Bartender of the Month:

Dave Gallagher, purported to be one of the best bartenders in Baltimore, is a very entertaining and engaging fellow. A veteran of fourteen years and renown for his Dave-a-thons (a marathon bartending session that lasts from 12/30 through 1/1 *straight through*, and the proceeds go to charity at Johns Hopkins), he can be found at Slainte most nights before 5 pm. Baltimore Bar Crawl had the express pleasure of interviewing him this month.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm from Ireland, Limerick, and I've been in the bar business since I was about yay-high (Ed: about three feet). I tried to be a jockey, but that didn't work out - I'm too big and too fat. And that's about it.

Why did you decide to get into bar tending?

My mother owned three bars, so I was basically brought up in the family business.

What is your favorite drink to make?

Ice water. (Laughs) Simple and fast.

(Laughs) Well that's a first. Then, what is your least favorite drink to make?

Long island iced tea. Way too many shots.

What do you think a drink says about a person? Like how they order it, what they order, that type of thing.

Depends. If you don't know what you're ordering then f*** you. If you ask me for some crazy drink and I say to you what's in it, and you don't know, how the f*** am I going to make it. That's what I don't like.

Like they came up with this new drink - Washington Apple - about six months ago. Nobody knew what was in it. It's a "fad".

I haven't even heard of it.

Oh, okay, so it's Crown Royale, Apple Pucker, and cranberry juice. But if you order a drink off of me and you don't know what goes in it then I don't like making it.

Who's your favorite type of customer?

One that tips me big money.

Fair enough. What's your favorite drink?

Powers Irish Whiskey.

What's the weirdest thing you've seen on the job?

Oh god, probably, uh, a couple of people banging - not here - on a pool table. Not here.

Like during hours and all that?

(Nods)

Gross. Okay: karaoke - good or evil?

Oh, evil.

Got any parting comments for us?

Thank you for interviewing me

Ed. note - right after the interview Dave showcased a particularly painful shot - Death by Tequila. It consists of snorting a line of salt, a shot of tequila, then squeezing a lime wedge into the eye. We at BBC were especially impressed by such a feat of drinking prowess. The video below is a testament to his alcoholic fortitude