Popular Atlanta mixologist shares holiday recipes, bartender commandments

When Atlanta’s citizens need to get filled in on how to make a good cocktail, one of the main voices they turn to is mixologist Tiffanie Barriere’s.

The Houston native has previously overseen and operated the award-winning beverage program at One Flew South at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Her work led to One Flew South being named “Best Airport Bar in the World” by Tales of the Cocktail in 2014.

Barriere is an active member of Atlanta’s cocktail scene and is known by her nickname “The Drinking Coach.” She serves on the boards of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival and the United States Bartender’s Guild, is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and has frequently judged cocktail challenges around Atlanta and the Southeast—including last winter’s Atlanta stop of the Key West Cocktail Classic.

She is currently focused on developing her skills as a tequila aficionado with Avion Tequila, which was named World’s Best Tasting Tequila at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Barriere took time out from her schedule to put a holiday spin on her vast cocktail knowledge.

Tiffanie Barriere (Courtesy photo)
Tiffanie Barriere (Courtesy photo)

Fiesta de December

2 oz. Avion Reposadao Tequila
1 oz. thyme/ cinnamon agave **
1 oz. POM juice
Squeeze of half lime

Combine all ingredients in your favorite shaker, add ice and shake to your favorite holiday song. Pour over fresh ice into a rocks glass and garnish with thyme sprig or even a few pomegranate seeds. Toast to the holiday and shimmy!

**To make thyme/cinnamon agave:

1 cup of agave
2 cups of water
4-6 thyme sprigs / 6 dashes of cinnamon
Bring all to a simmer (NOT BOIL) Allow cooling and store in glass container. Shelf life 2 weeks in fridge.

Santa’s Morning

2 oz. Vodka (your choice)
1 oz. Mint simple syrup**
1 half/squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Topped with sparkling apple cider

Combine all EXCEPT cider into a shaker and shake cold. In a tall glass, pour shaken ingredients over fresh ice and top with sparkling cider. Garnish with fresh mint and wink at the one next to you!

**To make mint simple:

1 cup of sugar
2 cups of water
Handful of mint
Bring all to a boil until you smell mint. Allow cooling and store in glass container. Shelf life 2 weeks.

The 10 Bartender Commandments

Having a holiday get-together and want to impress your guests? Here are some rules to live by when mixing and shaking.

1. Thou shall not lie! To your house guests that is! ALWAYS start the party on time.
2. Ice Ice Baby…..keep plenty of ice! When you think you have enough grab two to three backup bags of ice and put in the freezer or an ice bin. Ice makes a cocktail! Not just booze.
3. Keep juice around. Orange, cranberry, grapefruit, pineapple or your favorite flavor juice allows choices throughout the evening. And be careful of sodas—sometimes they go flat fast.
4. Keep your garnish game fresh! Fruit baskets are a must. Keep a basket of citrus, including six lemons, six limes and a few oranges to allow guests a choice to squeeze how they please. Herbs are just as lovely. Rosemary,thyme, basil and even jalapeños look good in a glass.
5. Plastic cups are cool and fun. They save on cleanup and you can write names on them with a sharpie if needed. Keep it interesting, fun and logical for cleanup!
6. Only shake cocktails if there is juice or sugar involved. Sugar and juice have to be shaken in a cocktail in order to gain a balance in flavors. If it;s all liquor i.e. a martini or a manhattan, be sure to build in a glass with lots of ice and STIR IT UP.
7. Shake with shakers. Support your habit and buy the right tools to get that professional taste. Spoons, jiggers, wine keys and stir spoons are a great look and proper. Also, punch bowls work great for large parties.
8. Room temp isn’t the best for fortified wine with botanicals a.k.a. vermouth. Keep all vermouth in the fridge.
9. Consider smaller bottles of tonic and and soda so that the carbonation can stay sharp. Large bottles tend to become flat the more they’re opened.
10. Keep plenty of water around for hydration. A balance of water to cocktails makes the night full of cheer not fear!