Bartender of the Moment, Colin Dennis @Capella on 9
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 a series entitled 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 Colin Dennis
You can find him most weekends behind bar of the sexy rooftop destination, Capella on 9. And boy are we are lucky he found his way here. Colin comes to Asheville by way of Chicago where he lived and worked in the food and beverage industry for 14 years.
COLIN: My fiancée, Rachel, and I moved to Asheville in May 2017. We wanted to get away from the cold and crime of Chicago. We heard great things about Asheville from friends and fellow F&B workers. It just so happens that Rachel’s family rents a beach house at Holden Beach, NC, every year. One year, we decided to make a detour and check out Asheville before we headed to the coast and we knew immediately that we wanted to live here.
Like so many before them, Colin and Rachel were lured by the loveliness of the AVL. The fact that he was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine – which looks an awful lot like the beautiful green, mountain towns of Western NC – might have helped to seal the deal.
As a college student in Lewiston not yet old enough to legally pour a drink, Colin started out as a DJ. While that skill got him his first job in Chicago, he quickly made the move from behind the turntable to behind the bar.
COLIN: As a DJ at various clubs and bars around the city I met a lot of people in the industry, including some owners. My first bartender gig was at the High Dive, where I worked for about eight years. At the same time, I was DJ’ing at a Spanish tapas restaurant called People Lounge on the weekends and soon transitioned into tending bar there as well.
When the owner closed People Lounge and reopened as a craft cocktail bar High Noon Saloon, Colin tended bar there for the remaining four years he was in Chicago.
COLIN: Chicago is where I truly learned the craft. Working with very talented and experienced bartenders/mixologists made me want to learn more, so I read everything I could get my hands on – Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails, Liquid Intelligence, The PDT Cocktail Book and The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual, just to name a few.
Once he got to Asheville in late May of 2017, Colin answered an ad for a bartender at a rooftop Spanish tapas restaurant and cocktail lounge that was opening in late summer. Luckily for all of us who enjoy drinking in Asheville, you can now find him sharing his love for this craft at Capella on 9.
As lead bartender at Capella on 9, or C/9 as it’s also known, Collin strives to highlight the talent of all the pros working with him behind the bar and you can see it on the varied and enticing new fall cocktail menu.
COLIN: All the bartenders come up with different cocktails for the new menus, then we all try them and tweak them until we are happy with the final product. We are really proud of our new fall cocktail menu.
These pictures are worth a thousand words so feast your eye on these and then get on up to Capella on 9 for an evening of interesting cocktails that you’ll be talking about all season long.
S’age La Vie
An elegant cocktail that perfectly complements the bountiful charcuterie plate. The Chemist Eau de Vie Apple Brandy, Absolut Extrakt, Vya Vermouth Extra Dry and Capella on 9’s homemade sage honey syrup.
Rise & Grind
Exactly what you want in a coffee drink and more. Espolon Reposado Tequila, Grind Espresso Shot Caribbean Rum, Ramozzitti Amaro, Ancho Reyes Ancho Chile Liqueur, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, and cold brew coffee.
Matcha Do About Nothing
Completely original and tasty. A great after-dinner drink.
Appleton’s Rum, Smith and Cross Jamaican Rum, Matcha tea, almond milk, port and lime, garnished with toasted coconut.
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LAST CALL
Bartender: Colin Dennis
Behind the bar at: Capella on 9, mostly on Fri, Sat, Sun & Mon.
Where he goes drinkinginASHEVILLE: Depending on his mood, you might find him at Crow & Quill, The Times, Sovereign Remedies, Top of the Monk, Funkatorium, Twin Leaf, Hi-Wire, Hillman and Yacht Club.
His drink: The Last Word is Collin’s go-to cocktail, but he is always up for trying new and interesting drinks.
Words he tends bar by: Bartending is not only about the drink or its ingredients, it’s about taking care of the guest and guiding them through their experience.
Advice to new bartenders: Learn as much as you can and keep on learning.
Instagram: @capellaon9
Facebook: Capella on 9
Website: capellaon9.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.
