End of Days mixologist and bartender Gus Bellavida recently won the prestigious People's Choice Award for Best Cocktail at the NCRLA Chefs Showdown with his Country Wonka Cocktail. This award, voted for by the public, is a testament to his exceptional mixology skills and the unique flavors he brings to his cocktails. We wanted to spotlight this talented mixer & shaker and catch up to learn more about him.
Photographs by Matt Ray
Tell us about your background and where you learned to be a mixologist.
I was born in Brazil and came to the U.S. when I was seven. I attended high school here in Wilmington at Eugene Ashley. After high school, I returned to Brazil in 2010 and worked as an English teacher for four years. My interest in craft cocktails only came later in life, after I returned in 2016. I worked at Jacobi Lewis Co. on Front St for a while, which allowed me to see many restaurants. This is how I learned about EOD before it was open to the public. I also attended C.F.C.C. around that time, and in the Hospitality Management program, I took a Mixology course. That's where it all started!
How did you come to work at End of Days?
While at Cape Fear Community College I became really interested in distillation because I saw the beer industry at its peak here in Wilmington. I won't tell you everything I did at home, but my 26-gallon electric column is still here at E.O.D. as proof. When I found out that a distillery was being built in my neighborhood, I just had to make a move. I met Shane Faulkner, the owner of EOD, about six months before we opened. I walked in with samples of some homemade rum, and that's how we hit it off. He had a distiller then, so I never dedicated too much time to that area once we opened officially. This worked out perfectly because I got to shine behind the bar!
You recently won Best Cocktail at the NCRLA. What was that experience like for you?
It was a great experience that brought out my creativity and made me work with new ingredients and flavors, and ultimately made me a better mixologist and bartender.
What was the winning cocktail, and what made it unique?
The winning cocktail, the Country Wonka, was a unique creation that used our Port of Entry Rum as its base. I prepared a corn chicha with N.C. sweet corn, N.C. apples, thyme, and star anise, sweetening this mix with a purple sweet potato and cinnamon cordial. The blueberry and pecan foam that topped the cocktail was a crowd-pleaser. I believe the blueberry and pecan foam that topped the cocktail won the crowd that night. I was incredibly proud of the foam because, at one point in the competition, I thought I could not pull it off. When I blended the two, I lost the blue color I was going for, so I had to improvise. All the ingredients for the Country Wonka were locally sourced, a testament to the quality of our local produce. The blueberries came from Lewis Strawberry Farms, pecans from the Carolina Country Store, NC corn and purple sweet potatoes, and salt from Sea Love Sea Salt in Wrightsville Beach.
Do you have a favorite spirit?
I can appreciate any spirit, but I tend to drink more bourbon, gin and rum, and I definitely prefer a cocktail over a neat pour any day.
When you're not shaking cocktails what do you like to do?
When I'm not behind the bar, you'll find me outdoors. I love being out on the water, taking my wife and 3-year-old son out on the boat whenever I can to enjoy Masonboro Island. I also enjoy fishing. And recently, I've picked up baking - I make a mean sourdough boule.
3 songs on your current playlist.
Country Wonka
2 oz EOD Port of Entry Rum
2 oz NC sweet corn Chicha (corn, NC apples, thyme, star anise)
1/2 oz NC Purple Sweetpotato and cinnamon cordial
1/4 oz Lime juice
Topped with a Blueberry & Pecan foam
Blueberry dust stripe, crushed pecans, thyme sprig
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