We Are Upstate NY With Spirits Nerd Anton Kinloch Founder of Lone Wolf

First, let’s start by saying the words…TIKI BAR. Yes, the Hudson Valley has an authentic Tiki Bar! Every Sunday, the LONE WOLF hosts a day of enchantment with tropical-inspired cocktails served in ceramic vessels (many with scary faces), elaborate garnishes and drinks bursting in flames just before serving for that over-the-top wow factor. While that’s all you need to know to encourage a visit to this tantalizing hot spot, there’s so much more to this story.

INSIDE+OUT Upstate New York recently caught up with the masterminds behind the Lone Wolf, Anton Kinloch and Lisa Dy. Anton, a graduate of the famed Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, brings his culinary skills, love for libations, and four years of experience running his previous business, Fuchsia Tiki Bar in New Paltz, to this exciting new venture. Located on Foxhall Avenue in Kingston, NY, the very space that used to house the popular and much-loved Lis Bar, Lone Wolf is an intimate craft cocktail lounge serving classic cocktails while educating guests on techniques behind the program. Pull up a seat at the bar and enjoy the anticipation of your first sip as our bartenders expertly whip up dazzling craft cocktails. The excitement builds as you peruse the drinks menu with names like Earl Grey Mar-Tea-Ni, Deadly Stinger, Pandan Old Fashioned, Mezpresso Martini and their signature drink – The Lone Wolf. They also offer wine and beer for the less adventurous. And you have to love a place that offers a cocktail on tap – The Kingston Negroni. Cocktails and mocktails are beautifully paired with delicious Asian-influenced dishes: Mushroom Bao Buns, Bone Marrow with White Miso Butter, Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, and Pork Belly Boa Buns, to name a few.

Let’s learn more about Anton Kinloch and the Lone Wolf…

 

INSIDE+OUT UPSTATE NY: Where are you originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

ANTON KINLOCH: Depending on how far back you go, I’m originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, a transplant of Brighton Beach to the Hudson Valley in the mid-90s.

Tell us about your background and how you came to the world of cocktails and mixology.

To make a long story relatively short, I fell in love with cocktails when working at a casino in Central New York. In a short time, I was moved up from a floor supervisor to an operations manager tasked with implementing cocktails throughout the entire casino property and each venue. Having zero prior experience, I invested in the Death & Company book when it was first published in 2014 & read it cover to cover. I spent months (and much of my paycheck) trying to source spirits and liqueurs outlined in that book. Unfortunately, living in that area, the products were relatively niche, and 99% were simply not available in that market. Things we take for granted now, like bonded whiskey & various eau-de-vie, were unheard of in most liquor stores there. Even within the casino, those products simply did not exist. So, I had to get creative with what we had. Having a culinary background from the Culinary Institute of America also gave me a unique insight into flavor pairings that seemed to “work.” This year marks 10 years that I’ve “taught myself” how to bartend, though I’ve spent the last 22 years working in hospitality, and I enjoy learning new things every single day.

Do you consider yourself a mixologist?

The term mixologist gets thrown around a lot; however, it has a certain negative connotation. I prefer to consider myself a “spirits nerd” and bartender. In my past life, I was a cook but never referred to myself as a “chef” unless someone else called me that whom I looked up to. I feel that to earn the title of mixologist means that you’ve surpassed all present culinary techniques and are creating cocktails on the same level as Michelin Star restaurants; until then, I am just an ambassador for my craft.

Describe what makes Lone Wolf a unique cocktail bar.

“Knowledge” is what separates Lone Wolf from other bars. We (my wife and I) often found ourselves traveling deliberately to NYC, DC and other major cities to get a properly made cocktail. We took inspiration from those same bars, be it the style of service, the combination of flavors or simply the product that we’d never heard of (or had access to previously) & brought it with us. We created Lone Wolf as a reflection of what we appreciated in a good cocktail bar & never looked back.

Tell us about your bar menu. What are the signature drinks at the Lone Wolf, and how often do you change the menu?

The cocktail menu has undergone four revisions since we opened in November 2023. At the core of each menu, we highlight classic and modern classic cocktails as well as our own creations in the process. Highlighting technique and simplicity over a myriad of juices and syrups. Each cocktail is R&D’d extensively for several weeks or months before making the cut. Ranging from choice of glassware, different brands of spirits and even sugar concentrations (Brix) of specific syrups. As such, there is no “signature drink” per se at Lone Wolf but rather a collection of drinks that we enjoy “right now.” That being said, we intend to make quarterly changes to the menu while keeping a core lineup of guest favorites. The only way to know what’s new is to come in often. If you’re lucky, you may even get a chance to sample something that we’re working on.

In your opinion, what makes a great drink and do you create your own recipes? What does that process look like?

A great drink must have balance. This means that no one ingredient is dominating the others. It’s also one of the most difficult concepts to understand for many bartenders. We often use classic cocktails as templates for building new cocktail ideas. The classic Martini, Gimlet, Daisy, Manhattan and Old Fashioned are the five base recipes that we use to ultimately bring “Mr. Potato Head” new cocktails into existence. Sometimes, we’ll pull an idea from another venue and try to reverse engineer it to identify “what were they thinking?” and use that to rejigger the cocktail to be a better version. Sometimes the process is as simple as swapping one ingredient for another, like in the case of the Kingston Negroni (Jamaican rum in place of gin), or more advanced, like in the case of Tiki and tropical style cocktails where you’re balancing 14 ingredients. Having a team of people tasting and weighing in helps immensely in identifying potential issues.

Shaken or stirred?

It purely depends on the mood. I enjoy a good daiquiri during the winter and a Sazerac during the summer. A well-made cocktail is a well-made cocktail.

Tell us your favorite drink per season: spring, summer, fall, winter.

A great drink needs no season, though I can be found with some version of a Negroni, Margarita or Old Fashioned & Sour pretty much year-round.

Good answer! What do you love most about being behind the bar?

The ability to tell stories is perhaps the most captivating reason to want to work behind the bar. As an owner, I realize I’ve got the responsibility to create the “third space” that’s not home and not work. It’s a place where guests can let their guard down, relax and even learn something new in the process.

Every bartender has a good story or two. Tell us one funny or crazy “behind the bar” tale.

Having worked at the casino, I spent less time behind the bar with guests and more time behind the scenes, ensuring products were available and recipes were followed. My office was connected to a service hallway to the nightclub where a particular famous DJ was performing. One of the casino floor managers notified me that this individual was requesting Louis XIII by Remy Martin to be stocked at the bar for his performance. This bottle was over $4,000 and the casino had one in stock and one on reserve. The one in stock was located at the steakhouse on the 21st floor. I had to run from my office up to the steakhouse and deliver it back to the nightclub for this individual. When I returned with the bottle in hand, I cut through my office and the service hallway to get to the club manager. I slammed into and knocked down Lil Jon, the DJ performing that evening. He was quite generous with his time after I got him up and I had the pleasure of pouring his first glass of Louis XIII that evening. He ended up being amongst the first celebrities I got to work with during my time there.

What music do you play when you’re behind the bar?

We typically have a rotating list of songs and genres ranging from 80s rock to 90s alternative rock, jazz, lo-fi and occasional 90s hip hop, depending on the mood. It’s great to have the flexibility to set the tone for the evening based on the clientele we get.

Could you share a recipe of one of your favorite drinks for our readers?

A personal favorite (and one of our best sellers) is the Venus Fly Trap, created by my good friend Brian Miller, formerly of Pegu Club, Death & Company and many more. This recipe has been modified to fit our personal tastes.

Venus Fly Trap

• 1 oz Macchu Pisco
• 3/4 oz Gordon’s Gin
• 1 oz Appleton Estate 8-Year
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Passionfruit Syrup
• 1/2 oz Maggie’s Farm Falernum
• 1/2 oz House Orgeat (or a blend of 1:1 Orgeat Works Ltd. T’Orgeat + Latitude 29 Formula Orgeat)
• 1 tsp Vietnamese Cinnamon Syrup
• Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, whip with pebble ice to chill, dirty dump into a footed pilsner or your favorite tiki mug. Garnish with an orchid & pineapple frond.

OK, we’re here to help. Here’s a link to tiki garnishes, and fronds – you’re welcome!

If you had not become a bartender, which profession would you have chosen? Maybe you have a second passion?

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, my plan was to work as a cook and eventually open my own restaurant as the chef-owner. Given my involvement in the food side of things at Lone Wolf, I never really strayed far from that path. Had I never gotten into cocktails, I’d likely have remained working in someone else’s kitchen in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

 

If you could share a meal with anyone, who would it be?

Marco Pierre White is the youngest British Chef to have achieved 3 Michelin Stars by 33. His focus on excellence is a source of inspiration for what I’ve been striving for. While I know I’ll never land a single Michelin Star, just knowing what he was like then and how he is now over a cocktail and well-made meal would be incredible.

What is your current state of mind?

It’s a constant battle between “what do I need to do now” and “what is going to go wrong today?” As a restaurateur, it’s hard not to stress out about the little things, but more importantly, it’s hard not to recognize that the only person responsible for your team’s success is YOU.

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Follow Anton Kinloch  at Lone Wolf via Website | Facebook | Instagram | Inside+Out Spotlight

Looking for some consulting advice? Connect with Anton Kinloch at his hospitality company, Kinloch Consulting via website

 

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