The Philippines’ first and only online magazine about drinks, DrinkManila.com, celebrated its first anniversary on the 29th of August at the new site of Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery as one would expect, with free-flowing booze and great fun. Guests from the beverage industry and beyond came in droves to party with the go-to online drink destination. The big shindig served as a “thank you” to those who have supported the site and its team, and also as a celebration of what DrinkManila.com has accomplished so far.

The past year saw DrinkManila.com cover many aspects of drinking: where to drink, how to drink, what to drink, why we drink, and who makes our drinks, among other things. DrinkManila.com also offers over a hundred (and counting) easy-to-follow recipes and videos featuring a variety of ingredients. The website continues its pursuit to feature news, products, and events in the beverage category, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and stories about the unique local drinking culture.

It was a mutual love of drinks and drinking that brought the founders of DrinkManila.com together. Editor-in-chief and publishing industry veteran Tatum Ancheta and Marketing Director, restaurateur, and mixology expert Icy Mariñas got together conceptualized an online magazine focusing on drinks in the Philippines. And thus, DrinkManila.com was born.

DrinkManila’s Tatum Ancheta and Icy Mariñas
DrinkManila team–Photographer Star Sabroso, editor-in-chief Tatum Ancheta, mixology expert Icy Mariñas, and writer Chrysmas Gawaran

The DrinkManila.com crew and sponsors offered an impressive array of libations for partygoers to enjoy. People had their pick of poisons. What they drank and how they drank was totally up to them. Guests were encouraged to drink responsibly, though, meaning not to spill their drinks!

DrinkManila Pop-up Bar. If you want to book our pop-up bar for your events or parties, you may contact us at [email protected] for inquiries.

The debut of the DrinkManila pop-up bar featured cocktails found on the site: Bananarama (Don Papa Rum, banana syrup, pineapple juice, lemon juice, banana candy), Steal My Sunshine (Paradise Mango Rum, Manille Calamansi, Da Vinci Tropical Passionfruit Syrup, calamansi shrub, dehydrated calamansi), Rumma Dumdam (Very Old Captain Rum, lime juice, calamansi juice, ginger beer), Kamias Daiquiri (Bacardi Superior, kamias juice, lime juice, simple syrup), Player Rickey (The Andy Player Whisky, lime juice, Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water, lime), and Scarlet Letter (The Botanist Gin, Old Orchard Cranberry Reduction, Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water). Also available by the shot were Port Charlotte Single Malt Whisky, Jameson Irish Whisky, The Andy Player Whisky, HotShot Brandy, as well as bottles of the chillnuman beverage Andy Cola.

Steal My Sunshine (Paradise Mango Rum, Manille Calamansi, Da Vinci Tropical Passionfruit Syrup, calamansi shrub, dehydrated calamansi)
Scarlet Letter (The Botanist Gin, Old Orchard Cranberry Reduction, Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water)
Kamias Daiquiri (Bacardi Superior, kamias juice, lime juice, simple syrup)
Rumma Dumdam (Very Old Captain Rum, lime juice, calamansi juice, ginger beer)
Player Rickey (The Andy Player Whisky, lime juice, Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water, lime)
Bananarama (Don Papa Rum, banana syrup, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and banana candy
Andy Cola Whisky Cola
Port Charlotte Single Malt Whisky
Jameson Irish Whisky
Emperador HotShot Brandy

Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador Rian Asiddao had a two-hour guest shift behind the DrinkManila bar where he served cocktails specifically made for the celebration: Are You Thirsty Smash (Bulleit Bourbon, lemon, hazelnut syrup, sesame oil, mint), B.B.O.F (Johnnie Walker Blender’s Batch, spicy maple syrup, grapefruit bitters, grapefruit zest, orange zest), Not A Rose Garden (Tanqueray London Dry Gin, elderflower syrup, lime soda, grapefruit and cucumber slices, salt, grapefruit bitters).

Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador Rian Asiddao during his bar shift

The hip Destileria Limtuaco bar offered three distinct cocktails featuring products from their Philippine Craft Spirits line: Halimuyak (Manille Dalandan, Empire Vodka, dalandan purée, lemon juice and sampaguita syrup), Manille Basil Smash (Manille Calamansi, Empire London Dry Gin, lemon Juice, simple syrup), and Punyeta (Very Old Captain Rum, black tea reduction, lemon juice, spice syrup, pineapple juice).

Destileria Limtuaco bar
Halimuyak (Manille Dalandan, Empire Vodka, dalandan puree, lemon juice and sampaguita syrup)
Punyeta (Very Old Captain Rum, black tea reduction, lemon juice, spice syrup, pineapple juice)
Manille Basil Smash (Manille Calamansi, Empire London Dry Gin, lemon Juice, simple syrup)

Monkey Shoulder’s super cool cart had Monkey Shoulder 2017 Ultimate Bartending Champion Lester Ligon behind the bar mixing up takes on classics: Old Fashioned Monkey (Monkey Shoulder Whisky, simple syrup, angostura bitters), and Tiki Monkey (Monkey Shoulder Whisky, mango juice, lime juice, Aperol).

Monkey Shoulder 2017 Ultimate Bartending Champion Lester Ligon with Monkey Shoulder team
Tiki Monkey (Monkey Shoulder Whisky, mango juice, lime juice, Aperol)
Old Fashioned Monkey (Monkey Shoulder Whisky, simple syrup, angostura bitters)
Cool Monkey Shoulder cart with built in DJ spinner

Heineken, the beer sponsor for the evening, set up a beer bar to cater to those craving beer amidst the deluge of cocktails.

Overflowing beers at Heineken bar

That’s a total of 20 alcoholic beverages jam-packed into one event! And since drinking is a marathon, not a sprint, guests were supplied with Summit Mineral Water, Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water, and Old Orchard Cranberry Juice for them to rehydrate and pace themselves.

Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water

Apart from the overflowing cocktails, DrinkManila raffled off numerous bottles, cases, and prizes, and also provided performances from several artists. Acoustic artist Robin started of the entertainment as guests were easing into the evening of revelry. “Mental Assassin” Justin Piñon made a special appearance and showed off his mindreading skills to the astounded and buzzed audience. Lucas Floyd and The Crashers laid down their funky beats and DJ Samantha Nicole got the crowd dancing and grooving the rest of the night. The kickass ladies from Manila-based art platform for women in sound and interdisciplinary media, HERESY, provided cool visual projections throughout the event.

Now he can throw a party at home!
If you can carry it, you can take it home! Angel Jones took on the challenge
Big Pictures Ria Reyes won rock glass from Bevtools.com
Brandon Limpe-Aw took home Johnnie Walker’s New Blenders Batch Whisky
How am I going to bring this home?Enzo Lim of NYC’s Maharlika and Jeepney
Yey for my Singleton!- CJ Santillan
Yep, have a Hot Shot party, its all yours
Lucas Floyd and The Crashers
Lucas Floyd
Justin Piñon trying to guess what bottle is in her hands
Justin Piñon the Mental Assassin
Justin Piñon and his volunteers
DJ Samanatha Nicole

It was an epic night of indulgence that people won’t soon forget (depending on how much they drank). There was literally something for everybody; everyone got what their hearts (or liver) desired. Amidst the din of merrymaking and inebriated haze, one thing is certain: no one goes thirsty at a DrinkManila.com party.

Steve Burus, Charmaine Palermo, Cri Molina, and Steve Mills
Frances Espinosa and Marketing Manager for AB Heineken Philippines Chris Aguilar
Denise Heredia and Bryan Revilla
Joan Bitagcol, Luis Espiritu, Vinyl on Vinyl’s Pia Reyes, Kay Arias, Gaby dela Merced, and NJ Torres-Jacobson
Sara Black and Bojan Srdanovic
Seph Asong and Anjo Lazaro
Peninsula Manila’s Director of Public Relations Mariano Garchitorena and Raffles and Fairmont Makati’s Marketing Communications Manager Margaux Hontiveros
Star Sabroso, Julious San Esteban, Tatum Ancheta, Kay Arias, Icy Mariñas, Celina Fernandez, Chrysmas Gawaran, Miguel Bernal, Blessy Alvarez, and Tom Hines
Nikko Arceo, Gio Empresse, Claudine San Antonio, and Jeff Gajita
Destileria Limtuaco’s Clifford Limpe-Aw, Solaire’s Lawrence Gabriel, Bacardi’s Niño Cruz, and Ross Bautista
Seph Asong, Toni Martinez, and Jeff Gajita
Scene Stealer Marketing Communications Diana Mae Tan, Katherine Almendras, and Vannah Santiago
Rosario Juan, Ailene Co, Diamond Hotel’s Abigail Caracas, Anya Hospitality’s Joey Silvestre, and City of Dreams’ Romina Gervacio
Ralph Santos, Kenneth Bandivas, Arlou Valdez
Raffy Celestial, Chichi Tullao, and Jo Mendoza
Trista Piñon, The Mentalist Justin Piñon, DrinkManila’s Tatum Ancheta, Benefit Cosmetics Philippines NBA Celina Fernandez, Angeles Craft Beer and Spirits festival organizer Ted Lerner, and Aurora Lerner
Luis Santos, Clarence Chua, Pia Reyes, and Veronica
Jay and Ericka Resterio
Tatum Ancheta, Ginebra’s Jaser Marasigan, SMC’s Jackie Hidalgo, SMPFC’s Jessa Bitanga, and SMC’s Francene Callueng
DrinkManila’s Star Sabroso, Gretchen Perez, CJ Santillan, Kay Arias-Sabroso, Joachim Santillan, and Eric Leonor
We also celebrated our photographer Star Sabroso’s birthday
Don Papa’s Steve Mills happy about his raffle prize from Bevtools
Daisy Sabangan and Cindy Incensario
Da Vinci Gourmet’s Grace David, Kirsty Down, Joseph Apostol, Marcus Manimtim, and Marco Sales
Crimson Hotel’s Charm Vergara, Yelle dela Cruz, and Ronie Policarpio-Reyes
Chris Torrance and Karmina Ungria
Bevtools’ Alvin Velasco, Bea Santos, Jamie Cohen, Raiza Contawi, and Patrick Quartero
The Curator’s David Ong and Naomi Alipio
Steve Mills, Amy Berezowski, and Noel Naguiat
Yendi Yu and Michelle Lao
Don Papa’s Cri Molina, Pernod Ricard’s Mark Arreza and Frances Favila
Hooch’s Sam Webster
Europ Continents Philippines’ Jean Capistrano, Dyna Ubas, and Jack Boue
Enzo Lim, Kath Eckstein, and Niño Mendoza
Acoustic artist Robin
The Curator’s Yassie Lorenzo, Uma Uma’s Shinichi Itoh, Solaire Resort’s Lawrence Gabriel, Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador Rian Asiddao, World Class Philippines 2017 champion 12/10’s Royce Pua, Hooch’s Cedric Cello, Premier Wines & Spirits, Inc.’s Dennis Lagrosa and Grace Alejandro, and Bacaradi’s Niño Cruz

This event was made possible with the support of our sponsors and partners: Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Heineken, Destileria Limtuaco & Co. Inc., Diageo Reserve and World Class Philippines, Monkey Shoulder, Andy Cola, Andy Player, HotShot Brandy, Gerolsteiner Sparkling Water, Summit Mineral Water, Don Papa Rum, Bacardi, Bevtools.com, Premier Wine & Spirits Inc., Port Charlotte, The Botanist, Old Orchard, DaVinci Gourmet, Jameson Irish Whiskey, and Alamat Filipino Pub & Deli.


DrinkManila.com is published under Stargate Media Corporation, publisher of PeopleAsia Magazine. Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @DrinkManila


Photos by Star Sanroso and Miguel Bernal 

Drinkmanila.com is your learned drinking buddy who can tell you what to drink, what you’re drinking and where to drink. Learn about the coolest and the latest bars in the metro, or the newest beverage or new product out in the market, or have fun creating enjoyable drinks from our features and videos within the comfort of your homes.

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