Industry pro or budding home bartender, you can increase your imbibery IQ when Thirst Boston returns. Five years ago, co-founder Maureen Hautaniemi launched the three-day cocktail festival that’s helped pin Boston on the national beverage map. “The trend [at the time was] a city having its own cocktail conference to elevate and highlight the bartenders and the beverage community. Everyone had one.” Except Boston, that is. Luckily, Hautaniemi and team stepped in to showcase the shaking and stirring within the city limits. Half a decade later, Thirst has continued to evolve with the cocktail community, offering industry support and education to thirsty Bostonians.
From Friday, April 28th through Sunday, April 30th, the BCAE will be abuzz (pun intended) with Thirst’s line-up of seminars. Each year, Hautaniemi and co. put together a wish list of topics they’d like to see explored (hers this go-round were sherry and tiki) and open up the floor for class submissions. Seminars run the gamut from scientifically minded bar techniques to booze-infused pastry making (and beyond).
With the seminars – and the pop-up bars, the spirits tastings, the epic parties, etc. – Thirst bridges the gap between professional bartenders and home enthusiasts with education as the festival backbone. Says Hautaniemi, “Thirst tries to straddle the line so we offer something for the community who’s just getting into cocktails or people who are longtime enthusiasts by providing a lot of very serious but playful educational content. We make sure to also support the professional community as well by having classes that tailor to their needs in terms of career development.” Industry folk can even lend a hand behind-the-scenes to gain event planning experience.
The influence of Thirst ripples beyond just the Boston beverage scene. This year, the State Lines event brings a team of bartenders from each New England state (and honorary member NY) to execute a bar concept that represents their home. The boozy, slushy Blender Bender gets a twist to benefit the Boston Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Youth, becoming the Gender Bender Blender Bender (yes, there will be cross-dressing). And looking ahead to 2018, Hautaniemi hopes to raise funds for hospitality employees with outstanding medical expenses. As she says, “It’s great to have a really fun party but it’s even better if the party can also be doing something good.”
Day, weekend and seminar passes can be had online here to keep you hydrated and educated, thanks to Thirst.
