Kaitlyn Stewart is an acclaimed bartender, educator and, most recently, author of the upcoming cocktail ‘cookbook’, Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips (October 7th, 2025, Penguin Canada) – which gave us more than enough reasons to want to get in touch with the powerhouse. Add to all that, this isn’t Stewart’s first time being put through the Scout interview motions: for a real throwback, check out this supplementary reading circa 2018.

First of all, please introduce yourself to Scout readers who might not be familiar with you: Who are you? What’s your background? Where are you currently based? And what is keeping you busy (besides creating and compiling Three Cheers) lately?

My name is Kaitlyn Stewart also known online as Like•a•ble Cocktails. I live in Vancouver, BC and have been in the hospitality industry for going on 20 years now. In 2017, I was the first Canadian to win the prestigious title of World Class Bartender of the Year. When I’m not making content online or writing cocktail books, I run my own consulting and recipe development business, and I travel the world giving seminars to bartenders and judging cocktail competitions.

What was the biggest challenge of compiling a cocktail ‘cookbook’?

The biggest challenge compiling a cocktail book was making the recipes interesting enough to get a second look from the reader, but easy enough for them to want to make the recipes.

The most unexpected aspect? Most rewarding part of the process?

The most unexpected part was just how difficult it was to be consistent with how I phrased recipes – consistency is key! And the most rewarding part was sending in the first draft to my editor.

You’ve got quite a diverse history – teaching dance, and studying film and television, in addition to all of your cocktail experience, of course – but, as far as I can tell, no background in writing or publishing…What inspired you to dive into this new arena, and why now? How has creating Three Cheers changed your view of the publishing industry and/or cookbooks, specifically?

Writing a cocktail book has been something I’ve always wanted to do. I had the concept for what is now known as Three Cheers for years. I hadn’t come across any other cocktail books that brought together classic cocktails, modern twists and spirit-free drinks, in an equal format. I will admit I was naive when it came to the whole process of how a book gets made. When Three Cheers finally comes out in October, we will have been working on this project for over two years. Seeing how much attention to detail goes into putting a book together gives me such a greater respect for the industry. My grandma was famous for saying, “We should write a book.” So, I was just holding up my end of the deal.

Up until now, what was your relationship with cocktail books? Do you have a well-stocked library of them? A couple of well-worn and stained go-tos?

I would say that I have a very well-stocked library of cocktail books at home. Just from where I’m sitting now, I can count at least 33 of them. I have books that have been with me for my whole bartending career and books that were released this month. Not all of them are recipe focused books. Some are historical, others are educational. There is always something to be learned when it comes to this industry I love so much.

Unless someone has worked in a professional bar they can’t really understand what in all is involved… Same-same, I suppose, for the publishing industry! What was it like stepping out of your comfort zone and slipping behind-the-scenes into the world of writing and publishing? Have you gained a new respect/understanding for the profession/industry? Are there any similarities between the hospitality and publishing industries that you can draw for us? How did your experience in one set you up for delving into the other? And how, perhaps, did all of your hospitality experience hinder and/or leave you unprepared for creating a cookbook?

Having worked in the hospitality industry, primarily behind the bar, for 20 years now, I have written countless cocktail menus. So, when it came to writing the recipes for the book, I found that part to be straightforward. What was interesting was stepping into the lens of the editor and publishers POV. They’re viewing the book from a “sellers” point of view. What is going to be the driving force to get people to pick up this book and buy it? Is the cover art and typography eye-catching enough for a store to want to display the book? Things that I might not necessarily think about straight away, they’re on top of it. It was so interesting hearing their insights, and I learned a ton from them.

What is your most fun “non-essential” cocktail tool?

Most fun “non-essential” tool would be a milk frother. Great for egg white cocktails.

What is your most prized, or personally cherished, kitchen/bar implement, and why is it significant to you? Please tell me the story.

I have this one really beat-up old bar blade that has electrical tape wrapped around it, that was given to me at one of my first bar jobs. It’s not that its overly sentimental, I’m just really impressed I still have it 20 years later. It reminds me of where I started and why I stay in this industry. I still use it and bring it ’til this day.

What’s the number one rookie mistake when whipping up a cocktail that newbies (like me) should know before diving in?

It’s always good to remember that less is more. Some of the best classic cocktails are only three ingredients. Start with a good foundation and build from there. Remember, you can always add in, but you can’t take away.

Okay, so full disclosure: I’m a “beer person”. That being said, I definitely appreciate a good cocktail, every now and then! But it can be difficult to find one to my taste, and I’ve been discouraged by the flops I’ve had over the years when trying to find “my” cocktail (or having a custom one created for me by a bartender). With all that in mind, I’d love to pick your brain a bit! What advice do you have, in general, when ordering a drink off of a menu or having one made to your taste? If I want something more savoury or salty (definitely not too sweet), interesting/unusual, and perhaps a bit smokey – what concoction are you whipping up for me? Which cocktail from Three Cheers do you recommend for me to try first?

When someone is trying to figure what they want to drink I always like to ask a few key questions:

1. What style of drink do you prefer? Booze-forward, like an old fashioned? Something sour like a Daiquiri? Something light and refreshing like a French 75?
2. What is your spirit of choice? Gin? Mezcal? Bourbon?
3. What is a flavor that you hate?

From there I can gage what direction to go in. For you, I’d suggest the Smokestack Lightning [pictured to the right], which is my riff on a classic Penicillin. It has white whisky, mezcal, ginger liqueur, lemon and black pepper honey. Not too sweet, a little smoky and definitely interesting.

This is a standard (but fun!) question I like to ask all of my interviewees: Building a menu can also be a kind of “storytelling”. With that in mind, please describe to me your life in four (or more!) dishes – with cocktail/drink pairings would be even better!

Favourite Vancouver spot for a low-key cocktail?
Low-key cocktail is anywhere there is a pinball machine. Typically, The American.

How about the spot you go to “splash out”? What are you ordering?

And somewhere to “splash out”, I’d say June. And I’m ordering anything Shitoshi is making.

I think that the Three Cheers’ recipes section format is super clever: a classic cocktail, followed by your own riff on it, and finally a zero-alcohol version. Non-alcoholic cocktails have really taken off over the past few years, and have even become a ‘legit’ drinks category all their own. That being said, it’s unusual to find a cocktail book that incorporates them the way that yours does. Why did you choose to integrate zero-alc cocktails the way that you did, versus putting them in their own section? Why should a non-drinker buy Three Cheers? And, alternatively, why should someone with no aversion to alcohol be interested in trying your booze-free recipes?

I never want non-alcoholic drinks to be seen or thought of as an afterthought. I come from a household where my mom and sister don’t drink and neither does my partner. It was important for me to present all three variations of the drinks on an equal playing field. I think the more we normalise spirit-free cocktails, the more respect they’ll get. I want whoever opens the pages of Three Cheers to see all three recipes in a row and be equally impressed with each recipe. I’d love for non-drinkers to buy this book, because it’s just as much for them as it is for the classics lover or the adventurous drinker.

As summer wanes and the seasons transition into fall, what is your go-to cocktail for the cooler months ahead? What autumnal food or snack are you pairing with it? Please set the scene for us.

Cooler months, for me, are a time for brown spirits like bourbon or a nice aged rum. Something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I’ll often find myself making a Gold Rush, a variation on the Bee’s Knees, which is a simple combination of bourbon, honey and lemon. A Gold Rush pairs perfectly with a decked out cheese plate. Figs, honey, nuts, hard and soft cheeses, all match the energy of a delicious Gold Rush cocktail.

Lastly, now that you’ve knocked off this milestone (compiling and publishing a cocktail cookbook), what’s in your sightlines for the future? Any medium that you haven’t yet explored that you’d like to give a shot? And/or something wildly different – cocktail-related or not at all! – that you’d like to try/accomplish?

I am up for any and everything! I’m hoping there’s more travel in my future, good food, and quality time with friends and family. I’d love to expand the “Like•a•ble Cocktails” brand and perhaps venture into barware or RTD’s. The options are limitless.

Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips will be released on Wednesday October 7th, 2025. It is also currently available as a pre-order from such local independent bookstores as Massy Books, Iron Dog Books, and Upstart & Crow.