The best cocktails around the world with Lauren Mote

Celebrated author and cocktail expert Lauren Mote shares her passion for the hospitality industry and her favorite cocktails as she discusses the launch of her first book.

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Grab your glass, and let’s go! My book transports your glass around the globe with more than 75 cocktail recipes! For more than 20 years, I tended bars and traveled the world, often as one of the only women in a male-dominated industry. I’ve developed cocktail recipes, sought out new ingredients, and gathered stories along the way.

Now, in my first book, I invite readers and home bartenders to pack their suitcases and come with me on an international cocktail adventure.  

I started bartending when I was 18, and it was a natural fit for me. I blended my background as a performer with hospitality and being a flavor lover. I started out by flipping burgers, singing condiment-themed songs, slinging drinks, and pouring pints.

I created Bittered Sling in 2012, and my journey from 2017 to today is on the brand side full time. Whether you’re behind the bar, running a bar, or working your way up in a bar, if you want more, it’s out there! You’ll have to remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and this industry can certainly be a “choose your own adventure” program. So, what do you want?  

I have several favorite cocktails from the book! Yonge Street is a cocktail inspired by my nostalgic upbringing in Toronto and fond family memories. This refreshing tequila beverage includes blue curaçao, orgeat, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, and Bittered Sling aromatic bitters.

Juicy Fruit is inspired by my work with Chef Ana Luiza Trajano in São Paulo. This cocktail features silver cachaça, lime, tangerine, raw cane sugar, and sweet passion fruit pulp, garnished with fresh mint.

One Below is influenced by my longtime colleague and friend who leads the Canadian World Class bartending program. This cocktail is a homage to his basement bar in Georgian Bay, featuring Canadian rye whisky, Islay whisky, maple syrup, and Bittered Sling chocolate bitters.

Stout, Stout, Let It All Out is a cocktail that combines Irish whiskey with cold brew coffee, blackstrap molasses, Bittered Sling aromatic bitters, chilled Guinness Stout, and tonic water.  

It's not enough to learn from the greats — you must make the learnings your own and pay it forward. Bartenders have the power to change the world, and with the right guidance and a few great drinks, today's generation will become tomorrow's leaders.

Purchase “A Bartender’s Guide to the World: Cocktails and Stories from 75 Places”

Follow Lauren on Instagram

Southern Glazer's "Served Up" podcast has been elevating voices in the beverage alcohol industry since 2020. Now, with Eric Hemer, MW, MS, joining Bridget Albert as co-host, expect thought leadership, industry insights, exclusive interviews, and inspiring conversations that drive innovation. Join us weekly as co-hosts Bridget and Eric stir up the spirit of hospitality with lively conversations and plenty of personality.

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