Our biennial list of the Australian bar industry’s movers and shakers is back
Here it is folks, the 2019 Bartender Magazine Top 100 Most Influential List sponsored by The House of Angostura.
This is a list of the industry’s movers and shakers, the big names who have lead the charge to make this industry the innovative and entertaining game it is.
Past winners have been influential Melbourne operator Vernon Chalker in 2009, Merivale’s Justin Hemmes in 2011, and Swillhouse’s Jason Scott and Anton Forte shared the honour the last three times it has been awarded: in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
On the list this year are bartenders (of course), bar owners and managers, brand ambassadors, writers and party-starters.
“There’s a lot of new names on the list this year,” says David Spanton, publisher of Australian Bartender. “The industry has never seen this kind of depth in talent and ideas. They’re making this country a great place to drink at.”
What are the big trends? Well, for one, the line between brand and bar is getting a little fuzzier, with bars acting more and more like brands. Just take a look at Brisbane’s Lucky Duck Club, which is a bar without a home at the time of writing — instead, they’ve got the merch and they’re on the march and coming to your town for a popup.
We’re seeing more people involved in advocacy hitting the list: whilst Paige Aubort, who founded the Coleman’s Academy, makes the list again, this year we’ve got Elise Godwin from WA’s LOLLA on there as well.
Over the month of May we asked you, the industry, to visit australianbartender.com.au and put forward your nominations for the people you think are influencing where the industry is going.
Is your name on the list? If it is, you’re invited to the Top 100 Most Influential List party put on by Australian Bartender and The House of Angostura at the rather good looking Double Deuce Lounge during Bar Week. That’s where, from the Top 100, we’ll announce those who made it into the Top 10 — and have a great party while we’re at it.
And this year, for the first time, at the event we’ll be counting down the 100 so you’ll find just whereabouts on the list you landed. It’s going to be a great party!
This is just one of the 35-plus great events lined up over five days of Sydney Bar Week, taking place between Saturday the 14th and Wednesday the 18th of September. It’s set to be the biggest Bar Week ever — get over to barweek.com.au and get your RSVPs and tickets sorted before they run out.
Alex Dowd, Tio’s/Cantina OK! | Operator
Alexandra Dahlenburg, Mjolner Sydney | Manager
Alice Newport, Pernod-Ricard | Brand
Alissa Gabriel, Mjolner Sydney | Bartender
Amy Cooper, Good Food/Bars March | Writer
Andrea Gualdi, Maybe Sammy | Bartender
Andres Walters, Old Mate’s Place | Operator
Andrew Ratcliff, Proximo Spirits | Brand
Andy Freeman, Sneakers & Jeans | Operator
Anneliese Grazioli, Hot Tamale | Manager
Anton Forte, Swillhouse | Operator
Bianca Wendt, The Everleigh | Manager
Brendan Carter, Applewood | Brand
Brett Robinson, Tiny’s | Operator
Cam Northway, Sweet & Chilli | Brand
Caroline Childerley, The Gin Queen | Media
Charlie Ainsbury, Proof & Company | Brand
Charlie Lehmann, Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern/Double Deuce Lounge | Operator
Chau Tran, Burrow Bar | Operator
Corinne Mossati, Gourmantic | Writer
Dan Woolley, The Exchange | Brand
Daniel Gregory, Evolve Spirits Bar | Bartender
Daniel Noble, Old Mate’s Place | Operator
Daniele Pirotta, Campari Australia | Brand
David Robinson, Hot Tamale/Snapper Rocks | Operator
Dean Buchanan, Long Chim Perth | Bartender
Deirdre Ryan, Merivale | Manager
Elise Godwin, Strange Company/LOLLA | Bartender
Emily Lloyd-Tait, Time Out | Media
Emma Crisp, Tiny’s | Bartender
Erin Reeves, Jangling Jack’s | Operator
Evan Stroeve, Bulletin Place | Bartender
Fred Siggins, Sullivans Cove/Freelance Writer | media
Garth Foster, Moet Hennessy | Brand
Georgie Mann, Bacardi-Martini | Brand
Gorge Camorra, 18th Amendment Bar/Manhattan | Operator
Grant Shearon, Brown Forman | Brand
Grazia di Franco, Proof & Company/Caffe Bartolo | Bartender/Brand
Greg Sanderson, Speakeasy Group | Operator
Harriet Leigh, Archie Rose | Manager
Hayden Lambert, Above Board | Operator
Hayley Dixon, Proximo Spirits | Brand
Hayley Morison, Beam Suntory | Brand
James Connolly, The ARK Group | Manager
James Irvine, Four Pillars | Brand
Jared Merlino, The Lobo Plantation Lobo, Bartolo, Poppa’s | Operator
Jemima McDonald, Earl‘s Juke Joint | Bartender
Jenna Hemsworth, Swillhouse | Bartender
Jeremy Blackmore, Tio’s/Cantina OK! | Operator
Jess Arnott, Tiny‘s | Bartender
Karel Papi Reyes, Monin | Brand
Kate McGraw Isabel, | Operator
Kayla Reid, Savile Row | Bartender
Kenny Graham, Mary’s Group | Operator
Krystal Hart, Diageo | Brand
Kurtis Bosley, Coretto | Operator
Lee Potter Cavanagh, Rosenbaum & Fuller | Operator
Marcus Motteram, Hains & Co. | Operator
Martin Lange, Savile Row, Death & Taxes et.al. | Operator
Matt Whiley, Scout Sydney | Bartender/Operator
Max Veenhuyzen, Broadsheet | Media
Michael Chiem, PS40 | Bartender/Operator
Michael Madrusan, Made In The Shade | Operator
Mike Rodrigues, Time Out/Night Time Industries Association | Media/Advocacy
Mikey Enright, Barrelhouse Group | Operator
Millie Tang, The Gresham | Bartender
Mitch Wilson
Morgan Flanagan, William Grant & Sons | Brand
Natalie Ng, Door Knock | Bartender/Operator
Nick Miles, Lucky Duck Club | Bartender/Operator
Nick Tesar, Bar Liberty/Marionette | Bar/Brand/Media
Nicole Reid, Think Spirits | Brand
Olivia Rockwell, Continental Deli Bar Bistro | Manager
Ollie Margan, Maybe Mae | Bartender/Operator
Orlando Marzo, Worksmith | Bartender
Paige Aubort, Coleman‘s Academy | Advocacy
Pasan Wijesena, Earl’s Juke Joint/Jacoby’s Tiki Bar | Operator
Penny Sippe, Bacardi Martini | Brand
Peter Hollands, Bacardi Martini | Brand
Phil Bayly, Agave Love | Media
Rob Libecans, Fancy Free | Bartender/Operator
Ross Blainey, William Grant & Sons | Brand
Ryan Lane, Proof BBQ & Booze | Operator
Sam Egerton, Merivale | Manager
Sean Baxter, Never Never Distilling Co. | Brand
Sebastian Costello, Bad Frankie | Operator
Sebastian Soto, Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern/Double Deuce Lounge | Operator
Shaun Byrne, Marionette & Maidenii | Brand
Shay Chamberlain, Black Pearl | Bartender/Manager
Simon McGoram Atom Brands | Brand
Stephanie Haile, The Royal | Manager
Stuart Morrow, The Baxter Inn | Manager
Sven Almenning, Speakeasy Group | Operator
Tash Conte, Black Pearl | Operator
Thalita Alves, Brown-Forman | Brand
Tim Philips, Icebank Hospitality | Operator
Toby Hilton, Swillhouse | Manager
Tom Bulmer, Sugarcane Sunday/ The Rum Club | Operator
Tom Rogers, Brown-Forman | Brand
Trish Brew, Fever-Tree | Brand
The details
What: BARTENDER MAGAZINE MOST INFLUENTIAL LIST SPONSORED BY THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA
Date: Sunday, 15 September 2019
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Where: Double Deuce Lounge
Held every two years, this is the original list of the who’s who of the Australian bar industry.
The industry has nominated. We have received nominations from people from all walks of the Australian bar industry, from owners to designers, bartenders to brand managers, writers to trainers — those who lead the way, who inspire, and who are shaping the future of our industry.
The Top 10 — including the number 1 Most Influential — will be announced at the exclusive Most Influential List Party during Sydney Bar Week on September 15.
This event is INVITE ONLY.