As a bartender at Common House Chattanooga, Garrian Alexander (or G as his friends call him) loves making drinks that bring a smile to peoples’ faces and start a conversation. In February, G got the chance to start a conversation about the contributions to the spirits world by Black producers at a tasting event he hosted at the House. Right before this event, he sat down with us to chat about his bartending journey and other interests.

So G, what drew you to bartending?

Honestly, I was 19 and serving. And I’m a person who likes to learn and do new things. So someone asked, ‘Hey, want to learn [how to bartend] and I'm like, ‘Heck yeah!’ I'm a huge nerd and there's so much to learn and possibility behind the bar. It's almost like being an alchemist — it's taking a little bit of stuff and making people happy. And learning. And that’s something you can't really do at other places.

How were you able to go from being a server to expanding your knowledge as a bartender?

Oh, well, it all depends on the place. We're lucky here to have a place where we get options to be creative and go all out. A lot of people don't even have access to just the liquors you need to do that. So it all depends on the place, honestly, and what they see in you. When I was working at St. John's, I worked with an amazing sommelier. She was the first person that told me I had a palette and to try things and talk about it. So, it takes both yourself and other people.

What’s your favorite cocktail?

Boulevardier, hands down. Rye whiskey, Campari, and vermouth. I’m a classic man through and through. And there’s a reason this cocktail has been around for 150-plus years. It’s freaking delicious.

What was your goal for hosting this event, Black and Bartending?

It started with just a conversation… Claire [another House bartender] brought Uncle Nearest to Common House, a premium whiskey inspired by Nearest Green — the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States. It became an immediate staff favorite. So I had an idea: during February, we should go to distributors and find a bunch of Black products and bring them to Common House to talk about them. Then I started researching traditional African cocktails that are served in Kenya and found two really good cocktails to recreate and serve. Then, my bar manager encouraged me to make my own cocktail. As you can tell, it's not a typical class; it’s a form of celebration. We are celebrating the unique perspective of African culture on alcohol. It’s important to show representation.

What’s something people might not know about you?

I’m a huge anime nerd, I’m adopted, and I’m the middle child of seven siblings. And so that’s something that’s taught me about being different and bringing it to the world. And that you can be part of one thing and totally identify as something else.

What excites you most about your work at Common House?

Oh, smiles. When someone’s not sure what cocktail they want and I’m like ‘Oh, I know.’ Then giving it to them and watching their face as they think ‘oh yeah!’ A smile can destroy any cloud any day. Smiles are everything.

STAFF FOCUS: G