sf cocktail week

Cocktail Week's closing festivities at Jardiniere

Camper English, alcademics.com

Well, the third annual San Francisco Cocktail Week came to an end on Monday with a closing bash at Jardinere. I, unfortunately, was not there, as I was instead actually bartending at Cantina. I pulled three shifts during the week, so my attendance at events was a bit more limited than I would have wished. Nevertheless, I got some sense of what was going on—what worked and what didn't.

San Francisco may have a reputation of not taking fashion too seriously, but the same cannot be said about our cocktails. So much so that we have a whole week dedicated to celebrating them, and this just so happens to be that week. Since many of the recipes being poured are revamped classics (try the Corpse Reviver #2), we can't think of a better excuse to get dolled up in a early '60s-inspired ensemble and hit the town.

The Barbary Flip -- Official Cocktail of Cocktail Week

My # 1 event for this week's festivities is this Friday's grand outdoor happy hour that SF Cocktail Week organizers are calling 'Bayou on the Bay.'  'Boozin' by the Bay' sounds better to me, though, and is much more descriptive of what really will be going on.

My number two Cocktail Week event is not necessarily an SFCW exclusive, since the folks at Alembic do this periodically. But seeing as you're in an especially heightened state of cocktail awareness, it's a great time to participate.

The agave fields of Jalisco will be discussed in the Latin Spirits cocktail class at Cantina on Thursday.

The #3 event for Cocktail Week is actually a mulitude of events. It's called Bar School, and the classes of Bar School take place Thursday, May 14 at various locations and times around town. Basically, the city's top cocktail, spirits and bartending experts will be sharing their knowledge with the public. The lineup is incredible, if I do say so myself, especially because I will be teaching one of the classes with Cantina owner Duggan McDonnell. Our class, entitled "Cane, Grape & Cactus: True Lies About Latin American Spirits & Cocktails" is at Cantina from 6:30–8.

I'm counting down my top five most anticipated events during the San Francisco Cocktail Week, starting in just four days. All these events are opened to the public. Just look on the SFCW Website for info on buying tickets.

Brooke Arthur, cocktail maven of Range

Jordan Mackay

Next Monday marks the start of the third annual San Francisco Cocktail Week, and this one is, naturally, going to be the best yet. As I said in a presentation at the CIA last week, the evolution of the cocktail has been the most significant trend in San Francisco gastronomy over the last few years. Our drinks scene here is second to none and right up there with London and New York as the most exciting and innovative in the world.