When it comes to proselytising sustainable bar programmes, no one takes it more seriously than Flor de Caña – a storied rum producer in Nicaragua that is both carbon neutral and fair trade certified.
Following from last year’s inaugural Zero Waste Month, this year’s Zero Waste Cocktails initiative, happening from Aug 15-Sep 15, takes things up a notch with higher sustainability goals, more participating bars, and even a zero waste cocktail party to cap it all off.
In a bid to reduce 15 tons of food waste globally during this event period (they achieved 10.4 tons last year), they’ve enlisted the help of cocktail bars all over the world.
From over 400 participating bars in 22 countries last year, they are seeing even greater participation this year, with an untallied number of bars in more than 30 countries this time around.
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Beyond the lofty goals, the idea is to also challenge bartenders in coming up with ways to incorporate sustainable practices at their venues – such as using every part of a fruit, or upcycling discarded but edible parts – thereby reducing food waste one cocktail at a time.
Through this, they hope to see bars become more sustainable in their everyday operations, doing so beyond the month-long campaign and allowing a zero waste bar culture to take root.
As a resource, Zero Waste Cocktails is also partnering Danil Nevsky, founder and CEO of Indie Bartender, who will work alongside Flor de Caña to research and compile best practices from the world’s top sustainable bars. It will then later be shared with the global bartending community.
In Singapore, 13 bars are taking part this year, with venues like Papa Doble, Set of Six, and newly opened Night Hawk among them. At Night Hawk for instance, bartenders have come up with a cocktail that makes use of every part of a banana.
Named Total Synastry, the drink is made using Flor de Caña 12 stirred with Amontillado sherry and a banana syrup derived from the fruit’s peels. Banana flesh is then dried and used as a garnish. The resulting tipple is spirit-forward, nutty, and boasts of notes of plantain and vanilla.
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As a way to rally the bar community further in Singapore during the Zero Waste Cocktails 2022 period, a zero waste cocktail party will also be happening come Sep 4, at rum-focused bar Low Tide.
Attendees can look forward to copious but conscious drinking, with guest bartenders gathering at Low Tide for a final sip of participating bars’ zero waste creations. Bartending friendly competitions will also be held to amp up the atmosphere.
Zero Waste Cocktails 2022 takes place from Aug 15-Sep 15. Participating Singapore bars include Fat Prince, Limehouse, Low tide, MO Bar, Night Hawk, Nutmeg & Clove, Papa Doble, Patina, Set of Six, The Bar @15 Stamford, The Hidden Story, The Landing Point, and Tippling Club.
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