Being a passionate cocktail maker and content creator with a fascinating and diverse background isn't easy but Shirley Scott continuously impresses us all. She retired in April from a long, varied career in Veterinary Medicine where she was in private practice, taught various courses at universities, such as zoonotic diseases, conducted research, and worked with the USDA enforcing humane handling of livestock. Shirley has now turned her focus to the art of crafting beautiful, creative cocktails. With a PhD in Pathology, her meticulous attention to detail is reflected through her drink making and content creation. We sat down with Shirley to share her experience in the industry and to discuss what her exciting journey has been like so far.
What inspired you to start making cocktails, and how did your journey as a cocktail maker begin?
“The reason I started doing it was because I always thought those triangular martini glasses looked so cool. It's funny because I’ve always hated martinis. One day, I ordered a cosmopolitan out of curiosity when I saw that it was served in a martini glass; I thought to myself Hey, I can make this at home and drink it out of martini glasses. After doing some research on cocktail shakers (I research most of my purchases in depth) I ended up getting an Elevated Craft Shaker. I joined their Facebook group and saw many pictures of fancy cocktails - they were all so creative and fun! I also found the science behind making cocktails fascinating - like adjusting the acidity, clarification with milk, and making clear ice. So yeah, I got into it because of glassware and science - and I still don't like martinis”
You’re known for using the Mixel Cocktails app to recreate recipes. How has the app influenced your creative process in cocktail making?
"The Mixel cocktails app is pretty versatile. If I find a recipe on Facebook or Instagram I can enter it in the app or just scan the QR code of other people’s recipes to upload into Mixel. That way I don't have to type it in. I love how you can adjust so many of the search parameters and narrow down options. If I don't feel like juicing a lime right now I can eliminate recipes with lime juice, small stuff like that”
Tomb in Bloom
Do you also come up with recipes that have your own personal style?
“Initially, I tried to come up with my own recipes and they turned out awful so I dumped a few," she jokes. “I mostly make riffs on existing recipes and will adjust ingredients to my liking. I have two pretty good recipes that I created when I wanted to recreate drinks that I tried at a bar. As I keep learning, I hope to create more.”
Your collaborations with brands, like Surfside Sips glass straws, have become an integral part of your content. How do you choose which brands to partner with, and what do you look for in a collaboration?
“ If there is a unique product I like or would like to try, I reach out to that brand. I initially started collaborating with Surfside Sips because I ordered their straws and loved how unique and fun they were. I noticed that they had an affiliate program, so I signed up. I post a lot of cocktails with their straws.”
Ranch Water with a Collins spear
You have a distinct editing style for your drink photos, almost like a signature. How did you develop that style, and what do you think it adds to your content?
“I find that I get much better pictures during the daylight, out on the deck. You can see that most of my pictures are on a ledge outside. I tried indoor shots with flashes and different lights, but I prefer the outdoor results with natural sunlight. I also use a Photoshop technique to lightly make the images look a bit cartoonish and smooth out the edges. In the beginning, I was just playing around, but it looked really cool, so I kept at it.”
Picante de la Casa
Where do you typically draw inspiration from? What's your content organization Style like?
“Mostly from Instagram and Facebook. For instance, I may see some discussions on various books and get the books that sound interesting to me, for example, Tropical Standard. I love how the author, Garrett Richard, incorporates science to improve classic cocktails. Making cocktails is like doing scientific experiments! As a retired veterinarian and scientist, that aspect makes this even more fun. As far as posting, I might match a new straw with a cocktail. For example, in the post I made yesterday, I just got my new “spider on a bloody bone” straw and it was a matter of finding a cocktail that “matched” it. Maybe I'll see a cocktail that sounds good and find a glass that fits it or I'll think I haven't used this glass in a while, etc. Or I may try to use up ingredients with a short shelf life, or if I’m almost out of something, I’ll try to finish it off. So I’ll search for a cocktail built around a certain ingredient, technique, glassware, straw, or garnish. Some days I'll be in the mood for a frozen drink, some days I'm not, so I just do it and run with it. I'm not organized with my cocktails. I would say it's more ‘go with the flow'. Some days I'm not really in the mood for alcohol, so I’ll make a mocktail. I photograph most of the drinks I make (or drink at a bar or restaurant). While I don’t post every single one, I do reels occasionally to showcase all of the recent drinks even though I hadn't posted them.”
Salted Chocolate Oaxacan Old-Fashioned
As a Klaris crafter, how do you incorporate the Klaris machine into your cocktail creations, and how has it enhanced your presentation?
“Someone on Facebook posted the clear cubes and I thought to myself it would be really nice to have clear cubes without the mess of the cooler method. When I was asked to be a part of the crafter stories, I realized the ice is often obscured because a lot of my cocktails are cloudy from juices or liqueurs. So I clarified the last couple of cocktails to show off the clear ice. I also like to hammer out the clear cubes for cracked or crushed ice. I definitely prefer using the clear cubes, even though they're hammered out, because they look like little diamonds. The directional freezing side of clear ice is interesting and I plan on learning more about the science behind it.”
To wrap up, what is one of the most memorable cocktails that you've done/had so far?
“I would say that there are several. What's funny is that I'll find a drink that I liked a couple years ago that might not appeal to me now. My taste has evolved over the years. The first memorable drink is the Tijuana Brass by Shaker and Spoon, which uses a large coconut water cube that gradually melts and continuously evolves the drink. Another favorite is the Picante de la Casa, a Tommy's margarita with cilantro and Jalapeno pepper or Fresno chili, which I make pretty frequently."
Clarified JFK Harris
We were grateful to sit down with Shirley Scott and learn more about her incredible journey from veterinary medicine to the world of craft cocktails. Her unique blend of creativity and science is amazing to see in every drink she makes and her thoughtful approach to content creation continues to inspire us. Don't miss out on following her journey on her Instagram and staying up to date with more stories like Shirley's and exciting updates by subscribing to our newsletter below. Cheers!!
