Boutique Bar Show is teaming up with Tequila & Mezcal Fest to create an exciting series of events that take place under one roof.

Boutique Bar Show returns to London next month

This year’s Boutique Bar Show is bringing its 11th London edition to a new venue within the Bargehouse gallery at Oxo Tower Wharf on the iconic South Bank.

2018 will see Boutique Bar Show work in partnership with Tequila & Mezcal Fest and the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild (UKBG) for the trade day, with both events being held under one roof.

On 2 October, from 11am to 5pm, Boutique Bar Show will take up residence in the exposed brick warehouse gallery space of the Bargehouse. More than 200 products will be available over two floors, along with seminars, tastings and experiences. Guests will be able to meet new and established producers, enjoy a diverse line-­up of international speakers and take inspiration from cocktails produced by a number of leading London bars that will be partnering with the event.

To meet industry demand “for a greater diversity of exhibitors within existing trade events”, Boutique Bar Show will be operating a policy of having no more than 30% of brands from a single spirits category. This year will welcome a number of British producers, Irish whiskey brands, new European producers with apéritifs from Italy and France, and a selection of rum from around the world.

The show will also feature a number of leading bartenders, who will showcase innovative ways of serving spirits. London bar Black Rock will deliver a whisky experience, while Islington tiki bar Laki Kane will highlight its pick of boutique rums.

Education sessions will be provided by the new-­look UKBG, whose recent appointments include former UKBG south chairman Salvatore Damiano as president, bartending legend Peter Dorelli as ambassador, Declan McGurk of The Savoy’s American Bar as vice-president, and Swift’s Mia Johansson as chair of London.

Boutique Bar Show will take place over two floors

A full day of workshops from the UKBG will discuss current cocktail trends, including coffee and low-­ and no-­abv drinks, as well as the ‘business of bars’, examining topics such as how to build a strong bar team.

Tequila & Mezcal Fest, now in its fifth year, will hold its consumer event from 5­-7 October in the same venue. It will be a busy week for the on­-trade, as the event will also take place during London Cocktail Week.

The show will continue to focus on quality brands and equality for all exhibitors, with an ethos that puts an emphasis on the liquid.

Eduardo Gomez, founder of Tequila & Mezcal Fest, says: “2018 is a landmark year for Tequila & Mezcal fest, celebrating its fifth year and working with Boutique Bar Show for the first time.

“Together we can offer the trade an unmissable opportunity to try more than 300 spirits under one roof, with a host of great talks from the UKBG and agave spirit experts Fernando Cano and Hipocrates Nolasco.”

Boutique Bar Show founder Andrew Scutts adds: “This is an exciting collaboration that brings together companies and organisations that share the same values and ideals to further the advancement of the industry through education, networking and personal development.”

To register for the show, visit boutiquebarshow.com.

Click through to the following page to see the schedule of seminars. 

Tequila & Mezcal Stage

12:45pm

A seminar on Tequila and its challenges and opportunities in the European market, presented by Fernando Cano, Tequila Regulatory Council (TRC) representative for Europe.

2:15pm

CRT Distintivo T award ceremony

The TRC launched the Distintivo T project in 2015, which seeks to educate the industry on Tequila’s history, regulations, and production.

Sixty bartenders, brand ambassadors, and sales representative will receive their award having completed the exam in London this month.

3:45pm

A seminar on mezcal – hosted by Hipocrates Nolazco, president of the Mezcal Regulatory Council.

Nolazco will discuss the authenticity of mezcal and the evolution of the agave-based spirit in the last six years.

UKBG Stage

12pm-12:45pm

How to build a great bar team

Join The Savoy’s Declan McGurk, Swift’s Mia Johansson and Peter Dorelli for a discussion on building and developing a professional bar team that strive to excel in all aspects of the business.

1:30pm-2:15pm

Secrets of the top hotel bars 

Hosted by Remy Savage, head bartender at the Artesian in London.

London’s hotel bars have consistently been recognised as some of the best bars in the world. This session is an unmissable opportunity to gain an insight into drinks programs from London’s leading bars.

3pm-3:45pm

Low abv and aperitivo

Hosted by Rudi Carraro and Luca Missaglia.

Discover how low- and no-abv drinks became a 21st-century global trend. This session will take you through a journey of the vermouth, amaro, rosolio and aperitivi and take a look at how drinking habits have changed across the years.

4:15pm-5pm

CBD cocktails and more

Hosted by Thomas Aske of Fluid Movement and the founders of Beyond Alcohol.

This session will look at the rise of cannabidiol in mixed drinks and the opportunities that exist with plant-based substances to create a more mindful drinks programme.