Q &A with Brand Ambassador Aleksander Pelowski

Is there a flavour you loved as a child in Poland that you've never managed to turn into a cocktail — and why do you think it keeps defeating you?

As a kid, I was quite a picky eater and didn't really enjoy eating much of anything. However, there are two flavours I remember from my childhood that, over the years, I've tried to turn into cocktails, with varying degrees of success: rhubarb and redcurrant.

While redcurrant was relatively easy to work with, capturing the delicate flavour and acidity of rhubarb in a cocktail proved to be much more challenging.

Even today, I still believe that the best way to capture and preserve that flavour is through a properly made liqueur or homemade infusion. And secretly, I'm still hoping that one day Bols will add rhubarb to its liqueur portfolio.

Your market stretches from the Baltic to Central Asia. Where did you drink the best drink of your life?

It's really hard to pick just one favourite bar or cocktail. Every country, every bar, and every bartender has something unique to offer, and there's always something new that can surprise you.

If I had to highlight a few places, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan would definitely be high on my list. I was genuinely impressed by the flavours and creativity behind many of the cocktails I tried there.

As for the best cocktail I've had recently, it would have to be at TAG in Kraków. Their entire new cocktail menu really impressed me, and I'd struggle to choose just one drink from it.

However, during the FLOW Exchange event at TAG, Vítězslav Cirok from Becher's Bar made what was probably the best mango-flavoured cocktail I've ever had in my life.

What's a classic cocktail you secretly think is overrated— and what would you serve instead?

For me, the most overrated cocktail has always been the classic Martini. I've never really liked it, never fully understood its appeal, and honestly, I've never seen much point in it. Maybe I just haven't reached that level of bartending maturity yet, but I've always considered it one of the most overrated cocktails out there.

If I could replace it with something else, it would definitely be a Mai Tai, which has always been one of my all-time favourite cocktails.

What's the biggest misconception the world has has about how Eastern Europeans drink?

Everyone seems to assume that people in Eastern Europe drink nothing but straight vodka. The reality is quite different. We enjoy a bit of everything, and we know how to appreciate a good cocktail, not just vodka.

The variety of interesting spirits and drinking traditions across such a vast and diverse region would probably surprise a lot of people. But to truly understand that, you need to come and experience it for yourself, spend some time with the locals, and discover what Eastern Europe really has to offer.

Is there a drink ritual in your markets that simply doesn't translate to a bar anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try?
I think a lot of people underestimate how much you can achieve and how strong a relationship you can build simply by sitting down at a table with people in Central and Eastern Europe.

It's all about sharing local food, having a few drinks, and most importantly, having genuine conversations.

And it's rarely about fancy or elaborate cocktails. We tend to keep things simple, enjoying local spirits in their purest form, with good food and even better company. The drinks are just a part of the experience, something that naturally goes along with long conversations and evenings spent together.

For me, that's something that really makes Central and Eastern Europe stand out. Sometimes, all it takes is one long evening around the same table to build connections, earn someone's trust, and turn complete strangers into lifelong friends.

What's the strangest place or situation you've ever had to make cocktails?

The weirdest situations always happen at family gatherings, when someone suddenly decides that you should make them a cocktail. After all, they've got a bottle or two of something lying around, and apparently that's all you need!

The best part? Nobody even considers that you might need something as basic as ice to make a proper cocktail.

You're just expected to wave your magic wand over a glass and somehow turn whatever they have in the cupboard into the best drink they've ever had in their life.

Is there a moment you realized a bartender in your market understood your brand better than your head office did?

There's only one way I can answer this question, and that's by quoting José Mourinho: "If I speak, I am in big trouble." ;)

But trust me, local bartenders and local markets often know best what they actually need. That's why it's so important to have someone who listens to them, understands their challenges, and stays connected to what's happening on the ground.

This is exactly why I put so much effort into building and maintaining relationships with bars and bartenders across the region. I believe that staying close to the people who work in these markets every day is the best way to understand their needs, identify opportunities, and figure out how we can genuinely support them and help them grow.

What did you learn about people from working in bars that no marketing degree could have taught you?
For me, hospitality has always been about understanding people. No degree or course can truly prepare you for how different every guest can be.

Everyone walks into a bar with their own story. One person might be celebrating the best day of their life, while someone sitting next to them could be going through one of their worst. And it's our job to make both of them feel welcome and create an experience they'll appreciate.

I've always believed that people don't really pay us with money when they visit our bars. They pay us with something much more valuable - their time.

Out of all the places they could choose, they've decided to spend that time with us. That's why I believe we should always aim to create the best possible experience for our guests. Not at any cost, of course, but by listening, paying attention, and understanding what they actually need.

At the end of the day, I just want people to leave my bar feeling that the time they spent with us was worth it.

What's your most controversial opinion about the cocktail industry that you'd only admit after a few shots?

My most controversial opinion would definitely be that bartenders today are probably one of the most privileged groups of working professionals in the world.

You don't necessarily need a degree, formal education, years of experience, or sometimes even the motivation to put in the effort.

And yet, plenty of spirits brands will still show up, hand out free clothes, merchandise, money, and gifts, pat you on the back, and potentially even take you on an all-expenses-paid trip. Because, apparently, "bartenders deserve it." ;)

Years ago, you had to invest significantly more time, effort, and dedication to earn certain opportunities and privileges. You had to work for them, prove yourself, and build your reputation. Today, I feel that in many cases, the balance has shifted towards expecting more and more while contributing less and less.

Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of incredibly talented and hardworking bartenders out there who absolutely deserve the recognition and opportunities they receive. But I do think we've created an industry where sometimes the expectations are much higher than the actual effort people are willing to put in.

What's an ingredient from your travels in Central Asia that Western bartenders would dismiss at first sight but shouldn't?
That ingredient would definitely be kumis (kymyz), a traditional Central Asian drink made from fermented mare's milk.

It's something the locals tried to surprise me with, as they use it in various ways in both their food and drinks. They often expect visitors from Western countries to find it quite unusual or even a little shocking.

But for me, growing up in the Polish countryside, it wasn't really that surprising. However, I'm pretty sure some of my Western friends would be in for quite a surprise if they came across this ingredient!

You've trained hundreds of bartenders. Who taught you the most — and was it a bartender?

I've spent around 15 years in the hospitality industry, so it's really hard to pick just a few people who have taught me the most along the way.

My first steps behind the bar were incredibly important, especially when it came to developing my work ethic, discipline, and organizational skills.

However, the two people who probably had the biggest impact on my bartending career were Mikołaj "Mikser" and Pavlo "Rudy", who guided me through my first serious bartending job at Mała Sztuka.

They taught me a huge part of what I still know and use to this day, helped shape me as a bartender, and played a major role in my professional development. I definitely owe them a lot.

If your job had a warning label, what would it say?

I think one of the biggest warning signs in bartending that nobody really talks about is how addictive the constant attention, appreciation, and human interaction can become.

You're constantly surrounded by people, getting compliments, being recognized, and feeling like you're part of something. And the longer you work in this industry, the harder it can become to live without that feeling. I think it leaves a much bigger mark on bartenders than most people realize, especially those who have spent years behind the bar.

The real warning sign? When you start missing the attention more than the actual job, and your sense of self-worth becomes connected to how much people appreciate you behind the bar. Because sometimes, the hardest part of hospitality isn't dealing with people. It's learning how to live without constantly being surrounded by them.