Tropic Like It’s Hot. Photo courtesy of Will Masters
It can be said that, at least for those who enjoy a cocktail with their meal, Camp Hill had a watershed moment back in 2020.
That’s when the Watershed Pub became the first dining destination in the borough since prohibition to serve wine, spirits and beer. Since that time, Watershed’s bar—a PA spirits-only bar associated with the brewery at Millworks in Harrisburg—has been undergoing a transformative transition of its own. Which is something general manager Chase Nelson credits to this month’s bartender of choice, bar manager Jesse Roldan.
“He completely turned the bar program around,” said Nelson, highlighting Roldan’s pivotal efforts to modernize and streamline operations.
Roldan, a Queens, N.Y., transplant who has bartended at Watershed for two years, humbly responded, “Me and Chase make a good team. We both put a lot of work into it.”
It was immediately obvious, from the drinks that Roldan mixed during our visit, that he and his team of four bartenders put a lot of work into developing the Watershed’s ever-evolving drink menu.
To wit, the Root & Roast is a carrot cake-inspired espresso-tini with a blend of vodka, Americano amaro, spiced carrot syrup, house-made cold brew concentrate, cream cheese foam and candied carrot.
And don’t miss the Tropic Like It’s Hot (recipe below), featuring a tiki margarita-style base topped with an orange foam (made with—you’re hearing this right—an aquarium pump) that Roldan can only describe as “like drinking air!”
The Watershed Pub is located at 2129 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.thewatershed.pub. Photos by Will Masters.
ROLDAN’S CHOICES
Words of advice to home mixologists
Don’t leave the advanced techniques to your favorite bartender—learn them yourself. Some of the questions that will help elevate your at-home cocktail game include: When do you stir or shake? And when is a cocktail chilled/diluted enough?
Favorite spirit straight
Rum. I’m half Puerto Rican, so I need to represent! Partly kidding, but I just love how versatile it is. You can enjoy it blended with a mix of juices and sugars in a tiki drink, or get yourself a nice aged one, like a Don Q Reserva 7 or any Appleton Estate and drink it straight over some ice.
Recommendations for two or three spirits to try
I’ll recommend two of my PA favorites:
Kinsey 4-Year-Old Bourbon, New Liberty Distillery
A lesser-known bourbon, but I’m a huge fan. It’s a solid middling bourbon that competes with other well-known bourbons at its price point, delivering some pretty complex flavors that any whiskey drinker would enjoy.
Salta Montes Tequila, BOTLD
This is an actual tequila and not just the typical “agave spirit” you’ll see at many PA-only bars. It’s 100% blue agave, made in Jalisco, and triple-distilled, making it true to that slightly earthy traditional agave flavor, yet very approachable.
Most commonly ordered drink(s) at your bar
We try to keep our menu interesting and are constantly trying out new creative ideas, but the Bush Doctor is pretty popular now. It’s a painkiller-meets-jerk-cooking-tiki cocktail that’s pretty fun. Our all-time best seller would be the Willoughby, a classic grapefruit cosmo.
DRINK FOR MAY
Tropic Like It’s Hot
- 1 oz coconut oil fat-washed tequila
- 75 oz Oxbow Aged Agricole Rhum Louisiane
- 1 oz acid-adjusted guava juice (33.8 oz guava / 7g citric acid / 6g malic acid)
- 5 oz lime super juice
- 5 oz orange sage honey syrup
- 25 oz passion fruit syrup
- 2-3 drops 20% saline solution
- 1 scoop “Orange Air” foam
Orange Air
- 60 ml orange super juice
- 30 ml orange sage honey syrup
- 30 ml water
- 6g soy lecithin
Shake all ingredients and double strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish by adding a large scoop of orange air with a julep strainer.
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