Bartender Interview: Chris Hannah
Where are you from and what brought you to New Orleans?
My Dad was in the Navy and so Iām not really from anywhere as we moved every 3years from one Navy Base to another. Though we were stationed twice in San Diego so thatās where I saysometimes, but mostly the West Coast. Imoved to New Orleans for a Graduate Program at UNO 10 years ago in Hotels andTourism.
What do you love most about New Orleans?
I love the Culture and Music, the style of dress and fun food. Also I like drinking outside man, I couldnāt ever go back to having adult beverages on a leash again.
What are you looking forward to most in 2014?
Iām looking forward to World Cup 2014, and to bartend in Jakarta, Indonesia. Gonna be a fun year.
How did you get involved at French 75 and what was the process from when you began to where you are now?
I got involved with the French 75 Bar by just regular bartending. I started in the kitchen 6 years before moving to the bar which is where Iāve been the last 16 years, the last 14 years being in restaurant Bars.
You make a pretty unique Sazerac. Walk me through the process for it and touch a little on the history of how that drink has been made consistently the same way for 35 years.
Our Sazerac is very unconventional and yes, quite unique. We take a double old fashioned glass from a freezer and pour ¾ oz of Herbsaint into and rinse the glass with it. When discarding we donāt dump all of it out, leaving close to a third of an oz in the bottom of the glass. Then we dash 5 to 6 Peychauds bitters into the glass, and a quarter oz of simple syrupā¦2 oz Old Overholt Rye and a splash of water from our soda gun. We give the cocktail a slight stir with a cocktail spoon, break lemon peel over the Sazerac and drop the peel in.
Itās close to a scafa cocktail, which is a non-diluted cocktail name from England. So, our Sazerac is the least diluted Sazerac youāll get anywhere, and the most continuously made Sazerac possibly in the world. Bobby Oakes taught me the Sazerac he was making at Arnauds 15 years before I started 10 years ago, and so that makes 25 years. I donāt believe an establishment in the world can claim to have made the same exact Sazerac for a longer period of time. It doesnāt necessarily mean anything, Iām quite positive there are fantastic Sazeracs all over the country and worldā¦itās just important to me, really, and something Iām proud to continue while Iām still at the helm of the French 75 Bar.
Are you involved with any other bar programs or collaborations?
Iām a member of the New Orleans USBG Chapter, but thatās about it. I did work the Tales of the Cocktail C.A.P program of which Iām proud of, from its inception in ā08 until last year. Thatās a pretty dope Collaboration.
Are you traveling anywhere this year that youād like to share?
I just got back from New York for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. I worked with Hennessy at a sexy little bar in Alphabet City, Evelyn Drinkery. I think Iāll be in Brazil, Indonesia, Kentucky and Cuba this year. Pretty dope.
What time do you usually wake up in the morning?
I try and get up by 10am daily but it never works out that way.
Do you see yourself as a Bartender or Mixologist? What differentiates the two?
Bartender. Mixologist was a word used to try and dissect the differences between types of bartenders: dive bar, club, cocktail forward, etc. Iām not so anti, I will just never use the word Mixologist really.
What was your introduction to cocktails?
My introduction to cocktails was Bruellerās Cocktail Guide when starting at Duck News CafĆ© in Duck, N.C. in ā98, and then again at the French 75 bar 10 years ago when moving to New Orleans.
Where do you draw your inspiration from? Any mentors along the way?
My mentors along the way are Bobby Oakes and Chris McMillian. I now draw inspiration from my colleagues across the globe, amazing community of bartenders Iām lucky to be a part of.
What is one of your favorite cocktails made by someone else?
The Angostura Phosphate by Paul Gustings at Broussards is my favourite cocktail by someone else.
What is one of your favorite cocktails made by you?
The Bourbon Saint Martin is probably my favourite drink Iām enjoying now, after work when I get home. Bourbon, Averna, Aperol. 2-1-1, on iceā¦then upstairs to check whoās talkinā trash on bookface :)
Where are some of your favorite places for cocktails?
Bar High Five in Tokyo, Shangai La Hotel, 3 Monkeys, Origin, Wyndam the 4th and Butler Bar in Hong Kong, Chiyanasa and Belka Bar in Moscow, Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, Evelyn Drinkery in Manhattan, Cane and Table in Nola, Eastern Standard and Drink in Boston, One Flew South on Atlanta layovers
What is the most difficult cocktail ingredient to pronounce?
Byrrh is the most difficult cocktail ingredient to pronounce because I loathe pronouncing it correctly- Beer. I just donāt want to call it ābeerā. Itās BYRRH!!
If given $100 and asked to buy all spirits/ingredients needed for a cocktail of your choosing, what would you purchase?
1 bottle Obsello, 1 bottle Herbsaint, 1 bottle Peychauds Bittersā¦a whole months worth of Absinthe Frappes, divine.Ā