A group of local bartenders has banded together to make the Washington area the capital of tasty libations.
The D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild, started a few months ago, consists of 10 local restaurant and bar managers who hope to raise the level of cocktail and spirit awareness in the area.
“It’s sad that most bars don’t know how to make a Gin Rickey,” said Justin Guthrie, bar manager at Michel Richard Central and a member of the D.C. Craft Bartenders.
The Gin Rickey, which originated here, is named after Col. Joe Rickey, an influential lobbyist in the late 19th century who squeezed lime and soda water into his morning bourbon. The recipe today consists of 1 1/2 ounces of whiskey or gin, a half-ounce of squeezed lime juice and a topping of club soda.
The organization honored the native drink with efforts to make it widely known. After declaring July as Rickey Month, the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild held a cocktail competition at Bourbon in Adams Morgan to see which member could create the best 21st-century rendition of the Gin Rickey.
Guthrie won with his “Black Pepper Rickey.” He said black pepper was a perfect addition to the classic drink, making it “spicy, bright and refreshing,” but he didn’t tinker with the drink’s flavor. The panel of judges, comprising spirit and gin experts, including Eric Felten of The Wall Street Journal, agreed.
According to Guthrie, 150 to 200 people attended the competition. Based on the turnout, Guthrie thinks the Gin Rickey competition could become an annual event.
The competition served as the official jumping-off point for the organization that not only wants to revitalize D.C.’s historic drink, but also wants to educate the area about all spirits and turn tourists on to the idea that D.C. is not only a place for good food, but a good drink as well.
“Places like New Orleans, New York, San Francisco are known for its drinks,” Guthrie says. “We want to revive the bar scene here in D.C.”
