The Beast of the East - Barometer Bar Show 2018
Back once again in its 3rd year this event keeps getting bigger. Naturally Cocktails For You is back again on the scene to broadcast the seminars, meet fellow bartenders & for the first time we stepped behind the bar in Kiev with out own unique style of guest shift. Our host was none other than Hendricks Bar supported by Libbey Glass, Supasawa & William Grant's & Sons.
This year the amount of visitors increased by over 30% & we saw more & more bartenders from all over flock to check out the Ukrainian bar scene. Some of the leading speakers around the world gathered to share their knowledge & ideas broadcasted by the Cocktails For You platform globally with some big names including Joe Schofield & Phillip Bischoff.
Both recently picking up accolades from the Worlds 50 Best Bars as bartenders bartender of the year & worlds 3rd best bar!
The show has also become one of the main platforms of the year to host cocktail competitions from the region. This year it included the Monin Cup, Bacardi Legacy & Monkey Should Ultimate Bartender Championship.
This show has really become a bartender one stop shop for all things industry related in this part of the world.
Our particular highlights included as usual the huge stage for speakers which includes their one of a kind 20 x 5 metre screens, livestream & synchronised translation services. We particularly enjoyed the huge selection of international bars involved in the show all working the main stage floor for all guests involved.
For us personally at Cocktails For You the highlight of the week was our guest shift in Hendricks Bar. We didn't know what to expect or if anyone would come to see two rusty bartenders sling booze but the support from the local bartending community was overwhelming!
Never before has one of our guest shifts ended with people dancing on the tables, all booze gone & laybacks from the bar galore!
Also it is interesting to note the trends we saw this year at the show, a lot of emphasis on bright unusual colours such as purple & black, then there was a foams of all styles & elaborate serves in glassware no one knows how to drink from.
There are a few seminars that stood out the most for us at this event. Specifically it was Adam Elmegirab's in-depth seminar about the bitters category that explained that the modern perception of the category is misconstrued. The true history of bitters & its production is nothing quite like the common notion of "JUST PUT BOTANICALS IN SOME SPIRIT".
The other stand out came from none other than Vitaly Kolpin the master of working flair. We've previously shared quite a few of his tutorials on Cocktails For You helping bartenders learn tricks with basic bartending equipment & how to incorporate this into their personal work routine. Vitaly is a soft-spoken man with an almost zen-like energy about him, a natural teacher we highly recommend visiting one of his workshops or check out his videos on Cocktails For You.
Another shout out goes to the global brand ambassador for Angostura Rums Daniyel Jones. We tend to meet him a lot on our travels & he always puts a smile on our face whilst sharing a rum home from his island of Trinidad & Tobago. His pure energy & charisma is infectious with this particular bar show highlight being the song SPLINTERS:
This one if a true Caribbean bartender drinking song if we've ever heard one. Get it in your playlist NOW!
In other news we also bumped into some of our biggest fans at Cocktails For You during the show. Elvira Sabirova was working the Nemiroff stand this year & is probably our biggest supporter in Ukraine. She recently opened hr on cafe & is actively working on several new hospitality projects in the city. We're looking forward to working with her in the future!
Last but not least was Marina Levadnaya. We originally met Marina during a trip up North to the home of Finlandia vodka. We stayed in touch as Marina also happened to be the champion of the local IBA chapter in Ukraine. On this trip we were looking to catch up with her but unfortunately she was almost never at her stand. Maybe next time...
We applaud all these pioneers in their craft & pray that not much was stolen or lost during the show as inebriated even we had our moments of debauchery. Specifically we'd like to introduce you to our mascot for the event - LINDA THE SHEEP!
She was by our side as we cruised the stands looking for new ideas, inspiration & techniques to share with all our followers on Cocktails For You. We were particularly impressed with the now 2 year in the running activation from Bacardi brands.
A simple passport given on entrance that if stamped fully by visiting Bacardi brand stands & workshops will guarantee you a free ticket for Barometer 2019. Smart, simple & effective way to retain footfall in a busy bar show!
Another high five goes out to the guys from bar S34, when theres so many different people attending & so many bars to see it can become a situation of mental exhaustion at some stands. There was nothing that brightened up our day more than the colour changing beards on this stand every day.
Pinks, blues & yellows! Its helped that the drinks were absolutely on point & you'd get a chance to visit their barbershop above their bar for a shave if you entered the draw.
This is all part of our almost 3 week tour all over Europe during this busy bar show calendar. We're proud of the work we're doing & the state of the nation in Ukraine. We hope to be back to see you all soon to share a shot, make a memory & discover more.
We believe for the Ukrainian bartending scene this is on the cusp of an explosion & we'll be there to watch the fireworks! We'd like to give a special shout out to the guys from BAROUT MAGAZINE & Loggerhead for always supporting us & creating some of the best LONGFORM journalism on this side of the European spectrum!