Georgia Gresham
We always love the Rookie of the Year category in the Bartender Magazine Bar Awards. It highlights a whole bunch of new names—young people who are working hard, doing well, and trying to make their mark. Maybe they’re doing their ‘apprenticeship’ at an excellent cocktail bar or entering every cocktail competition they can. Whatever the case, they’re putting themselves out there and giving us all hope for a great new generation of bartenders and bar owners.
Here, we chat with Rookie of the Year finalist for 2024, Georgie Gresham. She was formerly at Maker but has recently taken on a new role at Before & After Bar.
Tell us a little bit about how you got into the bar industry.
I would say it was almost an accident that I fell into bartending. I found myself working in a restaurant bar not long after the end of COVID. I was introduced to The Gresham, and it was immediately my goal to work there. It’s like my name was written all over that place. I did my first Greenhorn comp and fell in love with drink creation.
You’ve had lots of success, and your profile is on the rise. Why do you think that is?
2024 was a big year. As much as I could, I tried to post what I was doing throughout the year—keeping people as excited as I was. I will admit, social media still baffles me. It’s crazy how much my profile has grown in just one year. There’s more to come this year!
What have been some of the highlights of the journey so far?
The Mix Haus events are definitely a highlight. Every single one I’ve worked has been insanely fun, supportive, and just the right amount of chaotic. Some insanely awesome women are part of our industry.
On top of that, the Espolòn Afterlife comp—getting to know the people in the top six was incredible.
You’ve recently accepted a role at Before & After. Tell us a little about the new venue and your role.
I’ll be starting at Before & After at the beginning of February, and I’m super excited. I’ll be taking on more responsibility in drink and menu creation, which is really cool. Get ready for more tasty drinks!
Who have been some of your mentors?
I have so many! Pretty much everyone I’ve worked with has taught me how to be a better bartender.
- Scrat the squirrel-rat, teaching me to never stop chasing my dreams.
- Darryl Crowhurst, who let me make an absolute mess in his bar at the very beginning and encouraged my crazy ideas.
- The Gresham crew—amazing to learn from.
- Corby Small—her determination and care have always inspired me.
- Zane—making sure every mocktail had the same amount of excitement as the cocktails.
- Jacob Geaney—for convincing me to do that first Greenhorn comp and believing in me.
- Sgregs—for being Sgregs and teaching me how to boatrace a Sunnyboy.
- Ellery Low—definitely a big one over the past year, giving me an appreciation for the finer details.
The list goes on! I struggled to narrow it down this much.
“I was introduced to The Gresham, and it was immediately my goal to work there. It’s like my name was written all over that place. I did my first Greenhorn comp and fell in love with drink creation.”
What does a great bar shift look like to you?
Prep done. Good music. Regulars and hospo friends popping in all night. The potential of a metal horse flying through the air. Closing the bar to the sound of Nickelback.
Who is the best person to be in the trenches with on a busy night?
Sgregs—James Gregory. The dance moves keep you going.
Blade Deegan—when he’s not wearing a banana costume.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Surviving the apocalypse and finding a way to craft cocktails in the new age. Opening a bar for all kinds. Using mutant turnips to make spirits and yeast from the soil of Mars to create flower fermentations.
What’s the best bar you’ve been to and why?
Some bars that have amazed me:
- Rosella’s—such a tight concept, and the drinks reflect it. I love that I can go there and see what Australia is doing, what we have to offer the bar world.
- RE—a bar that blew me away. All the small details. Reducing waste is something I’m passionate about but terrible at. Seeing sustainability executed so well in our industry was inspiring.
- The Gresham—the bar that started it all for me. I fell in love with The Gresham from the first sip.
- Family Mart—because, well, it’s Family Mart.
What are you drinking right now?
Big glass of cold milk.
Actually… two glasses of milk, please.
What do you love about the Brisbane bar scene?
It’s a community. We’re there for each other. I’ve really been enjoying how much it’s been growing—expanding in terms of venues and opportunities.