Art of Drink

Tales 2010 Summary

2010-07-26T22:44+00:00

Wow, what a week. This year was bigger and better than last year. In fact there were so many people I wanted to have a drink with that there just wasn't enough time. But I did manage to drink my fair share and chat with a lot of people. This year I went as a presenter and not media. I presented 3 sessions, plus helped out on Andrew Nicholls Essential Oil session so I was busy. I tend to feel obligated to do what I've agreed to do, and as a media blogger I would have felt compelled to write which would have added way to much to my already full plate. So instead, here’s a summary.

Soda’s Influence on Cocktails

2010-07-15T01:02+00:00

My third session at Tales of the Cocktail 2010 is “Soda’s Influence on Cocktails”. Now I know someone is probably thinking “who cares about 7&7's or Rum & Coke” but this really isn’t what the session is about. Prior to prohibition soda fountains were very similar to bars, with their own ingredients, techniques and recipes. Some of these techniques made their way into the bar, others didn’t, but should have. Many of the ingredients are very unique and bartenders can learn a lot.

Fix the Pumps Print Edition

2010-07-11T10:27+00:00

It only took seven months, but the print version of Fix the Pumps has arrived! You can pre-order a copy (details below) and they will begin shipping on July 26th, which just happens to be after Tales of the Cocktail. However, if you will be attending Tales of the Cocktail, and want a signed copy, just send me an email and we'll see if we can arrange something. For all the details on how to get a copy and a few other things, see below.

Tales of the Cocktail 2010

2010-07-09T00:33+00:00

Another July means another Tales of the Cocktail. It’s that time of year where distant drinking buddies come together to share in a college dorm type of experience. Really, it has that vibe. There are dozens of superb educational sessions on everything drink related, while the Hotel Monteleone, and now surrounding hotels, are the gather spots for the masses to embark on epic drinking expeditions. So what’s up this year?

G’Vine Bartender Summaries Pt. II

2010-06-22T02:05+00:00

And here are the final bartender summaries for the top six competitors. Sometimes circumstances have an interesting effect on the final positions in any competition. There is no doubt that things like jet-lag, smoke inhalation and the sniffles can make or break a competitor. But, the top competitors always find a way to rise above these things and still give outstanding performances.

G’Vine Bartender Summaries

2010-06-16T12:11+00:00

Bartending competition results can never tell the whole story, nor do they reflect the true strengths of each competitor. However, numbered rankings often seem harsh, especially to those who didn't come in first. Like those old "No Fear" t-shirts from the 1990s that claimed "second place is the first loser", numbers are merciless. So for a little more balance, and a little humour, here is how I saw the competition.

G’Vine Winner

2010-06-11T19:04+00:00

After an exhausting 3 days of challenges, drinking, traveling and assorted other activities the winner of the G'Vine Connoisseur Competition was Stephan Hinz from Germany (Shephard Bar in Cologne). Really, this wasn't an easy victory. Any one of the twelve bartenders could have challenged for the top position, but circumstances, preparedness and the ability to know when to go to bed were all factors. But, there wasn't really much surprise among the other eleven participants that Stephan won, he really did earn it. Now, as for the circumstances that hobbled some of the other competitors, there are some really funny stories to tell, including flaming pots of simple syrup being flung from a hotel room around 3AM in the morning. I will write about those events shortly, but I don't want to distract from Stephan Hinz hard earned victory. Congratulations and well done Stephan, you are the G'Vine Gin Connoisseur for 2010.

G’Vine Day 2

2010-06-10T22:49+00:00

Very interesting things happen when you take a group of bartenders, mix in some of the best spirits and cocktails in the world and then stick them in a hotel together. And I'm glad I waited until the morning to right this post because we've got some killer material. Whenever an Australian does a striptease to Waltzing Matilda, on boat, you know it's going to be one of "those" nights. But more on that later, there are the G'Vine competition updates to talk about and we are coming closer to crowning a winner in the G'Vine Connoisseur Program.

G’Vine Connoisseur Program: Day 1

2010-06-08T23:43+00:00

After flying in from around the globe, a dozen bartenders plus assorted other participants have descended upon Cognac to duke it out for the title of ultimate gin bartender. G'Vine Gin has put significant emphasis on quality so some of the tests have turned out to be more difficult than some of the competitors suspected, but that's a good thing. As for extra-curricular activities, G'Vine has done some cool things, like "make your own gin" which proved to everyone that making a good gin requires skill. More details and pictures after the jump.

The Ultimate Gin Bartender

2010-06-06T00:23+00:00

The luggage is packed, the bag of blogger techno gear is fully loaded and I’m getting set to fly off to France for the G’Vine Connoisseur Program with 12 bartenders from around the world. Also, Gary Regan along with Philip Duff will be taking on the role of master gin adjudicators, tasked with picking a winner from this three day event. Jay Hepburn (Ohgo.sh) will be co-blogging while Shawn Soole (Clive's, Victoria BC) will be the “executive barback”. With this rag-tag crew of bartending elite, anything could happen, which is why this is going to be a blast.