Last Updated on June 10, 2023 by Leah Hall
A whole new Mixologist Monday, and this time, it’s with Hannah Chamberlain of SpiritedLA! Hannah always has the best glassware, garnishes and tasty cocktails on her Instagram feed, so we can’t wait for you to check this one out!
So, without further ado, here’s Hannah!
Tell us about yourself! How did you get into cocktails?
I started SpiritedLA when I was working at BuzzFeed in Hollywood— it was a really exciting time in the LA cocktail scene, and I loved getting inspiration from the city’s new bars for making better cocktails at home. SpiritedLA both on Instagram and my blog explore original recipes, drinks from bars I’ve visited, fashion, and travel. Recently, I’ve been devoting most of my time to TikTok where I share tongue-in-cheek drinking tips and recipes.
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Top 3 favorite cocktails
- First up, an absolutely frigid, dry, Old Raj gibson with house-pickled onions. Ideally paired with oysters. There aren’t enough savory cocktails out there, and this one really does the trick.
- Second, a classic bourbon mint julep. I lived in Kentucky for a spell, and really fell in love with the ritual surrounding this drink. The mint flavor should be perfectly distributed, the ice plentiful, and there should be a healthy frost on the cup. So refreshing, and it brings me right back to Keeneland where I had my very first.
- Third, a caipirinha. I find myself craving drink’s funky cachaça with muddled lime rinds every summer.
How do you come up with drinks? What is your inspiration?
I often use what’s in season at the farmers market as a jumping off point for my drinks. The quality of produce available really makes a massive difference to your drink, so leaning in to seasonal produce is always a good way to start.
Second, I often get ideas based on new spirits I’m trying out. I’ll taste a spirit by itself and then experiment with other flavors that might compliment it. Lastly, I love getting inspiration from people or characters I’d like to drink with. What would I make for Dorothy Parker? What would I drink with Peter the Great, P.G. Wodehouse, Emily Gilmore, Vaclav Havel, Margot Channing, or Zsa Zsa Gabor?
Tell us one fun/interesting or weird fact about yourself
Before I took the job at BuzzFeed I was planning on getting my PhD in Cold War Eastern European dissident history. I traded in gulags and Kundera for cat GIFs and Kardashians. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If you could have a drink with anyone in the world who would it be?
Oooh, tough one. Dead, Churchill. Alive, Amy Sherman-Palladino (even if she insists on wearing her top hat).
Tell us 3 Instagrams or blogs that you love to follow
Other than you two?? 😉 (Leah here, make sure to follow us if you don’t!)
This always changes for me, but lately here are three I’m excited to see show up in my feed.
- I always look forward to seeing @Justin_sisson photography. Whether he’s capturing cocktails, people, or still lifes, I love the way he sees the world.
- @zacharyweiss is also a great follow because he’s always having fun and looking fabulous— in the sea of cocktail makers I follow, it’s nice to see someone who is always enjoying them.
- And I love @equal_parts_cocktail for their absolutely bonkers cocktail videos: seriously, their cinematography is Oscar-worthy.
- Lastly, @stacieflinner for her romantic travel pictures and stunning interior design (yes, that’s four, I know I cheated).
Have a Recipe to Share with Us?
Alright! Here’s a black Manhattan riff I’ve really been making a lot lately while my family’s been quarantining and playing Risk:
Machiavellian Manhattan
3 oz high proof bourbon
.5 oz Averna
.25 oz banane du brasil
.25 oz Madagascar vanilla liqueur
2 dashes orange bitters
Shake all ingredients in shaker with ice. Strain into a coupe glass.
I would love to link to all social media and blog if you have one!
TikTok: SpiritedLA
Blog: https://spiritedla.com/
Instagram: SpiritedLA
Check out our other Mixologist Monday Posts!
Thanks, Hannah from SpiritedLA! Make sure to give her a follow on her channels! Hope you all loved this post!
More Mixologist Mondays to come soon!
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