The spin-off from Bar Covent Berlin organised by Reed Exhibitions, was small by international standards, attracting 3,100 visitors across its two sites over two days (June 12-13).
In all, 155 exhibitors showcased their wares, pouring 250,000 samples. One exhibitor, James Chase of Chase Distillery, said: “We loved our time at the show, having participated at Bar Convent Berlin for many years, we were intrigued with what Brooklyn’s outreach into New York’s bar community could give us.
“We had a great response from our range of single estate spirits and I think the show was true value for money. The ethos behind the show has always been to make sure large spirit corporations and small distillers sit comfortably side by side, and I can say space was laid out seamlessly. We will be back next year!
Tim Etherington-Judge of Healthy Hospo, who was a speaker at the event, hailed the show as a success. “From a speakers point of view, it was extremely well organised. All the talks ran on time, the support was spot on and I thought Angus Winchester pulled together an interesting set of speakers that covered a wider range of topics than is usual at most bar shows. Beyond the first year blips, such as running out of coffee on day one, I found the show well organised and a friendly size, being a lot smaller than its Berlin counterpart."
But Etherington-Judge also called for improvements. “As with almost all bar shows, I find there's a lack of variety. Almost all the stands involved tastings or celebrity bartenders making cocktails. There needs to be greater variety; more stands offering things that don't involve standing at a bar drinking tasters out of disposable plastic cups.”
Italicus’s Giuseppe Gallo was another to offer positive feedback, but said the show needs to permeate deeper into the New York and US bar communities. “We did notice that a lot of the US bartenders didn't attend. This may be due to them not knowing what to expect but we do think that BCB perhaps needs a stronger marketing strategy in the US to encourage participation. We're sure that this will diversify as the festival increases its awareness around the globe."
Reed Exhibitions has revealed the Brooklyn show will increase its event size and presence, with more exhibitors, panellists and experiential lounges due to the positive response from its US debut last week.
