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After more than 20 years of working on the beverage side of the hospitality industry, Jon Schott knows about the excess waste — thrown out fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spirits — that used to be a commonplace occurrence for bartenders at the end of shifts. The Lucky Buns beverage director, who spends his free time foraging, always knew he wanted to do better for the environment and for his customers.
Schott, who lives in Alexandria with his partner and four dogs, was named the winner of the “Crusade for the Capital 2”, a low-to-no-waste themed competition, and the East Coast’s World’s Sustainable Cocktail Champion in the Flora de Caña competition.
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“Hospitality and sustainability are linked,” says Schott. “Just caring and putting in that extra thought and considering people whom you’ve never met. It also makes sense as a business because margins are so thin and you want to get the most out of your products.”
With money tight all over, it’s not just restaurants looking to keep their costs down.
“People are very conscious about where they’re spending their money and who they’re spending their money with these days,” Schott says.
For Schott, one of the reasons people “feel good about spending their money” at bars is the stories behind what they are consuming. Now customers want to know how bars are using ingredients from farms and spirit producers with sustainable practices in mind.
Here are some spots to sample sustainably made cocktails in the D.C. area.
Lucky Buns
The Dirty Gordy, a pickled vodka martini, makes the perfect pairing with the savory burgers at Lucky Buns. Excess pickle brine from D.C.-based Gordy’s is combined with vodka that has been infused with leftover dill clippings. The drink is topped with oil made from cucumber peels and a spray of lemon oil from leftover citrus. “It’s a super cute drink and it’s really tasty as well,” said Schott. Multiple locations.
Causa/Amazonia
The star at this Peruvian Michelin-starred restaurant is naturally the pisco sour. For beverage director Glendon Hartley, making the classic drink not only delicious but also zero waste was of the utmost importance. “By using every part of the citrus—from key limes to citrus ash—we not only reduce waste and lower costs, but also enhance the flavor and complexity of our cocktails,” says Hartley. The pisco sour is the most popular drink in the restaurant, Hartley said, reducing production costs also keeps prices low for customers. 920 Blagden Alley NW
Service Bar
Co-owner Chad Spangler works with local farmers to find better ways to to utilize ugly fruit they may not be able to sell. The Rosé All Day changes seasonally to exemplify that philosophy. During the summer the restaurant uses peach “seconds” to flavor the cocktail — the drink also uses clarified citrus made with leftover fresh juice and pulp is turned into a citrus tuile garnish. “Now that the seasons are changing our farmers have plum ‘seconds’ and we are using those in the current version of the Rosé All Day,” Spangler said. 926-928 U St NW
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Silver Lyan
After juicing their own oranges, the bar serves up citrus-filled jello shots in slices of leftover rind. “We’ve tried a few things, including marmalade and lacto-fermentation to extend shelf life and deepen flavor,” said general manager Vlad Novikov. “We consider it an approach to reducing waste and maximizing the value of products.” 900 F ST NW
Barmini
José Andrés’ elevated cocktail bar’s time-traveling fall cocktail flight features a hot rum and brown butter drink that relies on sobacha tea from neighboring minibar to provide a toasted barley flavor to the 1600s-inspired cocktail. The 1930s style Al Pastor Margarita gets its smooth texture and pork aroma from iberico jamon trimmings leftover from the Bazaar, which is infused into tequila. 501 9th St NW
Daikaya
This Japanese comfort food restaurant is mindful of the rising costs of goods and utilizes every piece of produce. Nalee Kim, the beverage director at Daikaya Group, says a house made ginger beer sends leftover ginger pulp back to the kitchen to be used in dishes or as a base for a ginger soy. That ginger beer is in the Big Kitty drink, a wine mixture topped with a lemon twist. 705 6th St NW
Oyster Oyster
Everything at Oyster Oyster is created with a zero waste mindset, according to beverage director Kendyl Hutchins. While the restaurant steers away from cocktails, they offer seasonal juices and non-alcoholic pairings for their tasting menu, utilizing ingredients already incorporated into the menu. In addition, all wines producers are vetted to ensure they are maintaining sustainable practices, leftover wine bottles are turned into plates, and any excess wine is made into a “spent wine vinegar.” 1440 8th St NW
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Bourbon Steak
This classy lounge inside the Four Seasons Hotel has strived to perfect sustainable cocktails with local ingredients. The standout is the Yo You Got Beef?! cocktail crafted by acclaimed mixologist Engidawork Alebachew. Using leftover A5 wagyu fat o fat wash bourbon creates a rich and flavorful base. 2800 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Inn at Little Washington
Sustainability is part of the Inn’s mission and runs through everything it serves. The Pineapple Elixir cocktail features a drinking vinegar from Lindera Farms, packed with Virginia persimmons, turmeric, ginger, and heirloom peppers. For non-alcoholic options, there are artisanal syrups from Wild Roots Apothecary, created from herbs and fruits harvested on their farm. Mocktail flavors like rosehip hibiscus and elderberry lavender bring a refreshing, hyper-local touch. 309 Middle St, Washington, Virginia
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Dirty Habit
Beverage director JR Rena strives to utilize every part of an ingredient, including overripe fruits, cheese rinds, and even some trimmings from the kitchen. Those leftovers are used in cordials, bitters, and infusions, like the mandarin peel syrup in the restaurant’s Mandarin Cobbler. The drink uses both the juice, zest, and skin of the mandarin to create a citrus-forward beverage. 555 8th St NW