Bartender Submission - Ohio Crawford, Backyard on Broadway, Texas

Ohio Crawford

Backyard on Broadway, San Antonio

Ohio Crawford’s start in the hospitality industry was interrupted when he decided to serve in the military. Later, he settled in San Antonio and began working for various premier businesses that helped him jumpstart his consulting firm focusing on restaurant and bar development. He specializes in creating and developing food and drink menus. “Seeing a smile light up after making a drink special for someone is a joy that never gets old,” he says.

Currently at Backyard on Broadway in San Antonio, Crawford enjoys the cozy atmosphere the bar brings. He’s fond of exposing people to new and complex flavors, encouraging them to heighten their palate and knowledge. Cocktails for him are usually a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. However, he will often find inspiration from older bottles on the bar. “Occasionally, I will have a product collecting dust on the shelf that inspires me to push the boundaries.”

Bartending is all about trial and error and stepping outside the box. Crawford likes to create an Old Fashioned with Texas Bourbon, a brown sugar cube, and orange bitters. He knows creating a cocktail doesn’t always need to be by the book. For him, branching out to discover new techniques and flavors is exciting.

“Don’t be afraid to mess up! Share your drinks with friends and get their feedback. What might taste crazy to you might be amazing to someone else.”

THE HOMESTEAD

INGREDIENTS 1 ½ oz. bourbon ¼ oz. pear liqueur 1 bar spoon maple syrup 1 bar spoon local honey 4 drops orange blossom water Squeeze fresh lemon Splash simple syrup

PREPARATION Combine ingredients in a tin with ice, shake, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an edible flower.

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In August of 2020, I sat down with Pascal Fillioux, the patriarch of Cognac Jean Fillioux in his study, where he presented me with five samples of the finest single cask cognacs selected from his cellar. Each cognac had been aged in oak barrels for between twenty and thirty years. Together, we tasted each of these wonderful spirits, noting all the unique qualities and components, until we finally agreed on which one should be selected above the rest. Cask No. 212 was the unanimous favorite. In June of 2021 we received news that the esteemed judging panel of the Ultimate Spirits Challenge supported our selection and awarded Cask No. 212 with 97 points and the 2021 Chairman’s Trophy, making it one of the top 100 spirits of 2021. I love my job. -- Christine Cooney