We’re ending this year’s Summer Cocktail Camp with a bang at The Henry, one of homegrown hospitality group Fox Restaurant Concepts’ flagship brands. The ninth and final Summer Cocktail Camp will take place on Sunday, August 17 at The Henry’s Uptown location. Cozy up on a leather banquette or belly up to the bar to learn about – and sip on! – creative craft cocktails from FRC’s Director of Beverage, Aubrey Mansene. We caught up with the seasoned hospitality pro to chat about the classic martini’s “main character moment,” the artful use of basil, and how to make cocktails that linger in people’s minds long after the last swig. Learn more about PHOENIX magazine’s Summer Cocktail Camp here.
Tell us about the cocktail program at The Henry.
At The Henry, we believe great cocktails start with fresh ingredients. We’ve mastered the art of the classics, then made them our own with signature twists that reflect our creativity. Our goal is to showcase a menu that honors tradition, while introducing inspired flavors and unexpected elements that keep guests coming back.
Tell us about your journey in the service/hospitality industry. What keeps you inspired and motivated?
You could say my path in hospitality was practically destined. I’ve never known life without the hum of a busy dining room. It’s been passed down two generations before me. My own start wasn’t glamorous. I was the kid scraping gum off tables at my dad’s bar and restaurant in Flagstaff… From there, I found my way behind the bar, bartending through my business degree and later working in some of New York City’s most exciting bars and restaurants. What keeps me going is the thrill of creating something unexpected. I love designing cocktails and menus that encourage guests to go past their comfort zone, introducing them to flavors, textures and pairings they didn’t see coming, but can’t stop thinking about.
What’s your favorite cocktail trend?
The martini revival… No, it never really went out of style, but it’s having a main character moment again. At The Henry, we serve them ice-cold, perfectly balanced, and just dangerous enough that you should order a second before the first one is gone.
What is the most underrated cocktail ingredient? The most overused?
Angostura bitters, hands down. Makes everything better and hardly gets the credit it deserves. As for the most overused, mint. It’s great in the right measure, but somewhere along the way the garnish started trying to upstage the drink.
What’s in store for attendees of Cocktail Camp at The Henry this Sunday?
Guests will be greeted with our Greatest Neighborhood Margarita, the margarita we proudly claim as the best in town. From there, we’ll introduce three of our most creative cocktails:
- Uptown Cocktail: A bright, gin-based creation layered with yuzu marmalade and fresh-pressed honeydew.
- The Way of Tea: Pineapple-infused vodka meets a ceremonial matcha sour, finished with silky lavender cold foam.
- Smoked Pineapple Margarita: A smoky-meets-tropical blend of mezcal and reposado tequila, balanced with house-made spicy salt and cloudlike pineapple juice.
