Who are the Bar Awards finalists in 2016?
It’s that time of year again folks, when we celebrate the best of the best of the Australian bar industry.
That’s right, it’s time for the Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards finalists. Never before has the industry been in such good form — and it’s not just in the big two cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
This year you’ll see both Brisbane and Perth making a big showing. So too does Adelaide get a run in some of the big categories being awarded this year.
The team here at Australian Bartender put the call out online to the trade, with voting commencing on March 1st of this year. And boy, did you guys respond.
2016 turned out to be a record year for the number of votes in the Bar Awards — the team would love to thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to place your votes not just for yourselves, but for your colleagues and peers who are helping to make this industry stronger each year.
The selection of spirits available to bars in Australia has never been greater, and that’s afforded bars the opportunity to take deep dives into a single spirit category. So for the first time, we’ll be presenting awards that recognise those bars with a passion for a particular spirit, with the addition of awards for Whisky Bar of the Year, Gin Bar of the Year, Rum Bar of the Year, and the Phil Bayly Award for Tequila Bar of the Year.
This year also sees the re-introduction of the Hotel Bar of the Year award, one that we hope will get stronger as each year goes by. This year has a great group of finalists listed, and we expect competition for this award to only get stronger in the coming years.
(You can buy tickets to the awards with this form).
So take a a look at all the finalists below.
Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year sponsored by Bacardi & De Kuyper
Watch this year’s Top 8 compete at the 16th annual Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards — visit barweek.com.au to book your tickets to the Bar Awards.
Pub of the Year National
The Henson, NSW
The Unicorn, NSW
The Brisbane Hotel, WA
The Flying Cock, QLD
Hotel Palisade, NSW
Coogee Pavillion, NSW
The Last Jar, VIC
The Paddington, NSW
Keg & Brew, NSW
Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, NSW
New Pub of the Year
proudly sponsored by
The Newport, NSW
The Unicorn, NSW
The Paddington, NSW
Hotel Palisade, NSW
Old Clare Hotel, NSW
Petition Beer Corner, WA
Public House Petersham, NSW
The Lord Gladstone, NSW
Rookie of the Year
proudly sponsored by
Annelise Grazioli, Hot Tamale NT
Brendan Robson, Enrique’s WA
Dale Schoon, Earl’s Juke Joint NSW
Ella Rhodes, The Gresham QLD
James Pennefather, Long Chim WA
Kentaro Krosse, Palmer & Co NSW
Madeleine White, Miss Moneypenny’s QLD
Max Allison, Boilermaker House VIC
Mitch Gurrin, Mechanics Institute WA
Tynan Singh, The Whisky Room NSW
New Bar of the Year
Continental Deli & Bistro, NSW
Dead Ringer, NSW
Hats & Tatts, VIC
Heartbreaker, VIC
Jangling Jack’s, NSW
J&M, NSW
Maybe Frank, NSW
PS40, NSW
Restaurant Hubert, NSW
Waterslide, VIC
Small Bar of the Year
Bad Frankie VIC
Bulletin Place, VIC
Cobbler, QLD
Maker, QLD
Mechanics Institute, WA
Romeo Lane, VIC
This Must Be The Place, NSW
Tokyo Bird, NSW
Vasco, NSW
Varnish on King, WA
Regional Bar of the Year
Howlin’ Wolf Wollongong, NSW
Coal & Cedar Newcastle, NSW
Goldfish Hunter Valley Hunter Valley, NSW
Miss Moneypenny’s Noosa, QLD
Lost Bills Bunbury, WA
Pocket Terrigal Terrigal, NSW
The Heritage Exchange Townsville, QLD
Rhonda’s Terrigal, NSW
Nightclub of the Year
Casablanca NSW
Cliff Dive, NSW
Connections, WA
Family, QLD
Laruche, QLD
Marquee, NSW
Pacha at Ivy, NSW
The Emerson, VIC
Best Beer Venue
Proudly sponsored by
Boilermaker House, VIC
Cookie, VIC
Dove & Olive, NSW
Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, NSW
Five Bar, WA
Hats & Tatts, VIC
Petition Beer Corner, WA
The Local Taphouse, NSW
The Scratch, QLD
The Wheatsheaf, SA
Bar Manager of the Year
Andres Walters, The Lobo Plantation NSW
Cristiano Beretta, The Rook NSW
Dimitri Rtshiladze, Mechanics Institute WA
Harriet Leigh, Archie Rose NSW
Jack Sotti, Boilermaker House VIC
Jeremy Shipley, Solotel NSW
Lewis Jaffrey, Swillhouse NSW
Mike Tomasic, Rhonda’s NSW
Ryan Lane, The Gresham QLD
Toby Hilton, Swillhouse NSW
Best Bar Food
Boilermaker House VIC
Dead Ringer, NSW
Della Hyde, NSW
Donny’s, NSW
La Buvette, SA
Long Chim, WA
Le Bon Ton, VIC
Mary’s, NSW
The APO, QLD
Wilhelmina’s, NSW
Bar of the Year National
Boilermaker House, VIC
Cobbler, QLD
Earl’s Juke Joint, NSW
Lefty’s Oldtime Music Hall, QLD
Mechanics Institute, WA
Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, NSW
Restaurant Hubert, NSW
Shady Pines Saloon, NSW
The Baxter Inn, NSW
The Gresham, QLD
Bar of the Year State Awards
ACT: Akiba, Highball Express, Hippo Co, Polit Bar
NSW: Earl’s Juke Joint, Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, Hubert, Shady Pines, The Baxter Inn
NT: Chow, Hot Tamale, The Deck Bar
QLD: Brooklyn Standard, Cobbler, Lefty’s Oldtime Music Hall, Heya, The Gresham
SA: Hains & Co, La Buvette, Mr Goodbar, Pink Moon Saloon,Udaberri
TAS: Amor Bar, Robbie Brown’s, Society – Salamanca
VIC: Bad Frankie, Boilermaker House, Heartbreaker, The Beaufort, White Oaks Saloon
WA: Enrique’s, Mechanics Institute, The Flour Factory, The Standard, Varnish on King
Bar Operator of the Year
Andrew Baturo QLD
Andy Freeman, WA
Applejack Hospitality, NSW
Icebank Hospitality, NSW
Martin Lange, QLD
Mike Enright, NSW
Pasan Wijesena, NSW
Parlour Group, NSW
Swillhouse, NSW
Speakeasy Group, NSW/VIC
Pub Operator of the Year
Elvis Abrahanowicz, Jake Smyth, Kenny Graham & Oscar McMahon NSW
The Good Beer Company, NSW
Solotel, NSW
Fraser Short, NSW
Milestone Group, NT
Dixon Hospitality, VIC/NSW
Geoff Hayward, WA
Urban Purveyor Group, NSW/VIC
Sand Hill Road, VIC
Merivale, NSW
Best Bartenders’ Bar
Proudly sponsored by
Black Pearl, VIC
Brooklyn Standard, QLD
Cobbler, QLD
Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, NSW
Heartbreaker, VIC
Henrietta Supper Club, NSW
Mechanics Institute, WA
Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, NSW
Shady Pines Saloon, NSW
The Gresham, QLD
Bar Team of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Black Pearl, VIC
Boilermaker House, VIC
Cobbler, QLD
Earl’s Juke Joint, NSW
Eau de Vie Sydney, NSW
Mechanics Institute, WA
Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern, NSW
Shady Pines Saloon, NSW
The Lobo Plantation, NSW
The Gresham, QLD
Cocktail Bar of the Year – National
Proudly sponsored by
Black Pearl VIC
Bulletin Place NSW
Dead Ringer NSW
Eau de Vie Melbourne VIC
Maybe Mae SA
Maker QLD
The Bowery QLD
The Dominion League WA
The Everleigh VIC
The Lobo Plantation NSW
Cocktail Bar of the Year — State Awards
ACT: Akiba, Highball Express, Hippo Co, Molly
NSW: Bulletin Pl, Dead Ringer, Eau de Vie , PS40, Lobo Plantation
NT: Chow, Hot Tamale, The Deck
QLD: Cobbler, Maker, The APO, The Bowery, The Gresham
SA: Africola, Clever Little Tailor, Hains & Co, Maybe Mae, ?Mr Goodbar
TAS: IXL Long Bar, Robbie Brown’s, South Seas Cocktail Lounge
VIC: Black Pearl, Eau de Vie, Romeo Lane, The Everleigh, ?Ugly Duckling
WA: Bobeche, Halford, Long Chim, Mechanics Institute, ?The Dominion League
Cocktail List of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Black Pearl VIC
Boilermaker House, VIC
Eau de Vie Melbourne, VIC
Dead Ringer, NSW
Maybe Mae, SA
Romeo Lane, VIC
The Bowery, QLD
The Dominion League, WA
The Lobo Plantation, NSW
This Must Be The Place, NSW
Best Live Music Bar
Brooklyn Standard, QLD
Cherry Bar, VIC
Donny’s, NSW
Ellington Jazz Club, WA
Frankie’s Pizza, NSW
Lefty’s Oldtime Music Hall QLD
The Toff in Town VIC
Upstairs Beresford NSW
Wine Bar of the Year
proudly sponsored by
121BC NSW
10 William St, NSW
Bar Brose, NSW
Bar Liberty, VIC
Embla, VIC
Love Tilly Devine, NSW
Monopole, NSW
Mrs Browns, WA
The Milton, VIC
The Winery, NSW
Hotel Bar of the Year
Daniel San, Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific Hotel NSW
Grain, Four Seasons Hotel NSW
Eau de Vie Sydney, The Kirketon NSW
Gilt Lounge, QT Hotel Sydney NSW
Henry Deane’s, Hotel Palisade NSW
IXL Long Bar, The Henry Jones Art Hotel TAS
Shadow Wine Bar, Alex Hotel WA
The Collins, Hilton Adelaide SA
The Gantry Restaurant & Bar, Pier One Sydney Harbour NSW
Zeta Bar, Hilton Sydney NSW
The Phil Bayly Award for Tequila Bar of the Year
Alquimia, QLD
Barrio Cellar, NSW
El Grotto, WA
El Publico, WA
El Topo, NSW
Hot Tamale, NT
Little Blood, VIC
Mamasita, VIC
Tio’s, NSW
Touche Hombre, VIC
Gin Bar of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Enrique’s School For To Bullfighting, WA
Frisk Small Bar, WA
Gin & It, NSW
Gin Palace, VIC
Hains & Co, SA
Stiller, NSW
The Barber Shop, NSW
The Flour Factory, WA
The Powder Keg, NSW
The Rook, NSW
Whisky Bar of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Boilermaker House, VIC
Cobbler, QLD
Eau de Vie Melbourne, VIC
The Baxter Inn, NSW
The Dominion League, WA
The Gresham, QLD
The Whisky Room, NSW
The Wild Rover, NSW
Varnish on King, WA
Whisky & Alement, VIC
Rum Bar of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Angel’s Cut, WA
Cliff Dive, NSW
Grandma’s, NSW
Hains & Co, SA
Highball Express, ACT
Hula Bula, WA
Rum Bar Airlie Beach, QLD
Sneaky Tony’s, WA
The Lobo Plantation, NSW
The Rum Diary Bar, VIC
Training Program of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Bacardi Belief Bacardi-Martini
The Blend, Beam Suntory
The Exchange, CCA
Diageo Bar Academy, Diageo
Monin Cocktail Masterclass, Monin
Brand Ambassador of the Year
Proudly sponsored by
Andy Wren, Bacardi-Martini
Bill Bewsher, The Exchange
Daniele Pirotta, Campari Australia
Dan Woolley, The Exchange
Gee David, Southtrade
John Gakuru, Think Spirits
Karel Reyes, Monin
Kate Moran, Jameson
Luke Hanzlicek, Beam Suntory
Richard Blanchard, William Grant & Sons
Sean Baxter, Diageo
Book your tickets to the 16th Annual Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards
WHERE: Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Pyrmont
WHEN: 20th September 2016, 5:30pm until late
WHO: Tickets are strictly limited and are available to finalists,
bar professionals and sponsors only.
COST: $295 (incl. GST) per seat, $2950 (incl GST) for table of 10.
Includes all booze and food.
For more information visit bar week.com.au.