The Four Horsemen: Queer bartenders and their favorite Bourbon drink
photos by Matthew Pruitt
Amy Mobley (she/her)
Bar 32
Covington, KY
As I step into Bar 32 located in Covington, I’m overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia. The bar instantly feels like home, where the regulars converse like they’ve known each other for years (which they probably have) and visit this place frequently (which they probably do). It reminds me of the neighborhood bars in Louisville that have the uncanny ability to calm someone as soon as they step inside.
Amy Mobley (she/her) has owned Bar 32 in Covington, KY, for 10 years, though she worked at the bar for years prior when it was formerly a bear bar.
“I just want all of the gay people and all of the queer people to feel welcome,” she says, her tattooed skin radiating in the sun from the large windows that make up the bar’s front area. “I used to do ladies’ night and bear nights, and it felt like it was excluding certain people on those nights. I took all the labels away and made it an everyone bar, and it took off.”
She drops some oranges and cherries into a glass behind the bar, adds some bar syrup, and muddles the fruit before a healthy pour of Woodford Reserve finds its way into the cocktail. “I went with an Old Fashioned because it’s one of the first bourbon drinks I learned to make almost 15-20 years ago. It’s nostalgic.” She adds a scoop of ice and mixes the drink to incorporate its citrus and sugar elements with the 90-proof spirit. “It’s one of the most iconic bourbon cocktails there is.”
When asked about the importance of queer spaces, Amy tells me that she always says “we have to keep these kinds of bars open, because there’s nothing like walking into a bar and you know you’re safe and can be yourself.” She smiles, “We have to keep them open, and I am happy to still be here.”
Giving back to her community is also vital for her. “When I look out, and we have a fundraiser for something, I can see everyone coming together – gay, straight, old, young, trans men, trans women, everybody – and they’re having a good time together, that’s when I think, that’s why I do this. And it’s the best feeling, like, oh my god, I created this.”
I can tell Amy is always a sight for sore eyes to Bar 32’s patrons. A man walks into the bar and sits a few stools away from me. Before I even notice him, Amy approaches, opening a beer and sitting it down in front of him. “Y’all got any coffee?” he inquires, “I can make a pot if you’d like,” Amy replies. “That would be great,” the man replies, taking a deep breath and relaxing into the bar’s welcoming embrace.
Jake Bray (he/him)
Big Bar
Louisville, KY
If you’ve ever had an exciting queer night out in Louisville, chances are you’ve taken a mirror selfie at Big Bar’s neon-lit bathroom. And if you did, Jake was probably behind the bar, serving up cocktails and greeting every patron with a warm and welcoming smile. Big Bar is the go-to spot for queer nightlife in Louisville, from its beginnings as a not-so-big bar to its current multi-level form, offering drinks, dancing, and a delightful atmosphere encompassing all walks of life.
Jake Bray (he/him) has worked at Big Bar since 2018, where he started his bartending career. Originally from outside Niagara Falls, he went to bartending school in New York State and found his footing in North Carolina before eventually moving to Louisville with his brother. While bar-hopping one night, he met Big Bar owner Kevin Bryan, who offered him a job at the bar the next day. Since then, Jake has become a champion of Louisville’s queer nightlife, as well as an avid music lover, and a model in the River City.
While most gay bars may pour you a vodka-cran or tequila soda, Big Bar has a hidden gem – something more icey. Nestled between their bar and the coolers housing your favorite canned drinks, Big Bar has two rotating flavors of frozen refreshments in their slushy machine.
“Our frozen bourbon slushy has accents of orange and pineapple juice, lime, and Old Forester Bourbon. So you’re getting a full craft cocktail while still being able to cool down. We’re a high-volume bar, so this is my favorite drink because it’s quick but still carefully curated and perfect for enjoying on our patio.” Equal parts fruity, frozen, and boozy, their slushies are a staple amongst patrons, new and old.
Jake sees the importance of bourbon in queer culture. He says that “geographically, bourbon is a staple, and no matter what community you’re in, you should be able to enjoy it.” He strives to help curate a safe space for all folks in our city, as Big Bar hosts a monthly Lesbian Tea Dance event, RuPaul’s Drag Race Watch parties, and Sunday Fundays, in addition to regular weekly karaoke and DJs.
He emphasized the importance of people being able to come into the bar and feel welcomed.
“Coming from North Carolina to Kentucky, and them both kind of being in the Bible Belt, I wasn’t sure how I would be received, but I truly feel welcome and accepted here,” says Bray. Big Bar recently became one of the first bars to have a single barrel pick of Old Forester, where they have bottles labeled with Big Bar’s name on the front of them, proving that they are in for the long haul when it comes to keeping the world of bourbon culture queer.
Katelyn Collins (she/they)
Lussi Brown Coffee Bar
Lexington, KY
Nestled off Limestone Street, just around the corner from Lexington staple Crossings, you’ll find a small but mighty queer space in Lussi Brown Coffee Bar. This downtown coffee shop and bar proudly showcases its pride through the flags hung above the main window, the eclectic decor throughout, much of which is sourced from local queer and trans artists on the wall.
I learned later that Katelyn Collins (she/they) is the creator of the incredible fiber art butterflies on the wall, as well as a native Kentuckian who has worked at Lussi Brown Coffee Bar for two years.
We talk more at length about getting into the male-dominated bourbon industry.
“It was interesting to look around at other bars and see men in the industry for 20 years, and it was so intimidating to approach that as a younger queer woman,” she explains.
Collins found a good home behind the bar at Lussi Brown and with co-owner Sarah Brown (half of the bar’s namesake alongside co-owner Olivia Lussi), and spoke to the importance of “finding a place like this, where the owners encourage growth and learning and want to help you become better. To be who you are and be proud of who you are, and you find people are going to respect that – especially if you make a damn good drink.”
Behind the bar, she stirs up something dark and mysterious – The Cold Fashioned, made with Lussi Brown Cold Brew.
“It’s a really nice take on a classic cocktail,” Collins says, “Where adding a little bit of the cold brew really accents the citrusy notes of the Four Roses bourbon, bringing out more of the caramel, that touch of vanilla, and then the cold brew comes back around and rounds it off with the nice bitter touch.” They also have the option for Knob Creek Rye, “if you want more of the smoky flavor,” as well as a mocktail version for those who choose not to imbibe.
Among the whir of espresso beans being ground up front, we get into queer culture and where she finds her place in it at a place that is about both nightlife and early mornings.
“I think queer spaces are important. It’s space for us, made by us.” She adds, “Those spaces help keep the culture alive and provide that sense of community where people can come and just exist or meet new people; it’s a safe space for you to maybe branch into the community if you’re just finding your way.”
She finishes our conversation by telling me about Lex Lez Night, a sapphic celebration every second Thursday of the month. Lussi Brown hosts pop-ups and mingling from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and there’s drag, burlesque, and, of course, more drinks (if that’s your thing) at Crossings from 9 p.m. until close. “It’s honestly such a fulfilling event to work. It’s busy, but I have fun during the entire shift. Everyone is so talkative, and you meet so many people.”
Taylor Renfroe (she/he)
Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar
Covington, KY
When you visit MainStrasse Village, a national historic district in Covington, you’ll find the first ever bourbon-centric bar in the NKY/Cincinnati area – Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar. Unlike many other bourbon bars, the vibe of the bar is very relaxed and chill, with walls and shelves lined with over 700 different bourbons and 200 different American whiskeys.
When you first meet Taylor, she is instantly excited to talk to you; an endless beacon of knowledge about the state’s spirit and the place she pours it.
“I was one of the original employees,” she tells me in a cozy corner booth inside the bar. “We set out with a goal to be the most welcoming and deliberately inclusive places we could be,” and I think they’ve fully succeeded.
As we explore the wooden-fenced patio, I see several gentlemen enjoying cigars and a couple enjoying a nice pour from the bar’s vast selection. Back inside, people of all ages are talking with a friendly bartender about what flavor profile they look for in a bourbon, carefully aiding them in picking the perfect one.
Taylor pulls a few bottles out from behind the bar to begin making a spin on a Vieux Carré. “This is a classic New Orleans drink created in 1920, which traditionally is equal parts rye and cognac with vermouth and Bénédictine. I like using a High Rye Bourbon because it adds warmth and makes for an excellent nightcap.”
Though you can tell it’s a spirit-forward drink, it’s smooth and flavorful, without any burn, even at its high proof. “We use Wild Turkey 101; we are Wild Turkey sluts here. I feel like they get a bit of a bad rap, but it’s one of the best whiskeys.”
She talks to me a little about being queer in the bourbon industry and the importance of having spaces where queer people feel welcome. “When it comes to a bourbon bar, there’s a stigma that it is not a very inclusive place, it’s not very queer-friendly, not POC friendly, and that shouldn’t be the thing and definitely not who we (OKBB) have ever tried to be. [We strive to] create a space with a neighborhood bourbon bar where you can feel at home.”
Taylor adds that working in the industry has helped her find her identity as genderfluid. “It took me quite a while to present the way that I do; a large part of it was just, fuck it, what else are you gonna do?” The support and encouragement of friends helped make that much easier. “You only get one time around, and coming out has been the best time of my life. You’re going to encounter some assholes, but you’re going to do that anyway, regardless of who you are.”