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AUBRIAUNA BIAGE has only been bartending at the Ribcage in St. Joseph for around six months since she turned 21, but she says it runs in the family. Her aunt is Julee Gay of Julee’s Shooting Star in Westville, and her grandmother also worked at that bar for quite a while.
“It always kind of felt natural for me to go into bartending once I was able to do so,” Biage said. “I would have to say that both my grandma and my aunt have always been my biggest influences when it comes to bartending.” Biage says she loves the job because mixing drinks allows her to get a little artistic or creative and that working at the Ribcage, a local business, has been great after working for larger corporate chains.
She enjoys being able to provide a drink or meal made specifically to satisfy and individual customer and make their day a little better. “It’s very rewarding to talk to someone about their day and see a look of relief, because we all need relief at some point in our lives,” Biage said. Biage usually drinks Crown Peach on the rocks, but her favorite cocktail to make is an old fashioned — a classic with plenty of unique twists.
Even though she is relatively new to the job, Biage says she plans to stay in the bartending and servic.
