Featured Mixologist & Brand

H. JOSEPH EhrmaNn

H. Joseph Ehrmann, better known as H., has cooked, served, managed and bartended in over 20 bars and restaurants around the country throughout his 20+ year career. In 2003, he ventured out on his own when he restored one of the oldest saloons in San Francisco reopening it as Elixir. The menu he created for Elixir revives the pre-Prohibition cocktail culture of the Barbary Coast with a clear focus on utilizing California’s abundant agricultural resources and zeroing in on vintage, organic, local and original drinks. Since the heyday of that period, San Franciscans have been whetting their whistles on the corner of 16th and Guerrero and under his proprietorship they’re doing it with some of the finest beverages in town.

H. and his cocktails have appeared in numerous media outlets and he had the honor of being listed in Food & Wine’s “Top Tastes to Try in 2008” while his “Bloody Elixir” was cited in GQ’s “The 20 Best Cocktails in America” that same year. More recently, he’s garnered more awards for his innovative work in mixology and his commitment to the greening of the cocktail and the planet, while still being on top of the importance of great tastes and flavors demanded by his guests. His bar Elixir was the first in the country to achieve a Green Business certification and that business model has now carried over into his consulting business, Cocktail Ambassadors, which designs custom cocktails and beverage programs for hotels, bars and restaurants around the country.

He serves as Brand Ambassador and Mixologist for Square One Organic Spirits, a brand he launched and continues to grow across the U.S. and is co-founder of San Francisco Cocktail Week.

Talk about a busy guy!

CELERY CUP #1

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 oz. Square One Cucumber Organic Vodka 2” celery stalk (closer to the heart for sweetness) 1/4 cup cilantro 1 oz. lemon juice 1 oz. agave nectar 1/2 oz. Pimm’s 1” English cucumber

TIPS

For different variations, add kiwi to the blend, or try a touch of salt or a seasoning blend like lemon pepper as a rim.

PREPARATION

In a mixing glass muddle the cucumber, celery, cilantro and lemon juice into a pulp. Add the Pimm’s, agave nectar and vodka. Cover in ice and shake hard for 10 seconds. Hawthorne strain tall over fresh ice and garnish with a centerpiece of celery.