Where The Bartenders Drink With Noble Experiment's Adele Stratton

The ‘Spearmint Wino’ dishes on her favorite spots to imbibe around town.

by Keri Bridgwater Oct 16, 2015, 1:51pm PDT

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by Keri Bridgwater Oct 16, 2015, 1:51pm PDT

CH Projects

San Diego native Adele Stratton first stepped foot inside Noble Experiment shortly after her 21st birthday. Amazed at what CH Projects luminaries Trevor Easter and Anthony Schmidt were creating; that night inadvertently sealed her fate after a chance meeting with co-owner Nate Stanton, who later helped secure Stratton a hostess job at the newly opened Craft and Commerce in 2010.

At Craft she cut her teeth under the tutelage of industry veterans including Ryan Walsh, Leigh Lacap, Eric Johnson, Christian Siglin, Dave Kinsey and Brian Prugalidad – working her way up to a server, then eventually bartender. Transitioning to rooftop oasis Fairweather last year, Stratton went on to develop her love for all things ‘Tiki’ working alongside Anthony Schmidt and Ryan Walsh. Coming full circle, a little less than a year later, Trevor Easter offered her a position at Noble Experiment – landing her dream job at the very bar that first piqued her interest into the industry.

With a role heavily weighted on cocktail development, Stratton’s strong background in classics often sees her using those tried and trusted formulas to create new cocktails. A good example of this would be one of her drinks on Noble’s fancy new menu called The Flycatcher. "Refreshing, bold and juicy", the cocktail combines her favorite spirit Mezcal with fresh watermelon, Campari, fresh lime, orgeat, and a pinch of salt.

Referring to Stratton, and other leading women working at San Diego's top bars, Easter said, "This is the new generation of female bartenders who are taking over the scene by putting in the time and working hard -- no excuses just 100% work and dedication –– it's truly inspiring to watch".

Also known by her Instagram alter ego Spearmint Wino, Stratton, who was raised in Ocean Beach, currently resides in North Park with her eight-year old daughter Mia.

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An old school SD staple, this place boasts one of the most impressive tap selections. However, when I’m there its always Blanton’s Bourbon on the rocks.