PUBLISHED April 26th, 2018 01:52 pm | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:24 pm
Cheaper tipples, boozy bar tours and educational cocktail workshops are just some reasons we’re awaiting the annual Singapore Cocktail Festival with bated breath. The 10 days of cocktail frenzy starts with the Festival Village setting up shop on the sprawling empress lawn in the heart of Singapore’s Civic District from 4 to 6 May 2018. Here are five festival must-dos at the Festival Village:
Witness the Exhilarating Asia Bar Battle
Asia’s best bartenders battle it out to create a cocktail experience befitting representation of the spirit of their homeland. With eight bartending teams from across the region – including Team Singapore, Team Malaysia, Team Philippines, Team India and Team Taiwan – be there to soak up the excitement and support your favourite team. The team that sells the most drinks in the final knock-out round, and provides the most entertainment will be crowned champion.
Catch Some of Asia’s 50 Best Bars at the Festival Village
In celebration of Singapore hosting to the first-ever Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony on 3 May at the Capitol Theatre, festival organisers are welcoming nine of the bars from last year’s list in the Festival Village to celebrate this momentous occasion so that you too can get a piece of the action! Local favourites like Operation Dagger, Native, Nutmeg & Clove and 28HKS are guaranteed to satisfy your cocktail thirst while Bangkok’s Bamboo Bar, Philippine’s The Curator Coffee and Cocktails, Hong Kong’s Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour, China’s Janes + Hooch, and Bali’s The Night Rooster add an unparalleled vibrancy to the Festival Village atmosphere.
Go Ham With $12 Festival Cocktails
With the Empress Lawn playing host to 30 of the best bars in Singapore and the region like Tess Bar and Kitchen, Mitzo and Smoke & Mirrors to name drop a few, festival goers can enjoy signature tipples as well as brand new concoctions at the sweet price of $12. See the full list of participating bars here.
Sign Up For A Cocktail Workshop
Mixing in Harmony
Join Jamie Rhind, Bar Operations Manager of Bangkok’s The Bamboo Bar for a Mixing in Harmony workshop. Jamie will take attendees through the creation process of unique cocktail experiences. The guided journey begins with conceptualising flavours and finishes with formulating the perfect guest experience. Look out for the celebratory cocktails at the end!
When: 4 May 2018, Friday 5.45pm-6.45pm
Price: $30 early bird, $35 regular
Thank God It’s Fermented (TGIF) by Sasha Wijidessa
Sous Bartender of Operation Dagger, Sasha Wijidessa has focused her workshop on fermentation, a process regularly used at the World’s 50 best bar. Besides delving into the history of fermentation in society and how these age-old techniques continue to prevail in the top restaurants and bars today, she will also give insight on the use of fermentation at Operation Dagger.
When: 4 May 2018, 8.45pm-9.45pm
Price: $30 early bird and $35 regular
Kyrö Distillery Company’s Gin Blending Workshop by La Maison Du Whisky
To all G&T lovers out there, let the fearless Kyrö guys hailing from Isokyrö, Finland show you the intricacies of gin making. Let the creators of Napue, voted the best gin for Gin & Tonics at IWSC 2015 & 2017, guide you in creating your very own recipe to bring home!
When: 4 May 2018, Sunday 7.00pm-8.30pm
Price: $60 early bird, $65 regular
Sign Up for a Boozy Bar Tour
Discover Singapore’s hottest drinking precincts with six themed tours sure to get you a little tipsy by the end of the night. Each tour comes with an expert guide who will meet you at the first bar stop on the tour and each ticket-holder gets a complimentary cocktail at each of the bar stops. Festival Village ticket holders benefit from a 10% discount when purchasing 2 or more bar tour tickets. Sign up for one of these tours at the Festival Village!
Five Star Treatment Tour
Here’s a tour that will treat you right. With elegance and opulence at every stop, pamper yourself with the handcrafted cocktails these bars are serving up. Begin the night of luxury at one of the best hotel bars in the city, Fairmont Hotel’s Anti:dote where Head Craftsmen Bannie Kang has an admirable selection of artisanal cocktails to offer. Then head on down to the JW Marriott’s Court Martial Bar and Tonic Bar. The former serves up cocktails with a Singaporean twist while you soak in the heritage charm of the decor. The later is a speciality gin bar with a stylish interior.
When: 12 May 2018 Saturday 5pm-7.45pm
Where: Anti:dote, Court Martial Bar and Tonic.
Cost: $78 (Inclusive of 3 cocktails)
Paint The Town Tour
Paint the town red with a tour that introduces newly opened bars serving up excellent cocktail creations as well as old favourites. How apt is it to start the tour at Shangri-La Hotel’s Origin Bar & Grill before heading to Orchard Road basement cocktail bar The Horse’s Mouth . It’s then on to Amrith Bar By Barsmiths for their locally inspired tipples as well as classics. End this bar hop with the Italian flavours of Caffe Fernet as you take in the beautiful night lights of Marina Bay.
When: 12 May 2018 Saturday 7pm-10.45pm
Where: Origin Bar & Grill, The Horse’s Mouth, Amrith Bar and Caffe Fernet
Cost: $98 (inclusive of 4 cocktails)
Ace of Clubs Tour
Kick off the night at Monte Carlo Boys, the newest addition along Club Street, and pop around to neighbour Caffe B, which recently relocated from Marina Bay Sands, for Japanese Italian fusion inspired tipples. The next two stops are Nutmeg & Clove on Ann Siang for cocktails inspired by local flavours and then to Keong Saik Road to wind down (or up) at Potato Head Singapore.
When: 9 May 2018 Wednesday 7pm-10.45pm
Where: Monte Carlo Boys, Caffe B, Nutmeg & Clove and Potato Head Singapore
Cost: $98 (inclusive of 4 cocktails)
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 Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour