Little Country Gentleman's Jeffrey Moll Jr.: Featured Bartender of the Week

By Kaitlin Steinberg Fri., Feb. 22 2013 at 2:00 PM

Categories: Booze, Girl Walks into a Bar

Continued from page 1

Kaitlin Steinberg

What is the most bizarre or worst drink someone has ordered from you?
I did have someone order a vodka martini with Sprite once. I hate to make anything with vodka. I just think vodka is one of the most boring spirits in existence, unless you need a neutral base to highlight other flavors.

What is the coolest or weirdest thing you've witnessed while working at Little Country Gentleman?
It doesn't really have to do with the restaurant or bar, but the last time it snowed, after we closed the restaurant, there was this guy running up and down the street in the snow yelling and banging on cars. I have no idea why he was doing that, but it was crazy.

What's the next big bartending trend?
Vinegar. Making shrubs [vinegar-based syrups] is kind of my big thing right now.

What's your favorite ingredient to use in cocktails?
Sweet vermouth.

What's your favorite drink?
I'd have to say a negroni. That's why I'd be so impressed if a girl walked in and ordered one. I'd be like, OK, yeah, we're gonna be friends.

Kaitlin Steinberg

Moll doesn't want to completely give away recipes for his homemade shrubs, which he invents and uses in drinks at Little Country Gentleman, but he did explain how they're made.

One of his favorites is made by macerating blackberries and mixing with brown sugar. He lets that sit for three days, then mixes in an equal quantity of balsamic vinegar. He adds spices -- like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and Thai dragon pepper. After sitting for three weeks to ensure that the flavors meld, it's ready to use.

Moll used his blackberry shrub with unaged rye whiskey in an invention he's calling No. 25.

Head over to Little Country Gentleman and give it a try. (If your taste for cocktails runs to the classics, the bar offers 'em for $7 a pop Tuesday through Friday nights. Good deal!)