Welcome to the WSBG
The WSBG exists as an organization of professionals and enthusiasts with an enduring mission to elevate the standard of bartending as a craft. The key to this goal is simple: we are a state- wide collaborative community dedicated to a heightened expectation of quality cocktails, spirits, wine and beer, the promotion and recognition of an excellence in service and an ongoing education of our membership.
Our Objectives
The WSBG is organized and operated exclusively for non-profit purposes. Its objectives are as follows:
- To form a state-wide collaborative community of bartenders and supporters.
- To advance the highest level of service standards within the bar industry.
- To create an educational platform within Washington State through community programs, seminars, festivals and media outreach.
- To contribute towards a greater knowledge of cocktail preparation, spirits, wine and beer.
- To secure a congenial relationship with the WSLCB and liquor companies to broaden our state's spirit portfolio.
- To promote recognition of Washington bartenders, spirits and distilleries nationally and internationally.
Current Officers
- President, Andrew Friedman, Liberty
- Vice President, Keith Waldbauer, Barrio
- Secretary, Will Ritthaler, Sun Liquor
- Secretary, Andrew Bohrer Chantanee
- Treasurer, Kevin Langmack, Sun Liquor, Spur
To contact an officer, please use our Contact page.
Did you miss our last event?
The WSBG was happy to announce that in early August, Bill Samuels Jr., head of Maker's Mark was in town to host a luncheon get-together at Zig Zag on Tuesday, August 11th.
Well, came by he did just to Seattle to speak with the WSBG, and for this event, Zig Zag made classic and original cocktails made with Maker's Mark, and if you've never heard him speak, then you missed hearing about Maker's Mark and the history of Bourbon from Mr. Samuel's himself.
There were about 90 people who made it to Zig Zag in the afternoon for this special event, so if you missed this one, please watch your e'mail for notices of events coming soon. This event was for WSBG members only, so for this past event and future WSBG-only events, if you are not already a WSBG member, please click on the "Join" button there at the top of the page and please fill it out.
Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at upcoming events in the coming months.
On Sunday, January 25th, the WSBG hosted a forum and discussion about Absinthe.
As you may be aware, Absinthe is now legal! Well, it was never really illegal, but it's officially legal now, and we celebrated this fact by hosting three of America's foremost experts on Absinthe, Gwydion Stone, the maker of Absinthe Marteau, and Paul Clark, contributing editor of Imbibe Magazine who reprized a great forum on Absinthe that they led at Tales of the Cocktail last year. Also in attendance was Ted A. Breaux, often referred to as the father of modern absinthe, who was representing his absinthe, Lucid . We also tasted a few cocktails that feature Absinthe from some of these companies and learned about their products:
If you missed our first event, the WSBG Inaugural Membership party, not to worry - then not to worry...our next event, a Vermouth tasting will happen on February, 22nd, and after that a city-wide Gin event.
We hope to see you at any of these events. Please feel free to say hello to us via the contact link above if you have any questions, or, if you would like to join the WSBG, there's a link to the sign-up sheet above also. We'd love to have you aboard.
See you there?