Here I am, sorry for the delay. After four days I am finally telling you about my experience at Superbar.
The start let's say was not what I had hoped for. At eleven forty-five we are unloading the van of heavy boxes containing the materials needed by the bartenders who would be participating in the 'Hunger Shaker' competition of which RG was a sponsor. I show up at the entrance and the very nice cashier reprimands me without half-measures saying that 'Ah no no no no no, I can't let you through: you have to get a ticket! Until noon you can't get in!' Note that by that time it was already 11:50. At noon I finally manage to get in. The whole thing is very nice: there are stands of the most varied liquor houses, beer, schnapps, spirits or simply alcoholic beverages and what have you. For my own health I avoid tasting anything from each stand, but I look around in curiosity, profane. Interesting and entertaining is the collection on the Andy Warhol style of the world's most famous bartenders, but what my father and I devote more time to is admiring the exhibition of my friend Diego Ferrari, who has extrapolated from his Facebook-founded group the most beautiful images he has received from all over the world on the visually strangest and most creative cocktails, and why not, adding a few tattoos on the same theme.
At about one o'clock, the seven presentations by bartenders who have establishments in different parts of Italy and who display their work begin: some use only seasonal fruit, some use buffalo milk, others have opened a speak easy and some use products exclusively from their region. Innovative, passionate and slightly soporific. Not a bad idea but disorganization that reigns supreme. These presentations last too long and it often happens that the exhibitors do little to engage the audience, leaving too much space for chatter and videos rather than for the preparation of cocktails, in any case impossible to observe, not only because of the photographers who do not allow a decent view but also because the stage is far away and perhaps it would have been useful if there was a screen broadcasting the realization live so that the 'spectacular' part of this magnificent work could be enjoyed by all, instead of driving away the already few and distracted spectators.
A quarter to five (!) finally begin preparations for the competition, the 'Hunger Shaker.' The theme is that of the famous movie 'Hunger Games,' except that here the boys did not have to hoard weapons to kill each other and survive (fortunately), but the equipment needed to prepare in just five minutes a cocktail to present to the jury and win the competition. The contestants overtake and jostle each other producing a truly hilarious mix. There is confusion around the judges' table as everyone wants to argue how much better their creation is and explain its contents. Another ten minutes are given for the verdict, yet another dead time, then finally the tribute is handed out to each of the bartenders and the final prize to the winner, with a very proud Giorgio Negri in the front row of the stage to award the prize.
From there on it's just a matter of waiting to take away the products left for sale at the store, so more time to slip away! Trying to attend a seminar but, forgive me, really boring! And then to yet another one that actually would have been interesting except that the microphone kept whistling annoyingly and with five minutes to go, the first band that was going to open the evening had started playing, overpowering the voices, not allowing anything more to be heard.
At eight o'clock, after a small inventory, we manage to leave and I feel really relieved.
The overall judgment is that it is a really crazy format, with huge potential, but still cannot compete with foreign ones, with a more entrenched and better organized history. The idea is to be developed and I hope it will be possible in the years to come.
A final note should be made to some key figures for my day: a very busy Alessandro Melis, efficient at the highest level, as always, organizing, moving, resolving, running around, making sure everything is always in order, a magnificent Andrea 'the Smilzo' Boschi who quenched my thirst throughout the day, the very nice Imbruttiti from what is for me the best page on Facebook for their commitment and originality in their project and in the realization of their aperitif and finally a passionate Diego Ferrari, with his group 'Cocktail Art' who deservedly grows every day and who always has a smile, does his job with a love from which everyone should take example and who reciprocates my father's enthusiasm in everything they do together.
A final thank you to the shop girls who survived four destructive days on Via Tortona.
