Belle of the Bartender's Ball
Silver Corner Bar co-owner Jocelyn Bachman, event organizer Karen Hansen and local celebrity bartender Siobhan Curet smile for the camera after the Silver Corner Bar is named the People’s Choice winner, the Judge’s Choice winner and Best Overall at the 8th annual Bartender’s Ball on Saturday. Courtesy photo
Photo by CHANSE WATSON The prize winning “Summer Cooler” cocktail that was all the rage at the Bartender’s Ball.
Courtesy photo The Silver Corner Bar’s booth at the Bartender’s Ball.
Courtesy photo The overflowing People’s Choice jar at the the Silver Corner Bar’s booth.
By CHANSE WATSON
Managing Editor
COEUR d’ALENE — In just their second appearance at the event, the Silver Corner Bar in Wallace dominated the 8th annual Bartender’s Ball last Saturday thanks to its signature summer cocktail.
Held at The Resort Plaza Shops on Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d’Alene, 11 different bars (and six restaurants) were invited to go head-to-head with each other and determine who has the best cocktail (and food) in North Idaho — all while supporting a good cause.
The benefiting group, Help Every Little Paw, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and happiness of all pets. They achieve their goal by helping companion animals with emergency medical attention, spaying and neutering, socialization rehabilitation and food through raising necessary funds.
Silver Corner Bar co-owner Jocelyn Bachman and local celebrity bartender Siobhan Curet represented the Silver Corner — and the rest of Shoshone County — at the Ball this year with the hopes of improving upon their already impressive 2nd Place People’s Choice finish the year before.
The duo came with their guns loaded this time around, bringing with them the ingredients to create a delicious concoction dubbed “the Summer Cooler.”
Made with 2 ounces of Haku Vodka, 2 ounces of house made strawberry shrub, 3 ounces of organic lemonade, shaken and strained over fresh ice and garnished with lemon wedges, the Summer Cooler was an immediate hit with the event’s attendees.
“Summer Cooler was our original shrub drink,” Bachman said. “Last year, we tried to get more creative with it by bringing something that was very different. After seeing their reactions though, this year we brought what sells best at the bar.”
The drink was so popular at the event that the Silver Corner Bar’s voting jar was literally overflowing with votes. This popularity with the masses also transferred over to the judges as well.
By the time the night was over, the Silver Corner Bar had been declared the People’s Choice winner, the Judge’s Choice winner and Best Overall. The only awards they didn’t take were best booth, best whiskey drink (which they didn’t enter) and best food dish (which they also didn’t enter).
Bachman was incredibly excited to win the event and represent the Silver Valley on a regional stage.
“It was awesome!” she said. “I’m very proud of how we did. We had about 20 locals who came out and supported us!”
Karen Hansen with Help Every Little Paw said that while the numbers are still being counted, this year the event raised more than the $18,000 that it did the year prior.