Interview

Inside Nine Bar: Asian-Inspired Cocktails, Trends & Tariff Challenges | Inside The Drinks Business

In this episode of Inside the Drinks Business, Sid Patel, CEO of Bartender Spirits Awards and Beverage Trade Network, sits down with Joe Briglio, co-owner and operator of Nine Bar, a vibrant Asian-inspired cocktail bar in Chicago’s Chinatown.

Joe shares the story behind Nine Bar’s unique theme, his journey as a bartender, and how today’s challenges such as tariffs, reduced consumption, and evolving consumer preferences are impacting the drinks business. He also breaks down what brands need to know when approaching bars for product placement and reveals which categories and products are trending right now.