P.J. Ford
Jesse Hubbard
When Jesse Hubbard first decided to write a cocktail book, he wanted to find a way to distinguish it from the thousands of other titles in the genre. So, he turned to his other love: music.
The result is Punk Rock & Cocktails, a book that pulls inspiration from 20 of Hubbard's favorite musical artists to create new riffs on classic drinks.
“I come from the mixtape generation, making mixtapes and sharing them with your buddies,” Hubbard says, “and that’s kind of what this is.”
Hubbard, the bar lead at Rye River Social in Grandview, was exposed to rock music early as his parents played classics such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones on a regular basis. He describes Bruce Springsteen as his “ultimate hero.”
For this book, though, Hubbard turned to the world of punk rock, which he first connected to in his teen years.
“To me, punk is being true to yourself in spite of anything,” he says. “This was my ode to punk rock, to do the most punk rock thing I could think of and do these pretty, fancy cocktails for these bands that I love so much.”
The book reflects Hubbard’s devotion to both cocktails and music. The recipes range from light and refreshing mixes to boozy sippers and even tiki-inspired drinks. Musically, Hubbard takes influence from classics including Minor Threat and former Black Flag member Henry Rollins to the more modern sounds of Dropkick Murphys and The Offspring.
Hubbard sees Punk Rock & Cocktails as a chance to introduce readers to something new.
“I hope that people not only will learn some new cocktail techniques or ideas about what’s possible,” he says, “but I hope very much that they learn about some new bands and some new records that they’ve never heard of before.”
Hubbard aimed his recipes at cocktail aficionados and home bartenders who might appreciate new ideas and methods but may not have the same encyclopedic knowledge as a seasoned mixologist.
In Hubbard’s mind, sharing his skills and know-how is part of the bartending craft. He says he’s always happy to share a recipe or technique with someone who enjoyed a drink and wants to expand their own knowledge.
“It’s all about that sense of community and camaraderie,” he says. “Don’t have a too-cool-for-school attitude about it, let’s all do this for each other. This is a fun thing. You get into this industry to be around people.”
P.J. Ford
Jesse Hubbard
Grove City has proven to be an ideal community for Hubbard, a place that balances his love for small-town charm with the liveliness of a city. He says Stringtown Road provides access to most anything he might want while a 10- to 15-minute drive brings Columbus’ activity into reach.
“It is just far enough removed from all of the hustle and bustle where you get a little bit of that suburban, small-town life that I wanted so much,” he says, “but it is close enough to everything you could possibly want.”
For now, Hubbard is working on the second volume of Punk Rock & Cocktails, expected in spring or summer 2022. Hubbard plans for that book to include recipes inspired by Against Me!, Flogging Molly and Rancid, among others.
Cameron Carr is associate editor. Feedback welcome at ccarr@cityscenemediagroup.com.
