Did you miss our other installments in the Women in Hospitality series? Read about Hawaiian bartender Mari Howe, Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall, Brand Co-Founder Brittany Merrill Yeng, and CEO Shirley Leigh-Wood Oakes!
Ash Haussermann is the Beverage Director at Boulton & Watt in NYC, and she's the focus of the next installment in our Women in Hospitality Series.
Haussermann has been bartending for over a decade between Seattle, Austin, and New York City (and a few guest bar locations in between) in all styles of service. She's been behind the bar at establishments like Dear Irving, BlackTail, Clover Club, and Mother's Ruin.
Today, she's slinging drinks with her team at Boulton & Watt, bringing seasonal cocktails and good vibes to the East Village and Lower East Side.
We spoke with Haussermann about trends, picklebacks, building cocktail menus, and more! Read the full Q&A, below.
Tell us more about the cocktail menu at Boulton & Watt. How did you build it? What was your goal with the menu?
My goal with any menu is building something fun, seasonal, and inclusive. Every menu I help write, and I'm working on one as we speak, starts with a template. The template changes a little every time, but there are always a few mainstays like a Spritz, a Mule, a Margarita, a Martini, and an Old Fashioned. There are a few other classic styles or genres that we make sure to include, depending on whatever makes sense at the time. This ensures that we regularly have something interesting for (almost) everyone.
At Boulton & Watt, we strive to maintain interesting, beautiful, balanced, and FAST cocktails that hit pretty much every kind of drink you're looking for, within about twelve to fifteen drinks. Boulton & Watt has a lot of soul and eclectic history, including a beautifully diverse staff and clientele. All of these things influence and inspire our decisions there daily. At Boulton & Watt, what we strive for more than anything is inclusivity and approachability. You can ask any member of our team about the ingredients, execution, or inspiration behind the drinks, and they'll be happy to share their knowledge. That's really important to me and to Boulton & Watt as an establishment.
You’ve tended bar across the country at venues in Seattle, Austin, New York City, etc. How does the locale change the way you approach a beverage program?
Every city has its own unique flavor, style, and attitude, and the beauty of hospitality is seeing these differences in the one-on-one interactions that are the heartbeat of this industry. A beverage program has to be approached with inspiration, and each city I've been in has provided it generously. I've also often heard an old tripe that different cities have differing levels of experience and talent, but honestly, I've found this to be completely untrue. Some of the most accomplished, genuine, and creative professionals I've worked with have been in and from markets that were entirely unappreciated for their level of hospitality and cocktails. Any city can execute a world class establishment; it only requires vision, leadership, and mentorship.
Picklebacks are a favorite at Boulton & Watt, and I’ve seen a lot of attention paid to fermented and pickled cocktails/food. Do you think this is a cocktail trend that is growing?
One of the main ways that people balance any kind of dish or drink is with acidity. Traditionally this is by using citrus, but in culinary going back to our very roots we've utilized other acids as well, primarily in vinegars. Pickling and fermenting can be traced to the core of almost every ancient civilization, so while this style is currently trending, it's actually had a place in our palates for a very long time. With the onset of more sustainability-focused programs, shrubs and pickling will only gain more traction going forward. So cheers, drink that pickleback!
What general food/cocktail trends do you expect to see in 2023?
Post lockdown, the cocktail industry had a big shift in talent and many folks decided to pursue other industries. Now, we're presented with a new opportunity to have a great reset where we can scrap outdated myths and problematic ideas, and embrace the principles we actually believe in.
In hospitality, I think this will mean leaning into what hospitality really means, which is being nice, making people feel good, included, and embraced. In drinks, I think we'll see a lot more people leaning into classics and the aspects that inspired my generation to start creating cocktails. I foresee a lot of Mr. Potato-head like creations (thank you, Phil Ward), where young bartenders will learn more about ingredients and classics by playing a little mix and match. Throw in a little flair, like milk punch clarification, interesting ice ingredients, smoking machines or spices lit ablaze, and I'm really excited to see another generation be as excited as I was going in.
Any advice for other women in the hospitality industry?
My advice to women applies to all my gender non-conforming folks as well: work hard and know your worth.
Work hard: Read all the books, TAKE NOTES, get involved in all the free education and networking events out there (because they ARE out there), try all the ingredients (mostly side by side), and above all: SHOW UP.
Know your worth: Nothing will be given to you, and you'll get knocked down and disheartened twice as much as you'll win. Nobody will fight for you as hard as you will. But in the end, the rewards you'll reap, the friends you'll make, the reputation you'll build, and the experiences and opportunities you'll have and create for others: priceless.
What spirit, ingredient, or flavor are you currently enjoying working with most?
In order: Calvados (apple/pear brandy from Normandy), Verjus (highly acidic unripened crabapple and grape juice used for balancing drinks), and apple (yeah, no explanation needed). I'm more than a little bit obsessed. I've always been about that baking-spice life, and apple is the perfect year-round ingredient that can be used in so many different ways that consistently piques my interest.
Plan to Attend or Participate in Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023
To learn about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023 in Las Vegas. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at Bar & Restaurant Expo 2024, contact:
Veronica Gonnello (for companies A to G) e: vgonnello@questex.com p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz (for companies H to Q) e: tschultz@questex.com p: 917-258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh (for companies R to Z) e: falsayegh@questex.com p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.