Katie Ingram has been causing a stir.
In her six years behind the bar, the Vancouver-based mixologist has become a specialist in the world of cocktails, spirits and libations. In that short time she has already racked up a number of accolades won through successful showings at competitions, including concocting award-winning cocktails and having stellar performances at Jameson’s Barrelman Challenge in 2015 and at Knob Creek’s Whiskey Cup in 2016. She was recently a Top 4 national finalist in the prestigious Diageo’s World Class Canada competition as well.
Ingram will be one of several local bartenders plying their craft – shaking, stirring, and inventing – at this year’s Night on the Pier event as part of the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver. The fourth annual event, taking place at Ambleside Pier on Thursday, Aug. 8 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., will feature bartenders slinging their most innovative and daring drinks for thirsty guests to enjoy. It’ll be Ingram’s third year taking part in the event, she says.
“I think this year I’m going to go a little bit crazy,” she muses. “Because [Harmony Arts is] surrounded by music I’ve always done a nice little scene with everything – and I think this year my theme will be Spice Girls. That is all I will say.”
While mum’s the word when it comes to specifics for what Ingram has in store for Night on the Pier, she’s an open book when it comes to her passion for cocktails in general.
A denizen of the performing arts prior to getting into mixology, Ingram’s decades spent in the world of theatre showed her that when it comes to bartending or tending to the theatrical stage, the two vocations have more in common than what one might naturally think.
“I found that when I started serving and watching the bartenders make all these drinks – and they were telling me about the stories that they were creating for cocktail competitions – I found I just really wanted to be a part of that,” says Ingram. “I wanted to tell my own story through drinks and I started doing cocktail competitions and doing events like [Night on the Pier] and I found that it was really, really fun and my creativity was inspired.”
Ingram is currently the bar manager at Elisa, a steakhouse in Vancouver that uses a wood-fired grill for that extra sizzle. It’s her job to complement the meal with something that quenches, according to Ingram, and focuses on achieving a balance between a traditional cocktail with a modern spin.
“We have our version of a cosmopolitan, which is called the Red Star Line, and it’s using citrus vodka, a cherry liqueur, apricot liqueur, citrus, unsweetened organic cranberry juice, and cranberry bitters,” she says. “It’s citrusy, it’s bright, it’s refreshing – it has the same characteristic as a cosmopolitan but it’s done in the way that we like it.”
And she won’t pick a favourite drink on Elisa’s menu – she couldn’t possibly. “It’s really hard – it’s like picking your favourite kid.”
The best nights behind the bar are full of joyousness and energy, according to Ingram. When the bar’s in full-swing and the restaurant is packed with people enjoying themselves and the drinks are flowing effortlessly, Ingram and her staff reach a state where they can almost read each other’s minds, she says, stepping in to help when needed and ensuring that all beverages are crafted with tact and creativity.
“We always have to be present and aware of everything that’s going on,” she says. “For us, it’s always nice to remember that we’re always on stage.”
During her tenure behind the bar, Ingram has had the opportunity to travel all over the world – Mexico, France, Ireland – in order to compete in cocktail competitions and broaden her mixology knowledge. She’s grateful for the opportunity to bring back what she’s learned in order to make her own restaurant as good as it can be too, she says.
When it comes to cocktail competitions, it’s essential to be prepared in order to strike the delicate balance between showmanship and creating tasty beverages, according to Ingram. She makes lists and asks for help when needed.
And her advice for any budding mixologist or individual looking to up their home bar or cocktail game? “Read as much as you can,” she says. Books on mixology are numerous and widespread, says Ingram, adding that the tomes often relay crucial local or regional history in addition to providing new recipes and ideas.
“There’s so much information and you can never ever, ever stop learning. My book collection is almost as big as my liquor collection,” she says.
To see Ingram and other bartenders sling their best beverages at this year’s Night on the Pier event, visit harmonyarts.ca/food/night-on-the-pier for ticket availability or more information.
Ingram is equally passionate when it comes to all different cocktails and libations, though asked what her personal favourite drink to consume is, her answer skews towards the traditional, the popular, and the tangy – the almighty margarita.
“It’s salty, it’s sour, it’s sweet, it’s delicious, it’s refreshing. It literally has the best parts of everything you could ever want in a drink.”
