Learn how to make craft co*cktails at Napa Valley Distillery (2024)

“Who’s ready to drink?”

Cheers and applause filled the halls of Napa Valley Distillery on a recent summer evening as excited guests prepared to get a hands-on experience in the art of co*cktail making with Head Mixologist Kyle Peete.

Peete, who is also Napa Valley Distillery’s beverage director— overseeing craft co*cktails at The Hollywood Room and The ArBARetum, both in Napa— had the avid attention of 15 eager students on June 20 during his monthly co*cktails with Kyle class. The immersive co*cktail workshop, which is held on the third Thursday of each month, allows guests to learn directly from the award-winning mixologist in a casual, interactive environment designed to demystify the complexity of home bartending.

“A lot of times I hear, ‘Oh, I could never make something like this at home,’ but in reality, you can,” Peete said in an interview prior to the June class. “During each class, we go over what’s achievable at home. We go over everything from tools to technique. I want people to realize that they can make drinks that look and taste good at home."

Even thoughco*cktails with Kyleis billed as a class, the workshop is entirely hands-on. From shakers to strainers, guests are given all the tools to craft a delicious co*cktail. While Peete demonstrates how to build each drink, it is up to the students to complete drinks on the night’s menu.

co*cktails with a twist

With nearly 20 years in the industry, Peete has seen rapid changes in the co*cktail scene in recent years. The rediscovered interest in home bartending was largely inspired by lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic when people were ordered to stay home but desperately craved their co*cktail of choice to help ease the stresses of an uncertain time.

Peete said while some people have maintained the interest in home bartending even after the public restrictions were lifted, there is still a level of intimidation of what can be accomplished in a home bar compared to the drinks served at establishments like The ArBARetum.

“All you need is the willingness to learn,” Peete said, stressing that attendees need no prior experience before taking one of his classes. “It’s open to anyone— over 21, of course. We call it a class, but I don’t want it to feel like a lecture where I do all the talking. I like to keep it loose. I invite people to ask questions. I want people to feel comfortable even if they are stepping out of their comfort zone. It’s about having fun. Some people in the industry are very guarded about their approach to making drinks, but I prefer to share what I know.”

Each co*cktails with Kyle class has a theme. The theme of the June event was summer whiskey co*cktails. Napa resident and Napa Valley Distillery club member Alyssa Rochioli said Peete’s willingness to share insider secrets is one of the greatest draws to attending the class.

“I love getting to do this,” Rochioli said. “It’s so fun to learn all these little details. You don’t find many experiences where you can take a class to learn these basics of the trade.”

Danielle Schofield of American Canyon said she’d taken a co*cktail class before, but in that scenario, guests stood around the bar while a mixologist did all the work. She attended a co*cktails with Kyle event in the spring and hasn’t missed a class since.

“I really like that it’s a hands-on experience,” Schofield said. “You do everything yourself, and you get to taste what you make. Kyle makes it fun. He’s so generous with his knowledge and answering our questions.”

Each month Peete highlights a different spirit or flavoring agent. The July class will focus on sours. The class series started in February, and he said he may design an upper level class for attendees who are interested in going beyond the basics.

Tara McClinton, also from American Canyon, has attended several of Peete’s classes and was surprised that she was able to take what she’d learned in the class and make drinks at home without a recipe.

“In one of the classes, Kyle brought in all these random ingredients and told us to make whatever we wanted, which sounded scary, but he explained that it is all about ratios,” McClinton said. “So I did that at home, and I made these drinks that turned out really good. My friends loved it. I was so surprised, but that’s what keeps me coming back. You learn about different spirits and techniques. It’s really interesting.”

During the June class, Peete walked guests through the basics of co*cktail composition, discussing the balance of ratios between the spirit and the sugar and acid components of the drink. Students made a classic Old Fashioned and a Manhattan as well as a Whiskey Sour and a Whiskey Smash, a variation of a Whiskey Sour.

“The building blocks for co*cktails often have the same foundation,” Peete told attendees. “Even if this is your only class, you learn things you can try at home.”

The professor is in

Peete has been named one of the Top 100 Bartenders in the U.S. by World Class, a program associated with the United States Bartenders' Guild. However, he found bartending unexpectedly, initially studying biology and chemistry in college in hopes of pursuing a career in medicine. He said his interest in chemistry may have laid the path for his career in co*cktails.

“I don’t know if anyone ever grows up dreaming of becoming a bartender,” Peete said with a laugh during an interview with the Register. “It always seems to be something that finds you. I’ve been doing this for 18 years, and I’ve been able to travel and experience more things doing this than I would have doing anything else.”

Peete worked in hospitality in his teens, continuing during college, and eventually found himself working behind the bar. After learning basics about the food and beverage industry while on the job, he decided he wanted to pursue co*cktail making after he began to realize that mixologists crafting co*cktails paralleled chefs preparing food in the kitchen.

While he has no formal training, Peete has found there is no better way to learn than by doing, so he sought the guidance of mentors near and far to hone his talents. He spent time in the Chicago co*cktail scene, traveled Europe pursuing unique techniques and made a name for himself in the Santa Barbara area before coming to Napa.

With a lifelong passion for cooking, Peete said he enjoys crafting co*cktails because of its similarities to preparing a meal— developing flavors from a variety of ingredients.

“Think of it this way,” he said. “Your spirit in your entree— your protein. The syrups, the bitters— those are your seasonings. Just like with cooking, you are looking for a balance of flavors when you make a co*cktail.”

An example of this would be the “Medium Rare” which is currently on the menu at The ArBARetum. The drink features beef-tallow-washed bourbon, garlic Demerara sugar and Meyer lemon topped with a caramelized shallot and thyme wine foam.

“It tastes like you’re eating a steak and drinking a cabernet,” Peete said.

Napa arrives on the co*cktail scene

Peete joined Napa Valley Distillery two years ago, soon after the opening of The ArBARetum on First Street. While the Distillery’s Hollywood Room— off the beaten path on Stockton Street— offers variations of classic co*cktails such as the Old Fashion or Negroni, The ArBARetum caters to downtown tourists looking for tasty drinks that they can brag about on Instagram. Before the opening of The ArBARetum, Napa didn’t have much of a co*cktail scene, according to Peete, but in recent years Napa has seen a noticeable increase in co*cktail lounges with additions such as Folklore, The Fink and Wilfred's Lounge among others.

“Napa is definitely having a moment,” said Peete.

He said craft co*cktails have reignited the beverage industry. While Napa is known worldwide for its wines, its reputation for luxury makes it an ideal candidate for an accompanying co*cktail scene. Afterall, craft co*cktails are associated with top-shelf spirits. The use of fresh ingredients such as herbs and hand-squeezed juices paired with house-made syrups and bitters add to the allure of craft co*cktails for patrons looking for an elevated experience.

Peete said he finds inspiration for co*cktails in different ways. Sometimes he thinks of the name first and then strives to craft a co*cktail worthy of the moniker. Other times he finds inspiration in a new ingredient he finds at the farmers market, or he’ll design a co*cktail based around a menu or theme.

“Whatever it ends up being, I want to give it that ‘Wow’ factor,” said Peete of creating an elevated co*cktail. “It might take me a few days or a few months. It may even take a year until I’m happy with it. I’m my biggest critic. I’m always looking to improve.”

Peete said he’s always striving to push the envelope to create new and surprising drinks for guests, but his favorite thing about making co*cktails is creating something that gives guests a nostalgic experience.

“I love when guests say ‘This reminds me of …’ or the smell or taste triggers something nostalgic— a memory of a place or time. That’s extremely rewarding. To create something that is able to transport a guest somewhere else with the drink you’ve made right in front of them— it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Expanding the co*cktail community

Peete’s co*cktail creations aren’t the only drinks drawing attention in Napa. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Napa’s emerging co*cktail scene in a feature last December— calling the changes in the downtown Napa landscape a “co*cktail renaissance.”

While Peete says he tries to visit other Napa co*cktail bars when he has time— he lives in Sonoma County and doesn’t socialize in Napa Valley as often outside of work— he isn’t trying to spy on the competition. In fact, he doesn’t like to refer to other local businesses as competition.

“I do see some imitation here and there,” Peete said, referring to things he’s seen at other Napa establishments, “but they say imitation is the best form of flattery, right? I don’t really see it as a competition. We’re all in this together. It’s about developing community and supporting each other.”

“I’m a co*cktail nerd. I like to see new, innovative things,”he continued. “Seeing more spots open up, clearly we’re doing something right. We’re leaders in what’s going on.”

With that in mind, Napa Valley Distillery will host a co*cktail competition in August dubbed The Iron Shaker. Inspired by the popular “Iron Chef” culinary competition, The Iron Shaker will feature mixologists from the Napa Valley as well the greater Bay Area battling it out for the co*cktail crown.

Unlike other co*cktail contests, which are more often popularity contents than measurements of talent, Peete seeks to reward drink masters in a formally judged competition, which will bestow deserved accolades as well as bragging rights.

“There’s tons of talent in Napa, and people are starting to notice, but we really want to put Napa on the map for co*cktails,” Peete said of the event, which is currently scheduled for Aug. 22 at The Hollywood Room. “Maybe Napa could have a co*cktail week, something similar to restaurant week (which is held annually in January). But until we get to that point, we’re hoping an event like The Iron Shaker can be something to create awareness for Napa’s co*cktail scene.”

Peete says there will be eight to 10 competitors. And while judges will determine the overall winner, guests will be able to vote on a people’s choice. Details are still coming together, but the latest information will be posted online at napadistillery.com.

Sign-ups are currently available for Peete’s co*cktails with Kyle class scheduled for Thursday, July 18. The class runs from 7-9:15 p.m. Tickets are $80; $70 for Napa Valley Distillery members. The event is held inside The Hollywood Room, 2485 Stockton St., Napa.