As I set down to write about the best craft cocktail bartenders in DC, I decided to base the list on those who came to mind when I have had one of those long weeks at the office and was in dire need of something more than an average drink. My list showcases ten DC bartenders, in no particular order, who are cocktail artisans, all bringing their own unique flair and distinct, creative styles to the job. My feature bartender this week, is the exceptional, unparalleled:
Rachel Sergi now tending bar at?Lincoln?
?A bar is a place to feel comfortable. ?It shouldn’t be about exclusion but inclusion.” ?Rachel Sergi, Lincoln
Power Interview with Rachel Sergi:
How many years have you been bartending?
18years.
How many different bars have you worked at?
8 in DC.
These incliude: Chief Ikes, New Heights, Ardeo+Bardeo, Zaytinya, PS7s as a consultant, Againn, Jack Rose and now Lincoln.
What do you drink on your nights off?
“Negroni, Rolling Rock, Jell-O shots and Suburban House Wives” (shots of Riesling in case you were wondering).
Favorite spirit?
Gin
Biggest pet peeve??
Chewing gum. (Fact: She will make you spit this out before serving you a cocktail or whiskey!).
Best hangover cure?
?“Pedialyte.”
Best part of being a bartender??
“The bar”
Worst part of being a bartender?
?“The bar”
The best bars are??filled with happy people?.
Your thoughts on the term mixology??
“It’s been around for a long time. ?Used improperly it’s a problem.
What brought Rachel into the craft cocktail world?
“The food world . I learned from chefs starting with RJ Cooper when I was bartending at New Heights in Columbia Heights. ?We would talk food all the time and I learned how to make all sorts of things. ?I also read Dale DeGroff and Charles Baker?s books. ?Seeing where things came from reminded me of being a kid and learning all over again. For me it was all about six degrees of separation”.
Your life advice?
?”Be honest. Be nice with yourself and others. “
“If you are bored with bartending, you shouldn’t do this job.” -Rachel Sergi, Lincoln?
Bar Philosophy
Rachel’s bar philosophy is all about sharing. ?There is no expiration date on mixology, as it is constantly evolving and changing. ?As new products are released daily and new recipes designed, Rachel finds the tools and techniques of her job easy to share with co-workers and patrons. ?Because of the constant evolution of bartending, Rachel is never bored. ?To her, bartending is a chemistry. ?Chemistry in a glass; from the sugar to the syrups to the gum. ?This chemistry process includes the people, the spirits and the modifiers all incorporated to make the perfect cocktail creation and cocktail experience.
Rachel believes bartending involves a certain degree of acting. ?Bars allow for various kinds of social interactions and this atmosphere coupled with the actual design of the bar, naturally elevates bartenders into an acting role. The bar itself serves as a separator between the bartender and patron, providing a platform for bartenders to be perceived as on-stage and in somewhat of a limelight. Rachel does not like public speaking, but behind a bar she commands presence, talking passionately about the spirit(s) she is serving, tossing in few jokes, entertaining her patrons with her sarcasm. ?Rachel loves working behind the bar as it gives her space to talk about what she loves doing. ?She is at ease behind a bar and enjoys making others at ease to.
A Rachel Sergi tip to keep in mind when visiting any bar: Engage your bartender and don’t play, stump the bartender. ?If you don’t get what you want the first time try, try again. ?There are so many bartenders learning.
I love Rachel Sergi’s cocktails because season after season her menus never fail to impress. Having had the pleasure of working with her at Jack Rose Dining Saloon, I witnessed first-hand, her talent for creating something unique. Not only would Rachel combine ingredients one would never think to go well together (ie: pickle juice in a rendition of a gin Rickey or one of my personal favorites,?“Thee Betty White”?cocktail with Hendricks?s gin, Cherry Liqueur, Rachel-made white pepper syrup, lemon juice and beer), Rachel had and continues to have a knack for naming cocktails. A few I can recall that always made me chuckle included, “A Smack in the Kisser”, “Trailer Park Bride”, “Brothers Grimm Cup” and “Satan’s Whiskers”.
The ability of Rachel to continually create menus, patrons are wowed by, is why she is respected in the industry so well. On more than one occasion, I have heard how Rachel has served as a guiding ?mentor to bartenders alike and those aspiring cocktail artisans. I could write a lengthier article about Rachel Sergi’s talent, but the key thing to remember is this bartender is a force to be reckoned with and while she may not always be the loudest voice behind the bar, her talent speaks volumes for her.
Visit Rachel Sergi at Lincoln and see for yourself! ?A Sergi cocktail is sure to impress and even if an alcoholic beverage is not on the menu for the evening, she will gladly make you a non-alcoholic beverage equally as delicious, so don’t be afraid to ask!
Special thanks to Rachel Sergi for inspiring me (the author of this post and former bartender, Ashley Schmidt) to create more authentically and truly enjoy life behind the bar.?
Previous Posts on this topic include:
Top 10 DC Craft Cocktail Bartenders: #1 Devin Gong, MiniBar
Top 10 DC Craft Cocktail Bartenders: #2 Frank Jones, Gibson?
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