Tales of the Cocktail® New Orleans 2016

Dive bars, Old Man bars, Neighborhood bars. Whatever you call them, our everyday joints are an endangered species, and many that remain are learning that they must adapt their culture and offerings to an evolving clientele or risk losing younger drinkers who expect a well-made cocktail when choosing where to spend their money. Updating a dive bar, especially one with an established culture and storied past, is a delicate proposition. It requires a healthy respect for the past, and a deft hand at interpreting modern cocktail and spirits culture through the lens of the specific people and place in which the change is to occur. How far down the rabbit hole can a joint descend if it is known for bad beer and cheap shots? How to get an established clientele to try new things, and new cocktail drinkers to participate in an existing bar's culture? Can you open a regular joint that offers amazing spirits and thoughtful cocktails? To discuss this and many other questions, we have assembled a panel of respected bar professionals from around the world who have figured out how to strike the balance between looking to the future and honoring the past.