The Bartender Questions: Ohio Brew Week Edition

Greg Lyle, 41, Bar Coordinator

Casa Nueva

Athens, Ohio

How'd you get here? I came to go to Ohio University and never left. That last year, I was like, "I don't want to do this, but I don't want to start over." So I finished up. Eventually, I ended up working in the restaurant business.

What would you be doing if you weren't bartending? I'd probably end up having some sort of office job, doing IT.

You're drinking a shot. What is it? John Powers Irish Whiskey. It's a little sweeter than Jameson and Bushmills, and the price point's a little bit better, too.

What's the last thing you'd drink in a liquor cabinet? If I had to judge from what's sitting on my shelf, Campari. It's not my thing.

If you could share a drink with anyone, who would it be? Let's see... Wow. Wow, wow, wow. Probably Jim Brown. I'm a big Browns fan. I still think he's the greatest running back ever.

What's Ohio Brew Week? It was the first weeklong event of its kind in the country. There are over 170 beers this year, about 32 different restaurants or bars. And it's in Athens. It's a great place to be. It's easy to walk around. You're not in a big city.

What have you liked at Brew Week so far? We have the Wright Pils from Great Lakes Brewing Company, and that's a really nice, light summer beer.

What do bartenders know that the rest of us don't? How much you can drink.

What question are you asked the most? "What do you have?"

What's your hangover cure? Lots of water. If I eat, I don't feel very good.

Do men drink differently than women? I don't think so, really. I think age groups drink differently than each other. We have plenty of women who will drink Manhattans, and we've got biker guys who come in and get the fruitiest blender drink we make.

What can you tell about a man by what he drinks? I don't think you can tell a whole lot. I drink cheap beer, and I don't know that that tells you a whole lot about me.

Cheap beer of choice? Miller High Life.

Non-cheap beer of choice? Pilsner Urquell.

How do I get your attention in a crowded bar? Make eye contact. Look at me. Don't wave your money. Don't look at your phone. If you're waving money, I'll just pass you up. If you're on your phone, I don't even look at you.

What's a sufficient tip? The change that's left.

The best bars are _____ bars? Hole-in-the-wall. You walk in — it's a lot of locals hanging out. Maybe they're watching television, maybe they're talking. They seem to have a little community in those bars. I'd much rather be able to walk into a place where — whether I'm wearing a nice shirt and tie or a pair of cut-offs — they don't care.

What's a cocktail everyone should know how to make? A simple Manhattan. An ounce and a half of Maker's Mark and a splash of sweet vermouth and about two dashes of bitters. It's too simple not to know how to make.


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