Two years in, and this is the first time I’m really talking Dry January. Let’s get into it.
If you’re a drinks person, which I imagine you are, since you’re here, John deBaryneeds no introduction—but I’ll give one anyway:
John deBary is a bar expert with over a decade of experience in New York City hospitality. He's the author of two cocktail books, Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails and the forthcoming Saved by the Bellini (& Other ‘90s-Inspired Cocktails); a freelance journalist; and Food52’s first Resident Drink Expert. He's also a co-founder and board president of Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting structural solutions to quality-of-life crisis facing restaurant workers, and the creator of alcohol-free apéritif Proteau, which he recently put to bed. (Fingers crossed John puts out another product in the near future. The man has taste!) Subscribe to his newsletter here. (Oh, and John is also a judge for the L.A. Spirits Awards and was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 in 2020. Toot toot beep beep!)
I absolutely adore John Thee deBary, who adds so much to my life, including the (edited and condensed) conversation below. Note: If it's not clear, I'm asking questions in bold, and John is answering them in the regular-weighted font.