Photograph by Jesus Brazon

If you’ve had a cocktail at the Broken Shaker, you’ve tasted the work of Gui Jaroschy. As the Bar Manager of one of the most renown cocktail bars in Miami, Jaroschy has the challenge of reinventing the Shaker’s cocktail menu month-after-month.

In October, Ayurvedic Chakras were the inspiration, leading to a full color spectrum of rejuvenating drinks; in November, Western-Tiki was an inspired take on classic cocktails, like the Cowboy Breakfast Old Fashioned (chicory infused corn whisky with pork belly bitters and maple syrup). This sense of playful innovation has contributed to The Shaker’s success as a pioneer in Miami’s cocktail scene.

So let’s get this out of the way, what’s the one drink you should never order?
Asking a bartender for “the strongest, cheapest thing you got” is the surest way to get on the watch list.

What’s your approach to making a good cocktail, do you start with the spirit, the overall flavor, or a concept?
Drinks come around in all kinds of ways. You’re always going to start with an idea you might have: it could be a flavor, a garnish or a really cool name. But you also know that it’s going to change along the way. The best drinks go through about three people, getting “work-shopped” and usually they don’t end up where they started.

And how do you think your aesthetic and tastes come out in this process?
The Shaker is a super personal place, everything from décor to music is really an expression of the collective of people who work here and what we’ve all put into it, so you can really see that everywhere. My own style of forming a cocktail is to start with classic structure, add playful ingredients and make sure it’s really tasty and full of personality. I suppose everything I do in life, I kind of insert that formula into it: being playful, fun and pretty straightforward.

The Broken Shaker is known for getting creative with beverage ingredients - artichoke juice, salty pretzel syrup, black bean garnish- what is the strangest ingredient you’ve used?
Purple cauliflower syrup was pretty weird but it made for a really beautiful color.  Fish sauce vermouth was great in the drink, called a Fish and Rye, but in the testing phase was rough.

How do you think the Shaker menus are influenced by Miami?
I think there’s two things. First, Miami has an influence through cultural flavors and ingredients. There’s a lot of local ingredients—like Nopales that are grown in Homestead—that we bring in that really hit home with people. The second is about the levity of which we take everything. Miami takes some things seriously but overall it’s a very fun city. I think the bar reflects that; it’s not a serious cocktail bar.

What’s the weirdest part of your job that feels normal to you?
The hours. I forget there’s a world before 10:30 am. People that wake up at 6 am by choice confuse me. 

Are there other bartenders that you like to watch for?
Angelo from the Edition is an amazing bartender. Between his drinks, his personal style, and his knowledge, he’s one of the first that really really impressed me, even before I was doing cocktail stuff. Tyler Kitsman over at Sweet Liberty is a fun guy who just kind of gets the whole bartending thing. 

GUI JAROSCHY'S FAVORITES

For late night drinks - The Abbey
Secret Spot - La Parilla Liberty
Best Souvenir - Botanica Candles

THE BROKEN SHAKER
2727 Indian Creek Drive
Miami Beach