You may have seen some of our recent trips to Tucson and New Orleans. Some of our best bar recommendations came from Erick Castro, who built his cocktail empire at San Francisco’s Rickhouse and Bourbon & Branch by searching for obscure recipes, methods and ingredients that originated prior to Prohibition. We’re excited about Erick’s new documentary, Bartender at Large, which is being released next week. Winner for Best Documentary and Best Director at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival 2017, this movie takes you behind the scenes and into to world of craft cocktails teaching us all about the bartenders and cocktail renaissance that’s been going on in the United States. Erick and his team go on the road and take you across the western U.S., from a speakeasy in Denver to a dive bar in Tucson to an elegant hotel bar in Santa Fe.
You’ll see cameos from famous bartenders including David Wondrich (check out his cocktail books here), Jeffrey Morgenthaler (The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique), and Jim Meehan (even more amazing cocktail books here). Meehan’s Bar Manual is also being realized October 17. We love that the conversation not only focuses on great cocktails, but also about the entertainment and hospitality that goes with it to create the full experience and culture. You can find more information and purchase Bartender at Large here.