The American Cocktail Scene: A Conversation With Ray & Jaclyn Foley

Recently I sat down with two icons of the American cocktail scene, Ray and Jaclyn Foley. Ray Foley is a former Marine who for decades worked behind the bar and managed one of the largest restaurants in New Jersey before he founded BARTENDER Magazine and Bartender.com, the only trade publication/website of its kind targeted to bartenders and bartending.

Along the way, during his long career chronicling the alcohol and hospitality industries, he has also authored numerous cocktail books, including the popular “Bartending for Dummies,” which has sold nearly one million copies and has been translated into six languages.

Ray has also created thousands of cocktail recipes, including the world-famous “Fuzzy Navel.” A longtime champion for bartenders and hospitality professionals, Ray founded the BARTENDER “Hall of Fame” to honor bartenders for their skill and service to their communities, and he created the non-profit “Bartenders’ Foundation” to raise much-needed scholarship funds for bartenders and their families.

Ray’s wife and business partner, Jaclyn, has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years, as a server, bartender, writer and the editor/publisher of BARTENDER Magazine. The author of “The Pink Drink Book,” “Girls’ Night” and “Skinny Cocktails,” Jaclyn is also a proud graduate of the Absolut Akademi in Sweden, and a Kentucky Colonel. She has also judged numerous drink contests and appeared on several TV shows.

JM: The cocktail industry seems to be playing a far more prominent role in the beverage industry today. Is that the result of liquor companies marketing specifically to mixologists or are the needs of mixologists driving the evolution of the spirits industry?

R & J: It’s both. I give a lot of credit to liquor companies that seek the opinion of bartenders – and actually listen to bartenders – when developing and marketing new products. Think back 40 years ago, that rarely happened. In 1979, when I first started BARTENDER Magazine, I remember executives at liquor companies laughing at the thought of a magazine for bartenders. “What do bartenders know?” they asked me. There was such little regard – and dare I say a great bit of naivety - back then for the important role that bartenders play in building brands. That’s why I started my magazine. So, I’m very glad to see that bartenders are now being offered a seat at the table as drinks companies explore ideas for new innovations. Having said that, it’s still bartenders who have created – and continue to create – the most interesting and enduring cocktails. Spirits companies provide the paint, and bartenders create the art. I like to think that’s what I did back in 1985, when I created the Fuzzy Navel.

JM: Cocktails used to be a beverage you enjoyed before a meal. Today, increasingly, it’s part of the meal. What are the most innovative developments and chefs you are seeing in cocktail-food parings?

R & J: The Aviary in Chicago and New York has become famous for amazing and innovative cocktails that complement their food offerings. But it’s not just restaurants like that – today, you can’t open a good restaurant without having a great cocktail program. The cocktail is integral to the dining experience, it’s essentially the first course of the meal. But it wasn’t always that way – historically the bar and the kitchen were two completely separate areas – and so it’s quite gratifying to see the kitchen has been shifting to behind the bar. Skilled bartenders today are just as talented and revered as chefs, bringing fresh ingredients, like locally sourced vegetables and herbs, and kitchen tools and techniques into their cocktails. There’s a whole new awareness and appreciation nowadays among bartenders about how flavors come together and how drinks can complement food. Books like the “Flavor Bible” have become required reading today for top bartenders. Nothing is off-limits these days in creating drinks, and that’s what makes cocktails so relevant and appealing to the overall meal.

JM: Healthy cocktails are the fastest growing segment of the cocktail market. This category includes sophisticated but alcohol-free drinks, as well as cocktails that incorporate nutritional and vegetable components. Where did this trend start, and will it have legs?

R & J: This is a trend that started years ago. I even included a section about no-alcohol recipes in “Bartending for Dummies,” a book which I wrote more than 30 years ago. I also devoted several pages in my 1990 “The Ultimate Cocktail Book,” and 1998 “The Ultimate Cocktail Book II” to non-alcoholic drinks. I absolutely think this trend will only continue to grow. I just read a report from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis that says 52% of U.S. consumers are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption, but over 70% of people say they have not yet considered drinking low- or no-alcohol beverages. There’s huge potential here for opportunities to expand the market for low-alcohol and no-alcohol drinks. And as more people embrace an active, healthy lifestyle, demand will only increase for more bars and bartenders to create drinks that cater to this changing need. More bartenders will start to experiment with new flavors and devote increased thought and creativity into these types of drinks – it will be exciting to see what the future holds.

JM: Cocktails fashioned from rare and super premium spirits are a growing segment of the cocktail market. Does a 50-year-old whiskey actually make a better cocktail, or is this a case of over the top conspicuous consumption?

R & J: Without a doubt, rare and super premium spirits make delicious cocktails. But only in the right hands! Well-made spirits deserve well-made cocktails, and that’s where the skill and talent of the bartender is so important. Personally, I’d prefer to drink a 50-year-old whiskey neat, to truly cherish the flavor, but it’s not taboo at all to use a rare spirit in a cocktail – if that’s what you like, and if you can afford it!

JM: Sustainability is a popular theme these days, especially among millennials and generation Z members. What can mixologists do to improve sustainability in their craft and reduce waste?

R & J: It’s not a choice, it’s a responsibility to do this better. Sustainable practices behind the bar, or zero-waste cocktails, it’s more a journey than a destination. It’s not a “thing” or a “trend,” rather it’s a complete reorientation about the way that bars and bartenders should be conducting their business, every day. Once an orange or lemon rind is peeled for garnish, the kitchen or bar should commit to using the juice for something else. Don’t throw it out. And everyone should be paying attention, all the time, to recycling, composting, and reducing and eliminating waste (including disposables like straws). Here in Florida, there’s a bar on the beach that has eliminated cocktail napkins and paper napkins, so they won’t blow away and litter the ocean – that’s such a small but important step, and I hope more bars and bartenders continue to adopt similar practices.

JM: Sherry and sparkling wine-based cocktails are becoming popular again. Is this part of a recurring cycle, or is this generation of mixed wine-liquor drinks different than in the past?

 R & J: To some degree, the low alcohol cocktail trend is cyclical. But what’s different today, is the complexity and creativity of these drinks. Also, we’re seeing a considerable importance placed on wellness and fitness, and that’s impacting what’s on drink menus. It’s also encouraging to see the increased importance that bartenders are placing on their own health, and creating their own healthy lifestyle, and they’re passing that along to their customers.

JM: Mixologists are increasingly turning to all sorts of obscure spirits, sotol, raicilla, pisco, singani, among others, in crafting new cocktails. What do you think will be the hottest new spirit for mixologists in 2019?

R & J: The popularity of tequila and mezcal has definitely helped generate excitement for other agave spirits like sotol, raicilla and bacanora. The truth is, however, there’s very few undiscovered spirits categories, instead what we’re seeing is incredible and diverse variety on the bar, and talented bartenders who understand how to use those spirits. Bartenders have also rediscovered some of the classic venerable brands, spirits like Malibu, Kahlua, Midori, Chambord – those are products that have been around for generations because they’re tried and true quality spirits. Thanks to bartenders, these brands are seeing a resurgence.

JM: Do you think that social media platforms like Instagram are causing mixologists to make more colorful and visually arresting cocktails?

R & J: Social media, without a doubt, is playing an interesting role in the development of cocktails. Visual appeal has always been important in cocktail development, but in the age of Instagram, it’s crucial. Beautiful images of your cocktails help bring people into the bar, it sells drinks. I hope bartenders don’t get too carried away, focusing too much on appearance, and neglect the more important art of creating well-balanced and flavorful drinks.

JM: Which, do you think, are the top, can’t miss, cocktail bars/mixologists in the world?

R & J: Many of the world’s classic bars are still thriving today, and still attracting new patrons. Why? Because they understand how to treat their customers, how to create exceptional experiences, and how to make a damn good drink. I’m talking about can’t-miss establishments like Harry’s in Paris, Cipriani in New York, Duke’s in London and Raffles in Singapore. I’ll tell you, I sure miss the Four Seasons in the old Seagram’s Building in New York – I spent a lot of years bellying up to that bar! I’m also excited by newer bars like Trick Dog in San Francisco, Black Tail in New York, Sweet Liberty in Miami and Raised by Wolves in San Diego.

JM: What advice would you give a young person considering a career as a mixologist?

 R & J: Bartending and mixology is an honorable and fulfilling career, don’t ever let anyone tell you different. Bartenders are members of a community of talented and creative people who work hard and play hard, and many of the top people I know in the business are making substantial incomes, traveling the world and even enjoying near-celebrity status. But like all professions, to reach that top level you have to put in the time and you have to be committed every day to learning and listening. Above all, work hard, know your cocktails and have a good sense of humor!

JM: What bar in the world would you choose to have your last drink?

R & J: No question, if I had to choose where to have my last drink, it would be the place where it all started, where I was fortunate to begin my career – The Manor in West Orange, NJ.

JM: Thank you.