Two Geelong powerhouses named in The Bartender Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential List
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17.08.2022

Two Geelong powerhouses named in The Bartender Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential List

The who’s who of the Australian bar industry has been revealed.

Two Geelong locals have been named in this year’s Australian Bartender top 100 Most Influential List.

The 18th Amendment Bar’s Gorge Camorra and Anther Spirits’ Dervilla McGowan have been named in the who’s who of the Australian bar industry, as voted by readers of Australian Bartender magazine.

Keep up with the latest local food and booze news here.

Dervilla McGowan is the owner/distiller at Anther Spirits (home at Anther Distillery in North Geelong), who also holds a PhD in microbiology and has a love of the rich distilling history in Geelong’s Corio Distillery.

Dervilla and her husband Sebastian Reaburn began Anther Spirits in 2016, fuelled curiosity and a love of handmade craft spirits, and championed by their desire to experiment and collaborate. With a cumulative 45+ years in the Australian and world-wide hospitality industry between them, and having been awarded Australia’s Best Gin in 2018 and Champion Micro Batch Spirit 2019, the Geelong distillery became a labour of love for the duo.

Located at the Powerhouse site at Federals Mills in North Geelong, the Melbourne-based small-batch gin company swung open their cellar door for retail and distillery tastings and tours back in 2020, and they’ve been a hit ever since. Now earning themselves recognition on a global scale, Dervilla and her team continue to go from strength to strength and experiment with local and truly amazing flavours and ingredients.

 

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Australian hospitality veteran Gorge Camorra is the brains behind The famed 18th Amendment Bar and Manhattan Bar. Coined the local cocktail king, Camorra holds multiple Australian and International mixology awards under his belt.

With nearly 20 years of experience in Geelong’s hospitality, nightclub and entertainment scene, Camorra is most well-known in town for the pre-drinking destination that was Cloud9 Bar on Pakington Street, creating Geelong’s first-ever line of liqueurs Camorra Liqueurs. He then went on to open the 1920s Prohibition-style cocktail bar The 18th Amendment – a speakeasy that celebrates cocktail culture while educating the consumer, presenting the classics with a contemporary twist. From unusual ingredients, including Camorra’s own range of liqueurs, to the hundreds of spirits behind the bar and the house-concocted barrel aged cocktails, 18th Amendment has been a unique addition to the Geelong bar scene since opening five years ago, going on to expand into other regional areas like Ballarat and Queenscliff.

In more recent years, Gorge opened sister venue Manhattan Bar located just metres from 18th Amendment, has plans to open a third venue Non Disclosure, and continues to innovate and be recognized for their outstanding contribution to the Australian bar industry.

These two powerhouse locals join a strong list of those shaping the Australian bar industry right now, from brand managers to journalists, bartenders, and bar operators.

Every two years since 2009, Australian Bartender magazine, the country’s leading bar industry title, announces the Most Influential List, the Top 100 names from the bar industry; the people who have led the charge to make this industry the innovative and entertaining game it is. Past recipients of the top spot have included the late Vernon Chalker, Justin Hemmes, Anton Forte & Jason Scott and Michael Madrusan.

Listed in alphabetical order by first name, these are the Top 100 people who you believe are shaping the Australian bar industry right now.

Alex Gondzioulis Liquid & Larder | Bar Manager
Alice Newport Pernod-Ricard | Brand
Alissa Gabriel Hinchcliff House | Bartender
Andres Walters Old Mate’s Place | Operator
Andrew Ratcliff Clocktower Bar | Manager
Andrew Tsai Brown Forman| Brand
Anneliese Grazioli Hanky Panky Lounge | Operator
Anton Forte Swillhouse | Operator
Brendan Scott Grey Beam Suntory/CCA | Brand
Cam Northway Sweet & Chilli | Brand
Cameron Parish Gimlet | Manager
Cara Devine Behind the Bar/ Bomba/ Australian Bartender | Media & Manager
Charlie Ainsbury Proof & Company | Brand
Charlie Lehmann Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern/Double Deuce Lounge | Operator
Chau Tran Burrow Bar | Operator
Daniel Gregory The Gresham | Bar Manager
Daniele Pirotta Blox Ice & Campari Academy | Brand
David Robinson Hot Tamale/Snapper Rocks | Operator
Dervilla McGowan Anther Spirits | Distiller
Dimitri Rtshiladze Foxtrot Unicorn | Operator
Elise Godwin Strange Company/LOLLA | Bartender
Emma Bernardi Bar Planet | Bar Manager
Emma Crisp Mechanics Institute/ Si Paradiso| Bar Manager
Evan Stroeve RE | Bar Manager
Garth Foster Moet Hennessy | Brand
Gorge Camorra 18th Amendment Bar/Manhattan | Operator
Grace Rawlins Memphis Slims House of Blues | Bartender
Greg Sanderson Speakeasy Group | Operator
Harriet Leigh Archie Rose | Manager
Harrison Kenney Bar Planet | Manager
Hayden Lambert Above Board | Operator
Hayley Dixon Proximo Spirits | Brand
Hayley Morison Beam Suntory | Brand
Jacob Goss Rum Diary | Operator
James Bradey Liquid & Larder | Operator
James Connolly The ARK Group | Manager
James Irvine Four Pillars | Manager & Brand
Jamie Fleming Alba Bar & Deli | Operator
Jane Ryan Difford’s Guide | Media
Jared Merlino The Lobo, Bartolo, Big Poppa’s | Operator
Jason Crawley Crawley’s Bartender Syrups | Brand
Jason Jackie Chan Hats & Tatts Melbourne | Operator
Jason Williams House Made Hospitality | Operator
Jay Cozma The Baxter Inn | Manager
Jenna Phillips Odd Culture Group | Manager
Jeremy Blackmore Tio’s/Cantina OK! | Operator
Jess Arnott Foxtrot Unicorn | Manager
Joey Tai Clooney by XO, | Manager/ Operator
Jono Carr About Time, Booze & Banter, Australian Bartender | Operator & Media
Joseph Chisolm Bacardi Martini | Brand
Kate Bartlett Cobbler, Brisbane | Manager
Kate McGraw Diageo| Brand
Kayla Grigoriou Grey Goose| Brand
Kayla Reid Nick & Nora’s | Bartender
Krystal Hart Diageo | Brand
Kurtis Bosley CBK Consulting & Moet Hennessy BA | Operator & Brand
Liv Kelly Bar Rochford | Bar Manager
Lucille Rose-Hopkins Sailor Jerry & Monkey Shoulder
Luke Whearty Byrdi | Operator
Marcus Motteram Hains & Co. | Operator
Martin Hudak Mr Black & Maybe Group| Brand & Operator
Martin Lange Death & Taxes, Cobbler, Dr Gimlette | Operator
Matt Stirling Caretaker’s Cottage | Operator
Matt Whiley RE | Operator
Matty Hirsch Freelance Journalist | Media
Michael Bascetta Worksmith | Brand/ Events
Michael Chiem PS40 | Bartender/Operator
Michael Keogh Gonzo Group | Operator
Michael Madrusan Made In The Shade | Operator
Mikey Enright Barrelhouse Group | Operator
Millie Tang The Gresham | Bartender
Myffy Rigby Swill Mag | Media
Natalie Ng Door Knock | Bartender/Operator
Nick Miles Jameson Brand Ambassador | Brand
Nick Tesar Bar Liberty/Marionette | Bar/Brand/Media
Olivia Rockwell Continental Deli Bar Bistro | Manager
Ollie Stuart Merivale | Manager
Orlando Marzo Drinks by Loro | Brand
Pasan Wijesena Earl’s Juke Joint/Jacoby’s Tiki Bar | Operator
Pat Nourse Melbourne Food & Wine Festival | Brand
Penny Sippe Australian Cocktail Month | Brand
Peter Hollands Frog’s Hollow Saloon | Owner/ Operator
Pippa Canavan Mix Haus/ Mechanics Institute | Manager
Rebecca Goodman Evolve Spirits Bar | Manager
Rob Libecans Caretaker’s Cottage | Bartender/Operator
Ross Blainey William Grant & Sons | Brand
Sam Bygrave Boothby Drinks | Media
Sam Egerton Merivale | Manager
Sean Baxter Never Never Distilling Co. | Brand
Sebastian Soto Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern/Double Deuce Lounge | Operator
Shay Chamberlain Never Never Distilling Co | Brand
Shirley Yeung Mixhaus/ Foxtrot Unicorn | Bar Manager
Simon McGoram Atom Brands | Brand
Simon Rose-Hopkins Jolene’s, Sydney | Operator
Stefano Catino Maybe Group, Sydney | Operator
Sven Almenning Speakeasy Group | Operator
Tash Conte Black Pearl | Operator
Tim Pope PAR. | Operator
Tom Bulmer Sugarcane Sunday/ The Rum Club/ Keel | Operator
Trish Brew Fever-Tree | Brand

The Top 20 will be announced on Monday, September 5 during Sydney Bar Week. You can read the announcement here