Colleen Graham

Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist and writer with a passion for creating and sharing great cocktails and mixed drinks that enrich everyday life.

Highlights

10+ years experience writing about cocktails
Author of "Tequila: Cocktails With a Kick" and "Rosé Made Me Do It"
Published over 900 recipes

Experience

Colleen has spent over a decade bartending and writing about cocktails for outlets such as The Spruce Eats, Maximum Yield's HydroLife, and Bar None Drinks. Over this time, she has researched and reported on many aspects related to the art and practice of creating fine drinks.

This experience has allowed her to both rediscover classic cocktails and try modern drinks that have a culinary touch. She has also explored a variety of distilled spirits and ingredients and often goes behind-the-scenes with the talented characters of the hospitality and liquor industries. She and her husband Shannon operate S&C Design Studios, a commercial and fine art photography studio that specializes in beverage photography.

Education

Colleen received a degree in photojournalism from Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa but was always drawn to the written word. A fascination with mixing drinks led her to study bartending as well. Over the years, she shared her skills by bartending for private parties and the two led to a career of writing about mixed drinks and cocktails.

Colleen has received certification through Pernod Ricard's BarSmarts training and attends cocktail seminars at events like Tales of the Cocktail and the San Antonio Cocktail Conference.

Awards and Publications

In 2012, Colleen's first book, "¡Hola Tequila!, Ninety Creative Cocktails and Inspired Shooters," was published; it was followed up by "Tequila: Cocktails With a Kick" in 2017. Both are a celebration of the headlining spirit, not only looking at tequila's history and production but also offering 90 cocktails and tips for setting up a tequila-centered bar.

In 2019, "Rosé Made Me Do It" was published by Harper Collins UK. In this book, Colleen shares 60 fun recipes featuring rosé wine, including frosés, sangrias, and cocktails that put a pink wine twist on favorite drinks.

Expertise: Mixology, Cocktails

Title: Mixologist

About The Spruce

The Spruce, a Dotdash Meredith brand, is a new kind of home website offering practical, real-life tips and inspiration to help you create your best home. The Spruce reaches 32 million people each month. Learn more about us and our editorial process, and our commitment to ensuring we are providing you with the most trustworthy advice by certified experts for your home and garden.