Spirits Educator Tiffanie Barriere joined us to lead a Digital Session exploring Cognac’s history and legacy in the United States from WW1 to today.

Part education and part celebration, her class revealed the stories, characters, and iconic moments behind this beautiful category. Barriere takes you from Europe to Harlem Renaissance jazz clubs to modern hip-hop culture, and you’ll leave with a better understanding of both the history and future of Cognac.

You’ll learn about:

• Ritual & Application: From neat pour to contemporary cocktails.
• Story in a Glass: The role of craftsmanship, terroir, and time.
• History & Rhythm: Learn about Cognac’s cultural connections.

This is a can’t-miss class for anyone for bartenders and beverage pros wanting to learn more about the history of Cognac, and how to use it in a modern bar.

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About Your Teacher:

Tiffanie Barriere is a visionary award-winning educator, storyteller, and bartender’s bartender redefining cocktail culture. With a passion for creativity, culture, and community, Tiffanie champions Black women in spirits and inspires a new generation of bartenders and cocktail lovers to raise the bar—literally.

In addition to appearances on the Today Show and Drink Masters, Barriere’s creations and cultural storytelling have been celebrated everywhere from Forbes to The New York Times.

She’s been awarded the TOTC Visionary Award and named Bartender of the Year by Women of Whiskey.

Learn more about Tiffanie at TheDrinkingCoach.com.
Follow her IG: @TheDrinkingCoach.

Thirsty for more? Check out these class recordings:

• Clarified Milk Punch – Josh Seaburg
• Spinzalls & Clarification…And So Much More – Dave Arnold
• Carbonating Cocktails – Bart Miedeksza & Valentino Girotto
• Do Frozen Drinks Right – Michael Moberly
• The Art of Making Things Happen – Kate Gerwin

This is a can’t miss education for anyone running a bar program—or anyone who would like to! We break it all down into three key categories:

• Guest Experience & Storytelling
• Speed of Service & Efficiency
• Ingredient Transformation

What you’ll learn:

• New Tools: VOM, Ripple Machine, Spinzall 2.0, and More!
• Explore Techniques Like Canning, Floating Foam, Crystalization, and Flavor Blasting
• Budget Alternatives + Practical Tips: Honest, field-tested insights on gear and cost-benefit.

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Thirsty for more? Check out the class appendix for further learning:

WATCH NOW ON CAMPARI ACADEMY:

• Clarified Milk Punch – Josh Seaburg
• Spinzalls & Clarification…And So Much More – Dave Arnold
• Carbonating Cocktails – Bart Miedeksza & Valentino Girotto
• Do Frozen Drinks Right – Michael Moberly
• Drinks Theater – Jason Asher & Rich Furnari

ACADEMY GUIDES AND RECIPES:

• Clarified Milk Punch Guide
• Infusion Guide
• Pop-Up Tips from Tales
• How to make Campari Dust
• How to make Aperol Caviar

A PARTIAL LIST OF TOOLS DISCUSSED:

• Ripple Maker II and II Pro
• Flavour Blaster
• Stündenglass Gravity Infuser
• Searzall
• Spinzall 2.0
• VOM Edible Clouds

About Your Teacher:

As a manager for Campari Academy, Eddie Hansel has invaluable insights from the intersection of bar creativity, tech, and business. In addition to his years running volume and prestige programs, he has educated all over the country, and works closely on innovation.

Follow Eddie on IG: @academy_eddie

Industry mentor Don Lee thinks about creativity often – how to hone it, strengthen it, and push our industry to places we have only dreamed of.

He join us for a conversation about the process of creating new cocktails (if there are any such things), and how to thoughtfully and daringly join the centuries-long creative dialogue of the bartending craft.

A must watch for:

• Treating your creativity like a muscle: How to hone and strengthen it.
• The Art School Approach to criticism and why makes you a better bartender.
• Context as an ingredient, or why you should be drinking more Daiquiris.
• Cocktail Competition Tips (hint: Don Lee doesn’t know what your grandma’s cooking tastes like)

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About Your Teacher:

With a background in documentary photography and software engineering, Don Lee’s fierce curiosity and fascination with creation and interpretation found a natural home behind the bar during the mid-aughts cocktail renaissance. Lee’s industry icon status was cemented not only by direct innovations—designing industry benchmark barware, spearheading the fat-washing technique with the Benton’s Old Fashioned, menu creation and consultation—but through his work guiding the next generations, for which he was awarded American Bar Mentor of the Year.

Follow Don on IG: @donbert

Over the course of a bright, bluebird Monday in Manhattan, guests received free range to explore the Academy’s pantry and tool kit, utilizing everything from foams to floral chocolate to rapid infusions and even a Searzall!

After breaking into teams to ideate and construct their perfect Negroni riff from scratch, visitors received guidance from Kapri and Tommaso, Italian Icons Ambassador Olivia Cerio, plus Eddie Hansel and the Academy bar team.

After finishing their creations, attendees were invited to pull up a stool at our brass bar top, where they received final feedback on their recipes, presentation and garnish. Finally, Tommaso stepped behind the bar to whip up some Shakeratos, ensuring no one left thirsty!

Scroll on for photos from this fun, educational day—and make sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter.

Kate Gerwin is often making things appear out of nowhere.

In the last five years she has built an award-winning bar and distillery, developed and sold a TV show, and is launching her own collection of glassware (just to list a few highlights).

She is constantly producing, developing, and sharing; be it cocktails, content, bar solutions, bartender talent, glassware, merch, interior design, and more. She’s an inspiration to so many and we were thrilled to host her for this unfiltered conversation.

You’ll learn:

• HOW TO: Take your dream from concept to completion
• TUNING IN: How to pause and listen when great ideas emerge
• PAY IT FORWARD: Why keeping the door open matters
• ENGAGE: Come with questions! Leave with practical inspiration!

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About Your Teacher:

Kate Gerwin is a widely celebrated bartender and hospitality consultant. It’s nearly impossible to fit all her accomplishments from over 20 years in the industry into one bio—If you don’t know her from competing as a finalist on Drinkmasters or her various educator roles, then you likely know her from her growing awards collection, which includes “Top 100 Most Influential Figures in the World,” “Drinks Industry’s Innovator of the Year” and “Bartender of the Year.”

Her Albuquerque, NM bar has won awards for “Best U.S. Bar Team” and “Best New American Cocktail Bar.” She continues to elevate and expand the industry, through mentorship, creativity, and ingenuity.

Follow her at @alchemistkate.

How does London’s award-winning Lyaness bar approach cocktail development, menu planning and guest experience? 

Ryan “Mr Lyan” Chetiyawardana and Lyaness Head Bartender Louis Macpherson join us to lift the curtain on their approach to the What, How, and Why of storytelling, and using it to gift teams and guests a richer experience.

You’ll learn:

• Drink Development: How does the concept of a tornado become a Sazerac riff?
• Explain (just enough): Creating good drop lines & sharing not oversharing
• Team Work: Empowering and building your team!

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About Your Teachers:

Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan)
Ryan has been called the “World’s Most Awarded Bartender.” He’s behind some of the best loved bars in London, Amsterdam, & Washington D.C. In addition to 3x World’s Best Bar titles, he has published several books and a MasterClass, and taught bar topics in 20+ countries.

Louis Macpherson
Louis is the Head Bartender at Lyaness, leading the team there through creativity and service. He has nearly a decade of industry experience in both Australia and London. 

In June, Camper English joined Campari Academy to teach an online class all about ice.

Camper literally wrote the book on cocktail ice, so we were so excited to have him on to share some of his vast knowledge on the subject. If you missed the live class or want to re-watch for more ideas, we’ve posted the recording here.

Topics included:

• Hacks to make the most out of your existing space and equipment
• Decision-making tips for ice production: outsourcing vs. in-house
• How to maximize the visual impact of ice (and tips for volume)
• Patterns, logos, diamond cuts, colored and flavored ice
• Ice design, frozen flowers, and other garnish tips

Interested in ice? You should own a copy of Camper’s Ice Book.

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ABOUT YOUR TEACHER

Camper English is an SF-based author and educator on cocktails and spirits. He has contributed to publications including Popular Science, Saveur, Whisky Advocate, Drinks International, and more.

He is the author of Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails (2022) and The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts (2023).

Camper is the founder of CocktailSafe.org, and you can find more of his work at Alcademics.com.

Michael Moberly (Beverage Innovation Manager, Monin Gourmet Flavorings) joins us to lead a class on how to make frozen drinks and why they’re becoming a must-have for the modern bar.

We’ll cover the science, technique, and economics of freezing:

• How Brix and ABV affect freezing and texture
• Hardware options and recommendations for frozen drinks
• Beyond Slushies: Popsicles, Boozy Soft Serve, and more!
• Economics: Pour Costs, Speed of Service, and profitability
• Bar Patron Data: Stats on what your guests want to drink!

Have you dreamed of creatively ambitious, one-touch cocktails with amazing pour costs at your bar? Then you need to watch this!

Here’s the class training deck (PDF)—save it for reference.

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About Our Teacher:

Michael Moberly is a beverage educator and event logistics specialist in Reno, Nevada, with 17 years of industry experience. His expertise and creativity are now leveraged in his role as the Beverage Innovation Manager for Monin Gourmet Flavorings. He is also the owner of Temple Builders LLC, a beverage and events consultancy company, and an award-winning newspaper columnist.

Campari Academy was joined by Jason and Rich in April to talk creativity beyond the cocktail. We explored not only the impact of the physical objects and environment you create, but the role of intentionality plays no matter what kind of bar you operate. Oh, and of course, how all of this meets your bar’s bottom line!

Want more? Check out these conversation starters to jump-start creativity and get moving on crafting unforgettable experiences.

Drinks Theater Class Topics:

How do you design a bar experience?

What is the role of expectation in a guest’s perception of value, and how can you guide this?

Is it worth it to spend more on nice napkins?

Jason and Rich share real world examples of when costing up makes business sense.

What drink goes in which glass?

Where conceptual and practical meet! Understand the “fajita effect” and whether the best glassware should get the weirdest drink or the crowd pleaser.

Plus DIY Tips!

What if you’re not the owner or beverage director? Get tips to build your vision and creativity and see it through to the finish line.

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About our guest speakers:

Jason Asher and Rich Furnari are industry vets and founding partners of an Arizona-based Hospitality Group behind several loved and celebrated bars.

Their decades of experience have garnered national coverage, not to mention a TOTC Spirited Award for “Best U.S. Cocktail Bar” and a spot on the “North America’s 50 Best Bars” list.

The duo’s experience—as bartenders, owners, managers, and consultants—has given them much insight into both the how and why of crafting unforgettable guest experiences.

Watch our 1-hour class to learn how a draft cocktail system works and what you need to get started.

Campari Academy was joined by Lev Katsouba of NYC’s Draft Choice to lead a deep dive into what bartenders need to know about draft cocktails.

In this Digital Session, we go over the components of a draft cocktail system, and how these will ultimately affect your drink options! This class will teach you what you need to bring this fantastic technique to your beverage program. Your ticket times and bottom line will thank you!

Draft Cocktail Class Topics:

What is a draft cocktail system?

We introduce the basics of kegged cocktails.

What are the parts of draft cocktail system?

A deeper dive into the individual parts of a draft cocktail system, from gas to keg to faucet, and beyond.

What are the best options for setting up a draft cocktail system?

We explore your options for each component of the cocktail system, getting into the technical differences between keg types, understanding the role of carbonation and nitro-infusers, the importance of choosing the right faucet, plus exploring the beer stone and in-keg mixing options.

What cocktails can be put on draft?

There are 3 main types of draft cocktails: still, carbonated, nitro-infused. We look at case studies and what equipment you need for each.

Plus bountiful weirdness!

Why you can technically put soy sauce or pure spirits on draft (but shouldn’t) and why trusting staff to shake the kegs usually backfires!

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Bartenders (and Carbonation experts) Valentino Girotto and Bart Miedeksza teach you the right ways to carbonate cocktails.

Special guests Bart Miedeksza & Valentino Girotto of Crossroads Cocktail Bar in London and authors of the forthcoming book Bubbles joined us in February 2024 to teach an hour-long technical masterclass all about cocktail carbonation.

How nerdy do we get? Very!

In this “How To Carbonate Cocktails” Class, we cover:

• CO2 Solubility factors – what carbonates well and what doesn’t
• Carbonation ratios and formulas – a breakdown on acidity, ABV, sugar content and more
• Carbonation’s impact on flavor – and how it varies by specific aromatic compound groups
• Common carbonation problems and troubleshooting tips
• Gear suggestions for bringing the technique to life

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In this video, we explain:

How to make clarified milk punch

Josh and Kelani explain their techniques for making clear milk punch, including their favorite ways to strain and filter.

Tips for breaking your clarified milk punch

Does temperature matter for making milk punch? How can you use coffee grounds to make a clarified milk punch? What is adjust-adjusting citrus and why does it matter?

The science behind clarified milk punch

What exactly is happening in a clarified milk punch? Do you still need to provide allergy warnings?