My name is River Hawkins and over the course of my twenty year career as a barman, I've been blessed to travel all over the world for work. It's one of the best things about being in the bar industry, every town has a bar and every bar can use a skilled bartender.  I've made Mai Tais in Thailand, Pisco Sours in Peru and Margaritas in Mexico.  I've run high end cocktail lounges, lively and fun dive bars, international dance clubs and now I own my own Mezcaleria, The Bebedero, in the heart of Charlottesville, VA. I've been fortunate enough to turn my love of mezcal into a successful business where I get to share this fascinating liquor with wonderful people. Each class is a pleasure  because I love to talk mezcal and I know that everyone has within them an appreciation for mezcal just waiting to be explored. 

My experience regarding mezcal is a serendipitous story of either random chance or a divine calling. In a nutshell, I have been lucky enough to have family in Jalisco, Mexico and the opportunity to work in Yelapa, MX . My job as bar director for a boutique resort in the hills of Yelapa, the Verana, required me to provide classes on tequila and mezcal for guests. No problem, except that at the time I didn't know anything about either liquor. 

Oh, I had poured millions of shots of tequila over my years as a bartender, but I had never been terribly curious about tequila or mezcal until I began to study it during my stay in Mexico. 

 I began reading anything I could find on the subject. I drank tequila and mezcal and discussed it with locals whom almost always had a friend or relative who made their own. I toured agave fields, distilleries of all sizes and was educated by mezcaleros from large production companies like Herradura, Cuervo, Sauza as well as small batch mezcaI producers who only sell their mezcals locally from their homes. I found that I loved mezcal for its complexity of flavor and traditional and truly unique processes. I loved learning about the history of the agave plant and it's connection to the indigenous peoples of Mexico. I became fascinated with this sacred elixir and luckily I was in Jalisco, the heart of  tequila country. After all Jalisco is home to the town of Tequila, a beautiful place littered with obsidian from the volcano which stands proud above endless agave fields and countless distilleries. 

So you see, my knowledge of mezcal and tequila comes from several rare opportunities and connections made with wonderful people during these amazing times in my life. And that's what I'm trying to bring to people with my class; 

 a unique experience and a great time.  I promise you will have both.