Kentucky Bartenders Guild hosting fundraiser tonight at Silver Dollar

The Silver Dollar, at 1761 Frankfort Ave., is hosting a fundraiser for the Kentucky Bartenders Guild tonight.

What’s that matter to you? If you like making great cocktails, it could mean a lot of fun and beverage education is in your future.

The KBG is putting on the event, which means lots of local bartenders (nope, not ever going to read “mixologist” in my copy) will be on hand for the networking.

But according to Larry Rice, co-owner of The Silver Dollar, and a member of the KBG, their 7-month-old group allows amateurs to become members in the interest of boosting the community’s collective booze brain power.

“Usually it is just professionals, but the rules are different from state to state, and in Kentucky, we wanted to welcome anyone who’s interested to be part of our chapter,” said Rice. “There’s a movement among consumers who are interested in spirits and cocktails to participate in the kinds of classes we do.”

That means classes on cocktail making, of course, as well as deeper study on all potent potables. Under normal circumstances, if a restaurateur or bar owner wants to educate his staff on, say, great mezcal, he has to bring in an expert as his own cost. But if the KBG chapter wants to do the same thing, member dues help pay for it and members get the lesson.

“Overall it brings in more education for bartenders, and that means better cocktails for everybody,” Rice said. “It’s just like anything else: If you know what you’re tools are, you’re going to do a better job of using them.”

Rice said the national body, the United States Bartenders Guild, has been in larger cities like New York for decades. Chicago also had a small chapter for a while, but in the past decade, the Windy City group exploded in step with the national cocktail craze.

“They went from a handful of well-trained bartenders to hundreds of members really fast,” said Rice, who spent several years in Chicago bartending for a host of restaurants. The Kentucky chapter, which, so far, includes just members from Louisville, includes about 35 members.

So back to tonight’s event: The Silver Dollar’s crew will be pouring $3 shots of Willet Pot Still Reserve and $3 Bluegrass Brewing Co. Altbier. Both beverages were donated, allowing the KBG to keep some of the profits, as well as donate a share to APRON, an emergency relief program for restaurant employees. (In addition, restaurant workers, the weekly industry appreciation Family Meal will still be served from 10 p.m. till midnight as usual.)

Interested in joining the KBG? Visit its website for more info.

Want to mingle with its members before deciding? Then join ‘em at The Silver Dollar tonight.