Penang Cocktail Week: A 10-Day celebration of mixology

Penang is poised to host its first-ever cocktail festival, the inaugural Penang Cocktail Week, from October 20th to 29th.

This 10-day celebration will immerse cocktail enthusiasts in a world of mixology, featuring international guest shifts, bartending masterclasses, competitions, and parties. The festival will unfold across 10 independent bars scattered throughout Georgetown, the heart of Penang.

Founded by Koh Yung Shen of Backdoor Bodega, Penang Cocktail Week builds on the growing interest in Penang’s cocktail scene, which gained international attention when Backdoor Bodega ranked 97th on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2022.

Burgeoning cocktail culture of Penang

Ten independent bars in Georgetown will play host to a diverse range of activities, including guest bartending shifts by internationally acclaimed bartenders, cocktail workshops, bartending masterclasses, competitions, and lively cocktail parties.

The participating bars in Penang Cocktail Week include Backdoor Bodega, Chez Chez, No Bar Here, The Nest, Foxhole 24, Baobae, Nomad Penang, Cocktails & Shots, The Mandarin Bar, Biso, Bottega Penang, and Hin Bus Depot.

These establishments will feature globally recognised names through guest shifts, masterclasses, takeovers, bartending showdowns, bus barhop tours, and bar crawls.

Penang Cocktail Week aims to showcase the talent and dedication of Penang’s cocktail scene, often overshadowed by Kuala Lumpur. It provides local bars with invaluable exposure, experience, and networking opportunities, fostering collaboration with some of the world’s leading figures in the industry.

Giving exposure small yet flourishing industry

Some of the international talents headlining the event include Jean Trinh, winner of the World’s 50 Best Bars Bartender’s Bartender Award 2022, from Alquimico in Columbia; Thanos Prunarus from Baba Au Rum in Athens; and Agung Prabowo from Penicillin in Hong Kong. These experts will not only enrich the festival but also contribute to the global appeal of Penang’s cocktail culture.

Penang Cocktail Week intends to leverage the momentum of the thriving cocktail scene in Penang, providing additional exposure to this small yet flourishing industry.

The event’s 10 participating bars will each host international and Malaysian bartenders for guest shifts, alongside an array of masterclasses, workshops, and tastings throughout the festival. Moreover, each bar will introduce unique drinks specially crafted for Penang Cocktail Week.

Penang Cocktail Week promises to be a landmark event in the regional cocktail calendar, a testament to the rapid growth and innovation in Penang’s cocktail scene. As the festival unfolds across Georgetown, cocktail enthusiasts and industry professionals alike will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of flavours, techniques, and creativity.

For more information and event lisitng, click this link.