Bitters & Brass in Sanford: A Modern Take on the Classic Cocktail Bar

Please Note: Bitters & Brass has since closed their doors, but we loved getting to know them and still feel they deserve a little spotlight for coming to Sanford.

If you were to quickly pass by you might think the building is still the old Fat Rats Lounge, but stop for a moment and peer at the windows and you’ll immediately recognize your mistake as “Bitters & Brass” shines bright in the windows. Step inside and meet owners Julian and Arthur and bar tender Chris, and you’ll see (and taste) there’s no doubt of the businesses newness.

Ti Punch at Bitters and Brass. Photo courtesy of Instagram @drinksanford

Combined these three guys have about 22 years of bar tending knowledge and have worked together at some of the most well known cocktail bars in Orlando, such as The Courtesy Bar and Guesthouse. And although they enjoyed working at these fast paced bars the idea of opening their own place and serving their own drinks just wouldn’t leave them alone, and boy, are we sure glad that idea stuck around. About a year after they came up with the idea Arthur was in Downtown Sanford and noticed the For Lease sign on the door of their current location. In November 2016, the boys agreed on it and here they are.

Absinthe 101. Photo courtesy of Instagram @drinksanford

Arthur and Julian aren’t just business owners they are bar lovers, and pride themselves in such. “We wanted a bar that was started by bar tenders and bar tender driven with local ingredients” says Arthur and I believe they’ve done just that. They are knowledgable on what they serve and know the science behind a good drink, step into Bitters & Brass and order a drink from any three of these guys and you’ll get the same taste.

It’s a goal of theirs to have everyone that walks through the doors of their bar to feel welcome, a more of an approachable cocktail bar if you will, with drinks to please everyone.

All of the ingredients at Bitters & Brass are house made, all of their honey and citrus is local coming from Honey Bloom Farms. They hope to one day grow their own citrus to create handmade ice syrup juices.

A 300lb block of ice from a company named The Ice Doctors that comes all the way from Gainesville is chopped by hand by Arthur, Julian or Chris. The ice is free of impurities unlike the ice that would come from your freezer allowing the flavors of the drinks that are served at their bar to come through so perfectly with every sip.

Old Fashioned at Bitters and Brass. Photo courtesy of Instagram @drinksanford

And oh, the drinks, if you’re a lover of the classics or a lover of some of the boys’ unique creations such as Rangoon Club which consists of Gordon’s Dry Gin, Lime, Cream of Coconut, Egg White, Herb Saint and Angostura then this is the place for you, bringing the old cocktail bar back, with a modern take by these three men.

Photo courtesy of Instagram @drinksanford

So what’s to come for Bitter’s & Brass? Stop in regularly to see and taste their seasonally rotating menu, Old fashioned drinks are always on the menu. If you’re a local band or know of a local band contact Bitters & Brass at bittersandbrass@gmail.com as they are looking for live music to play in the future (with the thought in mind that’s it’s a cocktail bar and people will want to be able to hold a conversation) and hopes of holding classes for making your own drinks.

To keep up with what’s going on at Bitters & Brass be sure to follow them on Facebook.

And as always we ask that you take a moment to stop by and check out the new Bar and welcome the boys to Sanford at Bitters & Brass 410 Sanford Ave, Sanford, Florida 32771

Thank you also to @DrinkSanford for letting us use some of their awesome craft cocktail pictures. Be sure to follow them on Instagram and show them YOUR favorite drinks around town: