MixBurgh Craft Cocktail & Spirits Conference

MixBurgh Craft Cocktail & Spirits Conference

Overview

Three days of seminars, tastings, and panels for working bartenders, bar owners, and distillers. Cultural District, Pittsburgh.

MixBurgh Conference 2026

The world's biggest and best thought leaders in craft cocktails and spirits are coming to Pittsburgh.

This event is built for working bartenders, bar owners, distillers, producers, and the writers who cover them. Education first, peers in the room, with talent from around the world. Guest shifts from bars like: Sunken Harbor, Floreria Atlantico, Mother, Porco Lounge, Portland Hunt and Alpine Club, and more!

Meet the best in the craft

Learn from the best. Seminars and panels with leading bartenders, distillers, and writers from around the world. Technique, menu, service, and the business of a bar program that lasts.

Taste widely. A dedicated tasting room with visiting distillers and blind flights. Spirits you can't get poured at home, side by side, with the people who make them.

Build your bench. Bring three or four from your bar and develop the whole team at once. Share ideas with peers from across the country. Go home sharper.

Guest Speakers and Bartenders

  • David Kaplan, Co-Founder of Death & Co and CEO of Gin & Luck (Seattle)
  • Tato Giovannoni, Owner of Florería Atlántico (Buenos Aires)
  • Lance Winters, Master Distiller of St. George Spirits (Alameda, California)
  • Camper English, writer and educator at Alcademics (San Francisco)
  • Robert Simonson, cocktail writer at The New York Times (Milwaukee)
  • Mary Kate Murray, In the Mix (Milwaukee)
  • Phil Ward, Death & Co, Mayahuel, Long Island Bar, (Brooklyn, NY)
  • Garret Richard, Sunken Harbor, (Brooklyn, NY)

Full list available on our website, MixBurgh.org.

The program

Four parallel tracks of content are available so your team can split up, cover more ground, and compare notes. Feel free to bounce around, you're not locked in.

  • Spirits & Distillery. Production from grain and agave to glass. Blind tastings, visiting distillers, and the technical sessions that change how you build a drink.
  • Behind the Bar. The work itself. Technique, menu development, service, and the leadership that holds a program together through a busy Saturday.
  • The Business of the Bar. What keeps the lights on. Hospitality, technology, margins, and the systems that turn a good bar into a program that pays its people well.
  • The Future of Cocktails. Where craft cocktails go next, and what it takes to build a bar scene in a new city.

The Founding Class

MixBurgh is a 501(c)(3) co-op. We're in year one, and expect to grow. This first class will have the most access at the lowest price possible.

Your Conference Pass includes:

  • All three days of programming
  • Every track: seminars, panels, and tastings
  • Access to the distiller tasting room
  • First access to future MixBurgh tickets and events

Details

  • Dates. November 8-10, 2026 (Sunday through Tuesday)
  • Venue. Pittsburgh's Cultural District
  • Ages. Attendees must be 21 or older for any session with alcohol service. Responsible service in compliance with Pennsylvania law.

A MixBurgh Foundation event, Pittsburgh's craft cocktail co-op, with support from Visit Pittsburgh.

Claim your pass below.

Lineup

Headliner

David Kaplan

CEO, Death & Co

Headliner

Tato Giovannoni

World's Best Bartender 2020, Florería Atlántico

Lance Winters

St. George Spirits, Master Distiller

Camper English

Alcademics, "The Ice Book"

Robert Simonson

NY Times, "A Proper Drink"

Mary Kate Murray

The Mix, Co-creator

Good to know

Highlights

  • 2 days
  • ages 21+
  • In person

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 5 days before event

Location

Heinz Hall

600 Penn Ave

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

How do you want to get there?

Map
Frequently asked questions
Organized by
Report this event

More events from MixBurgh

Discover more events from MixBurgh, from Food & Drink to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Pittsburgh and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.