BCB 2023 creates Agave Hotspot with Barro Negro Athens
© Barro Negro Athens
Tequila and mezcal are currently a major trend in the on-trade, to the point it's hard to imagine a bar menu without them. This year, BCB wants to focus more on the special features of agave and the many possibilities for creating extraordinary drinks with it with a first-of-its kind dedicated area. For this purpose, BCB has partnered with no less than the expert team of Barro Negro Athens to launch the BCB Agave Embassy.
The first BCB Hotspot for 2023 is set! In October, it's full focus on agave spirits and cocktails for three days at the "BCB Agave Embassy"! For this purpose, the bar team from Barro Negro Athens will travel specially from the Greek capital to Berlin and will show with their drink creations and space at BCB, what tequila and mezcal have to offer in terms of taste and stories. The whole activation will be supported by BCB exhibitors who will provide various agave and beverage products. But also, education will be a big focus of this collaboration: alongside the bar space, a separate area will be dedicated to seminars, tastings and masterclasses with programme being developed by Barro Negro Athens in collaboration with BCB and its partner “Club Cantina”.
Barro Negro Athens is the first tequila and mezcal bar in Athens and was born from the pure passion of two friends for Mexico and agave spirits. Since 2019, George Kavaklis and Stelios Papadopoulos have been running their bar together with their enthusiastic team, making the venue rise in the most coveted rankings and awards in the global beverage industry.
© Barro Negro Athens
An Interview with Stelios Papadopoulos
Stelios, you are the first non-Mexican to receive the title of "Tequila Connoisseur". What do you think makes agave spirits a trend right now?
Stelios Papadopoulos: Definitely the craftsmanship that goes into tequila, mezcal and other agave spirits. The way people in Mexico take care of the agave plants and the culture that has grown around this over the centuries it is something unique. It takes 7 to 20 or even 25 years to grow an agave plant, it is a living organism that needs to be taken care of with extreme attention and care to get a great result. People are finally starting to realize that these spirits have an extremely fascinating history, but also their heritage fits the most contemporary and diverse drinking culture. When you drink agave spirits, you are truly drinking the spirit of Mexico in a glass.
What fascinates you about Mexican culture?
Stelios: The idea for our bar comes from lots of travels around Mexico. On top of our own personal and professional experiences, when we teamed up, George and I went to see different distilleries there to discover more products and source a unique offering for our venue, finding rare releases that are hard to find outside the country. We have always been intrigued by the country, the people, and the diversity of agave, and ultimately wanted to make of Barro Negro Athens a platform to change the misconceptions around tequila and mezcal.
Stelios Papadopoulos (left) and his Business Partner George Kavaklis (right)
© Barro Negro Athens
Many associate Mexico with tequila shots, cacti and people with sombreros and mariachis – so very cliché. What many drinkers unfortunately don't know is how diverse, dynamic and modern this wonderful country is. It also has a great cocktail scene and the gastronomy is second to none, with fascinating people who exude incredible energy, expertise and passion. And that's what we're trying to showcase at Barro Negro Athens. Mexico is not what many think it is. It's modern, it's sexy, it's just vivid. The Latin American and Mexican bar scene in general is very much on the rise right now, and there are a lot of great new bars and professionals to be inspired by now.
What exactly can visitors expect from the "BCB Agave Embassy by Barro Negro Athens"?
Stelios: We want to bring the Barro Negro Athens spirit to life at BCB and make sure that visitors can enjoy our cocktails and embrace our mission in an authentic and vibrant setting. Our entire bar is inspired by Mexico – be it the streets, the vibes or the colors. We want to transport this special style and feeling to Berlin as well and make it possible to experience it with all senses.
But we don't just want to focus on delivering great drinks and highlighting the mixability of agave spirits, we also want to share our knowledge. For this purpose, there will be a diverse programme of masterclasses and seminars on agave spirits with a dedicated education area at the Agave Bar, which is currently being developed in collaboration with BCB and “Club Cantina”.
The goal of the BCB Agave Embassy by Barro Negro Athens is to inspire and provide a unique experience. We are very much looking forward to being at BCB and connect with all the visitors that will want to share a moment or a cocktail with us.
How will your bar team be set up on site?
Stelios: We will be at BCB with almost our entire bar team. We are very motivated and will work hard to present Barro Negro Athens and what we stand for in the most authentic way. We have an incredible team of young, knowledgeable and hard-working people who cannot wait to join BCB. We are all really looking forward to this special experience in Berlin.
What is your motivation behind the collaboration with BCB?
Stelios: I believe BCB has always been the ideal place to network, to exchange ideas with colleagues and friends, to learn about new products and to see what the trends will be for the coming year. BCB is simply an institution and a very important event for everyone in the beverage industry.
© Barro Negro Athens
Our mission is to inspire bartenders, the trade and the industry as a whole, and to highlight the power of agave spirits. Being at BCB with Barro Negro Athens will help us do that. I firmly believe that BCB is the best platform to present ourselves and what we stand for to the international bar industry.
Barro Negro Athens
loannou Paparrigopoulou 15,
Athina 105 61, Greece
