Sometimes the best of part of a bar is the person behind it. In this series, we’re visiting bartenders who make your drinking experiences memorable. Have a Madison bartender in mind? Email us at tips@thebozho.com.
Don’t let Merchant’s upscale vibe fool you. “It doesn’t seem like a neighborhood bar,” says Middleton native Devan Friedl, “but it really is.”
Friedl is a long-time assistant bar manager at the combination restaurant, bar and night spot located just off the Capitol Square. It’s known for its craft cocktails, and she helps to develop them.
“I think people don’t realize our cocktails are a little expensive,” Friedl says. “They’re like $10 to $15,” so she suggests newcomers take advantage of the $6 dealer’s choice special on Sunday nights. “For someone who doesn’t know about cocktails or doesn’t know where to start, it’s great.”
Since the following interview, Devan left her position at Merchant this spring to travel. She still lives in Madison and says she’ll pick up shifts again soon.
What’s your title at Merchant? And do you bartend elsewhere?
Merchant is my full-time and only job. As the assistant bar manager, I help with cocktail development for new menus. I also help with “pre-batching” a lot of our cocktails, and I help make a lot of syrups which we also have to pre-make. And I do a lot of weird extra cleaning and also work shifts.
I knew I wanted to work behind a bar when…
I was in high school. I thought it would be a really cool and fun job to have. When I was a sophomore at UW-Madison, so 2009-ish, I became friends with a girl who asked if I wanted a bartending job. I said yes and did it all through college. Then, I did a sales job for about a year and a half and it was OK, but I went back to bartending because I knew I loved it. When I started working at Merchant, I didn’t think I’d be here long; I thought it’d be a three-month or one-year kind of thing. But I loved working here so much, and I’ve been here for four years.
Define the perfect cocktail…
It’s a cocktail that’s balanced.
I can’t mix drinks without…
A jigger. In order to make good, balanced drinks, I need to make precise measurements.
My proudest accomplishment behind the bar…
It was when my boss turned to me and said, “This is a good cocktail.” We change our cocktail menus seasonally at Merchant, and the bartenders submit cocktail ideas in hopes that they’re good enough to make the menu. Actually, all of our employees are involved in making our menus. So I had to learn a lot very quickly, but I was proud when I started making cocktails that were menu-worthy.
I find inspiration in…
My peers. I love working alongside my coworkers because everyone approaches cocktails differently. We all learn from each other, share ideas, and see each other grow and change in our work.
My least favorite thing about working behind a bar…
Finding the right footwear. I’m on the constant search for the best shoes to wear at work.
And my most favorite thing…
It’s the social and positive learning atmosphere. I love socializing and interacting with people and friends, and bartending allows me to do that as my full-time job.
If I had a superpower, mine would be…
Clairvoyance. It may seem boring but knowing every single detail about what is going on in your bar is very important knowledge to have.
My desert island drink is…
La Paloma. This cocktail is so light and refreshing that I could drink it every day. In addition, we make our palomas with 1.25 ounces of fresh squeezed grapefruit and lime juice, so I would get the nutrients I need while stranded on the island.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I used to play soccer a lot at Keva [Sports Center in Middleton] and that was the best. I don’t do that anymore because I tore my ACL for the third time a while ago, so I can’t go back to that. But I like biking around the lake.
If I weren’t bartending, I’d be…
Working for Planned Parenthood. I love what they do for people.
At the end of my shift, I pour myself…
A water, haha. I drink a lot of water and don’t drink much while working. Shortly after I’ll pour an IPA or light beer. I actually mostly drink beer because I’m tasting cocktails all day, so usually I don’t go for a cocktail. I’m very basic; I drink a lot of Hopalicious and Moon Man.
Chris Walker contributed to this story.
Do you have a favorite Madison bartender? Who should we visit next? Send your suggestions to tips@thebozho.com.
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