Last summer, when my cohorts at MicroShiner asked if I wanted to judge a spirits festival in Southern California, I responded with a laconic "Sure. Why not." When I learned it was a two day event in San Diego, that quickly changed to "I'm packing my bags! When does it start?!"
Located next to the USS Midway Museum is the Broadway Pier. When it comes to sipping and sampling spirits... why not do so while gazing upon a storied piece of American history? Held in what is essentially a large airplane hanger, this is the perfect space for such an event. But where planes would be instead were booths of magic.
Dozens of vendors and spirit brands lined the hall, each one presenting their best. Some brands brought flair bartenders, flipping and tossing their hooch, while other more reserved labels simply showcased their key ingredients to illustrate what separated them from the "other guy." Some brands fresh on the scene were just there to share their labor of love. Even those classic brands we love or hate were on hand to remind us of what we have hidden in that cupboard above our refrigerator. (My advice, hit those booths last, after your palate is wrecked. Or then again, drink it cause you know it. At an event like this, who cares? It’s all part of the fun!)
I landed in San Diego around 8am after a short flight from SFO. I promptly caught a cab to my hotel, where I dumped my bags, grabbed my camera and made my way to the venue. After all, I couldn't be late for the first flight of spirits I had to taste... what with being a judge and all. Sitting down at 10:30 am, I faced a flight of 6 flavored vodkas. It made me pause and think. The last time I was drinking flavored vodka this early in the morning was after pulling an all nighter in college. (Vanilla vodka and pancakes go hand and hand after a hard night of drinking. Don’t knock it till you try it.)
I sat among some great gentlemen with amazing palates. We sampled flight, after flight, after flight. From tequila to spiced rum. Rum to flavored tequila; even various liqueurs. As the San Diego Spirits Festival considers itself a cocktail event, we studied their mixability along with the flavor, body, and taste of each liquid. Most important was the quality of the spirit itself. When we had made our way to the single barrel bourbons, followed by a flight of rare cognac, the tables got awfully quiet. Coincidentally, our spit buckets remained dry.
After my team tasted our way through half of the 120 spirits in competition, we nominated our favorites and selected the medal winners. We then got a chance to see the brands and labels we were tasting. By turns shocked and pleased with our decisions, we said goodbye to the blindfolds and joined the party that was happening downstairs.
I continued to sample the labels that intrigued me most, one of which was Dennis Rodman's Vodka. I suppose after being one of the only U.S. citizens allowed to visit North Korea, the obvious next step is vodka. It might not meet some people’s definition of craft, but I'm not gonna lie: it was surprisingly tasty and clean.
I made my way to the outdoor event space where I drank in some sun and live music while soaking up the alcohol with small bites from local culinary masters. Chefs from all around San Diego came to present their most spirited snack, from a rum sauce over a fish filet to a bourbon based steak marinade. A few chefs even held live cooking presentations, one demonstrating the proper preparation of a T-bone. It was one hell of a first day.
Lights out at 9pm after the extended session of day-drinking, I awoke the next morning filled with excitement for the adventure to come. This time I could pace myself. No early morning flavored vodka flights. Perfect. After enjoying a large breakfast salad some call a “Bloody Mary” (what a weird name for such a healthy morning beverage), I marched over to the event space.
Today was the bartender/mixology competition. It was thrilling to watch, even for an old pro like myself who used to live behind the bar. (I still find myself shaking my protein shake like I'm shaking a whiskey sour.) Witnessing all that talent at work had me pumped! Each mixologist presented their own amazing concoction. Some served ‘up’; others on the rocks. Each with their own unique garnish. If only I had the pleasure of being a judge at that event as well! Maybe this year.
After checking in for my flight home that night I sat down at my gate and reflected on what an awesome event this was. It almost felt like two days wasn’t enough. But… then again… the fact that the flight attendant had to wake me up for the final boarding call was probably a good indication that two days is just about right.
Tickets for the San Diego Spirits Festival go on sale March 1st. Get yours here!
Brian Cary is Master of Spirits Media at MicroShiner.com