Behind Bars

From tasty cocktails to sparkling mocktails, parties are made perfect by offering guests a fun drink to sip throughout the event. In 2019, two Nashville women — Jess Blakely and Willow Sprague — joined together to launch a mobile business aimed at making in-home drink crafting all the more fun and easy.

BarBees began as a mobile bartending business that transitioned into virtual cocktail classes during the pandemic. Ultimately, the team landed on in-person cocktail classes that bring the party to you.

“BarBees cocktail classes are for any celebration and for any number of guests,” says Willow. The BarBees co-founder continues, “Your class instructor brings all the non-alcoholic cocktail ingredients, the necessary bartending tools, and the dry goods like cups, napkins and straws. The only things you provide are the venue, the liquor and the ice.”

A cocktail class can be a great way to offer boozy entertainment during a dinner party, for date night or at a get-together with friends, leaving guests with increased bartending knowledge and a delicious beverage to enjoy all night long.

Another option is taking a class to sharpen your drink-making skills before hosting a soirée on your own. Especially for larger gatherings, offering a self-serve bar can be a ton of work. The BarBees team recommends keeping cocktail offerings simple, yet versatile enough to appease a variety of palates.

“You’ll please the most guests if you choose one that can be made with several different liquors and that can vary in sweetness,” Willow added. “A mule is a great option for this. You may be familiar with a Moscow Mule made with vodka, ginger beer and lime, but you can use any liquor in a mule — and with each liquor it’s given a different name.”

A testament to the BarBees experience, the brand has grown in demand since its 2019 launch, expanding to a team of 20 people across five cities: Nashville, Scottsdale, New York City, Austin and Palm Springs.

“People will remember a hands-on experience more than anything,” Willow shared. “If they have the opportunity to learn or create something together, they’ve built a memory and something to reminisce about. Our intention is to create more moments like this.”

Looking for a great seasonal cocktail to serve up at your next event? Jess and Willow shared their favorite: the Pomegranate Aperol Spritz. Start with ice in a glass, then add one ounce each of Aperol and pomegranate juice, followed by about three ounces of sparkling wine, a splash of soda water. Garnish with an orange wheel and pomegranate seeds, et voilá!