Get to Know Chilled 100 Member Kristen Begley of Woodburn Brewing and La Ofrenda in Ohio

When people asked Kristen what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would always say a bartender.

Even before being old enough to enter a bar, Kristen enjoyed mixing drinks for family gatherings and despite lacking prior bartending experience, Kristen quickly adapted to the role when she turned twenty-one and got her first gig. Bartending allowed her to be creative and prompt her to take certification courses to enhance her knowledge of spirits.

What inspired you to become a bartender?

When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said a bartender. I would make drinks for my family before I could even drink alcohol. Clearly, I didn’t know anything about proportions and measuring to make it taste balanced, but I had a passion for it.

I started working in the service industry when I was 16 at McDonald’s and worked my way up to working at nicer establishments that were higher-end. I took a break for four years and worked for a logistics company, thinking it was a more stable job. I found that I really was not happy in that environment and one day I finally had to put my foot down and do something I knew would make me happy.

I had no bartending experience prior to working at one of my current jobs. In less than a few months, I was able to get my mental health back in check and do something I was passionate about daily. Bartending is probably the best thing that has happened to me because I can be creative daily and meet so many new people. I have also taken the time to apply for certification courses to help better my knowledge of the spirit world.

Where do you tend bar now? What makes it unique?

I am currently working at two bars, the first one being Woodburn Brewing. Woodburn is in one of Cincinnati’s small neighborhoods and brings a modern but rustic vibe to the area. We serve our own spirits in our cocktails, which makes it unique. We have elevated the cocktail experience that you would see at a typical brewery by creating a vibe with our cocktails in terms of glassware used or the quirky ingredients we choose.

I host a secret cocktail night every Monday where there is a new cocktail every week using our spirits which brings some mystery to the bar. The second bar I work at is called La Ofrenda. This bar has the largest selection of tequila and mezcal in the state of Ohio, and we pride ourselves on creating an experience as soon as you walk through the door. La Ofrenda cares about the heritage of Hispanic culture and pays fine attention to detail what we serve at the bar. We carry soda and beer from Mexico to really create the vibe and authenticity of the place.  We are in the market district downtown, so we see many new faces as well as returning guests.

Although we’re slightly off the beaten path, you can hear the live music and DJ’s we have on a weekly basis all the way down the street. The walls are decorated with vibrant art from local artist as well as projection mapping. The cocktail program is amazing! We serve several different kinds of margaritas as well as classic cocktails using mezcal and tequila. We also serve Mexican street tacos with meat made from our steakhouse that’s not too far up the road from where our bar is located.

Who has been most influential in your development as a bartender?

The most influential person in my career is my mentor, Giacomo; he saw something in me when I came to interview to be a bartender at Woodburn Brewing. He has pushed me hard to be the best that I can possibly be as a bartender and a bar manager. He has given a lot of useful advice I use in my everyday life and has helped me grow as a bartender as well as a person. I learned how to create all the classic cocktails as well as how to create new versions of classic cocktails. He has taught me the science that goes behind elevating cocktails and how to create out-of-the-ordinary flavor profiles that work together.

Giacomo gave me insights about a lot of things within the bartending community on a larger scale, such as Portland cocktail week, camp runamok, Tales of the Cocktail, and more. Without him telling me about these things, I would never have known they had existed. He told me to apply to go to camp and I was invited to go and be with bartenders from across the world to network with and nerd out with, talking about cocktails and spirits. I am so happy and thankful he took a chance on me to teach me about everything he has learned over the years and has helped me become the best I can be as a bartender and as a person.

Do you have any advice for novice/at home bartenders?

My best advice is to keep doing what you love. It took me several years to learn I was not doing what I loved. I think everyone should have a creative outlet and, for some people, creating cocktails is what keeps the mental juices flowing. I think that learning what flavors do and don’t work together is part of the fun, and it’s ok if you don’t get it on the first try; it means you can try again until you are satisfied.

What is your favorite ingredient right now and why?

Right now, I would say shrubs are one of my favorite ingredients. I have been creating several types of shrubs in collaboration with our local farmer’s market. It’s fun to create something that can be used in a N/A cocktail as well as in something that is spirit forward. There are endless possibilities when it comes to shrub making, but they are unique when it comes to cocktails.

How do you go about creating a cocktail? Is there a specific process or simply a moment of inspiration?

When creating a new cocktail, I think about what flavors and ingredients would work the best together. Once I figure that out, then I will pick a spirit I think will work best with those flavor combinations. A lot of time, my inspiration comes from things I see at the store or the market. Then, I start by making one cocktail and change the measurements, if need be. It doesn’t always work the first time, but there’s always time to get that perfect cocktail after trial and error.

Do you have a special technique you use or a tip for making a particular drink?

One thing that’s important to me is allergies to ingredients. I have several allergies to things, and I know others do, too. I try to substitute things like aquafaba for froth on an egg white cocktail. Cocktails can still be tasty without always using the “normal” ingredients that you would typically see in a classic cocktail.

Where do you see the cocktail culture headed?

I think there are a lot of younger bartenders making huge waves in the industry right now. People are creating ways to have less waste when it comes to juicing, which I think is awesome since we do produce a lot of waste when it comes to bar prep to make the perfect cocktail. A lot of bartenders are speaking out about harassment in this industry, whether it’s something happening between coworkers or with guests coming to the bar. We have been bringing more awareness to mental health and taking care of ourselves especially after the pandemic, which is also very important. These are just some of the things we are doing to continue to make marks on the industry and to continue to be better.

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