File Under: Hot Dates

Ladies, start your engines.

• Like the bosses they are, the ladies behind Speed Rack are hosting their national finals on Thursday, May 16 in the East Village. The fastest, most talented female bartenders in the top 10 cocktail cities (as well as six “wildcard” contestants who won online votes) will go shaker-to-shaker for an esteemed judging panel and live audience to crown Miss Speed Rack USA 2013. Guests who attend will see 100 percent of their $30 ticket go toward breast cancer research while witnessing Iron Chef-style throwdown and sipping all the complimentary cocktails and neat spirits they can drink. Not only does the champion earn bragging rights and the respect of her industry peers (judges include Dale DeGroff, Julie Reiner and Audrey Saunders), she’ll also get a trip for two to Paris, tour the Cointreau Bartender Academie, and receive a B.A.R. (Beverage Alcohol Resource) scholarship. Speed Rack, created by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, and produced in collaboration with CBLLC, has raised nearly $150,000 for breast cancer charities. For more information on Speed Rack, go here, and for tickets to the finals, click here. Thursday, May 16, 6 to 10 p.m., Element Nightclub, 225 East Houston Street.
• It’s almost that time again–revelers are gearing up for the 2013 edition of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, May 17 to 21. While regular admission for the opening night gala is sold out, VIP tickets remain for the veritable prom of the cocktail industry, which at $295-$395 get you four hours of endless drinks (are 25,000 cocktails enough to choose from?). Many of the tastings and educational sessions are also sold out by now, but tickets still remain for events such as a decadent afternoon of chocolate and cocktail pairings; a Culinary Tour of Lower Manhattan with Oban, Talisker and Lagavulin; and the Indie Spirits Expo, a massive walk-around tasting of small-batch spirits. Prepare the hangover remedies now, folks.
  

  Bottoms up! The Manhattan Cocktail Classic is around the corner.

File Under: Hot Dates

Don’t miss the Red and White Bash on May 9 at Hudson Hotel!

The Dizzy Fizz is proud to be a media partner for Wine Enthusiast‘s 25th Anniversary celebration, the Red and White Bash on Thursday, May 9 at Hudson Hotel. Featuring a scene designed by experiential event planner extraordinaire Adam Aleksander, expect a decadent evening full of lots of surprises inspired by the Belle Epoch, Moulin Rouge and a twisted, vintage carnival. Guests are encouraged to dress in red and white attire and kick up their heels to Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra. A limited number of tickets are available for $65 (prices will go up after April 14), and, amazingly, 100 percent of proceeds will benefit Wine to Water, a charity bringing clean drinking water to developing countries. To purchase tickets, Dizzy Fizz readers can use the code WE25RWDF. Click here for the list of wines that will be poured, and click here for tickets. Thursday, May 9, 7 to 10 p.m. at Hudson Hotel, 356 West 58th St., New York, NY 10019.

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse…

Gaz tends bar at the Dead Rabbit on Monday, Feb. 25.

• One of the most anticipated cocktail bars to open in NYC, The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog recently flung open the doors of its landmark building to much acclaim. Founders Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry of  the award-winning beverage program at Belfast’s Merchant Hotel have done their homework to create a cocktail menu that honors the mid-19th century drinking scene in gangland New York. On the first level, a pub-style bar room complete with sawdust on the floor serves up classic cocktails, bottled punch, draft beer and Irish whiskey, while upstairs a more refined lounge serves an expansive menu of meticulously crafted drinks. On a recent visit, I sipped the Automobile (Marie Brizard Parfait Amour, Pernod Absinthe, celery cordial, Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut Champagne and Bittermens Orchard Street Celery Shrub), the Ale Flip (Sixpoint Cask Conditioned “Dead Rabbit” Ale, Jameson 12 Year Irish Whiskey, spiced egg batter, muscovado sugar and nutmeg), the Bankers Punch (Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength Irish Whiskey, Dead Rabbit Jamaican Rum Mix, fresh lime juice, raspberry cordial, Dead Rabbit Orinoco Bitters and dashes Graham’s LBV Port Wine), and a complimentary teacup of Grandieur Punch (Bols Genever, Varnelli Anis, lemon sherbert, lemon juice, orange flower water and peppermint tea). Everything was incredibly tasty, and the wait time for drinks was not long at all, a stunning feat considering there were only two barmen behind the bar and the room was full on a Saturday night. This Monday, Feb. 25,  mixology master Gaz Regan will serve as guest bartender from 7 p.m. onward–so don’t bloody miss that. The Dead Rabbit, 30 Water Street.
• Speaking of new bars, Dipsology has a nice list of recently-opened and soon-to-open cocktail bars in NYC, including Attaboy, taking over the Milk & Honey space. Time Out New York interviewed Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy and rumor is they will open their doors later this month.
• Beefeater Gin recently got the green light to open London’s first gin distillery visitor center, expected to be completed later this year. As someone who has been fortunate enough to visit Beefeater’s headquarters in Kennington, I am thrilled for Master Distiller Desmond Payne and his team. Desmond is profoundly passionate about the making of gin and will do a great service to the public by showcasing the distillery’s process. (Check out the video announcement here.)

Plans for Beefeater Gin’s visitor center. Image courtesy of Access Communications.

File Under Hot Dates: Thursday’s Cocktails Are For Lovers!

Come one, come two, lovely cocktails are for you!

Single? Coupled? It’s complicated? Who cares! Everyone feels lovely with a romantic cocktail in hand. New Yorkers can celebrate the enchanting effects of the eternal icebreaker at Cocktails Are For Lovers, a red-hot walk-around-tasting party brought to you by yours truly from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at AstorCenter.

Sip endless love potions, aphrodesiac elixirs, dessert cocktails, effervescent punches, seductive slings and fragrant fizzes served by some of the hottest bartenders in NYC. Pair your tantalizing tipples with small bites by Filipino gastropub Jeepney including pulled pork adobo sliders. Bacon bakery Baconery will dish out savory sweets. Sexy beats by DJ Tomas Moves and burlesque performers will keep things interesting.

A limited number of general admission tickets are available for $45, while Urban Daddy Perks will provide a VIP experience.

Sponsors include: Rhum Clement, Ardbeg Whisky, Sandeman Porto, Pallini Limoncello, G’vine Gin, June Liqueur, Excellia Tequila, Aperol, OR-G Persimmon Liqueur, Voli Light Vodkas, Xante Brandy Pear Liqueur, John B. Stetson Bourbon, Killepitsch, Pisa Italian Liqueur and more!

Want a preview of what you’ll be tasting Thursday night?

Love Potion:

0.75 oz. June Vineflower Liqueur

Fill with Alfred Gratien Champagne

Cherry garnish

The Islay Affair by Jonathan Pogash, the Cocktail Guru:

1 1/2 oz. Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch Whisky

1 oz. blackberry puree

1/4 oz. simple syrup

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

Directions: Add ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.  Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: sage leaf

Visit cocktailsareforlovers.com for tickets and more information. Until then, lovelies!

File Under: Hot Dates

Photo by John Walder.

Well, well, well–you didn’t forget about us, now, did you? Nothing like a hurricane to free up some much-needed catch-up time. First things first, The Dizzy Fizz is tickled plaid to announce The 3rd Annual Holiday Spirits Bazaar, blitzing into NYC’s Astor Center on Saturday, Nov. 17.

This year there are two sessions available to sip and savor the festive flavors of the season. Choose the afternoon session (1:00 – 4:00 p.m.) for some rollicking daytime tippling, or roll into the evening session (7:00 – 10:00 p.m.) for a Mad Men-style cocktail bash. At both sessions, you can pair your dazzling libations with gourmet cheese and charcuterie from Brooklyn cheesemongers Stinky Bklyn and stay refreshed with Perrier sparkling water. General admission tickets are $45, and you can use the code EARLYBIRD to save a cool $10 before Nov. 1, while supplies last!

Sponsors include: Maker’s Mark, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Don Q Rum, Catdaddy Moonshine, Bulleit Bourbon, Death’s Door Spirits, Ardbeg, Greenhook Ginsmiths, The Black Grouse, G’Vine Gin, Caliche Rum, Four Roses Bourbon, Molinari Sambuca, Rhum Clement, Kansas Clean Distilled Whiskey, Cockspur Rum, Iceberg Vodka, Sorel Hibiscus Liqueur, Cacao Prieto, Half Moon Orchard Gin, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, Don Julio Tequila, Philadelphia Distilling, Becherovka, The Balvenie, Monkey Shoulder, Hudson Whiskey, Heavenly Spirits and more! A portion of proceeds will benefit the Children’s Aid Society of New York. Must be 21+ to attend. For more information, please visit: holidayspiritsbazaar.com

And once all this hurricane hoopla dies down, don’t miss your chance to support the ladies of Speed Rack, returning to NYC at Santos Party House on Sunday, Nov. 4. The best lady bartenders in NYC will face off round-robin style in timed challenges for the title of Miss Speed Rack. All proceeds from the event support breast cancer research.

Sponsors include: Absolut Vodka, Barritt’s ginger beer, Beefeater Gin, Benedictine, Brugal Rum, Campari, Cherry Heering, Coffee Heering, Cointreau, Cutty Sark, Drambuie, Four Roses, Harpoon Brewery, Haus Alpenz, Hine Cognac, Jameson, Lillet, Luxardo, Macchu Pisco, Martini & Rossi, Olmeca Altos Tequila, Perfect Puree, Perrier, Plymouth Gin, St. Germain, Xante and more! Visit speed-rack.com for more information.

Announcing: The 2011 Holiday Spirits Bazaar!

The Holiday Spirits Bazaar is back! Yes, Halloween just ended and Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, but you have a lot of holiday parties to plan, don’t you? Ring in the season of entertaining at the 2011 Holiday Spirits Bazaar, swinging into NYC on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 6:30 – 10 p.m. at Astor Center. Cocktails and punches from both vintage and modern traditions will be served in abundance by some of the best bartenders in the city at this spirited tasting hosted by NYC cocktail event producer The Dizzy Fizz.

Following the success of last year’s spectacular bash at The Green Building in Brooklyn, the Bazaar moves to Manhattan this year for festivities on an even bigger scale. Sip a seemingly endless array of libations perfect for your next holiday party, such as whiskey milk punch, mezcal hot chocolate, hot apple cider spiked with rye whiskey and an authentic vintage punch recipe from holidays of yore unearthed by cocktail historian David Wondrich. To stay refreshed, guests can snack on artisan bread by SCRATCHbread and grass-fed beef jerky by Slantshack as well as sip filtered water by MAVEA. Andaz Hotel’s DJ Kimiko will keep the party beats flowing all night long.

A limited number of discount tickets are now on sale  through Thrillist Rewards. For VIP entry at 6:30 p.m., which includes an hour of small bites by Emily Cavalier of the Midnight Brunch supper club, tickets are $55. For general entry at 7:30 p.m., tickets are $45. The first 200 ticket-buyers will receive a giftbag full of lushy goodies such as mini liquor bottles and bar tools. The first 30 ticket-buyers will receive a free copy of Jill DeGroff’s newest book, “Lush Life: Portraits from the Bar, Series 2.” A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the Children’s Aid Society.

Sponsors include: Hudson Whiskey, Bulleit Bourbon, Cointreau, Beefeater 24, Plymouth Gin, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Chairman’s Reserve Rum, Russian Standard Vodka, Catdaddy Moonshine, Denizen Rum, Becherovka, Bluecoat Gin, Vieux Carré Absinthe, Penn 1681 Rye Vodka, XXX Shine Whiskey, Iceberg Vodka, Cockspur Rum, Redemption Rye, Redemption High Rye Bourbon, Scorpion Mezcal, Midnight Moon Apple Pie Moonshine and Innis & Gunn Cask-Aged Beer.

Take a sneak peek at the festive cocktails planned for the Holiday Spirits Bazaar here. This is an event not to be missed–not only will you get inspired to throw a bash of your own, you’ll taste delicious spirits that make great gifts and are the perfect remedy to holiday stress!

Must be 21-plus to attend. Please drink responsibly.

Image from the 2010 Holiday Spirits Bazaar by John Walder.

File Under: Hot Dates

Last year's winner of the Barenjager battle, Brendan Dorr of Baltimore, Md.

• The line between food and art gets blurred tonight at Something I Ate, featuring a creative cocktail menu to boot. A collaboration between Sam Kim of SkimKim Foods and Kat Popiel of On Plate, Still Hungry, the event invites artists to showcase work inspired by a week of consumption. Sam Kim will also present a specialty dish for guests as well as cocktails featuring Hendrick’s Gin and Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. Asahi Beer will also be available. Tickets are $30 and available here. Tonight, 7-10 p.m., Kinfolk Studios, 90 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn.
• Barenjager Honey Liqueur is collecting entries for its second annual national bartender competition through Aug. 22. Submissions will be judged by Dushan Zaric (Employees Only, Macao Trading Co.), master mixologist Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich (author of Imbibe!), Todd Richman (Barenjager brand mixologist) and Aisha Sharpe (Contemporary Cocktails). Six finalists will compete on Sep. 19 at the Andaz 5th Ave., and the first-place winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest 2011 plus $1,000. A crowd favorite prize will also award $1,000. Register here to enter.
• You also have until Aug. 22 to apply for a rum-lover’s dream job: Tommy Bahama is searching for a “Rumologist,” and the job pays $50,000. The Rumologist will serve as the brand’s rum ambassador and create custom drinks for the chain’s 13 locations, share a rum blog and travel extensively. Enter the contest through Tommy Bahama’s Facebook page.

Dizzy Recap: Tonight We Tanqueray

Aloe Blacc, Michael Pitt, Karen Elson and Idris Elba on the red carpet for Tonight We Tanqueray.

Last week, Tanqueray Gin launched a new campaign at The Green Building in Brooklyn (the same location as last year’s Holiday Spirits Bazaar) featuring an impressive celebrity roster. “Tonight We Tanqueray” is all about making the most of the first drink of the night, and grabbing it “by the junipers,” so to speak. Featuring red carpet appearances by Idris Elba (Thor, The Wire), Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire), model/singer Karen Elson and singer Aloe Blacc, it was quite an exciting evening for Carroll Gardens.

The packed crowd sipped gin and tonics, French 75s, and frozen Negronis, among other cocktails mixed by bartenders from bars such as 1534, Death & Co. and Milk & Honey. Aloe Blacc performed a soulful set with a live band, debuting his single “Tonight Downtown,” written especially for the Tanqueray campaign. Check out a short film from the campaign and more information at tanqueray.com.

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse…

Boston bartender Jackson Cannon chimes in on the Painkiller debate via Eastern Standard's cocktail menu.

• While I was on a gin tour in London last week (recap coming soon), I missed the dramatic unfolding of a legal tussle between Pusser’s Rum and Painkiller tiki bar. By now, you’ve probably heard that Painkiller decided to change its name to PKNY and give up its web domain after Pusser’s filed a federal lawsuit over its ownership of a trademark for the drink named “Painkiller.” Furthermore, the rum company says all drinks called Painkillers must be made with Pusser’s. (Painkiller/PKNY was not using Pusser’s in its Painkillers.) News of the litigation led to an uproar among the cocktail community, which found such aggression by a brand over a small bar to be distasteful and a bad PR move. To make matters worse, Pusser’s founder Charles Tobias responded to the criticism with a statement mentioning the brand’s intent to market ready-to-drink Painkillers “in a can.” For more insight into the legality of all this, read Payman Bahmani’s post on Umamimart. At any rate, be sure to continue enjoying your favorite cocktails and favorite bars, whether they are trademarked or not.
• Last night kicked off the inaugural NYC Cocktail Week, sponsored by Liquor.com. Sixteen cocktail bars in the city (see the full list here) have created a special Cocktail Week menu offering two drinks plus an appetizer for $20.11. If that doesn’t make you feel better about your lushy habits, a portion of proceeds from the event, running through June 29, benefits City Harvest and the Museum of the American Cocktail.
• Last Sunday, members of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) gathered at Astor Center for a competition and breast cancer fundraiser titled “Speed Rack.” Sixteen female bartenders vied to make cocktails as fast as possible (different drinks were announced each round, including the Ramos Gin Fizz), and they were also judged on the quality of their drinks. Yael Vengroff of PKNY took first place and will compete against other finalists from around the country at Tales of the Cocktail 2012.
• Wondering why you haven’t seen as many Dizzy posts lately? I recently started writing a daily drinking column over at CBSNewYork.com. Don’t worry, I’ll still keep things fresh for you here, I’m just getting adjusted to the new schedule!

Dizzy Recap: Second Annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic

The New York Public Library gets kaleidoscopic for the 2011 Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Photo by Belathée Photography.

Kicking off with what has become the cocktail-lover’s prom of the year, the 2011 Manhattan Cocktail Classic, held May 13-17, drew a crowd of top bartenders and drinking enthusiasts from across the country and beyond. It’s great to see this event grow as it celebrates NYC’s place on the map for cocktail innovation.

And grow it has–founder and director Lesley Townsend said attendance for the five days nearly doubled over last year, reporting more than 5,000 attendees. She estimated that 75,000 cocktails were served throughout the festival, and all in real glassware. For the Gala, more than 3,000 cocktail fans lined up around the block for nearly an hour to get inside. Lesley said she is already working on ways to make the entry process more efficient for next year.

Although parts of the Gala had more of a nightclub feel this year–one writer compared it to Pacha–and food was once again hard to find, props must be given to Lesley and her team of 500 for organizing NYC’s quintessential cocktail bash. I particularly liked how every brand had equal presence at the event with a minimalist design as opposed to loud branding. Everywhere you turned, guests were smiling and seemingly having the times of their lives, sipping expertly-mixed cocktails.

Other events held throughout the festival included a Don Q Rums ’80s party, a one-time-only screening of the film “Last Call in New York” hosted by Tequila Don Julio,  the Indy Spirits Expo, and Campari’s Spirited Fête for the Senses at The Box featuring Padma Lakshmi. Seminars ranged from the spirit-focused to topics such as “How to Behave in a Bar.” Mostly, this festival was another example of how much fun the liquor industry can be–congrats Lesley on another successful edition of the MCC!

The scene at the Gala's main bar. Photo by Belathée Photography.

And in the basement, a more club-like vibe. Photo by Virginia Rollison.