Take a peek at our team building and client entertainment cocktail class offering and all the reasons why this event is perfect for your business! Includes FAQ and a wide range of information.
2. What is Elixir To Go?
Created, operated and often taught by internationally
acclaimed, award-winning barman, H. Joseph Ehrmann,
owner of San Francisco’s historic saloon, Elixir.
Elixir To Go is an event production company that focuses on
creating Exceptional Cocktail Events for corporate and
private clients. We produce events around the Bay Area,
California and across the country for a wide variety of
clients.
Instructors are working bartenders from Top Bars in the San
Francisco Bay Area, including Elixir, Novella, La Mar, Cantina
and more.
More than 10 years experience teaching cocktails and
spirits to consumers and professionals around the world.
3. Why Cocktail or Spirit Classes?
Our classes are…
FUN and light-hearted
Culinary and cultural
New and different
Social and pertinent
Physically engaging
Stepping stones to more social
activity amongst co-workers
Completely customizable
Good for drinkers AND non-
drinkers (non-alcoholic options)
4. There’s always a good reason for
a cocktail class..
• When team-building or unwinding
• As a way to entertain clients
• At the end of the work day
• As part of an afternoon event,
possibly followed by dinner
• At the close of a full-day event
• As part of a weekend getaway or
company retreat (we travel)
• During a conference , trade show or
larger event
• At the start of a new season
• At the close of a fiscal period
• After winning a big contract
• After closing a tough project
• For a holiday outing
When is a good time for a class?
5. Several Classes To Choose From
Classes are offered in two styles:
Team-Building focus
Class is designed to get people interacting
Activity is designed around the interaction, but not forced into particular skill building
Still light-hearted and fun
Competitive and non-competitive offerings
Individual orientation
Each person has their own seating and workspace
Classroom environment
Questions, comments, debate and interaction are encouraged
Vibrant and fun atmosphere
Perfect for unwinding with the team or entertaining clients
6. Several Classes To Choose From
Non-Alcoholic Options included
There are always a few people who can’t or don’t want to drink.
Our classes are very culinarily-focused. Understanding great drinks is all about
creating great flavor and drinks that are compelling. People who can’t or don’t
drink alcohol usually enjoy our classes even more than those that do
because they are the consumers who are most often forced to drink simple,
bland or sugary drinks (water, soda, orange juice). Once they learn how to
use different ingredients to make drinks without alcohol, they are
excited and inspired. The plight of those who get stuck ordering horrible
drinks everywhere simply because they can’t drink alcohol is not lost on us!
7. Mixology 101: Making Great Drinks At Home
• Class is interactive, but focus is on each person learning their own skills
• Learn how to make better drinks at home and how to order better drinks while out
• Everyone has their own full set of bar tools and makes up to four cocktails on their own,
giving each one the opportunity to make and taste (drink) their own drinks
• All tools are used and explained as we make cocktails that demonstrate the formulas key to
understanding the grand lexicon of cocktail recipes.
• Questions are encouraged throughout and you may stick around afterwards to enjoy your
drinks as we clean up. Extra time for socializing, meetings or dining can also be booked.
• Perfect for entertaining clients or letting the team unwind together
• Available in FOUR different packages to meet different budgets.
Length: 2 - 3 hours Our most popular class. Great for mixed level of experience and interest.
8. Creating Cocktails: A Team Competition
• Interactive team-builder with competition and prizes
• Focus of 1st session is on basic formulas, how flavors are built and the use of tools.
A demonstration of shaking versus stirring in spirit-forward cocktails like the
Martini and Manhattan is followed by hands-on Margaritas and Mojitos that
everyone makes (and drinks) individually, with their own set of tools.
• 2nd session breaks the team into groups to create a cocktail, name it and present it
to the instructor (judge). The instructor critiques each drink, its chances of survival
on a bar menu and the group’s presentation of it.
• Winning team is presented with a prize (of your design and purchase)
Length: 2 - 3 hours
9. Spirits Tasting: Exploring flavor, aroma and culture
• Individually-focused, yet interactive via discussion and debate
• Spirits tastings can be focused on particular categories like “Single Malt Scotch”,
“Bourbon and Rye”, or “Highland Tequilas”, or on more general categories like
Whiskies, Cognac and Rum
• 6-8 glasses of a tasting are poured and served with complimenting bites to
highlight flavors and aromas
• History, culture and production methods are covered prior to a guided tasting
• Spirit focus is completely customizable to your group’s liking
• A cocktail featuring the spirit is served as a welcome drink
• Making cocktails with the spirit is covered in the presentation
Length: 2 - 2.5 hours
10. Other Classes Available
• Whisk(e)y– tasting, history, culture
• Cognac – tasting, history, culture
• Agave Spirits (Tequila, Mezcal and more) – tasting, history, culture
• Home bartending skills
• How to create cocktails
• How to appreciate and evaluate spirits
• Curating your perfect spirits collection (overall, or specified)
• A look at distillation history and differences across spirits (with tasting)
• How to Host a Party with a Memorable Self Serve Bar
Length: 2 - 3 hours; or custom
11. Beer Classes: So many beers, so little time…
• Individually-focused, yet interactive via discussion and debate
• Beer classes are available in a wide range of focuses:
– Survey of Beer
– Beers of particular regions and traditions: Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom,
United States
– Beer Pairings with particular foods (i.e., BBQ, Chocolates, Cheeses, etc.)*
– The Return of Canned Beer
– Home Brewing
• Taught by certified Master Cicerone and Brew Master, Rich Higgins
Length: 2 - 2.5 hours
* Additional fees for food
12. Cocktail Classes = Good Business
Put Cocktail Knowledge in Your Tool Kit
Entertain clients more effectively by
knowing the best bars to visit and the key
drinks to have there
Understand the various drinking cultures
and customs of domestic and
international clients and colleagues
Let’s face it, cocktails have a cool factor
that make for a great group experience!
13. Your Team Deserves It!
A cocktail class is a great way to let the
group have fun, unwind and not take
things too seriously
Makes for a unique experience they will
appreciate and remember
Always a source of laughter and photos
Gives them a fun and useful skill set that
is not job related
Provides useful knowledge for their
personal lives
Gives them a leg up when entertaining
clients
14. FAQs
Where would I have my class?
Our service is available at Elixir (our home bar) for up to 15 people,
with no venue fee. For larger groups, the event can be delivered to
your venue or we can suggest one of our partner venues (we have
a few preferred partners we’ll recommend), depending on your
preference. We bring everything to you, set up in your designated
room and haul it all away after. Lastly, we can deliver the service
anywhere in the country for special events, conferences, trade
shows, retreats, etc.
How much does it cost?
Prices are scaled based on the size of the group and begin with a
minimum charge. Pricing packages for each class are available in
order to fit the varying budgetary and activity goals of our clients.
Custom classes and additional travel expenses are all negotiable.
We will customize your class to meet your budget!
Is there food involved?
Food is not included in the quote. We recommend providing a light
buffet or snacks, as there is alcohol consumption involved here and
everyone likes a little snack when they drink. There are many take
out options near Elixir, or arrange your own catering.
Can I customize our class based on the season or a particular
theme?
Yes, we can customize anything to your liking, but recipes should be
15. FAQs
Are there options for my team members that don’t drink alcohol?
Yes, there are many concepts in mixology that can be covered with a
delicious “mocktail”. Non-drinkers will especially appreciate this lesson as
they look for delicious new ways to enjoy beverages. This addition to the
class should be specified when booking.
Can we make more than the stated cocktails in a class?
Standard pricing includes a set number of cocktails included in each class.
Shortening or lengthening your class time or adjusting the
amount or recipe of the cocktails, will result in an adjustment
of the per person charges, and is certainly available.
Can we have a “happy hour” after the class?
Yes, if you would like to extend your time for socializing and
have our instructors make more cocktails for your group,
that can also be arranged for additional fees.
Do you do other events?
Yes, we also provide fully licensed and insured full bar
catering for all size and style events . We
can supply bartenders to trade show booths to entertain and
serve. Also, our classes are great for birthdays, bachelor and
bachelorette parties and other personal celebrations.
16. Do you have any other options for smaller budgets?
YES! We will work with you to accommodate your budget and your goals to make this the
best experience it can be. Let us know what your parameters are and we will do our best to
customize an offering that suits you.
We are unsure of our group size. Do we have to commit to a number now?
We take a 100% deposit up front that is based on the minimum number of people you are
committing to. You are welcome to bring additional people but you must let us know before
the day of class so that we may set the classroom properly, have enough supplies and
schedule a big enough team. The amount of that deposit is based on our tiered pricing
schedule, and you will be charged for a final invoice with a balance that reflects the total
number of attendees of the event.
What is your refund and cancellation policy?
We will refund 50% of your deposit up to 14 days before the beginning of the day of your
event. Cancellations within 14 days of the beginning of the day of your event will not be
refunded.
FAQs
17. Founder & Chief Ambassador
H. Joseph Ehrmann
Owner of , San Francisco,
one of the “Best Bars in
America” according to ,
and Food and Wine
Magazines
2010
Founder,
and
International professional
bartending educator
and presenter
MBA, Thunderbird
Hires and trains all
instructors personally
For more, web search
“H. Joseph Ehrmann “
18. Our founder, H. Joseph Ehrmann, began teaching cocktail classes at Elixir in 2007, and
in 2009 he opened The Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts as a facility dedicated to
beverage education for both the trade and consumer. Those classes were operated
under his consulting company name, Cocktail Ambassadors, but as the business took
off, he created Elixir To Go, a new company dedicated to cocktail event production
and cocktail catering. He closed the Boothby Center in 2014 and began focus on the
delivery of services across the Bay Area.
Here is a sample of what has been written about our classes…
Wall Street Journal
Daily Candy
7x7 Magazine
Bay Guardian
COMPANY HISTORY