Talking with KC’s top mixologist Arturo Vera-Felicie

Arturo A. Vera-Felicie was named top bartender at the Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition Sunday at the Uptown Theater. His winning drink — the West Bottoms Social Club — is a modern twist on the Clover Club, substituting pickled fig syrup for raspberry syrup. We caught up with Arturo between shifts at 1924 Main to ask about the excitement of the past week and how he managed to take home the title.
 
How do you go about developing new cocktails, whether it’s for the competition or behind the bar?

It’s rare for anyone to come up with a drink and have it come out right the first time. It usually takes a few weeks to a month to tweak things, like the type of spirit or bitters. It’s like a writer writing a novel. Sometimes you get stuck somewhere and you just need to think about something else. But then an idea can pop in your head randomly or you taste something that inspires you.

It’s also great to have another bartender sit at your bar and just pick their brains. It helps when you have a concept but you don’t know how to execute it. We all help each other out.