On Tuesday, May 8th, The Wine House presents its first Clear Spirits Fest, an evening of education and mixology featuring Aidan Demarest, Marcos Tello and a dizzying array of spirits. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about gin, vodka, rum, rhum agricole, pisco, vermouth, vodka, grappa and eau de vie, this is a can’t-miss event!

To help educate attendees, The Wine House has invited distillers, brand ambassadors and top bartenders like Rich Andreoli, Mia Sarazen and Joel Black. Executive Chef Todd Barrie will provide the bites, and a live band will keep guests in the groove.

Following is the most recent list of featured spirits, with more TBA:

Stoli Elit
Hendrick’s Gin
Martin Miller Gin
Dos Maderas 5 + 3
Dos Maderas 5 + 5
Rhum Clement Blanc Martinique Rhum Agricole
Rhum Clement VSOP
Rhum Clement Creole Shrub
Rhum Clement Agricole Cane Sugar Syrup w/ Cinnamon & Cloves
Bols Genever
Lillet
Hangar One Vodkas
St George Gin Terroir
St George Gin Botanivore
Brugal Rum

The Botanist Gin
Nardini Acquavite di Cedro Liqueur
Nardini Acquavite di Vinaccia Bianca alla Ruta
Poli Po’ Traminer
Poli Miele
Poli Jacopo Poli Torcolato
Pitu Cachaca

Aviation Gin
House Spirits Coffee Liqueur
Barbancourt Rhum
Encanto Pisco
Leblon Cachaça
Caorunn Gin
Edinburgh Gin
Death’s Door Gin
Death’s Door Vodka
Voli Lyte
Voli Orange Vanilla
Voli Raspberry Coco
Original Moonshine

G’Vine Floraison Gin
G”Vine Nouaison Gin
Rhum JM
Barsol Pisco Premero 100% Quebranta
Barsol Pisco Supremo Mosto Verde Italia
Charbay Vodka
Charbay
Purity Vodka

Nolet’s Gin
Ketel One

Leopold’s Gin
Leopold’s Navy Strength Gin
Jewel of Russia Ultra
Cocchi Americano
Dolin Vermouth

Square One Organic Cucumber Vodka
Blue Ice Potato Vodka
Batiste Rhum Blanc
Blade Gin
Rusty Blade Aged Gin
Tempus Fugit Crème De Menthe
Tempus Fugit Crème De Cacao
Gabriel Boudier Curacao
Gabriel Boudier Saffron Gin

Clear Creek Liqueurs
Grappino Bertagnoli
Grappa Bertagnoli Toreldego
Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka
Comb Gin
Imbue Vermouth

Junipero Gin
Junipero Genevieve
No. 3 Gin
Don Cesar Pisco Italia
Meyer Kirsch (Eau de Vie)
Meyer Mirabelle (Eau de Vie)
Meyer Poire (Eau de Vie)
Ypioca Cachaca Ouro
Luxardo Sambuca
Luxardo Grappa
Chinchon Spanish Anis
Christian Drouin Blanche Norman
Pink Pigeon Vanilla Infused Rum

Clear Spirits Fest
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
7:30-9:30pm
$59
Tickets: www.winehouse.com/product.php?sku=CLEARSPIRITS&d=CLASSES/EVENTS

The Wine House
2311 Cotner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 479-3731
www.winehouse.com

Host with the most Aidan Demarest is back as emcee, and just like last year, the Prom King and Queen will get a horse-drawn carriage ride around Los Feliz. To add to the magnifique setting, there will be mimes, accordions, French singers and a 17-foot lighted Eiffel Tower.

Like the 60s, if you remember last year’s Enchantment Under the Sea prom, you weren’t there. To help fill in the blanks, Lee has created a special Cocktail Community Collage.

Irez-vous au bal d’étudiants avec moi?

Midnight in Paris
2nd Annual Valentine’s Day Prom
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012
7pm to 12am
No cover, open to the public
Featuring:

• Special “love potion” cocktail menu
• (Spiked) punch and hors d’oeuvres
• Make-your-own-champagne-cocktail bar featuring Miracle Mile Bitters
• Caricature artist, Artist Alley, photo area
• Accordions, French singers and mimes
• Horse-drawn carriage ride for the Prom King and Queen
• 17-foot lighted Eiffel Tower
• “Le kitchen sink”

Big Bar at Alcove
1929 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA, 90027
(323) 644-0100
www.alcovecafe.com/bigbar

For a comprehensive list of dining options on December 31st, be sure to visit our friends at dineLA for the Mother of All New Year’s Eve Restaurant Round Ups.

Wherever you end up on New Year’s Eve, please celebrate responsibly. You can Go Metro with special overnight 24-hour rail service on December 31st and January 1st, and of course a taxi is just a phone call away.

Cheers to a fantastic 2012!

Photo by Bar | Kitchen via Facebook

Bar | Kitchen
Located in the lobby of the O Hotel in Downtown LA, Bar | Kitchen is offering a three-course New Year’s Eve dinner menu for $45. To pair with Chef Vahan Tokmadjian’s seared sea scallops, beef short rib pot roast, and almond & pear upside down cake, B|K is featuring a unique selection of small production bubbly and craft champagne cocktails. Reservations: 213.784.3048.

Big Bar – Countdown Across the World
At Big Bar, nine is your lucky number for the second annual New Year’s Eve Countdown Across the World: nine time zones, nine countdowns, nine cocktails and nine playlists. The countdowns start at 3pm with the Hüsker Dü (Kanon Organic Vodka, Aperol, lemon, bitters) and travels all the way across the map every hour until midnight, when Los Angeles welcomes 2012 with a champagne toast and the Historic Core: Rittenhouse 100, Lairds Bonded Applejack, Green Chartreuse, Dolin Rouge, Angostura. To tempt thirsty Angelenos, Big Bar is posting pics of the NYE cocktails on its Facebook page every day until New Year’s Eve.

• Special cocktail menu featuring house favorites from Don Q, Leblon, and Zaya
• DJ Phys-Ed; DJ kill-devil kicks things off with dancehall vibes at 8pm and hosts an East Coast Toast at 9pm
• Breakfast for the surviving revelers
• “We only ask that you bring your best spirits and finest evening attire or favorite party pants.”

Photo by The Edison

The Edison – Bootlegger’s Ball
On New Year’s Eve, The Edison presents the Bootlegger’s Ball, featuring Lyndsay and the All-Nighters, aerialists, dancers and “a host of gifted eccentriques to accompany you on a unique and unforgettable journey into 2012.” Tickets include The Edison’s legendary Midnight Toast. Tables include desserts and special New Years favors. Tickets start at $75. Doors at 7pm. Table reservations and pricing: 213.613.0000.

Eveleigh – Roaring 20s Soirée
The Wayback Machine will be in effect at Eveleigh, which is not only presenting a Roaring Twenties Soirée, but is also thoughtfully serving an all-day brunch on January 1, 2012. Both dinner options include a 5-course Prix Fixe Menu; the Late Seating includes a champagne toast at midnight and access to The Uptown Five jazz quintet and NYE festivities starting at 9:30pm.
Early Bird Seating: $75. Late Seating: $95. Reservations at OpenTable or call 424.239.1630.

The Cocktail Party features a 1920s-inspired cocktail menu created by head barman Dave Kupchinsky, an open bar from 10-11pm, live jazz quintet entertainment and piano, countdown to 2012 and complimentary champagne toast. 1920′s cocktail attire suggested.
$50 per person. 9:30pm-2am. Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/event/2669132447?ref=ebtn

On New Year’s Day, Eveleigh is serving an All Day Brunch with classics from the dinner menu to help with recovery from the night before, as well as REHAB with the best hangover remedies from the bar.
11am-10pm. Reservations at OpenTable or call 424.239.1630.

The Golden Stag
Take the Wayback Machine to the historic Park Plaza Hotel, where LACMA Muse and Sypher Art Studios present The Golden Stag, a Roaring Twenties style party.
Featuring:

• Performances by Brent Canter, Elliot Deutsch Big Band, Astra Dance Company, Alice Underground, and more
• Midnight champagne toast and fireworks display
• Absinthe bar
• 18-piece orchestra

Fellas and Flappers: $50 (includes champagne toast); Big Daddies and Leading Ladies: $150 (includes reserved table service with hosted bar). 8pm. Tickets: 323.857.6010.

Harvard & Stone
Harvard & Stone is throwing its first New Year’s Eve party with special performances by Lil’ Jenny and Molly D’Amour, accompanied by the H&S band and DJ Aaron Castle’s rock’n'roll oldies. Your all-inclusive ticket features an all-night open bar with craft cocktails, punches, American microbrews and bottomless champagne. Tickets $100 per person. 8pm-2am. Use promo code “harvardandstone” and get a 20% discount: www.eventbrite.com/event/2650177753?discount=harvardandstone

La Descarga – Havana Nocturne
Four words: gangsters, dames, booze and gambling. That’s what La Descarga has in store for guests at its Havana Nocturne, a 1920’s-themed night that includes premium open bar, Latin orchestra, burlesque dancers, passed apps, and a Havana-inspired casino. The three biggest chip holders at the end of the night will receive some great prizes. The dress code is formal and the theme is gangsters and dames of the 20′s. Tickets are $200 per person, includes gratuity, and are limited to 150 guests. To purchase tickets, email nye@ladescargala.com.

Neat – New York New Year’s Eve
On New Year’s Eve, Aidan Demarest is keeping it simple at his Glendale bar Neat: no cover or reservations, live music, champagne toasts at 9pm and midnight, and Chinese takeout to soak up all the spirits (served neat, of course). What’s the over-under on how many times Don’t Stop Believin’ gets played that night?

Next Door Lounge
Looks like the Wayback Machine will be in overdrive this New Year’s Eve as Next Door Lounge transports guests to a glamorous Masquerade Party set in 1920’s Hollywood. Live jazz and classic black and white films provide the backdrop as you enjoy cocktails by Joseph Brooke and bites from the Next Door staff kitchen. Tickets are $75 per person and include a welcome drink, masquerade mask, party favors, and a midnight champagne toast. Ticket reservations: reserve@nextdoorhollywood.com.

From 10:30pm to 1:30am, Picca is hosting a Late Night Industry Party with open bar (beer, wine, pisco shots, punch) and bites for friends, family and industry patrons for just $40 per person. Space is limited and pre-paid reservations are required.

Providence
At Providence, Chef Michael Cimarusti ushers in 2012 with a sumptuous Market Menu that rings in the new year with delicious style. Market Menu items include wild Japanese buri, wild New Zealand John Dory, and American Wagyu style beef. Early seating is 5:30 and 6pm, late seating at 8:30 and 9pm. $195 per person, $260 with wine pairing. 323.460.4170.

• Luxury Tequila Flight ($100) – John Rivera Sedlar’s 6 Year Aged Anejo, Milagro Romance & Herradura Suprema
• Mezcal Flight ($25) – Vida, Chichicapa, Joven Ilegal

Other NYE specialty flights include single malt Scotch, rum and American whiskey. Reservations after 9pm will receive a complimentary glass of cava. Reservations suggested, walk-ins are welcome: 323.933.5300.

Seven Grand – World Whiskey Flight
Like Big Bar, Seven Grand is also going global on NYE with its World Whiskey Flight, a private tasting featuring eight of the best whiskies in the world as chosen by members of the Seven Grand bar staff:

• Parker’s Heritage Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon ’Barrel Finished’ (10 Years Old)
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye
• Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Whisky
• Scott’s Selection Littlemill 1984 (distillery closed)
• Connemara Peated Cask Strength
• Lark Single Cask
• Talisker Distiller’s Edition (11 Years Old)
• Scott’s Selection North of Scotland 1964 (45 Years Old)

Punch reception at 5:30pm, World Whiskey Flight at 6pm, event opens to the public at 8pm. Tickets are $120, includes gratuity and appetizers: http://7grandnye.eventbrite.com.

Photo by Tasting Kitchen via Facebook

The Tasting Kitchen
At The Tasting Kitchen on Abbot Kinney, Chef Casey Lane is offering three five-course menu options with French, Italian, Moroccan, and Spanish inspired flavors that will appeal to meat lovers, seafood fans, and vegetarians alike. The “All” Menu features Apicius Duck Confit with kumquat preserve, and puntarella; the Pescatarian Menu features Tagliarini Nero with squid and serrano chile; and the Vegetarian Menu features Truffled Egg with polenta and fall vegetable salad. Wine pairings for each menu are also available. $90 per person, $45 for wine pairings. 310.392.6644.

Click to view.

The Varnish – Soul Shakedown Party
From its location in the back of Cole’s, The Varnish will be dancing to its singular beat on New Year’s Eve with a Soul Shakedown Party that features unlimited craft cocktails, bottomless Bols Genever punch and the 2nd Annual Varnish Twist Contest, hosted by Varnish GM Chris Bostick. Rare groove and soul classics will provide the imbibing soundtrack to the event, which will take place from 9pm-2am. Tables in the intimate venue are available for parties of two, four and six. Seating for New Year’s Eve is limited, reservations are a must.
$125 per person (gratuity included). For reservations contact Chris Bostick at 213.622.9999, or email thevarnish@thevarnishbar.com.

Photo by Wood & Vine

Wood & Vine
Wood & Vine is presenting a five-course or seven-course prix fixe and two seating options for its New Year’s Eve menu. First seating is 6-7pm and includes a Celery Root Shooter, Dungeness Crab Salad, House-Made Spaghetti, Seared Branzino, Paso Prime Rib Eye, and Butterscotch Pot de Crème. The second seating is 9-10pm and includes the previous plus Roasted Scallop, Roasted Venison Saddle, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. First seating $55; second seating $75. 323.334.3360.

Click to view.

To help raise funds, The Spare Room is presenting the First Annual Bartenders with Bar Tabs Auction. Several of the city’s finest are donating their time along with bar tabs from their home bars. The Spare Room will mix and match the tabs and auction off these pre-paid drinking dates. Already confirmed for the auction block: Aidan Demarest, Kate Grutman, Dave Kupchinsky, Lacey Murillo, Lauran September, Alex Straus and Marcos Tello, with more to be announced. Dan “The Imbiber” Dunn will be the emcee and auctioneer.

Added 12/21: Kenny Arbuckle and Bayardo De Murguia.

Boxing Day Social at The Spare Room
Monday, December 26, 2011
7pm-11pm
Suggested donation: $10
Featuring:

• Bottomless punch
• Bar bites
• Jenga tournament
• Live music by Hobo Jazz
• DJ Miss Diana

Sponsored by Wild Geese Irish Whiskey and Akvinta Vodka

The Spare Room
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Mezzanine Level)
7000 Hollywood Blvd. (at Orange)
(323) 769-7296
www.spareroomhollywood.com

Hospitality Kitchen
821 E. 6th Street (at the corner of 6th and Gladys)
Downtown LA
House: (323) 267-8789
Kitchen: (213) 614-9615
Days: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and 4th of July.)
Time: 7:45am – 12:45pm

For more information about the Hospitality Kitchen, please visit lacatholicworker.org/visiting-and-volunteering/soup-kitchen.

Sabrina Kershaw (L) bested Kelly Unda in the Speed Rack Boston finals. | Photo: Lush Life Productions

Speed Rack launched a ten-city tour in October to honor National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the purpose of finding the fastest female bartender in America while raising funds for breast cancer charities. The Speed Rack tour follows the success of the inaugural LUPEC NYC Speed Rack competition, which raised $3,500 this past June. The national tour kicked off last month in Boston, where Sabrina Kershaw (The Citizen, Noir Bar) was crowned the winner and $5,000 was raised. Next was Portland, with $3,600 raised and Seattle’s Missy Cross (Sun Liquor) emerging victorious.

Click to view.

Speed Rack LA is the third stop of the tour, featuring a stellar lineup of 18 competitors:

• Kiowa Bryan (Eveleigh)
• Anne Marie Ceralvo (The Spare Room)
• Danielle Crouch (Caña Rum Bar)
• Christine D’Abrosca (Next Door Lounge)
• Jaclyn Goodyear (Killer Shrimp)
• Jennifer Lane (Black Market Liquor Bar)
• Jen Len (Drago Centro)
• Tammy Machicado (Night & Day Productions)
• Meghan Malloy (La Descarga)
• Jaymee Mandeville (Drago Centro)
• Mia Mastroianni (Soho House West Hollywood)
• Lacey Murillo (1886, Black Market)
• Lindsay Nader (Harvard & Stone)
• Gracy Ramirez (Dog Haus)
• Mia Sarazen (Harvard & Stone, Black Market)
• Naomi Schimek (The Spare Room)
• Devon Tarby (The Varnish)
• Kylee Van Dillen (Westside Tavern)

Throughout the afternoon, pairs of bartenders will face off and make a round of cocktails, selected from a list of 50 industry standard recipes. Judges will rate each drink based on prep time and accuracy. The esteemed judging panel includes Hollis Bulleit of Bulleit Bourbon, Aidan Demarest (Neat), Jessica Gelt (LA Times), and Ted Haigh (aka Dr. Cocktail). Emcee Simon Ford will keep the proceedings moving as the competition nears its climactic final showdown.

Following the LA competition, Speed Rack will travel to other cocktail-focused cities with strong LUPEC chapters, including Washington DC (Dec 4, 2011) and then on to San Francisco, Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, and Chicago in 2012. The goal for the nationwide competitions is to collectively raise $75,000 before the ultimate Miss Speed Rack is crowned in May 2012 at the national finals in NYC.

The tour is being produced by Lindsey Johnson of Lush Life Productions, with event coordination by Claire Bertin-Lang (Proof ABV). Local support for Speed Rack LA is being provided by 213 Nightlife and the USBGLA.

Presale tickets to Speed Rack LA are $20 and are available online at speedrackla.eventbrite.com. A special admission and Speed Rack t-shirt package (with bonus free koozie) is priced at $35. Tickets at the door are $25, cash only, based on availability, and are first come, first served.

For more information, visit the Speed Rack website at www.speed-rack.com.

Speed Rack LA
Sunday, November 13, 2011
3pm-7pm
21+ w/ ID
Tickets:

• $20 General Admission and $35 Speed Rack package tickets: speedrackla.eventbrite.com.
• Day of event: $25 at the door, cash only and based on availability.
• Includes complimentary punches, cocktails, Abita beer, and food.
• Proceeds go towards breast cancer research, education and prevention.

More info:

• www.speed-rack.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/speedrackinfo
• Twitter: @Speed_Rack

Blossom Room – Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 466-7000
www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt

For a taste of what will go down at the Roosevelt, check out this video of the inaugural Speed Rack event in New York:

Schimek said the weekly special is a tribute to Katz’s Deli, located on the street that gives the Ludlow Street Collins its name. If you’re not a fan of pickles, this drink probably won’t make your must-try list. But if you are, there’s no finer tip of the hat to the Old Pickle District than this tall drink, which pairs especially well with the Pastrami Reuben.

Fall Happy Hour at The Spare Room
Wednesdays from 6-9pm
Featuring:

• $7 Ludlow Street Collins
• $6 Pastrami Reubens or Turkey Rachels
• $3 Beer
• Half price bowling

Ludlow Street Collins

"I'll have what she's having."

Demarest (currently gearing up for this weekend’s opening of Neat in Glendale) will be going out in style with a Tiki-themed blowout, featuring Kraken Rum cocktails and guest bartenders Marcos Tello and John Lermayer (The Florida Room). Hopefully there will still be a bar left for Schimek to manage after the Robert Evans of the LA cocktail scene meets the 2011 Simon Ford Uh Oh Award winner.

A Night of Tiki at The Spare Room
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
10pm to close
Featuring:

• Guest bartenders John Lermayer and Marcos Tello
• Island-inspired Kraken Rum cocktails and music

The Spare Room
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Mezzanine Level)
7000 Hollywood Blvd. (at Orange)
(323) 769-7296
www.thompsonhotels.com

What’s that you say? You don’t have anything to do on Sunday, October 2nd? Well, now you do! Or, you will have something to do if you win our giveaway, which grants you entry to the Sunday City Sprawl, an exclusive Sunday brunch taking place from 12pm-3pm on the rooftop of the Petit Ermitage in West Hollywood. The event is sponsored by Cointreau, hosted by the one and only Aidan Demarest, and features cocktails by Harvard & Stone’s Rich Andreoli.

The guest list of 25 spots is already closed. But we’ve managed to find two more seats, which will go to one lucky winner. And it couldn’t be easier to enter: all you have to do is join Aidan’s Cointreau Sunday group on Facebook, and tell us your favorite Sunday brunch item in the comments. (Yes friends, that includes booze.)

This giveaway is only open to new members who join the group after 6pm today (Saturday, October 1st). The contest closes at 11:59pm tonight. Limit one entry per group member. After the contest closes, we’ll put the names of new members in the Randomizer and pick a winner. The winner will be announced on Sunday morning in this blog post and in the Facebook group.

Good luck!

Image of Petit Ermitage pool courtesy of Petit Ermitage.

Sure, you can make a Bastille Day cocktail (or two) and toast the storming of the Bastille at home. But what if you’re in the mood for a bit of carousing with fellow revelers? The Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt will have you covered tonight by hosting an intimate performance by Paris Loves LA. The band features Adele Jacques, a très chic French singer who performs Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot songs in a cabaret style. In addition to Gainsbourg and Bardot, Paris Loves LA is influenced by French Sixties pop, American jazz, and cinema.

If you’re looking for something to sip while the chanteuse is singing, The Spare Room will feature a special one-off drink list, including Aidan Demarest’s Duke for a Day and other Bastille Day cocktails by Naomi Schimek:

• Duke for a Day – Cognac, lavender, lemon
• Champs Élysées – Cognac, Yellow Chartreuse, bitters, lemon
• Champagne Flip – Champagne, Cognac, Cointreau, egg yolk, cream, sugar
• La Prise Armagnac – Cointreau, Luxardo Bitter Liqueur
• Champagne Cobbler – Champagne, Cointreau, berries

Bastille Day at The Spare Room
Presented by Cointreau
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Doors at 8pm
Featuring:

• Paris Loves LA (1st set 10pm, 2nd set 11pm)
• Special guest: DJ Nils Kock
• Bastille Day cocktail menu

The Spare Room
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Mezzanine Level)
7000 Hollywood Blvd. (at Orange)
(323) 769-7296
www.spareroomhollywood.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1voxjxkNsU

What’s the Nantucket Sound, you say? Here’s the cocktail recipe from Naomi Schimek:

This summer special is going on at The Spare Room right now, as I type this post. The special will be happening every Wednesday this summer, from 6-9pm.

The Spare Room
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Mezzanine Level)
7000 Hollywood Blvd. (at Orange)
(323) 769-7296
thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt/drink/the-spare-room

Zahra Bates

Two of L.A.’s best bartenders will be a constant presence throughout the Manhattan Cocktail Classic: Zahra Bates (Providence) and Naomi Schimek (The Spare Room) were named Bar Fellows for the 2011 MCC. Bates and Schimek were selected (along with bartenders from across the U.S., Toronto and Amsterdam) from a hundred applicants to become members of the MCC team for the week, working on the front lines and behind the scenes to help produce the festival.

Judging a cocktail competition with @ThirstyInLA and @lushangeles. So different from a Barista comp. Plus you get drunk!

April 17, 2011 8:49 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@SingleOrigin

Chris Owens

The cocktails were judged in two categories: Spirited Cocktail with a Signature Ingredient and Fruit Forward Long Drink with a Garnish Focus. One winner from each category would go to New York for the Final. In the Signature Ingredient category, cocktails had to use DonQ rum and a “signature” or “housemade” ingredient made by the bartender. The signature ingredient would also be judged as a standalone. A cocktail in the Garnish category had to use seasonal ingredients paired with a DonQ rum, and the garnish would be judged on its look and creativity as a standalone. Cocktails in both categories were judged on technique, creativity, seasonality, visual appeal and of course taste. Varnish GM Chris Bostick would separately evaluate the competitors in the Technical scoring.

Contestants from each category drew numbers and competed head-to-head, tournament-style. Given the talent level of the competitors and the quality of the entries, scoring was close, especially in the final showdown for the Garnish category. Judging was made even harder when the contestants made adjustments to their recipes for the final round. One drink in particular closed the gap to such a degree that it came down to the Technical scoring to determine a winner in that category.

When the dust had settled, the winning cocktails were the Cafe Pasquale by Marcos Tello (1886), and the Foxy Brown by Jason Schiffer of 320 Main. Both winners stood out beyond having great tasting drinks that were nicely presented; Tello’s rock candy swizzle and Schiffer’s “cocktail within a cocktail” were especially notable for their creativity. Both the Cafe Pasquale’s signature ingredient and the Foxy Brown’s garnish could be enjoyed on their own or incorporated into their respective cocktails. Consistent execution was a key factor, as well.

Cafe Pasquale by Marcos Tello

CAFE PASQUALE
Created by Marcos Tello
Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Don Q Gran Anejo
• ½ oz. Homemade “Mexican Chocolate” Syrup*
• Dash of Fee Bros. Aztec Chocolate Bitters

Preparation: Build & stir with one large ice cube
Glass: Clear Glass Coffee Mug
Garnish: Demerara Swizzle Stick & Dried Julienned Chiles
Presentation: White Plate with a mound of cayenne pepper & a mound of chocolate
*Mixture of chocolate powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, & Demerara Syrup

Foxy Brown by Jason Schiffer

FOXY BROWN
Created by Jason Schiffer
Ingredients:

• 2 oz. DonQ Cristal,
• 1 tsp. Firelit coffee liqueur
• ¾ oz. 320 Main house-made Orgeat
• 1½ oz. Lime Juice

Preparation:

• Shake with crushed ice
• Serve over crushed ice in a Double Old Fashioned
• Garnish with a “cocktail within a cocktail”: ¼ oz Fernet Branca and ¼ oz Depaz Cane Syrup inside a lime shell.

Tello and Schiffer will be at MCC to compete against winners from other USBG chapters in the Mix-Off Finals, taking place on Saturday, May 14th at Skylight West. Four winners will be named by a judging panel (two from each category), and a fifth winner will be chosen as the Crowd Favorite when the event opens to the public for The Cocktail Club: A DonQ Rums 80s Bash.

According to the DonQ press release, the five winners from the MCC competition “will be flown to Puerto Rico to tour the Destilería Serrallés and visit the Serrallés Castle. On their return, the winners will present a tailored mixology seminar to their respective USBG chapters. In addition to the winners’ individual prize package, a $5,000 donation will be made to the winning chapter’s non-profit affiliation.”

Cheers to Marcos and Jason for sharing their recipes, and good luck in New York!

The Cocktail Club: A DonQ Rums 80′s Bash
Saturday, May 14, 2011
9pm-1am
$50
Featuring: open bar and “80s pop cuisine”
As this post goes live, tickets are still available on the MCC ticket page.

Skylight West
500 West 36th St. (at 10th Ave.)
New York, NY 10018
www.skylightnyc.com

Life will be a little less fun in Los Angeles while Aidan Demarest is busy in New York hosting two events at this year’s MCC. First up, on Saturday, May 14th: The Spare Room presents The Evening Glass-Off, hosted by Demarest, Marc Rose and Med Abrous. Once guests make their way to the third floor roof of the Thompson LES, they can toast the Manhattan Cocktail Classic with complementary Moet champagne as well as Aidan’s award-winning Mai Tai, The Evening Glass-Off.

Update 5/14: The Evening Glass-Off has been moved to the roof of the Thompson LES.

The Spare Room presents The Evening Glass-Off
Saturday, May 14, 2011
5pm-8pm
Hosted by Marc Rose, Med Abrous & Aidan Demarest
Featuring:

• The Spare Room Barstaff
• Complementary Moet and The Evening Glass-Off
• Small bites by The Meatball Shop

RSVP to rsvp@spareroomhollywood.com

Thompson LES Hotel
190 Allen Street (between Houston & Stanton)
New York, NY 10002
(212) 460-5300
thompsonhotels.com/hotels/nyc/thompson-les

On Monday, May 16th, Demarest teams up with his Liquid Assets partner Marcos Tello to present an “East Coast / West Coast Switcheroo” edition of Red Rover, their all-star mixologist series. Red Rover will take place at Jo’s Restaurant and feature Tello and Varnish co-owner Eric Alperin behind the stick.

Liquid Assets presents Red Rover
An East Coast / West Coast Switcheroo
Monday, May 16, 2011
10pm to close
Featuring:

• Guest bartenders Marcos Tello & Eric Alperin
• Cash bar, no tickets necessary

Jo’s Restaurant
264 Elizabeth Street (between Houston & Prince)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 966-9640
www.josnyc.com