Apres-Ski Cocktail Classic Kicks Off in Snowmass

The art of apres-ski has never been an official event in Aspen, though residents and visitors alike take the craft very seriously. That is, it hasn’t been official until now. The inaugural Apres-Ski Cocktail Classic launches in Snowmass on Thursday, bringing leading mixologists, sommeliers, chefs and foodies to the mountains to learn how to master eating and drinking after an activity-filled day.

The Classic runs through Sunday, and here are some of the weekend’s highlights so you can plan ahead:

• James Beard-honored mixologist and author Kim Haasarud is a master, whose cocktails have appeared in everything from Maxim to the “TODAY” show. She’s one of the hosts for Saveur Magazine’s cocktail-pairing dinner at the Snowmass Kitchen (Saturday, 8 p.m.)
  
• To find out what goes into the perfect cup of jo, don’t miss the “Terroir of Coffee” (Friday, 3 p.m.) with Richard Karno of Java Juice and Jay Lijewski of Handsome Coffee Roasters discussing coffee beans.
• The name Maximilian Riedel should trigger something for anyone who’s had a glass of wine, but if you don’t recognize it he’s the 11th-generation head of family-owned Riedel Crystal, an award-winning and artistic glassware series. He’ll walk participants through just how important glassware is. (Saturday, 2 p.m.)
• Steve Olson, a.k.a. Wine Geek, emphasizes fun in spirit tasting and takes out the pretense. He’s developed wine programs in renowned places like the New York’s Gramercy Tavern and Connecticut’s Mayflower Inn and he’ll run through creating a great program for apres-ski (Friday, 4 p.m.)
• Top off the weekend with an apres-ski pub crawl through downtown Aspen, stopping by 39 Degrees, J-Bar, Jimmy’s Justice Snow’s, Limelight, The Red Onion and the Terrace Bar at the Little Nell to crown the king or queen of the after-slope drink. (Sunday, 2 p.m.)

Individual tickets are available each event, or VIP passes are available for purchase for the entire weekend. Visit here for a complete schedule and more information.