It’s all the buzz down
at Skates on the Bay. Cocktails garnished with fresh herbs and citrus. Meet the Bartenders: Rob McCarthy, Mixologist (r), and Greyson Schultz, Botanist (l). What a fun creative team behind the bar in Berkeley Marina. Each month Skates bases its culinary and bar menus on fresh ingredients available locally. So for the Mixologist and Botanist, it is all about inspiration from the herbs and citrus that are growing.
In March the bar menu was based on the theme: Manhattan March. “I love Manhattans,” quipped Bob. “So, I did some fun takes on the traditional Manhattan.” Fresh lemon peel tops off The Dublin which he concocted with Bushmills, dry vermouth and Nardini Amaro (herbs and bitter orange peel) liqueur. Using Tarragon with black tea infused Baker’s Bourbon in honor of the Jewish Holiday Purim (where you are supposed to drink heavily according to McCarthy), he created the Mordecai Manhattan with Bigallet China China Amer (anise, clove, mint) liqueur and cardamon bitters. For The Gentleman from Savannah, he used Southern Comfort with his own house-made honey-pear bitters with herbal Nardini Amaro liqueur. McCarthy shares his honey-pear bitters recipe with us:
Honey-Pear Bitters
- 8 oz ever clear (170 proof)
- 3 vanilla beans cut into 1 inch sections and opened
- peel and pith from 1 large lemon
- 1 T of local organic honey
- Shake this every day and sample for 2 weeks
- Run this mix through a fine mesh strainer and place back into mason jar
Stay tuned for April’s bar specials that promise to create a Spring splash. Rob has created four great new Spring drinks: Lavender Collins, Parasol, Robin’s Nest and Young Man’s Game.
Skates on the Bay is located at 100 Seawall Drive in the Berkeley Marina
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