Meet Your Bartender: Ian Libang

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 Ian Libang. Ian got his start in the real world of bartending after a semester teaching bar, food, and beverage courses under Hospitality Programs in LPU Laguna right after college. Like with many of his contemporaries, he fell in love with the profession because of flair bartending. Ian joined flair competitions in college and got his first bartending job at TGI Fridays. He then moved to a more intense and fast-paced environment, working behind the bar at Valkyrie at The Palace, the biggest club at that time, It was during this period that Ian started going around bars and exploring cocktails, which opened his eyes to a different side of bartending.

He got a chance to work at Bitters Bar in BGC, where everything was new and exciting and he got to hone his skills under the guidance of Lee Watson and became more curious about the craft cocktail scene. When Bitters closed, he worked at the newly opened Kampai and Nokal in nightlife hotspot Poblacion for a couple of nights a week and freelanced for different brands, events, and parties. Once Spirits Library opened, that became his home bar.

A natural performer comfortable in front of a crowd, Ian has joined several competitions in his time in the industry. He represented the country together with fellow Pinoy bartenders Jay Natividad and Jon Bunoan in the Asia Bar Battle 2018 Champion held in Singapore against teams Taiwan and Singapore. He was a finalist at the Glenfiddich Most Experimental Bartender 2018 together with his collaborator from El Union Coffee and LICK El Nido, barista and roaster Sly Samonte. 2019 was a strong year for Ian, as he was named the Brockman’s Gin Brocktail Competition 2019 Philippine Champion and placed 9th in the global ranking, and also won the Campari Bartender Competition – Asia 2019 Philippine Competition with his winning drink, Nitro Ta-Tu, and represented the country at the global finals in Milan, Italy.

Ian decided to go back to his hometown in Batangas when the pandemic hit. Ian has taken this time to reflect on what he wants to in the future and plan out the direction of his career. “Bars, bartending, cocktails, I am passionate about all of that. I want to bartend or manage a bar, or if someone would grab me as a partner (haha) to open up a bar by the beach, I’m game,” Ian says. “I also want to level up my career and knowledge in bartending, and hopefully get to learn more in major cities like New York.”

“Bartending is a thing that I don’t look as just work for me,” Ian explains. “it’s a career that can lead you to different jobs or be an entrepreneur yourself. My viewpoint in bartending will always be the same cause that’s what I love to do and that’s what brings out the best in me.”

Ian launched an apron line, Curious Textures, late last year cater to the demand of bartenders, baristas. and enthusiasts looking for good quality aprons that would fit most body types. He planned to resume production and distribution in March but the pandemic hit and he has to put a hold on these plans, as his supplier’s business is on hold as well. He is taking this time to plan and grow his brand. You can still pre-order Curious Textures aprons here.

This downtime away from the long hectic nights tending bar in the nightlife hotspot of Makati has is tough since he lost his main source of income, but it has allowed him the space to pursue something that has been in his mind for a while. He started OuttaCuriosity, a platform for blogs, news, events, reviews, consultations, and information about cocktails, the bar industry, and the craft of bartending. “This is more than just as a side gig,” Ian shares. “This is one of my aspirations for so long. Putting out creative content, writing, making videos and pictures, and sharing the cocktail gospel. Extending our hands to the people that have interests, to the community, and the industry itself.”

Read more about OuttaCuriosity’s online modular workshop, The General Science of Bartending, here. The third module starts this Saturday, so you can still sign up.

This is the best time for an idea like OuttaCuriosity’s workshop since most people are stuck at home and want to find out more about drinks and how to make them for themselves. But Ian is also playing the long game, using this time to build their brand and reputation, and eventually offering the workshop videos for purchase for those who want to learn. “For OuttaCuriosity, I think this is one of the best times to spread the cocktail gospel and learn, improving ourselves in bartending, being most of us are stuck at home,” he says. “On the other hand, people don’t have a solid source of income to avail of some of our online workshops. Looking at this long term, this is a good time to establish our brand.”

He offers practical advice for those who want to start a business at this time and emphasizes the need to be thorough and prepared. “Be smart in choosing the business you want to start with and decide if you want a short term, mid-term, or long term business,” Ian says. “Research is essential. Plan first before you execute.”

Catch Ian on #TipYourBartenderPH at 5:00 pm on August 14, Friday, on DrinkManila’s Facebook page. He’ll show us how to make his cocktail entry, Campari Affogato, a refreshing 3-ingredient cocktail.

Show your support by following Curious Textures (Facebook and Instagram) and OuttaCuriosity (Facebook), and tipping Ian directly through GCash: 09758236562. Follow Ian on Facebook and Instagram.

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