“The idea for a lot of the cocktails I freestyle comes down to a simple ratio: equal parts strong, sweet, sour, herbaceous,” says Jake Valianes, owner and bar manager at Linwood Essentials in Toronto.

In this “Across the Bar” episode, host and Foodable founder Paul Barron imbibes three of Valianes best cocktail creations and gets the background on each.

In Toronto, a dimly lit venue accompanied by candlelight is the home to culinary experiences beyond the imagination. It’s Frankie Solarik’s lab for culinary concoctions known as cocktails, but not of the familiar sort. BarChef, unlike many of the concepts we’ve visited on “Across the Bar” thus far, is not set at a bar, but rather more of a chef’s table. His team is not made up of bartenders, so to speak, but of chefs.

In this episode, Solarik shares with us three uniquely innovative cocktails and the inspiration and preparation behind them.

For a city that is mostly gray, Seattle’s Brimmer & Heeltap packs a punch of vibrancy — from its bright white walls and turquoise cushions to its plate presentations and drink garnishes. The decor reads as an eclectic mix of inspiration, which falls parallel — whether consciously or not — to the aesthetic of Seattle local Jen Doak, who spearheads the B&H ship. According to the restaurant’s website, “[Jen] is an avid menu collector, ordained minister, and a collector of new experiences locally and globally.”

According to Foodable Founder and “Across the Bar” host Paul Barron, Brimmer & Heeltap in Seattle is one of the most unique restaurant spaces we’ve seen. “It’s like a new little world every time you turn a corner,” says Tyler Stamon, the concept’s bar manager and expert mixologist.

Stamon started his career at a downtown Seattle wine bar called Purple Cafe & Wine Bar, and despite getting a business degree, he “caught the bug.”

“Bartending wasn’t what it was 10 years ago as it is today. Now, you tell somebody you’re a bartender and they wanna know your story, and what do you do?, and they’re all excited,” says Stamon. “Where before it was like, ‘What’re you gonna do when you grow up? You can’t be Peter Pan forever.”

“This is so fun. I mean, you’re serving people, you’re providing an experience, and you’re telling a story to people,” he says.

And that’s exactly how Stamon approaches his cocktail creations when putting together a drink menu. “I’m trying to tell a complete story. I don’t want somebody to come in that likes vodka and there’s only vodka drinks on there or only whiskey,” he says.

He also takes into consideration the seasonality and what the kitchen is doing, so the food and drink compliment each other.

In this episode of “Across the Bar,” Stamon takes us through the journey of three top cocktails and tells us of how they were inspired and developed.

We’re kicking off Season 4 of “Across the Bar” at Seattle’s Naka Kaiseki. an eatery that highlights Japanese cuisine and handcrafted cocktails that compliment and balance these unique flavors.

We’re joined by Nik Virrey, bartender at Naka, who originally got into the business through coffee.

“Coffee’s my starting point to kind of facilitate me going through college,” says Virrey. “And I’m like an undercover geek, so intensity on a given subject…always sparks my brain.”

As Virrey started observing that bartenders were treating their bottles like he had treated coffee, a connection was made. “Once I kind of peeked into that door, there was no looking back.”

Watch this episode to learn more about Virrey’s creative process and how he brings these three unique cocktails to life.

This season’s “Across the Bar” has been our sexiest season yet. From San Francisco to Boston, this year took us in front of some of the most innovative cocktails, prepared by mastermind mixologists whose unique crafted cocktails dazzled us to the very last sip.

In this compilation video, brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we invite viewers back into some of the most epic drinking experiences of 2015 — from San Francisco’s Trick Dog, where we drank a bourbon concoction garnished with a complimentary cube of sharp cheddar, to Chicago, where Bar Takito and the Aviary showed us their creative (and scientific) chops. Bar Takito’s Adam Weber explores tea-infused cocktails, and the Aviary’s Micah Melton takes us on a full-sensory journey at the establishment’s cocktail lab.

Watch the full episode to learn more!

Ross Simon realized in Scotland that he preferred booze over books. “I was better at working in a pub than I was at college, and I enjoyed it a lot more,” he says. In the early 2000s, he invested himself to learning and understanding the craft of the cocktail. And just five years later, Simon moved to the United States.

Now the principal barman & proprietor at Bitter & Twisted in Phoenix, Simon continues his story in his cocktails. In this episode of “Across the Bar,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, Simon reveals some of the challenges in the bar game, tells us what makes a great bartender, and whips up three creative cocktails — the Lime and the Coconut, the La Chocolat Sazerac, and the LIT Up — for mixology inspiration.

A trained sommelier with former chef aspirations, Micah Olson, co-owner and mixologist at Okra Cookhouse & Cocktails, found the perfect balance in mixology. After taking a free week-long mixology course from a renowned bartender, Olson was blown away at the limitless opportunities for creation behind the bar.

In this episode of “Across the Bar,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, host Paul Barron visits the Phoenix-based Okra, where Olson whips up three of his favorite creations: Dog Will Hunt, made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Bigalett China China, house-made pecan Falernum, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, and chocolate bitters; Pineapple Propeller, made with Plantation 3 Star Rum, Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Montenegro, Cappelletti, lemon, and pineapple syrup; and New-Orleans-inspired Milk Was a Bad Choice.

Watch the full episode to discover Olson’s insight on the rise of cocktail culture in the South, how cocktail names are created at Okra, how each drink came about, and what trends he is seeing on the bar scene.

Inspired by film noir, Burritt Room + Tavern is a hotel restaurant and bar unlike many others. For starters, it’s got style. A sultry space with a retro feel, Burritt Room is tucked away in San Francisco’s Union Square at the Mystic Hotel. The venue boasts fine-dine-level food, a sexy atmosphere, and a damn good craft cocktail — or 17, if you want to get technical with the menu.

In this episode of “Across the Bar,” brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, mixologist Josh Trabulsi shows us where the magic happens, starring three beautiful cocktail concoctions. Join Host Paul Barron as Trabulsi divulges what provoked him to become a craft bartender, how San Francisco bar culture differs from other markets, and what he looks for in a spirit while creating new drinks.

You wouldn't normally think of a breezy beach in Chicago, but guests will surely let their stress slip away with the coastal-inspired cuisine and seaside-themed cocktails at The Hampton Social. 

In this episode of "Across the Bar," brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network, we visit Beverage Manager Zak Vossen at this floor-to-ceiling window, open, bright and airy space. With a concept as refreshing as its drinks, you won't want to miss out on this inside scoop.

From the Ford's Gin "Gatsby G&T" to the Peychaud's Bitters "Rosé All Day," sip on these innovative concoctions!

At CH Distillery, Chicago can get a taste of the city's only truly local vodka. But it's not only its use of local ingredients that sets it apart from the competition. With its unique, lab-like venue and transparent glass windows showing off its in-house liquor making, CH Distillery gives guests a completely new experience and new flavor offerings! 

Join host Paul Barron to get a behind-the-scenes look with co-founder Tremaine Atkinson and Managing Director of Food & Beverage Cassie Levy-Roseroot, and discover how their creative concoctions are a prime example of how mixology is both a science and an art form! 

All in this episode of "Across the Bar," brought to you by the Foodable WebTV Network.