Heads up, cocktail lovers, Penang Cocktail Week returns for its third edition next week (Sept 1-7) and it’s got another lineup of guests shifts and events to get excited about.
This time around, the theme is ‘A Cocktail of Cultures’, and with spotlights on the cocktail cultures of different countries, from a North American-centric opening party to daily ‘country focused’ guest shifts featuring bars from Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand, and of course, Malaysia.
Besides the array of international guest shifts by some of Asia’s best bars, the highlight of the week-long event will also be the first ever Bar Show in Malaysia, happening on Sept 6 (Sat) at Ascott Gurney hotel.
Here is a roundup of events to look forward to throughout the week.
The festival kicks off at 5pm on Sept 1 (Mon) with a welcome party at Mojo Jojo, featuring guest bar shifts by some of North America’s top bars, such as Montreal’s Bar Bello, Toronto’s Cry Baby Gallery, Vancouver’s Laowai, and Thunderbolt from Los Angeles.
Then from 8pm onwards, make sure you check out one of the four ‘Islands In the Sun’ guest shifts – featuring Bali’s Potatohead, Okinawa’s El Lequio, Singapore’s Elephant Room, and Taipei’s The Public House.
Day Two’s highlight is the ‘Vietnam All-Stars’ puts the spotlight on Vietnam, with guest shifts by three bars from Hanoi (The Hudson Rooms, Gallery Bespoke, and Workshop14), and two from Saigon – Hybrid, and The Enigma Mansion.
If you’re in between sips, however, do consider checking out the guest shift by Jakarta’s Between The Sips at Chez Chez, also happening on the same night.
Every edition of PCW so far has featured a ‘Malaysian Invasion’ of shifts by local bartenders from outside of Penang, and this year is no exception.
This time around, it’s a Best Of Borneo extravaganza, featuring bartenders that hail from Sabah and Sarawak, which includes some of Malaysia’s most influential bartenders and industry legends.
If you’re looking to try drinks from different countries, check out the ‘Road Less Shaken’ shifts, featuring 2024 Best Bar In India ZLB23, Chiangmai’s The Continental Bar, Da Nang’s Fibona, and CMYK from Changsha, China.
Two well-known Singaporean bars will also be holding shifts on Wednesday – Live Twice and Native.
It wouldn’t be a Penang festival without some element of food, and Day Three features the first of several food and drink pairing events for PCW – Izakaya Under The Stars, which happens from 7pm onwards at Nood Nood at Hin Bus Depot, and features drinks by the newly opened Dear Hearts bar from Petaling Jaya.
The headline event for Day Four is a legendary line-up of international bartenders – Hidetsugu Ueno, Nick Wu, and Colin Chia, co-founders of Bangkok’s #FindTheLockerRoom – who will be bringing you The #FindTheLockerRoom Experience at Backdoor Bodega.
Malaysia’s very own bartending legend, Shawn Chong of Bar Mizukami, will also be holding a guest shift of his own at Round Bar, where he will be showcasing the cocktails that made him the regional champion for the recent Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge,which led to him representing Asia at the global finals in Trinidad & Tobago.
Elsewhere, get ready for a special cross-country collaboration with India's biggest cocktail festival, as PCW welcomes India Cocktail Week's roster of bars to George Town, with PCO (Delhi) at Biso, Hideaway (Goa) at No Bar Here, and Bar Spirit Forward Bengaluru) at The Nest
If you haven’t gotten your Char Koay Teow fix by now, don’t fret – the ‘Tequila Thursday: Codigo Coffee Shop Sessions’ at Small Places has you covered. The food and drink event will feature coffee cocktails and tiramisu by Jay of Small Places, along with freshly fried plates of Código 1530 tequila-infused Penang Char Koay Teow from 2pm-6pm!
Another food and tequila event to check out would be the Herradura House Party at Communal Table By Gen, happening from 6pm onwards and featuring bartender Raz Ng and DJ Rudy.
If rum is more your thing, then go for Rum & Yum, which returns for the second year running. This time, the Klang Valley's coolest noodle joint, Fifty Tales, will be collaborating with George Town's new kids on the block, Rembar for a pairing of yummy noodles and rummy cocktails that will whet your tummy.
There will be one other guest shift happening on Day Four as well – Ruki Robatayaki from Wollongong, Australia, will be taking over at Khaosan Tapas Bar on both Thursday and Friday, and if you’re up for a late night party, do check out the PCW Service Swap at NEP, a kitchen and bar takeover like no other, where Penang's best chefs and bartenders swap roles for one night only.
The main event for Day Five is quite a unique one – Studio Lates by Mr Lyan Studio, a London creative consultancy that offers services like strategic consulting, creative concept development, and bespoke bar experiences. It was founded by Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr Lyan, a well-known figure in the bar and drinks world.
Studio Lates is a series of events focused on highlighting people, topics, and products that the studio admires, and the Penang event will feature Jere Vihervaara and Anna Sulan Masing taking over the bar at Lucky Hole, serving up cocktails inspired by the topics featured in their ‘Art Of Storytelling’ masterclass.
Later that night, there will be three guest shifts to visit – Phnom Penh’s Kravat Bar at Nomad, Singapore bartender Aki Nakata at Baobae, and Manila’s The Curator at The Suckling Pig.
Last but not least, you can end the night with two party events – Jao Tim To Go featuring Mambo Jumbo Live at The Cellar, Macalister Mansion, and Midnight Mayhem at Sora, featuring Singapore’s Bae’s and KL’s Up & Away.
Start your PCW weekend with Sips On the Beach at Ferringhi Bay, featuring KL’s Humboldt unique Latin American flavoured tipples. Alternatively, you can check out the PCW Party Bus by Jameson.
If guest shifts are more your thing, then you’re in luck – Taiwan and Thailand bars are taking over Georgetown in a big way.
The PCW Taiwan Takeover features SIX Taiwanese bars doing shifts – four from Taichung (Musou at Baobae, Voyage at Khaosan Tapas Bar, Dimension at The Mandarin, and Ao at The Nest), Taipei’s Ron Xinyi at Round, and Tainan’s Chikan Pharmacy at Nomad.
If you’re looking for more Thai vibes, the Bangkok Block2Block Party will see recently crowned ‘Best Bar In Thailand’ Dry Wave Cocktail Studio as well as Vesper behind the stick at Good Friends Club, BKK Social Club at Chez Chez, Tax Bar at The Suckling Pig, Dicky & Ryan at No Bar Here, and Thaipioka at Backdoor Bodega.
If you want something closer to home, Rhu Bar from Langkawi will be taking over the bar at The Cellar.
The final day of PCW is notable for the inaugural Bar Show Malaysia, happening from 11am to 6pm at Ascot Gurney Penang.
The event will feature over 30 spirit and liqueur brands from across the world, an array of signature cocktails from the best bars in Penang, guest bartending shifts from award-winning bartenders, masterclasses and seminars with industry leaders.
From 6pm, there will also be a pool party to wrap it all up, featuring star bartenders Apoorva Kohli (Wild, Bengaluru), Demitria Paramita (Hats, Jakarta), and Ellen Xu (Chimney, Hangzhou).
There will be a final round of guests shifts as well, by Wuhan's STG, Taipei's Book Ing, and Macau's Wing Lei Bar, before PCW comes to an end with closing parties at Biso and Magazine 63, featuring Jakarta's Cosmo Pony and Goa's Boiler Maker.
