NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 26 – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), through Diageo Bar Academy, held a celebration for bartenders in Kenya in honor of the annual World Bartender Day on February 24th.
The day celebrates bartending, which is among the oldest professions, and gives people a chance to raise a glass in honor of the masters behind the bar, which brought together the bartending community in Kenya.
An online cocktail competition was also used to reach the wider bartending community, which saw participants submit videos making their signature cocktails for a chance to win multiple rewards.
The event culminating in the microbrewery at Ruaraka (KBL’s newest facility) gave the participants a chance to step out from behind the bar and be treated to a consumer experience, which included a tour of the innovation center and other experiential activities leading to entertainment and connectivity.
East African Breweries Limited’s (EABL) Commercial Director, Joel Kamau, recognized bartenders’ contribution to the business and the consumer experiences that come with their brands and reiterated the business’ commitment to an investment to enhance skills and develop professions through training and opportunities sponsored by Diageo Bar Academy.
Diageo Bar Academy also hosted a global Happy Hour, a flagship event for its community, bringing together bartenders across the globe in a virtual session with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Tiffanie Barriere, the master mixologist, influencer, and educator who has been awarded with some of the beverage industry’s highest honors, which is to inspire, entertain, appreciate, and reward bartenders for their role in the industry.
The bartending profession dates back to ancient Rome and Greece, with innkeepers and taverns.
The profession began to gain more respect in the 19th century for the creativity, skill, and attention to detail involved in creating, making, and serving drinks.
World Bartender Day was created in recent years to celebrate the creative genius and talents of bartenders across the globe, with the first celebration held in 2018, a cocktail competition in Australia and New Zealand called The Perfect Blend.
The day has increasingly gained popularity and turned into an international phenomenon.
