After becoming the general manager at Bin 612, Janna Walden no longer spends her whole shift behind the bar. But she still likes slipping back there when she can.
Walden finds the fast pace and novelty of bartending are good for her ADHD brain, although she said managing is less taxing than tending bar. Since her promotion, she has enjoyed getting off work earlier, which means she can ride her bike or go to the gym afterward. Still, she sometimes misses being behind the bar.
“When someone asks to speak to the manager, I’m like, ‘damn. I wish I could just be making a drink right now,’” Walden joked.
Walden has worked in bars and restaurants for the last four years. Throughout her time in hospitality, she has tried every position except working in the kitchen. Now she is getting a taste of that, too, occasionally being thrown into the kitchen during a shift.
After a hard shift, Walden likes to go home, put her feet up and watch “Bob’s Burgers” or a reality TV show. She also unwinds by cooking at home, where she can experiment with flavors.
When she has time, Walden still comes up with her own cocktail creations for the bar. She enjoys figuring out how different flavors work together, drawing inspiration from her own home cooking, “The Flavor Bible” and plain old experimentation.
Her most recent concoction, Apple of My Rye, is meant to manifest cooler fall weather.
“It’s just like an apple cider, so it makes me feel like I should be wearing my sweater,” Walden said. “… I think fall is just very comforting. It feels like a happy time.”
Apple of my Rye
2 oz Bulleit Rye
0.75 oz cinnamon syrup
0.75 oz lemon juice
Splash of apple cider
Step 1: Combine Bulleit Rye, cinnamon syrup and lemon juice in a shaker and shake with ice.
Step 2: Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice
Step 3: Top off with apple cider
Step 4: Garnish with apple fan and cinnamon stick
Words by Paloma Green
Photos by Deanna Robinson