Drinking The World

Just to tease you, here is the schedule for what looks like it will be the premier New York City Cocktail Event of the Fall. The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Fall Preview 2009.

Schedule of Events

Saturday Seminars
12:00pm – 6:30pm, Astor Center
Tickets are $50 each. That half-Benjamin (or a Grant, as some might call it) will also get you complimentary admission to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (plus one drink ticket) on Saturday. All educational seminars will take place at Astor Center. Note the separate entrances for the Study and Gallery. Rest up on Friday night, and eat a hearty breakfast in the morning.

Have Cocktail Shaker, Will Travel with Charlotte Voisey & Simon Ford
12:00 pm-1:30 pm @ The Gallery
Once the last legal cocktail was served on the eve of Prohibition in New York City, things would never be the same again. ‘Have cocktail shaker, will travel’ was the mindset of many a passionate barkeep in the 1920’s when their craftsmanship turned criminal. Join Charlotte Voisey, Simon Ford and other assorted friends for a jovial discussion on how New York has been influencing cocktail culture around the world for many years. Liquid references will be served.

The Gallery at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

Follow up:

Sherry: The Cobbler and Beyond with Andy Seymour
12:00pm-2:00pm @ The Study

Sherry has long played an important role in the world of mixology and has emerged in this new age of the cocktail more popular than ever. Join Master Mixologist and US Sherry Ambassador Andy Seymour for a fascinating look at one of the worlds most cocktail (and food) friendly wines. Taste five of the finest Sherry, representing its many styles, and sample cocktails that show off Sherry’s traditional side and what it is up to today. Come ready to shake, as Andy will lead the group in building their own version of the Sherry cobbler!

The Study at Astor Center, 23 East 4th Street between Lafayette and Bowery, 2nd Floor
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

The Agave Session: The Magical Elixirs of Mexico with Steve Olson
2:30pm-4:00pm @ The Gallery

There is a heritage and culture associated with Tequila and Mezcal that dates back well over a thousand years, when the agave plant – also known as the maguey – was utilized by Mexico’s native peoples for virtually everything: from food and drink, to sugar, shoes, soap, building supplies, and even medicine. Join us for an exciting tasting of this exotic elixir, each by artisan producers, as we pay homage to the heritage, the history, and culture of Mexico’s national spirit. It is also likely that agave-based libations will be consumed.

The Gallery at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

Cocktails for Your Home Cocktail Party with Sasha Petraske
4:00pm-6:00pm @ The Study

Famed (and oft-elusive) owner and proprietor of Milk and Honey Sasha Petraske will demonstrate the basics of creating cocktails in the home. He will go over how to set up and stock home bars of varying degrees of seriousness, as well as cover different scenarios of cocktail entertaining – from temporarily taking over your friend’s kitchen for a house party, to grabbing the reins at a fully-equipped bar. And of course, Sasha will teach you how to prepare some basic, ever-pleasing libations for these occasions. Participants will leave armed with a no-fail recipe list and a short set of directions for preparing basic cocktails with block ice and fresh juices.

The Study at Astor Center, 23 East 4th Street between Lafayette and Bowery, 2nd Floor
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

The Many Faces of Cognac & Armagnac with Julie Reiner, Charlotte Voisey & F. Paul Pacult
5:00-6:30pm @ The Gallery

This one-time-only, comprehensive seminar joins celebrated master mixologists Julie Reiner and Charlotte Voisey with America’s spirits guru F. Paul Pacult on an extraordinary excursion deep into France’s legendary AOC grape brandies, Cognac and Armagnac. Participants will first be taking on a guided tour of tasting a half dozen remarkable brandies to see how these distilled and oak-matured cousins compare and contrast. Then, they will be treated to a Cognac cocktail, made by Julie, and an Armagnac cocktail, made by Charlotte. A rare opportunity to spend 90 minutes with three of America’s most engaging spirits and cocktail personalities.

The Gallery at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

Saturday at the Official Bar
11:30am – 7:30pm, The Lounge at Astor Center
Join us at the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, where some of New York’s greatest bartenders will be crafting up special concoctions all afternoon long. Stop in to sample their wares, grab a snack, and refresh yourself in between sessions. Also a great opportunity to just kick back, relax, and catch up on cocktail recipes with friends.

The Lounge at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission included with the purchase of any educational session, or $25 a la carte for admission plus two drink tickets.

Stories from Behind the Bar
1pm – 3pm, Various locations
It just wouldn’t be a proper cocktail event if we never set foot in an actual bar! Spend a couple hours on Saturday afternoon at one of the fine establishments that has so defined New York’s cocktail landscape; meet the owners and head bartenders; hear their tales of trial and triumph; sip on some signature cocktails. These sessions will be extremely limited in size, so guests will truly have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the city’s greatest bartending talent.

Tickets $50 each. Includes complimentary admission to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (plus one drink ticket) on Saturday.

Bill’s Gay Nineties, with Barbara Bart (Proprietor), Richard Jefferies (Head Bartender), Jack Sheehy (Manager), & Dave Wondrich (for good measure)
1:00pm-3:00pm, 57 East 54th Street between Park and Madison

“If the idea of entering a time machine holds the slightest fascination for you and one of your destinations would be a trip to old New York during the Roaring Twenties, go to 57 East 54th Street, walk four steps down and back into time. For once you pass through the hand-carved swinging doors and enter the famous Silver Dollar Bar, you’ll find everything just as it was back in the mid 1920’s when Bill Hardy first converted this five-story brownstone into one of New York’s most prominent and celebrated speakeasies.”

Clover Club, with Julie Reiner (Owner and Beverage Director of Clover Club and Flatiron Lounge) & Brad Farran (Head Bartender)
1:00pm-3:00pm, 210 Smith Street between Baltic and Butler

The Clover Club opened in Brooklyn (arguably the hippest borough) back in June of 2008. Since opening, it has won numerous awards including Time Out New York’s Best New Cocktail Bar (2009), and has been included on Esquires’ list of the Best Bars in the Country. Additionally, Clover Club picked up Best New Cocktail Lounge in the World at Tales of The Cocktail this year in NOLA. Julie and Brad will be mixing signature drinks from the classically inspired menu that has made her lounges a destination for cocktail lovers. Pull up a stool for this up close and personal afternoon with one of the country’s greatest cocktail slingers as she shares stories about the inspiration behind the bars, her beverage program, and the joys of , trying to open anything in NYC.

Death & Company, with Brian Miller (Head Bartender and Head Curmudgeon), Joaquin Simo (Bartender and Nicest Guy Behind the Stick), Alex Day (Bartender and Haley Joel Osment look-alike), Thomas Waugh (Bartender and Guinness Book of Records Holder for Tightest Pants: Male Category), Jessica Gonzalez (Bartender/Waitress and “new guy behind the bar”), & Toby Cecchini (Bartender and the Ultimate Substitute Teacher).
1:00pm-3:00pm, 433 East 6th Street between 1st Ave and Avenue A

Spend a couple hours at the bar with Brian Miller, David Kaplan, and the entire Death & Co team. This landmark establishment opened New Years Eve of 2006-2007 to bloggers’ rejoice and one grumpy neighbor’s chagrin. Since opening, it has received numerous accolades from publications far and wide and has generally been packed to the brim every night of the week with avid cocktail enthusiasts from all over the world. Famed for its amazing reinvention of classics, extensive original cocktail list, and its rebirth of the punch bowl, this bar continues to define the very shape of New York’s cocktail landscape.

Employees Only, with Dushan Zaric & Jason Kosmas (Co-owners and Principal Bartenders, Employees Only and Macao Trading Co)
1:00pm-3:00pm, 510 Hudson Street between Christopher and West 10th

Employees Only is a prohibition style speakeasy tucked away on the west side of Greenwich Village. Established by a group of New York bartenders, “EO” serves mordern twists on classic cocktails using a culinary approach to mixology. This landmark establishment opened in 2004 when most people thought a good cocktail came in a coconut with a pink umbrella and a plastic seahorse. Famed for its culinary approach to classic cocktail making and delivery, this bar maintains its well-deserved spot at the forefront of NYC’s cocktail scene.

Mayahuel, with Philip Ward (Proprietor)
1:00pm-3:00pm, 304 East 6th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues

“The idea behind Mayahuel was to take all that was good in the NYC cocktail scene and apply it in a new arena,” says Proprietor Phil Ward. “Tequila and especially Mezcal have historically been underutilized, despite the fact that they’re very versatile and – most importantly – delicious. There were great cocktail bars and some great tequila bars – but there wasn’t a great tequila cocktail bar making drinks of the highest quality and craftmanship. Our goal at Mayahuel is to teach people about the finest tequila and mezcals, to utilize them as never before, and to offer better food than cocktail bars are expected to serve.”

Pegu Club, with Audrey Saunders (Owner & Proprietor)
1:00pm-3:00pm, 77 West Houston Street between West Broadway and Wooster

More information coming soon.

PDT, with Jim Meehan (General Manager) & John Deragon (Bartender)
1:00pm-3:00pm, 113 St. Marks Place between 1st Ave and Avenue A

General Manager Jim Meehan and bar manager Gerry Corcoran will tell all: the story behind the opening; the service and drinks philosophy; the taxidermy; the snazzy outfits. Hot dogs, tater tots and cocktails will be served during this informal gathering of local cocktail aficionados inside the phone booth.

Saturday Night
7pm until the cows come home, various locations
A night to head out to some of this city’s most famed cocktail establishments, to let down your hair and kick off your heels. Nothing happening officially, but we suspect there will be some good cocktails to be had.

Sunday Seminars
12:00pm – 6:30pm, Astor Center
Tickets $50 each. Includes complimentary admission to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (plus one drink ticket) on Sunday.
All educational seminars will take place at Astor Center. Note the separate entrances for the Study and Gallery.

Call of the Rye with Allen Katz
12:00pm-1:30pm @ The Gallery

Ryes, Ryes my beloved,
Meet me down by The Bowery.
There will I give you my love.
By history and culture,
With song, per chance dance,
A Savor to be kissed by kisses.
O, my dear, come…
Ryes at the day break
As the shadows enter over Astor.
Awake.
Inhale.
O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly,
O, beloved.

The Gallery at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

Glasses & Tools: How Do You Choose the Right Glass for a Drink? with Dale DeGroff
12:00pm-2:00pm @ The Study

The choice of glass can mean the difference between a successful and elegant drink, or a glass of booze. In a commercial operation, the choice of glass can impact dramatically on the bottom line. At the home bar, the choice of glass can have an impact on the success of your cocktail party, and the well being of you guests. Explore the classics with Dale DeGroff as he culls his glass collection to find the perfect glass for well-know classics and the tools to make them successfully.

The Study at Astor Center, 23 East 4th Street between Lafayette and Bowery, 2nd Floor
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

History of the Cocktail in New York, 1810-1920 with Dave Wondrich
2:30pm-4:00pm @ The Gallery
(psst…this session sold out long ago, but for those of you die-hard Wondrich fans out there, he’s also co-presenting the Saturday session at Bill’s Gay Nineties…)

Description: Among all the classes of American mixed drinks—the Cobblers, Sours, Fizzes, Coolers, Juleps and all the rest—the Cocktail stands as first among equals. If there’s something about a quick jolt of ice-cold, mixed-up boozy deliciousness that’s essentially American, then it’s quintessentially New York. And indeed, while many other cities have made key contributions to the Cocktail’s development, none has done so much as to shape it as Gotham. This seminar will attempt to track the interventions the city’s mixologists made in the idea of the Cocktail during the 110-odd years between its first documented appearance here and Prohibition. Liquid exhibits will be served.

The Gallery at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

Cocktail Kingdom Presents: A Practical Guide to Barware from Around the World with Greg Boehm, Don Lee, & Alex Day
4:00pm-6:00pm @ The Study

From the cobbler shakers of Japan to the Boston shakers of London, bar tools have a long and varied international history. Join Greg Boehm and Alex Day as they explore and demonstrate commonly used barware from around the globe. Participants will learn how to make the best use of Parisian shakers, Hawthorne strainers, Japanese bar spoons and a wide array of other modern barware. Both an original and a classic cocktail will be served. All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David Embury, arguably the “best book ever written about cocktail theory.” (So says Greg, and we’re not one to argue with Greg.)

The Study at Astor Center, 23 East 4th Street between Lafayette and Bowery, 2nd Floor
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.


Audrey and Gary’s Unparalleled Gin Palaver with Audrey Saunders & Gary Regan
5:00pm-6:30pm @ The Gallery

Audrey Saunders, Libation Goddess from New York’s Pegu Club, and perhaps the bartender most responsible for the resurgence of gin in the 21st century, will join Gary “gaz” Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology (2003) and The Bartender’s Gin Compendium (Fall 2009), to present gin-based cocktails, old, new, borrowed, and well, you get the picture. They will wax lyrical on all things juniper; they will pontificate endlessly about the attributes of the Martini and of the MarTEAni, and they will display the splendor of cocktails made with dry gin, genever, Plymouth gin, and a most peculiar Old Tom. It’s probable that Saunders and Regan will flirt shamelessly throughout the workshop. The throwing of rotting fruit or vegetables will not be permitted.

The Gallery at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission includes entry to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic plus one drink ticket.

Sunday at the Official Bar
11:30am – 7:30pm, The Lounge at Astor Center
You guessed it: more of the same here (but with different drinks). More bartenders, more cocktails, more time spent amongst friends.
The Lounge at Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street at E. 4th Street
Admission included with the purchase of any educational session, or $25 a la carte for admission plus two drink tickets.

Sunday Night Spectacular
8pm – 11pm, The New York Public Library, Astor Hall
Evocative of New York’s first golden age of cocktails, The New York Public Library’s grand Astor Hall will be a fitting location to conclude the weekend’s festivities. Twelve individual bars will be serving up iconic “New York” cocktails drawn from the past two centuries of imbibing, staffed by some of the greatest bartending talent of the city (and beyond). Music will be provided by the iconic big jazz band, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks; food in the style of the classic pre-Prohibition era “Free Lunch” of local artisanal products and New York specialties. Fancy attire preferred. Dancing encouraged. Reveling mandatory.

Participating brands include: Absolut Vodka, Bacardi Gold Rum, Bombay Original Gin, Crop Organic Vodka, Don Julio Tequila, Don Q Rum, Grand Marnier, Hendrick’s Gin, Ketel One Vodka, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Michter’s Rye, Solerno Liqueur, and Zacapa Rum. Tickets $100 each.