Happy 2018! You may have made it through the holiday hustle and bustle, but don’t put away your party shoes just yet! With January comes the 4th annual Paris Cocktail Week, which means you’ve got another eight days of fun to look forward to. Running from 20 – 27 January 2018, PCW18 showcases over 150 cocktails from 75 Paris bars at 30% discounts during the hours of 18:00 to 22:00. (that’s about 5 Euros for the non-alcoholic and 7 Euros for the regular cocktails). As usual, it’s not just a chance to explore some new spots and score a nicely priced drink, but there are also fifty different events. Read more about the full program and sign up for a free pass on their website.
Over the last decade, Liquid Liquid, the agency behind Paris Cocktail Week has been influential in driving the demand for better cocktails with events like Cocktail Spirits, the industry trade fair now coming up to its 11th year. But, they don’t just set trends – they also keep a close eye on new ones. Case in point: this year’s PCW theme of “Naturalité” which means they’re highlighting bars that are doing something a little better for the environment. It’s a focus on recycling, less waste, going greener, sustainable practices and consuming within the season. And, it’s a big deal in the booze world at the moment. (NB. We’ve recently kicked off a series on eco-bar news so you’ll be reading more about that here, soon, too!)
Just some of the bars involved in PCW18 that are making real commitments in this area are Mabel, Grand Boulevards, Artisan, Carbòn, Gravity and Les Grands Verres. At Mabel, Joseph Akhavan creates seasonal menus with organic products. At the latest ECC address, Grands Boulevards, they’re riding the wave of foregoing plastic straws by replacing them with more eco-friendly options – and not just at their new venture but in their many establishments around the globe. Artisan is replacing paper coasters with sexier – and more environmentally friendly – leather versions. Carbon has created a menu of cocktails on tap, which means less ice and all the energy and waste that entails, and they top them off with bamboo straws and dehydrated, edible garnishes.
Gravity focuses on seasonal products and works in conjunction with their kitchen to reduce waste between the two. Les Grands Verres is taking huge steps with waste reduction, home grown ingredients and less frequent product deliveries to reduce their carbon footprint. We recently talked to Joshua Fontaine, one of the founders, about the very specific ways they are reducing their environmental impact for our January episode of Paris Cocktail Talk, so check it out for more detail.
And that’s just a small selection of the bars going greener that you can visit for Paris Cocktail Week. Stay tuned as we’ll be highlighting more of the PCW18 events and sharing our tips for making the most of the week later in the month.
