Bartenders found first Chicago Cocktail Summit
Two leading bar experts will host the inaugural Chicago Cocktail Summit in May, aimed at cocktail enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
Billy Helmkamp is one of the co-founders of the Chicago Cocktail Summit
Bartender and bar owner Billy Helmkamp, of The Whistler and Logan Square Arts Festival, and events producer Erik Westra, of Westra & Co., Maximum Fun and Confab Events, have collaborated on the first-ever Chicago Cocktail Summit.
The two-day educational event is set to take place from 22-23 May at The Logan Theatre, and will feature seminars, demos, tastings, panel discussions and networking events hosted by a selection of Chicago’s most touted industry veterans.
“Friends in the industry have been trying to make an event like this happen for years, but the question was always, ‘who can actually do this?’,” explained Helmkamp. “No one had the time or energy to pull it off.
“Well, Erik and I have the event-planning experience that’s needed to finally get it off the ground and we want to use it as a platform to continue to push the city’s cocktail movement forward.
“One thing that stands out about Chicago’s cocktail community is the incredible sense of friendship and collaboration between bars and bartenders.
Erik Westra co-founder of the Chicago Cocktail Summit
“The Cocktail Summit is an opportunity for us all to work together and share our expertise with the larger community, while underscoring what makes each one of us unique.”
Sunday 22 May will be targeted at consumers and home cocktail enthusiasts, with seminars ranging from beginner and intermediate levels, and panel discussions about cocktail history, bitters production, ingredient manipulation and drink-making techniques.
Monday 23 May will be aimed at industry professionals and will offer a “more advanced” programme covering in-depth spirits analysis, the science behind clear ice, modern bartending techniques, how to make the most of social media to promote your brand and how to run a successful beverage programme.
Both days will run from 9am until 6pm, and advance premium tickets cost US$125 per day and include full access to all seminars and tastings. Tickets go on sale 4 April.
Confirmed panellists and presenters include Adrienne Lo and Abraham Conlon of Fat Rice; cocktail writer and author Robert Simonson of The New York Times and GQ; Andrew Algren of Cherry Circle Room; Whitney Morrow of Drumbar; Jesse Diaz of Dark Matter Coffee; Danny Shapiro of Scofflaw; Ed Marzewski of Marz Brewing; and the Dogma Group’s Alex Renshaw, Clint Rogers and Brian Sturgulewski.
