San Francisco’s Inaugural AAPI Cocktail Week: May 8–11, 2023

From May 8–11, 2023, our own Kevin Diedrich, owner of PCH (Pacific Cocktail Haven) and Kona’s Street Market — named American Bartender of the Year and PCH the Best American Cocktail Bar at Tales of the Cocktail in 2020 — quietly and quickly launched the inaugural SF AAPI Cocktail Week, an event that will be bigger next year with more spirits sponsors and early planning.

The inaugural event and standout cocktails from AAPI-run bars reviewed in my Medium column on May 23, 2023:

Article Here: https://medium.com/@virginiamiller_29308/san-franciscos-inaugural-aapi-cocktail-week-may-8-11-2023-407a8dc12da2

Derrick Li of Dragon Horse’s Smoke Umami cocktail smoked inside a horse’s… you know. The drink is salty, vanilla butter-washed Kavalan Taiwanese Whisky, maitake mushroom, banana oleo saccharum, Chinese five spice, Bittercube trinity bitters.
Drink Masters’ star & our local longtime beloved bartender Christian “Suzu” Suzuki of Wildhawk (right), with San Jose bar pioneer, Cache Bouren of Haberdasher and Cash Only (left).
One of the very best drinks at Kona’s Street Market was The Progress’ bar manager Will Cao’s Scotch & Crackers: coconut-infused Monkey Shoulder blended Scoth, oloroso sherry, makrut lime, winter melon sugar. It was dry, nutty yet refreshing, tropical and crushable
Kona’s Street Market closing night Tenderheart cocktails & little gems salad bites. Danny Louie’s killer cocktail is canned and available at Tenderheart at the Line Hotel SF: Whisky + Szechuan combines Highland Park Scotch, green szechuan peppercorn, Thai basil, coconut, citrus and a fascinating, smart, subtle-but-present hit of dill and peach
Janice Bailon of the special For the Record bar’s jackfruit, calamansi, guava tea and coconut milk Botanist Gin delight, Rock, Baby, Rock
Kona’s Street Market closing night: Christian “Suzu” Suzuki’s gorgeously delicate Yume’Datta cocktail of Del Maguey Vida Pubela, Bitter Bianco vermouth, goya bitter melon, fresh aloe, lavender and clarified milk