Behind the Bar: Preston Ramsey’s Cucumber Martini

For days when you really need a getaway, but have nowhere to go, Preston Ramsey has the answer. Ramsey, star of yesterday’s Chow Bella Behind the Bar profile, and bartender at Local Breeze has a drink that will transport you to the nearest chain of islands at first sip. Inspired…

The Lodge: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: The Lodge 4422 N. 75th Street, Scottsdale 480.945.0828 The Hours: Happy hour is everyday from 3 to 7pm. The Details: $3 Coors lights, Lodge Beer, Well Drinks, an House Wines plus half off all appetizers. They also have a burger or brat and a beer for only $6…

Matt McCullough’s Sonoran Summer at R Bar

Yesterday we had a chat with Matt McCullough bartender at R Bar at the Camelback Inn Resort.  Last year he was a finalist in the GQ’s Most Inspired Bartender contest held by GQ magazine and Bombay Sapphire.   The drink, which he calls the Sonoran Summer, was inspired by the…

R Bar with Matt McCullough: In this Week’s Behind the Bar

Matt McCullough will make anything his customers want, but he really hopes that they don’t ask for something frozen.  He doesn’t mind working hard to prepare a drink, he’ll mix a Ramos Fizz, a drink made with egg whites that can take 3 – 4 minutes of vigorous shaking.  He…

Moto Sushi: Happy Hour Report Card

Starting this week, we’ll be giving you our own “report card” review of a local happy hour spot. Study hard! The Spot: Moto Sushi 6845 N. 16th Street Phoenix 85016 602-263-5444 The Hours: Happy hour kicks off at 3 pm and goes till 6:15 pm Monday thru Saturday. On Sundays…

Behind the Bar: Laura Rose’s White Trash with Money

​Sometimes you’re in the mood to put on your best silk stockings, sequined minidress and Jimmy Choo heels and sip cosmos in a trendy bar with a few of your best gal pals. White Trash with Money, on the other hand, is a cocktail for the days you’d rather lounge at…

Behind the Bar With Laura Rose at Yucca Tap Room

​Laura Rose, bartender at Tempe’s Yucca Tap Room and and Team Lead for the Phoenix New Times Street Team, is as far from the stereotype of a female bartender as you can get. The petite blonde 23-year-old oozes corn-fed Midwestern innocence out of every pore. Not to say she’s a goody two shoes… This bartending…

Behind the Bar: David Needham’s Cupid’s Hot Pop

Whether you’re stoked on Valentine’s Day or really loathe it, this Cupid’s Hot Pop cocktail will engage all your senses on the love- (or hate-)filled holiday. Not only is it pretty and sweet-tasting, it also includes Pop Rocks that will make drinking this cocktail really fun. David Needham, manager of…

Behind the Bar: Erik Hecomovich’s Silver Sip

When the Boulders Resort was trying to come up with a tasty drink to celebrate their 25th anniversary, the bar aimed to make it mighty loaded with alcohol, but smooth and simple enough to make it enjoyable to most drinkers. The Silver Sip was formed, and the Long Island Iced…

Behind the Bar: Erik Hecomovich of Boulders Resort

“You get a lot of requests for certain things that are illegal.” And no, they’re not alcohol-related, but we couldn’t get this friendly guy to go any farther.  Maybe you can.  Hecomovich got his start in the business in the 90’s, bartending at Fumbles, a now-defunct ASU spot. He got a…

Behind the Bar: Steve Howard’s Papa Smurf

When Steve Howard (whom we profiled yesterday) of downtown Chandler’s Murphy’s Law creates drinks for customers, he lets the drinker name the cocktail. This one has a blue tinge from the Blue Curacao that’s sunk into liquid, which inspired his patron to call this drink Papa Smurf. It looks pretty,…

Behind the Bar: Steve Howard of Murphy’s Law

It’s easy to see why Steve Howard of Murphy’s Law in Chandler is a popular bartender. The handsome 25-year-old is extremely charming, doing tricks behind the bar and letting customers name drinks he makes for them. And he’s had plenty of time to build up a steady clientele–he’s been in…

Brew Review: Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Web site states that the “Lagunitas Brewing Company is emerging as a battle-tested brewery capable of making great beer out of goat’s milk, brambles, and asphalt on the surface of the Moon, if need be.” Let’s hope that it doesn’t come to that. We’re fairly sure…

Rename SanTan Brewery’s Sun Devil Ale

If you’ve ever wanted to name a beer without the effort and work required to, you know, brew it, this is your chance. SanTan Brewery is holding a contest to rename what used to be called the Sun Devil Ale after receiving a “cease and desist” letter from Arizona State…

Brew Review: Eel River’s Climax Noel

Let’s take one last look back, shall we? That’s what we was thinking when we walked into Taste of Tops on January 1, 2010. 2009 was a challenging year and not just because of $5 gas, a struggling economy and even more reality show bullshit than we thought possible. No,…

Behind the Bar: Chaz Anderson at Olive & Ivy

Then again, if you had his job of tending bar and pouring drinks for the booful babes, captain of industry, and other top-shelf clientele who frequent Scottsdale’s snazzy Olive & Ivy on a regular basis, it probably wouldn’t be much of a challenge clocking in for your shift. The 27-year-old…

Five Ways to Make Thanksgiving Better With Beer

Thanksgiving is a time for coming together with the ones you love: your friends, your parents, you in-laws, those family friends who are guaranteed to strike up an awkward conversation with you, your crazy uncle who just wants to tell you stories about “the war” (which he may never have…