Can't Stop The Pop-Up

Our list of must-try craft cocktail pop-ups coming to Columbus this summer

By Sav McKee / Story Design by Atlas Biro

As youngsters, we flocked to our neighborhood lemonade stands for a refreshing, home-made drink created by someone in our community. Now, as adults, we have cocktail pop-ups to fill that void, and our neighborhood has expanded to all of Columbus.

Pop-up concepts have become the talk of the town. Customers are seeking cocktail experiences beyond the ordinary, while the masterminds behind these pop-ups relish in the freedom to craft exhilarating menus on their own terms.

Groups of talented, creative, and passionate mixologists have joined forces with Columbus bars, breweries, and distilleries for collaborations and sponsorships, creating the ultimate cocktail experience for patrons yearning for something a little different.

These are four extraordinary cocktail pop-ups that plan to shake up our local beverage scene with their spontaneous spirits, from traditional Mexican micheladas to cocktails infused with cream cheese and mushrooms.

Don't Take Our Weekend

One evening, Eddie Boyd and his companions were at their usual Monday night gathering at The Bottle Shop, sharing a bottle of natural wine together, wearily discussing their fatigue from working all weekend. As bartenders, Monday nights are usually their Fridays or Saturdays, and after catering to the 9-5 crowd all weekend, they were understandably drained. While considering going home early, one friend boldly declared, “No, you can’t let the man take your weekend! It’s Monday night, yes, but this is your weekend.”

This proclamation sparked a revolutionary idea among the friend group. “What if we provide a space for the service industry folks to come together, have a good time, and also showcase drinks and wines that my bartender friends and I are excited to share with people? Like stuff that doesn’t make it on the menus of places we work?” considered Boyd and his comrades, Julian Judge, B.E. Coleman, and Sean Gleeson. And so, their vision became a reality.

Don’t Take Our Weekend emerged from an idea borne of exhaustion, but blossomed into a celebration of the service industry’s cherished Monday nights that no one can take away from them. It’s their way of keeping the nightlife alive for not only themselves, but for those on a different schedule than the average 9-5, M-F. “Our pop-ups are a space for basically everyone and anyone who wants to party on a Sunday or Monday night,” Boyd explained.

Their cocktails are also invigorating Columbus’ beverage scene. Take, for example, the Carrot Cake Milk Punch at their April pop-up: pecan fat washed Watershed Four Year Bourbon, carrot, brown sugar, baking spices, and cream cheese. Or the Cordyceps Club, with Chanterelle mushroom infused Watershed Four Peel Gin, Cocchi Americano, raspberry, lemon, and sesame oil. “We’re just trying to push the beverage scene in Columbus, and have a good time while doing it. The more people we can get to come out and experience these nights with us, the better,” Boyd said.

You can frequently find the crew popping up at bars around town, usually Seventh Son, considering some of the bartenders work there, and a local DJ usually joins too.

Get in on the fun – they post their pop-up announcements via @dont.take.our.wknd on Instagram.

The Boojee Boozy

This stand may be small, but it packs a powerful punch. Nicholas den Haan, a former bartender of esteemed bars like Citizens Trust and Veritas, markets his pop-up concept as a “mobile cocktail bar,” utilizing his bartending expertise to offer private services. From house parties to weddings, Nicholas brings a personalized, walk-up craft cocktail experience to any event.

His cocktail menu boasts 12 impressive drinks, personally concocted by himself, with a strong emphasis on gin, mezcal, and cognac. Playfully displayed on his bar is a sign that reads, “Fancy Drinks Only,” although he’s more than happy to whip up any drink that suits your preference. Every clients’ menus are fully customizable, catering to the specific theme or occasion if necessary.

He also wants to focus on personalized cocktails for each individual. At his previous bartending stints, Nick thrived on creating cocktails for people on the spot, tailoring each drink to an individual’s flavor preferences and overall vibe. Or sometimes, a customer would tell him to just surprise them. He said, “It’s something I’ve always loved doing, and my customers love it too.”

The Boojee Boozy is available for hire starting this September. Check out their Instagram, @theboojeeboozy, for further details.

Xolo Mixto

“A good, true michelada makes me feel relaxed again – that I’m Mexican – that I don’t need to hide who I am,” explained Bert Chavez, the founder of this one-of-a-kind michelada popup.

Chavez, born in Tijuana, Mexico, relocated with his family to LA as a preteen, where he witnessed his dad’s bartending and catering business flourish. Initially, Chavez had no intention in following in his father’s footsteps, however, after exploring various career paths in his adulthood and moving to Columbus with his partner during the pandemic, he realized that a michelada pop-up would be a perfect opportunity to reconnect to his Mexican roots, engage with his new community in Columbus, and have a lot of fun while doing it.

“There’s a certain romantic aspect to a michelada – there’s something beautiful about roasting the chiles yourself – it’s not just something you can shake or throw in a blender. Dancing to mariachi music while making a drink…my pop-up is all about creating a cool experience. It’s also a family connection. Making one reminds me of being home in Mexico. Even talking to my family about the ingredients I’m using helps me reconnect with my culture,” said Chavez.

In Mexico, micheladas were perceived as “corny” and a “low income drink” according to Chavez. While he doesn’t view this as inherently negative, he knew he wanted to rebrand and reimagine the michelada concept with a craft experience, while still staying true to authenticity, especially since there are very few places in Columbus that serve a michelada that truly pays homage to Mexico. “When you ask for one somewhere here, they just make you a bloody mary with beer,” chuckled Chavez. While bloody marys have more savory and spicy flavor profiles, micheladas are known for being, “...the drink that makes you feel light again,” Chavez explained, emphasizing that the texture and citrus elements create a brightness that simply cannot be compared to a bloody mary.

Chavez’s special micheladas are crafted with clamato (or ponzu for those with shellfish allergies) and tomatillo juice, along with a cerveza (a N/A option, too, for those who abstain), lime, hand-roasted chiles for the chamoy, and a rim coated with tajin and a meticulously blended cricket salt sourced from Mexico (or chipotle powder for the vegan and squeamish). However, the most significant ingredient in his concoctions is pure passion.

From the start, the Columbus community enthusiastically flocked to his pop-ups, and local bars like Seventh Son welcomed him in for pop-ups with open arms. Even Luke and Annie, the owners of Lawbird, offered mentorship, sampled his drinks, and provided valuable advice.

“My pop-up concepts allow me to have conversations with people to explain why micheladas are so important to me, and why I use these ingredients. When immigrants take their traditional food from their country to America, a lot of them tend to hide their roots. I’m not going to do that. I’m here to celebrate and share my culture with the people of Columbus, and I want my son to witness that, too.”

For next pop-up locations and details, search for @xolo_mixto on Instagram.

Not Ur Sweetheart

This isn’t just a pop-up – or a party, although it may seem like one – it’s a celebration of women having a blast while disrupting the service industry.

Not Ur Sweetheart is the brainchild of Nan, Lauren, Genevieve, Roni, B.E, Sarah, and Hannah, a group of bartenders (and artists) that felt used, undervalued, and underpaid in the service industry world. “As women in the industry, we’ve trauma bonded over all of the hurdles we have to face. We’re looking to change it. We’re looking to move away from the toxic, bad time that women have working at bars. We want our events to be fun for us too,” explained Nan.

And fun they are. Nan mentioned that they want to throw a fun event and not just serve drinks to people. Their lively, often themed gatherings are filled with people seeking a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable night out, drinking cocktails made by women who are passionate about being behind the bar. “Our mission is: by and for queer, nonbinary, and women. We make space for people who usually don’t have a space for them,” explained the Not Ur Sweetheart crew.

To indulge in their famous jello shots, milk punches, and craft cocktails, a suggested donation is requested at the door. It can be $1, it can be $100. In keeping with their spirit of inclusivity, “Everything we make at the door goes straight to the Abortion Fund of Ohio and Trans Ohio,” affirmed Nan.

Nan wanted to emphasize that, “Not Your Sweetheart is more than just creating pop-ups – we’ve become a family. It feels so much more intentional than just serving drinks. I want to highlight how much work we put into it and how amazing our team is. I’ve never worked with people that are so understanding and so communicative. Everyone slays.”

Keep up with their Instagram, @not.ur.swtheart, to join future celebrations.