The Edinburgh Bar Show - what not to miss!

Image credit: The Edinburgh Bar Show / edinburghbarshow.co.uk

So, The Edinburgh Bar Show makes a triumphant return to town and, for me, excited is an understatement. Iain, Jamie and Gary put on a party like no other last year, and so of course they’ve outdone themselves this time by adding an extra day of seminars, events and takeovers to the Show for it’s second year. 

Although I tried my best last year, persevering through the tiredness and the sore heads, it truly is impossible to hit every event that you want to - and to make things even harder for us, this year’s program somehow trumps last years. 

To aid us through this tough decision making, I’ve compiled a list of events that I personally deem not to be missed. And don’t get it twisted, there is no shade being thrown at the events that haven’t made this list - I have no doubt they’ll all be incredible - these are just the events that I’m fully committing to now, God knows that if I can cram in any more takeovers and seminars, I will. 

DAY 1 - SUNDAY 6TH APRIL

CHANCHO X SATAN’S WHISKERS X PATRON

7-10pm at Chancho Agaveria

Image credit: Chancho Agaveria / instagram.com/chancho_edi

This one’s just been announced! Now, I’m assuming if you’re reading this, you’ve probably already ventured all the way down to the Shore to Chancho. It’s the city’s go-to agaveria, and as it’s Alex and Rachel Palumbo (Hey Palu) at the helm, it was an instant hit when it opened last May and has quickly climbed the ranks as one of the city’s best bars and a certified hospo hotspot. With it’s quick success it only makes sense that Chancho will host this years #1 Best Bar in the UK, and my personal favourite bar in London, Satan’s Whiskers. Known for their Art of Hospitality seminar with Campari last year, their various seminars at Panda & Son’s over the years and their open, honest conversations of what it takes to become an award winning bar in an often overlooked area in London, this takeover is a great opportunity for anyone who hasn’t been lucky enough to make it down to Bethnal Green to experience their warm hospitality and breadth of knowledge on classic cocktails first-hand. 

DAY 2 - MONDAY 7TH APRIL

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY AND TASTE TERRIBLE?

LAURA WILLOUGHBY

2.30-3.15pm at The Voodoo Rooms

The rise of the Low & No section in our bar menus says a lot about how we, as a society, are re-evaluating our relationship with alcohol. Of course, during the Bar Show, there’s going to be a lot of drinking and silliness for a lot of us, so I’m looking forward to this seminar with Club Soda founder Laura Willoughby to give us a refreshing, sober insight to the world of No/Lo drink options. Club Soda are pioneers in the alcohol-free side of our industry, with their range spanning from non-alc beer and wine, RTDs and the interesting concept of “Mood Enhancing” drinks. 

THE FUTURE OF AGAVE SPIRITS WITH PATRON

GIANLUCA PAVANELLO CANELLA, IAIN MCPHERSON, RACHEL PALUMBO, KEVIN ARMSTRONG

3.45-4.30pm at The Voodoo Rooms

Image credit: The Edinburgh Bar Show / instagram.com/edinburgh_bar_show

The tequila-boom of the past 5-10 years is something no one in our industry can deny. Gianluca, the UK Agave Portfolio Ambassador for Bacardi is going to be joined by EBS and Panda & Son’s founder Iain, Rachel of Hey Palu and Chancho fame and Kevin Armstrong from #1 bar in the UK, Satan’s Whiskers to chat all things agave. Gianluca is the epitome of someone who was made for their job, the enthusiasm he brings to all the Patron events he hosts in the city makes this a not to be missed event on Monday. 

EGO DEATH, DRAM, ABSENT EAR, DONOVAN BAR X DEVIL’S ADVOCATE X DISARONNO

5-9pm at The Devil’s Advocate

London, Manchester and Glasgow bartenders are all uniting at The Devil’s Advocate for a star-studded takeover sponsored by Disaronno. Not having made it to any of these bars on their home turf yet, I’m looking forward to seeing what each bar brings to Devil’s on the 7th. 

DAY 3 - TUESDAY 8TH APRIL

THE ADA COLEMAN PROJECT PRESENTS: BEHIND THE BAR - OWNERSHIP, INNOVATION AND FLAVOUR / BEYOND THE BAR - CRAFTING YOUR OWN NARRATIVE

KAITLIN WILKES, KRISTINE BOCCHINO, KIM TOFT, MARI CHIERDARA, LAURIE HOWELLS, JOSEPHINE SONDLO, JESSICA FITZGERALD, SAMMI KATZ

12-12.45 & 1.15-2pm at The Voodoo Rooms

Image credit: The Ada Coleman Project / theadacolemanproject.com

Female empowerment champions Kaitlin Wilkes and Kristine Bocchino bring The Ada Coleman Project back to the Bar Show to talk about all-things bar ownership, drink innovation and career development beyond the bar. The Ada Coleman Project, launched in 2024, is an online platform to support, promote and advocate for women and non-binary people in hospitality. The site provides resources for women and non-binary workers in the industry to access support in their health and wellbeing, career development and works to foster the community of female and non-binary bartenders across the globe. Joining Kaitlin and Kristine in their first seminar are just a few of the talented women in our industry, including Kim and Mari, co-owners of Daddy Marmalades in Glasgow, which earned #18 in this year’s Top 50 UK awards; Laurie Howells, the head bartender of the exciting new Archive & Myth in London; and Josephine Sondlo, co-founder of Afterglow in Stockholm, nominated for Best New Cocktail Bar in Sweden in this year’s Bartender’s Choice Awards. In their second seminar of the day, Kaitlin and Kristine are joined by Jessica Fitzgerald, a PR consultant all the way from Paris, and, Sammi Katz, head bartender in NYC and author of the exciting ‘Spirited Women’, both who will give advice on personal branding and other ventures you can take beyond the bar. Kaitlin is also a speaker at this seminar, where she will be giving advice and insight into the daunting idea of working for yourself. These wonderful speakers will be chatting about everything from the truth about bar ownership, exciting Scandinavian flavours and careers beyond the bar.

CRAFT & CREATIVITY: GLENMORANGIE’S WONDER CINEMA

2-5.30pm at The Scotsman Picturehouse

Image credit: The Edinburgh Bar Show / instagram.com/edinburgh_bar_show

The Scotsman Picturehouse is home to what I think is the most exciting and unique event of this years program. A one-of-a-kind seminar with a film to match. To start, a guided tasting of some unique Glenmorangie bottlings with UK Spirits Ambassador Jake O’Brien Murphy. Then followed by a seminar hosted by the esteemed Ben Alcock, owner of Her Majesty and Filthy XIII, two award winning bars in Bristol, where he will talk the audience through how to create award-winning, eye-catching cocktails for their own bars. And to top it off, the main event, a private screening of The Grand Budapest Hotel with paired cocktails from the team at Her Majesty’s.

FROM BAR BACK TO BAR OWNER WITH SIP BY PERNOD RICARD

IAIN MCPHERSON, JJ GOODMAN, WILL FORD

5-5.45 at The Voodoo Rooms

Three hospitality pioneers come together to tell us all the secrets to climb the ranks in the industry. Iain McPherson is joined by JJ Goodman, founder of London Cocktail Club and Will Ford, co-founder of The Wildcat to reminisce on their journeys from bar-back to bar-owner. They’ll be telling us the good, the bad and the ugly of opening your own venue, including how to work with brands, the mistakes they’ve made and how future bar-owners can avoid them.

SIP SWAP SHOP WITH SIP BY PERNOD RICARD

1-6pm at Carte Blanche, The Voodoo Rooms

Something a bit different to seminars and takeovers, this is a chance to swap your old, worn out bar merch for something new. There will even be chances to snag limited edition merch from Jameson and Altos!

THE ADA COLEMAN PROJECT X LUCKY LIQUOR X SIETE MISTERIOS, FORD’S GIN,  MICHTERS & SCHWEPPES 

6-8pm at Lucky Liquor

Image credit: The Ada Coleman Project / theadacolemanproject.com

Another chance to support inspirational women in our industry, The Ada Coleman Project takes over hospo-haunt Lucky Liquor with help from Siete Misterios, Ford’s, Michters and Schweppes to bring some bubbles. 

LINE X PANDA & SONS X SCHWEPPES

7.30-11.30pm at Panda & Sons

Having been lucky enough to visit Line at their own stomping ground in Athens, I know I will be making sure to hit this one. Line is all about natural fermentation, sustainability and seasonality, so I’m hoping to see some experimental funky drinks - hopefully incorporating their home-made fruit ‘why-in‘ and fresh, unpasteurised beer. 

DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY 9TH 

TEELING BARTENDER’S BRUNCH AT OLD PAL

11-12.30pm at Old Pal 

Image credit: Old Pal Bar and Kitchen / instagram.com/oldpal_edin

Start of the last day of EBS with some Teeling whiskey at Old Pal, where you’ll be treated to a Teeling Irish Coffee, some of Old Pal’s famous Croque sandwiches and a guided tasting from Teeling Global Brand Ambassador, Robert Caldwell as he tells us the story of the born-again Teeling Whiskey. 

THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC HOUSE: VISIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY, COMMUNITY AND BEYOND WITH BRUICHLADDICH DISTILLERY COMPANY AND DOMAINE DES HAUTES GLACES

LUCAS JOUSSEMENT, THOMAS LOPEZ

1.15-2pm at The Voodoo Rooms

Lucas and Thomas from The Cambridge Public House in Paris are here to talk about sustainability; a word used a lot in our industry, but without concrete definition. The Cambridge Public House, opened in 2019, have made their name through the work they do in keeping their ever-changing menu sustainable and locally-sourced. Their team believe that there are ways to create a delicious menu in a way that not only doesn’t hurt the planet, but has an active, positive impact on the world. They’re here to share exactly how a small, independent, Parisian pub and cocktail bar is working on and constantly bettering themselves and the planet through their motto, “Tradition and Transition”. 

BAR SNACK (NYC) X NAUTICUS X THE GLENDRONACH

8-12pm at Nauticus 

I, as I expect like most of us, have not been lucky enough to travel across the pond to visit Bar Snack on NYC’s 2nd Ave, so I’m really excited to see what they bring to EBS. With a name inspired by the snaquiri, I’m obviously hoping to see their seasonal house daiquiri, but really I’m just looking forward to see how they interpret The Glendronach into their signature fun, fruity serves. 

I’m obviously trying to squeeze a lot in over the four days, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of all these opportunities to free education, networking and creative inspiration. These opportunities don’t come around this thick and fast very often so I think we all need to make the most of it. Most importantly though, lets all remember to take care of each other over these four days, make sure to drink responsibly and drink lots of water! You’ll need it!

See you at the bar!