BOTHELL — They call themselves the A-Team.
Mallory Galash, Alethea Kendrick and Valerie Hackett have been together since Day 1 at The Bine. The three were among the first bartenders hired when the beer-and-food joint opened on Aug. 3, 2017 — National IPA Day.
They’ve been close friends ever since.
Working together since Day 1 has its perks. They don’t finish each other’s sentences — not yet, anyway — but they do understand how each other thinks.
Here, the trio talk about their bartending personalities, how they try to broaden their customers’ tastes and their favorite brews on tap at The Bine.
When did you know you wanted to be a bartender?
Valerie Hackett, 37, Seattle: Originally, I just wanted to be a cool person. So, I was like, ‘I’m going to try this.’ I fell in love with beer. I just love putting beer in cups and talking about beer.
Alethea Kendrick, 34, Bothell: I didn’t have any plans to become a bartender. It wasn’t like an aspiration of mine; I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I want to be a bartender.” I was literally just walking by when they opened. I came in and was like, “You guys are hiring, right?”
Mallory Galash, 26, Kenmore: I decided I wanted to be a bartender when I was 18. Then I decided to move out of the country so I could do it someplace far away that I thought was sunny, and see somewhere cool, so I moved to New Zealand.
Was it sunny?
MG: It was actually very cold. The weather was kind of like here — it was rainy — but I mean it was nice, it was different, it was beautiful.
What were you up to before?
AK: I was in the glorious field of managing restaurants. They were training me to be a regional manager at this barbecue joint. It wasn’t necessarily a bad place, I just kind of outgrew it. I thought this place looked just right for me.
MG: I was working at a brewery down in Kenmore, and it was just not for me.
VH: I spent 10 to 12 years in the brewing industry. I’m a certified cicerone — which is like a sommelier for beer — and I just love being in the beer world and sharing knowledge with people.
MG: She’s kind of a big deal.
AK: She’s a guru up here for sure. It’s how she describes a beer when she tastes one. There are all these things that you recognize that you had no idea about before.
How has The Bine grown since it opened?
AK: The street was closed when we first opened. They were changing the parking situation. But we killed it. I think we’re a staple in the neighborhood now. We’ve really brought people together. Everybody knows everybody. We know all of our regulars. It’s grown into a family mentality.
MG: So many people who live up the street are just now coming in and they’re like, “We didn’t know this place was here.”
VH: The owners, George and Kylie Marshall, have made a really special place for the community, beer drinkers and for the staff. We all love working for them and with each other. We just have such a good team, and I think that’s part of our success.
What kind of bartender are you?
VH: I like to think I’m fun. I like when I get an opportunity to use my beer knowledge, so I will bring that out. I’m really just there to help them find something to drink and have a good time. I want people to sit at my bar and have fun.
MG: It really depends on the day, and anyone that has worked in the industry will probably get that. Alethea talks to people, and she gets to know their family and gets to know their life and their story. It’s not that I don’t care. I’m just usually like, “Hey, how was your day? It was good?”
AK: She nailed it — I’m very personable and outgoing.
Do the three of you get to work together on the same shift?
VH: All the time. It’s awesome. At this point, we all know each other and don’t get in each other’s way. You don’t have to worry about anything. We all have each other’s backs.
AK: We’re pretty much the A-Team.
The A-Team is three people?
MG: I think it was five.
VH: Well, our A-Team is three people.
AK: We only need three.
Would you say bartending is easier or harder when there are 27 brews on tap?
VH: Way easier.
AK: It’s harder when somebody doesn’t like a certain kind of beer or a certain taste, and there’s only five beers.
Has anyone ever told you they don’t like all 27?
MG: Yeah. Some people you just can’t please, but there are a lot of people who don’t know what they want. Sometimes they’re new to beer drinking and are like, “I usually drink Corona and Moscow Mules — what would you recommend?” I usually steer to the lighter side of things, unless somebody knows they want something aggressive or something specific.
VH: I like surprising people. If they say something like, “I know I don’t like hoppy beers,” I will bring them some samples and not tell them what they are. Sometimes what they like is an IPA. You can just open their eyes.
What has been your favorite brew here?
MG: My favorite was the Holy Mountain Aboundment saison. I was super-stoked on it. It’s sour, easy to drink and so delicious.
AK: Last night I was drinking Abombination Brewing’s Shotgun Sour. The Holy Mountain Demonteller (a Belgian Saison style beer) was my favorite. If I were going to go dark: the Old Schoolhouse Big Valley Brown Ale.
VH: If I’m picking from what’s on tap now: Chuckanut’s Mediterranean Pilsner. I love Chuckanut. They make such clean, amazing lagers.
If you were a beer, what kind would you be?
MG: I would definitely be a saison because I can be mild, spicy and a little tart sometimes.
AK: I’m an ESP (Extra Special Pale Ale), because I’m extra special.
VH: I think you’re a Wild Ale. She (Alethea) can be unpredictable. It’s always an adventure.
OK, flip the tables on her. What is she?
AK: I’d say she’s (Valerie) something sparkly, like a Rose Cider. She’s so rosy.
VH: I was going to say a Hoppy Belgian Blonde. Easy drinking, spicy and I got a little bite to me sometimes.
If you go
The Bine, 10127 Main St. Suite A, Bothell, is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays.
Call 425-908-7464 or go to www.thebinebothell.com for more information
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