Australian Cocktail Month kicks off on May 1 and promises four weeks of cocktail celebrations across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

The festival is partnering 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 cocktails with the Australian Cocktail Month ticket. The $20 ticket allows guests access to a special menu of cocktails created exclusively for the month. The menu will be available at participating venues, with cocktails priced at $14, and non-alcoholic options at $10.

More than 80 different products from international and Australian brands will be on offer for bartenders to create their cocktails for the month.

Founded by influential industry figure Penny Sippe, Australian Cocktail Month will feature local brands including 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 – Triple Juniper 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, and Mr Black.

Additionally, 72 bars across the four cities have been hand-picked 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 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 there’s 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 delight the rum lovers. 

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, Muyu liqueurs by Alex Kratena, Monica Berg and Simone Caporale,  Select Aperitivo, Tia Maria, Villa Massa Limoncello and 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 its range of non-alcoholic spirits allowing guests to partake without compromising on what makes Australian
bars great: the cocktail experience (and loads of flavour). 

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

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,” says 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. Click here to purchase and view the full list of participating venues.

Drinks Digest attended the launch of the festival last night at Grana, which is part of the new Hinchcliff House venue in Young Street, Sydney. It was a fantastic prelude to the month ahead, congratulations to Penny Sippe! Here’s a gallery of photos from the event: