The third edition of Bristol Cocktail Weekend saw 34 of the city’s most vibrant venues come together for four days of unforgettable mixology, creative flair and cocktail discovery. Produced by Living For The Weekend and supported by Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID), the 2025 festival has been declared a triumphant celebration of Bristol’s thriving bar scene and has now crowned its winner of Cocktail of the Year 2025.
Each participating venue was once again challenged to create a signature cocktail (£6) and signature mocktail (£5) exclusively for wristband holders. Across the weekend, venues hosted a number of cocktail-themed events and food offerings to accompany the exclusive drinks. Every drink was entered into the running for the prestigious Cocktail of the Year 2025 award and this year's winner came from Park Street’s newest dive bar, The Juke Box. Making a powerful first impression, the bar took home the trophy with ‘The Big Iron’ - a bold, inventive cocktail featuring Buffalo Trace Bourbon, a Pabst Blue Ribbon reduction, mixed berries and a homemade cream soda.
Living For The Weekend’s Founder and Director, Alex Nicholson-Evans, said: “The creativity this year was off the charts - every venue brought their A-game with some truly unforgettable cocktails. It wasn’t easy for our judges or festival-goers to pick a Cocktail of the Year. I absolutely loved that Bristol Cocktail Weekend was buzzing from start to finish and it’s really great to see a new venue make its mark and take home the crown.”
Following the win, ‘The Big Iron’ will now be available to the public for £13 from next week until the end of October. The Cocktail of the Year was decided through a mix of public votes and expert judging. An 11-person panel of UK bar owners, drinks professionals and hospitality PR specialists reviewed each cocktail on name, inspiration, taste, presentation and originality. Festival-goers and judges alike were quick to sing its praises, with feedback saying it was ‘an original drink that really represented the bar’.
Ash Greaves, owner of The Juke Box, said: “We’re over the moon to have been crowned BCW 2025 Winners! ‘The Big Iron’ very much embodies what The Juke Box is at its core, a dive bar willing to serve risky and creative takes on dive bar classics like a boilermaker! We’re flattered and thank everyone who came out, tried the drink and voted for us. The new kids on the block are here to stay!”
The Juke Box opened on Park Street less than a year ago and has now joined the Bristol Cocktail Weekend Cocktail of the Year Hall of Champions, which includes Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 2024 winner and Flight Club, 2023 winner.
With the festival once again hailed a success, organisers are already looking ahead to Bristol Cocktail Weekend 2026. The continued success of the event highlights Bristol’s dynamic cocktail culture and reinforces its reputation as one of the UK’s top destinations for food and drink.
Sabrina Shutter, Project Event Manager at Bristol City Centre BID: “Bringing Bristol Cocktail Weekend back for a third year has been another fantastic opportunity to spotlight the incredible venues our city has to offer and drive footfall across the city centre. We are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to food and drink in Bristol and events like this play a vital role in celebrating and supporting the businesses that make our hospitality scene so special.”
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