Josh Burbank: Drinks should just heighten the experience
Yesterday, Josh Burbank, barman at Jax Fish House, showed us how he makes homemade root beer. Now he's weighing in on his mentors, behind-the-bar antics gone awry, and putting his blood, sweat and tears into every drink.
courtesy of Josh Burbank
Westword: How long have you been a bartender? What made you get into the profession?
Josh Burbank: I've been a bartender for years now. I started just before I turned 21. I never really took it seriously until I met James Lee just over six years ago at the West End Tavern in Boulder. I was bussing tables there, and he took me under his wing. He taught me how to take pride in what I do, how to construct cocktails, how to balance drinks, how to attack the palate and how to build cocktails from the ground up, right to the garnish.
I was there for three and a half years, and I learned a whole lot. I moved down here and they were nice enough to keep me in the company. I've always wanted to be here at Jax Denver; it's my favorite restaurant in the company.
I'm really blessed to have worked with two of the best bartenders around, though they're the best for totally different reasons. James was a top-ten Playboy mixologist, and he has a great mind when it comes to mixology. The flip side is Tim Harris, who manages the bar at Jax. He's the ultimate showman and host. He remembers your name and what you're drinking, and he'll ask how your daughter is and mean it. Sometimes he'll do a magic trick for you. That's kind of a lost art these days. With this new surge of mixology, people kind of forget what we're doing. Bartending at its purest means we're supposed to be good conversationalists and provide an upbeat environment; drinks should just heighten the experience. The art of mixology is becoming the forefront; people forget that it shouldn't just be the sole focus.
Bartending rules to live by: Put a piece of yourself in every cocktail. Don't do anything halfheartedly. Be passionate. And never shake a Manhattan. Next time I see someone shake a Manhattan, I'm going to leap over the bar. That's my biggest pet peeve, for sure.
Five words to describe your drink list: Seasonal, aggressive, fun, passionate and approachable.
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Jax Fish House
1539 17th St., Denver, CO
Category: Restaurant
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