This is a review of the Cocktails 101 class offered by the BA. Overall, this class bored me. It was a whole lot of not much. Positives: the classic old time speakeasy location inside Wilson & Wilson; instructor's enthusiasm and knowledge; emphasis on using quality homemade ingredients. Cons (see below; I need more room for this): Class size - the class was overflowing with every seat taken. I counted 22 people. With only one instructor, there was no time for interaction. Basic, basic, basic - we made 3 drinks. Old Fashioned, Margarita, Martini. Except for the selection of interesting quality ingredients, and some technique tips, these 3 cocktails are just about as basic as you can get. I've made far more adventurous cocktails at home. A Brief History of Cocktails (that wasn't brief at all) - The instructor went on and on and on with a Power Point that would have been interesting if it was broken up into sections and shortened considerably. After we made our first cocktail, the instructor spoke for almost an hour. Really poor pacing that ruined the class for me. Tools of the trade - I expected to hear about the tools that everyone should have in their home bar, but this was not covered well at all. If you've never ever made a cocktail at home, I could recommend taking this class. For anyone else, it will feel like you wasted $100. Except that the 3 cocktails you just made were really excellent, so it will probably feel like you drank a $33 Old Fashioned, $33 margarita, and a $33 martini. Don't forget to leave that extra $1 on the bar. read more

My husband and I attended the Cocktails 101 class this Monday and we had an awesome time. The class was about 2.5 hours long and it was very interesting and entertaining. We made three different adult beverages - an old fashioned, a daiquiri, and a martini, and they were all really good. The class was taught by Manny who did an amazing job. He talked a little about the history, shared some interesting facts, and taught us how to use different types of bar tools. Cocktails 101 is a great date activity, I highly recommend it! Don't drive to this event, you'll be making three fairly strong drinks. WARNING - be prepared for a bit of a headache the next day. Mixing liquors is never a good thing. read more

I came here for a molecular mixology class. The class was good, although the content seemed to be dumbed down, and it was very chaotic and disorganized. There were lots of staff on hand, so things got a little better when we got split up into groups, but even then not every group got the same experience, for example, we missed out on a lot of the liquid nitrogen stuff. For the price, I would have expected better prep and organization. To me it seemed like a lot of the staff/bartenders on hand where there to learn too, and it was the first time doing this stuff for them too. On the bright side, the staff were very helpful when we asked questions, and genuinely interested in passing on knowledge. Just very disorganised. read more

I attended Cocktails 101 on a Monday night from 7pm to 10pm. It was a flawless experience, and totally worth $100. I already knew a lot about cocktail mixing and liquor, and I learned a great deal more. There were about 10 people, which seems an optimal number, because everyone could sit at the bar and no one had to overflow to the tiny tables in back. Russell talked nonstop for 3 hours, answering questions along the way. His barback did a great job of rinsing our equipment (and there was a lot of it) between drinks, passing bottles around, and generally being helpful while unobtrusive. Russell is bright, friendly, enthusiastic, and overflowing with knowledge. We made four classic cocktails -- the Mojito, Old-Fashioned, Martini, and Margarita -- and each was just about the best I'd ever had. He told us a lot about the why, and not just the how. I already knew that for a great cocktail you have to use freshly squeezed juice and measure your ingredients properly, but I learned a couple dozen little things that I can't wait to try -- straining some drinks twice, keeping your mint leaves in cold water, making your simple syrup from something more interesting than white sugar. After a full three hours of entertainment, I had a couple of questions for him. He didn't rush me, and gave me a few things to taste. I left with a short list of liquors I never heard of that I am going to seek out immediately. When I initially arrived at the bar, the hostess who came to the front door led us into near-total darkness in the bar, and I was honestly scared that I would trip over something and smack my head. But the Wilson room where we took our class was well-lighted and cozy. It's clearly not a place to get falling-down drunk, but after 4 cocktails with 2-3 oz of liquor in each, I had a serious buzz. read more

Attended the Rum class last night and it was very informative and just plain fun. The instructors have a strong passion for their trade and their enthusiasm infected the whole class. Brief history on rum with a tasting of 5 different styles and regions. Smooth comfortable pace where we sipped, tasted and asked questions. Questions were encouraged and happily answered. The Instructors made everyone feel comfortable and very welcomed.. Reps from Ron Zacapa and Appleton Rum were on hand to add valuable information. A definite plus. Easy access to public transportation. read more

Attended the molecular mixology class. The instructor Manny Andrade promised to email us students copies of the class notes and recipes but he never did, nor did he respond to emails. These folks cannot be trusted. read more

So my wife bought me this nice christmas present of a gift certificate to be used for a beverage academy class. I'm particularly interested in tequila and mezcal, although I love bourbon and whiskey and would probably take any of the classes that they offer if they'd respond to my emails or phone calls. The way it normally works, I guess, is that you go to the bourbon and branch website, click on the beverage academy link, and purchase a ticket to a beverage academy class. Since I have this gift certificate, it says to contact tonyd, which I have attempted to do multiple times over the last couple of months without a response. I've also emailed the info@ email address, but alas nothing. I've also called the number and left a message multiple times. I would love to use this gift certificate but am unable to get any sort of response. read more

Extremely informative even for experienced bartenders and appreciators of fine, handcrafted beverages. Cocktails 101 was hosted in the Detective Agency, with about 17 students all together. We were given all the necessary tools to create B&B quality drinks, i.e., the Old Fashioned, the Martini, and Daiquiri, in their true original forms, balanced to bring out the best in all the ingredients used. Includes an intriguing history lesson in the art of the cocktail. I can't wait to try the other classes. read more

I was given a gift certicate for a class, which sounded like fun. They have never once responded to numerous emails and phone calls trying to sign up (over a couple of months), and now over the other two months I've been asking for a refund. Complete silence on their end. Steer clear of these grifters. read more

Went to the American whiskeys class. It was really informative, and all the whiskeys I drank were great and new to me, but it was a REALLY long class, about 3.5 hours. It's a lot of drinks (two cocktails + 5 whisk(e)ys) to drink in a shorter amount of time, but smaller quantities and a smaller time frame might have been more effective and fun. 3 hour classes were long in grad school, and they're still long now, even if it is about whiskey. Great atmosphere, great people, lots if info and recommendations, but it kinda felt like Passover, where you've got all this food in front of you but you have to spend the next hour telling the story and salivating (and in this case checking your phone). read more

came to the beverage academy with a group of 8 for a team holiday offsite. this was such a great activity for a group. we absolutely enjoyed our time. they let us bring appetizers and food in to enjoy before and after our class. we were even able to hang back afterwards to play white elephant. the staff was incredibly nice and accommodating. we made 3 speciality cocktails and learned a lot of great basic mixology tips. highly recommend for a group outing! read more

The Beverage Academy - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

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In January 2012, The Beverage Academy hosted our group of 10 for a Cocktail 101 class. It was a spectacular experience. From 1pm -3pm, they led us through multiple cocktails, a history of cocktails, and fielded all our questions. I was impressed by the professionalism and knowledge of the two "professors" and couldn't say enough about how comfortable and welcome they made us feel. The room, the Wilson & Wilson Detective Agency, is well appointed and provided a speakeasy vibe to the afternoon. When we arrived, the stations had been prepared for each of the participants. This was a fun afternoon, and people were impressed by the quality of the cocktails we had that afternoon. Good, fresh ingredients and a balanced approach to cocktail making goes a long way! I highly recommend this -- perfect for birthday parties and group outings. HOWEVER -- keep in mind that while this is a fun group event and a great way to learn about making cocktails, it is not a venue to tie one on. If that's your goal, go somewhere else. read more

I'd like to give it 4.5 stars. A ladyfriend and I took in Todd and Kevin's (whose names I kept mixing up all night, sorry guys) beverage academy class at B & B last night. A great time was had by all. Hosted in the library room in the back, basically you sit down at a long table with up to 16 other people, and have a station with all the tools and machinery you need to make good cocktails set out in front of you. Todd gives a discussion (and PowerPoint!) about methods for making several types of cocktails, with three in particular being made by you, with with your choice of mid-to-top shelf booze available for your use. Now I have made a fair amount of cocktails, but learning about some of the specialty mixers (anejo syrup anyone?) that some of the City's finer mixologists use in their concoctions was great. $95 tuition makes having $12 dinner at Pakwan across the street a must, but when is Pakwan not a must? read more

My wife and I attended the 101 class and it was simply an amazing experience. At first I was thinking a $100 per person was crazy. But it is well worth every penny. The class was full, held in the Wilson room and staffed by the instructor and an assistant. You either sit at the bar or one of the two person tables. Everyone is provided with equipment and everything required to make four classic drinks. I'm not a huge fan of cocktails but let me tell you, I loved each and every drink we made. We learned about proper equipment, the components of a good drink, technique (such as how to stir the right way or getting just the right twist), and what types of alcohol you should use. If you ever want to enjoy a good cocktail at home, throw a cocktail party, or just know how to order a damn good drink at a bar - take this class. Plus you enjoy four great drinks and get a one time discount at their shop Cask. read more