If you spot Jordan Clemens behind the bar, consider yourself lucky. This unicorn only comes out once in a blue moon—or whenever one of his three businesses needs help on the cocktail front. Even outside of a bar, if you engage anyone about the Edmonton culinary scene, his name will inevitably end up in the conversation.
For anyone who lived through the trailblazing years when both Woodwork and Bar Clementine first caught national attention as the places to go for stellar mixed drinks, Clemens’ name is not only familiar but heralded as one of the Founding Fathers of the Edmonton cocktail scene. These days, he spends most of his waking hours managing spreadsheets, handling inventory issues, and immersing himself in the sciences of flavour and fermentation at Leopard, his newest endeavour with longtime business partner Andrew Borley.
Thankfully, he also trains the new hires; some of whom will hopefully follow in his footsteps to carry on the craft with as much skill, finesse and dedication as he has over the past 15 years.
Ask Clemens what he likes most about bartending and his inner historian comes to the forefront. Other than Evan Watson, who initially partnered with him at Clementine, nobody can tell the tale of a cocktail like Clemens. Mixing a drink is only part of the job; knowing why ingredients work well with others, knowing from whence they came, and being able to deliver the spiel while stirring, shaking and double straining is a skill that only few possess. It’s also what makes someone a favourite bartender; the one you hope to see “behind the wood” on those days when you need a shoulder, a distraction, some entertainment, and an expertly made libation. The saga of a Sazerac may be the story you didn’t know you needed.
Cheers to the O.G.—one of them, at least. The one who everyone says they miss. If you see him pouring, grab a stool, and ask for the drink that takes the longest to make. You’ll want to make the most of that moment.
