Sean Kenyon

Williams & Graham and Sean Kenyon both finalists for Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards

Westword bar columnist Sean Kenyon just landed in New York City about an hour ago for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, and once he turned his cell phone on, it started buzzing like a palpitating heart -- and Kenyon's heart just about dropped to the floor when he began reading his text messages. See ... More >>

Reader: I'll order an Old-Fashioned often from now on

Is it too early for a drink? All the heated discussion of Jenn Wohletz's "Five cocktails only a dickhead would order," followed by veteran barman Sean Kenyon's response, left many people very, very thirsty. And for many readers, only one drink would do: an Old-Fashioned. See also: - Who's a dickhea ... More >>

Williams & Graham wins Cocktail Bar of the Year from Nightclub & Bar Media Group

"Fucking awesome!" That's the emotional sentiment of Sean Kenyon, whose Denver speakeasy, Williams & Graham, just waltzed away the 2013 title of Cocktail Bar of the Year, a prestigious award bestowed on the cocktail cocoon by Nightclub & Bar Media Group, a bar, nightclub and lounge enterprise over ... More >>

Squeaky Bean starts pouring Sean Kenyon's new cocktail menu tonight

Fall means many things to people: pumpkins, football, piles of leaves. But to nationally-recognized bartender Sean Kenyon, designer of the cocktail menu at Squeaky Bean (which I review this week), it means something else: aromatics. "When I think of fall and winter, I think aromatics right away," ... More >>

Food & Wine magazine names Williams & Graham one of the Top 10 Best New Bars in the U.S.

Barman Sean Kenyon, who occasionally pens a booze-centric column for Westword but spends the majority of his time designing -- and pouring -- innovative cocktails at the Squeaky Bean and Williams & Graham, received a major kiss-up shout-out in Food & Wine magazine, which just released its list of th ... More >>

Bartender Sean Kenyon has a few words of advice for his peers: shield the armpits!

It shouldn't be about what you wear, right? According to Sean Kenyon, the barman behind the Squeaky Bean and Williams & Graham, it absolutely should be about that, especially if you're one of those tenders who takes to wearing a "hipster" tank top when you're slinging drinks behind the stick.

Liquid porn: Sean Kenyon showcases his new Squeaky Bean cocktails

Sean Kenyon isn't the kind of guy to shy away from the spotlight -- or the liquor cabinet. The Denver-based cocktail kingpin (or bartender, as he prefers) has been slinging drinks for 26 years, and he's incredibly good at it, racking up contest titles and accolades around the world, sitting on the b ... More >>

Reader: Restaurant managers rarely hear this side...because guests won't return

As a service-industry professional/lifer, Sean Kenyon Lori Midson's list of the "ten rudest things customers do to make servers wish you'd never come to their restaurants," all of which he's seen all too many times during his 27-year career in service. But even worse, he suggests, is when people in ... More >>

The Colorado Bartenders Guild announces its newly elected board

To give the Colorado Bartenders Guild all the credit for Denver's flourishing cocktail culture would be wrong, says Sean Kenyon, owner of Williams & Graham and one of the founding members of this state's chapter. But it certainly helped. "We were officially chartered in February of 2008," he says, " ... More >>

Bartending superstar Jim Meehan descends upon the Mile High City next week

We might all be Manhattan and martini connoisseurs now, but not even ten years ago, properly made classic cocktails were a lot more difficult to find not just in Denver, but in any city. And cocktail bars -- at least the trendy cocktail bars that keep proliferating today -- were virtually non-exist ... More >>

Reader: Keep pouring out columns about Chartreuse and other lesser-known bottles

Sean Kenyon had a busy fall -- working at Euclid Hall, opening Williams & Graham, and traveling to a monastery in France, where he got to mix a Chartreuse cocktail for a monk. But Chartreuse is not reserved just for the monks who make it from a centuries-old secret recipe. As Kenyon reports, it's n ... More >>

A bartender needs to know the score, about everything from the Avs to absinthe

​Sean Kenyon's Ask the Bartender has been on a break, but Kenyon hasn't been taking it easy: Over the past five weeks, he's been traveling (Germany, France and New York City twice), working at Euclid Hall at night and opening Williams & Graham during the day. Now he's back, plenty of stories t ... More >>

Williams & Graham offers free shift dinners for industry workers

​Williams & Graham just opened to the public on Tuesday night -- but word of the stylish speakeasy's free shift meals for industry types got out fast. By the time the group meal was served, fifteen appreciative restaurant/bar workers -- from Linger, Lola, Root Down and other Highland joints -- ... More >>

Williams & Graham opens tomorrow

​News first broke that Williams & Graham would plant a 1920s-themed bar in a bookstore at the edge of Highland back in April, and Todd Colehour, former executive at Kona Grill, and Sean Kenyon, Squeaky Bean and Euclid Hall barman and Westword's "Ask the Bartender" contributor, had planned to s ... More >>

Reader: Is Westword endorsing Spring 44? Or Sean Kenyon?

Mark MangerSean Kenyon pouring Spring 44 vodka.​Virtually unknown after Prohibition, vodka long ago passed gin as the country's most popular clear spirit, and then moved up to become the country's most popular spirit, period -- partly because of its neutral flavor, partly because of the smart ... More >>

Vodka makers hope pure spring water from Colorado pushes them to the top shelf

Reader: It was fun having a local whiskey while it lasted

​Was Stranahan's the punk rock of whiskey? That was the question posed by Sean Kenyon yesterday, in the first of his several-part series on the sale of Stranahan's late last year -- and the recent departure of head distiller Jake Norris from the company. That news inspired this response from ... More >>

Ask the Bartender: A bartender by any other name....

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program ... More >>

Sign of the times: Vaginal discharge, cum buckets and mustache rides

Sean KenyonWould you like a mustache ride with your vaginal discharge?​In the same city that welcomes visitors with "Focus on the Family" signage, there resides a bar called Copperhead Road, a self-described "honkey-tonk saloon" that promises "the best live music, and the wildest late night pa ... More >>

Williams & Graham withdraws liquor-license application -- and reapplies for a new one

​Williams & Graham, a new speakeasy that's the vision of Todd Colehour, a former head honcho at Kona Grill, was slated to open in June with cocktail-tender Sean Kenyon, who, up until just recently, was the star-tender at the Squeaky Bean, which is now closed (but looking for a new home), spea ... More >>

Familiar Stirrings

Spring fever: Five new menus for a new season

The vegetable terrine at the Squeaky Bean​You can tell summer is approaching not just because the air is warmer, but menus around town are heating up, introducing lighter dishes that feature seasonal produce. Some of those board changes look particularly delicious. Here are five that caught o ... More >>

Williams & Graham, a new speakeasy, will open in Highland in June

Lori Midson​For the past several months, behind the walls of a two-story, converted apartment building in Highland, Todd Colehour, a former executive with Kona Grill, along with his business partners and startender Sean Kenyon, who works behind the bar of the Squeaky Bean and writes our weekly ... More >>

Reader: Whisky inspires a good sense of spell

flickr photo​Sean Kenyon's discussion of whisky -- no "e," please -- prompted this story from Harvey: On a plane recently, a passenger asked the flight attendant, "What kinds of whiskey do you have?" She proceeded to list a few, when he interrupted, in a whiney, patronizing tone: "That's Scot ... More >>

Noah Heaney wins Domaine de Canton semi-final and will try to follow Sean Kenyon's win in the finals

Noah Heaney's winning cocktail, Fishin' with Ginger​Last summer, Denver's Sean Kenyon was named Bartender of the Year by Domaine de Canton after he bested a handful of his peers from across the country in the final competition in St. Maarten -- and he took home a $10,000 check for his work, to ... More >>

Top five martinis in Denver -- good, better, Best!

​We sipped our way through many martinis in our search for the best, and you know what we learned? Any bar can ice down three ounces of vodka or gin and pour it in an up glass" and CALL it a martini -- and many do -- but there are very few that do the classic version of the cocktail right. A c ... More >>

Ask the bartender: When does brandy become cognac?

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender: Keep it simple, bartenders!

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Reader: If gin is good enough for the Queen Mum...

The beloved juniper berry.​ Is gin really "the original flavored vodka"? That's what Sean Kenyon suggested in his recent Ask the Bartender devoted to gin, and more than one reader took exception to the description. But it didn't bother Harvey, who loves gin no matter how it's categorized: I ... More >>

Ask the Bartender: New Year's Eve is for amateurs -- here's how to drink like a pro

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender: How did the cocktail culture survive Prohibition?

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender: Giving all those old bar terms the finger

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender: What's the perfect Old Fashioned?

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender: How to break into the business

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Sean Kenyon is the new king bean behind the bar of the Squeaky Bean

Lori MidsonSean Kenyon slinging drinks behind the bar of the Squeaky Bean​Sean Kenyon, who recently left his bar manager post at Steuben's, 523 East Seventeenth Avenue, just snagged a new gig slinging drinks behind the bar of the Squeaky Bean, Johnny Ballen's irreverent food temple and wateri ... More >>

Steuben's loses bar manager Sean Kenyon, but gains Randy Layman

Randy Layman​Last week, Sean Kenyon, one of Denver's most championed bartenders and mixologists, vacated his post as bar manager of Steuben's, where he'd been slinging drinks and crafting cocktails since 2007.

Ask the bartender: a spirited discussion of mezcal

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour -- both drinks, and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender: More on martinis

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour -- both drinks, and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

Ask the bartender!

​Sean Kenyon is a third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar. He is a student of cocktail history and a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional; he's a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program and has achieved his introduc ... More >>

Randall Layman's Tales of the Cocktail, round four

Randall Layman, a bartender at Vesta Dipping Grill, is just back from New Orleans, where he attended his first Tales of the Cocktail. We'll be printing his dispatches all week (read the first installment here). Taryn KapronicaSailor Jerry​ Day four: Sleeping in again (don't close your curtain ... More >>

Sean Kenyon Wins $10,000 and the Domaine de Canton Bartender of the Year Title

Sean KenyonHe's going to need a bigger wallet!​As if a trip to St. Maarten wasn't enough of a prize, Sean Kenyon, bar manager of Steuben's, just brought home top honors in the Domaine de Canton Bartender of the Year competition. And, as foam on the cocktail, he also brought home a check for a ... More >>

Bartending Olympics includes two hometown heroes

Vegas, baby: Sean Kenyon behind the bar at Steuben's​​The Nightclub and Bar Convention & Trade Show (NCB) in Las Vegas in March is the one event that everyone in the industry feels they need to attend -- or wishes they could. The show includes a cocktail contest called the Shake It Up ... More >>

We'll drink to that: Colorado Bartenders Guild Toy Drive at Steuben's

​Want to do some good while drinking great cocktails? On Monday, December 7, the Colorado Bartenders Guild (COBG) is sponsoring its fourth annual Holiday Toy Drive at Steuben's, 523 East 17th Avenue. "We started out with two bartenders and me and convinced about twenty of our friends to come ... More >>

Sean Kenyon raises the B.A.R. at Domaine De Canton competition

Nancy LevineSean Kenyon takes top spot at Domaine De Canton competition​ Last night Domaine de Canton and brand ambassador Bryan Dayton of Frasca hosted the semifinalist round of the Domaine de Canton bartender competition at TAG. Beyond bragging rights, the winner of the competition won a tri ... More >>

Steuben's Rock and Rye

Back at the bar with Sean Kenyon of Steuben's

​This is part two of Nancy Levine's interview with Sean Kenyon, the bar manager at Steuben's. You can read the first part of Levine's interview with Kenyon here. What do you think of bartending school? I am not a believer in generic bartending school as a way to get into the business. I think ... More >>

The Westword.com blog shortcut, September 2 edition

Busdriver deals with negativity.​Better late than never. Today in Backbeat Online: • Q&A with Regan "Busdriver" Farquhar. • Flier of the Week: Dressy Bessy at the Gothic, September 5. • Win stuff in our random midweek contest! • Dulcinea's to re-open as Pete's Monkey Bar. • Single F ... More >>

Behind the Bar: Sean Kenyon of Steuben's

Lori MidsonSteuben's bartender Sean Kenyon with his wife, Heather​It seems oxymoronic to call a guy covered in tattoos a geek, but when it comes to cocktails, Sean Kenyon is the biggest geek in town. He has taken his engineering coursework and applied it to the engineering of cocktails, with i ... More >>

Still alive after the first Denver Five

Nancy LevineJimmy Zanon's watermelon/chile margarita​ Last night I attended the first of a quintet of dinners coming from the Denver Five, the merry band of chefs who've represented Denver so ably by cooking at the renowned James Beard House in New York City the last two years. The group consists ... More >>

Mix it up at Trios Enoteca on Sunday

The state's best mixologists will be pouring it on -- and pouring out the drinks -- Sunday, April 26, at the first Colorado Cocktail Classic competition, sponsored by the Colorado Bartenders Guild. Go to Trios Enoteca,1730 Wynkoop Street, at 6 p.m. to cheer on your favorite bartenders and enjoy some ... More >>