Cocktail Week Tailgate Kickoff

Milwaukee may be known as the Brew City, but Sunday kicked off a spirited week long event and it didn’t include a cold one. Milwaukee Cocktail week is back and this year’s festivities are filled with endless appetizers, happy hours, workshops, dinners, and after parties.

Milwaukee Cocktail Week founders, Brian West, of local Alcoholmanac Magazine and Ira Koplowitz of Bittercube Bitters teamed up with MKEfoodies and created the event just one year ago. The success of last year’s Cocktail Week has sparked even more interest in this year’s event, bringing in more sponsors, restaurants and bars.

The week commenced with a Tailgate Kickoff held at Horny Goat Hideaway. Seven local chefs paired with seven local bartenders to create exciting combinations that took the term “tailgating” to a whole new level. The kickoff’s tasty cuisine featured fare from Afro Fusion, Amilinda, Chef’s Table, Horny Goat Maxie’s, Morel, Tall Guy, Trocadero, and Wayward Kitchen. If you missed the Tailgate Kickoff, no worries, Milwaukee Cocktail Week has plenty more in store all week long.

This week’s activities include Journeyman Distillery Gin Fizz Competition at Blue Jacket, St. George Spirits Cocktail Happy Hour at the official launch of the new Potawatomi Hotel and Casino Lobby Bar, The Heart of Mexico: An Agave-based cocktail and tasting menu at Cempazuchi Comida Brava, Last Picnic of Summer American Cancer Society Benefit at SURG on the Water, and a Margarita Lab with Demetrio Tequila at Wayward Kitchen & Bar, just to name a few.

The week wraps up on Saturday, September 27th with the Cocktail College and Distilled Spirits Festival at Iron Horse Hotel, where you can try samples and question the distillers about your new favorite spirits.

Tickets and information about Milwaukee Cocktail Week can be found at milwaukeecocktailweek.com or at Alcoholmanac.com.

Watch for more information on Cocktail Week in an upcoming edition of Now Serving.

Photo Gallery