Establishment: Log Haven — 6451 Mill Creek Canyon Rd., SLC
Bartender: Zach Gunderman
Cocktail Name: Wild Mountain Thyme
For a guy whose admitted his favorite after-shift drink is an “Irish whiskey on rocks, by myself,” his new position behind the bar at Log Haven has opened his eyes to the beautiful setting he works in, specifically the ingredients it provides.
“We’ve made it with the huckleberries that grow in Millcreek Canyon and the fresh thyme that grows right outside the kitchen,” he says.
Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
Fittingly, Log Haven’s entry is called “Wild Mountain Thyme” and is a local (very local) take on a traditional whiskey sour. Starting with Sugar House Distillery’s Bourbon, Zach creates a simple syrup from the huckleberries, thyme and lemon, which provides the tartness one would expect in a whiskey sour. To take the edge off, he uses a Capertiff (vermouth) from South Africa, selected from Log Haven’s always eclectic spirit library
Wild Mountain Thyme
1.5 oz Blue Corn Sugar House Bourbon
.5 oz Caperitif
.75 oz huckleberry thyme syrup
.5 oz lemon juice
4 dashes of barrel-aged Bitters
Shaken into a double rocks glass
Garnish with 3 sprigs of thyme, candied huckleberries and a lemon peel.
Huckleberry Thyme Syrup:
1 cup fresh huckleberries
1 cup sugar
Zest from 4 lemons
20 sprigs fresh thyme
Mix it all in a saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low for 15-30 minutes.
Explore the cocktail trail and vote for your favorite cocktail in the 2025 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest.
About the 2025 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
23 bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout from Sept. 1–Oct. 1 by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
