San Francisco Cocktail Week, a weeklong celebration of the Bay Area’s liquid culture, cocktail heritage, bar talent and industry, announces its first schedule of main events for September 17-23, 2012. Tickets for most events are now on sale through www.sfcocktailweek.com, continuing the opportunity for Bay Area patrons to experience, imbibe, enjoy and educate themselves on all things cocktails from some of the country’s best bar experts. The 2012 festivities bring a return of some of the most beloved events from years past as well as some twists and new offerings, including a food and cocktail pairing event in partnership with the SoMa Streat Food Park, a celebration of local Bay Area distilleries and an Altered California State Fair. New pop-up bar The Rio Grande will serve as the 2012 hub for SF Cocktail Week and a venue for ticket sales along with forthcoming events to be announced.
“San Francisco Cocktail Week is a celebration of the culture, talent, appreciation and history of cocktails in the Bay Area,” said Dominic Phillips, owner of DPEM Event Marketing. “In the past six years since the event was launched, we’re proud to have helped establish a cocktail culture of enthusiasts not only in San Francisco, but nationwide, and our talented bartenders continue to lead that development today. We look forward to sharing the best this city has to offer during this amazing, week-long soirée.”
2012 MAIN EVENTS SCHEDULE
The Artisan Tasting
Monday, September 17, 6-9 p.m.
Tickets: $45 in advance & $55 at the door
Location: Anchor Brewing Company (1705 Mariposa St., San Francisco)
Guests will explore the flavors of unique creations of locally-based distillers with an opening night bash, full of discoveries from the Bay Area’s world of artisan spirits and food pairings. This experience is dedicated to the local craftspeople who strive to make products of inspirational flavor and quality—the driving force behind the ever-evolving industry of the American cocktail.
Spirited Food Trucks: A Pairing of Deliciousness
Tuesday, September 18, 6-9 p.m.
Tickets: $45 in advance & $55 at the door (Food available for purchase at trucks)
Location: SoMa Streat Food Park (428 11th St., San Francisco)
New to the 2012 lineup is this cocktail and street cart food-pairing event where guests can enjoy a wide array of bites and sips in the SoMa Streat Food Park. Premier bartenders have collaborated with truck chefs to concoct the perfectly matched beverage to accompany select dishes on offer, while guests enjoy mingling and stargazing during an Indian summer night in San Francisco.
Best of the West
Wednesday, September 19, 6-9 p.m.
Tickets: $45 in advance & $55 at the door
Location: Local Edition (691 Market St., San Francisco)
Back again for another year of lighthearted competition and a showcase of the best bartenders up and down the West Coast, Best of the West will bring together guest bartenders from San Diego to Vancouver with the best their city has to offer in hand. Each bartender will present a signature cocktail that they feel best represents their city, and incorporates one or more of the challenge ingredients. Guests will also enjoy live music that best represents the west.
Totally Awesome East Bay to the Max!
Thursday, September 20, 6-9 p.m.
Tickets: $45 in advance & $55 at the door
Location: The New Parish, Oakland (579 18th Street)
In this all-new, costumes-encouraged (like, duh!) event to the SF Cocktail Week lineup, guests will go back to the future and celebrate the time when greed was good, the Brat Pack was king and people drank Slow Comfortable Screws, Fuzzy Navels and Slippery Nipples. Re-imagined for contemporary attendees’ pleasure, the best East Bay bartenders will create “classic” concoctions from the 80s using today’s quality ingredients. The DJ will be spinning tunes from the decade, making each person’s champagne wishes and caviar dreams come true.
The Legends Awards
Friday, September 21, 7-10 p.m.
Tickets: $85 in advance & $95 at the door
Location: The Swedish American Hall, San Francisco (2174 Market Street)
The second annual Legends Awards will bring together a night of special table-side cocktails and punches, dinner and show for a 1960’s Vegas experience of joie de vivre and Bond-style swagger. Formal attire, gambling spirit and general Saturday night bravado will be on tap as guests recognize the true innovators, influencers, mentors and historians in the Bay Area. This fête will raise the glass to those who raise the bar for cocktails!
Cocktail Melee
Saturday, September 22, 2-5 p.m.
Tickets: $35 in advance & $45 at the door
Location: NWBLK art gallery, San Francisco (1999 Bryant Street)
Guests will get their fill at the Cocktail Melee—a lively walk-around event with different spirits and cocktail stations where they can explore their personal libation palate. A free-for-all liquid experience in which all brands are presented equally in front of the consumers, this is a rare gathering of spirits that offers the easiest opportunity to connect with brands and truly learn about preferred flavor profiles. With talent from the United States Bartending Guild (USBG), each tasting station will feature a local bartender as its ambassador. Guests will enjoy a leisurely afternoon walking down cocktail lane and taking in the fanciful delights of a San Francisco (Indian) summer.
The California Altered State Fair by Jupiter Olympus
Saturday, September 22, 7-10 p.m.
Tickets: $45 in advance & $55 at the door
Location: NWBLK art gallery, San Francisco (1999 Bryant Street)
Fun for all ages (21 and over), cocktail consultants Jupiter Olympus will put the “u” in “fun” at the California Altered State Fair. A celebration of all the Golden State has to offer, the State Fair will feature carnival games, food, contests and, of course, cocktails inspired by local bounty. Guests can step right up to try their luck at one of the games, win prizes and celebrate an adult version of the fairs they remember from their youth. Costumes encouraged!
St. George Spirits Gets Bartenders Behind Bars
Sunday, September 23, 1-5 p.m.
Tickets: $45 in advance & $55 at the door
Location: St. George Spirits (2601 Monarch St., Alameda)
The annual summertime fiesta at St. George is back again for another year, only this time, there will be cops, robbers and bartenders where they belong: behind bars! Held in the distillery known for crafting fine gins and absinthe, this event will pit cocktail criminals against each other for a competition for your libation affection in the yard (ie: parking lot) of St. George’s beautiful facility overlooking the Bay. The closing event for SF Cocktail Week, guests will enjoy bites from food trucks, outdoor games like “catch the soap” and corn hole, a special prison tattoo station and other treats too controversial to share.
2012 COCKTAIL AND SPIRIT CLASSES
Tickets: TBD (includes admission and tastings)
A major component of SF Cocktail Week is the Seminars, which bring together a league of extraordinary bar experts, distillers and mixologists who share their knowledge with guests about some of the lesser-known facets of the industry as well as invite them to taste their way through each lesson for a greater appreciation of the craft. Whether someone is cocktail-curious or an experienced pro, the seminars provide something for everyone. This year SFCW is working in conjunction with the Beverage Academy to provide innovative Spirit Education Classes and Cocktail Workshops throughout the week.
Located at The Beverage Academy at Bourbon & Branch, each class is dedicated to providing an entertaining, highly informative, hands-on learning experience in the world of spirits and cocktails.
Classes will be long enough to facilitate an in depth understanding of the topics at hand, and short enough to remain fun. Each class is also a workshop with cocktail stations provided for each participant so they can learn from the best how to make perfect cocktails every time.
SPIRITED SUPPERS
Produced in collaboration with an elite roster of San Francisco and East Bay restaurants, Dining Events will feature cocktails created by the area’s best bartenders highlighting one artisan spirit. Guests book with the restaurants directly, and additional information is available at the SFCW website.
Other events will be added in the coming weeks, including more parties, bar crawls and seminars. Please check back at www.sfcocktailweek.com and follow SFCW at Facebook.com/SFCocktailWeek and Twitter.com/cocktailweek for future updates.
San Francisco Cocktail Week would not be possible without the generous and enthusiastic support of its partners, including Rémy Cointreau USA, Inc. (Famous Grouse®, Remy Martin V®, Highland Park®, Brugal Rum® and Cointreau®); Mavea Water; 7×7 magazine; Drink Me magazine; Mutineer magazine; Liquor.com; Tablehopper and Reboot Creative; as well as the planning committee including SF Cocktail Week co-founder H. Joseph Ehrman; Dominic Phillips of DPEM Event Marketing; Aaron Gregory of 15 Romolo; Annie Jesseman for sponsorship and industry relations; Jason Hilton for marketing; Ellipses Public Relations; Jennifer Seidman from Acme Bar & Company; Jessica Maria from Hotsy Totsy Club; Trevor Easter from Heaven’s Dog; Justin Lew from Future Bars; Andie Ferman of St. George Spirits; Rick Dobbs from Cocktail GoGo; Chelsea Bahrs; Reza Esmaili; Shar Caesar; The Bon Vivants; Jupiter Olympus; and Ethan Terry.
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO COCKTAIL WEEK
In May 2007, three enterprising bar owners with an idea to recognize World Cocktail Day set out to create the first San Francisco Cocktail Week to showcase the Bay Area’s influence on the constantly-evolving cocktail scene. From the Pisco Punch, invented by Duncan Nichol at The Bank Exchange in the late 1800s to the plethora of innovative and artisan concoctions that can be found on bar menus across San Francisco today, the city has been a breeding ground for creativity, appreciation and trend-setting in the cocktail world. San Francisco Cocktail Week Founders H. Joseph Ehrmann (Elixir), Jeff Hollinger (Comstock Saloon) and Duggan McDonnell (Cantina) continued the annual celebration, each year growing it in scope, scale and flavor. SF Cocktail Week benefits the Barbary Coast Conservancy for the American Cocktail (BCCAC)—a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of saloons and their cocktails in San Francisco while also celebrating California’s culinary philosophy and traditions with special events, publications and educational seminars throughout the year. This year co-founder H. Joseph Ehrmann remains working with SFCW in an Advisory Role. For more information, visit www.sfcocktailweek.com.
