Photo by Lucie Monk Carter
There’s the lofty air of an old library in Olive or Twist, as suspender-clad bartenders greet customers and ascend the rolling wooden ladder to select spirits from the floor-to-ceiling bar. Patrons lean close on leather-bound barstools and in cozy combos of couches and chairs nestled along the right side of the bar. Blackboards announce the daily drink specials and the rotating beers on tap; and menus, printed daily on brown craft paper, invite you to place your order with Oliver, Kramer, Brea, and Tony.
These personal touches set the stage for an artisanal experience at Olive or Twist, the Baton Rouge bar located on Perkins Road—after sorting through the extensive list of libations on offer. The bar’s frequently changing drink menu features original-recipe house and seasonal cocktails, liquor flights, wine, craft beer, and a killer happy-hour selection with specialty drinks like the Moscow Mule offered for just five bucks. The kitchen also churns out small shareable plates to soak up the alcohol along with a popular Sunday brunch service, featuring riffs on Louisiana classics like boudin crêpes and crawfish beignets.
With free liquor tastings every Wednesday and special beer events on Thursdays, the folks behind the popular bar aim to turn people on to the vast variety of spirits available and break down any reservations about lesser-known liquors. A typical tasting may include Chartreuse, bitters, or the pre-release of a local rum varietal. “If you are interested in getting out of your comfort zone, we are a really good place for you to do that,” said Scott Gremillion, who co-owns the award-winning bar with longtime friend Josh Duke. Gremillion and Duke credit close relationships with distillers, fellow bar owners, and breweries for their ongoing success in connecting the bar’s customers with hard-to-find spirits and one-of-a-kind drinking experiences.
“With the cocktail renaissance, and New Orleans being such a huge part of it, we were able to cultivate relationships with bar owners and bartenders in New Orleans,” said Gremillion. Tales of the Cocktail, an international gathering of leading bartenders and spirit professionals held annually in New Orleans, has been instrumental in spurring the popularity of craft cocktails and allows local bars like Olive or Twist to keep up with the latest trends in the industry. “Through Tales, we’ve cultivated relationships beyond the bars in New Orleans. It’s been very helpful for us to be able to pick the brains of people who are considered rock stars in the industry,” said Gremillion.
Determined to educate the public on the history behind each drink, Gremillion scours the internet daily and shares both vintage and innovative drink recipes with customers via their weekly newsletter and the bar’s cocktail of the day. “With the Internet and the unearthing of old recipe books, old [cocktail] recipes are being shared more than ever before,” said Gremillion. He also uses social media as a platform for sharing little-known facts, ranging from the origin of brandy to the history of the Sazerac.
And while Olive or Twist’s original focus was on specialty cocktails, the three-year-old bar has gained approval from the area’s beer connoisseurs as a source for excellent brews. The well-maintained relationships with local breweries have inspired Tap the Cask Thursday at the bar, which features one small keg of beer often exclusively made for Olive or Twist. Five-gallon pin casks are sent to the breweries with the challenge to create something truly unusual. “We have created at least three different casks for Olive or Twist over the past year. It’s fun to take our flagship beers and create something new and exciting for their customers to experience,” said Cari Caramonta, co-owner of Gnarly Barley Brewing Company. One recent event featured the Hammond area brewery’s Korova Milk Porter with the addition of smoked coconut as a special twist for the bar’s patrons.
Additionally, Olive or Twist’s stash of rare and seasonal brews are re-released to the public during exclusive Clear the Cellar events, reviving demand for the product and drawing huge crowds to the bar for the night of the event. During just the second-ever event, the wooden bar was packed with beer aficionados clamoring for a pint of the highly regarded Goose Island Bourbon County stout, which was sold out shortly after the keg was tapped. For those arriving too late to the party, the bartenders provided an alternative with a similar flavor profile.
The bartenders are quick with a beer recommendation and ready to stir up a surprise concoction should you choose the Cocktail Roulette, where you specify the base liquor and leave your fate up to the mixologist. (Olive or Twist has 750 labels to choose from its towering shelves.) The bartenders curate the menu to reflect the time of year, with playful monikers like “Ill-uh Vanilla,” which swirls the locally-made Bayou Rum with wintry flavors. “A drink like that highlights what we do best. In this case, we have taken a Louisiana spirit and complemented it with fresh juices, house-made syrups, and herbs to create something that will be refreshing,” said Gremillion. “The Louisiana spiced rum and vanilla are very warming in the winter.”
Nearly all menu items have a timely touch. Most well-known for their spiked adult version of the snoball in the summertime, the bar also offers a house-made alcoholic ice cream in its floats. Even the house dessert is a rotating version of a homemade layer cake with a theme befitting the season, crafted by a local baker exclusively for the bar.
Staying relevant and meeting the needs of their customers is always on Gremillion’s and Duke’s minds. As to the future, plans include doubling the footprint of the bar with an expansion into the neighboring suite. Gremillion said they also plan to hire an executive chef and extend their hours to include lunch service. “We are constantly evolving, and that is why we have been successful at what we’ve done.”
Further flavor: Make Olive or Twist's "Ill-Uh Vanilla" winter cocktail at home.
Olive or Twist 7248 Perkins Road, Suite A Baton Rouge, La (225) 456-2188 oliveortwistbr.com facebook.com/oliveortwistbr
