A DRINK WITH NED KING
By Maia Merrill Gosselin
You could say that history is in Ned King’s DNA. The Western Mass native was studying history in college, contemplating his next move, when he happened upon a YouTube channel called “The Cocktail Spirit” hosted by Robert Hess (think Bob Ross for libations). He was instantly intrigued by mixology as well as the fascinating role cocktails have played throughout American and world history. Ned began devouring cocktail books and experimenting with at-home bartending, creating concoctions from long-ago recipes. Not long after landing a job at Amherst Coffee (which also boasts a whiskey bar), he was presented with an opportunity to go in as co-owner of a cocktail bar named Gigantic. Go big or go home, right?!
Ned and business partner James Stillwaggon opened their concept in 2018, in the small town of Easthampton. Playing to Ned’s love of history, Gigantic is a hub for vintage cocktails as well as their own unique curated drinks (Douglas Punch or Mary Lennox anyone?). In addition, they feature a tropical pop-up bar theme in the winter months, host karaoke nights, offer tasting seminars, and more. They’re also an ally, a welcoming space for the queer community. Ned calls it all a “work in progress” but the formula is clearly a winning one with a large and loyal following. I had a terrific conversation with the busy proprietor recently. He’s creative and motivated, funny and humble, and clearly passionate about his chosen vocation. I highly recommend you put Gigantic in Easthampton on the map for your summer travels because Ned King has built something truly special.
MAIA GOSSELIN From history major to partner in a cocktail bar, your journey has taken an interesting path in a relatively short period of time! What is it about this industry that convinced you to make a career out of it?
NED KING I sort of stumbled into the career. I wasn’t even much of a drinker or interested in cocktails at all until I was in my early 20s. It wasn’t until I realized that cocktail history was a deep and fascinating part of American history as a whole, that I was hooked. I find that bartending and the bar itself is an incredibly rewarding place to express my creative side. Whether that’s the decor in the bar (a very eclectic mix of mostly 19th century antiques I’ve collected over the years) or the drinks on the menu. It’s also a place the community comes to gather and relax, which makes me very proud of the environment we’ve curated.
MG You describe Gigantic as a “neighborhood cocktail bar”. How did Gigantic establish itself in this niche? Talk a little bit about your clientele and the sense of community your establishment engenders.
NK It’s a neighborhood bar in the sense that we are an unpretentious space to gather and a place where anyone can come in and feel comfortable. If $3 beer is your thing, we have it. If you want to try a vintage pour of whiskey or Chartreuse, we have that too. Our clientele really encompasses the Pioneer Valley as a whole; we have people of all ages and walks of life in here and they know us and trust us to make a great drink for them. Our staff is also quite diverse which enriches the space even more and we are proud to be a bar that the queer community knows is a safe space as well.
MG Can you give an overview of the beverage program you’ve created? Where do you find inspiration and creativity with the cocktail menu?
NK The bar runs about 6 menus a year with small special menus in between. These menus are always seasonally focused and small in scale (roughly 10 – 12 original drinks on each menu with another section of seasonal classics.) Because I am a history nerd, we often draw a lot of inspiration from late 19th and early 20th century cocktail books that I collect and keep on display at the bar. During the summer months we tend to focus on aperitivi/Italian style cocktails. I believe we have the biggest selection of Italian amari in Western Mass so that’s on full display during the summer! In December and January, we run a menu of only classic cocktails, some of which are quite obscure, and we create a companion booklet of these drinks with their recipes that guests can buy for the holidays as stocking stuffers.
MG In the winter months, you feature a tropical bar pop-up space which has been a popular addition for your customers. Talk a little about the concept and what led to this. Do you do any other themed evenings or events?
NK By far our busiest time of year is February and March when the bar transforms into a tropical bar. We call this event “Escape the Northeast”. The menu is all tiki drinks from the 1930s — 1970s and we deck the bar out completely in tropical decor. We also host a lot of events like surf bands and DJs during those two months. It was a bit of a risk when we first decided to try this. Before the pandemic we used to have a weekly tiki night on Sundays where we ran a special menu of tropical drinks, but when we reopened after Covid I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it the same way again. I noticed that February was our slowest month and wondered if creating a tiki popup would get people back in the bar during that time. The risk really came in the cost of buying stuff to transform the space. It wasn’t easy, and I didn’t want it to look too cheap and kitschy, so I invested money and time to seek out antiques and items that would make the bar feel truly transformed. To make a long story short, that February was incredible for the bar. So good in fact, that I let it roll through March, and we’ve kept it that way ever since.
MG What are some interesting drink trends you’re currently seeing? Most popular libation?
NK I feel like we are a bit apart from new drink trends in Western Mass, but one thing I have noticed is the growing popularity of mocktails. We make a concerted effort to offer interesting and delicious nonalcoholic drinks now. The most popular libation at our bar really depends on the season, but we always have a killer Mai Tai on the classics menu and it’s very popular.
MG Manager, bartender and partner in the business, you are quite busy! What does an average day entail for you?
NK It varies! But there isn’t a lot of time off. I’m also a touring musician in two different bands so I’m constantly travelling around the country and overseas. I’m at the bar most days either to prep what the bar needs for the week or bartending/barbacking when needed, although I’m behind the bar less these days. I do everything from greeting guests and hosting to climbing behind the ice machine to fix it (which I just did today). You’re always on call when you run a bar, so you never know when you’ll have to rush over to deal with something. I have an incredible staff though, and they keep the ship afloat and make this whole thing possible.
MG There is no shortage of legends and leaders in this industry. Who are some of your mentors and role models?
NK That’s a tough one. An early inspiration for me was Robert Hess with his cocktail channel “The Cocktail Spirit”. It had a PBS vibe to it which I found endearing. He was the first one that made me realize the art of making drinks and the history of those drinks were inextricably linked. I also need to put my dear friend, Al Culliton on this list. Al (they/them) actually works as a bartender at my bar. I first met them through Lauren Clark who brought them to Gigantic when they moved back to the area from New York. Al is one of the most knowledgeable cocktail historians and writers out there, and my friendship with them has not only enhanced my understanding of the world of cocktails but improved the approach we take to cocktail menus and the efficiency of the bar itself.
MG Anyone who’s spent a measure of time in this business knows the toll that burnout can take. How do you avoid this and stay passionate and motivated about your work?
NK Honestly what helps me the most is travel. I derive an immense amount of pleasure from seeing other parts of the world and it never ceases to amaze me what the flavors and smells of another place can do for your creativity. I always try and bring that back to the bar when I leave it.
MG Easthampton isn’t exactly on the beaten path but there is definitely a growing food and beverage scene. What would you say to people unfamiliar with this hidden gem of an area to entice them to visit?
NK For its size, it really has everything. Some incredible fine dining in places like Little Truc and Calico, great bars (us included I hope), breweries, hiking trails, and amazing coffee. I think everyone should spend some time in Western Mass.
MG And finally, it’s the end of your shift or your day off . . . what’s your favorite cocktail to mix for yourself?
NK Hmmm. Honestly I love a crisp Czech Pilsner. But if it’s a cocktail, a nice 50/50 martini with a dash of range bitters is perfect. I like to split the vermouth between dry and blanc as well.
