Bartender of The Month & Recipe
Bobby Zuzulock
Bartender at MudHen Brewing Company
Q: How did you get into bartending?
A: My family had a business for over 40 years. I started in the kitchen, and basically when I got out of the kitchen I went behind the bar and I was done. I was never going back to the kitchen!
Q: How do you hone your skills and stay on top of trends in the industry?
A: I try to do some reading on social media just to see what’s going on. I follow certain people, and they give me ideas. There’s a bar manager here that tries to take care of drinks and certain liquors people request, too.
Q: What are your hobbies outside of work?
A: Raising two children. I’m a foodie, so I like to go out and try different things. Travel. I’ve been there too many times, but I really enjoy Prague. My daughter studied abroad in Budapest, Hungary. I’ll be married 25 years in September. I say to everybody getting married, pick your battles.
Q: Are you a beach bum? Do you have a favorite local beach?
A: The Wildwood beaches. Once I get on the beach, I like to sit under an umbrella, have my glasses, hat, and just relax.
Q: What’s the best life advice you’ve ever received?
A: With children, time goes fast. Enjoy your kids. Enjoy your family. I’ve seen too many people work a lot, and they miss out on a lot of things.
Q: So MudHen is a full-service, award-winning bar, right?
A: It’s a full-service bar. We have a full liquor license. For beer, right now we have 12 on tap. We always have four or five of the main ones, and then rotate in seasonal ones. We offer a couple of different beers on nitro, too.
Our brewer is Tony Cunha and our assistant brewer is Bryan Toland. A couple months ago, our Capt. Doug’s Porter won silver in “robust porter” in the World Beer Cup. That’s a huge deal. Tony has won other awards, too.
Q: Do you have a favorite MudHen brew?
A: My favorite is the Baker’s Double, the double IPA.
Cucumber Martini
“I think it’s just a refreshing, nice summer drink,” Bobby said. “I think it’s underrated. People are sometimes afraid of trying different things.”
Ingredients:
3 oz Prairie Organic Cucumber Flavored Vodka
1.5 oz St-Germain
1 oz lemon juice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and shake over ice. MudHen serves in a regular martini glass, garnished with a cucumber, but Bobby said a coupe glass would work well, too. “It’s that nice and easy,” Bobby said.
Interview by Kristen Dowd
Photos by Bill Godfrey