Alcademics.com

Sponsor Shout-Out: Tales of the Cocktail

Thanks to Tales of the Cocktail for sponsoring Alcademics! 

I'll be at the event, July 20-24 in New Orleans, for my fifth year in a row. Tickets are on sale now. 

This year I'll be one of five official Tales bloggers doing deep coverage of the event, and between now and then I'll be posting a few preview blog posts about seminars I'm looking forward to seeing. 

Will I tweet every drink every drink I have at Tales of the Cocktail again this year? Yeah, maybe. 

If you've never been to Tales before, I highly encourage you to come. It's a great time. 

Sponsor Shout-Out: G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011

You may have noticed the groovy new banner to the left. That's telling you about the G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011 contest to find the best gin bartender in the world. Click the banner or read below for more info on how it all works.

In addition to the trip to France for the 15 finalists from around the world, those lucky folks will aso get to spend five days there with *me* as I'll be there to report on the contest.  I'll make sure they show you a good time.

Even if you're not sure about entering the contest, you might want to register and do the online modules- at worst you'll learn more about gin.  

G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011

In 2010, over 300 bartenders from 29 different countries competed for the toughest, most prestigious title in gin bartending: The G'Vine Gin Connoisseur.

The G'Vine Gin Connoisseur Program (GCP) resumes with the theme for 2011 : "Traditionally Unconventional". The G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011 is the quest for the world's finest all-round gin bartender. As well as the usual contest elements of cocktail creation, the G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011 includes online modules, local contests in countries around the world, trainings, tastings, examinations, hanging out with Gaz Regan in the French countryside, and running your own bar at the G'Vine Summer Ball in Cognac! Chances to be the Gin Connoisseur 2011 are offered to every bartender across the world:

1. Each entrant must complete an online examination process including 3 interactive modules (Advanced Gin Cocktails, World of Bars, G'Vine Education). The exams are supervised and graded by the world-renowned expert, Philip Duff, an award-winning speaker, trainer, author and mixologist, and the owner of Liquid Solutions Bar & Beverage Consulting.

2. Any gin-loving bartender can attend the preliminaries held in March & April in Canada, Germany, Spain, UK and US, including Philip Duff's famous Prehistory & Evolution of Gin seminar, presentations by the World Finalists of the G'Vine Gin Connoisseurs Program 2010, a blind Gin Nosing & Tasting Challenge and a cocktail creation. Contenders must also create an original G'Vine cocktail and include it on their bar's cocktail list until the 29th of April.2b. If G'Vine isn't available in your country, or if it is available but no preliminary contest is being held in your country, you can still enter the GCP – as a Wild Card! You will have to make a short video making an original G'Vine cocktail and develop a unique interpretation of G'Vine's original catch phrase: "So Traditionally Unconventional." It could be in the form of any medium: a blog, a painting, a podcast, a videoclip, a photo, etc. These 2 challenges will be shared on youtube and facebook, and popularity (how many times it is "liked") is taken into consideration by the judges.

3. All the points for each challenge are tallied end of April and the 15 top-scoring bartenders will be flown to France in June for a week's worth of unforgettable GCP experiences: seminars with G'Vine's master distiller Jean Sébastien Robicquet, handpicking the vine flowers with bartending legend Gaz Regan, the opportunity to create his or her personal blend of G'Vine, speed drink-making contests, written examinations

Prizes :In addition to being granted the 2011 title of "G'Vine Gin Connoisseur", the winning bartender will receive over-the-top prizes including:  $3,000, the platinum Vine Flower pin, a year's supply of G'Vine for your bar and the Gin Connoisseur experience of a lifetime : the opportunity to choose an intercontinental bar tour in either London or New York, visiting some of the best gin bars in the world.

Register for the challenge here.

Sponsor Shout-Out: Chambord Flavored Vodka

Thanks to the new Chambord Flavored Vodka for supporting Alcademics. 

"Chambord Flavored Vodka delivers the floral aromatics of the hibiscus flower with notes of vanilla, white chocolate and the distinctive flavor of the original Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur, delivering a unique and satisfying taste experience when enjoyed straight or in a wide variety of cocktails." 

Plus, think about the time you'll save with your French Martinis two-thirds mixed in advance.

I'm thinking that you'll finish drinking it a lot sooner than Chambord liqueur that you only use in partial ounces at a time, so you'll get to do something fun with the bottle sooner. Snow globe? 

  

Remixology Contest from Appleton Rum (Sponsored Post)

(update! The contest was just extended until July 28)

Hey you bartender! *waves dollar bill, snaps fingers* Hurry up!

The deadline to enter the Appleton Estate Reserve Remixology Contest is July 26, which is the day after Tales of the Cocktail ends, which is the day you swear off drinking. So you should probably enter this contest now-ish rather than later-ish. 

Word on the street is that creativity is important in this one, so you might avoid choosing a Bob Marley song even though he is from Jamaica. Contest rules also state that you need to be a US citizen with no criminal record (sorry, half of you!) and that the drink shouldn't contain any seasonal ingredients (sorry, locavores!), and that you should have a valid passport in case you get flown to Jamaica for your prize (sorry, people who don't want to go to Jamaica for a prize!). 

So go ahead and take that song that's been on repeat in your head (California Girls?, Somebody to Love?,  The Brady Bunch Theme Song?), make an Appleton drink to accompany it, and enter the contest here. 

  

Sponsor Shout-Out: Uber Bar Tools

My trip to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic is partially sponsored by Uber Bar Tools. Thanks Uber! 

Sponsor Shout Out to Mount Gay Rum

The exclusive sponsor of Alcademics.com this month is Mount Gay Rum. Mount Gay has been distilled on Barbados since 1703, and today is a flavorful combination of column and pot distilled rum. They offer four bottlings: Eclipse Silver, Eclipse, Extra Old, and 1703.

In 2007 I visited Barbados and Mount Gay (pictures here).

This year I met with brand ambassador Chesterfield Browne in San Francisco, and saw him again at Tales of the Cocktail.

And in last week's SF Chronicle someone wrote about the food (and rum) on Barbados. 

Learn more about Mount Gay on the brand's website.

Sponsored Post: WhiskyFest Discounts

September 30th is the last day for the earlybird discount on WhiskyFest San Francisco, which takes place on October 16th. Still too early to commit? I found a couple other ways to get a discount. I received emails from both Friends of Laphroaig and Classic Malts (Diageo's single malt portfolio) offering ten bucks off a ticket with a special coupon code. Maybe if you sign up now they'll still send you that email...

Additionally, you may consider signing up for the first hour of tasting, the VIP hour. During that hour you not only get to sample the whisky with less of a crowd, there are special whiskies poured only during that hour, such as Ardbeg Supernova, Glenfarclas 1968, and Highland Park 30 year old. Check out the list of all whiskies and the extra ones during VIP hour here. VIP tickets cost $40 more than regular tickets.

This month's sponsors

Alcademics thanks our sponsors for November. Please give them a click!

Oval Vodka- Winner of the Oval Office campaign was the "Monica Lewinsky". The recipe for the drink is here. 

Absinthe Mata Hari- available for purchase online.

Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread Liqueur- new flavors for holiday cocktails.

Want to be next month's sponsor? Advertising information is here.