Bartender of the Month Hal Brock

Modern Vintage

Your first step into Hearsay Gastro Lounge at 218 Travis St. in Houston will take you back to the Golden Age when a bar was the place to savor a hand-crafted cocktail made with dignity by a professional. Not just some joint where the drink has to be blue and only made with two ingredients, but rather a place where the bartender knows about his spirits and what it means to mix them. Those places have become few and far between, but our feature bartender is just the man to help Houston remember that not all has been lost in the world of cocktails. Just one look at Hearsay’s cocktail menu and the vast array of select spirits and you’ll know that you have found “the real McCoy.”

Head bartender & flavorist Hal Brock is the person to help you experience what it means to truly taste an amazing cocktail. Hal knows that what goes into your drink is of most importance and there is no room for sacrifice. Hal finds his inspiration for cocktails in the same fashion that a chef would create a signature dish. His journey starts at a local market where he can hand pick ingredients based on seasonality, culinary experience, and worldly travels. Each ingredient is patiently inspected and then measured to achieve the perfect flavor balance that will astonish your senses. Hal Brock is a true creator of cocktails with an unceasing determination to keep pushing the boundaries of what can be accomplished in the glass.

On your next visit to Hearsay, you can start working your way through the long list of classic cocktails and then venture to any one of Hal’s signature creations. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for be sure to ask Hal for some recommendations. He’s likely to take a moment and find out what best suits your palate and then create something specially made just for you. After all, that’s what a real bartender does.

Hearsay Gastro Lounge – 218 Travis St., Houston, TX  77002