Press kit
Everything you need to write about the league.
The Cocktail Bar League is an objective, judged competition between elite NYC cocktail bars. Season 1 launches Fall/Winter 2026.
Fast facts
- Season 1: 24 founding NYC cocktail bars, 8 per borough (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens)
- Kickoff: September 7, 2026
- Format: mystery scout visits during off-peak hours, blind weighted scoring, twice-yearly seasons
- Commissioner: Jason Littrell (20 years in hospitality, 10 behind the bar, 10 consulting; former USBG NYC president; Death & Co alum)
- Founding partners: BarTeams, Liquor Bets, BuildoutFeed, Jason Littrell (all Jason-owned properties)
- Franchise plan: NYC first, then Chicago, LA, London under “The Cocktail Bar League, [City]” naming
Selected quotes
Bar rankings are usually opinion columns dressed up as awards. This one has a formula. It's public. Everyone plays by the same rules.
Jason Littrell, Commissioner
Season 1 is 24 bars, not 240. Small on purpose. We want the best cocktail bars in New York, not the ones that pay to enter.
Jason Littrell, Commissioner
The scout system exists because you can't fake how a bar treats a stranger on a Tuesday afternoon at 3pm.
Jason Littrell, Commissioner
Press inquiries: press@cocktailbarleague.com
Email forwarding not yet live; use jason@jlittrell.com in the meantime.