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Who | Daniel Cronin
Where | Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Current Bar | Freelance
Past Bar(s) | The Alibi Room, The Laughing Buddha, Diego’s Cantina (Media, PA, USA), The Farmers Cabinet (Philadelphia, PA)
Favourite Spirit | Brandy
Favourite Juice | Pomegranate
Favourite Classic Cocktail | Savoy Tango
Favourite Part of the Job | Mentorship and education are what tickle me the most these days.
Favourite After Work Drink | Actually, like, the most water
Favourite at Home Drink | Coffee, water, and something bubbly
Favourite bar in the world | OK. So, I’ve been struggling with this question. I don’t know how to answer it anymore. A bar should be a place where you feel welcome, at home, not an inconvenience, but also, not a place where you feel in charge. There’s a sweet spot between honoured guest and stranger that feels difficult to find these days. Too many bars feel like carnivals where you pay the price of admission and are treated to a show and asked to move aside for the next person with enough tickets. Bars should be places to sit and stop a while. I used to have a rule when traveling – don’t force the cool bar. Let it sneak up on you. Let it wrap its arms around you as you wander in, unsuspecting. Accept it for what it is and try to make the most of it. It’s the one that surprises you. That one. That’s my favourite.
Best known for | Lately? I’m not sure. I have a voice in sustainable hospitality practices as well as cocktail creation. I’m known for writing bar programs that aim to benefit the communities that they serve, because I recognize that there is no sustainability without community sustainability.
Favourite “at work” memory | So I’m getting ready for an international final at a cocktail competition, and my friend wants to come watch my presentation. He gets lost though, because it’s a confusing complex and I rush out of the venue to try and flag him down and look for him. Now, this is a fancy venue. It’s built atop a barge and is floating at a dock in the Mediterranean Sea. Tons of big glass walls for the view. Big glass sliding doors. A veranda. They did something smart with the doors, a sort of vestibule, with the doors not aligned so that they wouldn’t both be open at the same time and create a wind tunnel. Ever seen a bird fly into a window? I was looking down at my phone, marching my way out of the venue to meet my buddy and then I was on the floor. My makeup covered the black eye I managed to give myself, everyone got to the venue, and I got to make a drink for Julie Reiner. I did not win. It was awesome.
What do you collect? Aside from booze and booze-related paraphernalia? Plants, actually. I love having life surrounding me, and the winters here are long, so houseplants are a much larger part of my life than I ever anticipated.
Favourite thing about your city? A cocktail scene is blooming in Sudbury, led by folx that I helped train, mentor, and inspire. It’s been an absolute honour to watch it develop and have a hand in its growth.
What was the last photo that you took? Here is a breakdown of photographs on my phone, in descending order: cocktails, my daughter, the cats, hand-written notes that I don’t want to lose (or type), accidental screenshots, memes.
Where was last place you traveled? It’s been a busy year! Barcelona in Spring, Toronto in summer and autumn. Water parks out east and waterfalls in the north. Beautiful to see the world opened up again.
Any claims to fame? I’m a recovering “gifted child” so there’s a whole bunch of weird stuff I used to be good at, and “important” people that I’ve met. Though I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that wasn’t important. Chat with me about geopolitics, camping, particle physics, mythology, D&D, architecture, martial arts, pokemon, psychology, or the myth of unskilled labour.
Camp Runamok Spring ’19
Certificate in Canadian Whisky, March ’22
National Champion (Canada) – Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2022
Lager or IPA? How hot is it?
Sparkling or Flat? Sparkling
Miami or Mexico City? Mexico City
Olive or Twist? Twist.
Are you available for freelance gigs? Yes
Find him: Instagram
