2013 Bar Week Ahoy

Seriously, where has this fucking year gone?

It seems like about two seconds ago when Dave Spanton was talking about the changes to Bar Week this year and the shift away from an exhibition to an events schedule to engage consumers and trade.

You’re already too late for the workshops on the trade side, but there is still action to be had at parties, plus the Bartender Magazine Awards, which will feature the finals integrated into the dinner itself, which should be a hecklers dream as the trade degenerates over the course of the evening. http://www.barweek.com.au/#!parties/c1o5o

For those of you who sit in front of bars instread of working behind them, there are a bunch of options. Champagne tasting with paired nibbles at the Roosevelt, Malts at Eau de Vie, The Man vs Food Nacho Chili Challenge at the Cleveland and Woodford Reserve 5 course cocktail pairing menu at O Bar Dining. http://www.barweek.com.au/#!consumer-events/c207j

Less than two weeks to Bar Week people. Get involved.

www.barweek.com.au

Soooooooooooooooooooooo Influential

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.

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner. Australian Bar Awards Winners

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)

Bar Week Cometh

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:

1. The main event will be held at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in the Rocks, instead of the weird trade halls at Moore Park.
2. For the first time, one of the days of the show (Sunday the 23rd September) will be open to the general public. This means an opportunity to learn about, and taste some great products and buy at a discount too.
3. The involvement for the general public doesn’t stop there. If you can bear the company of Alex Adams and Simon McGoram for an evening, Ketel One bar tours are a great way to learn about the small bars festooning Sydney’s inebriated underbelly, and that’s just the beginning.
4. There’s the usual fantasticness of events, dinners, breakfasts, balls and bar awards dinners.
5. Tim Philips is bringing his throne to the dinner.

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:

At least ten people are more influential than me in Australia.

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

1. Justin Hemmes, Merivale
2. Fraser Short, Keystone Hospitality
3. Vernon Chalker, Collins Quarter, Gin Palace, Madame Brussels, Order ofMelbourne
4. Sven Almenning, Behind Bars and Eau De Vie
5. Michael Delany-Korabelnikova, Creative Director at The Prince, DesignerNorfolk, Duke and Flinders
6. Mike Enright, Merivale Group Bars Manager
7. James Wirth, Norfolk/Duke/Flinders
8. Sebastian Reaburn, 666 Vodka Ambassador and Cocktail Book Author
9. Anton Forte, Shady Pines Saloon
10. Jason Williams, Keystone Hospitality Group Cocktail Manager

You can get the full low down here.

Look at me, Mr Influential

 

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.