Meet Drew of Public Craft Brewery Co. He is one of the most popular bartenders in downtown Kenosha! Raise you glass as we sit down w/ Drew as we shine the bartender spotlight on him.
Q. How long have you been bartending at Public?
A. I’ve been a beer tender at Public for 8 months now!
Q. How did you get into bartending?
A. I started serving at a steakhouse in late 2007, and then when I turned 21 I was trained to tend bar. I only tended bar for a a few years before I started in the trades. I’m both a carpenter and a beer tender, and I love doing them both.
Q. What do you love about bartending?
A. Being able to talk to so many different people from all walks of life. Every shift is a crapshoot of whom you might end up conversing with. Most people just need someone to listen to them, and I’m all for that.
Q. Favorite band you’ve seen at Public?
A. I don’t believe I have a favorite band that I’ve seen at Public , but I do enjoy Wednesdays open mic show, there’s a lot of local independent musicians and comedians who are trying to perfect their craft. Each week, they get better and better with their personal sets, and I love giving feedback and watching them grow as performers.
Q. What is your favorite cocktail make or beer to pour?
A. My favorite beer to pour is the one my customers finally choose after we go through a little taste test. At Public we want you to taste as many beers as you need to, in order to find the right beer for you. That may seem cheesy, but the truth is, who wants to force down a drink they don’t enjoy. 
Q. If there was one drink that you would never have to make again, what drink would that be?
A. Merely because I absolutely hate tomato juice — for me that would be ANY Bloody Mary. But I hear that ours are really good from other people!
Q. Tell us your best bar joke?
A. Be optimistic, never look at your beer as half empty , it’s just halfway to your next one.
Q. Favorite meal at Public?
A. Right now would have to be our hand breaded fried chicken dinner. It’s so crispy and the chicken is unbelievably juicy and tender. Lacking absolutely nothing in flavor.
Q. What is your favorite beer at Public?
A. To me, a lot of factors go into to choosing a beer, but if I had to pick one, right now it would be Reaches for Peaches – it’s a peach blond ale, and is so crispy and refreshing and full of flavor, you can’t have just one.
Q. Know any bar tricks?
A. I can make a a flower out of a small square napkin.
Q. Strangest tip you’ve ever gotten?
A. One of our open mic regulars (Snack Daddy) is a great baker, and every Wednesday he brings in a bunch of new goodies he’s trying to perfect, whether it’s actually a tip or not. I take it as that.
Q. Best advice you’ve received behind the bar?
A. “You never know what the guy on the other side of the bar is thinking.” I also tell this to patrons all the time, I think this is important to remember when you’re bartending, being positive and friendly with everyone is an easy thing to do.
Q. What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
A. I love fishing, and I also play beer league hockey with my life long buddies. However, what I love most is spending time with my wife and daughter, whether it’s riding our bikes, or just relaxing watching movies on the couch – anything I do with my family is always my favorite thing to do.
Q. What do you love about Downtown Kenosha?
A. I love that Downtown Kenosha is finally becoming a destination for travelers, every night there’s so much going on it’s hard to choose where you want to hang out. As for the local community, there’s so much support from everyone. I’m always running into first timers and lifelong patrons no matter where I go.
Public Craft Brewing Co. is located at 628 58th Street ~ See their full beer and food menu at publiccraftbrewing.com • Follow them on Facebook Click Here
Q&A and photos by Donny Stancato • Edited by Jason Hedman
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For everything Kenosha see visitkenosha.com
(This article first appeared in Vol 16. #3 2023 Go Downtown Kenosha Magazine)
