Gary Regan

From Chanticleer Society

(September 18, 1958 – November 15, 2019)

Identified by Imbibe Magazine as one of “The Top 25 Most Influential Cocktail Personalities of the Past Century”[1]:

"With countless newspaper and magazine columns, books and newsletters to his name, Gary Regan is known the world over as one of the most-read cocktail experts around. Whether he’s lecturing at The Smithsonian, conducting workshops or maintaining the Worldwide Bartender Database, he’s helped raise the world’s mixological awareness."

Finger Stirred Negroni

In recent years, Gaz has become renowned for his "finger stirred Negroni", to the point that Cocktail Kingdom came out with a stirrer that uses a mold of his finger so that anyone can get an official "Gaz Regan Finger Stirred Negroni" any time they want one. The drink originated when Gaz was at a bartender event around 2010 in Cognac France, with a growing collection of Negroni's ready to go out to the crowd, just requiring a final stir. Thinking nothing of it, Gaz just stuck a finger in each drink and gave them a stir before passing them out. No big deal. A few years later, Gaz found himself at another event in New York, but this time with chefs instead of bartenders. As Gaz presented each drink to each chef, he would ceremoniously stick his finger into the drink, and give it a quick stir. Each time would elicit a hearty laugh from the chef. Gary realized the importance of the finger stirred Negroni, which is to make the customer smile[2].

Orange Bitters #6

Orange bitters were once a common ingredient in cocktails, but had fallen by the wayside by modern times. Importantly, they were once a required ingredient for the Martini. Gary, in his search for orange bitters, encountered a recipe published in "The Gentleman’s Companion: An Exotic Drinking Book", by Charles H. Baker, Jr. Using that has a starting point, he gradually worked up a recipe for personal use. He first published it in "The Book of Bourbon" as "Orange Bitters #4".

In 2005, he teamed up with the Sazerac Company, to commercially produce his bitters. It took two more formulations before they could arrive at a recipe which would work, and pass the scrutiny of the TTB (Tax & Trade Bureau). Orange Bitters #6 is now widely available from various sources.

Cocktails In The Country

Cocktails in the Country was a two day bartender training retreat that Gary Regan began in 2001. It was held at Painter's Tavern in his home town of Cornwall-On-Hudson. At these retreats, Gary would share with the small group of attendees (typically 10 per session) his thoughts and approaches on how to be a mindful bartender, how to approach creating a new recipe, and how to approach bartending in a way that will provide the best opportunity for success.

The format of the class evolved over the years, with a typical schedule of the more recent classes looking something like:

  • DAY 1
    • 11:00 am : Pick-up in Manhattan in a Luxury Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
    • 1 pm : Arrive at Painters, check in, settle down, get to know each other
    • 2- 5 pm : The Mindful Bartender :
      This will be an expanded session of gaz’s Mindful Bartender Workshop.
      Topics will include:
      • Preparation for a Shift Behind the Stick
      • Tapping into Intuition
      • The Rewards of Mindful Communication
      • Effective BarSpeak
      • Dealing with Anger
      • Changing your Reality
      • Changing the World
    • 5 – 7 pm : Break for food and refreshments
    • 7 pm : Set up the bar
    • 8 – 11 pm : Organized Chaos
      Each bartender will be assigned a specific base spirit with which to create new cocktails, and everyone will take a turn behind the bar making drinks for us all to sample.
  • DAY 2
    • 10 am – 10:30 am : How to Write a Cocktail Recipe
    • 10:30 am – 11:15 am : The Secrets of Success
    • Noon – 2 pm : Lunch
    • 2 – 5 pm : Organized Chaos
      A second round of cocktail creation. Each bartender will be given a specific base ingredient with which to create a new cocktail which will be sampled and discussed by all and sundry.
    • 5 pm : Luxury Mercedes-Benz Sprinter back to Manhattan

Books

External Links

Tributes/Obituaries

References