Tales of the Cocktail 2024
With no hurricanes in sight and cooling rain showers each afternoon, this was shaping up to be a legendary Tales of the Cocktail. The big brands pulled out all the stops to outdo one another and smaller brands planned innovative things so that everything was vying for attention. It is impossible to catch everything but what you do get to experience will not disappoint.
Monday was a big day as the energy was high and the spirits (pun intended) were even higher. I was excited to see the not-small amount of non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic spirits represented. I started off with some drinks made by Cut Zero Proof. The hobby-oriented site Pinterest had a lovely punch bowl cocktail coolant with the best locally-embellished pins alongside the four pronounced punches.
My big daytime event held the promise of lively Irish storytelling and music, even though this is not a liquor brand. Guinness transformed the Pharmacy Museum into a beer garden that featured good ol' Guinness, Guinness Zero, and even a Guinness-infused cocktail. The beautiful weather provided a prefect backdrop for Guinness staffers and attendees to regale us with their most interesting and humorous personal stories.
I briefly stopped by the Bay Area Soiree to grab a fish sauce dirty martini, a caviar bump, and join a second line before rushing over to the WWII Museum to board Pernod Air. The Pernod Ricard portfolio party was a swinging '60s airplane vibe complete with pretzels and peanuts, airplanes above head, and long lines. The entrainment was top notch; Les Greene and the Swayzes made at least one new fan that night. The red and black zoot-suited band indulged in classics like "Stand By Me," "Cupid," "Tennessee Whiskey."
