The Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail, or BCCAC, is a volunteer-led organization focused on preserving the cultural heritage of saloons and their cocktails in San Francisco. While the city’s board of supervisors tries to tax, limit and otherwise harrass the city’s entertainment providers, it is nice to see a group promoting the importance of San Francisco’s watering holes, with San Francisco Cocktail Week, running from Tuesday September 21st-Saturday September 26th.

In 2009, the BCCAC broke ground on the Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts, which is described as a combination community center/conference room/event space/booze lab with a fully functional bar.  If you are like me and interested in hosting an event there, it is located at 1161 Mission Street. To find out more about the organization, you can visit the San Francisco Cocktail Week website. From their website:

We, the bars and bartenders of San Francisco Cocktail Week, invite you, the thirsty, to enjoy the best of history with the promise of the future; shaken or stirred, up or over, and always in a chilled cocktail glass. Join in the third annual celebration during a week filled with cocktail parties, farmers’ market cocktail demonstrations, one-of-a-kind spirit, bar, and cocktail related classes, and historically inspired, booze laden, literary explorations.

In it’s 3rd year, San Francisco’s Cocktail Week promises to be an event to remember, although the memory afterwards may be affected. Here are a few highlighted events:

Tuesday, September 21: Inauguration of the Boothby Center

Celebrating the debut of the “Cocktail Bill” Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts: San Francisco’s new community center, “beverage lab,” conference room and event space. “Cocktail Bill” Boothby was a turn-of-the-century San Franciscan barman, author, philanthropist and civic leader who connected the fabric of the City with his wits, his grit and his cocktails. The Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail dedicates their home base as an homage to this historic San Franciscan and all those alive today who honor his work. Veteran bartender John Burton will be on hand to celebrate the night and the 51st anniversary of his bartending career in Northern California. Additional highlights of the evening include tours of the just-finished space and cocktails by co-founders of the Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail (BCCAC), H. Joseph Ehrmann (Elixir), Jeff Hollinger (Comstock Saloon), Duggan McDonnell (Cantina).

$25 per person (Ticket includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.)  

Address: 1161 Mission Street, Suite 120, San Francisco

Thursday, September 23: Ragtag Rabble Gaming Soiree

Co-Presented by Cocktail Lab

Games of chance such as craps, blackjack, roulette and poker played out by dealers dressed in ye olde Barbary Coast-era attire! Join us in the Burritt Room as it’s littered with bars and ragtag tables along with Cocktail Lab’s signature innovations of classic, turn-of-the-century cocktails. Highlights of the night include a burlesque show, live music, guest bartender appearances, cocktail-themed raffle prizes, and delicious bites by chefs Matt Spinner of Thirsty Bear and Larry Piaskowy of Cowgirl Creamery. Festive attire encouraged.

$60 per person (Ticket includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres)

Address: Burritt Room, Crescent Hotel, 417 Stockton St. (at Sutter) San Francisco

Sunday, September 26: Cocktail Cookout on the Island

Guided Tours: 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The East Bay’s best bartenders are teaming up with Fatted Calf for a meaty, boozy outdoor festival, pairing barbecue with ice-cold cocktails and a cocktail competition under the sun at the renowned Hangar One distillery in Alameda. Ticket includes a round-trip ferryboat ride featuring Hangar One cocktails (designed and served by Master Mixologist Scott Beattie of HMS Cocktails) from San Francisco’s Ferry Building and shuttle transportation to BART to and from the Hangar One Distillery.

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