Father’s Day Cocktail recipes and gift ideas can be found at the end of the article and fun facts about the “Cheers” TV series. Happy Father’s Day!

My father, Peter Jarvis, always has been and always will be my hero. He is supportive, loving, hilarious and his spirit is contagious. Seriously, my dad lights up every room he walks into, puts a smile on every face and is always the life of the party.

Say, “What?” My Dad is the Real Sam Malone…

It wasn’t until I got older that I found out that my dad was the inspiration for the popular character , Sam Malone, from the late ‘80s TV series, “Cheers.”This news didn’t really shock me, given my dad’s personality. It wasn’t a program I was familiar with. All I knew about it was it took place in a bar in Boston.

So What’s the Story?

My dad was a bit coy about his “behind the scenes” fame, but he finally broke down and shared the story after we began watching the show together. I was intrigued as I watched my dad point out things that had actually happened to him, as well as seeing the uncanny similarities between Sam Malone and my dad. They’re both good-looking with charismatic personalities and they have a baseball connection. My dad pitched in college for two years and that was the extent of it. His biggest baseball moment he said, “I finished my high school career pitching a no hitter against a rival team we’ve never beaten.”

Here’s how it all started.

My dad worked as a bartender at Bull & Finch Pub, the  name of the original bar that inspired Cheers. It was known for having the best burger in Boston for seven years in a row, as well as the best Bloody Mary. The writers who developed the show “Taxi” had some idea of what they wanted to write next and they embarked on a country-wide pub crawl going to the most famous pubs around the U.S. from Seattle to Chicago in search of the right scene. When they hit the Bull & Finch Pub, they knew this was the one. My dad was the head bartender, Diane was my dad’s girlfriend at the time, Norm was a bar regular.

My dad said, “The place was real, the people were real, they were portrayed by different actors and actresses. I was the head bartender, pretty much like you see in the show. I was interacting with all of the characters you see in the show. When those guys found that spot, unbeknownst to any of us, they started writing the script for “Cheers.”

“It was basically a local’s bar, everybody knew your name, like the song says. Everyone hung out there, the politicians, the Red Sox, the local attorneys from downtown Boston. It was truly a renowned pub in the Boston area because of its daily scene of camaraderie and cheers.”

Peter and Domenica Jarvis

Ted Danson Calling for “Sam Malone”

After the show was created, none of the people associated with the original bar were ever compensated or acknowledged for inspiring the characters and show, except for the owner. My dad did once get a call from Ted Danson, the actor that portrayed the character of Sam Malone. He said, “Hey, I just wanted to talk to the guy that I portrayed in Cheers,” and they talked for 30 minutes or so, almost as if they already knew each other.

Real Life Cheers

When I asked my dad what working at the bar was like he said, “Working there was festive and funny and f*cked up. It was great fun to go to work everyday, in spite of the characters themselves who wore on you after a while, because sometimes it would just be those people at the pub. You knew pretty much going to work everyday it was going to be the same thing. And with all that was going on in the sports and political world in the mid 70s, you had a local haven to commiserate or cheer depending upon the activities. People would go to pubs either to drown their sorrows when the Red Sox lost their chance at the World Series, or to cheer the Celtics for winning the NBA Finals. Pubs were a place people could drown their sorrows or celebrate their wins. That was Bull & Finch.”

Peter and Domenica Jarvis

Favorite Cheers Moments…JFK and Fenway Park

I asked my dad to share some of his favorite memories working there and he said, “Cheers was located on Beacon Street, located across from the famous Boston Commons, and it was also at the bottom of Beacon Hill where the state capital is. So at the end of the day, a lot of the young politicians, would find their way into these pubs. Bull & Finch Pub, was one of them. There was a ceremony in 1978 for a library in South Boston that was to be dedicated to JFK and only 200 people were invited to the ceremony. It was an intimate celebration, including the brothers of JFK, his wife and kids. The guy who was organizing it used to drink at Cheers, and he said to me and Diane, ‘I have two tickets available for the JFK dedication ceremony, there’s only 200 people going, a senator and his wife from Maine can’t make it, so I will give you their tickets and you can go on the bus.’ We took the tickets and went and all these famous people were sitting around us. It was unbelievable. It was the whole Kennedy family on the stage and then we got to tour the whole library.”

“There used to be a guy who drank at the bar everyday. His dad worked at Fenway Park and he always had extra seats. It was the 78th or 79th baseball season. He would give us those seats, I missed only three games that year. That was what was so special about it, there was always all these well-connected people that were regulars, so there were always so many opportunities.”

Boston Barleyhoppers

My dad worked with a gentleman named Eddie Doyle. To “Cheers” viewers, they would know him as Coach. He said, “Eddie  started the Boston Barleyhoppers. On Wednesday nights, we would start at the Bull & Finch Pub and jog to nine different bars, have a beer at each bar and end up back at the Bull & Finch Pub. There were about 15 of us that ran that first Wednesday night. Eddie Doyle, myself, and 13 other people or something like that. Last time I saw Eddie at the Quarterdeck, it got to the point where there were 300 people running every Wednesday night, and there were 20 some-odd marriages that came out of it”

Everyone Knows Your Name

My dad said, “No matter what time of day or how snowy it was, as soon as you walked in, you just felt the warmth of the scene, and I couldn’t wait to go to work everyday.”

I am thankful to celebrate my dad this Father’s Day, and thankful for the stories he is able to share with all of us. Cheers to my dad and all the other dads out there!

Father’s Day Cocktail Recipes & Gift Ideas

Thank you to some of our favorite brands for sharing their favorite Father’s Day cocktail recipes, mixers, cocktail hotspots and gift ideas.

Cocktail Recipes

Balcones Buck (Made with Balcones Single Malt)

Glass: Highball Glass

Ingredients:

2 oz. Balcones Single Malt

½ oz. Lemon Juice

3-4 oz. Ginger Ale

Garnish: Lemon Wedge

Prep: Add all ingredients into ice-filled highball glass and garnish.

Brumble (Made with Balcones Rumble)

Glass: Cocktail Glass

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Balcones Rumble

¾ oz. Lemon Juice

½ oz. Honey Syrup

½ oz. Crème de Mure or 3 blackberries muddled

Garnish: Blackberry or Lemon Twist

Prep: Shake all ingredients and double-strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Libertine (Made with Balcones Rye)

Glass: Coup Glass

Ingredients:

2 oz Balcones Rye

1.75 oz lemon

.25 oz orange

1oz rosemary simple syrup (see syrups)

1 tsp maple

1 tsp orange marmalade

1 egg white

Garnish: Lemon Twist & Rosemary Sprig

Prep: Mix juices, syrups and marmalade and egg white – shake with no ice until frothy. Add ice and baby blue, shake until cold. Strain and serve.

Duke Mule

Ingredients:

 

Roll mint to release essential oils then add 1-3 and shake with ice then strain into a Collins glass or a mule mug filled with ice. Use purified water when making your ice cubes. The drink will be better and will be Duke approved.

Gunsmoke

Ingredients

1. 1½ Duke Bourbon

2. ¾ oz Fresh Bayleaf Syrup

3. ¾ oz Yuzu Lemon Blend

4. ¾ oz Aquafaba

5. 2 Dashes Elemakule Tiki Bitters

6. Enjoy.

 

Dry shake all ingredients then add ice and shake vigorously then strain into a small coupe. Next place the cocktail under a glass cloche and fill the cloche with cherrywood smoke from a smoking gun. Let sit for 30 seconds then enjoy

 

The Duke

 

Ingredients:

 

1. 2 oz Any Duke Spirit

2. 1 Large Ice Cube

3. Enjoy.

 

Instructions:

You know what to do.

Field Dancing

Ingredients:

1.5 OZ GEM AND BOLT

0.5 OZ LAVENDER HONEY

0.5 OZ LEMON

0.5 OZ GRAPEFRUIT

1 THYME SPRIGS

SHAKE, SERVE TALL WITH THYME SPRIG GARNISH.

CREATED BY: IVY MIX

Cocktail Mixers

Kick back, relax and celebrate with a cocktail mixer that enhances your bartending skills. For people who like to entertain with a sophisticated martini in hand, tailgate or just enjoy an after-work margarita or a Bloody Mary on a Sunday football gameday. You can count on Collins’ mixers and garnishes for all tastes.

Hurricane Cocktail Mix by Collins – Curated for your vacation and staycation needs with pineapple and passionfruit juice, all you need is your rum of choice to make a quality, tropical cocktail with ease.

Sweet & Sour Cocktail Mix by Collins – Enjoy this classic cocktail in the comfort of your own home. Become your own bartender by adding this mix to your favorite whiskey or bourbon. Tip jar still welcome.

Stemmed Cocktail Cherries – Nothing sweetens a cocktail like a dazzling red cherry. This “icing on the cake” garnish has been a gold standard for decades. Use these maraschino-flavored Royal Anne cherries for a wide variety of classic cocktails

Grapefruit Margarita Cocktail Mix – Just in time for summer, add a zesty, citrus twist to this classic by simply adding tequila. Don’t forget the salt. Collins White Margarita Salt adds class to your glass and flavor to your favorite drink.

Mai Tai – Even if you can’t walk on the beautiful beaches of Hawaii this summer, you can still be transported there and save time following a complicated cocktail recipe in the process. Just add rum.

Father’s Day Hot Spots

This Father’s Day, Adelina’s is an ideal spot for fathers looking to enjoy a Barrel-Aged Manhattan (recipe below) and mouthwatering food after a round of golf at Monarch Dunes Golf Club, but is also a great experience for dad to enjoy at a later date. Thanks to its forward-thinking bar program, distinct amenities and idyllic surroundings, Trilogy at Monarch Dunes gives people a reason to visit the Central Coast any time of year.

Barrel Aged Manhattan (with our exclusive Elijah Craig brand)

3 parts Monarch Club Elijah Craig

1 part Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters

Aged in barrel for 6 weeks before serving

Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill – Free beer for dads

(Limited to one free 16 oz. Budweiser or Bud Light beer at Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2019. Restrictions apply.)

About Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill

Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill was founded in 2008 by former Miami Dolphins player Kim Bokamper. Its mission is to be “The Best Game in Town” by providing exceptional service, great food, and an unparalleled atmosphere for friends, families and sports fans of all ages and to create a rewarding and friendly environment for employees to work in. It was named “Best Sports Bar” in Sun Sentinel’s 2017 “Best of South Florida.” Bokamper’s locations are at 3115 NE 32nd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308; 15500 SW 29th Street, Miramar, FL 33027; 1280 S Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324; 8990 Fontana Del Sol Way, Naples, FL 34109; and 8001 Plaza Del Lago Drive, Estero, FL 33928. For more information, visit www.bokampers.com or call (954) 900-5584.

The Balcony – Free beer for dads

(Limited to one free 16 oz. Budweiser or Bud Light beer at The Balcony on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2019. Restrictions apply.)

About The Balcony

The Balcony, a PDKN Restaurant Group concept, offers American favorites with a twist. Located on trendy Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, this two-story restaurant features a diverse range of American favorites. Guests can enjoy New Orleans-inspired small plates, craft cocktails and live music. The Balcony is owned by former Miami Dolphins player Kim Bokamper and his three partners, who also own Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill, with locations in Fort Lauderdale, Miramar, Plantation, Naples, and Estero. The Balcony is located at 1309 E. Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale FL 33301. The restaurant is open Monday–Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Thursday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m.–2 a.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information, visit www.thebalconylasolas.com or call (754) 200-6344.

Bo’s Beach – Free beer for dads

(Limited to one free 16 oz. Budweiser or Bud Light beer at Bo’s Beach on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2019. Restrictions apply.)

About Bo’s Beach

Bo’s Beach, a PDKN Restaurant Group concept, offers a casual beach dining experience with a twist. Located on Fort Lauderdale Beach, this seaside restaurant features local fresh seafood, farm-to-table dishes, a signature wood-fired oven and ocean-inspired classics. Bo’s Beach has both indoor and outdoor seating and offers tables with direct ocean views. Event space is available throughout the restaurant and on the second floor/rooftop. Breakfast is served Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.; brunch is served Saturday-Sunday 8:30 a.m.–noon. Lunch and dinner are served Sunday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m. and Friday–Saturday noon–2 a.m. Bo’s Beach is owned by former Miami Dolphins player Kim Bokamper and his three partners, who also own The Balcony on Las Olas Boulevard; and Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill, with five Florida locations. Bo’s Beach is located at 600 Seabreeze Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL. For more information, visit bosbeach.com.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens:

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is giving fathers the gift of art and culture free of charge with one paid admission this Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16 from 9am to 4pm. Dads get in free with one full paid adult admission and have the opportunity to step back in time and experience life as it was in the 30s and 40s. The entire family will have the opportunity to tour the historic house museum filled with a delightful collection of art and personal treasures from the Bartlett/Birch families as well as explore the nature trails filled with native plants, trees and an occasional monkey or swan.

Bonnet House is open Tuesday – Sunday from 9am – 4pm with the last guided tour starting at 3:30pm. No other discounts apply.

About Bonnet House Museum & Gardens: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is a 35-acre, 1930s era estate located on Fort Lauderdale Beach.  Bonnet House is open for public tours six days per week, year-round and offers an array of cultural and educational programs for schools, adults and families. The December holidays are celebrated with an annual week-long sparkling Holiday Magic festival of trees and décor. Art exhibits by regional artists round out the Museum’s cultural programming.  The Bonnet House membership program includes an annual admission pass, and the estate is also available for exclusive private rental for weddings, parties and special events. The mission of Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is to preserve this unique historic estate of Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett.  Through enjoyable and enriching cultural experiences, the Museum connects today’s community to the Bartletts’ architectural, artistic and environmental legacy.

Happy Father’s Day!