She’s Creating Cocktail Magic at El Guapo

Christa Cotton has found a way to bottle the essence of Southern revelry and childlike wonder — but with a grown-up twist. She was raised in the Southwest Georgia dirt and helped her family open Georgia’s first post-Prohibition distillery. Her instinctive connection to nature and real-life experience, mixed with a business degree and a stint in advertising, landed Christa Cotton at the helm of El Guapo.

The brand began as zero-proof bitters but has since expanded into syrups and mixers and will soon open the country’s first bitters brewery. Christa’s accolades are as zesty as her ingredients, and after chatting with her, we’re ready to book the next flight to New Orleans to have a drink with her in person. Ideally, one she’s crafted with El Guapo magic.

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Where did your fascination with bitters begin?

I helped my parents open Georgia’s first liquor distillery since Prohibition, Thirteenth Colony, while in college at Auburn University. I learned so much in that process and developed a strong interest in the liquor and CPG (consumer packaged goods) industries. I still learn something new every day!

What kind of “schooling” — traditional or non-traditional went into creating El Guapo?

My parents built one very large business and a few pet project businesses like the distillery while I was growing up, and while I do have a business degree from Auburn, I also have a dinnertime MBA. I’ve learned so much from watching my parents, and that real-life experience has come in handy as I’ve branched out on my own.

What informs and inspires you when sourcing ingredients and creating new flavors?

I grew up in rural Southwest Georgia. It’s farmland and hunting preserves everywhere you look. My grandparents and great-grandparents were farmers, and I grew up playing in the dirt. I have an affinity for finding the best quality inputs to create the best quality product I possibly can, and our team fully embraces the ethos of superior sourcing.

We’ve always been inspired by New Orleans and the ingredients indigenous to our region and the South as a whole. For example, grenadine is traditionally made from pomegranates. It’s commonplace these days to find it made with high fructose corn syrup and food coloring. We developed a strawberry version made with 100% Louisiana native Ponchatoula Strawberries sourced directly from farmers.

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We also live on the front lines of climate change. With hurricanes, flash floods, abnormal summer heat waves, and other weather patterns regularly affecting New Orleans, we understand the need for sustainable practices. We want to be as green as possible.

Your packaging is irresistible — tell us about what makes it unique.

Our labels are made from recycled craft paper. We bottle 100% of our products in glass and hand dip every bottle in wax instead of using plastic tear tape to seal each bottle to cut down on single-use plastics. I’m also on the board of Glass Half Full, our local glass recycler. Did you know two twenty-something Tulane students figured out glass recycling before our city could?

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Fran and Max, the co-founders, are grinding glass into sand and using that sand in coastal restoration projects in the bayous across coastal Louisiana. One audacious end goal is to turn recycled glass bottles back into new bottles. That’s a long way off, but those are the ideas we’re thinking about every day.

What’s a common misconception about bitters, syrups, and mixers?

I think most people understand the concept of a drink mixer but get intimidated by syrups and bitters. Combining flavors and creating a balanced cocktail seems to be overwhelming for new customers who aren’t used to making drinks at home. I always remind people that the perfect cocktail is the one you enjoy best.

A great cocktail can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be, and there are no rules when it comes to the perfect recipe. Do you prefer it sweeter? Add syrup. More bitter? Add extra drops of bitters. Want to go lighter or abstain altogether? Add club soda or sub a non-alcoholic spirit for the alcohol in a recipe. The fun of it is experimentation, and some of our best product ideas and cocktail recipes have come from us playing behind the bar ourselves!

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What’s on the horizon for El Guapo?

We’re really looking forward to finishing the construction on our building in a few months and gearing up for holiday sales. We have our first new product coming out since COVID this fall, so look for that. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s our second collaboration project with our buddies, Ori and Ethan from Burlap & Barrel (a local spice company), and we’re fired up for our customers to try our latest twist on a classic.

What’s your favorite place to get a cocktail in New Orleans, the US, and the world?

Oh, Lawd, y’all are going to land me in HOT water. We have so many amazing clients around the world … when people ask our favorites, we always say we’re Switzerland, and we mean it! However, if Brian and I have the night off in New Orleans, we’re probably hanging inside Chapel Club at Hotel Saint Vincent or chatting up our bar friends inside a local favorite like Bouligny Tavern or Jewel of the South. They’re both special neighborhood spots and put so much care into their menus.

I travel frequently and find inspiration by trying new places as often as possible. Some favorite unique international cocktail scenes include Edinburgh, Scotland, Mexico City, and London. Stateside, I’m most looking forward to visiting Julep in Houston (I adore Alba Huerta) and Attaboy in New York (General Manager, Haley Traub, is an absolute superstar. It’s a joy to watch her doing so well right now!)

What recipe on your website should we try?

There are so many, and we’re always coming out with new things. I do love the Creole Sour. It’s a great one year-round.

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Thank you, Christa, for sharing the world of cocktail accouterments with us! Shop El Guapo HERE — there is something for every palate and occasion. Let us know what you make! All photos provided by El Guapo.

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