Chris Hannah is not only a beloved New Orleans bartender at the intimate, legendary Arnaud’s French 75 Bar (www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/french-75/chris-hannah), he’s known by informed drink industry folk everywhere who know to drink at his bar when in NOLA. Yes, Hannah may craft his own syrups and tinctures but not as a trendy movement, rather as a lover of the history of cocktails, bringing a respect — but not a stiffness — as he shakes and stirs cocktails for customers. In Arnaud’s signature black bow tie and white jacket, he perfects classic drinks and maintains those qualities of historic continuity that exemplify New Orleans.
In his own words, Chris informatively shares with us a bit about bartending in New Orleans, what is exciting him now in spirits, and how to get a bartender on board with a spirit.
What led to your path as a bartender?
The restaurant industry led to my path as a bartender, similar to that of most my other colleagues. It’s always here for struggling college students. I finished my degree, and got a real job, but still found myself in an alley of the many communities that make up the service industry. Ten years ago that alley brought me to New Orleans where it’s normal for there to be professional bartenders, so here I am.
How much does working in New Orleans affect your bar style and spirits choices?
Bartending in New Orleans affects my bar style and spirits choices in ways I never had to practice in my 6 years of bartending before moving here 10 years ago. Wearing a white jacket and bowtie isn’t replicating a professionalism of bartending from a bygone area, but continuing what has never died and has always been practiced by the many bartenders in my city before me. And when I’m bartending outside the French 75 Bar I still feel I need to represent New Orleans so I look to my two favorite New Orleanians to make sure my style is in suit with New Orleans: Danny Barker and Louis Armstrong. Each picture I see of them I see style, New Orleans Style. Using rye and Cognac and anise-flavored liquors in cocktails is also related to the tastes of New Orleanians. Thankfully, we’ve had our recent cocktail revolution here in New Orleans and so these spirits are found poured across the country as well, but you don’t have to be at a craft cocktail bar in New Orleans to witness this, it could be any bar.
What is your philosophy on deciding what brands to stock at your bar and what mix do you prefer of large and small brands?
I don’t look down on big brands and only choose the obscure when stocking the back bar where I work. Especially when the larger brands take the time to educate bartenders like myself as to why we should carry their brands. This lends itself to having a nice mix to the backbar.
I guess my philosophy on deciding the brands to stock is really deciding who is going to frequent the bar. The French 75 Bar is in an Old Guard restaurant of New Orleans and so even though we’re thankfully mentioned among the craft cocktail bars here in New Orleans, we still get guests who order the same spirits they’ve ordered for 30 and 40 years. So we have a mix of larger brands and smaller brands. We do get the younger generation and so we of course have to have something interesting and new for them, which inevitably means smaller craft brands as well. How I decide amongst the brands, large or small, is also left to who chooses to take the time to educate and introduce them to me.
How much are you able to utilize small-batch spirits in your bar?
As long as the availability in Louisiana is reliable for small brands, and that a drink utilizing small-batch spirits can make the menu in order for the product to move at French 75 bar, it isn’t much of a headache at all.
What advice would you give to distilleries looking to be represented in quality cocktail bars?
Distilleries who would like for their spirits to be represented in quality cocktail bars I would advise to look into local cocktail events locally as well as larger events across the country, and to figure out how to show their products to the bartenders attending the events. Looking up Bartender’s Guild Chapters to see when they could talk about their product at a meeting would be beneficial as well.
What are some US micro-distillers/small-batch brands that are exciting you right now?
Tough question. All of the new US small-batch distillers are exciting us and we’re happy with how their uprisings are causing the larger brands to re-think strategies and practices. Back to topic: Clear Creek, St. George, High West, New York Distillery, Tuthiltown Spirits, Koval, Leopold Bros, Breckenridge, Corsair, Anchor Distillery, New Deal Distillery. The list goes on, thankfully. One thing I’m looking forward to trying is Turkey Shore Distillery’s Old Ipswich Rum, and being a Cognac fan I’m also hoping for California/Oregon/Washington to churn out some Cognac-esque brandies.
