Bartenders Worth a Damn: Darren Crawford
Darren Crawford comes to us very highly recommended. He won the Angel’s Envy Kentucky Derby Cocktail Challenge hosted by Eastside West in San Francisco. As a bartender, he values creating genuine and memorable experiences for each of his guests. Whether it’s that extra flourish, attention to detail or remembering your signature cocktail, Darren is a professional. With more than a decade of experience, he’s honed his craft and delivered a truly winning cocktail — likely one of many.
While mixology is one of his passions, Darren is a man particularly drawn to alpine danger. All of it: snowboarding, helicopter skiing, mountain biking. He mentioned skydiving and surfing, but we hope those never involve mountains. It was surely this blind courage that helped him craft this year’s winning cocktail, The Lion’s Share.
When not courting death on the slopes — or in the ocean and sky. You can find Darren behind the bar at Bourbon & Branch. It’s a classy establishment in the speakeasy style that asks you to please, speak easily and silence your damn phone. Most importantly, it’s a business that respects the art or the cocktail, and is well regarded by industry professionals. If you’re a fan of well-mixed drinks and happen to be in San Francisco, listen to the industry people and stop in. If you’re lucky, Darren might be willing to make you The Lion’s Share. And seriously, turn off your phone.
If you’d like to try The Lion’s Share at home, we’re proud to present the prize-winning recipe:
The Lion’s Share
2 oz. Angel’s Envy
¾ oz. Lemon Juice
¼ oz. Orange Juice
¼ oz. Egg White
½ oz. Apricot Liqueur
½ oz. Dry Sack 15 yr Oloroso Sherry
½ oz. Maple Syrup
3 dashes Fee’s Old Fashioned Bitters
Shaken, double strained, orange oil expressed over the top of the drink and discard the peel.
