Meet Corrine from @cocktailswithcorinne and learn her mixology story!

Name:
Corinne Hennessey

Location:
Southern New Hampshire

Go-To Cocktail:
Old Fashioned

Instagram:
@cocktailswithcorinne

Website:
www.cocktailswithcorinne.com

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into mixology? Who/what/where taught you what you know?

In my family, great food and cocktails have always been a regular part of our lives. I inherited my appreciation for the art and science of mixology from my mom and her tradition of creating custom holiday cocktails. Once I was old enough to take over the tradition, I ran with it. Five cocktails a year became an almost nightly ritual at the beginning of quarantine. My brother and mom would cook fantastic meals and I would be in charge of creating a complimentary cocktail. I started to get a lot of feedback from my friends after sharing them on my personal account which encouraged me to start my own page! Now a year later, I can’t believe how much I’ve learned and grown- I just launched my website!

My parents gave me one piece of advice that is a big influence behind every drink I post, “you only get one liver, drink good liquor!” Because of that saying, I try to use local spirits and ingredients to support local businesses; and whenever I can I try to make my own cordials and liqueurs! It’s fun to experiment and try new things to show my friends and followers how easy (and fun) it is to make delicious drinks with quality ingredients!

What are you excited about in the world of mixology right now?

Over the past year, I’ve seen so many bartenders and home bartenders learning and teaching one another online. I feel like we’ve all picked up on new techniques or found off-beat ingredients to use in cocktails that are going to elevate the hospitality industry once bars start to reopen. I’m most excited to take a trip up to my favorite cocktail bar in Portland Maine, Blyth & Burrows, to see what they have on their cocktail menu!

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from two places- food and music! Music is a big part of my life, sometimes I’ll be listening to a song and there will be a line that makes me think “that would be a great name for a drink!” and I’ll plan my drink around that verse. Other times I’ll be eating something so delicious, like a donut or pad thai and I’ll try to dissect how I could use different ingredients to achieve those same flavors. It makes dinner very exciting

What is one recipe that you created on your own that you’re really proud of?

A recent drink that I’m really proud of is called Sippin On The Dock By The Bay, inspired by the 1968 Otis Redding song, Dock of the Bay. This drink features a bay leaf cordial that I made- it’s a strange and delicious ingredient that I think everyone needs to try! I love that this cocktail uses spirits from New England distilleries and for some inexplicable reason, this drink tastes like pineapple juice!

Sippin On The Dock By The Bay Cocktail Recipe

Sippin On The Dock By The Bay

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Bay Leaf Cordial
  • 1.5 oz Fig Vodka
  • .75 oz Elderflower Rum
  • .75 oz Lime Juice

Instructions:

  1. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake.
  2. Strain into a pilsner glass.
  3. Garnish and enjoy!