On Sunday, the best bartenders and cocktail bars in the Nordics were crowned in the 2020 Bartenders’ Choice Awards. The event has been running for 11 years and the winners were decided by a jury of 360 Nordic bartenders and industry experts.
For the first time there were ‘back to back winners’ in the category Best Bartender including Hampus Thunholm (Sweden) and Harry Bell (Denmark). The best cocktail bars in the Nordics went to A Bar Called Gemma (Sweden), Pier 42 (Norway),
Gensyn (Denmark), Chihuahua Julep (Finland) and Jungle Cocktail Bar (Iceland).
This year’s ceremony was held online, with a virtual gala on December 6, 2020. The founders of BCA decided to go ahead despite COVID and give the industry a much-needed boost. “We are so proud of our industry, all nominees and winners for doing all they can to keep it together during these hard times. When the time is right we will all be together again and celebrate like never before,” said Jakob Sundin, co-founder of Bartenders’ Choice Awards.
Established in 2010, BCA was created by bartenders for bartenders as a way to elevate industry standards through peer recognition while building a thriving cocktail community. BCA is today considered the most prestigious award for the Nordic Bar Scene. BCA was founded in Sweden and has since grown to include all Nordic countries to become a unifying platform for the Nordic cocktail community.
For a full list of the winners see below or click here
WINNERS BCA 2020
SWEDEN
Best Cocktail Bar A Bar Called Gemma
Best Cocktail Menu Häktet Vänster
Best Bartender Hampus Thunholm, Berns
Improver Of The Bar Industry Stockholms Bränneri
Best Signature Cocktail Thai Basil, Asian Post Office
NORWAY
Best Cocktail Bar Amerikalinjen, Pier 42
Best Cocktail Menu Britannia Bar
Best Bartender Slavomir Kytka, Pier 42
Improver Of The Bar Industry Yunuz Yildiz
Best Signature Cocktail Claro Colada, Raus
DENMARK
Best Cocktail Bar Gensyn (Fredriksberg)
Best Cocktail Menu Nimb
Best Bartender Harry Bell, Tata
Improver Of The Bar Industry Fanny Wandel
Best Signature Cocktail Made In China, Puss Puss
FINLAND
Best Cocktail Bar Chihuahua Julep
Best Cocktail Menu DeLorean
Best Bartender Tony Klärck, Rød
Improver Of The Bar Industry Mauricio Allende
Best Signature Cocktail Opinion Colada, Rød
ICELAND
Best Cocktail Bar Jungle Cocktail Bar
Best Cocktail Menu Matbar
Best Bartender Bjartur Daly, Skál
Improver Of The Bar Industry Friðbjörn Pálsson
Best Signature Cocktail Block Rockin’ Beets, Jungle Cocktail Bar