Regarded as one of Boston’s most talented bartenders, John Gertsen is also recognized locally and nationally as an expert on the history of cocktails. For several years he served as an integral part of the award-winning No. 9 Park bar program before collaborating with Chef Barbara Lynch on the opening of Drink.
An avid cocktail historian, John and his cocktails have been profiled in several publications including Boston Magazine, Esquire, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine. John was nominated for “Bartender of the Year” at the 2008 Pernod Ricard Spirited Awards. He has lectured at the ICA for their “Talking Taste” series, profiled by WBURs “Public Radio Kitchen”, and in 2011, John was invited to speak at TEDx Cambridge. The “Bayou Bootleg”, one of John’s original cocktails, was chosen as the official Super Bowl XLVII cocktail at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Drink was nominated for “World’s Best New Cocktail Bar” at the 2009 Pernod Ricard Spirited Awards. In 2010, Drink was judged as the Best Bar in America at the Tales of the Cocktail Barroom Brawl sponsored by Grand Marnier. In August 2010 Drink was listed as one of the top 10 cocktail bars by Bon Appétit. In 2011 Drink was named as number eight in the world by Drink’s International World’s 50 Best Bars. Also, in 2011at the Pernod Ricard Spirited Awards Drink was awarded “Best American Cocktail Bar”. In 2013, Drink took home the top honors, when Drink was named the Best Cocktail Bar in the World.
As the general manager of Drink, John is responsible for all elements of the spirits and cocktail program including product sourcing and staff training. John continues to cultivate forward thinking bar programs that simultaneously maintain an emphasis on the history of the cocktail and preservation of traditions.
