52 Martinis: a blog, a concept, a lifestyle…

FOREST COLLINS is a Paris-based Cocktail Expert and the founder of the online guide to Paris cocktail bars and other small batch spirits news 52 Martinis. While she may be Paris cocktail expert, she is also a passionate foodie and, having lived in France for over eighteen years, knows her way around a French cheese board.  

Forest moved to France in 2001 and has been researching and writing about the Paris cocktail scene for over a decade.  During that time she has:

• Been named the Academy Chair for France for the World’s 50 Best Bars.
• Held the board role of Treasurer for the France chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier and is currently President.
• Contributed a sidebar to the 2022 Lonely Planet guidebook Experience Paris.
• Founded and continues to maintain the most widely-consulted English language blog on Paris cocktails bars, 52 Martinis.
• She was recognised as a Paris cocktail expert in the early days when blog was listed in the Easy Jet Holiday Blog’s The Ultimate Travel Bloggers List for 2011.
• Launched her own radio program, Paris Cocktail Talk, on the English language station World Radio Paris, which is also available in podcast format on iTunes, etc.
• Written for drinks and cocktail publications and websites including SeriousEats, Rumporter and Drinks International as well as for several high-profile, well-respected Paris-based websites on cocktail culture.
• Been interviewed or quoted on the subject by publications such as the London Financial Times, UK Sunday Times, Le Figaro and the New York Times. Additionally, a team from the UK Sunday Times came to Paris to film her for a piece on Paris cocktail bars.
• Received recognition in the French press, having been included in the 2013 feature on anglo-bloggers in L’Express.
• Earned a strong enough reputation as an influencer to be invited to the offices of Google in Paris (with 6 other Paris bloggers) to provide input and paid content for Touring Bird, their latest travel related project.
• Previously, served as the local authority and author of the monthly news updates for the Ricard-owned site, World’s Best Bars.
• Written a sidebar on recommended Paris cocktail bars for the book, The New Paris.
• Created a successful cocktails Meetup group of over 1,300 members who regularly attend cocktail events she organizers in the city’s best bars or private locations.
• Judged numerous cocktail competitions and sat on spirits tasting panels in Paris and France including for Hendrick’s gin, G’Vine Gin, Nikka Perfect Serve, Disaronno, Brown Forman, Cocktails Spirits salon
• Travelled all over France and the world exploring cocktail scenes for a better understanding of drinks within a global context.

Every week she tries a new Paris cocktail bar starting with a martini for a standard of comparison. She’ll usually order a second house specialty and has a regular crew of companions who join in the adventures so they can taste a range of cocktails. And for DIY types, she also covers the city’s cocktail classes and spirits shops.

Want to know more? Check out the Press page and join in the fun by following on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook as well. She’s also on Twitter…but is anyone even hanging out there anymore?? And she’s sometimes on Google+ but can’t really figure out how that one works, so it’s a rare occasion you’ll find her there.

Know a bar that makes great drinks in Paris or elsewhere?  Drop a line! She’d love to try it!

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