Spirit lovers will be in heaven when the inaugural Australian Cocktail Month launches on May 1, with more than 80 different products on offer.

Held across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, Australian Cocktail Month will partner with some of the best local and international alcohol brands to champion the country’s bar industry. Consumers will unlock unique bar experiences and enjoy delicious special cocktail menus with their $20 Australian Cocktail Month ticket. 

The menu will be available at participating venues, with cocktails priced at $14, and non-alcoholic options at $10.

Local brands will include 20 20 Distillery – East London Dry Gin, Adelaide Hills Distillery – 78˚  Better Gin and 78˚  Australian Vodka, Barossa Distilling – Barossa Shiraz Gin, Brix White Rum, Feels Botanicals, Needle & Pin – ‘Off Kilter’ Charcoal Vodka and Seville Orange Gin, Never Never – Southern Strength and Southern Strength Gins, Regal Rogue Lively White and Wild Rosé Vermouths, Starward Two fold Whisky, The Melbourne Gin Company – Dry and Single Shot Gins. 

Australian Cocktail Month will also play host to a range of international brands. Like gin? Bombay Bramble, Fords, Hendrick’s, and Monkey 47 will be on offer. Tequila more your thing? 1800, Herradura and Patrón will be showcased. Prefer whisky? Then get excited for Ailsa Bay, Glenfiddich, Monkey Shoulder and Naked Grouse cocktails.  Or is it whiskey – then we have Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Woodford Reserve.  Chase Vodka will provide the perfect opportunity for bartenders to create cocktails and finally Diplomatico, Don Papa, Plantation and Sailor Jerry will satisfy the rum lovers. 

Founder Penny Sippe (above) has teamed up with 72 bars across the four cities, hand-picking them to take part in this exciting inaugural event. Dead Ringer, Jangling Jacks, The Lobo and The Duke of Clarence are some of the bars participating in Sydney.  Included in the 18 venues taking part in Melbourne are Black Pearl, Lover, Nick & Nora’s and The Everleigh, while Maybe Mae, Hains & Co, Memphis Slim’s and Alfred’s Bar among others will be welcoming guests in Adelaide. Brisbane bars offering the Australian Cocktail Month menu will include The Gresham, Savile Row, Death and Taxes and Blackbird.

Australian bartenders will literally be mixing these spirits with the best – Acqua Bianca – by Salvatore Calabrese, Crawley’s Finest Dirty Martini Olive Brine and Simple Syrups, Disaronno, Monin Syrups, Mr Black, Muyu liqueurs by Alex Kratena, Monica Berg and Simone Caporale,  Select Aperitivo, Tia Maria, Villa Massa Limoncello and the highly prized Fever-Tree mixers round out the products bartenders will be using to craft their Australian Cocktail Month creations. 

Recognising that the desire for low or no alcohol options is continuing to grow, Australian Cocktail Month has partnered with Lyre’s and their exquisite range of lovingly crafted non-alcoholic spirits allowing guests to partake without compromising on what makes Australian bars great: the cocktail experience (and loads of flavour). 

“I’m excited to launch Australian Cocktail Month and give consumers the chance to try amazing cocktails created by some of the country’s best bars. I’m also proud to provide assistance to the industry as they rebuild following the pandemic,” said Sippe. 

The Australian Cocktail Month concept has been enthusiastically received by bartenders and bars across the country.

“Now more than ever, our industry needs a diverse platform that drives consumers back into the bars that have supported brands, hosted our patrons and created spaces and memories,” said Tash Conte, owner of the award-winning Black Pearl in Melbourne. “This platform is what we need now to mend and move forward.” 

A ticket to Australian Cocktail Month can be used at any participating venue throughout May. Tickets go on sale in March, so follow Australian Cocktail Month on Facebook and Instagram (@australian_cocktail_month) and sign up to the event’s newsletter on www.australiancocktailmonth.com.au to be first in line for a ticket and watch as Australian Cocktail Month comes to life.

Australian Cocktail Month launches

Main images: Chris Pearce. Photograph of Penny Sippe by Declan Roache.