Rough Draft Atlanta's Beth McKibben kicks off new drink series on 'City Lights' with the Martini

Atlanta’s vibrant world of cocktails and zero-proof beverages thrives in our bars and restaurants, as well as our local distilleries and non-alcoholic bottle shops. Few may know this world better than Beth McKibben, senior editor and dining editor for Rough Draft Atlanta. McKibben’s expertise is invaluable as she continually explores our city’s elevated beverage programs, examines the latest trends in mixology and shares the history of classic concoctions.

McKibben now joins “City Lights” as a monthly contributor for our new series, “The Beverage Beat.” In this series, she highlights what it means to sip and savor in our city. This month’s “Beverage Beat” features a timeless classic — the martini!

“The martini… tethered itself firmly to the bar decades ago, birthing myriad variations on the cocktail and creating a legion of connoisseurs loyal to the drink and their particular recipe for making it,” says McKibben. “In fact, the martini doesn’t have to be on the menu. It just exists and most bartenders can easily stir one up when asked.”