The week in pictures
Following Chicago bartender Charles Joly’s win at Diageo Reserve World Class 2014, bartender Sean Kenyon has devised the ultimate tribute – a t-shirt printed with the champion’s face, that reads: “Joly in my homeboy”. The t-shirts are available to buy online for US$25 for those wishing to pay tribute to the Aviary bartender also (joly-is-my-homeboy.myshopify.com). However, if wandering around with a picture of Joly’s mug on your chest isn’t reason enough to buy one, all profits from the t-shirts go to one of Joly’s favourite charities, Imerman Angels, which “provides personalised connections that enable one-on-one support among cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers”.
Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, the original Thinking Drinkers, kicked off their appearance at Edinburgh Fringe (01-25 August) this year with a series of tales about famous imbibers throughout history, including Humphrey Bogart, Dorothy Parker and Jesus Christ. Although from this picture, there’s an element of Brokeback Mountain going on too…
Maker’s Mark Bourbon named five finalists of its Bartender Trove exhibition of barwares and prized treasures from all corners of the UK bartending community. Michael Buben (pictured), of the NinetyEight Bar and Lounge in London, exhibited his Reed & Barton sterling silver jigger, which he used to make the Immigrant cocktail, a mix of Maker’s Mark, Umeshu, fig liqueur and orange bitters. The finalists will compete in a Maker’s Mark cocktail event later this summer, the winner of which will head to the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky.
New York cult brand Bulldog Gin announced the appointment of Bianca Hepworth, of The Proud Archivist, as its new UK brand ambassador. Hepworth will represent the brand in the trade, deliver training sessions and develop drinks to showcase the gin. “I love gins with unusual botanicals so working with Bulldog is something of a dream for me,” she said. “I can’t wait to get started, meet some other Bulldog lovers and show it off to bartenders so that we can work on creating more serves that include Bulldog Gin”.
Bacardi continued to entice holidaymakers to Alicante, Ibiza and Malaga with a range of ready-to-serve cocktails. The activation promoted the brand’s range of RTD cocktails as a summer promotion across duty free stores. As part of the activation consumers are greeted with a pool party scene complete with deck chairs, palm trees and pop-up bar featuring their first drink of the holiday
Back in London, a pop-up rum shack serving Pusser’s Rum opened at Camden’s trendy Roundhouse venue on a pop-up beach in order to celebrate Black Tot Day – the date when he Royal Navy called time on the tradition of giving sailors’ daily rum rations after more than 300 years.
Global rum ambassador Ian Burrell was on-hand to provide expertly shaken, refreshing cocktails throughout the course the the day.
Team SB and db also headed over to the new London venue opened by renowned chef Mark Hix, called Hixter Bankside. The bar and restaurant, which, fortunately, is situated next door to our office in an old metal box factory, officially opened its doors just this week. Our thirsty team enjoyed an array of cocktails in the basement Mark’s Bar, including the Strawberry Blonde, Ryesberry Ripper and the Just in Thyme. Tasty snacks included beer sticks, chips cooked in duck, and chicken popcorn.
Hendricks’s Gin also headed to its homeland this week for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, bringing with them their utterly wacky Carnival of Knowledge. With a crammed programme of “mind expanding” events, including Zombie-making workshops, Jelly Brain Dissections and A Genteel Tipple through Gin in Literature, the carnival will run on until Sunday 10 August.
