Establishment: Rouser at Asher Adams —2 S. 400 West, SLC
Bartender: Benjamin Arcia
Cocktail Name: Sticks & Stones
Ben Arcia works to transcend the role of a bartender—he is an architect of experience, a curator of flavor and a storyteller through spirits. This expertise extends beyond the mechanics of crafting cocktails; understanding the rhythm of a room, the alchemy of ingredients and the unspoken language of hospitality.
He especially enjoys taking well-loved drinks and making them fresh. “In modern bartending, you need your own take on classics. I’ll try and reinvent the wheel for somebody.” Whether reviving a forgotten classic or trying something new, Ben wants to turn every drink into an encounter—an invitation to indulge, savor
and remember.
What does he love most about being behind the bar? “I get to make silly drinks and talk to people all day. I get to have my fun while giving people an experience.
Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
Sticks & Stones
.75 oz Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc
.75 oz Angeleno Amaro
.75 oz lemon juice
25 oz Bees Brothers honey infused with saffron tea
1 Tbs of Tagges apricot preserves
1 dash of Scrappys cardamom bitters
1 hefty pinch of fresh Frog Bench Farms arugula
Dash of salt
Garnish with fresh arugula leaves and a crack of black pepper.
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.
