{"id":4203,"date":"2013-08-14T21:58:28","date_gmt":"2013-08-14T21:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kathycasey.com\/blog\/?p=4203"},"modified":"2018-03-15T16:02:47","modified_gmt":"2018-03-16T00:02:47","slug":"spirits-shine-at-tales-of-the-cocktail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kathycasey.com\/blog\/spirits-shine-at-tales-of-the-cocktail\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirits Shine at Tales of the Cocktail"},"content":{"rendered":"

What do you get when you combine thousands of mixologists, spirit industry professionals, bar enthusiasts and a lot of libations together in New Orleans? Tales of the Cocktail<\/a>, of course! Like a five day summer camp for the best and brightest in the spirits industry, Tales is THE highlight of the bartender circuit. Held annually in New Orleans, the week features seminars, parties, and cocktailing galore in this boozy 24-hour playground. It can be a liver workout \u2013 trust me!<\/p>\n

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\nGuest Mixologists shaking up and showing off their creations at the Diageo USS World Class Happy Hour event: Tony Devencenzi, Beckaly Franks and Tim Cooper<\/p>\n

The Competitive Spirit at Tales<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mixologists love to collaborate, but they also love to compete! And competitions abound at Tales, from this year\u2019s challenge to create the best spin on the Rickey for the title of Official Cocktail of TOTC\u201913<\/a> to the Stoli Most Original Bartender<\/a> competition and the Cocktails on Tap Contest<\/a> sponsored by Drambuie.<\/p>\n

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\nJacob Greer\u2019s Portland Rickey \u2013 official cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail 2013<\/p>\n

Reading, Learning, Shopping\u2026.Boozy Style!<\/strong>
\nNo trip to Tales is complete without a stop at the TOTC Bookstore by Octavia Books<\/a>. It is the definitive place to go for spirited books. All the new boozy tomes are there, from Molly Wellman\u2019s Handcrafted Cocktails<\/a> to bar pal Matt Seiter\u2019s The Dive Bar of Cocktail Bars <\/a>which was a top 10 nominee for Tales\u2019 Spirited Awards best new book. And this year they also incorporated a Bitters Market<\/strong> featuring a huge array of bitters — it\u2019s hard to control yourself in there! So many great new books and bitters\u2026 HIDE my credit card!!!<\/p>\n

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\nMolly with her new book, Handcrafted Cocktails!<\/p>\n

And speaking of shops, Cocktail Kingdom<\/a> transformed the Hotel Monteleone\u2019s gift shop into a Pop-Up<\/strong>! Sparkly cut-glass yari cocktail mixing pitchers, gold stirring spoons, ice ball molding machines, sexy jiggers… if you have never shopped their site check it out \u2013 it\u2019s my go-to for unique barware and cool cocktail products.<\/p>\n

There were a lot of great panels and seminars<\/strong> but my favorite was \u201cFun with Hydrocolloids<\/a>\u201d. Molecular mixology and its techniques can sometimes be a bit intimidating but this crash course on hydrocolloids and its many uses was enlightening! They presented on the different types and what their textures were like – it was great for attendees to experience and feel these in a comparison tasting.<\/p>\n

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\nSazerac in an \u201cEdible\u201d Absinthe Shot Glass<\/p>\n

I enjoy making cocktail gelees for seminars and love to discuss how \u201ceating\u201d liquor is so much different than drinking it, so I was very intrigued by the panelists take on a Sazerac. The drink was presented in an edible absinthe-infused gelee shot glass! Fair warning \u2013 spirited gelees look innocent enough, but their boozy bite might sneak up on you!<\/p>\n

Those that know me well know that I am a garnish freak<\/strong>\u2026 I\u2019ll admit that I can sometimes to get carried away. From edible gold flakes<\/a> to baby coconuts<\/a> and fluffy fire sticks<\/a>\u2026..I just love a good garnish! Garnishes are the finishing touches on our cocktail experience, and Francesco LaFranconi<\/a> and Charlotte Voisey<\/a> led a seminar about that very subject.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Good-Looking<\/strong>\u201d went through the history and functionality of garnishes and how to really jazz up your cocktail.<\/p>\n

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\nI love Edible Fire Sticks for Garnish<\/p>\n

The Ladies were in the House!<\/strong>
\nThe west coast has always led the country in the local and sustainable food movement, and it\u2019s evident in our many restaurants and bars installing everything from full working gardens to beehives on their premises. The trend is sweeping across the country, and Amy Stewart<\/a> -also known as the Drunken Botanist- and Susan Morrison<\/a> captured the essence in their panel, \u201cSuccessful Bar Gardens<\/strong>\u201d. These two ladies brought their considerable know-how and sage advice about all things green and gave us a panel chock-full of ways to put your green thumb to work for you and your bar, and the benefits having fresh produce right at your fingertips. And if that has your interest peaked check out my blog that I did on Amy\u2019s Book<\/strong> The Drunken Botanist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\nAmy Stewart\u2019s The Drunken Botanist<\/p>\n

Speaking of the ladies: women were definitely shaking things up this year! Bombay Sapphire Gin Most Imaginative Bartender All-Stars Competition<\/strong> was won by a woman for the first time in Tales history! Miami\u2019s Cricket Nelson<\/strong> took gold with her \u201cSapphire East Love Game\u201d, a delicious elixir crafted with Earl Grey tea, rosebud syrup and fresh Thai basil. Yum!<\/p>\n

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\nCricket Nelson serving up her winning \u201cSapphire East Love Game\u201d cocktail.<\/p>\n

And then there were the Tastings\u2026.<\/strong>
\nAll day, every day, spread throughout the city, from rum and mezcal to vermouth and champagne. Having just come back from Peru and a tour of the Porton<\/a> distillery, I had to visit the Pisco Pavilion<\/strong> for a taste of my travels! Can I just say that Pisco Sour is my favorite new drink!<\/p>\n

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\nInspired by Tales – A Passion Fruit Pisco Porton Sour with Edible Baby Orchid<\/a> I made at the Recent Flavor Experience Conference with Monin<\/p>\n

And then it was on to all the special events that take place \u2013 the USS Diageo World Class Happy Hour<\/strong> for a libatious trip around the Mediterranean with featured cocktails with some of my favorite mixologists. Next it was off to see Liquid Kitchen associate<\/strong> Danny Ronen<\/a> at the Krug House Champagne Tasting<\/strong> where he welcomed guests with ice-cold glasses of bubbles \u2013 a bit of a welcome reprieve from all those cocktails!<\/p>\n

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\nMe enjoying the Krug House champagne tasting party with famed mixologist Francesco Lafranconi
\nphoto by Danny Ronen<\/p>\n

Spirited Dinners\u2026<\/strong>
\n\u2026are always the highlight of Thursday night. And this year I attended the Beam Great Whisk(e)y Debate<\/strong>. Held at the Bourbon House Restaurant, this spirited showdown aimed to determine once and for all what America\u2019s favorite whisky is! Fred Noe III<\/strong>, 7th generation Master Distiller for Jim Beam<\/a>, squared off against Kieran Folliard<\/strong> (Kilbeggan<\/a> Irish Whiskey Ambassador), Dan Tullio<\/strong> (Canadian Club<\/a> Ambassador) and Simon Brooking<\/strong> (Laphroaig<\/a> Single Malt Scotch Ambassador ) and engaged in a good-natured -but not without much teasing, elbowing and well-meaning jibes- debate. Everyone fought valiantly, but in the end, and in the spirit of good sportsmanship, the moderator called a draw. We were more than happy to continue debating amongst ourselves over courses of whisky, naturally!<\/p>\n

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\nThe lords of whisky at The Great Whisk(e)y Debate – Simon Brooking, Kieran Folliard, Fred Booker Noe III and Dan Tullio \u2013 Yes! There were pins to support your favorite whisk(e)y guy.<\/p>\n

The Spirited Awards<\/strong>
\nThe Spirited Awards are the capstone event, honoring the cocktail industry\u2019s top dogs over the past year. This year\u2019s theme was The Roaring 20\u2019s by way of The Great Gatsby, which was the perfect way to honor all things libatious!\u00a0 And I want to give a special congratulations shout out to Charles Joly<\/a> beverage director of The Aviary<\/a> in Chicago on his win as American Bartender of the Year<\/strong>. I recently visited Charles at The Aviary on a trip to Chicago and had some of the best cocktails of my life \u2013 and that is no small claim considering how many I\u2019ve tasted in my time! A well-deserved win!<\/p>\n

And then there is all the swag that has to find a place in my suitcase: <\/strong>
\nOne of the coolest perks of attending Tales of the Cocktail is the mysterious curtained-off lagniappe room.\u00a0 Presenters, media and VIP\u2019s were given a special bottle cap to obtain entry into the swag room and an \u201call you can fill bag\u201d, then let loose upon the mountains of swag! I stuffed my bag with all sorts of goodies \u2013 from bar tools to key chains, little bottles of amaro, swizzle sticks, a handy compact raincoat \u2013 I\u2019m from Seattle, of course I needed that! \u2013 and tons more boozy mementos of my wonderful time at Tales.<\/p>\n

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\nTales Swag<\/p>\n

Leaving Tales is always bittersweet \u2013 I love learning new things and seeing my cocktail friends from all over the world, but eventually you\u2019re up to your eyeballs in drinks and the floor at the Hotel Monteleone<\/a> starts to just get a bit too sticky… that means it\u2019s time to head home! See you next year at Tales!<\/p>\n

-Kathy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What do you get when you combine thousands of mixologists, spirit industry professionals, bar enthusiasts and a lot of libations together in New Orleans? Tales of the Cocktail, of course! Like a five day summer camp for the best and brightest in the spirits industry, Tales is THE highlight of the bartender circuit. Held annually […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,1363,11748,3352,1,17],"tags":[394,9691,9706,9714,8948,9682,9687,9698,9661,666,9674,9688,9689,951,5034,1884,9701,3773,313,9712,2940,9681,9671,9666,9718,1366,9693,9676,9707,6048,2569,9667,5181,2431,9696,3297,3712,9692,9683,3770,7229,9702,9678,994,9680,314,9699,9700,8953,9673,493,9684,9675,9633,9705,9669,1843,7429,9703,9704,9697,6023,9709,5966,1118,2120,9308,9716,9719,893,2387,910,9679,9672,934,9690,9665,592,9670,6125,1152,6691,9482,6687,9668,1928,9663,9710,9695,9694,6690,1450,2074,8158,9708,4098,7734,3752,9677,9664,9686,9685,675,9717,9659,2837,6588,9713,9354,9711,9662,9660,2935,9715,1284],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n