Behind the Bar with The Blind Rabbit's Andrew Winters

The Best Drink Ever recently went Behind the Bar with Andrew Winter from The Blind Rabbit.  He is one of top bartenders in SoCal and his cocktail pyrotechnics definitely lived up to the hype. 

When did you start bartending?

So I actually started bartending when I was fourteen. I became my mom's personal bartender, but wasn't allowed to taste any of the drinks because I was only 14.

But judging by smell and her reaction is where I got the okay to the cocktail was good and it just got me excited about it.

So I started buying up all the old bar books I could and read everything I could find and bartending friends parties sneaking behind other bars anything I could make a drink for somebody a lot.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

For me I get my inspiration from Pre-Prohibition. My two main veins that I really like are Pre-Prohibition and Tiki.

I love lighting things on fire rums and pineapple juices and all that good stuff.

Favorite Drink? 

I love scotch single malt, neat. The pettier and smokier the better. Kind of dirty and disgusting, all that good stuff.

Best Way to Get Your Attention at a Bar

The best way to get my attention at a bar is just making eye contact with me. You don't have the wave your hands or snap or anything like that. Just keep your eyes on me. 

I do look around I will make sure I see you and if your eyes on me, then I will come and get you and make another cocktail.

Secret Bottle Behind the Bar

Some of my favorite things to work with I always loved Fernet-Branca for that Ancho Reyes, Green chartreuse.

If I can sneak some Green Chartreuse or Absinthe in somebody’s cocktail, that's always a good surprise.

I like to make a couple of my own bitters and you can't get those in the markets so those are always fun to go in there.

Favorite Garnish

I light a lot of different drinks on fire just because when we have customers in the bar the bar is very very dark and everybody's having their conversations, but then all the sudden there's this huge burst of flames and everybody's like always going on there and definitely the most effective garnish.

What’s the most important bar tool?

I’ve found that that so far the most important bar tool is a good smile.

Make sure to follow Andrew Winters and The Blind Rabbit to learn more about their amazing drinks. And as always, don't forget to TAG @TheBestDrinkEver to be featured.

Special Thanks to QViolin for the intro music.