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Jesse Perez is 33 years old and has been bartending since he was old enough to step behind the bar. For Jesse, bartending is more than a job, it’s a career and passion. He says, “It’s more than just making a drink, it’s creating memories and experiences”. Bartending has allowed Jesse to travel all over the US, performing and competing in Las Vegas,Pittsburg,Nashville,Orlando,Ft Lauderdale and most recently in June in the Art of the Cocktail Competition in Boca Raton where he was runner up in the amateur division and the overall “People’s Choice Bartender”. In 2020 Jesse received Green Door Distillery’s Mixologist of the Year award. He has worked from dive bars to clubs to craft mixology bars and now Jesse runs his own company, “Bandana Bartending”. He credits his family for supporting his career and says he would not be where he is today without his mentors Stevie P from Pittsburgh, the owner of “liquid flair” and Mike Hastings, owner of “impressed guest” from Nashville.

Jesse explained his inspiration for his cocktail as follows:

My inspiration for my cocktail came from my Mexican heritage.(also Mexican heritage month). My grandparents on both sides of my family were migrant workers from Mexico and would come up to Michigan to pick the crops which included apples and cherries such as in my cocktail. I am the 2nd generation of Mexican Americans in the US. in my family I have fond memories of picking apples with my grandpa “Chuy”, and remember their amazing flavors and crispness fresh from the tree.

So many local farms within west Michigan produce cherries making Michigan the number 1 producer in the country along with apples (number 3 in the nation).
Everything in my cocktail besides the vodka can be found locally, and it felt like a fit because in Michigan we have The Great Lakes that have yachts, even though for some it may seem weird to think of yachts in freshwater!

Cherries-locally sourced, honey crisp apples hand picked. The honey and eggs are from a small farm “rixxs farm”.
The ginger ale, Vernors, is from Michigan and has been around since 1866 making it one of the oldest soft drinks
I really wanted to showcase what “Pure Michigan” could taste like. It’s a semi sweet cocktail perfect for a day on the lake or ocean.

Signature Cocktail

Beauty shot of a drink named "Sweet 16", created by Phil Fuentes, Yacht Life Vodka's Bartender of the Month

Besos De Mis Abuelos

  • 2.5oz Yacht Life Vodka
  • 0.75 oz Honey Syrup
  • 0.75 oz Cherry Syrup
  • 0.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 0.5 oz Fresh lime juice
  • 4 Slices of Apples Muddled
  • Tiny Pinch of Salt
  • Top with Vernors
  • Apple Garnish
  • Light Dash of cinnamon

How to make it: How to Make It:
Add apples to the shaker and muddle. Add the egg white (or aquafaba 1oz 🌱). Add Yacht Life Vodka. Add lemon juice, honey syrup (homemade) and cherry syrup (homemade). Tiny pinch of salt

Shake with no ice, then add ice and shake with ice, strain over fresh ice. Top with a splash of Vernors. Garnish with apple and Cinnamon dust.