Brian Bartels - The United States of Cocktails: Recipes, Tales, and Traditions from All 50 States (and the District of Columbia)

This book is dedicated to my parents, Lynn and Jim Bartels, two American sweethearts. Thank you for raising me to appreciate the little things, for which I am forever grateful.

Love and warmth to all my family and friends, bright and big and bursting like fireworks on the Fourth of July across this funky, wild, hip country.

America is a big, beautiful country, and its worth visiting over and over. So before I continue, I would like to thank the people I met along the way, everyone kind enough to provide me with time and attention to appreciate this wonderful land.

First to my family: thank you and love to my parents, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and every one of your pets. I am lucky to be a Bartels. Special message to my nieces and nephews: its always a good time to pick up a nearby book and read more about the way the world works.

Thank you to my agent, Rica Allannic, of David Black Literary Agency, who helped set the wheels in motion. Youre very good at what you do. I tell everyone.

Thank you to Abrams, for believing in this book and helping me every step of the way. Humble, huge thanks to my editor, Laura Dozier, who was patient, communicative, and even went so far as to work on this book while on vacation! I am grateful for your guidance. You. Simply. Rock.

Thank you copyeditor, Liana Krissoff. You fact-check with the best of emand thats a fact you dont need to check!

Mike Burdick. The Golden Glove of illustration. Thank you so much for contributing your talented artwork throughout the book. I know you worked your butt off on these illustrations. I am forever grateful.

Thank you beyond the printed words captured in this book for all the bartenders, bar managers, owners, writers, and industry professionals who shared your experiences, stories, and research. You have a pal for life, and I will always be happy to return the favor should you ever need help.

Thank you for everyone who took the time to answer my questions. Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, Gaz Regan, Jocelyn Smith, Mary Miller, Derek Brown, Allen Katz, Sara Camp Milam, Toby Cecchini (Check- eee-knee)(Go Pack!), Brooks Reitz, Tom Cruise, Rebecca and Martin Cate, Brandon Peck, Leishla Maldonado, Emily Morton, Morgan McKinney, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Josh Graham, Miles Macquarrie, David Embury, Jacob Grier, Don Lee, Ivy Mix, Amy Kovalchick (Princess of Pittsburgh and as true as the light of day; love to you and Pam), Sara Camp Milam, Wild Bill at the Collins, Samuel Bishop, Tanner Scarborough, Aaron Post, Michael Toscano, Anu Apte and Chris Elford, Kevin King, Nick Tillinghast, Toby Maloney, Hunt Revell, Joy Buehler, Brad Goocher, Greg Boehm and Cocktail Kingdom, Keith Hamm, Alex Negranza, Marcus Owens, Troy Rost, Todd Carnum, Mike Henderson (The Duke of Denver), Rachael and Feizal at the Atomic, Bobby Huegel, Murray Stenson, Natasha David and Jeremy Oertel, Tyler Davidson, Jace Poliquin, Joseph Stinchcomb, Jackson Cannon, Dan Oskey, John Dye, Caroline McCarty, Natalie Bovis, Ryan Maybee, Robert Simonson, Brandon Peck, Holly Booth, Remi Courcenet, Sara Lynch, Jen Ackrill, Christian Huisman, Dermot McCormack (next Mick Jagger jokes on you, pal), Jared Sadoian, T. J. Siegal, Cynthia Turner, Eric Ho, Cody Horan, Sarah Crowl-Keck, Dan Oskey, Leo Robitschek, Emma Janzen, Justin Lavenue, Briana and Andrew Volk, Jermaine Whitehead, Fred Comegys and the Comegys Family, Sean Enright, Julio Bermejo, Sam Treadway, Ryan Sparks, Devon Tarby, Alejandro Olivares, Sarah Maillet, Meaghan Dorman, Sean Kenyon, Jen and Mark Sabo, Chris Bender, Jill Cockson, Aaron Polsky (Happy Birthday, bud!), Brian Nixon, John Lermayer and Chris Hopkins, KaBoom (aka Katie), Ivy McLellan, John Dye, Charlie Rausch, Tobin Ludwig (Hella4Life), Brian Kelley, Gary Crunkleton, Paul Clarke, Tristen Hoffer, Thor Messer, Andre Darlington, Nourish Knoxville, Misty Kalkofen, Paul Calvert, Christopher Marty, Sophia Kim, Erick Castro, Maggie Hoffman, Julie Haase, Marco Zappia, Brittany Fells, Ryan Gullett, Todd Appel, Travis Hernandez, and A-K Hada.

Thank you to every place I was ever lucky enough to work, and to all the wonderful investors throughout Happy Cooking Hospitality and the Settle Down Tavern, who entrusted us with making noteworthy neighborhood destinations for not only terrific food, hospitality, and warmth, but creative, inspired cocktails.

Thank you to friends who hosted me on my travels. Laura and Brian Grover, Simon Kelly and Francine, Matt and Amy, Natalie and Jeremy, and the Michigan Lauers (next Coneys are on me). You were there. You saw what happened. Dont tell anyone. I am humbled by your kindness and generosity.

Thank you to pals, near and far, but always around:

Thank you with chaotic gratitude to the following friends and loyal souls: Brad Thomas Parsons (Its too early for ponies, but never too late for a cold one with Uncle Marty), Nick and Rotem, Will and Erin Enright, Tess and Kevin Denton Rex, Abi and Eric Medsker, Kottke, Shoko and Rob Moose, Tracy Swanson, Will Sweet Berry Wine Blomker and Eva, the Piasio Family and Dimes, Kevin MAN Mahan, the Benedetto Family, the Chicago Quartaros, (Jessica, Gail, Shannon, Lauren and Meow-lissa), McNeil, Maybe Quinn Chandler and definitely Shawna, Dario, the Baumanns, the Millers, the Tomahawk Theilers, Compeeeee, the Showtime Tarpeys, Eliot, Rob, Ted and the Great Dane Family, Lulu Martinez (thanks for all the help and support!), and my Settle Down Tavern family, Ryan Huber and Sam Parker, and their loved ones, whose families are extended Bartels Family members for life.

Thank you to Emily Timberlake, dear friend and talented defender of justice, who helped plant this wonderful seed of the United States inside my head.

Lastly, thank you to my brother Gabriel Stulman, his wonderful wife, Gina, and the Happy Cooking Hospitality Family for putting up with me while writing this puppy, but not only thatputting up with me for ten beautiful years. Happy Cooking gave me what I was looking for when I moved to New York: opportunity. Its been amazing to build such special places for people to visit and celebrate all the wonderful food, fun-loving cocktails, and any reason to be thankful for community. I will be a part of Happy Cooking for the rest of my life, and carry the torch of their influences wherever I roam.

If I missed anyone, come say howdy at the Settle Down Tavern in Madison, Wisconsin, a friendly, old fashioned neighborhood hangout, where I will be bartending for the first time in a while. I can promise two things: I will be clumsy and I will try to hide it, like a 1920s sideshow magician who always wanted to be a 1980s B-movie sorcerer.

Happy trails,

BB

Brian Bartels was raised in Wisconsin. His first book, The Bloody Mary, was nominated for an IACP Award. For the past ten years he was a Managing Partner and Bar Director for Happy Cooking Hospitality in New York, and is an owner of the Settle Down Tavern, the greatest bar and grill since Game of Thrones ended, located in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. (Dragons drink for free). Hes been featured in Imbibe, Wine Enthusiast, and the New York Times. His writing has appeared in