Anti-Waste Cocktail Pop-Up Heads to Detroit on August 23

Traveling anti-waste cocktail pop-up, Trash Tiki, is taking over The Skip in downtown Detroit on August 23. London-based bartenders Iain Griffiths and Kelsey Ramage are behind the touring project that aims to introduce bartenders and consumers to new ways of thinking about ingredient use.

From the plastic straws to the ice to the partially-used produce, the cocktail industry creates a lot of waste. This led Griffiths and Ramage alongside a small group of bartenders around the world to start thinking about ways to reduce waste behind the bar.

The pair largely achieve their goal by repurposing ingredients that might normally have been tossed into the garbage. For instance, Trash Tiki has used leftover pastries to make orgeat (almond syrup) and fermented pineapple skins to make tepache. The result is drinks that are not only tasty, but also easier on the environment, and bars report that they’re saving money using the techniques.

In partnership with Fords Gin, the multi-city Trash Tiki tour recently made a splashy entrance in the U.S. at the bartending industry’s biggest event of the year, Tales of the Cocktail, in New Orleans. Beginning at 4 p.m. next Wednesday, Detroiters will get a chance to sip anti-waste tiki drinks from Trash Tiki at The Skip. Keep an eye out for the menu on the group’s Instagram and RSVP for the industry seminar at trashtiki@fordsgin.com.

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