The ever imaginative crew over at Bodytonic have done it again. This bank holiday weekend The Twisted Pepper will play host to Ireland’s first ever rum festival. Since the launch of it’s rum bar nearly two years ago The Twisted Pepper has more or less adopted rum as their spirit of choice using it as a base throughout their extensive cocktail menu. However, it was only after visiting Rumfest over in London that a lightbulb went off and the boys set out to create a rum festival Ireland could call its own. We sat down with Ian from Bodytonic, to get the lowdown on what to expect at Rumbullion this weekend.
Rum, lots of rum.
You can order your drinks from one of the various pop up bars which will be taking up temporary residency in the Twisted Pepper for the weekend. If it’s classic tiki rum cocktails you’re after you can visit the Sailor Jerry Tiki Bar in the lobby for a Mai Thai or you can take a trip downstairs to the basement where Appleton’s have set up their very own Speakeasy Bar. Famous Jamaican rum distillers Wray & Nephew will also be hosting a Punch Bar in the Box right next door.
Shpeals With Some Very Knowledgeable Rum Folk
Key note speakers over the weekend will include Paul McFadyen and James Murphy. Paul is internationally renowned as a leading rum expert having travelled the world to pass on what he knows and now he’s coming here to share his knowledge with us. Paul is the ambassador of Plantation Rum and the owner of the world famous Trailer of Happiness bar in London as well as the founder of the Notting hill Rum Club. James Murphy, professor of bar management at DIT will also be talking about The History of the Cocktail.
Screening: Hey Bartender
“The story of the bartender in the era of the cocktail”. Hey Bartender celebrates the trade of bar-tending, focusing on two bartenders in particular as they weave their way through the bar-tending world in an attempt to fulfil their ambitions . The film which was selected as one of the official selection at SXSW 2013 features some of the world’s most famous bartenders and inside access to New York’s most exclusive bars. You can catch the Hey Bartender both days at 6.30pm in the basement.
Cocktail Challenges
The entries have been pooled. The judges have spoken. Now twenty finalists will battle it out to see who can make the greatest cocktail of them all. The competition will really put the contestants mixology knowledge to the test as they will be given just 5 ingredients consisting of herbs, spices and liqueurs from which they must make their cocktail. It’s gonna be tense!
A Dose of Derrick
Realistically, it would be rude not to celebrate Ireland’s first ever rum festival at The Twisted Pepper without an infamous techno legend. So to chase down all that rum the Bodytonic boys have flown in Derrick May of the Belleville three to get the place a rumbullin’. We’ve got tickets for Derrick up for grabs for anyone who wants ’em over here.
You can check out the Rumbullion facebook page here for full details and the complete event schedule.
Rumbullion will run from the 4th – 5th August this bank holiday weekend in the Twisted Pepper. Doors open at 4pm both days and admission is free except for Sunday night when entry will cost €14/16 from 10 onwards for Derrick May.
