Cocktail culture is thriving in large part due to a passionate contingent of exceptional bartenders and mixologists. This feature places a spotlight on the craftspeople behind the bar, and not just the structure itself. Meet Ryan Wingo from 8 oz. Burger Bar in Los Angeles.

Josh Lurie: Do you consider yourself a bartender or a mixologist?

Ryan Wingo: Semantics. I call myself a Libationist. Not really…I’m not particularly fond of the term mixologist. Cocktologist didn’t fly. I don’t actually tend bar for a living so I am not exactly a bartender. In my book, what is important is if I can create and/or serve drinks in my establishment with integrity that taste good. What’s better, is if I can turn more people on to appreciating well made drinks.

JL: How did you become interested in mixology?

RW: It began with a passion for food. I always felt that the same creative and methodical approaches taken to cooking, should be parlayed into cocktail making. It seemed weird to me that no one ever really measured anything and things were always sort of haphazardly slopped together. The first time I saw a bartender taste a drink before it went out, I thought, “that should happen more often.”

JL: What’s your first cocktail memory?

RW: My grandpa used to make Manhattan cocktails on the rocks, and would make me a “virgin” version with ginger ale, sweet vermouth and bitters. I was about 8.

JL: What’s your current favorite spirit or liquor?

RW: Lately I am liking rye whiskey, for it’s spicy and dry characteristics. Conversely, I am also liking aged rums.

JL: Which cocktail is past its prime?

RW: Sadly, it seems that most cocktails are past their prime. The heyday was really from 1850-1920. The honor and integrity of bartending was all but eviscerated during 13 years of Prohibition. There is a current revival that has been taking place for the last 15 years or so, but we’re still a long way from the widely understood cocktail culture that existed long ago. I would love to see a Grey Goose Martini (which is rarely made correctly) get past its prime!

JL: What’s the cocktail of the future?

RW: Drinks made using fresh fruits juices and herbs, homemade bitters, infusions, syrups and purees, and other creative ingredients are the wave of the future. More generally, we will begin to see carefully crafted cocktails in more and more restaurants and bars in the coming years. People still appreciate a well made cocktail, so hopefully it won’t too long before we see a decline in vodka-soda drinkers and the return of the discerning drinker to the mainstream.

JL: Describe one of your original cocktails. What’s it called and what was your approach?

RW: Aguamiel (honey water in Spanish). It has Tequila blanco (100% agave), Lillet Blanc, fresh lime juice, honey syrup, and almond extract. I just wanted a slight variation on a margarita with no muddling involved and found this to be refreshing, easy to make and delicious.

JL: Do you have a cocktail mentor, and what did they teach you?

RW: My first real mentor was Ryan Magarian. He’s extremely passionate about cocktails, and taught me a lot about the fundamentals during the two restaurant openings I did with him. Most importantly, he gave the foundation for how you implement the techniques required into a bar program with people that don’t otherwise understand it.

JL: Outside of your bar, what’s your favorite bar in town and why?

RW: I like Seven Grand, and the new place at Cole’s, The Association.

JL: Who’s another mixologist you respect and why?

RW: Brian Flanagan (aka Tom Cruise in “Cocktail”). “They thought he was good, they were wrong… he was the best.”…also “When he pours, he reigns.”

JL: If you had a bar of your own, what would you call it?

RW: Cocktails and Dreams! just kidding. I like The Chalice, or maybe Bar Classique…i just made both of those up. I’ll know when I get there…see it in a vision.

12. What’s the best simple cocktail for people to make at home, and what’s the recipe?
A Vesper is a good simple drink that most people will enjoy.
1.5 oz gin
1.5 oz vodka
0.5 oz Lillet Blanc
Combine ingredients, shake like hell for 6 seconds and strain in to a chilled cocktail glass. Lemon twist garnish. (I usually add a dash of Angostura Orange Bitters, as well)
*some recipes call for more gin, less vodka. Really depends on the gin…and the drinker. I likes me some gin.

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