Behind the Bar with Jake Niman

Jake Niman is the Owner of Mixcraft, a kosher event mixology and coffee bar company, based in Monsey, NY.

How did you get started as a mixologist?

I had been making cocktails as a hobby/passion for years. Then someone asked me to bartend at a party, and I agreed. Two months later, I quit my job in marketing to pursue mixology full time.

How would you describe your personal style as a bartender?

I’d say I like to be innovative, and push boundaries, while respecting the classics. I believe quality ingredients and technique are key, and presentation and experience are just as important.

What keeps you passionate about bartending and the hospitality industry?

For me, it’s the never ending chance to learn a new technique, gain a new skill, find a new unique spirit on the market. This industry is ever changing, and I love that.

What inspires your creativity when crafting new cocktails? 

First and foremost, I focus on making drinks that I like to drink. If I can’t relate to the drink, I can’t bring that cocktail to perfection. 

I also like my drinks to be relatable and familiar. I don’t want someone looking at the menu and scratching their head, because they’ve never heard of anything inside it. So many of my drinks are riffs on classics that focus on fresh quality ingredients that, while maybe out of the box, anyone can understand.

What’s your favorite Fee Brothers product to work with, and why? 

I really like Fee Brothers Elderflower Botanical Water because it’s light, floral, and not too overpowering.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a better mixologist?

Just keep on creating! It’s the only way to improve yourself.

What is your signature drink, and what makes it special? 

Eye of the Dragon, by far. Because it’s not only eye-catching, but it has an unexpected combo of classic flavors that just work.

Do you have a favorite recipe in which you use Fee Brothers products?

Fee Fashioned

• ​2 oz bourbon
• ​1/4 oz barrel aged maple syrup
• ​3 dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
• ​1 dash Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

​Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for 25-30 seconds. Strain over a large cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with an expressed orange twist and maraschino cherry.

Learn more about Jake Niman and Mixcraft on Instagram at @mixcraftevents or visit his website www.mixcraftevents.com.