The Mexican cocktail scene has been exploding to the top the last few years, with bars in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and other cities around the country consistently placing among the worlds best. Just last week, Handshake Speakeasy was crowned World’s Best Bar in the prestigious 50 Best Bars list, after previously being named Best Bar in North America. Now, Barra México – the leading bar and cocktail event in Latin America – marks a decade as a trendsetter in the industry with a debut in Miami’s rapidly evolving cocktail scene.
Barra México Miami, taking place November 24th-26th, 2024, will bring together brands from across Mexico and Latin América as well as renowned bartenders, industry leaders and cocktail enthusiasts for three days of learning, innovation, sustainability and networking.
What is Barra México?
The seed for Barra México was planted in 2014 when Ara Carvallo and Paula Garcia met while working in the spirits industry. Carvallo lived in Holland and worked for a Dutch brand, while Garcia worked for an importer and distributor in Mexico. While networking at BC Berlin, the largest expo of its kind in Europe, they agreed that the industry in Mexico was ready for a networking space where they could promote their brands and connect with the bartending community.
At Barra México, producers, bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts mingle to share the latest in the … [+]
“We considered that this event was the format that we had to replicate in Mexico, to show what Mexico was doing but also to bring people from outside to help professionalize our sector,” says Garcia. “Mexico was already growing within its local categories, obviously tequila had been around for a long time, but at that time mezcal was already picking up, and there were already some sotol and bacanora brands [in the international market.]”
The first few events were focused on the food and beverage sector, but as the years went by, the team saw a need to include the end-consumer and the growing cocktail market. There were many gastronomy events in Mexico City, but none dedicated exclusively to cocktails. There was a niche that needed filling, especially as the industry grew and local bars started garnering international attention.
Although the first edition of Barra México in 2015 only gathered 850 people, it was the first of its kind in the country. “We had never seen an event like this before; it was a way for brands to present their best talent, with their new annual proposals, and we also brought a lot of talent from abroad to give seminars to educate our industry,” says Garcia.
“These were two educational factors that we wanted to demonstrate from day one, alongside showcasing Mexico. And those objectives have never changed. But we’ve added others such as the issues of sustainability and inclusion.”
Why is Barra México coming to Miami
After receiving support from the government of Guanajuato, the event took place in San Miguel de Allende for a couple of years. “It was incredible, but we realized that, in the end, Mexico City is our home and it’s where [most of the bars] are, there is a lot of attention here, there is a lot to do,” says Garcia. “So, we decided to continue with our big event in Mexico City for the first half of the year, and the second half to have a smaller but more mobile event, so that way we can be a little more flexible.” This idea was the kernel that grew into Barra México Miami.
Barra México showcases spirits from well-known, larger brands as well as up-and-coming craft … [+]
“I was very curious about Miami,” she continues. “I think it’s a city that has a lot of potential; they have a lot of gastronomy; they have a lot of nightlife. Obviously, they have an important Latin sector, which for us was very important. We have a big presence with people from Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and so it was the ideal place to reach out with our platform and to unite the entire Latin community in Miami.”
Attendees to Barra México Miami can look forward to a curated selection of more than 50 craft spirits, with a focus on Mexican and Latin American producers. The Expo, which will be held at the Rubell Museum on November 25 and 26, is mostly geared to the industry with over 20 seminars, led by outstanding bartenders and distillers. But there will be opportunities in the city that are more focused on the final consumer, with more than 15 + Barra México events to highlight Miami’s dynamic bar scene.
Among the award-winning presenters and bartenders are Oscar Valle from Limantour and Eli Martinez from Tlecan, both in México City; Peter Sanchez of Arca in Tulum, and Julio Cabrera of Café La Trova, in Miami.
“The event will be from 12 to 5 pm. It is a short event, because we want to encourage responsible consumption, and we also want people to go out to the bars at 5 pm and see what is happening and experience it in those places,” says Garcia.
Mexican spirits, including apertifs, sake, and other lesser known liquors are showcased at Barra … [+]
More than just a cocktail event
Aside from highlighting spirits, cocktails, and bartending innovation, Barra México supports causes to which they seek to attract more attention, including building community.
“From our experience over the years, we have realized that it’s important that we unite as a community,” says Garcia. “The work of bartenders is essential in the field of fine drinking because in the end, the bartender is in constant communication with the client. If they love a brand, they become natural ambassadors and help create new experiences. When a bartender uses local ingredients, for example, or when she or he puts part of their culture in a cocktail, this is another way of enjoying a city. When you sit down and have a cocktail, there are weeks of work behind it. So, it’s important for us to show what they do, how they do it and how professional they are.”
Inclusivity and sustainability are key
Garcia and Carvallo carefully curate Barra México’s seminars, speaking with presenters to collaborate on how they can talk about Mexican spirits, sustainability issues, local products and other core topics, because in the end, it is important that education be at the center of the event.
Seminars at the main Barra México event attract large crowds of interested attendees.
“We are a company 100% led and operated by women and fortunately, since year one, we have worked with companies [owned or operated by] women. Why? Because we feel very comfortable working like this, but we have also been growing together,” says Garcia.
“We still realize that we are in an industry that is led by men. But for us it is very important that we know that [female] talent exists, but we must give women bartenders the platform,” adds Garcia. “The seminars that we sponsor are 50% women and 50% men. We have also created groups and activities, so women feel safe to travel to Barra México, because the issue of security is very important to us, obviously, but we also try to promote their work. There are few platforms that do it, so we identify with them because we have had the same challenges working in this industry.”
Barra México has focused on sustainability at their events for about five years, through initiatives such as using real glassware instead of single-use plastic at the events, completely coordinating logistics for the glassware. On site, their teams use non-electrical washing machines that use biodegradable soap and only two ounces of water instead of half a liter, which is what usually takes to wash a single glass.
At Barra México, it’s all about inclusion, cooperation, sustainability, and support in the bar … [+]
Their clean-up team separates the trash, allocating residues so that it doesn’t go to the landfill, and work with Cerrando el Ciclo (Closing the Cycle) so a large part of the bottles discarded during Barra México events are recycled into household products. This organization also employs people and women who live in vulnerable areas in Mexico. Together a WMF Foundation, an organization that trains people with disabilities to work at large events, provides the staff which Garcia considers the face of Barra México.
“We decided that if we were going to create an event of this size, we wanted it to be as sustainable as possible,” says Garcia. “We also seek to showcase 100% vegan gastronomy with interesting offerings that most people might not be used to finding at this sort of event, but it is important for us to show that they exist,” says Garcia.
“There are many global trends right now that need to be addressed, but above all we want the opportunity for people to try our products, to travel to different regions because Mexico has a lot to offer in gastronomy and culture, and each region is different. So, give an opportunity to Mexican spirits and products, to Mexican bartenders, and to see their work, because they are truly doing an impressive job, and the bars are reflecting that work.”