As Angostura aromatic bitters continues to follow the journey of some of SA’s top barmen and explore what it takes to make it in the cocktail industry, we chat to industry stalwart – Travis Kuhn.
After an intense week of challenges seasoned professional, Travis Kuhn, shaked-off the competition to be crowned Diageo’s #WorldClass2018 Bartender of the Year in South Africa.
On 24 February we celebrate one of the oldest professions… bartending of
course! Though we think of it as a modern age career, bartending can be
traced back to ancient Rome, Greece and Asia. In fact, there is record of a
bartender all the way back to when Julius Caesar ruled Rome. Along popular travel routes, you’d find drinking houses where you could rest your wary feet with a mug of ale and wine. They eventually spread into towns. In the Middle Ages, innkeepers would brew their own beer and wine which they’d serve to their guests. These became taverns and pubs where locals could share a bit of gossip with their tipple.
Travis Kuhn, a multi-award winning bartender, has just obtained a new accolade to add to his collection by being named South Africa’s Most Influential Cocktail Personality in DrinksFeed’s Top 20 in 2020 list.
With close on two hundred years of experience producing aromatic bitters, The House of Angostura has been at the forefront of the cocktail industry since the creation of the very first long drink. Over the years, the brand itself has become a household name as a supporter of industry talent around the globe and the producer of an Amaro aperitif and some of the best rums in the world. As a mainstream brand in the industry, Angostura has its finger on the pulse… so, let’s talk trends for the coming year.