Agency to Host Cocktail Classes
Three-part curriculum at downtown bar explores foundations, creativity and science of cocktails.
Agency cocktails. Photo by Robert Colletta.
After a meteoric first year as a James Beard Award finalist and one of the country’s top 29 bars, Agency will lift the veil on its approach to mixology through a three-part cocktail curriculum.
Led by Creative Director Kat Doughty, the series explores the foundations, creativity and science of cocktails. The small-group classes will be capped at 20 guests or less for a more intentional experience.
“We’re excited to offer these intimate classes and pull back the curtain to show off what we do, why it matters, and why we feel so incredibly passionate about what we get to do everyday,” Doughty said in a statement. “It’s an absolute joy to bring curious, like-minded people together for laughs, exploration, witty debates, and a moment to live in the Agency-universe for an hour or two.”
The series kicks off with Bartending 101: The Foundations of Great Drinks on Sept. 22, with a focus on must-have tools, seasonal ingredients and basic terminology.
On Oct. 27, Bartending 102: From Fundamentals to Creativity will tackle flavor balance and personal style, with instruction on straw-tasting and an opening lecture on the core of great cocktail making.
The series wraps up on Nov. 17 with Science Behind the Bar, an advanced study of techniques like clarification, spherification, and infusion—methods credited with setting Agency apart and earning it a place on the national stage.
Each class includes a welcome cocktail, guided tastings, small bites, take-home recipe cards and info sheets, an Agency notebook, and a final celebratory cheers.
Your homework? Make—and drink—more cocktails.
Ryan Castelaz, executive partner at Agency, assured attendees they’ll be in good hands.
“As someone who has dedicated the last decade of their life to the wonders of drink making, I learn something new almost every day from Kat,” Castelaz said in a statement. “She is one of the great minds in drink making today, and we are so excited to be able to offer the incredible opportunity to learn from a true professional at the top of their game.”
Agency, first launched as a moonlight pop-up at Discourse‘s downtown cafe, relocated to the Dubbel Dutch hotel at 817 N. Marshall St. in August 2024. The cocktail bar serves a list of amped-up classics—tequila smash, martini, spicy margarita—and an ever-changing “experimental” menu. Past highlights have included a lineup of drinks made with Taco Bell‘s Baja Blast and a cocktail imbued with the smell of rain.
All of Agency’s drinks can be made with or without alcohol. Guests can also choose a ‘dealer’s choice’ option, allowing the bartender to craft a cocktail tailored to their tastes.
Tickets for the cocktail classes, ranging from $65 to $90, can be purchased online. Agency also offers private sessions, available on request by emailing Laura@theafterglow.group.
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