New York Bartending School

XL Magazine Interview

On November 19^th, New York City bartender and blogger Keana “Kit” Prescod had what she considered the best day of her adult life. Nearly 100 guests crammed into the PNC Studios in Brooklyn for her tasting event, Check My Mixology. The evening promised unlimited samplings of Prescod’s signature drinks: Sugar Baby, Spiced Apple, Communion and Honey Suckle, and passed hors d’oeuvres by Confections of a Foodie.

 Prescod has been slinging drinks since graduating from the New York Bartending School in 2007. Weeks later she landed her first gig at Larry’s Liquid Love in Brooklyn and has since branched out in search of freelance work, guest-bartending around New York City. Prescod is known for her on-the-spot concoctions and nothing exemplifies her skill behind the bar more than her new site Hello Drunky, which features custom-made drinks commissioned by her friends and fans.

I caught up with Prescod shortly after the event for a quick Q&A:

XI: How did the idea for Check My Mixology come about?

Holley Monelle of CDR Radio pitched the idea of having a custom drink-tasting event at PNC studios. We teamed up with Angie Rivera from Urban Latino Radio and I took her on as my manager. The three of us have been planning this event for months now, and all our hard-work paid off.

XI: How do you feel it went?

The event was a HUGE success, we only expected around 50 or so people but 90 people showed up, a majority of whom I didn’t know! I love that people found out about the event through word of mouth. Goes to show just how powerful the internet is.

XI: What was it like serving these signature drinks to a room almost full of strangers?

I served somewhere around 400 drinks in a three-hour span which is sort of amazing. Out of the 4 cocktails I served it’s hard to say which was a favorite, but we got great reception on all the drinks. I’m elated that people know my name, my brand, and what I do.

 This reporter’s personal favorite drink was Honey Suckle, a whiskey-based cocktail served in a honey-drizzled glass, of which I had three glasses, but all of the drinks received praise from those in attendance.

 The Sugar Baby, featuring tequila and brown sugar, was said to be “sweet” but with a “kick,” the kind of drink that “can sneak up on you.” Communion, Prescod’s sangria, was praised for its potency and fresh fruit taste. “The apples taste like apples and the peaches taste like peaches.” And although some found the vodka-based Spiced Apple “too spicy” others found it to be the perfect drink for the holidays.

Overall the event had a cool vibe; it was a good time with great people. Everyone was mingling, the DJ kept the mood right and in the end it was all worth more than the price of admission.

To taste these liquor confections or book Prescod for your next event, contact her at keana.prescod@gmail.com, and to get your own custom drink be sure to visit Prescod online at hellodrunky.tumblr.com.