Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest One of the major events on the beverage industry calendar is the announcement of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. An event that recognizes the very best of cocktail culture in the continent, Asia’s 50 Best Bars gathers key industry people, bartenders, and bar owners from the corners of Asia in an epic celebration. But in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and safety concerns, this year’s announcement, which was slated on May 14th in Singapore, has been canceled. While the event will no longer push through, there will be a virtual announcement held in its place. After much consultation with the bar industry in Asia, it became very clear that the bars and bartenders wanted this announcement to go ahead. With so many lives have been affected by the pandemic in the food and beverage industry, the digital ceremony might offer some good vibes in these uncertain times. “The virtual ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Bars has been designed to recognize the bars and their teams’ hard work over the past year and is not intended as a ‘celebration’ in such difficult times,” shares Mark Sansom, 50 Best’s Content Editor. “However, we very much hope that it will serve as a focal point for the community to come together and provide inspiration and motivation for the bars as they prepare to reopen and recover,” he says. This year’s digital festivities will follow the usual structure, counting down from Number 50 down to Number 1, The Best Bar in Asia 2020. Peppered in between the countdown are special awards for bars and individuals, and virtual appearances by many of Asia’s most recognizable faces, as well as a few surprises. A few awards were announced prior to the ceremony. Malaysia’s Bar Trigona was given the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2020 for its hyper-local approach that celebrates Malaysian ingredients and small producers in the super-luxe the Four Seasons Hotels Kuala Lumpur. Manhattan in Singapore was voted as the first recipient of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 2020 for its hospitality philosophy that matches its beautifully curated drinks. And Coa‘s Jay Khan, who has a passion for Mexican drinks and the art of bartending, was voted Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2020 by his peers. Check out the digital program for the event. Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020, sponsored by Perrier, will be streamed simultaneously on The World’s 50 Best Bars Facebook page, YouTube channel 50 Best Bars TV, as well as on Zoom. Tune in on Thursday, 14th May, for the revelation of the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020. The stream will start at 6:55 pm and the official ceremony will start very shortly after the hour. Follow 50 Best Bars on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest news, features, and videos.