A New Event is Born

No, Prague is not just the city of beer and miniatures (even though they can literally be found on every corner). Like many European capitals, the "city of a hundred spires" is determined to make a name for itself in the cocktail world.

The goal of this festive week was to celebrate the art of bartending, bring it closer to the general public, and allow everyone interested in mixology to discover as many establishments as possible without having to spend half a month's salary.

An Organization That Leaves Nothing to Chance

This first edition was organized by three men with solid experience in the bar world, namely brothers David and Filip Stránský from AnonymouS Concept, and flair champion Václav Abraham, who, in addition to being a brand ambassador for Monin, also leads the Czech Flair Team CBA.

The date of the event was not chosen randomly:

It all started from the World Cocktail Day which falls on May 13, the very day when the first officially known definition of a cocktail was published in 1806 in the magazine The Balance & Columbian Repository. The Prague Cocktail Week thus begins on May 6 and ends on May 13 - Filip Stránský

Discounted Cocktails

For eight days, enthusiasts could enjoy a selection of cocktails (generally 4 per establishment) at the reduced price of 155 CZK (about €6) instead of 295 CZK (€12) at around thirty establishments. All it took was to buy a ticket for 250 CZK (€10) and then pick up a bracelet at one of the participating bars to benefit from these prices throughout the week.

On the menu of these festivities, the Truffle Old Fashioned with Brugal rum from Tretter's Obecní Dům or the Bohemian Gimlet featuring the essential Becherovka from U Staré Paní Jazz & Cocktail Club were true gems.

However, the award for originality and excellent execution undoubtedly goes to Alcron Bar, which made a mark with high-end offerings like the Charter Flight with rye and Aperol and, above all, a smoky and enchanting Walk in Woods with Botran rum and pine resin.

In short, a good deal for us French when we know that in Prague, a cocktail rarely exceeds €10 or €12.

The only small downside was that the partner brands were a bit too systematically present in the recipes, particularly the Three Cents sodas and Paragon cordials, but that's the name of the game to attract brands.

Workshops, Tastings, and Competitions

This Prague Cocktail Week also included various workshops, tastings, and activities. On May 7, for example, Cloud 9 bar hosted a Nikka whisky tasting led by its ambassador Kryštof Hordina, while on May 11, a tasting of Planteray rums took place at La Casa Havana.

More quirky and open to all "festival-goers," the Three Cents Speed Bottle Opening Challenge was organized on May 8 at Ideas Are Bulletproof bar. The next day, a very funny Boxing Challenge was organized by AnonymouS Bar. In the first case, it was about opening five bottles of Three Cents sodas as quickly as possible, while in the second, bartenders were challenged to prepare their cocktails while wearing boxing gloves!

To conclude this festive week with flair, the final of the Monin Cup 2024 took place on May 13 (the day of Cocktail Day), won by Adam Bohuněk (@adam_bohunek) from Bugsy’s Bar (@bugsysbar). The 23-year-old bartender will represent his country at the world final next December at the Villa Monin in Bourges, and will especially try to bring the trophy back to his country after the victory of his compatriot Barbora Kulhánková in 2022.