10/30/2026
Behold the Golden Hye! This is the fifth year of Raleigh Mag’s Bartender of the Year Award and they're celebrating the pioneers who’ve helped shape the city’s cocktail culture including our very own Zack Medford.
Catch Zack in action with his own spin on the classic Gold Rush Cocktail, the Golden Hye, during The Cocktail Classic, Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Exchange Raleigh. He, alongside other noms will step back behind the bar for an evening of unlimited cocktails, mic’d-up demos, elevated bites, DJ sets and indulgent experiences.
At Tap Yard, one thing we are passionate about is bourbon, and barbecue. Matter of fact when you pair good bourbon, barbecue and a roaring fire pit then you’ve got yourself the Tap Yard Tri-Fecta. We named this cocktail, Made with Garrison Brother’s Small Batch Bourbon, The Golden Hye (pronounced “Golden High”) after Garrison Brother’s home in Hye, Texas- a place that knows a thing or two about barbecue as well.
Grab your tickets for the Cocktail Classic now and don't forget to vote for Tap Yard (and Zack!) for Raleigh's Best Bar.
Vote Now: https://raleighmag.com/2026/10/01/best-bars-2026-voting/
