Those who attended had an amazing time, and those who didn’t are already looking forward to next year, hoping the success of the Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week 2024 leads to an inevitable encore. The numbers speak for themselves: the event, conceived by Paola Mencarelli, was a huge hit. Coqtail – For Fine Drinkers was also there to launch its second issue, Fashionable.
The Numbers from Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week 2024
The ACCW24 took over the scene from September 23rd to 29th, with an exclusive opening party on the 22nd. A little over a week packed with action—67 events, 7 masterclasses, 23 pop-up bars from across Campania, and 32 guest shifts from Italian and international bartenders. The spotlight was firmly on the numerous cocktail bars and hotel bars involved: just at the opening party, there were 48. Alongside them was a food area featuring 12 local producers and 10 pizza makers. Talk about being spoiled for choice.
The Stats Behind the Success
Let’s dive into more numbers. The Amalfi Coast itself contributed 25 of its top venues to ACCW24—14 hotel bars and 11 cocktail bars. On top of that, 52 of the most prestigious bars from Campania got involved, with some joining the opening party and others showcasing their talents in the following days at various events across Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Ravello, Amalfi, Furore, Praiano, and Positano. There were also 18 bars participating in Dining With The Spirits, Pizza With The Spirits, and Pastry With The Spirits initiatives.
It was also a triumph of new recipes. The opening party alone saw the creation of 54 signature cocktails, and in the days that followed, another 25 debuted, along with more than 50 unique drinks.
Who Won the Maestro Challenge
During ACCW24, the Maestro Challenge—a bartender competition created by the legendary Salvatore Calabrese, aka “The Maestro”—took place. Out of 300 applicants, only 19 were chosen to compete in five different challenges.
After mixing their way through the rounds, the final podium was revealed: Alice Musso from Drink Kong in Rome took the top spot, followed by Andrea Dipino from Hotel Miramalfi in Amalfi and Michael Collovigh from Gucci Giardino in Florence.
Special awards were also handed out to Gabriele Calce (The Aperitivo Challenge Award, stirred technique), Andrea Dipino (The Tutte le Ore Challenge Award, build technique), Giovanni Maffeo (The Esotica Challenge Award, swizzle technique), Emmanuele Marano (The Entertainment Challenge Award), Alice Michela Musso (Winner of Day One), and Michael Collovigh, who took home two trophies: The Circus Award (mystery box) and The Best Signature Cocktail.
Coqtail at the First Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week 2024
A content-packed event like this wouldn’t have been complete without the launch of the second issue of Coqtail – for fine drinkers, which focuses on creativity with its Fashionable theme. The terrace of the Azur Lounge at Hotel Miramalfi, with its stunning sea views, set the perfect backdrop for celebrating the magazine’s success. Guests were treated to cocktails specially crafted for the occasion by head mixologist Andrea Dipino, along with the co-founders of Cinquanta Spirito Italiano, Alfonso Califano and Natale Palmieri.
The Future of the Event
Paola Mencarelli, the mastermind behind the Italian Cocktail Weeks format, says, “With Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week, we’re wrapping up the Cocktail Weeks for 2024. The event will continue, but in a different way. In 2025, we’ve got exclusive events lined up in familiar locations, along with new synergies in different places that will be added to the Italian Cocktail Weeks by Paola Mencarelli project. The goal is to promote quality Italian mixology in other destinations, with new concepts and formats, from the sea to the mountains.”
Images courtesy Amalfi Coast Cocktail Week
