Meet Bartenders Shaping Lehigh Valley's Cocktail Scene

Carly Busfield • Content Developer

Behind the bar, an experienced mixologist moves effortlessly among an array of bottles and shakers. They pour, shake, and blend with accuracy and flair, creating a stunning cocktail. As all the elements combine seamlessly, the cocktail emerges, garnished and ready to wow the eager crowd.

Lehigh Valley is home to a large number of bars and restaurants with a variety of unique, handcrafted cocktails on their menu. Social Guide Inc. was fortunate enough to host five outstanding bartenders of the area at our Cinco De Drinko event, hosted at inkwell.

Thank you to Ain of Notch, Simon of The Shelby, Milton of County Seat Spirits, Rachel of Social Still, and Beth of Haus Bar for shaping the Lehigh Valley area with your amazing bartending skills. Social Guides would like to shout out "Frank the Tank", an unemployed, self-made bartender and winner of the Cinco De Drinko competition!

Competing Cocktails of Cinco De Drinko:

HausBar - Sabor del Sur

Notch - Sweet N’ Sassy

County seat - Karate Casual

Frank - Unemployed Startender

The Shelby - Clark Al Pastor

Social Still - Flor del Paraíso

Simon Woolbert- The Shelby

Favorite Cocktail To Make: Old Fashioned or something creative a customer orders!

Woolbert began bartending at age 18 in his hometown of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, at a wedding hall and catering company. His bartending experience includes both fast-paced and high-end settings. He worked at Red Robin's for four years while in college after the catering hall.

“Following college, I helped develop a whole bar and cocktail program at a restaurant called Grain, which is the building where PA Rye Co. is located currently, I then went on to bartend and eventually become the Director of Operations for the Bayou Boys Hospitality Group, where I oversaw the bar program for both The Bayou Bethlehem & Bayou in Easton”, said Woolbert, bartender and bar manager at The Shelby in Allentown.

He emphasized, “I am most proud of my knowledge. Knowing a lot about spirits and how to create flavors that mesh well, really allow for the job to be easy and fun.” Bartending has been the primary reason he has remained in the food and beverage industry, fuelled by his utter passion for the trade, particularly the fast-paced work environment. “Being behind a bar, I feel like I am most myself.”

Milton Vargas- County Seat Spirits

Favorite Cocktail To Make: Old Fashioned

Vargas’ bartending journey began 11 years ago, at age 20, in a Red Robin. Shortly after, he left to work at a small brewery because he adored the craft beverage scene within the area. He grew as a bartender and became more experimental with his mixes as he gained more experience. “I caught the attention of my current bar-home, County Seat Spirits”, said Vargas.

He remains within the craft beverage industry in a small local grain to glass distillery. Currently, he produces a wide range of products and runs a cocktail bar in Easton where he manages the bar and leads a beverage program. “Bartending has become a very fun and endlessly interesting way to explore new flavors and reimagine classic recipes. It is a massively rewarding creative outlet”, emphasized the County Seat Spirits bartender.

Rachel DeWalt- Social Still

Favorite Cocktail To Make: Old Fashioned (with Social Still Bourbon)

Starting a 23-year-long career at Fegley’s Brew Works in 2001, DeWalt learned and developed a love for the world of beers. Several years later, she expanded her experience with beer by working at Tap and Table-Trapp Door, and Beer Authority in New York City. Many years later, she became involved in Allentown's revitalization efforts, first at Roar Social House, where she developed her inventive take on prohibition-era cocktails.

She claims she discovered her calling at Social Still 6 years ago crafting unique cocktails with award winning spirits. She loves being creative. “Each cocktail has a story to tell, whether who it's based around or how it was created”, said DeWalt. The person she is today has been influenced by the experiences with coworkers and patrons that have become friends throughout the years.

Beth Van Horn- Haus Bar

Favorite Cocktail To Make: Margarita

Van Horn started bartending in 2014. “I have worked in small quaint mom and pop bars. I have worked in higher end fine dining and all the stops in between. I am well-versed in all levels of service”, said the bartender of Haus Bar. Throughout her experience, she helped design and open a bar in Fountain Hill in 2021 right after the pandemic. In this task, she designed the menu and drinks for the establishment.

Since then, Van Horn has moved on to private bartending for events. When describing the impact bartending has made on her life, she says, “It has shown me people skills and given me the skills to be able to de-escalate situations.” She is proud of remembering the classics because they’re the basis for all our modern takes today.

Many of these bartenders share a love for the clean and classic Old Fashioned, but show an even greater love for the creativity within the craft. Visit them throughout the Lehigh Valley for a creative twist on your favorite, classic cocktails.

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