all about al

Al is a transmasculine writer, historian, and bartender based in the hilltowns of western Massachusetts. Currently, their work focuses on the intersection of the American Cocktail, food, and culture from the age of punch through the 1960s and, sometimes, the twenty-first century.

Al is a regular contributor to Punch (a Vox publication), where they’re the columnist for the D List, a longstanding series from Punch about obscure cocktails that are being revived by modern bartenders. They have also written for Saveur Bon Appétit, and The Boston Globe. Since October of 2020, they have been running Al's Cocktail Club, a paid newsletter diving into different points in cocktail history through weekly missives and recipes.

A lifelong historian, Al studied history and art history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a focus on medieval Europe. They spent their junior year studying in Canterbury, England. Since then, you might have come across Al making you a very good espresso, catering an event, serving your lunch, or making you a drink at a bar, among myriad other things. They are the former general manager of the beloved Red Hook (Brooklyn) bar and restaurant Fort Defiance. Since September of 2019, they’ve been tending bar at Gigantic in Easthampton, MA.

Al spends their spare time throwing dinner parties, touring the New English countryside, visiting the big city, and cooking for friends. They are the chapter lead for the Western Mass. chapter of Queer Soup Night.