Jake Lovell-Hewitt is a seasoned bartender and brand advocate with a deep passion for the art of cocktail creation. With years of experience behind the bar, Jake has honed his skills in crafting innovative drinks while building strong connections between brands and consumers. His expertise in brand engagement and advocacy has made him a key figure in the industry, known for his ability to elevate cocktail experiences and drive brand loyalty. Whether he's mixing a classic cocktail or developing a new recipe, Jake brings creativity, precision, and a genuine love for the craft to every pour. 

Here is the Q and A with the London Spirits Competition.

Can you tell us about your journey into bartending? What inspired you to become a bartender?

My journey into bartending, like many, wasn't intentional but born out of necessity. I started working in pubs, from running food and washing dishes to pulling pints, to pay for all the Judo training, competition and travel I was doing at the time. I didn't really drink back then but still enjoyed the social side. From there, I went to uni at took a job at the cocktail bar in the Plymouth Gin distillery by chance and again out of necessity to support myself as a student. This is where I really became interested in the bar scene, I still liked the social side but now I began learning about cocktails and service. I have always been a keen cook and I think that the creative side of bartending really engaged that side of me. After Uni, I decided to move to London and focus on bartending.

What training or education did you receive to become a professional bartender?

All the training I received was on the job. I was super fortunate that the team at the distillery had a wealth of knowledge and experience in bartending, being exposed to the London cocktail scene and further. I was also super lucky to get a good knowledge of spirit production here too!

What are the essential skills every bartender should possess?

For me, being social and organised are the two essential skills. You can be the most groundbreaking and creative bartender in the world, but if you can't facilitate a good guest experience, there won't be any guests to sell your drinks to. The organisation is a key component in this as well because if your mise-en-place isn't on point, you will be playing catch-up instead of spending time with guests. Organisation will make your job a lot easier and create consistent service. Plus guests can tell when you're in the weeds, playing catch up or if you've opened the bar late.

Jacob Lovell-Hewitt, Currently Working As Nuet Aquavit Brand Ambassador

What do you look for when you plan to buy new products for your business? 

Quality and price. I've always worked in places that aim to offer great value for money and guests certainly appreciate a good product at a good price. I think it's also important to recognise that a high price point doesn't equate to a high-quality spirit and vice versa. You can find some extremely good products that are low cost. Ultimately, is it good value for the money?

How do you stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in mixology?

By going out and drinking at bars and asking questions but also from reading books and articles.

Can you describe your process for creating a new cocktail? What inspires your creations?

I always create cocktails with the whole menu in mind. A menu needs to be balanced in styles and flavours, basically something for everyone. For the individual cocktails, I will either take a style or a flavour and work from there. At Publiq., we were seasonally focused, so I'd take a style and look for a seasonal flavour that would pair. From there, I'd purposefully choose a spirit base or brand that would work with the seasonal flavour and build on it, working in complementary flavours as I go. I am a big supporter of less is more and the aim would be to make that cocktail taste like the seasonal flavour. For instance, if we selected strawberries, I'd aim to make the drink taste like eating a fresh strawberry and maybe compliment it with a second flavour. I got this idea from looking at high-end chefs; if you look at 3* dishes, you will see a focus on a main ingredient with techniques used to help enhance that flavour and highlight the quality of the produce. They essentially strip back dishes to key elements that harmonise together instead of relying on a lot of ingredients and components.

#bartending #singaporesling #cocktails #top500bars #top50cocktailbars. Image Source: Instagram

What are some current trends in the UK drinks industry that you find exciting?

The decline of the gin category is super exciting for me as it's been such a huge part of my career and a huge part (disproportionately so) of every bar and menu. I'm excited to see what will rise up in its place. Obviously, tequila and mezcal are huge right now but I'm interested in what else will rise up. Sake, aquavit and amaro are seeing a rise alongside some other regional products like Balkan rakia, sotol and clairin. It's exciting to get introduced to spirit categories and products that you've never heard of before and try to incorporate them into drinks. 

How has the cocktail scene in the UK evolved over the past few years?

I think that the UK outside of London has seen an uptick in the quality of cocktail offerings and growth of independent bars, either from bartenders moving back to their hometowns after stints in London or through the increasing availability of information and knowledge online. It's exciting to see and experience the hospitality in different regions and cities.

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What are your thoughts on the growing popularity of non-alcoholic spirits and low-ABV cocktails?

I'm a big fan of Low ABV cocktails because it allow for experimentation with wines, wine-based products (vermouth and sherry etc) and beers in cocktails. I like the idea of non-alcoholic products but it's such a difficult thing to produce and pull off. I think there are some super exciting and delicious examples and some that maybe aren't worth the money.

How do you handle difficult or unruly customers?

It's important to remain calm and not escalate a tense situation. Most of the time people just want to tell you what is wrong and feel heard. If it is more than that, call security and/or the police.

How does sustainability influence your work behind the bar? Are there any eco-friendly practices you implement?

I always try to minimise waste, use all of the fruit and buy eco packaging where possible. However, it is a difficult industry to be green in as it's so price sensitive and the most affordable option most likely isn't the greenest. It was always quite disheartening to spend time sorting the recycling just to see it thrown into the same section as the general waste by the refuse collectors.

Jake Lovell-Hewitt is also a judge at the London Spirits Competition

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in bartending?

Like every job and industry, bartending has great parts and boring parts. Don't expect to create and sling drinks 100% of the time but prepare to spend a lot of time cleaning, prepping and running around.