Gentleman Jack “Culture Shakers” is a program created to celebrate Black and Hispanic bartenders who are on the rise, shaking up cocktail culture in their cities and crafting their own legacies behind the bar.
For 2023, we are continuing to shine a light on a new class of bartenders, kicking off with an impressive group of creatives who are pushing boundaries and shaking up bar culture in Connecticut. Below, find out more about the Connecticut “Culture Shakers” presented by Gentleman Jack.
As a smooth and approachable Tennessee whiskey that utilizes a second charcoal mellowing process to achieve greatness, Gentleman Jack strives to embrace the creator in us all who takes the extra step to craft what’s real and strives to leave a legacy – just like the Gentleman Jack Culture Shakers Class of 2023.
Nobu Massiah
How does your personality influence your bartending approach, technique and style?
Bartending is all about the give and take, which is why creating a vibe has become central to my style of bartending. If I can speak with a guest, even for a quick minute, I can learn something about their rituals, outlook, likes and dislikes. I can then take what they’ve shared and respond with a cocktail custom fit to their taste. I strive to create a simpatico experience and I’m never one to judge. If a guest likes sweet drinks, I say, “great, let’s find a way to balance for sweetness while incorporating some flavors perhaps you hadn’t heard of, like sorrel syrup or molasses bitters.” If I’ve done my job properly, guests leave having had more than just a drink, but a memorable experience. And that’s a really good feeling.
What makes New Haven, CT an exciting places to live and work in hospitality right now?
Some people consider New Haven just as a stop-over between Boston and New York, but I definitely consider it so much more. I was raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, not far from New Haven, and when I moved here two years ago, I really came to appreciate the city as a thriving cultural center. We have The Shubert, music venues, Yale and a phenomenal array of restaurants and bars, like the one where where I currently bartend. It has been an unexpected joy to discover this amazing community of industry professionals who are all excited about craft cocktails and gastronomy. There are big ideas being talked about here right now to go along with the big tastes being served in hospitality. With roots going back to the origins of craft cocktails, this small city is not just focusing on honoring the past, New Haven is emerging as one of the freshest voices in the global cocktail community.
What does being a Culture Shaker mean to you and how can bartenders use their influence to impact positive progress in the industry?
Being named a Culture Shaker is immensely gratifying. For me, it’s about having the ability to express my creativity through what I do as a Bartender and knowing that my voice is being heard which enhances my ability to bring so much energy to this craft. When it comes to making positive progress, the word I like is simpatico: finding compatibility and making connections. At the end of the day, it’s really about building small kinships that have the potential to make major contributions, and that’s what being a Culture Shaker means to me.
Tell us how you used Gentleman Jack in your Signature Cocktail.
Gentleman Jack and coffee — something about that combination just seems perfect. To lighten up the combination of cold brew coffee liqueur and Gentleman Jack, I added a cinnamon syrup with a touch of clove, and three quarters ounce of oat milk. Finally, to accent the banana notes from the Gentleman Jack, I dropped in a garnish of sliced pineberry, which is then dried and dipped in dark chocolate (white strawberry can be substituted). This cocktail has less caffeine than espresso and vodka, but is all the more palatable and pleasurable of a refined cafe-style cocktail.
Pep Talk
- 1.5 oz Gentleman Jack
- 1 oz Australian Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
- .5 oz Homemade cinnamon spice syrup**
- .75 oz Oat milk
**Homemade cinnamon spice syrup: heat equal parts sugar and water. Add in copious cinnamon sticks and a few cloves.
Eddy Caves
How does your personality influence your bartending approach, technique and style?
My personality is urban, Latin, spontaneous and intentional of keeping the importance of care to best cater to the person I’m making the cocktails for in mind. I like to please peoples’ tastebuds based on what they typically like to drink and then I help tailor a uniquely new experience.
What makes New Haven, CT an exciting places to live and work in hospitality right now?
New Haven County is a hidden artsy gem where a lot of talented people live. The art of craft cocktails is well respected here; respect for the glassware, mixology technique, garnishing and giving cocktails a more culinary approach overall. I learned the (bartending) craft in this city and with the support of my mentors, I took it to the next level.
What does being a Culture Shaker mean to you and how can bartenders use their influence to impact positive progress in the industry?
Culture Shakers are the reason why the industry exists. Running a bar business, by design, means you offer spirits and drinks with meaningful experiences and a sense of luxury. Anyone can buy spirits (at a store) and take them home to drink, but that often lacks the expertise, intention, knowledge and creativity to mix them in ways where they can enjoy the full experiences beverages along with hospitality. Life at the bar is about lifestyle and having the ability to tell stories with the products and brands is the strongest drive.
Tell us how you used Gentleman Jack in your Signature Cocktail.
I incorporated Gentleman Jack by building the amazing flavor and smoothness this spirit already has and adding in my own totally different twist – a Latin Caribbean touch. By adding the yogurt, aquafaba and raspberry puree along with a blue curaçao agave, I created a cocktail that is rich in flavor and is basically a Tennessee Creamsicle that brings in warming notes on the finish.
The Gray Jack-et
- 2 oz. Gentleman Jack
- 1 oz. Aquafaba
- 2 tbsp Plain Yogurt
- .75 oz. Lime Juice
- 1 oz. Blue Curaçao Agave
- .5 oz. Raspberry Purée
Deon Ross
How does your personality influence your bartending approach, technique and style?
When behind the bar, I love assuming the role of “the facilitator of fun.” I do whatever I can to ensure people are smiling, good drinks are flowing and happy memories are being made by all.
What makes New Haven, CT an exciting places to live and work in hospitality right now?
Working in downtown New Haven is amazing. You are surrounded with endless options to choose whatever cuisine you can ever want and it is a community made up of people from so many different walks of life and varied lifestyles. Moreover, it has a rich (hospitality) industry culture loaded with camaraderie and infused with massive talent.
What does being a Culture Shaker mean to you and how can bartenders use their influence to impact positive progress in the industry?
To me being a Culture Shaker means challenging what has been defined as “normal.” It’s about breaking boxes and deconstructing narratives. I’d like to believe that us bartenders, who clock in shift after shift to stand behind the stick, are leaders in our community. We are tasked with creating a special and a safe place for our guests and co-workers. It should be the intention of every bartender to both create and emote senses of community and belonging to all those who sit warming the bar stools in front of them.
Tell us how you used Gentleman Jack in your signature cocktail.
When we take in consideration the nose of Gentleman Jack, I get tons of aromas such as ripe banana, vanilla, apple and even a touch of caramel. With that being said, it made most sense to me to do something shaken and a little more citrusy. When you think of caramel, we often think of brown sugar, hence the brown sugar simple syrup. I also wanted to pull out some more of the fruit forward flavors like the banana, so I thought blueberry would be a nice touch. To round it out, I introduced a touch of bitterness by using an amaro that plays well with others.
Swipe Right
- 2 oz. Gentleman Jack
- .5 oz. Lemon Juice
- .5 oz. Italian Amaro
- .25 oz. Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
- .25 oz. Blueberry Fruitful
- .25 oz. Herbaceous Yellow French Liqueur
All photography for Culture Shakers Connecticut by Manny Vargas
Please Drink Responsibly. Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel’s are registered trademarks. ©2023 Jack Daniel’s. Tennessee Whiskey, 40% ABV, JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, Lynchburg, TN.
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