Denver's Bartenders Uncovered: Gerard Collier, Melissa Durant, Noah Heaney, and Ian Harris

This week Eater celebrates not only cocktails but those who make them possible, the bartenders. Last year, a similar feature spotlighted eleven of Denver's bartenders who run some of the most successful bar and cocktail programs in town. Among them were Sean Kenyon of Williams & Graham, Randy and Ryan Layman of Ace and Steubens, Mike Henderson of Linger and RootDown, Bryan Dayton of Oak at Fourteenth and Acorn, Kevin Burke of Colt & Gray, and Adam Hodak of the Green Russell. This year, twelve new bartenders get the spotlight, starting with these four: Gerard Collier of TAG, Melissa Durant of Acorn, Noah Heaney of the Squeaky Bean, and Ian Harris of the Bitter Bar. They dished on all from first bar jobs to favorite smells, dream jobs, and things guests would never guess about them.

Name: GERARD COLLIER

Where from: Japan & Hawaii

Behind The Bar At: TAG & TAG Raw Bar

First Bar Job: Roy's

Last Cocktail Before You Die: Negroni

Favorite Smell: Coffee in the morning

How Many Rings Before You Answer The Phone: If it's my boss or coworkers, 6, my friends, 2.

Worst Feeling In The World: Being late to work.

If You Could Have Any Job, What Would It Be? Photo journalist for National Geographic.

What's On Your Computer Screensaver? King Kamehameha saying "chee pono"... don't ask, it's only funny if you're from Hawaii.

Is The Glass Half Empty Or Half Full? Half full.

Guests Would Never Guess That You...: Speak Japanese fluently and that I'm 30.
Name a Rising Star Bartender in Denver: Tyler Lewis

Name: MELISSA DURANT

Where from: Fresno, CA

Behind The Bar At: Acorn

First Bar Job: the Green Russell

Last Cocktail Before You Die: A shot of overproof whiskey. Preferably Rittenhouse Rye.

Favorite Smell: Gasoline and burnt tires. No joke.

How Many Rings Before You Answer The Phone: 26 seconds into Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."

Worst Feeling In The World: Being hungry and needing a drink. Also, needing a shower.

If You Could Have Any Job, What Would It Be? A stay at home bartender.

What's On Your Computer Screensaver? Bruce Wayne. The baddest puppy around.

Is The Glass Half Empty Or Half Full? I don't believe in 1/2 shots. The glass is either full or empty... & if it's empty I'll take another shot of Chartreuse, please.

Guests Would Never Guess That You...: Are full of "s"ass...

Name a Rising Star Bartender in Denver: Kaitlin Jones.

Name: NOAH HEANEY

Where from: Mauston, Wisconsin

Behind The Bar At: The Squeaky Bean on the weekends

First Bar Job: MPLS Cafe in Minneapolis.

Last Cocktail Before You Die: shot of Rittenhouse with a High Life back.

Favorite Smell: Freshly cut grass.

How Many Rings Before You Answer The Phone: I'm pretty good at answering quickly.

Worst Feeling In The World: Running late for an appointment.

If You Could Have Any Job, What Would It Be? Restaurant owner.

What's On Your Computer Screensaver? Green Bay Packers Logo.

Is The Glass Half Empty Or Half Full? Mine is usually empty...

Guests Would Never Guess That You...: Pole vaulted through college.

Name a Rising Star Bartender in Denver: Carly Harris

Name: IAN HARRIS

Where from: Seattle, Washington

Behind The Bar At: The Bitter Bar

First Bar Job: Hill's Resort in Priest Lake, Idaho near my family's cabin in the woods.

Last Cocktail Before You Die: Molotov.

Favorite Smell: Coffee in the morning.

How Many Rings Before You Answer The Phone: I don't really answer the phone. I'm loving that there's no cell phone service where I live.

Worst Feeling In The World: The decay of the American interview.

If You Could Have Any Job, What Would It Be? Bartender at my own twelve seat bar in Big Sur, California. I think I'd call it The Old Gold Tooth and never take off my cardigan.

What's On Your Computer Screensaver? A drawing of my dog. His name is Moose.

Is The Glass Half Empty Or Half Full? Half gone.

Guests Would Never Guess That You...: have nine siblings and a crush on Alice Munro.

Name a Rising Star Bartender in Denver: Joshua Hillman at Bramble & Hare. He's a younger, but more boozy Bradley Cooper.

· The Cocktail Heatmap: A Guide to Where to Drink Now [EDen]
· Lucinda Sterling on Transcontinental Bartending, Scrutiny Behind The Bar, [EDen]
· All Cocktail Week 2013 Coverage [EDen]