Raising the Bar: The Bar Awards to invade Bangkok this weekend

Some of the nominated bartenders at Hong Kong’s Stockton.
Some of the nominated bartenders at Hong Kong’s Stockton.

For the first time, Bangkok is hosting The Bar Awards, an Asia-wide contest to determine the best bars, drinks, and drink-makers across the region. The annual awards began in Singapore in 2014 and have been hosted in Hong Kong as well.

The weekend includes a picnic, masterclasses and Asia’s best bartenders stepping behind the city’s greatest bars to make the cocktails that made — or will make — them famous.

This high-end event promises to introduce you to the next-level drinks you never knew you’d love.

The weekend kicks off with some masterclasses and guest bartending shifts on Friday.  

Venues for guest bartending and masterclasses include: Vesper, Miky’s Cocktails Bar by Opus, Rabbit Hole, Roots, Teens of Thailand, Backstage Cocktail Bar, The Bamboo Bar, Bronx Liquid Parlour and Sorrento.

Bars nominated across the region include: Shanghai’s The Union Trading Company, Hong Kong’s Stockton, Kuala Lumpur’s PS150, Singapore’s Nutmeg & Clove, Kuala Lumpur’s Jack Rose, and Singapore’s Gibson.


Yao Lu of The Union Trading Company in Shanghai

The biggest party will be happening on Saturday at Roots though. For The Bar Awards Picnic, 12 of Asia’s most respected bartenders will alight on the K Village bar to take hour-long shifts making drinks for the masses. The event is open to the public, offers free entry and all drinks are priced at just THB200, with soul food picnic baskets available for THB800.

The awards process for this year began in March with a two-week online public nomination period. When the nominations were complete, a panel of about 30 industry experts cast their votes. The categories include:

– Best Cocktail Bar

– Bartender of the Year

– The Ada Coleman Award

– Best New Cocktail Bar

– Most Creative Cocktail Bar

– Best Hotel Bar

– Best Hospitality Team

– Best Bar Food

– Best Bar & Beverage Publication

– Best Beer Bar

– Best Restaurant Bar

– The Rising Star Award (open to bartenders born on or after Jan. 1, 1989)

The winners will be announced at a private party for industry professionals on Sunday.

Find out more about all the events happening this weekend, as well as when and where to sip your favorite drinks, on the weekend’s Facebook page.

 



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