Bryson Ryan / Chicago Brand Ambassador

Chicago Brand Ambassador for The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Beverage Director/General Manager, Thornton Distilling Company

Bryson Ryan is the general manager and beverage director at Thornton Distilling, a craft distillery near Chicago built from the dilapidated site of the oldest brewery in Illinois. Bryson leads the in-house beverage program at Thornton, using his extensive spirits education to develop a drink menu showcasing Thornton’s craft spirits and homemade bitters in classic and contemporary cocktails.

Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Bryson worked various retail jobs in college then started working in restaurants and discovered his love of hospitality. He was introduced to the classic cocktail scene through Bridget Albert’s Academy of Spirits and Fine Service. He went on to work at the University Club of Chicago where fine service further influenced his style.

Bryson is obsessed with learning as much as possible about spirits history and technique. Most of his money and free time is dedicated to attending seminars and classes on spirits history and traveling to cocktail bars and events to see how his colleagues contribute to the cocktail scene. Bryson is proud to work alongside some of the best bartenders in Chicago. He cocktail artistry is defined by his love of whiskey, specifically bourbon, as well as French liqueurs. He also enjoys recommending biodynamic and fortified wines, New and Old World wines, craft beer and flavored ready-to-drink cocktails.

Bryson’s experiments with The Perfect Purée’s unique flavors have helped him expand his knowledge of culinary applications with a focus on restaurant-quality service in a cocktail bar environment.