Wednesday

Diageo World Class April 23

Please join us April 23rd from 6pm - 9pm. RSVP at worldclasshouston@hunterpr.com




Thursday

EDUCATIONAL BAR SERIES

March, 2012 – The Houston United States Bartender’s Guild (USBG) announces it’s monthly Education Bar Series. Starting in March, the Houston USBG will be launching a monthly program aimed at educating the public and bar professionals in the areas professional services, beer, wine, and spirits and cocktails.

Mike Sammons of 13* Celsius explains that “this is a natural fit for our group since Anvil & 13 have been hosting classes for some time with tremendous success”. Expanding these classes through the USBG will encourage a broader audience to participate and help to educate local professionals as well. All events are open to the public as well, so please join us for insights into your drink of choice.

Alba Huerta, USBG President, believes, “It is our goal as an organization to share our experience with others. The USBG is slowly but surely making an impact on our local bar scene, and we feel this is a big step forward”.

Here is our schedule for the month of March; please stay tuned into our organization as we will be releasing these schedules in advance every month with different topics in each of the four areas of education.

Website http://www.facebook.com/pages/HoustonUSBG/114489115254684

Media Contact Alba Huerta – President, Houston USBG

alba@houstonusbg.org

MARCH- APRIL 2012 SCHEDULE

WEEK 1: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Industry Insights: How To Write a Rocking Wine, Beer, and Cocktail List

March 12th – 4:00-5:00pm Liberty Station, USBG Meeting to follow;

Location: Down House TX

By: Sean Beck (Hugo’s, Backstreet CafĂ©), Mike Sammons (13* Celsius, Mongoose Vs. Cobra), & Bobby Heugel (Anvil Bar & Refuge)

Three of the city’s foremost experts in their respective fields discuss their views on how to write a beverage menu that is engaging and profitable. Beverage menus are typically the first form of interaction guests have with bar programs, so investing time and energy into developing a dynamic menu can be vital to a bar program’s success.

Price: Complimentary to all registered USBG Members; $15 for non-members.

WEEK 2: WINE

Lesser Known but Delicious Grape Varieties

MARCH 24TH – 1:00-3:00; 13* Celsius

By: Michael Sammons and Antonio Gianolla

Mike Sammons probes the wine market to discover unique and exceptionally delicious wines made from grapes that, for whatever reason, are not as well-known as others: think Austrian Zweigelt and Sicilian Frappato over Napa Cab and Oregon Pinot Noir. This class will introduce you to several unique wines from all over the world. We will be tasting these wines and discussing the characteristics that make them particularly interesting.

Price: $35 to USBG Members; $55 to Non-Members

WEEK 3: SPIRITS & COCKTAILS

R(h)um

MARCH 31ST – 1:00-3:00; Anvil Bar & Refuge

The very mention of the word summons visions of high spirits, adventure, and skullduggery. Seventeenth Century pirates killed for it. The British Navy kept afloat for over 300 year while drinking it. This class will introduce Rums and Rhum Agricoles that just recently hit the Texas Market while establishing methods of production, feature cocktails that call for it as a main ingredient, and of course history of the two very similar but different spirits that conquered the world.

By: Alba Huerta (Anvil Bar & Refuge)

Price: $35 to USBG Members; $55 to Non-Members

WEEK 4: BEER

Love Your Brewers: The Basics of Crafting a Micro-Brew

April 14th – 1:00-3:00pm; Location: Buffalo Brewing

By: Ryan Robertson (Buffalo Brewing) & Kevin Floyd (Hay Merchant)

Kevin Floyd explains the basic of brewing with Buffalo Brewing Head Brewer, Ryan Robertson. While some may understand general brewing concepts, brewing on a commercial scale is a monumental challenge, even for the smallest micro-brewery. Contextualizing the challenges of brewing on a larger scale while in a brewery will help us all to appreciate our local brewers more than we already do. Following this discussion, we will tour the brewery and taste a range of beers from Buffalo Brewing.

Price: Complimentary to USBG Members; $15 Advanced Donation to Non-Members

Monday

HOUSTON BARTENDER SHOWCASE

Monday, May 17, 2010 - 5:00-9:00

Anvil Bar & Refuge
1424 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77006

The Houston Area Chapter of the United States Bartender's Guild is forming! Be at Anvil Bar & Refuge Monday, May 17th from 5:00-9:00 to support the USBG and enjoy cocktails from bartenders all over Houston.

Up to 32 bartenders of Houston's best bartenders will be on site mixing a featured cocktail from their bar and restaurant – it’s like having the opportunity to explore to all of Houston’s best bars and restaurants in one night and still be able to get up the next day! All cocktails are $8 and ALL sales go to directly to establishing the Houston USBG Chapter.

Creativity is wide open to all the participants who will be mixing cocktails with one selection of the following outstanding spirits: Dripping Springs Vodka, Beefeater Gin, Flor de Cana Gold or White Rums, Casa Noble Silver Tequila, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Sazerac Rye, Famous Grouse Scotch, Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac, or Cointreau.

CURRENT PARTICIPATING BARS & RESTAURANTS include 13 Celsius, Anvil, Beavers, Branchwater Tavern, Brennan's, Catalan, Gravitas, Mockingbird Bistro, Paladora Lounge (Marriot), Rockwood Room, Stella Sola, and Yelapa with many more on the way. Great cocktails, a cooperative celebration of Houston's cocktail scene, and a cause worth drinking towards are in store for all attendees. Don’t miss out!

For more information about the USBG; please visit http://www.usbg.org/

For more information about the event or to participate contact Bobby Heugel of Anvil at robert@drinkdogma.com.