Meet Your Bartender: Ji Agunat

DrinkManila launched #TipYourBartenderPH as a way to help out our local bartending community during these trying times. Every Friday, for #DMHappyHour, we’re showcasing a bartender who will share a tasty cocktail recipe that viewers can do at home, as well as give them a platform to promote their small business. People can show their love by supporting the featured bartender’s business and directly sending them a tip.

This week’s featured bartender is Josiah ‘Ji’ Agunat. Ji discovered his love for bartending when he was in his first year of college and immediately worked to gain more experience in the craft. At the ripe young age of 18, he started bartending at events for bar caterers, became staff of some bartending competitions and bartending seminars, and after graduating, became one of Bacardi’s events bartenders. His first bartending job was at Titto’s Latin BBQ and RM 16 in 2016, where he stayed for two years before moving to Versus Barcade. After over a year, he left Versus and became a freelance bartender for events and brands, and is an on-call bartender for OTO. 

Ji has accomplished and experienced a lot since he started in the industry. He’s joined several prestigious competitions, winning the Bacardi Legacy PH championship 2019 and representing the country in Bangkok, Thailand for the Southeast Asia Finals. He’s also inspired some youngsters by being a speaker at the Bacardi University 2019. And he’s organized two flairtending competitions, the Ji Flair Open, as well!

Ji also isn’t afraid of learning from the best and takes advantage of opportunities to work under some industry greats, like being the barback for Shingo Gokan during his seminar for the competitors of the first Bacardi Legacy in the Philippines (Ji credits this experience for boosting his urge to pursue a career bartending), assisting the world’s best flairtenders Tomek malek and Marek Pozlusny, and barbacking for Arijit Bose in his Bacardi University tour, to name a few.

His plan of looking for a bartending job in Singapore was postponed because of the pandemic, and he felt the strain of not having a source of income since the events industry is greatly affected by the lockdown. Despite having a few breakdowns due to not having a steady source of income, he believes that the industry will ultimately survive this and everyone should support each other to get through. “I know these are crazy times but we bartenders should be emotionally strong,” Ji says. “We need to support, believe and keep the faith in our industry til the day that everything becomes normal again.”

Ji drew strength from inside himself and pushed himself into his side hustles.”I don’t want to lose my passion in bartending because of this pandemic,” he shares. “So as much as possible, I sell bartending-related stuff like the pins, bottled cocktails, etc.” He is the Philippine reseller of Cocktail Critters enamel pins and hats, and branched to making his own 8-bit Cocktail Pins as well. Ji has amassed a collection of cocktail books, and is currently looking to sell his 1887 Jerry Thomas Bartender’s Guide. He also has Ji Brews, where he sells bottled cocktails and milk teas, as well as honey. He is also part of Bespoke Lifestyle, a clothing line for those who like to drink, with fellow bartenders Ichi Itoh, Jayvee Naive, Kenneth Apostol, and Ruwi Buenaventura.

Having a bartending-related business allows him to be a part of the community, but it’s not without some setbacks. “It’s really difficult because my target market are F&B guys,” Ji shares. “And almost all from the F&B industry don’t have work. I also sell honey and milkteas so I can target other markets.” Hopefully he’ll reach a wider market through this program.

Ji’s hustle is admirable, as he has a few businesses going on at once. “I really don’t have a choice,” he says. “My partner and I bought a condo and we have to pay monthly bills,” he adds with a laugh. The pandemic has offered him the opportunity to spend more time with his family. “I’ve been staying at my parent’s house ever since the lockdown started and this is where I started my some of my side hustles I think that’s the best takeaway from me because I got to spend more time with my family.”

Gracious and hardworking, we have no doubt that Ji will be successful in everything he does. He has this to say to his fellow bartenders who want to start their own side gig: Always pray. In these times of crisis we have to make everyday the best day in the best possible way. Don’t mind what other’s will think of you, just do what you think is the best for you and your family. Trust your ideas.

Catch Ji on #TipYourBartenderPH at 5:00 pm on July 17, Friday, on DrinkManila’s Facebook page. He’ll show us how to make one of his bottled cocktails, as well as his cocktail entry, Best Day, Best Way. 

Show your support by following and ordering from Ji Brews on Facebook, Bespoke Lifestyle on Facebook and Instagram, 8-Bit Cocktail Pins on Facebook and Instagram, and by tipping Ji directly through GCash: 09560224156.

Follow Ji on Facebook and Instagram. Follow and Ji Flair Open.

Remy Cointreau is giving a bottle to the highest tipper for this program. Take a screenshot of your tip to Ji, and send the pic via DM to DrinkManila and the highest tipper will get the Cointreau bottle!