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It’s time to get ready for a sensory journey as Wisconsin’s top bartenders go head to head in a botanically-driven cocktail competition unlike any other.
The Botanical Battle Royal will take place on Sunday, May 5 from noon to 5 p.m. at The Ivy House, 906 S. Barclay.
During the indoor/outdoor event, participating bartenders will exercise their creativity, skill and ingenuity to craft original cocktails that showcase the botanical profiles of both Bittercube Bitters and Heirloom Liqueurs.
The event will feature bartenders from across the state, including representatives from:
- Amara - Madison
- Agency - Milwaukee
- Bavette La Boucherie - Milwaukee
- Birch - Milwaukee
- Cellar District - Fond du Lac
- Lost Whale - Milwaukee
- Lowlands Group - Wisconsin
- Lucille - Madison
- Merchant - Madison
- Pfister Hotel - Milwaukee
- Screaming Tuna - Milwaukee
- Voyager - Milwaukee
Attendees will have the opportunity to sample every cocktail on the bespoke spring menu and cast votes for their favorite cocktails. Meanwhile, guest hosts and a panel of esteemed judges from across the country will also weigh in on the creative quaffs, proclaiming the winner.
Live entertainment will be scheduled throughout the afternoon and guests are invited to purchase delicious bites from local food trucks including Lola’s Empanadas, Flour Girl & Flame and Tots on the Street.
Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased online. Every ticket includes 12 cocktail samples as well as an opportunity to vote for a favorite cocktail.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
