Zach McCabe moved to Augusta with his wife April a little over five years ago. Before they settled in Augusta, Zach had moved six times in the span of five years. He arrived at each new location with the same random liquor cabinet of assorted bottles that every person in his 20s has. As he was unpacking them during the last move, he realized he was tired of moving the collection and trying to find it a home, so he decide he’d better try to do something with the curiously curated collection or give it up. He had mixed up a few things, here and there, and with this and that, but with very little intent.
So Zach decided to look up a recipe online — the Old Fashioned. The Old Fashioned was to him was a very ubiquitous cocktail. A classic. He was, like, “Oh, this is pretty good!” And that led him down the path of learning new drinks and trying them out on April.
After a month of living in Augusta, Zach and April had not yet met many people. When they eventually started having people over to their house, they wanted to be hospitable and impress them and make them feel welcomed. Making drinks for his guests is how Zach would accomplish this.
And that is how Zach got started in mixology, wanting to make good drinks, friends, and people happy.
Name:
Zachary Charles McCabe
Occupation:
Civil Engineer
Side Hustle:
Bartender
Side, Side Hustle:
Co-Owner of Augusta Neat
First Job:
Delivering Pizza for Dominic’s Six Pack
Worst Job:
Delivering Pizza
Greatest career challenge:
Convincing people to care what goes into their drinks
What you do to relax:
Make people happy
Role model:
My dad, as an overall human;
as a bartender: Souther Teague
Happiest when:
I make people happy
Trait you most deplore in others:
A sense of pride associated with their ignorance
Career advice:
Do what makes you happy
Love advice:
Do what makes them happy
One word that sums you up:
Indecisive (about finding a single word to describe myself)
Cologne:
None
Greatest weakness:
Insecurity
What no one knows about you:
I have a tattoo
What makes you insecure:
When I don’t get feedback
How you handle stress:
Smile and full steam ahead
Best gift you have ever been given:
When April said Yes
Where would you live if you could live anywhere:
Here
