The Manhattan Cocktail Classic ends today. Keep an eye out for future coverage, but for now, check out Nightclub & Bar Publisher/Editorial Director Donna Hood Crecca’s blog from the opening gala here.
Junior Merino’s Liquid Lab sessions fill up fast. The experiential two-day hands-on cocktail immersion program, held in New York, is set for Sunday, May 30, and Monday, May 31. Contact Heidi Merino at www.theliquidchefinc.com for details and info. Don’t dawdle – space is always limited, and it’s first come, first served.
Tales of the Cocktail named its 44 cocktail apprentices for the July event, the behind-the-scenes workers who make the magic happen, preparing drinks and creating garnishes and the like. Working bartenders and aspiring amateurs pepper the list, including Meaghan Dorman of NYC’s Raines Law Room, Erik Hakkinen of Zig Zag Café in Seattle, William Dollard of New Orleans’ Cure, Jared Schubert of Louisville’s 732 Social, Summer Voelker of Pittsburgh’s Embury and The Firehouse Lounge, Jamie Kilgore of Terrene in St. Louis and many others.
Anvil in Houston launched a monthly cocktail class program, led by either of the bar’s owners, Bobby Heugel or Kevin Floyd. On the last Saturday of each month, one of them will lead a class featuring a different spirit or theme, covering the history and anecdotal stories of the spirit, tastings of different brands and how to make several different cocktails using that spirit. First up: Heugel’s favorite, gin.
Heard of the Georgia Round Table of Mixology? Its purpose is to unite the Georgia mixology community and create an organization for anyone seeking to learn more about the “art of mixology.” Professional mixologists and chefs are invited to join the group, which will host mixology events, competitions, contests, parties and getaways. On the schedule: the Art of Mixology, an educational series created by Steven Kowalczuk (a.k.a. The Cocktail Chef) and Ketel One. Get more info here.
Finally, the Pickleback continues to blow up on the drinking and dining scene. The drink, another bartender favorite a la Fernet-Branca, consists of a shot of Jameson followed by a pickle juice chaser. Last week, The New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton mentioned the version served at Fatty ‘Cue in Brooklyn (though they served him bourbon rather than Irish, and served pickle brine, whiskey and PBR, in that order.) Some bars are even making or selecting customized pickle juice to make their version stand out.