Tales of the Cocktail® Establishes B.A.R. Scholarship Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tales of the Cocktail® Establishes B.A.R. Scholarship Program

This special program awards ten scholarships to former Tales of the Cocktail® apprentices to attend the renowned Beverage Alcohol Resource (B.A.R.) Program.

NEW ORLEANS - December 31, 2012 - Tales of the Cocktail®, in its on-going effort to support and cultivate the international bartending community, has established a new scholarship program that will allow 10 former apprentices to complete the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource (B.A.R.) Program. These ten recipients will receive a scholarship valued at $3,800 and a $500 travel stipend to attend the 11th B.A.R. five-day Spirits & Mixology Certification Program, happening at New York's Astor Center on September 23-27, 2013. In addition, Tales of the Cocktail® will have an additional $10,000 in funding for those who want to attend and further their education through the program.

"We're very excited to be able to provide this educational opportunity to the Cocktail Apprentice community," said Paul Tuennerman, Chief Business Officer, Tales of the Cocktail®. "There's probably no better, single classroom achievement to document one's capabilities behind the rail, than the Beverage Alcohol Resource Educational Program."

Founded and run by six of the biggest names in mixology-Steve Olson, Dale DeGroff, Andy Seymour, Doug Frost, David Wondrich and F. Paul Pacult-the B.A.R. Program has become one of the most revered mixology training programs in the country. This scholarship is open to those former apprentices that have apprenticed at Tales of the Cocktail® in the past five years. Applications will be available online at TalesoftheCocktail.com in January 2013 and recipients will be announced in the spring.

"We are delighted to join with our friends and colleagues at Tales of the Cocktail," said F. Paul Pacult, Co-Managing Partner, B.A.R. LLC. "This is an unprecedented teaming of two compatible organizations for the express purpose of providing spirits and mixology education at what we believe to be the highest level. We look forward to welcoming the scholarship winners into the B.A.R. five-day circle of professionals."

"B.A.R. is currently one of very few outlets for bartenders to take their education to another level," said David Delaney Jr. Global Brand Ambassador for Angostura Rum and Bitters. "I had been accepted to the program back in 2010 and again in 2011 but couldn't afford the cost. When Tales of the Cocktail announced its scholarship applications, I thought it would be a great opportunity to apply for help in funding this education. After all, Tales of the Cocktail has proven to aid in just that, the education and awareness of our industry to bartenders and consumers alike."

The new B.A.R. scholarship program joins the already established Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship program, which is now in its third year. This program was established to give former apprentices the opportunity to pursue educational opportunities and research projects that help them further their own cocktail knowledge and benefit the cocktail industry as a whole. The 2012 Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship recipients were:

Chris Churilla (Bartender, Terminus - Corvallis, OR)

Class of 2010

$2500.00 "Artisanal Spirits of the Pacific Northwest"

Jason Kemp (Bar Manager, The Family Dog - Atlanta, GA)

Class of 2011

$3000.00 "Angostura thru Prohibition"

Logan Lavachek (Bartender, Highball - Chicago, IL)

Class of 2011

$5000.00 "Digital Cocktail Aggregate"

Franky Marshall (Bartender, Monkey Club & The Tippler - New York, NY)

Classes of 2009, 2010 & 2011

$1500.00 "Ms. Franky on Stage"

David Delaney, Jr. (Bartender, Citizen - Boston, MA; Bar Manager, Still & Stir - Worcester, MA)

Class of 2011

$2500.00 "B.A.R."

Thomas Klus (Bar Manager, Kask - Portland, OR)

Classes of 2010 &11, Tales on Tour Vancouver 2010

$3000.00 "P.U.B."

Brian Matthys (Bartender Le Bernardin - New York, NY)

Classes of 2009 &2010

$5000.00 "Shochu Beyond the Highball."

Neil Kopplin (Creator and Owner Imbue Vermouth - Portland, OR)

CAP Classes of 2010 &11

$2500.00 "Roots...Tracing Origins of Vermouth and Amaro"