Coa in Hong Kong clinches the No.1 spot to take home the awards for The Best Bar in Asia and The Best Bar in China. Launched in 2017 by bartender-owner Jay Khan, Coa is a shrine to all things agave and houses an extensive collection of 200 handcrafted Latin American liquids
Taking over multiple cocktail lists, bartender training and relaunching a venue is no easy task. For reigning Australian Bartender of the Year, Alex ‘Gondz’ Gondzioulis, the new challenge has arrived, stepping into the Group Bar Manager role at Liquid & Larder.
The building was a dental surgery and hadn’t been used in 15 years. The idea to convert it to the cantina and cocktail bar was the perfect fit. “It’s tiny and we love it like that,” says Mark.
Foxtrot Unicorn’s Bar Manager and one of the founders of Mix Haus, Shirley Yeung, talks about her management style and her push for a more inclusive and safe bar industry
The drinks program at the venue is spear-headed by bar power duo Mikey Braun and Max Hart. According to Mikey the venue is all about being part of the local community. “We are Abbotsford born and bred, the name itself comes from the original stone mason façade,” he says. “To us, it reflects unique Aussie lingo and represents the area perfectly.”
“Having spent more than four decades working, collaborating, travelling, drinking, learning, having fun, getting into trouble, fighting, losing friends, gaining new ones and most of all sharing the Agave Love around the world with this amazing human, I am heartbroken.” – Phil Bayly
We’re working hard with suppliers to reduce the financial pressure on bartenders by having complimentary and lower priced events, to make it easier for people to make it to town this year.
So, it’s nice to be able to report that the highly anticipated basement bar, Apollonia, is now open with Alissa Gabriel (of Mjolner and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang fame) in charge of the drinks and Alex Thorn in the role of Head Bartender.
“I’m humbled to join the ranks of industry legends who even held the position in the past; Mike Enright, Paul Mant and of course Sam Egerton. As Group Bars Manager, I’ll continue to deliver Merivale’s leading standards across our 80+ venues.” – Ollie Stuart
From South West Rocks to rock ‘n’ roll dive bar; we meet this man who would have a drink with The Rock over anyone else, living or dead.
‘If you roll into a country pub or classic dive bar and order a Vieux Carre, they’re not a bad venue because it doesn’t come out on block ice with a perfectly manicured twist – they’re just a venue that doesn’t excel in that sort of experience.’
Here is our second Bartender of the Year quiz for 2021. It’s just a sample of Round 1 in the comp to determine who will be crowned Australian Bartender of the Year. So find out your score now!