails. DeGroff’s work in the late 1980s at New York City’s Rainbow Room is credited for igniting the modern cocktail renaissance. His updated edition of “The New Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Think Like a Master Mixologist” was released in 2020 and includes anecdotes from his 40 years of experience with recipes included, all making for a lively discussion. DeGroff’s contributions to the industry are numerous, with honors including his two-time James Beard Award recognition, a 2008 Tales of the Cocktail Lifetime Achievement Award and, in 2015, the New York Times naming him “one of the world’s foremost cocktail experts.” A competition immediately followed, with nine local bartenders mixing up their best Hendrick’s Gin cocktails for a panel of DeGroff, Andersson and Anthony DeSerio, Assistant Beverage Manager, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Owner, Dr. Booze, a cocktail consulting venture. The winner was Sam Reyes with a cocktail creation called Under the Sea.
-
- Cocktail legend Dale DeGroff was the featured guest during a seminar, book signing and cocktail competition on Jan. 23 at 1928 Cocktail Bar in Branford, sponsored in conjunction with Hendrick’s Gin.
-
- Hendrick’s Gin was the showcased spirit, a recipe ingredient used in DeGroff’s recently updated edition of “The New Craft of the Cocktail.”
-
- Back row: Tony Cuomo, Co-owner, 1928 Cocktail Club; Jamie Montesi, CT State Manager, William Grant & Sons; Competitor Szabolcs Geiger, Bartender, Nobu Hospitality; Anthony DeSerio, Assistant Beverage Manager, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Owner, Dr. Booze; Competitor Nikki Stein, Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den; Competitor Sam Reyes, Mariposa Taqueria; and Dale DeGroff. Front row: Frank Dean, Co-owner, 1928 Cocktail Club; Competitor Alfredo Gonzalez Barrera, 1928 Cocktail Club; and Erik Andersson, Brand Ambassador, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons.
-
- Erik Andersson, Brand Ambassador, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons; Anthony DeSerio, Assistant Beverage Manager, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Owner, Dr. Booze; and Dale DeGroff during the seminar.
-
- Winning bartender Sam Reyes, Mariposa Taqueria.
-
- Reyes’ winning cocktail, Under the Sea.
-
- Second-place cocktail Margarita’s Mambo by Geiger.
-
- Second-place’s Szabolcs Geiger, Nobu Hospitality.
-
- Third-place cocktail Gin Carrey by Barrera.
-
- Competitor Alfredo Gonzalez Barrera, 1928 Cocktail Club.
-
- Competitor Nikki Stein, Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den.
-
- The judging panel: Anthony DeSerio, Assistant Beverage Manager, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Owner, Dr. Booze; Erik Andersson, Brand Ambassador, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons; and Dale DeGroff.
-
- Dale DeGroff; Alfredo Gonzalez Barrera, 1928 Cocktail Club; Anthony DeSerio, Assistant Beverage Manager, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Owner, Dr. Booze; Erik Andersson, Brand Ambassador, Hendrick’s East, William Grant & Sons; and Szabolcs Geiger, Nobu Hospitality. Bottom row: Sam Reyes, Mariposa Taqueria.
-
- Produced by William Grant & Sons at Scotland’s Girvan distillery, Hendrick’s Gin offers a unique taste with its blend of 11 botanicals infused with flavors of rose and cucumber.
Photos by Anthony DeSerio and 1928 Cocktail Club. Photos 2, 7, 9, 11 and 12 courtesy of Victoria Illingworth.
