Tales of the Cocktail 2015

Have you ever wondered if the Irish Coffee really tastes better at The Dead Rabbit? Have you ever wondered if the Tommy's Margarita at Tommy's really tastes better when Julio Bermejo makes it? Have you ever wondered how the Sbagliato was really invented? And where is the best place in the world to really experience a Dry Martini? The answer to most of these questions lies at the end of a taxi fare, a train ticket or a boarding pass, and two of the world's most well travelled barflies have put together the ultimate list of bars, what to order and who to order it with. Whether you are a career bartender or a part time cocktail lover, this seminar will inspire you to head out into the world to see how the great drinks are made, to see how the best bartenders work, and to discover what it feels like to sit in some most famous (and most infamous) bars on earth. There are lots of 'Best Of' lists published about bars around the world, but most are written by people who haven't been. Our presenters know, because they go. We present a list built on experience of nearly two decades criss crossing all corners of the globe, in bars highbrow and low rent, and offer insider tips that come only from having closed down more bars than is good for you. Globe trotting bar flies Simon Ford and Jacob Briars have made drinks and paid for drinks on every continent. Like latter day Charles H Bakers (minus the wealth and talent) they have scribbled down the best recipes from on and off menus, and have the phone numbers of every bar you need to know, and some you shouldn't. Here they share their secrets about the hardest bars to find, the most groundbreaking bars in unlikely places and share their favourite moments in the community of barkeeps that make this a not-so-lonely planet if you are a cocktail lover.