Singapore Cocktail Festival 2018: Guest Bartenders and Bar Stops with the Cocktail Passport

PUBLISHED April 10th, 2018 06:00 pm | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:24 pm

It’s time to get your drink on with the return of the Singapore Cocktail Festival (SGCF) from the 4-13 May 2018! The industry prelude to the 10-day party is the first ever Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony on 3 May at the Capitol Theatre, before things kick off at the Festival Village over the weekend of 4-6 May in the heart of Singapore’s Civic District on the Empress Lawn. In celebration of the occasion, the organisers are welcoming nine of the bars – 28HKS, Operation Dagger, Bamboo Bar, Native, The Curator Cocktails & Coffee, Nutmeg & Clove, Janes + Hooch, Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour, and The Night Rooster – from last year’s list in the Festival Village!

The nine bars are amongst the 30 over best bars and guest bartenders hosted at the Village; but if that isn’t enough to fork out S$28 entrance fee to the Village, you’ll be happy to know that highlights like the Artisanal Spirits Tasting Room and the exhilarating Asia Bar Battle will also be returning. Read more for the who’s who of the Asian bartending community jetting into town just for SGCF, and other bars who will be joining in the celebration of cocktail culture in their respective venues:

Meet Bartenders Shaping the Asian Cocktail Scene

Each day at the Festival Village will see eight bartenders on four-hour guest shifts, taking you on a journey to their world of cocktails. While we’re waiting for the full line-up, those already set to make an appearance include James Estes, Director of Mixology for Kuala Lumpur’s Huckleberry Hospitality Group and co-Founder of cocktail bar Jack Rose, and Bob Louison of Pussyfoot Saloon, a new classic-modern cocktail bar in Seoul.

Cocktail drinkers curious about and are mindful about the provenance of ingredients will be happy to see The Night Rooster’s Raka Ambarawan, Samuel Egerton from Australia’s Merivale Group, Brian Lu from Woo Bar Taipei and the duo from Manila’s The Curator Coffee and Cocktails, Jericson Co and David Ong at the Festival Village. They all place a strong emphasis on incorporating local and sustainably sourced ingredients into their creative cocktails. For instance, Raka has created an impressive collection of bitters and infusions with ingredients indigenous to Indonesia, while Samuel works with local producers to create a cocktail list that’s crafted around seasonal produce and botanicals. Be enchanted as you watch them in action.

Both Sasha Wijidessa (of Singapore’s award-winning underground cocktail bar Operation Dagger) and Alexander Elliot Ball, co-Founder of London Cocktail Trading Co., whose obsession with flavours paved the way for the bar in becoming one of the most popular in London, use their science background for cocktail inspiration while Jaime Rhind uses music. This is not at all surprising given his Bar Operations Manager position at renowned jazz Institution, the iconic Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.

Be inspired by both the passion and strong work ethic of Jamie He of Janes + Hooch (Beijing’s modern take on the vintage dive bar), Paul Chan of Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour at The Landmark in Central Hong Kong, and the Owner-Head Bartender of Native, local homeboy Vijay Mudaliar. Internationally renown speakeasy 28 Hong Kong Street is a dedicated pioneer to cocktail culture in Singapore, and co-bar Captains Lukas and Charmaine will be at the Festival Village to showcase their craft.

Quintessential Stops On Your Cocktail Passport

The Cocktail Passport is your, well, passport to the festival’s special cocktails and other events at bars and restaurants – even the cool and quirky ones like Potato Head Singapore and Loof – around Singapore. With over 35 bars to hit, strategising is definitely necessary. The Cocktail Passport comes free with the purchase of Festival Village Entry Tickets. Visitors can also purchase the Cocktail Passport separately for $15 at the Festival Village.

Popular favourites on the list include Caffe Fernet with their Italian-leaning tipples with a gorgeous view to boot, Fairmont Singapore’s Anti:dote with innovative concoctions showcasing Head Bartender Bannie Kang’s Korean heritage, as well as Dandy Partnership’s joints Neon Pigeon and Fat Prince for Japanese or Middle Eastern inspired cocktails. Nutmeg & Clove and Operation Dagger are within walking distance of each other so that’s one place to go for an easy hop.

Those who prefer to sip their cocktails outside of the hustle and bustle of the CBD, the Passport can be used at cocktail haunts like The Horse’s Mouth and Origin Bar in the Orchard Road neighbourhood, Bar Stories on Haji Lane, and even Bob’s Bar at Capella Singapore on Sentosa island.

Need we say more? For the ultimate cocktail experience this May, get your tickets online today!

Singapore Cocktail Festival 2018 is happening 4-13 May 2018; the Festival Village will run 4-6 May 2018 at Empress Lawn, in front of Victoria Concert Hall. Tickets for the Festival Village are priced from $28 for a one-day pass and are available here. The Cocktail Passport is priced at S$15 or complimentary with Festival Village entry. For more information, follow Singapore Cocktail Festival on Facebook and Instagram.

This post is brought to you in partnership with Singapore Cocktail Festival.

Top Image courtesy of Nutmeg & Clove