"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs -- including guides, the latest trends, rapid bar reviews and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!
I'm really proud that OnMilwaukee.com sponsors and takes part in lots of family-friendly events throughout the year.
Thursday night's Bartender Olympics, however, isn't one of them.
In fact, if the second annual event to be held at the Milwaukee Ale House, beginning at 7 p.m., is anything like last year's, I recommend you keep the kids far, far away. I know this, because last year I was on penicillin and couldn't touch a drink. I think I was only person in the bar to say that, and it was among the silliest and rowdiest events I've ever witnessed indoors.
This year, however, I'm on board as a celebrity judge (save your jokes, I realize that the bar isn't set especially high for celebrities in Milwaukee). Joining me are "Survivor's" Erinn Lobdell, MLB Network reporter Trenni Kusnierek and my own colleague, OnMilwaukee.com Senior Editor Drew Olson. Emceeing the event are the funny and talented Kramp and Adler from FM 102.1.
We're each arranging for designated drivers.
Here's the deal: Ten colorful bartenders from all over the city will compete in five, ahem, nontraditional Olympic categories, including "Pabst Can Stack," "Olive Toss," "Cocktail contest," "Mug Slide" and Karaoke.
As you watch the train wreck ensue, you can enjoy tons of drink specials from our sponsors: Absolut, Hornitos, Jameson, Jim Beam, X-Rated and Malibu. Profiles on all the bartenders, as well as a complete drink specials are listed here.
The free event, part of OnMilwaukee.com's Bar Month, may very well be the social event of the season, and I encourage you to come on down and mix and mingle with our staff (which may or may not be a little tipsy by the conclusion).
I pretty much guarantee this event will be a hoot and look forward to seeing you Thursday. I'll be the lightweight shaking his head on stage, wondering what he got himself into.
Cheers, and may the best Olympian win!
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
