Johnny’s Gold Brick takes top prize in national contest
The Houston bar community doesn’t need reminding that the hooch-slinging staffers at Johnny’s Gold Brick are bartending hotshots.
But just in case anyone needs reminding, Johnny’s Gold Brick proved it is up there with the best bars in the country. Earlier this month the staff of the Heights bar at 2518 Yale won the 2019 Bar Fight Club throw-down, besting six bars invited to participate in the bartending competition held at the annual Chicago Style Cocktail Conference in the Windy City. The judges panel chose Johnny’s over Existing Conditions in New York, Good Measure in Chicago, Pretty Ugly in Toronto, True Laurel in San Francisco and Nickel City in Austin. Nickel City won the people’s choice award for a Texas sweep of the competition.
“I couldn’t be happier about how things went or more proud of the team,” bar owner Benjy Mason said. “Our only goal was to present an authentic representation of ourselves as a bar and Houston as a city, and I think we nailed it. The other bars were all really great and all the cocktails were amazing, but the Johnny’s team was on fire.”
The cocktail that put Johnny’s in the winner’s circle is a thoughtful, elaborate drink called Corn Palace, a collaboration between bartender Angel Salas and bar manager Justin Ware. The cocktail pays tribute to two great themes in Mexican culture and history: corn and mezcal. The cocktail is built using Del Maguey Vida Mezcal and a syrup made from the juice of corn kernels reduced with corn silk and corn cobs cooked with coconut milk. Pineapple and lemon juice are also added to the cocktail, which is served over crushed ice and garnished with a dried corn husk and Tajin chile salt.
The Johnny’s team also served Johnny’s Goldsun Triple Berry Blaster, a cocktail made from strawberry-infused Fords Gin, a cordial made from blueberries and raspberries and lime juice that is put in a gold pouch that looks like Capri Sun. It was created by bartenders Rebecca Burkart and Rich Bailey. Two other drinks also were served: Crystal Capp (a riff on an espresso martini using spent coffee grounds, clarified milk and grapefruit) and the Cosomo (a Cosmo variant made with hibiscus-infused gin, galangal tincture and a syrup made from kumquats and loquats).
All these winning drinks will be served at Johnny’s Gold Brick through May for $12, $10 during happy hour.