Lenka Juchelkova wasn’t trying to open a bar — she was just looking for a dishwasher. She heard that a dishwashing machine was available at 1543 Champa St., and stopped by to take a look. A wine events space occupied that address and it was going out of business. Juchelkova,…

On Fleek at Williams & Graham In March, most of the staff at Williams & Graham took a group trip to Southern Spain, which served as part vacation and part immersion into the wine and spirits of the region. As the group was sitting around talking one evening, conversation drifted…

Bars are a common venue for Denver comedy shows, and they’re definitely a birthplace for great ideas. One night this past February, local comedians Meghan DePonceau and Anthony Crawford went for a drink after performing at a bar on South Broadway. They headed for a speakeasy in Five Points; DePonceau,…

The Life Necrotic at Ste. Ellie Sometimes, one rum is not enough. This is especially the case when it comes to tiki drinks, where up to three completely different rums might be blended in the same cocktail. This way, a bartender can virtually create a rum that contains flavors such…

“When a distiller gets married, you want to bring some special things,” says Todd Leopold, “because that’s what your family and friends are going to expect.” The wedding he’s referring to was actually his own, and the special thing that he brought was a bitter, scarlet-colored aperitif that he distilled…

I’m Not a Pirate, at Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen It’s no surprise that beer cocktails make up a fair chunk of the drink menu at Euclid Hall, known for its extensive and eclectic beer program. The bar staff collaborates on drink recipes, contributing seasonally inspired combinations of beer and…

One of the best rums in the world is produced right here in Colorado. Montanya Distillers was notified in April that its Platino Light Rum, produced in Crested Butte, had been selected as ‘Best White Rum’ at this year’s World Rum Awards. “It’s probably the coolest award we’ve won so…

The Human Fly at Central Bistro & Bar Anika Zappe got heavily into punk rock way back in the day when she was bouncing around the halls at Evergreen High School. One of her favorite bands was the Cramps, a garage-punk outfit that became part of the emerging punk rock…

The Airedale at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox Before Mike Henderson started thinking of names for his cocktails at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, he was thinking of a name for the brand new restaurant itself. Henderson and owner Justin Cucci bounced around hundreds of possible names for the restaurant — located in a building…

The Ryeno Cocktail at DADA Art Bar When DADA Art Bar opened its doors last April, it fused art gallery with cocktail lounge. If you wanted wine and cheese while you ogled colorful oil paintings, DADA made it possible to do that from the comfort of a bar stool. But the…

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot at Mizuna When you least expect it, that’s when it sneaks up on you. Ideas often come at the worst times: you’re driving on the highway, in a meeting, or you can’t find a pen to write down your latest inspiration. That’s what happened to Austin Carson, bar…

Tomorrow marks the beginning of DSTILL, a week-long celebration of American spirits that showcases small-batch distillers and their products. DSTILL, now in its third year, focuses on artisan spirit producers, bartenders and beverage industry leaders who are influencing today’s resurgent craft-cocktail culture. While the week will peak with Thursday’s spirits…

The Art DeCo at Molecule Effect “We try to take ‘locally-sourced’ to the extreme,” says Mark Landman, who opened Molecule Effect with partner Megan Rodgers in late 2014. “When we think of ingredients for anything, we start right here and we start to go outward from there.” The community-focused lounge, located…

Butter Beer at Green Russell “People come here for the showmanship, and for all the touches we put on drinks,” says Alex Lerman, bar manager at Green Russell, Denver’s first speakeasy-style cocktail bar. Those touches made for some sophisticated sipping, but they took time, too. Guests loved the intricate potions poured…

2U at the Populist In the fall of 2013, Rob Corbari was busy getting the Populist ready to open at 31st and Larimer Streets. He literally built the bar he still works behind, which included installing floor tile, plumbing, electrical and even the bar top, made of thick, dark, heavy wood. But…

The Hunter’s Mule at Comida Years ago, Ted LaMontagne didn’t know much about flavors. He was bartending at Trattoria Stella, where he started to learn about good wines and to develop his palate. “I was the pickiest eater you could ever imagine,” he says, “until I started working at that Italian…

Orange Is The New Grey at Humboldt While making cocktails at Humboldt in Uptown, bartender Alex Curry reaches into the cooler behind his bar probably a hundred times a night. Humboldt is a high-volume bar, and Curry prides himself on how fast he can make cocktails. In most of those hurried…

La Recoleta Leña 24 Broadway 720-550-7267 Some of Argentina’s most distinguished bones lay buried in La Recoleta cemetery: A slew of the country’s past presidents, famous filmmakers, Nobel Prize winners and poets all rest in this plot of land located just outside Buenos Aires. Former Argentine first lady Eva Peron…

Your Name Here Brazen 4450 W. 38th Ave. 720-638-1242 The scene is always the same. A guest at a bar gives a bartender poetic license to concoct a drink that he thinks the guest will like. It could be a shot, or something more refined, but it always ends like…

Stem Ciders has released a line of bottled ciders, which makes available for the first time a range of products from the Denver-based cidery. The 750-ml bottles are on shelves now in liquor stores across the metro area, and can also be purchased in Stem’s tap room, at 2811 Walnut…