Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Shawn Lickliter was a touring musician for ten years, traveling around the country until he found himself in Los Angeles. Looking to take on some extra shifts in between gigs, Lickliter washed dishes, served, and worked behind the bar at local establishments. Over time, he realized that his love for creating cocktails was beginning to outweigh his love for song writing, and so he decided to pursue bartending full time, going on to join the team at Bouchon in Beverly Hills.
In 2015, Lickliter joined the team at République, one of the ventures by Chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke. Now, Lickliter is director of bar operations for all of the Manzkes’ restaurants, overseeing the programs for République, Manzke, Bicyclette Bistro, Petty Cash Taqueria, and Sari Sari Store. During his time as beverage director, he has dedicated himself to growing and educating his staff and creating a sense of family amongst his team. Across the six restaurants, Lickliter presents simplistic, intentional, and market-driven cocktails.
Watermelon Cocktail
Bartender Shawn Lickliter of Republique | Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS:
Shiso-Infused Gin:
10 shiso leaves
750 milliliters gin
Watermelon Syrup:
1 kilogram watermelon juice
400 grams cane sugar
1 gram kosher salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 cocktail
⅕ ounce génépy
1 ounce lime juice
1 dash lavender bitters
2 dashes saline solution
METHOD:
For the Shiso-Infused Gin:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add shiso and blanch 30 seconds. Transfer to an ice bath to chill. Remove the shiso and squeeze out any excess water. Place the shiso in a Vitamix blender and add gin. Blend on medium-high speed for at least 1 minute or until the shiso is well incorporated. Strain through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. Transfer to a bottle and refrigerate.
For the Watermelon Syrup:
In a Vitamix blender, combine all ingredients. Blend on medium speed or until the sugar has completely dissolved. If using a refractometer, slowly add sugar until the syrup reaches 33 brix. Transfer to a bottle. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients with 1 ½ ounces Shiso-infused Gin and 1 ½ ounces Watermelon Syrup. Add ice. Shake, then strain into a coupe glass.
TCMT Frappe
Bartender Shawn Lickliter of Republique | Los Angeles
INGREDIENTS
Coconut Cream:
¾ cup cream of coconut
¼ cup coconut milk
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 cocktail
2 ounces cold brew coffee
2 ounces brewed Thai tea
Whipped cream
Grated nutmeg
METHOD
For the Coconut Cream:
In a bowl, stir to combine cream of coconut and coconut milk. Transfer to a nonreactive container and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a Vitamix blender, combine coffee, tea, 2 ounces Coconut Cream, and 1 cup small ice cubes. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour into a Collins glass. Top with whipped cream and nutmeg.
Content and recipes developed in partnership with Shawn Lickliter, StarChefs and Vitamix Commercial.