We have a follow-up to the news about Bourbon and Branch‘s Todd Smith stepping down from his management position…

Smith’s successors are Joel Baker and Yanni Kehagiaras (pictured above), a couple of local comptetion-winning bartenders (or as B&B calls them, “Bar Chefs”), both who have been working at B&B for a while now.

As mentioned previously, Smith remains connected with Bourbon and Branch’s Beverage Academy, participating in upcoming classes Cocktails 101 and A Taste of Absinthe.

Rumor has it that Bourbon and Branch is polishing up a new “secret” room dubbed “Russell’s Room”, occupying a space that was formerly J.J. Russell’s cigar shop during prohibition in the 1920’s. Hm, how many secret rooms can a speakeasy have?

Photo courtesy of Bourbon and Branch

Todd Smith, one of the founding fathers of the speakeasy-style bar Bourbon and Branch, has announced he will be leaving the bar to pursue new ventures, possible opening his own bar in the future. Although he is leaving the bar, he plans to stay connected with the popular Beverage Academy program there.

Smith created many signature cocktails at Bourbon and Branch, including the Aperol Sour, pictured above. Bourbon and Branch is one of the bars that paved the cocktail revival in San Francisco within the past few years. You can find the recipe for the Aperol Sour, as well as read all about the cocktail revival in the Bay Area in this very excellent article in San Francisco Magazine.