Art of Mixology Past Winners

Congratulations to the 2023 Winners

Congratulations to Winners and all the Mixologists who participated in our 10th Annual Art of Mixology event!

Mixologist of the Year
Maxwell Freise

Wildseed, San Francisco
Trippin to Manhattan (table #2)

Second Place
Giuseppe Alagna
Benvenuti, Walnut Creek
Sumpathy for Nature (table #8)

Third Place
Bells Hellman

Bardo Lounge & Supper Club, Oakland
Super Sun (table #14)

Audience Favorite
Cynthia Songco
Casa Orinda, Orinda
Snow Way It's Fall Already (table #13)

Home Crafted Cocktail Award (Top Amateur)
Spencer Padgett
, Danville
Ahead of the (Bell) Curve (table #5)

Art of Table Staging Award
Jeremy Schlachter

Canyon Club Brewery, Moraga
Sandlot Treehouse Old Fashioned (table #6)

Thank you to participating bartenders: Neel Karan Banga (Saffron), Ivan Gonzalez (@ig_on_ig_mixology), Eric Gonzalez (@tinitime_), Natasha Hart (Fourth Bore), Nathan Hijar (The Forge), Cole Giffin (Arena Mobile Bar), Hailey Coder (Brix & Craft), David Smejdir (Metro Lafayette), Nicholas Madrona (Independent Professional)


2022 Winners

1st Place, Mixologist of the Year - Henny Penny by Cynthia Songco, Casa Orinda, Orinda

2nd Place - This is for My Peaches by Brandon Blackman, Night Owl, Castro Valley

3rd Place - Gardens of the Galaxy by Katie Gazay, The Forge, Oakland

Audience Award - Italian Baker by Guiseppe Alagna, Benvenuti Ristorante, Walnut Creek

Top Amateur - Ensalada Margarita by Lily Gonzalez

Art of Table StagingJeremy Schlachter, Canyon Club Brewery, Moraga


2021 Winners

1st Place, Mixologist of the Year - Pele's Passionate Punch by Antonio "Grande" Hall, Parlour, Oakland

2nd Place - Forbidden Fig by Nicholas Valdez, Bounty Hunter, Walnut Creek

3rd Place - Herb-an Kiss by Katie Gazay, The Forge, Oakland

Audience Award - Razzle Dazzle by Portia Battistini, The Coop, Lafayette

Top Amateur - Unearthed by Shweta Srivastava

Art of Table StagingPortia Battistini, The Coop, Lafayette


2020 Winners

Click HERE to view a replay of the live online Awards Show, emceed by Justin Cole of Joy in Motion! The event was held virtually, and the winners' fabulous craft cocktails were turned into Art of Mixology Cocktail Kits to make at home. 

1st Place, Mixologist of the Year - Two Faced by Hailey Coder, Bar Cava, Martinez

2nd Place - Betty's 7pm by Sadé Stamps, Sobre Mesa, Oakland

3rd Place - Smog In The Noggin by Ben Dimond, Bardo Lounge & Supper Club, Oakland

4th Place - Chipotle Bloody Mary by Mike Whipple, Canyon Club Brewery, Moraga

Audience Award - Fall'ifornia Dreamin' by Brian Gamble, Independent Mixologist


2019 Winners

Congratulations to Winners and all the Mixologists who participated in our Sixth Annual Art of Mixology event

Mixologist of the Year
Casey Carr
Batch and Brine
So-Shu Think You Can Dance

Second Place
Phillip McElvain
Grand Lake Kitchen
A Plum Dream

Third Place
Vincenzo Piccione
Benvenuti Ristorante
Roman Garden

Home Crafted Cocktail Award
Lily Gonzalez
Rainarita

Audience Favorite
Vincenzo Piccione
Benvenuti Ristorante
Roman Garden

Art of Table Staging Award
Phillip McElvain
Grand Lake Kitchen
A Plum Dream


 

2018 Winners

Congratulations to Winners and all the Mixologists who participated in our Fifth Annual Art of Mixology event!

Mixologist of the Year
Arthur Valderrama
When Worlds Collide
Barranco Kitchen and Bar

Second Place
Roberto Rizo
Standing Ovation
Self Employed @CantineRob

Third Place
Dennis Hoagland
Killing Cliché
Barrel Aged

Top Amateur
BlackBerry Basil Margarita

Lily Gonzalez

Audience Favorite
Ryan Wehrenberg
Mai Mai Mai
Park Bistro and Bar

Art of Table Staging Award
Eric Gonzalez
Agua De Sandía
Self-employed: @TiniTime


 

2017 Winners

Congratulations to Winners and all the Mixologists who participated in our Fourth Annual Art of Mixology event!

Mixologist of the Year
Portia Battistini
Hops N Apricots
The Cooperage American Grille

Second Place
Dennis Hoagland
Sweet November
Parada

Third Place
Ryan Wehrenberg
The Beekeeper
Lafayette Park Bistro & Bar

Audience Favorite
Ryan Wehrenberg
The Beekeeper
Lafayette Park Bistro & Bar

Home Crafted Cocktail Winner
Eric Gonzalez
Mangonada Madness

Art of Table Staging
Carolynn Lara
Sour Bore
The Fourth Bore Taproom and Grille


 

2016 Bartenders

Below are the professional and amateur bartenders that participated in the 2016 Art of Mixology craft cocktail competition held on October 8, 2016 at Orinda Theatre Square.

Table

Name

Venue

Status

1 Dean Bever Casa Orinda Professional
2 Nonna Titulauri Hakkasan SF Professional
3 Johnny Vasicek Home Connoisseur Amateur
4 Rachael Kruse Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Audience Favorite
5 John Schreiner Forge Professional
6 Paige McHale Yankee Pier Professional
7 Gil Batzri Home Connoisseur Amateur
8 Sara Sakurada Zaytoon Professional
9 Kyle Tran The Lafayette Park Bistro & Bar Mixologist - 2nd Place
10 Arash Palzad Barrel Aged Professional
11 Lauren Kelsch Fourth Bore Professional
12 Sharon Zezima Home Connoisseur Amateur
14 Derek Zemrak Cine Cuvee Amateur
15 Ryan Wehrenberg The Cooperage American Grille Mixologist of the Year
16 Shweta Srivastava Home Connoisseur Home Crafted Cocktail Winner
17 Emma Macpherson Dan’s Sports Bar Professional
18 Peter Eberle Piccolo Napoli Professional
19 Megan Abraham Rooftop Mixologist - 3rd Place, Art of Table Staging Winner
20 Tyler Petersen Home Connoisseur Amateur
21 Carmen Barclay Corners Tavern Professional
22 Griffin Henning Telefèric Barcelona Professional
23 Carlos Rangel Shelby’s Professional
24 Brandon Breining Table 24 Professional

2015 Bartenders

Below are the talented bartenders and their concoctions from last year's Art of Mixology craft cocktail competition held on October 10, 2015 at Orinda Theatre Square.

Table Number

Name

Bar/Restaurant

Craft Cocktail Name

Voting Results

1 Timothy Lacy Table 24 Jalapeño Cucumber Paloma Art of Table Staging Winner
2 Eric Jorgensen Amateur Bacon Bloody Mary
3 Brian Burke Hutch Bar and Kitchen BERKLEONI (a.k.a. C.T.B.)
4 Tim Northcutt Casa Orinda Western Outlaw
5 Cynthia Lasky Amateur Not Your Mother's Margarita
6 Peter Eberle Piccolo Napoli Piccolo Baci
Aka "Little Kiss"
Audience Favorite
7 Alexander Caban Bergerac Donkey Hong Mixologist - 3rd Place
8 Robert McGurie T's Firehouse Kentucky Buck
9 Diana Petralia The Cooperage American Grille Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Mixologist - 2nd Place
10 Cindy Powell Amateur Holiday Punch
11 Pilar Vree Penrose Narcocorrido #9
12 Tammy Hagans Bergerac Cameo
13 Angela Bitondo Barbacoa Raspberry Mango Smash
14 Brenden Taylor Barbacoa Gallagher
15 Drew Johnston Amateur Nog-Blanco
16 Amy Jeter Amateur Sneaky Dog
17 Julie Feigenson Yankee Pier Sage Advice
18 Kyle Tran The Lafayette Park Hotel Daughter of the Devil Mixologist of the Year
20 Ashley Dobson Forge Lady Frank
21 Zac Crim Corners Tavern White Orchard
22 Sharon Zezima Amateur New Fashioned Home Crafted Cocktail Winner

2014 Winning Bartenders

Below are the winners of the First Annual Art of Mixology craft cocktail competition:

Mixologist of the Year
Joe Cleveland
The Perfect Pair
The Cooperage American Grille, Lafayette
Second Place
Ashley Myers
Fall's First Fire
Forge Restaurant, Oakland
Third Place
Matty McGee
Vesuvio Swizzle
Flora Restaurant, Oakland
Audience Favorite
Rachael Kruse
Drunk'n Pumpkin
Corners Tavern, Walnut Creek
Home Crafted Cocktail Winner
Amy Jeter
Call A Cab
Moraga