The Bartender Spirits Awards is happy to announce the panel of esteemed bartenders and hospitality patrons who will function judges for the 2025 competitors. Representing among the most influential voices within the U.S. beverage business, these consultants will assess spirits throughout classes based mostly on high quality, worth, and packaging, with a give attention to what works finest within the bar and hospitality setting.
The 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards, hosted in Chicago, has change into a significant platform for recognizing the best spirits for on-premise consumption in bars, eating places, and motels. The celebrated judging panel for this yr contains:
Miranda Breedlove – Nationwide Director of Bars at Hyatt Life-style Operations, with over 15 years of expertise in managing modern bar applications throughout the U.S. Miranda is understood for her skill to raise the bar scene and convey creativity to the cocktail world.
Kapri Robinson (at proper) – A famend bartender and group advocate based mostly in Washington D.C., Kapri is understood for her management within the beverage business and her position as a mentor for up-and-coming bartenders. She brings a wealth of expertise and fervour for spirits schooling. Her latest achievements are US Bartender of the yr 2024, Netflix Drinks Grasp’s and Bartender of The Yr 2023 at Liquor.com.
Mike Ryan – International Beverage Director, Acurio Worldwide, Chicago. With over 20 years of expertise within the hospitality business, Mike is well-equipped to take Acurio’s cocktail program to the following stage. Acurio Worldwide, the foremost international restaurant firm specializing in Peruvian delicacies, and for a few years a pacesetter within the promotion of Pisco and an innovator in its use, is proud to announce the appointment of Mike Ryan as its new Company Beverage Director. Mike brings a wealth of data and experience to the position. Most lately, he served because the Nationwide Director of Bars at Kimpton Motels & Eating places, the place he was instrumental in shaping the beverage identification of dozens of distinctive eating places throughout the firm. In Mike’s new position, he’ll oversee Acurio’s international beverage program throughout all places within the USA, LATAM, Europe, and the Center East together with the La Mar model, Tanta, Yakumanka and new idea Jarana. He will likely be chargeable for growing new and thrilling beverage choices, creating coaching applications for workers, implementing organizational techniques, and guaranteeing that every one places are upholding Acurio Worldwide’s excessive requirements for high quality and repair.
Anna Thorn – Director of Bar & Spirits at Hogsalt, Chicago, a James Beard Award-winning bar. In her present position because the Director of Bar & Spirits at Hogsalt, Chicago, Anna is at the moment making important strides within the business along with her creative method and a profound understanding of mixology. Her latest appointment as our decide on the Bartender Spirits Awards 2024 additional solidifies her place as a tastemaker and influential determine within the spirits sector. Anna’s skilled journey commenced within the hospitality sector at BOKA Restaurant Group, the place she served as Bar Supervisor for a formidable 5 years. Her dedication to delivering distinctive experiences for patrons and her management in enhancing the bar program at BOKA has left an everlasting impression. Earlier than her tenure at BOKA, Anna honed her bartending expertise at Whiskey Avenue in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, contributing considerably to the institution’s fame for top of the range.
Lance Bowman (at left) – Prime 30 at World Class USA. Lance Bowman, Chicago’s most famed mixologist and winner of the Jean Banchet Award for Greatest Bar in 2022, is chargeable for the beverage program for the Alderman. Lance Bowman perfects custom by placing his personal spin on American classics, that are regulars on The Alderman’s cocktail listing. The Alderman is a comfy cocktail bar with 16 seats tucked away in Pilsen Yards. Previous to this, Lance served because the beverage director for Monnie Burke’s in Chicago, the place he spent over 20 years tending the bar. He has beforehand been in command of initiatives which have garnered reward, resembling Esquire’s Greatest Bars. He has additionally triumphed in a lot of competitions, together with being awarded Chicago’s Patrón Perfectionist in 2018.
Julia Momose (at proper) – Bartender, James Beard awarded creator, enterprise
proprietor, and the inventive power behind Kumiko, the acclaimed eating bar in Chicago. Momosé was raised in Japan, the place she started growing the traits that might inform her method to drinks: sophistication, class, and a deep respect for artisanship. Her work has garnered worldwide renown, from options in Time journal, Esquire and Meals & Wine to a spot on the World’s 50 Greatest Bars. In 2022, she was awarded the very first Distinctive Cocktails Award from the Michelin Information. As well as, Momosé developed the cocktails and spirit free program for Starbucks Roastery Reserve, and her debut e book The Manner of the Cocktail was named among the best cookbooks of 2021 from Vainness Honest and WIRED and acquired a James Beard Award in 2022.
Lily Wang (at left) – Companion at 9 Bar and Cara Cara Membership, Chicago Lily Wang is a Chicago native and hospitality skilled with over 14 years of expertise within the business, however she has been part of it her whole life. Her household has owned the neighborhood anchor, Moon Palace, for over 30 years in Chicago’s Chinatown. After beforehand working at Moneygun and Estereo, she fell in love with the Chicago cocktail scene. After revamping her dad and mom’ restaurant to make room for 9 Bar in 2022, Chicago Chinatown’s first cocktail bar was born. In its first two years, it has acquired native accolades (together with Eater Chicago’s Bar of the Yr and Chicago Journal’s Greatest New Bar) and nationwide recognition (Imbibe 75 and Punch’s Greatest New Bars). Earlier this yr, Lily helped open Cara Cara Membership, a European impressed cocktail and aperitivo bar in Logan Sq., Chicago.
Peter Vestinos – Companion and Beverage Director at Sparrow Chicago Peter Vestinos is an award-winning, nationally acknowledged bartender and spirits skilled with years of expertise designing cocktail applications and coaching bartenders & gross sales groups. With over 20 years of expertise within the bar and restaurant business, he has labored in any respect ranges of the enterprise together with behind the bar, distribution, and provider. In 2012 Vestinos launched the beverage consulting firm, The BarMedic, The principle focus of The BarMedic has been to implement profitable bar techniques to assist institutions ship inventive, recent ingredient drinks shortly and with consistency by well-trained bartenders.
Katie Renshaw – 2019 US World Class Bartender of the Yr When Katie began working as a bartender in Chicago after quitting her “day job.” She loves cocktails which motivated her to hunt steering behind and bar and he or she has by no means appeared again since then. Her real ardour for the business propelled her profession ahead shortly, and her creativity helped her obtain fast success. She has held positions at a few of Chicago’s most famed institutions, resembling Billy Sunday, Moneygun, and Drumbar. Katie has additionally gained quite a few bartending competitions, just like the Midwestern Pace Rack and Heaven Hill Bartender of the Yr. Moreover, in 2018 she gained the Italicus Bar Artist of the Yr and in 2019 she bagged the US World Class Bartender of the Yr awards. Her innovativeness, love for cocktails, and a focus to element made Excessive Proof’s digital content material and cocktail courses a actuality. As we speak she is just not solely among the best mixologists you’re going to get round Chicago but in addition in the complete world.
Danny Shapiro – Founding associate in Scofflaw Group, Chicago Danny Shapiro moved to Chicago in the summertime of 2009 to take comedy writing courses at Second Metropolis and work his manner into the meals and beverage scene. Shortly thereafter, he turned obsessive about the cocktail commerce, working at first for Boka Group, then later for The Whistler below Paul McGee. Danny is a founding associate in Scofflaw Group and continues to preside over its beverage applications (Scofflaw, Slippery Slope, The Heavy Feather, The Moonlighter). Alongside along with his companions, he goals to supply real hospitality, whereas approaching his craft with a ardour for data and infectious pleasure. He has been acknowledged for his gin experience by a variety of publications together with GQ and The New York Occasions.
Monique Huston – Vice President Spirits Portfolio at Winebow, USA Monique Huston started her spirits profession over 20 years in the past on the Dundee Dell in Omaha, Nebraska the place she helped construct and educate throughout one of many largest whisky and spirits collections on this planet. An avid spokesperson and educator, Huston has served as a spirits decide and panelist at occasions and competitions world wide, and been featured within the Whisky Advocate, Forbes and the Wall Avenue Journal. Along with membership in lots of business teams, she has been inducted into the unique worldwide society, the Keepers of the Quaich, targeted on excellent dedication to the Scotch Whisky business. She proudly serves on the advisory board of the Council of Whisky Masters, WSWA’s Craft Spirits Entry advisory panel, and as a board member of the Tequila Interchange Mission. Ardour for whisky has led to deep exploration of the unbelievable, terroir-driven spirits of Mexico – her second nice love. Monique is the Vice President – Spirits Portfolio for Winebow Effective Wine + Spirits, a nationwide importer and distributor.
Tyler MacLellan – Bar Supervisor at Three Dots and a Sprint, Chicago Bar Supervisor Tyler MacLellan joined the crew at Three Dots and a Sprint in 2022, bringing a wealthy background in hospitality and mixology. Raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, Tyler’s profession started within the restaurant business at simply 15. He shortly superior, incomes a Common Supervisor place by the age of 20, which fueled his ardour for distinctive service. In his position as Bar Supervisor, Tyler leads with enthusiasm and a hands-on method, guaranteeing clean operations and galvanizing his crew to excel. His dedication to the craft is mirrored in his participation within the Tales of the Cocktail Basis’s Cocktail Apprenticeship program in 2023 & 2024. Tyler is raring to additional discover the world of rum and rhum Agricole, sharing his data and experiences with each his crew and the following technology of restaurateurs.
For extra details about the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards and to see the complete listing of judges, go to right here. These business leaders should not simply shaping the way forward for the beverage business—they’re defining the standards by which the most effective spirits for the on-premise sector are judged. With their intensive expertise and deep understanding of the spirits panorama, they may consider entries with a give attention to figuring out these merchandise which are distinctive for each bartenders and customers.
Sid Patel, CEO of Beverage Commerce Community and organizer of the Bartender Spirits Awards, acknowledged, “We’re honored to have such an impressive panel of judges. Their experience will assist elevate the competitors and be certain that the most effective spirits for bars and eating places are acknowledged. This yr’s lineup of judges brings a various vary of views, making it some of the thrilling editions but.”
The Bartender Spirits Awards is designed to judge spirits by means of the lens of the bar business, specializing in how properly spirits carry out in cocktails, their versatility, and worth for cash. With the involvement of those high bartenders and hospitality consultants, the awards will spotlight spirits that ship distinctive worth to each the commerce and customers.
For extra details about the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards and to see the complete listing of judges, go to right here.
About Bartender Spirits Awards – The Bartender Spirits Awards is a global spirits competitors that acknowledges high spirits which are excellent for the on-premise market, judged by bartenders, bar managers, and hospitality patrons. The competitors celebrates high quality, worth, and packaging, specializing in spirits that thrive in a dynamic bar setting.
