The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage & Tavern Association Mixologist of the Month

April 2016: Mike Schlesinger  

Signature Cocktail:
Tidal Wave 
Vodka
Peach Schnapps
Blueberry Schnapps
Blue Curacao
Pineapple Juice
Cherry and Pinapple Garnish  

After graduating from Penn State, Mike Schlesinger began bartending at a local private club where his uncle was the bar manager. At the same time he worked at the Clinton Country Club but later left both positions to manage a chain restaurant. In 2006, Mike returned to bartending and has been at Hangar 9 for the past five years. It’s at Hangar 9, with a customer base of college kids, that Mike enjoys “playing with different liquor combinations and making new cocktails.” He also enjoys being able to influence his customer’s first tastes and experiences in a bar atmosphere.

He goes on to say that being successful as a bartender means being able to adapt to the customer base, having control over the bar, and being able to stay on top of the latest trends and innovations of the industry. Mike also believes that learning classic drink recipes, learning what your customers like, and experimenting with new flavor combinations helps to keep your skills refined. When Mike isn’t at Hangar 9 wowing his patrons, you can find him with his wife, Stacie or children, Evan and Mattison, coaching one of their sports teams.

Hangar 9 Restaurant & Lounge
208 Bellefont Avenue
Lock Haven, PA 17745
www.hangar9lockhaven.com