Master Mixologist: Trisha Antonsen of DRIZLY

Drizly is the technology company powering a superior shopping experience for beer, wine and liquor. And Trisha Antonsen is Drizly's Chief Cocktail Officer. She considers it to be the best job in the world. Trisha never misses an opportunity to mix up something new and luckily she has many willing taste-testers at the Drizly headquarters. Her advice for learning how to be a better mixologist? Sit at the bar and learn from the pros. A good bartender will love to drop some knowledge on you.

Broadwayworld.com had an opportunity to interview Trisha Antonsen as our featured, "Master Mixologist."

When did you first become interested in cocktail culture?

I grew up with parents who loved entertaining and making cocktails - martinis, bloody marys, punches, etc. When I was in high school, I studied abroad in Belgium and my host parents would enjoy a traditional aperitif before dinner and sit down in the living room for a digestif after dinner. I fell in love with the ceremony around cocktail culture even before I could drink - all the accessories, beautiful bottles and the fact that people have such specific and personal favorite drinks.

Alcohol has been such a key part of culture for as long as we have documented. As someone who's always loved storytelling, it's a really cool world to be a part of.

Tell us a little about your company, Drizly.

Drizly began in 2012 when two friends at Boston College had an idea: Why could they order up almost anything to their door but not beer? They came up with a solution, which turned into what we know as Drizly.

Today, Drizly is the technology company transforming the way alcohol is shopped, sold and shared online. By combining competitive prices and widest selection online, Drizly delivers an unparalleled shopping experience in cities across the U.S. and Canada.

To get started, all you have to do is visit Drizly.com or download Drizly's free app. Enter your address to see items near you for delivery, then add items you want to your cart and check out. Your delivery will be to your door in as little as an hour (most deliveries are 35 minutes) or you can choose to schedule ahead for an event or dinner party later in the week. You can even send a friend across the country a bottle as a gift.

What innovations in mixology and bartending do you find fascinating?

I really love the craft spirits movement. And by that I don't mean the fact that people are just making small batch, specialty spirits, because people have always done that. I mean that as a cocktail culture we're creating the demand for these smaller distilleries to come to market and make a living. By embracing craft culture as the consumer, we're helping ourselves get access to more and more great spirits.

I also think there is huge room for pre-made cocktails to grow in our industry. When I'm entertaining, I'll often mix and bottle cocktails ahead of time before guests arrive to make serving easier. I see some really cool large batch cocktail exploration happening.

What are your preferred "classic cocktails" and why?

I love a dirty gin martini. My gin of choice of late has been Plymouth Gin. I love how its smooth flavors mingle with the olives.

If I'm going sweeter I usually opt for a Paper Plane (bourbon, amaro, campari, lemon juice). I love the bitter and sour notes with the touch of bourbon sweetness.

What are some of your favorite infusions and how you like to use them in drinks?

Infusions are great - they're one of the easiest ways to add creative flavors to cocktails. I recently made an Infusions 101 guide with some out-of-the-box ideas like vodka infused with turmeric, lemon and pineapple, and moonshine infused with blueberry and basil.

One of my personal favorites at home is jalapeno-infused tequila. I slice jalapeños, remove the seeds, and add them to a jar of blanco tequila for about 24 hours. It gives my classic margarita the kick I love. My husband has recently been enjoying a bourbon and peach infusion that he'll drink straight or mix with iced tea.

Tell us about a few of your signature cocktails and why they are distinctive.

I like to create combinations that challenge your tastebuds. Sometimes they're simple and sometimes a little more complex.

One recipe I love to prepare for guests is the Capone, which calls for whiskey, ginger beer, simple syrup, balsamic vinegar, basil leaves and cherry tomatoes. It's named after Al Capone because two of his major exports were whiskey and balsamic vinegar, and legend has it he asked his people to make a drink that included both.

Another favorite is the Rojo Whiskey Sour, which is a whiskey sour layered with red wine on top. The two drinks' different densities allow the red wine to float on top of the whiskey sour, which is beautiful in a clear glass and also delicious because the wine balances out the sour.

Give us your perfect pairing for a cocktail and a culinary selection.

When I think about cocktail and food pairings, I get a lot of inspiration from my travels. This year I've had the opportunity to explore a few different southern food hubs like Nashville and Austin where BBQ is very popular, so I've been all about simple, spice-rubbed grilled meat and fresh veggies with various sangria recipes. I've really liked exploring wine mixology lately. Drinks like sangria are typically lower in ABV, meaning you can enjoy a few without the morning after hangover, and they go really well with the grilled food everyone likes to enjoy this time of year.

ABOUT DRIZLY

Drizly is the technology company transforming the way alcohol is shopped, sold and shared online. By combining competitive prices and widest selection online, Drizly delivers an unparalleled shopping experience to users of legal drinking age. Backed by world-class institutional investors, the company has raised $32.8 million to date and allows consumers to shop for beer, wine and liquor via Drizly in 23 markets across the U.S. and Canada.

For more information on Drizly and to place an order, visit their web site at: https://drizly.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Drizly