This past year I had the honor of attending Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tales is an annual event that celebrates the history and development of cocktails, the cocktail culture, bartenders, and the bars that they work at. The week of Tales is filled with educational classes, tasting rooms, spirit and cocktail exploration, late-night parties, friends- both old and new, laughs, and then is all capped off with the Spirited Awards on Saturday night.

This past year was fully focused on important issues that surround the spirits and hospitality industries. From what I gathered, the largest party of the year- the William Grant Portfolio party, was put on sans booze! Classics that would typically be filled with whiskey, tequila, gin- you name it, were made in a mock-tail style. It was interesting to see how the concoctions were made. For instance, Hendrick’s infused with coconut water with Hendricks botanicals to create a spirits flavor profile without the alcohol content.

Earlier in the night, there was a Neighborhood Party hosted by Jameson. Different cities from all over the states had a booth set up in the venue space. Popular bars from the different cities were set up serving Jameson cocktails, most as a riff on the classic Irish Coffee. Food that these cities were famed for were being served as well, like pizza from Chicago, BBQ from Austin, the Beignets from NOLA. It was a great celebration of all that bars and cities across the US have to share.

Both events taking place on the same night was a great expression of what the industry is starting to lean towards: Love your neighbor, love yourself, care for both. This was a theme carried out through the rest of the conference as well. Seminars were centered around how to create a healthy and balanced lifestyle while working behind or in bars. The industry is frequently faced with issues that do not support a sustainable life. Having educational courses and open discussions about mental health in the industry, how to abstain from drinking, and how to create an eco-friendly bar program were just some of the classes and seminars that were hosted.

The eco-friendly and sustainable bar program was actually a very prevalent topic during Tales. Many events decided to nix straws at their events. Most attendees were right on board as well, having no problem with sipping their drinks without the utensil that is polluting the earth. Bacardi was giving out metal straws that could be reused and washed. The Cocktail Kingdom pop-up shop was selling reusable straws to bars as well, taking pre-orders for the upcoming months when they launch their reusable straws in many different sizes.

The conference wasn’t completely filled with movements in the industry- there were still many events that showcased spirits, new and old. There was actually a seminar and tasting room, that was put on two days in a row, dedicated to Soju. A spirit from Japan that is made primarily from different types of rice. The “Meet the Distillers” Tasting event was a wonderful showcase of smaller craft distilleries all over the United States. It was a chance to showcase a spirit that might not be able to afford a late night party or a seminar event. The addition of these smaller events is perfect, not only for the distillery to showcase their products, also so that bartenders and spirit enthusiasts can get a taste for a unique and local product.

The conference is also a great time to network with industry professionals and share about your company, business, or experience. I actually got to sit down with two professionals over the course of Tales. Tara from William Chris Winery and Camille Austin with Montelobos Mezcal. Meeting both ladies and leaders in the industry was a remarkable experience. During my meeting with Tara, not only did I get to connect with a fellow Texan in NOLA, but I was able to learn more about the wine industry that is rearing its head in Texas. My meeting with Camille was insightful as well, being further educated on Mezcal and the Montelobos brand. There was so much more to learn in these one on one meetings than there was at the William Grant party earlier that week. (Not that there is anything wrong with parties!)

Speaking of late night parties there were a few, similar to the Jameson party, Amaro Montenegro had a killer burlesque party, Monkey Shoulder put on a cool Three Dots and a Dash inspired Tiki party, and Plymouth Gin even hosted an event about the evolution of a martini going from a standard classic cocktail to finding a unique drink based on the flavor profile you prefer.

The parties weren’t just at night though! Imagine among all the seminars and classes, tastings rooms and cocktail throw-downs, that there were small pop-up parties during the day as well. Some of the spirits brands that hosted these pop-ups included Elyx Vodka, with their wonderful three day Garden of Elyx relaxation room. Then the Reyka Pool party was a huge hit and a nice break from the Louisiana heat. Wild Turkey has pop-ups at bars where you could get some cool swag and a nice food break.

Basically, Tales of the Cocktail is a week-long celebration of all that it means to be in the spirits industry. Meeting new people, connecting with old friends, experiencing new products, brushing up on your skills, having a killer good time, and lots and lots of Pedialyte.  If you are debating whether or not you should attend, I would say just go for it. I would advise on attending seminars if you are really wanting to network and expand your knowledge, however simply getting a tasting room pass is well worth it. I hope to attend next year- and maybe see some of you there!