It’s evident from this interview that bartender Megan Deschaine is living at full tilt. She responds excitedly to many of my questions, and she also wows me with her honesty, letting us behind the megawatt smile a bit. It’s a given that she is a consummate professional and winning personality behind the bar at 492 in Charleston, SC, and that’s led to accolades and numerous mentions in the press, including recent coverage in the New York Times. But she’s also a person who is thoughtful: about her next creation, her job, the profession as a whole, and her place within it. Lastly, she’s someone I enjoy sharing a glass of rosé with, as we do during this interview which took place at happy hour in the restaurant, a historic building (read: not soundproof!) situated on a busy corner.