Gusto’s Lake Bird Cocktail: A Showstopper for Garnish Games!

GARNISH GAMES 2024

CONTESTANT: Reeves Brown
RESTAURANT: Gusto
COCKTAIL: Lake Bird

Attention all cocktail connoisseurs! Join us on August 4th at Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station for the 6th Annual Garnish Games. Ten of Denver’s most talented bartenders are competing to create the most visually stunning garnish—and you can get in on the action! Try each of their cocktails at participating restaurants and bars leading up to the event, then cast your vote to advance six bartenders to the live finale. Come watch, taste, and see who takes home the winning title at Garnish Games 2024!

In this video, bartender Reeves Brown from Gusto in Denver shows us how to create a unique and refreshing cocktail called Lake Bird. This cocktail is inspired by the local Sloan’s Lake neighborhood and aims to make the classic Jungle Bird cocktail more approachable by substituting ingredients for a lighter and more accessible flavor profile.

To make this cocktail, you’ll need:

• 1.25 oz Ron Zacapa
• 1 oz Pineapple Juice
• 0.5 oz Sfumato
• 0.5 oz Lime Juice
• 0.25 oz Meletti
• 1 oz Whole Milk

Garnish: The garnish evokes a lakeside greenery with its blend of cinnamon, clove, fennel, rosemary, and mint, complemented by two charming sailing friends.

Inspiration: Reeves was inspired by Sloan’s Lake neighborhood to create a garnish that brings the essence of lakeside greenery to the cocktail, making it both visually appealing and flavorfully unique.

The 6th Annual Garnish Games is a bartending competition in Denver presented by DiningOut Magazine and Diageo Brand Spirits, culminating with a live finale on August 4th, 2024, at Meow Wolf Convergence Station.