Meet The Mixologist: Katie Stryjewski of @garnish_girl

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

My first year of graduate school in Boston, I went out to Eastern Standard, one of the best cocktail bars in town. I was blown away by everything about it – the atmosphere, the careful technique of the bartenders, and of course the cocktails, which didn’t taste like any drinks I’d ever had. I ordered an Aviation and I was hooked. But I was a poor graduate student and regularly going out for craft cocktails was not an option. I stumbled upon Fred Yarm’s blog, where he posts the recipes for many fantastic cocktails on the menus at Boston bars, and I decided to try and build my home bar instead. I slowly accumulated ingredients and tools and learned more about proper techniques. Blogs like Fred’s were my main source for recipes and information. So when I finally moved out of my cavelike apartment and into a place with proper sunlight, I decided to try photographing my drinks and starting a blog of my own. I’m still constantly learning, and some of my early posts definitely make me cringe a little. But I hope that other people who are starting off with no idea what they’re doing will find them and realize that you don’t have to know everything to get started – you can do it one drink at a time, one bottle at a time! There is so much information and inspiration out there to help you.

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

This quarantine is obviously a devastating thing for restaurants and bars, but one potentially positive result is a new focus on home bartending. Lots of bartenders are doing videos and tutorials, sharing their recipes and showing people how to replicate their techniques at home. I love that the industry has chosen to be open and encouraging during this time. I’ve learned a lot of new things and attended some really interesting online classes. I would love to see this spirit extend beyond the quarantine.