Cocktails & Creatives
Where Art Meets Alcohol
Alchemy
Fest
Cincinnati’s Cocktail Competition, Art & Music Festival
What is Alchemy Fest?
15 eager and crafty bartenders start by making batch cocktails for you to sample and vote on. There are three prelim rounds of five bartenders. Each of the rounds is sponsored by a distillery. Two bartenders from each round advance to the final six, and are then voted on by three judges! The top 3 bartenders win money!
What is Your Role?
For the first three rounds, you get tickets to vote for your favorite cocktails. Yeah, that’s right… You get to sample drinks and vote on your favorite! This is audience participation at its finest! The two bartenders that win off your votes will go to the finals. Who are you going to vote for and take to the finals?
2023 Winners
Congrats to our Alchemy Fest Winners! Thanks to everyone involved in Alchemy Fest 2023!
1st Place: Tyler Sargent
Wiseguys Covington
Michter’s Round
2nd Place: Logan Adams
Pinball Garage
Log Still Round
3rd Place: Jordan Vidas
Goose & Elder
Michter’s Round
Alchemy Fest 2023
Distilleries
3 Rounds. 1 Distillery & 5 Competitors Per Round.
Round 1: Three Keys Distillery
The first round is made up of five competitors using products from Three Keys Distillery. The round will begin at 3:00pm and end at 3:45pm.
Round 2: Log Still Distillery
The second round is sponsored by Log Still Distillery. There are five competitors in round two that will begin at 4:15pm and end at 5:00pm.
Round 3: Michter's Distillery
The third round uses products sponsored by Michter’s Distillery. There are five competors to vote on. The round will begin at 5:30pm and end at 6:15pm.
Judges
You’ll Vote for the Winners of the First 3 Rounds. The Judges Only Vote for the Final Round.
Returning Judge Molly Wellmann
Former owner of Japp’s, author, master mixologist, and Cincinnati historian Molly Wellmann needs no introduction. She’ll be a third-time judge for Cincinnati Alchemy Fest and we’re thrilled to have her back in the judge’s seat again this year for another awesome competition.
Instagram @mollywellmann
CAF 2022 Winner Jade Colwell
And look who’s joining us this year, none other than our Cincinnati Alchemy Fest 2022 winner, Jade Colwell! Jade is the bar manager at Smoke Justis, a brand new mom, and it will be very cool to have her lending her expertise in a judge’s chair for 2023. Welcome Jade!
Instagram @hrecomesthesun
Boars Room GM Dan Altom
Give a big CAF welcome to Dan Altom! Dan is an accomplished pro in the hospitality industry and has a palette like none other. He is currently the GM at Boars Room in Covington, doing bourbon and wine tastings, and putting the private club on the map in the region.
Instagram @boarsroom
Competitors
15 Total Bartenders. 5 Competitors Per Round.
Lee Caldwell
Second Story
Round 1: Three Keys
Billy Bays
Augusta Distillery
Round 1: Three Keys
Deonna Sora
Sweet Dee Hospitality
Round 1: Three Keys
Joey Fening
Coppin’s
Round 1: Three Keys
Geoffrey Kaicher
Pins Mechanical
Round 1: Three Keys
Henry Burgin
The Standard Covington
Round 2: Log Still
Logan Adams
Pinball Garage
Round 2: Log Still
Jordan Young
Tillie’s Lounge
Round 2: Log Still
Nimer Naber
Frankie’s
Round 2: Log Still
Alex VanWinkle
Three Spirits Tavern
Round 2: Log Still
Tyler Sargent
Wiseguys Covington
Round 3: Michter’s
Jordan Vidas
Goose & Elder
Round 3: Michter’s
Trent Ruby
Otto’s
Round 3: Michter’s
Sara Barnett
Covington Yard
Round 3: Michter’s
Lauren Willis
Pins Mechanical
Round 3: Michter’s
Ready for next year?
Come vote on the competition, and enjoy live music and local art.
