On a sunny spring evening, 650 bar professionals from around Australia headed down to the picturesque Doltone House at Jones Bay Wharf in Pyrmont for a night of clinking glasses, drinking cocktails and of course, giving out gongs to congratulate the fine efforts of the standouts in the industry. A week of bar industry events culminated in this flagship event that has been described as the ‘Oscars’ of the bar industry and which is now in its 18th year. Voted for by the bar industry, the Bar Awards are hotly contested and highly prized.
The event, which sold out weeks ago, kicked off with cocktails on the deck, featuring everything from Espresso Martinis to Aperol Spritzes. Guests then moved into the dining room, under the expert guidance of bar industry personality MC Stu Gregor. First up, a series of state awards were presented with venues such as Bar Rochford in Canberra and VOID Bar at MONA in Tassie getting a nod for their achievements. In addition, a very happy crew from the 18th Amendment Bar in Geelong, was awarded the title of Regional Bar of the Year.
It was great to see a good mix of winners from around the country. Perth got a nod in the Tequila Bar category with El Grotto taking the prize while the 18th Amendment Bar in Geelong was a popular winner in the Regional Bar category. The team behind The Gresham and Walters in Brisbane were given the award for Bar Operator of the Year. While relative newcomer, Savile Row in Brisbane took out the coveted Best Bartenders Bar award. Long-time nominee Maybe Mae in Adelaide were thrilled with the award for Best Sustainable Bar Program.
It was also a good year for Melbourne bars. The Lincoln was awarded the title of Pub of the Year, Trish Brew from Gin Palace was recognised as the country’s best bar manager, Above Board took out Small Bar, Bar Liberty won Wine Bar of the Year and The Elysian Whisky Bar was named the best Whisky Bar in the country. And after many years of nominations, the folks from The Everleigh in Melbourne won the hotly contested Cocktail Bar of the Year award.
Sydney venues made a big splash this year with PS40 winning Cocktail List of the Year, Eau de Vie winning Hotel Bar of the Year and Oxford Street favourite Big Poppa’s winning Best Bar Food. The Baxter Inn, a Bar Awards fixture, was again awarded the honour of Bar of the Year and The Barber Shop in Sydney’s CBD also took out Gin Bar. This year saw the introduction of one new award for Host of the Year which went to Olivia Rockwell from Restaurant Hubert.
For the fourth year running the finals of the Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition (proudly sponsored by Bacardi & De Kuyper) were held live on stage between awards. After a gruelling day of competition on Monday, 8 of the country’s top young bartenders had just five minutes to prepare their signature cocktail in front of an esteemed panel of judges and 650 industry peers! It was nerve-wracking business.
It was a big year for the women this year with Jenna Hemsworth from Restaurant Hubert in Sydney taking out the top prize. The room was on its feet chanting her name as it’s the first time in the competition’s history that a woman has won the top prize and there could not have been a more deserving winner. This competition has a reputation for being the one of the toughest on the circuit and it seems practice makes perfect. Jenna, who has competed countless times getting thirds and seconds, said after winning: “I’m glad I never have to do that again!”. In addition to the title of ‘Bartender of the Year’ the folks from Bacardi, De Kuyper & Bartender magazine will also be flying Jenna to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail. In second place was another woman, Priscilla Leong from The Baxter Inn in Sydney and in 3rd place was Paul Hammond from Bulletin Place, also in Sydney.
The Australian Bar Awards are held in conjunction with Sydney Bar Week, 28 events over 5 days dedicated to the bar business. For more information visit www.barweek.com.au
THE WINNERS
1st Place – BARTENDER OF THE YEAR
Sponsor Bacardi & De Kuyper
Jenna Hemsworth, Restaurant Hubert Sydney
2nd Place – BARTENDER OF THE YEAR
Sponsor Bacardi & De Kuyper
Priscilla Leong, The Baxter Inn, Sydney
3rd Place – BARTENDER OF THE YEAR
Sponsor Bacardi & De Kuyper
Paul Hammond, Bulletin Place, Sydney
BEST BARTENDERS BAR – SAVILE ROW, BRISBANE
Sponsor Jagermeister
PUB OF THE YEAR – THE LINCOLN, MELBOURNE
Sponsor Southern Comfort
COCKTAIL LIST OF THE YEAR – PS40, SYDNEY
Sponsor William Grant & Sons
BAR OF THE YEAR – THE BAXTER INN, SYDNEY
NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR – THE CLIFF DIVE, SYDNEY
Sponsor Pernod Ricard
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – EMMA CRISP, PERTH
Sponsor The Blend Beam Suntory
BEST LIVE MUSIC BAR – FRANKIE’S PIZZA, SYDNEY
Sponsor Southern Comfort
BAR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR – DAP & CO., BRISBANE
BEST SPECIALTY BEER VENUE – MR WEST, MELBOURNE
Sponsor Mismatch Brewing
WINE BAR OF THE YEAR – BAR LIBERTY, MELBOURNE
Sponsor Unico Zelo
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
Jason Crawley
NEW BAR OF THE YEAR – THE DUKE OF CLARENCE, SYDNEY
Sponsor The House of Angostura
HOTEL BAR OF THE YEAR – EAU DE VIE, SYDNEY
COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEAR – THE EVERLEIGH, MELBOURNE
Sponsor Campari
WHISKY BAR – THE ELYSIAN WHISKY BAR, MELBOURNE
Sponsor: Southern Comfort
BEST SUSTAINABLE BAR PROGRAM – MAYBE MAE, ADELAIDE
Sponsor The Blend Beam Suntory
RUM BAR OF THE YEAR – Jacoby’s Tiki Bar, Sydney
Sponsor Bacardi Rum
BAR TEAM OF THE YEAR – RAMBLIN’ RASCAL TAVERN
Sponsor CCA/ The Exchange
BAR MANAGER OF THE YEAR – TRISH BREW, GIN PALACE, MELBOURNE
Sponsor Re’al
SMALL BAR OF THE YEAR – ABOVE BOARD, MELBOURNE
REGIONAL BAR OF THE YEAR – THE 18TH AMENDMENT BAR, GEELONG
Sponsor Jagermeister
PUB OPERATOR OF THE YEAR – SOLOTEL
Sponsor CCA/ The Exchange
BEST BAR FOOD – BIG POPPA’S, SYDNEY
Sponsor Campari
TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE YEAR – THE BLEND/THE EXCHANGE
Sponsor Bartender
BRAND AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR – NICK MILES, SAILOR JERRY
Sponsor Bartender
RESTAURANT BAR OF THE YEAR – MAYBE FRANK, SYDNEY
Sponsor Pernod Ricard
HOST OF THE YEAR – OLIVIA ROCKWELL, SYDNEY
Sponsor Bacardi/De Kuyper
NEW PUB OF THE YEAR – THE IMPERIAL, SYDNEY
Sponsor William Grant & Sons
TEQUILA BAR – EL GROTTO, PERTH
Sponsor Jose Cuervo
GIN BAR – THE BARBER SHOP, SYDNEY
Sponsor Bombay Sapphire
BAR OF THE YEAR – STATE AWARDS
Sponsor: Re’al
ACT: Bar Rochford
NSW: The Baxter Inn
QLD: The Gresham
SA: NOLA
TAS: IXL Long Bar
WA: Tiny’s
VIC: Boilermaker House
NT: The Deck Bar
COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEAR – STATE AWARDS
Sponsor: Angostura
ACT: Molly
NSW: Bulletin Place
NT: Pearl & Co
QLD: Maker
SA: Maybe Mae
TAS: Void Bar
WA: Bar Lafayette
VIC: The Everleigh