Che Ramos will be a guest bartender at Durham’s Alley Twenty 26
Ramos, known as The Black Bourbon Guy, will have a once-a-month residency behind the bar on the last Wednesday of each month.
Durham, N.C. (March
Durham, N.C. (March 21,
2022) — Bourbon expert Che Ramos, who is known as The Black Bourbon Guy, will be a regular guest bartender at Durham’s Alley Twenty Six on the last Wednesday of each month.
“Che is one of my favorite bartenders. Now he’s following his passion and transitioning into more consulting and education with the launch of The Black Bourbon Guy. So we asked Che to join us behind the bar last month for one of our Whiskey Wednesday events. Our guests enjoyed Che’s presence so much that we asked him to return on a regular basis,” said Shannon Healy, the owner of Alley Twenty Six, a 2022 James Beard finalist for Outstanding Bar Program. “Che’s expertise and enthusiasm to share his bourbon knowledge makes him a good
fit for the type of hospitality we try to offer at Alley Twenty Six.”
Ramos has spent almost 20 years working at Triangle restaurants and bars, including Weathervane and Kitchen, both in Chapel Hill, and
University Club and Counting House at the 21c Museum Hotel, both in Durham. In Nov. 2020, Ramos started The Black Bourbon Guy to offer professional training as well as private whiskey tastings and cocktail classes. His hope is to increase people of color behind the bar and among the clientele at the bars he likes to frequent.
“There’s not a lot of black representation on either side of the bars that I go to,” Ramos said. “The goal of these events is to share both my
and Alley Twenty Six’s love of great whiskey with a diverse group of people. That benefits everybody.”
Ramos’ next turn behind the bar at Alley Twenty Six will be 4-6 p.m. March 30. Every Wednesday, the team at Alley Twenty Six chooses a
different unique or exciting bottle of whiskey to serve at a break-even price. If a guest ordered a pour of the same whiskey at another bar or even at Alley Twenty Six on a different night, they would pay the standard up charge. Whiskey Wednesday is a way for the cocktail bar to offer guests a chance to learn about these premium whiskeys without breaking the bank. On March 23, the bar will be offering George Dickel Bottled in Bond for $5 a pour. Ramos selected Uncle Nearest 1856 for $5 to pour on March 30. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is named for Nathan Green, the Tennessee slave who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey.
For more information about Ramos’ business: blackbourbonguy.com. For photos of Ramos behind the bar at Alley Twenty Six, please go to: https://bit.ly/CheRamosphotos
Alley Twenty Six is located at 320 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham. It is open for cocktails from 4 p.m.-12 a.m. Wednesday-Thursday and Sunday
Sunday from 4-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Dinner is served Wednesday-Sunday and brunch is available on Sundays. For more information: alleytwentysix.com.
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ABOUT ALLEY TWENTY SIX: Shannon Healy opened Alley Twenty Six in 2012 in the heart of downtown Durham, N.C. Healy previously
served as general manager of the James Beard Award-winning restaurant Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, N.C., which has
since closed. Healy brought his farm-to-sip approach to cocktails from Crook’s to Alley Twenty Six. In 2017, Healy expanded the bar to add a full kitchen and dining room. Chef Carrie Schleiffer serves up a seasonal menu of small plates and entrees that pair well with the evolving cocktail menu. In March 2022, Alley Twenty Six was named a finalist for Outstanding Bar Program, a national category in the James Beard Foundation’s annual restaurant and chef awards. Alley Twenty Six is the first North Carolina bar or restaurant to be a semifinalist or finalist in this category since it was started in 2012. Healy has also won multiple awards for best bartender from Indy Week and best cocktail from Durham Magazine. For more information: alleytwentysix.com.