The COBG Goes Bowling!

Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me

Look at this girl. Look at how excited she is to be bowling! The thud of the ball, the crash of the pins, the sheer triumph in knowing that someday her mom may stop dressing her like a Christmas-themed Easter Egg.
 



Now look at this bottle of Olmeca Altos.

It's dressed much better than that little bowling girl. Now imagine yourself in those weird velcro shoes, standing in triumph as you take down a 7-10 split. Imagine rewarding yourself with a shot of Olmeca Altos after you high five your bartending peers. Sounds like a freaking blast...don't it?

We thought so too. So, as the first official event of the COBG New Year, we decided to partner with Olmeca Altos and thow ourselves a good ol' fasioned BOWLIN' BASH.

Get off work. Come back from Breck a little early. Tell your momma not to wait up. Most importantly, leave your shakers at home and join us for a night of strikes, gutters and glory at Elitch Lanes on Sunday, January 30 at 8:00 pm. We're extending this invite to all current COBG members, COBG enthusiasts, or bartender-types who are curious about the COBG and the upcoming year, so please, feel free to bring your co-workers and friends for a night that will seriously be a hell of a lot of fun. See you there!

WHAT: A FREAKING BOWLIN' BASH
WHERE: Elitch Lanes
                3825 Tennyson Street
                Denver, CO 80212-2107
WHEN: Sunday, January 30 @ 8:00 pm

If you don't mind... please send us a little email if you're planning on attending so we'll know if we need to hire a bouncer.

ROOT Cocktail Competition Just Announced!

We know you've been playing with this amazing new spirit from Philly's Art In The Age, but now it's time to show off whatcha got. ROOT and The Squeaky Bean have teamed up to throw a night of competition and community, and we're all invited. 

When: Monday, January 31 - 7:00 pm
Where: The Squeaky Bean - 3301 Tejon Street

Although the cocktail competition is only open to one bartender from one venue (bars, if you haven't gotten an official competition form from your rep, please send an email to coloradobartendersguild@gmail.com if you or one of your bartenders are interested), there will be food and $5 drink specials throughout the competition. Come by and support your favorite local bartender as he or she trys to take home the gold.

Stuben's Food Service & COBG Rocks The Tots!

Congrats and a big THANK YOU to everyone who came out on Monday night to help us raise more than $2000 and more than 400 toys for Denver's Salvation Army. For those of you who missed out on the event of the year (yeah, I'm talking to you), more than 15 of Denver's Best Bartenders came out to sling Tiki Drinks to some of our favorite industry professionals. Thanks to Stueben's, Randy Layman and everyone else who rolled up their sleves for this awesome event.

See the full gallery on posterous

Submissions for the 42Below Competition Due Monday, December 20th

A Note From Mark Stoddard - 

Hello Fellow Colorado Bartenders!!!!

Just wanted to remind you that there are 6 days left to submit your cocktails to be selected for the 2011 42 Below Cocktail World Cup!!!

 It's easy to submit your drinks online, just go to
http://usa.cocktailworldcup.com/Entry

Submit as many cocktails as you want to better your chances of being selected to compete in the Regional Finals at the Blue Bird Theater in Denver on Sunday night, January 23rd!!  Cocktails will be selected by a blind panel of judges from the USBG in Las Vegas.  I submitted three online last year, not knowing which one would be chosen.

The top two placing bartenders in Denver on Sun, Jan. 23rd we be flown to NYC to represent Colorado in the US Finals. You'll be put up in a fat hotel in Manhattan, styled out, and roll to the best bars in NYC (milk & honey, PDT, Mayahuel, Death & Co, Pegu Club) with VIP status after the competition.

Chances of you winning the trip to NYC are very good since the top 2 move on and the free trip itself is worth submitting a cocktail. And if you advance on to New Zealand, you get an all expense paid trip and the best week of your life!

U.S.A  Round One - January 23, 2011 Blue Bird Theater - Denver, CO
U.S.A  Round Two - February 13, 2011 Final Competition - NY

I Really Wish This Blog Could Play The Theme To Star Wars...

So the buzz is loud...so loud this blog feels like an echo of an echo about it. However, as we continue to update you on everything in the COBG world, we'll take a minute of your time here to announce that yes, BAR SMARTS is coming to the Mile High City.

Mr. Dale DeGroff, F. Paul Pacult, David Wondrich (my hero), Andy Seymour, Steve Olson, and Doug Frost have teamed up with Pernod Ricard to bring you a one day version of the esteemed BAR 5-Day Program that a only a handful of Denver-tenders have traveled to NYC to do. They'll all be here, and drinking at your bars.

Although the BAR SMARTS team will be here on April 12th, 2011, the registration begins on December 1st, 2010 and there are only 150 spots folks. That may seem like a lot of places for us bartender types, but remember, these events don't happen everywhere, or very often. So look for there to be quite a few peeps from other states looking to jump into our pool.

Registration is by invitation only. The cost is $85, and you will receive a 4 DVD set with a  workbook, a OGIO backpack, and a basic set of bar tools selected by Dale DeGroff himself. As well, everyone that passes will receive a membership to the COBG / USBG for 2011. This is a ridiculous opportunity for everyone in our little circle, so if you're interested please send Sean Kenyon an email at seankenyon13@gmail.com with your name and place of employment and he'll get you an invite. Then get yourself over to www.barsmarts.com and register on December 1.

Good Luck, and may the Force Be With You.

Second Toy Drive Party Revealed!

Well, it's a well known fact, Sonny Jim, that Santa, yes, the Santa Claus is a fan of Tiki drinks and Tiki parties. And wouldn't you know it? Steuben's Food Service, your friendly Colorado chapter of the USBG and William Grant & Sons have banded together to postpone Santa's annual making of lists and checking of them twice (because you know we're all on his naughty list) and to get his bearded, cookie lovin' ass to Denver for a good ol' fashioned TIKI PARTY!

If you were at the shin-dig last year, there's little more I can say. You arrive after a lengthy stop at Target with unwrapped toys in your hand. You receive two drink tickets for every toy you bring. You drink the drinks, you tip your bartenders (all tips will be donated to the Salvation Army), and ...hopefully...this will sway Santa's decision to put your name back on the "nice" list and you really will get Glee Karaoke Revolution in your stocking.

We'll see you on Monday, December 13th from 9pm to 2am for the season's biggest (read: best) party.

The Sixth Annual Holiday Toy Drive @ OAK at Fourteenth

It's that time of year. We're talking Santas, Elves, Chimneys and Ugly Sweaters. We're also talking Toys and those less fortunate than us. The COBG is pleased to announce that we're going to replicate last year's amazing COBG Toy Drive not once...but TWICE, so that everyone can get in on the spirit of giving.

Orange flavored spacemen love Christmas too!

Our First Toy Drive event will be Monday, December 6th, at Bryan Dayton's brand-spanking-sorta-like-Baby-Jesus-new restaurant OAK at Fourteenth in Boulder. If you attended last year, you already know the drill. It's drinkin' cocktails for charity in exchange for donated gifts. You'll get one cocktail for each gift you bring (unless you're Hollywood A-List Attractive). Gifts must be new, unwrapped, for ages 14 and under, and valued under $25. As well, there will be a raffle for sweet schwag. Food will be provided by Dayton and Steve R. from Oak at Fourteenth. 

AND...if that didn't get you there...the COBG is proud to host top national bartenders Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Leo Degroff, Danny Valdez and Michael Martensen. Come say hi to everyone, or at least stroke Martensen's moustache.

Stay tuned for the Second Toy Drive time and location which will be in Denver and on a Monday (Dec. 13th).