Trail Blog

June 24, 2010

BEHIND THE BAR WITH: Chris McMillian.

Chris McMillian serves more than a good mint julep at Bar UnCommon in New Orleans’ Renaissance Pere Marquette. A student of mixology and collector of literature about drinks and drinking, he treats patrons to an intoxicating display, sharing cocktail history and an occasional poetic tribute all while he stirs, pours, and strains.
After 20 years tending bar, he has a knack for creating the right drink, so trust his recommendations. For those, however, seeking the ultimate New Orleans cocktails, he suggests the Sazerac and Ramos gin fizz. “Henrico Ramos was perhaps the greatest bartender this city has produced,” he says.
But McMillian, too, is leaving a mark on the city’s cocktail scene as a co-founder of The Museum of the American Cocktail. “It documents the evolution and changing role of the cocktail, which is an American invention,” he says. On view, find antique drinking vessels, cocktail shakers, advertising ephemera, and more.
Include a trip to see McMillian on your New Orleans itinerary, and visit some of his favorite watering holes, which include Napoleon House, Arnaud’s, Swizzle Stick Bar, and Cure.
For information, visit www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org or www.marriott.com.