Bartender of the Month

October 2025

Meet Austin!

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, he got his first industry job at a Ruby Tuesday’s before moving to Seattle in 2017. His first gig in this new city was at Kells Irish Pub, followed by a stint working the silver trays at a country club. Austin’s bartending story started long before he ever shook his first cocktail, his dad owned a bar, and in 5th grade, a career aptitude test suggested Austin was destined for hospitality.

Guess those clunky 2000s softwares knew a thing or two.  

Austin stepped away from bartending for a while, but after his daughter was born, the need for a steadier income grew. An industry bestie helped him land a job at Dreamland in Fremont. That move reignited something he thought he had given up on: his creativity. Today, at Stampede Cocktail Club, he gets to channel that spark daily, exploring everything from tiki classics to his current love for mezcal (though he’ll always appreciate a good beer).

Austin’s favorite part of bartending is passing knowledge forward; mentoring new bartenders the way others once mentored him, and passing down old fashioned specs from generation to generation. 

Outside of work, you can find him singing karaoke, paddle boarding, watching Star Wars, or spending time with his cutie patootie daughter. His goal as a cocktail instructor is simple: to help people feel confident entertaining at home, teaching them how to elevate classics using ingredients they probably already have on hand.