Weekends and holidays can be a blur in the restaurant industry. That’s why longtime Denver bar and restaurant manager Kevin Burke likes to pace himself.
“It’s important to remember that the holidays are a marathon, not a sprint, and marathoners need consistent refueling throughout the race to avoid bonking,” he explained. “While counterintuitive, a small pour of amaro after a heavy, indulgent meal is my key to making it through the month.
“Well, that and strategic moderation,” he added.
Burke, who joined the Frasca Hospitality Group (Frasca, Tavernetta, Sunday Vinyl) in 2023 and is now assistant general manager of Ostera Alberico in Englewood, knows plenty about the holiday season. Not only has he worked at high-end restaurants like A5 Steakhouse and Colt & Gray, he also attended dance school and spent years performing in ballets like The Nutcracker.
“It doesn’t feel like the holiday season without a glass of eggnog with the snowfall, Old Fashioneds after Thanksgiving, or splurging on truffles and Barbaresco on a weeknight,” he said.
To help guide us all through the marathon of the holidays, we asked five accomplished beverage industry pros for their advice on drinking during the season.
Kevin Burke
Q: What’s your favorite holiday drink to make, and why?
A. I think it’s really important to lean into cocktails and drinks that meet the moments for holidays. Over the course of the year, it’s possible to accumulate bottles that are ’special occasion’ and often they get overlooked. It’s a great time to crack open that bottle of suitcase amaro I smuggled back from Europe, and take the extra time to reminisce with the people that I am sharing it with. My first ‘bartending’ memory was ‘fixing’ my grandad a drink (Powers Irish whiskey on the rocks), so I make it a point to make and share a few Irish whiskey cocktails, such as the Tipperary, a potent mix of Irish whisky, vermouth, and green Chartreuse . The herbaceous profile matches the sweater weather vibes, and it feels a bit nostalgic for those personal reasons.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday drink to drink, and why?
A. There are great examples of amaro made in our backyard, such as those made by Leopold Bros, but the benchmark examples from all over the world have yet to fail me. And when it seems I’m not in the mood for an alcoholic beverage, the NA amaro from Hemp & Root called the Pathfinder is a good bookend to an aperitivo hour with the NA Lapos Spritzes.
Q: Where else do you go aside from your own bar for a holiday beverage, and why?
The holiday season can feel like there is a lot of extra pressure to perform or to be on. With the added stress at work, I try to make it a point to visit bars and restaurants that don’t have as much of a performative atmosphere because it allows me to unwind. Getting a JCB [jalapeno cream cheese burger], a pint, and a box of Thin Mints at My Brother’s Bar when Girl Scout Cookie season is in full swing is a no-brainer. I have fond memories of getting Chinese takeout over the holidays in NYC, so I try to get to Hop Alley for La Zi Ji and a frosty glass of riesling, or Peter’s Chinese Cafe in Congress Park if I want the real-real thing.
If I want to have someone make me a cocktail that is going to be 11/10 with minimal fuss, Williams & Graham, Lady Jane, or Union Lodge No. 1 work into the rotation. Lady Jane is just so transportive, I get to feel like I’m in Palm Springs for 45 minutes. It has to be said that lunch or Apertivo hour service in The Lounge at Tavernetta, with the large fireplace and gallery windows, will warm anyone up on a cold day.
Q: What drink would you bring to or make for a holiday party, and why?
A. If I am heading to a friend’s house for dinner, there are others with far more expertise and taste taking care of the wine. In a pinch, a bottle of Champagne is always appreciated, but with some preparation, I’ll put together a batch of martinis or Negronis in a bottle, batching together the ingredients, so they host (or I) can just tip them into a frosty glass and maybe garnish with a little twist or olive. Going above and beyond to grab a small jar of delightful olives, such as Gordal or Castelvetrano, can be the difference between something that is normal vs. the sublime. By doing the work beforehand, it’s preventing me from slipping into the role of ’the help’ and expedites the process of getting everyone a quick cocktail in their hand with minimal work and fuss. My go-to recipe for a freezer door martini is 17oz of gin (something old-school like Tanqueray), 4 oz of dry vermouth (such as Dolin or Noilly Prat), and 4 oz of water. Place it in the freezer for a good 90 minutes and you have a martini that is silky, bracingly cold, and if someone just wants a little one, it’s not going to involve doing a bunch of math; just pour a little less in the glass.
If it’s not really a cocktail crowd, I’ll grab an amaro; they are delicious after dinner, and a little glass of Amaro Nonino or Montenegro can be just the thing to help the group wind down after a big meal.
McLain Hedges
McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright are the married dynamic duo behind Yacht Club, the multi-award-winning Cole neighborhood bar that opened in 2021. They also recently debuted Rougarou, a Southern food restaurant with Wright’s brother, John David Wright
Hedges is the creative director and managing partner. “I’m originally from Chattanooga, Tenn., but have been lucky to call Denver my home for the past 14 years,” he said.
Q. What’s your favorite holiday drink to make, and why?
A. I always love making punch around the holidays, it’s the best way to share an experience and a great way to bring people together. ‘Fish House Punch’ is always a favorite in our house. It’s the perfect blend of strength, sweet fruit, spice, and tea tannin. The Fish House punch has rum, cognac, peach or apricot brandy, lemon juice, lemon oleo, and black tea (I prefer Earl Grey for the aromatics and texture, but something tamer like a classic breakfast tea is also wonderful, if not expected). If Champagne and punch fell into the same glass, it wouldn’t be the worst mishap.
Q. What’s your favorite holiday drink to drink, and why?
A. Champagne, always and forever. Champagne Marguet or Tarlant are always attainable favorites, while Provost and Ulysse Colin are the ones I usually wish I had more of!
Q. Where else do you go aside from your own bar for a holiday beverage, and why?
A. Williams & Graham is always nostalgic for me. We moved out to Colorado in the colder months right after it had opened, and it was our first stop. It always brings back warm memories. I also love a good shot and beer at one of my local watering holes – Matchbox, Meadowlark, Gold Point, 715, Pon Pon – because there are always good friends nearby.
Q. What drink would you bring to or make for a holiday party, and why?
A. As mentioned, I’d make the Fish House Punch to bring to a friend’s house because I love it that much. If you want to bring this or another punch during the holidays, making everything ahead of time goes a long way, no matter the vessel of transporting and serving the goods. When you show up to a party, you want to spend time with people enjoying drinks, not laboring over them. It’s best to either fully prepare the punch ahead of time or prepare the labor-intensive ingredients so everything can be combined in quick fashion. Having your garnish prepped ahead will also save ample time and show you came prepared for a good time.
Alex Jump
After years of managing highly decorated bar and restaurant cocktail programs — mostly recently at Death & Co.’s Denver location — Alex Jump started on other projects, including a consulting business and the creation of her own space, Peach Crease Club, 4180 Wynkoop St., which she and husband Stuart Jensen opened just this month. Jump has also won numerous industry awards and accolades, including at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards and StarChefs.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday drink to make, and why
A. I enjoy making eggnog or coquito during the holidays. These recipes are easy to batch and store ready-to-serve, making them super simple to serve even when the drink itself is quite complex. [Coquito is a rich, holiday beverage with Puerto Rican roots; it is typically made with rum, coconut cream or coconut milk, vanilla and spices.]
Q: What’s your favorite holiday drink to drink, and why?
A. My favorite holiday drink is a glass of Champagne. There is always so much to celebrate around the holidays, and it just feels like a great reason to have some. Whether it’s Christmas or New Year’s, it just feels more special to me with a glass of Champagne in hand.
Q: Where do you go for a holiday beverage, and why?
A. The ambiance of the space where you’re enjoying a holiday beverage is equally as important as what you’re actually drinking, so I like to pick spaces where they’ve really embraced the holiday spirit and have a bit of decor. Death & Co. and the Ramble Hotel are always really great when it comes to decorating the space for the occasion, and they always have delicious holiday featured drinks on their menu. The other place I enjoy a holiday beverage every year is at the annual Holiday Karaoke Toy Drive that I co-host.
Q: What drink would you bring to or make for a holiday party, and why?
A. My answer is kind of repetitive from the first question above. I would make a batch of eggnog or coquito because it is easy to scale into however many drinks you want to make, and it stores well. Coquito is easily made vegan and/or nonalcoholic as well, so it is a great option for all kinds of people who are looking to celebrate the holidays.
Henry Ottrix
Henry Ottrix has worked in hospitality in Denver for 12 years and is now the beverages director for Lucina Eatery & Bar, Xiquita Restaurante y Bar, Create Kitchen & Bar. “I’ve worked a little bit of everything from a late-night pizza slice guy to a host, up to general management, he said. In 2024, Lucina was one of 12 bars The Denver Post featured in a roundup of places to find boozy eggnog drinks.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday drink to make, and why?
A. I love making a Toasted Rosemary 7 Cranberry Old Fashioned. This incorporates the flavors and smells of those holiday feels while also providing something that can really warm you up inside. The tart sweetness of the cranberry pairs well with that smoked rosemary aromatic.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday drink to drink, and why?
A. We’ll usually do a punch for the simple reason of how big my family is. I’ve got 40 people over on the holidays sometimes, so [I want something] easy to serve and replicate through the night.
Q: Where else do you go aside from your own bar for a holiday beverage, and why?
A. I always love going to Hell or High Water Tiki for a seasonal drink. Their menu is absolutely phenomenal all year long, and they always do some sort of Krampus-style theme that slaps.
Q: What drink would you bring to or make for a holiday party, and why?
A. I tend to lean into something stirred and spirituous. Something that brings a sense of warmth from within but also is totally palatable for the balanced drinker. Not too sweet and not too bitter since I tend to lean towards the more herbaceous bitter side of things.