After moving several times, Zach McCabe wondered why he bothered packing and unpacking the same eight bottles of liquor. The dusty bottle of Bacardi and a bottle of bourbon went virtually untouched and took up space everywhere he and his wife moved.
“I decided I needed to do something with it or get rid of it,” said McCabe, whose frustration with the liquor bottles led to a sideline business called All Equal Parts.
A WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 2, McCabe consults with restaurants and helps create cocktails as well as holding cocktail making classes in private homes and area businesses. He is offering a craft cocktail making class at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 at Second City Distilling Co. on Eighth Street.
Instead of getting rid of those eight bottles and the liquor inside, he started researching cocktails and began experimenting.
“I got rolling shortly after moving to Augusta in 2015,” he said. “My wife and I would invite a couple of friends over, and we’d try some of the drinks I’d found from online recipes.”
McCabe said the hobby was a good way to make friends, too. It was a good initial token of friendship and a way to get to know people.
He started branching out, and eventually he began creating cocktail menus for restaurants and teaching the classes. They were starting to take off when COVID-19 his, he said.
While he shut down for a while, he’s had some interest in recent months from people who wanted him to do an event in their homes. The Feb. 12 event will be limited to the amount of people, but he does plan other events if that one sells out.
Not only does he instruct on how to make a great cocktail, but he teaches people what to look for in a good cocktail.
“If you’re going to spend $12 on a cocktail, it should be great,” he said.
Just because it’s brightly colored and fruity doesn’t make it a great cocktail.
“It should not be syrupy sweet, and you shouldn’t just taste the alcohol either,” he said. “It needs to be more nuanced. It shouldn’t be one-note.”
At the Feb. 12 class, McCabe will teach how to make three different cocktails. He’ll also discuss the history, teach technique and give tips to creating cocktails at home. The cost is $50.
To learn more or find out about additional classes, follow McCabe on Instagram @All.Equal.Parts or email at all.equal.parts@gmail.com
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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