By Tracy Brown, an Asheville Native who is deliriously happy to be doing (almost) all of her writing and drinking in Asheville again after 23 years writing and drinking around the globe.
This article is one in the series Bartender of the Moment brought to you by drinkinginASHEVILLE, a new online community for anyone and everyone who loves to drink in this cool city.
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Meet Miss Glo
You can find her behind the bar at The Crow & Quill (106 N. Lexington Ave.), a hidden gem in downtown Asheville where patrons can choose from fine seasonal cocktails expertly made using more than 700 spirits that they keep on hand.
When we say hidden, we mean it. You have to know where you’re going, as it’s easy to miss the small wooden sign over the door that lets you know you’ve come to the right place. But if you appreciate fine spirits and a bartender who knows what to do with them, you will have definitely come to the right place. And Miss Glo is definitely the right guide.
Stepping into The Crow & Quill is like stepping back in time. The overwhelming selection of spirits is visually intoxicating. At night, you’ll often hear live jazz, swing or cabaret music performed with gusto by some of Asheville’s best musicians. Dark and cozy, the environment is perfect for an intimate date yet still abundantly welcoming for that solo after-work drink at the bar. Which is, as luck would have it, the time of day that we got to experience this unique Asheville drinking destination and Miss Glo’s facilitation.
After sitting alongside some other after-workers and being greeted by Miss Glo, we immediately began inquiring about her and how she came to be behind the bar at The Crow & Quill. Glo is from Minneapolis and has lived and worked in New York, LA, Santa Fe, and New Orleans before landing here in Asheville 13 years ago.
Not one to talk about herself, Glo warmly dispensed with the small talk by asking what I wanted to drink. Overwhelmed by the selection and ready to try something new, I asked her to choose a drink for me. After finding out bourbon is my favorite, she said she was taking me on a bourbon journey. And boy, did she ever.
Here are the drinks that made up the truly memorable bourbon journey Glo led me on over the next few delicious hours.
50/50
I had never had a 50/50 before, so when Glo said that would be my first drink, I was intrigued. When she described it as “that really solid first drink you want in your hand as soon as you sit down,” I was completely on board. The final product did not disappoint. Made with Black Dirt Bourbon and Amaro Montenegro, this is indeed a solidly satisfying drink that’s sure to become a regular order.
Manhattan
A classic drink that I’ve had many times, I can truly say that Miss Glo’s Manhattan was completely original, and how much I liked it was completely unexpected. I tend to prefer my Manhattans with bourbon and “perfect,” i.e. with a lemon twist. But aside from the Luxardo cherry, there was nothing expected about her riff on this classic. Made with 110 proof Pikesville Rye from Kentucky, Pedro Ximénez, a Spanish sherry, Silvio Carta, Italian red vermouth and Dale DeGroff’s Pimento (yes, pimento) Aromatic Bitters, this was an incredibly lovely cocktail that has changed my mind forever about rye and what makes a great Manhattan. I also think it is the flavor that I will forever associate with The Crow & Quill.
Old Fashioned
Another classic cocktail that I’ve had but don’t usually order, Glo’s Old Fashioned again proved that I need to try the things I think I don’t like more often. Her riff on this tried-and-true drink incorporates something else I’ve never had before: Amaro Pasubio. Accurately described on the bottle as blueberries, pine and smoke, this may be the most unusually delicious Amaro I’ve ever sampled. Expertly mixed with Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon over muddled orange peel and garnished with a beautiful Luxardo cherry, it made Miss Glo’s Old Fashioned uniquely complex and yummy.
As you can see, Glo makes sure that the stars of your experience at The Crow & Quill are the spirits.
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LAST CALL
Bartender: Miss Glo
Behind the bar at: The Crow & Quill, Tue 5 p.m.-10 p.m. – a great time to get her personal attention and conversation; Thu and Fri, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
Where she goes drinkinginASHEVILLE: The Times at S&W, District Wine Bar, Double Crown – and a few she’d rather keep hush about.
Her drink: Whatever moves her at the moment. Factors include, but are not limited to: time, mood, weather, moon or food.
Words she tends bar by: You are worth truly good spirits. Pour your passion.
Advice to new bartenders: Watch, learn, apply to your own action. All ingredients do not come from a book.
Instagram: @themissglo
Facebook: The Crow & Quill
Website: thecrowandquill.com
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For more mouth-watering photos of boozy deliciousness made and served right here in Asheville, head on over to @drinkiningavl on Instagram.
