Uncle Tim's Cocktails Hosts Secretive Salon Dinner Series

Stuck at home with energetic toddlers and kids' television shows on repeat, I was desperate for a new dining experience and adult conversation. That's when I stumbled upon a TikTok by @raynaking_denver showcasing the Salon Dinner Series from local bottled craft cocktail company Uncle Tim’s — an intimate, limited-seating multi-course dinner with cocktail pairings and discussion topics. This month's edition is on Thursday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 and available via Eventbrite.

Over the summer, I signed up for notifications and waited for my opportunity to attend one of the dinners. After purchasing tickets, I waited yet again for the location reveal, followed by the menu announcement and finally, on the day of my dinner, I learned the theme: "Balance” — which was coincidentally just right for this tired, always busy parent.

“I think there is some fun in not giving away too much up front,” explains Tim Felkner, co-founder of Uncle Tim's and the person behind the dinner series idea. “You have to commit without knowing all of the details. Even the conversation prompts, I’ve never released them until you get there. I don’t want people to premeditate what they are going to say or feel pressure to come up with something witty. It’s very much about being present, being in the moment, and listening to whoever is speaking at the moment, which might inspire something in you.”
I had to break the news that the event was as much a social one as a food experience to the introverted friend I brought along. But by the end of the meal, which included three dishes and four cocktails, we were both sad to leave our new communal table friends (and even likely secured an invite to their wedding).

“That's the nice thing about serving delicious libations — it helps loosen people up,” notes Felkner. “The cocktails are a tool, a social lubricant. One of the reasons why we focus on spirit-forward cocktails, which are really sipping cocktails, is because people tend to drink them slowly. We try to really consider how much someone is drinking over the course of the meal and help them pace themselves. We do really work hard on creating specific cocktails, or variations on our cocktails, so that it really is a pairing for that dish."
Felkner has an extensive background in hospitality, and started his career in San Francisco. After moving to Denver, he focused his energy on growing his bottled craft cocktail business, but he missed the exhilaration of communal dinners.

“Being a part of a number of restaurant openings, I was involved in several pop-up dinners," he explains. "It was kind of a popular way that restaurants would do a little bit of test marketing or test out recipes and build a following before opening. They are a really fun way to bring people together in what is sometimes not conveniently a restaurant space. For me, it’s why Uncle Tim’s Cocktails exist. I love bringing people together and building community. My specialty is certainly cocktails — I’ve run a lot of restaurant and bar programs. The dinner series is a way for me to stay involved in food and beverage without having to do it every day.”

The first few dinners were located at the Uncle Tim’s tasting room, at 1150 South Lipan Street, but the events have since evolved to include mystery collaborations.

“The October one is at Syrup,” says Felkner, referencing a popular local breakfast and brunch chain. “You can rent out the Syrup locations in the evenings because they are closed. [Syrup owner] Danielle’s late husband’s name was also Tim; I really connected with her. That’s another fun thing: This has really allowed me to connect to other restaurateurs or business owners. I feel that business works out better if you are very collaborative.”

That community support extends to the tasting room, too, where cocktails showcase many Colorado producers such as Sati Cold Brew, Yummy Lotus and Boozy Botanist.
Felkner notes that he's observed people's desire for face-to-face social time after the pandemic, and he hopes to continue bringing the community together through a variety of events. "We have art shows, Sketch and Sip, comedy nights or music nights," he says. "There is something about meeting new people that is a type of stimulation that a lot of us need because it tends to challenge the way we dress, the way we think, or the way that we perceive ourselves. That can be a really beautiful moment to share — even if that’s the only time you’ll see that person.”

You can also get Uncle Tim's bottled cocktails delivered directly to your door. “Another part of my inspiration is that you can host these communal dinners in your home and don’t have to worry about the cocktail," Felkner concludes. "Just open and pour it."

Uncle Tim's Cocktails is located at 1150 South Lipan Street and its tasting room is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, by reservation only. For more information, visit uncletimscocktails.com.