Nothing says Sydney like an Englishman in a pastel coat
BEST BARTENDER
Charlie Ainsbury – Eau de Vie
BEST BAR FOOD
Mary’s
BEST ENTERTAINMENT
Frankies
BEST FIT OUT
Lobo Plantation
BEST PUB
The Union
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
Bulletin Place
BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD BAR
Vasco
BEST NEW BAR
Earl’s Juke Joint
BAR OF THE YEAR
Bulletin Place
HOT TALENT
Jonathon Carr – Wild Rover
BEST WINE BAR
Monopole
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Lobo Plantation
HALL OF FAME
The Courthouse
Last night Melbourne got Sydney’s weather and also a version of Myffy Rigby’s TimeOut bar awards. The upstairs deck of the refurbished Emerson Hotel held host to more Ray Bans than have ever been seen outside of a Sunglass Hut, and lashings of Havana Club, Tempus Two wines and Sail & Anchor beer ensured the golden hue of new-age fun with a vintage feel descended in earnest.
Jason Crawley presided over the smokier crowd than attends most Roots concerts, resplendent in suspenders and dad jokes approaching the mastery of one James France.
Anyways, if history be written by the winners, let’s hope these folk are drafting prose anew.
BEST BARTENDER
Evan Stanley – Black Pearl
BEST BAR FOOD
Cumulus Up
BEST ENTERTAINMENT
Mr Wow’s Emporium
BEST FIT OUT
Sweetwater Inn
BEST PUB
The Alehouse Project
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
The Everleigh
BEST SMALL BAR
Hihou
BEST NEW BAR
Los Barbudos
BAR OF THE YEAR
Black Pearl
HOT TALENT
Sarah Fulford – Lily Blacks
BEST WINE BAR
Bellota
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
The Carlton Club
HALL OF FAME
The Standard Hotel
Michael Rodrigues, joint CEO for Time Out Australia, explains: “Melbourne’s bar scene contributes so much to the texture of this city, and its great for Time Out to be able to put on these awards in recognition of their contribution. Like great cities, great bars stand the test of time – they weather changes in trends, changes in staff, changes in circumstance. They navigate these challenges because they are able to keep one thing in mind throughout. And that’s us, their lucky customers.”
Gemima Cody, Time Out Melbourne’s food and drink editor, adds: “It’s a great thing to have such a strong mix of new and established venues amongst our winners this year. It really shows that our bar scene has roots and wings, and good drinking isn’t going anywhere.”
For more information on Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards, visit www.au.timeout.com/Melbourne
TimeOutMelbourne
TimeOutMel #TOMBarAwards
Time Out y’all. So far ahead of the trends that they’re holding the 2014 Bar Awards in 2013.
What’s more, there is a Melbourne version for the first time ever, and the Sydney one will be held on an island during the day.
Ticket links at the bottom, after the nominees. You’d be mad not to get on board.
MELBOURNE NOMINEES
BEST BARTENDER
Tom Ambroz- Los Barbudos
Josh Crawford- The Rum Diary Bar
Hayden Lambert- Bar Americano
Evan Stanley- The Black Pearl
Alistair Walker- The Everleigh
BEST BAR FOOD
Bar Di Stasio
The Beaufort Bar
Cumulus Up
Hell of the North
Hihou
BEST ENTERTAINMENT
The Gem
Howler
Local Taphouse
Mr Wow’s Emporium
Shebeen
BEST FIT OUT
Bar Ampere
Bar Economico
The Everleigh
Hihou
Sweetwater Inn
BEST PUB
The Alehouse
The Gem
The Grace Darling
Local Taphouse
The Standard Hotel
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
Bar Americano
The Black Pearl
EDV
The Everleigh
Lily Blacks
BEST SMALL BAR
Bar Ampere
Bar Economico
Hihou
Los Barbudos
Whisky and Alement
BEST NEW BAR
Bar Economico
Bellota
Cumulus Up
Los Barbudos
The Rum Diary Bar
HOT TALENT
Jackson Evans- Misty Bar
Sarah Fulford- Lily Blacks
Lewis Halls- The Black Pearl
Jack Scotti- EDV
Dar Warren- 1806
BEST WINE BAR
Bellota
Cumulus Up
Gerald’s Bar
Hell of the North
Neighbourhood Wine
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
The Alehouse Project
Bar Americano
Bar Ampere
The Beaufort Bar
The Black Pearl
The Carlton Club
EDV
Los Barbudos
The Rum Diary Bar
Whisky and Alement
SYDNEY NOMINEES
BEST BARTENDER
Charlie Ainsbury- Eau de Vie
Jay Gray- Lobo Plantation
Lewis Jaffrey- Baxter Inn
Luke Redington- Hello Sailor
Adi Ruiz- Bulletin Place
BEST BAR FOOD
10 William Street
Mary’s
The Morrison
Rockpool Bar & Grill
Sokyo Lounge
BEST ENTERTAINMENT
Arcadia Liquors
The Beresford
Frankies
Midnight Special
Vic on the Park
BEST FIT OUT
Earl’s Juke Joint
The Henson
Lobo Plantation
Miss Peaches
Monopole
BEST PUB
The Courthouse
The Henson
Local Taphouse
Lord Nelson
The Union
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
The Barber Shop
Bulletin Place
Eau de Vie
Palmer and Co
The Roosevelt
BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD BAR
121 BC
Anchor
Hinky Dinks
Vasco
Wild Rover
BEST NEW BAR
The Barber Shop
Earl’s Juke Joint
Lobo Plantation
Neighbourhood
Wild Rover
HOT TALENT
Mischa Bonova- Rockpool Bar & Grill
Jonathon Carr- Wild Rover
Matt Linklater- Bulletin Place
Michael Nouri- Vasco
Sebastian ‘Cosmo’ Soto, Baxter Inn
BEST WINE BAR
10 William Street
121 BC
Love Tilly Devine
Monopole
Wine Library
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Baxter Inn
Black by Ezard
Gardel’s Bar
Hazy Rose
Hinky Dinks
Lobo Plantation
Mojo Record Bar
Midnight Special
Palmer and Co
Wild Rover
Time Out Melbourne Bar Awards
Monday 25 November, 6.30-10.30pm
The Emerson, 143-145 Commercial Road, South Yarra
Tickets $50 (plus booking fee)
http://www.ticketpro.com.au/Time_Out/Melbourne_Bar_Awards_2014
Time Out Sydney Bar Awards
Sunday 1 December, 1-6pm
The Island Bar, Cockatoo Island
Tickets $50 (plus booking fee)
https://www.ticketpro.com.au/Time_Out/Sydney_Bar_Awards_2014
For more information on Time Out Australia and the awards, visit www.au.timeout.com
The top 100 most influential list has been released in anticipation of Sydney Bar Week.
You can view the full list here.
As always, surprised but proud to see my name on a list with so many talented and hospitable people.
He made great drinks, he won a hundred grand and in a few weeks time he’ll be on a mother fucking boat.
Huge congratulations to Luke Ashton on taking out the Australian finals of Diageo’s World Class tonight in Sydney. You can get a drink off him at Vasco on Cleveland St in Surry Hills, and soon at his new bar. Can’t wait!
Huge props as well to the Gourmantics, for this photo and many others, by far the fastest photo journalists in Sydney if not the world. I’ll write a feature on Luke’s dronks once the shots come through from the PR agency…
While we wait for someone at Bartender Magazine to peel their face from the pillow and cobble together a press release, here’s what I’ve been able to glean from the social medias.
Bar of the Year: Shandy Pines, Sydney
Best Cocktail Bar: Eau de Vie, Sydney
Best Bar Food: Hinky Dinks, Sydney
Best New Product Launch: Havana Club Aneo 3 (nice work papi)
Best New Venue Design: Palmer & Co, Sydney
Brand Ambassador of the Year: Sebastian Reaburn, 666 Vodka
Training Program of the Year: Mixxit
Bar Team of the Year: Black Pearl, Melbourne
Best Bartender’s Bar: Black Pearl, Melbourne
Small Bar of the Year: The Collection, Melbourne
Best Drinks Selection: The Baxter Inn, Sydney
New Bar of the Year: The Baxter Inn, Sydney
Wine Bar of the Year: Cabiria, Brisbane
Best Speciality Beer Venue: The Local Tap House, Sydney
Bar Manager of the Year: Mike Enright, Merivale, Sydney
Rookie of the Year: Sean Chow, Press Club, Brisbane
Hotel Operator of the Year: Keystone Group, Sydney
Hotel Operator of the Year: Anton Forte and Jason Scott, Sydney
Outstanding Contribution: Michael Delaney, Melbourne
Cocktail List of the Year: Canvas, Brisbane
Best Music Offering: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Pub of the Year: The Norfolk Hotel, Sydney
New Pub of the Year: The Bottom End, Melbourne
And the big one, BOTY is……
Bartender of the Year: Greg Sanderson, EDV, Melbourne (here’s a photo, if you don’t know who he is already)
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the coming excellence that is Sydney Bar Week.
For the first time the experience is open to the general public on Sunday the 23rd, and Dave Spanton has been kind enough to offer 50 double passes to my readers (valued at $50).
It’s a great chance to experience some of the wonderful brands that are established or entering the market, there’ll also be a discounted store where you can buy a couple of bottles to take home.
The first 50 people to email Dave at david@spantonmedia.com with the ingredients that make up a Last Word cocktail will win, he’ll probably want your name and number too. You’ll need to be over 21, and have the photo ID to prove it to gain entry on the day.
Head over to barweek.com.au for more info on the day and the other great events that make up the week.
If you need some help answering the question, you can find the ingredients listed here.
Australia’s largest booze trade event has got a new frock, and she’s looking pretty good in it to boot.
Each year, the publishers of Bartender Magazine put on an industry event to showcase the products and people that make hospitality all that it is in Australia. This year it’s bigger, better and for the first time, open to the public.
You’ll be able to attend the show, under this year’s swish moniker, Drinks Fest. Once there you’ll have the chance to taste and learn about all things liquid and intoxicating. I’m more excited than Tim Philips in the children’s section at Zara.
Why you should care:
Check out the website and get yourself some tickets. It is a really great way to get across the Australian industry in the work of but a moment.
Release follows:
You could be a lover of whisky, or just wanting to learn a little more about the Scottish spirit, or maybe you’ve realised that it takes more than a little of Obama’s tailoring style to pull off a convincing Don Draper.
Regardless of which bucket you sit in, the 2012 Whisky Show is the place to scratch the itch that a dram or to in your past delivers. 17 exhibitors, 150 whiskies, $50 gets you in and 10 tasting vouchers. Delicious.
For tickets and more info, I’d suggest a visit here.
It’s that time of year again, and the fine folks who organise Tales of the Cocktail each year have announce the top 10 finalists for each of the categories for their much vaunted Spirited Awards.
If you click the link above, you might find it kind of odd that there are American and International bartender awards, and that international bartenders, like our own Sam Ross, who is working in America, and likely will be for some time, is not eligible to be not being considered for an American bartending award. It becomes less confusing, I suppose, when you remember that the Americans play a World Series of Baseball, which the Japanese and Mexican teams are not invited to compete in, while Japanese and Mexican nationals playing for US teams can. I hope that cleared things up…
Despite the oxymoronical nature of the previous paragraph, it is a great testament to the effort that has been put in building a bar culture down here on the other side of the world that the number of finalists has risen again this year.
Anyways, a hearty well done to the guys who’ve made the grade. Hopefully we can top last years efforts by Eau de Vie and bring home even more awards.
American Bartender of the Year
Best American Brand Ambassador
Best Bar Mentor
Best Cocktail Writing – Author
Best International Brand Ambassador
International Bartender of the Year
World’s Best Cocktail Bar
World’s Best Cocktail Menu
World’s Best Drinks Selection
World’s Best New Cocktail Bar
This morning there were twenty, only ten eleven now remain.
They are Jess Arnott, Tim Philips, Chris Hysted, Kal Moore, Luke Redington, James Connolly, Nathan Beasley, Perryn Collier, Brendan Osmers, Adam Smith & Lee Potter Cavanagh.
The finals will be held from 10.30am at the BarShow at Horden Pavillion. The winner will be announced at the Bar Awards tomorrow night, stay tuned for an update.
Great news for the Australian small bar movement overnight, with leading light Eau de Vie snatching the honours at Tales of the Cocktail in Nawlins. This is an absolute testament to the house that Sven Almenning has built, and the quality of the talent producing drinks behind the stick there.
Sipping on a blue genever maitai with wintergreen essence on Friday night, the innovation, cheek and service were all in full display. This is a bar that revels in delivering world leading drinks in a way that stands out.
If you haven’t been, now would be the time. If you have been, at least you can say you knew about it before it was world famous.
Hearty congratulations for an amazing result.
Press release follows…
Eau-de-Vie was last night named as the World’s Best New Cocktail Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.
The awards are held annually in New Orleans, and are internationally recognised as the industry’s biggest and most influential awards worldwide.
The Darlinghurst small bar was amongst stiff competition, with only New York City venues as other nominees:
World’s Best New Cocktail Bar
● 1534, New
York City, New York
● Dram, New
York City, New York
● Eau de Vie,
Sydney, Australia
● The bar formerly known as (Painkiller),
New York City, New York
Sven Almenning, owner of Eau de Vie said ‘It’s a huge honour to be recognised on a global level like this, and the team and I are overwhelmed with the response we’ve had to Eau-de-Vie. We set out to create a small cocktail bar where quality of drinks and service are king… I hope that we’re helping to drive trends on a global level rather than just following whatever’s happening in London and the U.S which have typically been seen as the leaders in our industry.’
Apart from World’s Best New Cocktail Bar, Eau-de-Vie was also nominated for two other awards including:
World’s Best Cocktail Menu
● Artesian at
The Langham, London, England
● Eau de Vie,
Sydney, Australia
● Mayahuel, New
York City, New York
● Sanctuaria,
St. Louis, Missouri
World’s Best Drinks Selection
● Artesian at
The Langham, London, England
● Cure, New
Orleans, Louisiana
● Eau de Vie,
Sydney, Australia
● Employees
Only, New York City, New York
The awards and nominations are affirmation of what Eau-de-Vie prides itself on. With an extensive and intricately designed cocktail list, and an all-star team (which is fronted by Luke Redington), Eau-de-Vie is thrilled to have been recognised with such gusto in its first year and a half of operation, since January 2010.
On top of this news, the team is excited to announce that Eau-de-Vie Melbourne is opening soon. Come October, Eau-de-Vie will be venturing south with a new venue opening under the supervision of industry heavyweight Greg Sanderson. Having been in behind the bar for over 12 years and coming from Melbourne establishment Black Pearl and prior to that Mur Mur, Sanderson will take over the new venue in Melbourne CBD.
Some folks go through life thinking that there are people out there who are better than them. I get to go through life knowing that there are at least 10 people better than me thanks to Bartender Magazine, who announced the 10 most influential list to close of the top 50 process they ran again this year.
Brilliant event at the Norfolk Hotel, with Whisky Sours and barfood galore, huzzah!
Anyways, here’s the list:
The Australian Bartender magazine Most Influential List Top 10
More news from the San Fransisco spirits comp. Following on from the great result of a Double Gold for the Australian Tradewinds Gin, the Caol Ila Distillers Edition was named Best Single Malt, up against some pretty stiff competition.
You might be wondering why this matters, especially given Diageo has held the brand out of this market for the last few years, and most of the stock you’ll find here are either paralleled stock or special bottlings. Luckily, they do have a small stock in the country, and it will be available through Dan Murphy’s sometime in June.
The tasting notes go something like this:
This extraordinarily stylish and complex expression of Caol Ila has been double-matured in carefully selected Moscatel casks. The wood is not over-evident and instead balances perfectly with this richly flavoured single malt.
NOSE : Wonderfully concentrated pure, clean Caol Ila – peaty and medicinal, with rich fruit, spicy and fragrant. With water, the fragrant smokiness comes singing through.
PALATE : Sweetness and maltiness strike first, then are quickly overwhelmed by peat smoke and intense, clean, crisp flavours. The signature smoky bonfires are here, and build to quite a size. Overall, drying, in a beautifully balanced, complex, elegant development, complemented with cinnamon spice.
Can’t wait.
You can check out the rest of the results listing here.
This just in from the San Fransisco Spirits Competition, Tradewinds Gin has had some fantastic news.
The 40% abv picked up a GOLD to complement its clear bottle and the dark green Cutlass deservedly now has a DOUBLE GOLD on the bottle.
This is a prestigious contest and to pick up a pair like this reflects the care and thought that have gone into the production of this truly great Australian product.
Keep an eye out for a bottle near you soon.
Hat tip also to Jamie and the crew in NZ at Stolen. Stolen white rum also grabbed a GOLD.
In Australia, hopefully around the middle of this year.
I was extremely humbled to appear amongst the 50 most influential people in the Australian industry two days ago. The list is compiled by Bartender Magazine, from the votes of 650 members of the trade.
The Top 10 will be announced at a bumper celebration, this year to be held at one of Sydney’s trendiest new venues, The Norfolk Hotel, on Monday April 11.
You can read the whole list here, I come in at number 9, but only by virtue of the alphabetical listing.
I suspect it is the only time I’ll finish in the top 10.
The Drinks International list is out once again.
700 bar professionals from 50 countries came up with the list. I’d love to know if they submitted blind or voted for an already collated list. There are 5 bars from aussie on the list, so a fantastically well done 1806, Der Raum, Black Pearl in Melbourne and Zeta and the Ivy in Sydney. Top 50 lists are always dicey, there are some favourites of mine not on there, but there are more than a few I’d love to go and visit.
Who did they miss in Australia or anywhere else in the world for that matter?
TOP 50 BARS
Milk & Honey, London
PDT, NY
Harry’s Bar, Venice
Milk & Honey, New York
Buddha Bar, Paris
Pegu Club, NY
Death & Co, NY
Employees Only, NY
Harry’s New York Bar, Paris
Academy, London
The Connaught, London
Der Raum, Melbourne, Australia
Black Pearl, Melbourne, Ausstralia
Coco Bongo, Cancun, Mexico
Q’Ba, New Delhi, India
Matterhorn, Wellington, NZ
Sky Bar Unique Hotel, Brazil
Zeta Bar Sydney Hilton, Australia
Enigma Marriott Hotel, Mumbai, India
Schumann’s American Bar, Munich, Germany
The Lonsdale, London
Four Seasons, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bubba’s Bar, Barbados
F Bar, New Delhi, India
Bramble, Edinburgh
Dry Martini Bar, Barcelona
Cafe Caprice, Cape Town, SA
Buddha Bar, Dubai
Skyview Bar, Dubai
Planet Bar, Cape Town, SA
Blue Frog, Mumbai, India
City Space, Moscow, Russia
Standard Bar, LA
1806, Melbourne, Australia
Charlie’s Bar, Copenhagen, Denmark
Barasti Bar, Dubai
Bert’s Bar, Barbados
Sling In, Helsinki, Finland
Buddha Bar, Kiev, Ukraine
Hemmingway Bar, Paris, France
Bar do Copa, Rio, Bazil
Le Lion, Hamburg, Germany
Buddha Bar London
Star Bar, Tokyo
Mangos, Florida
Quo Vadis, London
Bòeme, Rome, Italy
Nottingham Forest, Milan
Salotto 42 Rome
The Ivy, Sydney
The upcoming TimeOut Bar awards have (at least) one intriguing category, the People’s Choice. You, the public of Sydney (and others, due to the non implementation of IP geotracking) get to vote for the intoxicating supremo’s who ease the passage of week to weekend.
To make things easy for you, TimeOut have whittled the choices down to but a few:
It all happened at the Hilton last night, with Bar week drawing closer to a close.
A broad representation of the industry filled the ballroom, to hear the results, to celebrate ten years of the awards and to have a decent crack at getting smashed, responsibly, of course.
Ian Burrell, Ambassador of Rum with Priscilla from Sou Soul in Melbourne
Anyhoo, you’re probably reading this because you weren’t at the awards, or you were there but pushed the boat out a touch too far.
Best New Launched Product.
Miss Russia at the Bar Awards
The first award of the night went to Russian Standard vodka. Beam Global administer the brand here in Australia, but they bought a little Russian charm to the event, in the guise of Miss Russia. The leggy model’s purr and smile quickly caught the attention of the room, and ever the entrepreneu, Dave Spanton capitalised , auctioning thirty minutes of her company off to charity. Perhaps the surprise of the evening was that Cafe Pacifico’s Phil Bayly was the man with his hand in the air. I hope she likes tequila.
Best Training Program
Went to the boys from Diageo’s Alchemy. Investment in training is ever increasing in the market here, with legends of bartending being flown around the globe to teach, train and tour the lucky country.
Brand Ambassador of the Year
The Mixxit team must have only missed out by a whisker of winning the best program prize. Dylan Howarth managed to scrape back some semblance of honour taking out the individual award.
Small Stand Award
Without question went to Bacardi, the Blind Tiger speakeasy, overseen by the debonair David Cordoba, international daiquiri ambassador. It was all about story, setting and sharing the love and passion that goes into making the world’s favourite white rum and the simple expression of sugar, sour & strong; perfectly diluted into a very special dream state.
Large Stand Award
Goes to Philip Morris. They wouldn’t let me in last year, and I didn’t try this, so they obviously aren’t in it for the PR.
Cocktail List
Brisbane bar, The Bowery, takes out this prestigious prize. I really sweet speech shows just how much the recognition means.
Best Food Offering
Team Laruche after claiming their prize
Laruche, again from up in Brisbane, takes out the prize. Might be time to book a flight and go and check out my Northern neighbor.
New Venue Design
Down scale speakeasy-cum-saloon, Shady Pines, takes home the bacon. Special shout outs to eBay and Bunnings for supplying the goods.
Best Drinks Selection
This can be found at the Crown & Sceptre in Adelaide. Might have to visit the festival state too.
Bar Manager of the Year
Sebastian Derbomez from Hemmesphere takes out this one. His speech is great, for the first two minutes. After that he starts to ramble about the lot of Bar Managers everywhere. Dave Spanton finally intervenes. Bravo.
Best Marketed Venue
Lee from the Victoria Room has some kind words to say about family run and owned venues. Vive la petite revolution! While he claims to have no knowledge of marketing, his plug for the Fluffy Duck Blazer would make any spruiker proud.
Best Nightclub
The lights go down for Kit & Kaboodle. Teamwork seems to have deserted them as they fumble the thankyous in the speech. No one knows this now, but they’ll have another chance after dinner.
Outstanding Contribution
"I owe it all to Tom Cruise" Naren Young has a few words on making an outstanding contribution
Naren Young deservedly honoured for his efforts behind the bar and in articulating the whole thing in words too. His speech is great, starting with an acknowledgement of the role of Tom Cruise in his career, and that inability to grow a beard is no impediment to making a contribution. His thanks at the end are heartfelt and more than a few eyes aren’t dry around the room.
Best Bar Team
Rollicking on to the stage with no shortage of gay abandon, the team from the Black Pearl in Melbourne proudly lift the trophy, and the new addition to the Hysted repertoire, the finger mustache. Curled, of course.
Best Specialty Beer Venue
Goes to the Local Taphouse, from Sydney. “Beer is the new black” a five word speech that says it all.
Best Wine Bar
Team Gazebo takes it out again, only t his time it’s the new venue in Crown St, The Winery, that will have an award upside down on the roof.
Rookie of the Year
Goes to the stunning and talented Elle Wormald, from Eau de Vie. Great to see a lady taking away one of the individual prizes. Hopefully a sign of great things to come.
Best Operator – Single Venue
Sebastian, Liz and Lisa from 1806 in Melbourne take out the prize.
Best Small Bar
Little laneway legend, Grasshopper, from Sydney takes this one out. Great to see the small bar legislation working well.
Cocktail Bar of the Year
Jason Crawley kicks things off with a great joke about whales. The winner is a whale of the industry, Der Raum, from the streets of Melbourne takes it out. Flavour fog ahoy!
Best Music Venue
X&Y from Brisbane take this one away. Can you hear the people sing?
Best New Bar
Eau de Vie gets an award! Great result for Sven and the team. Consumer recognition from Gourmet traveller and now the trade. This place is my favourite bar for a reason.
Hotel of the Year
The multi faceted Ivy proves you can in fact be all things to all people…
Multiple Venue Owner
Keystone Hospitality lift the trophy.
New Hotel of the Year
The Flinders Hotel gets an award! Most of the folks who aren’t already there are going now. Make mine a Red Hook!
Bar of the Year
Hugos Manly proves there is a reason to visit the insular peninsular.
Bartender of the Year
Bartenders get the girls - Bartender of the Year, Jason Williams with his prize
Jason Williams from the Galley Room in Melbourne takes the top prize. Adam Brewer from Cloudland in Brisbane 3rd & Chris Denman from X&Y came 2nd.
Gratuitous Spanton Shot
It was a great night and showcased the strength and development of the bar industry in Australia. Well done to the Spanton team and all the winners.
Like Bartender Christmas, it rolls round once a year. Sydney town is inundated with Tom Cruise wannabees, full of dreams and staring wide eyed at the big city. Well, not really, but it’s a nice thought.
Festivities kicked off yesterday with the Bartender’s Brunch at Cafe Pacifico and the Bacardi Daiquiri Party at the marble bar at the Hilton.
Those of you who aren’t working can head down to the Argyle Hotel in the Rocks for the Bartender of the Year competition. Things kick off at half ten and run pretty much all day.
Later tonight the Coney Island Bartender Bumfight will pit bar teams from around the country against each other as they turn out classics without the help of a recipe. It’s on at Victoria Room and round one will get underway at 8.30pm.
Tuesday promises to be a little quieter, probably a good day to visit the Barshow and then think about the Whisky & Punch Bartender Olympics, starting at 6.30pm down at the Argyle.
Wednesday is all about the Bar Awards dinner at the Hilton. Winners, Losers & piles of intrigue (or at least debauchery.) Official after party is at Goldfish in the Cross, or you can go renegade at the Flinder’s Hotel for the unofficial one.
It’s going to be a big week.
It does seem as though it has rolled around much faster this year, but the as they say in the movies, Bar Show cometh. In it’s tenth year in 2010, the Bar Show and the associated awards represents the night of nights for Australian hospitality and drinking.
The awards are a great night out, kind of like the Logies, but with less chicks. This year, there’ll be three new awards categories at the awards. First, the rookie award, giving props to those new to the game and the other two focusing on marketing, first product launches and then venue marketing.
Despite my horrible prediction accuracy last year, I’ll take another stab this time round. In italics… I have been asked to be a part of the judging panel, so I’ve removed my favourites, you’ll just have to pick your own.
Everyday Drinking 
