By all indications, 2022 is the year of one particular ingredient which, among a wide variety of new and reimagined booze, will be on full display at the expo.
Once known as “Craft Spirits Fest,” the event’s first iteration happened in 2013. Had COVID not reared its ugly head and forced a 2020 cancellation, this would have been the event’s tenth anniversary. As it has grown, the expo has kept an intimate vibe, capping attendance at 500.
“If you miss out, you miss out,” says Moreno. “We’ve always wanted the experience to be a great one and at that number, we’re perfect. We’ve never had an interest in packing the house beyond what is comfortable.”
Spirits are the main attraction, but happy imbibers will also find hors d’oeuvres, live jazz music, and the undeniable kitschiness of the Cruz Building space, complete with three levels of New Orleans-esque flair, two 40-foot sculpted bars, and a 20-foot mezzanine bar.
Craft: Spirits ‘n Cocktails. 7:30 p.m., Friday, October 7 at the Cruz Building – Miami, 3157 Commodore Plz., Miami; craftspiritsfest.com. Tickets cost $65 to $100