Downtown Drink Shrink | Jeff Josenhans

This week I found myself home early on a Friday night with my girlfriend sipping on a Coors Light. It struck me suddenly how, as a mixologist, it felt like such a naughty little secret. As the sommelier and head mixologist for the US Grant Hotel, certain expectations apply. I thought further, what does the public think when they hear the word mixologist?

Merriam-Webster defines mixology as the art or skill of preparing mixed drinks, but so do bartenders, no? Mixologists drink a fair amount of Fernet Branca and Aperol, and strongly prefer brown spirits, but so did my grandfather. It is a mysterious word. Mixology as a term is abused and over-marketed in the modern spirits world, and is consequently applied broadly in the beverage industry.

What truly defines a mixologist is a professional in the bar industry who is passionate about their craft.  A mixologist puts in the time to develop their skill set to exceed the average consumer’s understanding and bar professional’s capabilities. The rest are bartenders. Don’t get me wrong, I love a funny and socially capable bartender, but this is where the definition of both words takes on separate meanings. Mixologists can guide you, based on their elevated level of technical skills and knowledge of spirits, to a better-suited beverage choice.

So the next time you are visiting a bar, take the time to engage your bartender and determine if you are dealing with a bartender or a mixologist. The San Diego Bar Guild will be hosting the after party for the San Diego Wine and Food Festival in November, a must see for aspiring mixologists and for those who really want to get to the bottom of what this vague word means.

Co-written by Celia Kelly, Katsuya San Diego