The late Anthony Bourdain once declared that Filipino cuisine was "ascendant" and "underrated", and in many ways, the same could be argued to be the case for Philippines' cocktail scene. 

Traditionally, much of the attention among cocktail lovers and bar-goers in Asia has tended to be focused around destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore or Japan. Yet, word is spreading about a rising current of stand-out Filipino bars, and increased focus has been placed on Philippines as a new and emerging cocktail capital in the region.

One of the key figures who has been passionately working to put Philippines' cocktail scene on the global map is none other than Rian Asiddao.

Rian is, by all accounts, pretty busy. Not only is he a Brand Ambassador for Diageo, where he plays an active role in driving spirits education locally, he's also an industrial partner of two bars The Spirits Library and FLO: All Day Drinking, as well as a co-owner of Bar by East. Together with 4 others, Rian also founded Drinks Be With You, a collective of Filipino bartenders to organise pop-up cocktail events in Philippines. 

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Rian, during which we dived deeper into his experiences across Manila's bar industry and at each of the many bars he operates. We also got his insight into how the Filipino taste palates have helped shape the local cocktail scene. And along the way, Rian shared his essential reading list for the aspiring home bartender, and his native-approved guide to cool biking spots and holiday spots in Philippines! You won't want to miss this.

Follow Rian Asiddao: Instagram

Visit his bars: Bar by East | Flo All Day Drinking | The Spirits Library | Follow Drinks Be With You @dbwy

88B: At the moment, you’re an industrial partner at The Spirits Library and you operate and manage your own bars Bar by East and Flo. In addition, you’re also a brand ambassador for Diageo and a co-founder of Drinks Be With You, a cocktail pop up initiative. Given all these varied responsibilities, your schedule must be packed! Could you walk us through a day in your life?

Rian: My passion in this industry started way back in college and fast forward to now, my passion continues to grow. I always get excited for every opportunity knocking my door and because I am fueled by passion and the desire to inspire people in this industry, I always try my best to contribute to my best ability through different ventures.

Rian's passion for the bar industry runs deep, as a snippet from his high school yearbook proves! (Image courtesy of Rian) 

Currently, I am the Brand Ambassador of Diageo Philippines, mostly showcasing the brands such as Johnnie Walker, The Singleton, Tanqueray and running World Class Program and trade engagements, this is my main job and my current priority. Diageo as a company builds talents and helps them to reach their goals, and my long term goal is to have my own bar/s.

The Drinks Be With You (DBWY) Cocktail Pop-up Squad. From left to right: Mic Flores, Glenn Talavera, Nino Cruz, Rian Asiddao, and Aaron Aw (Image courtesy of Rian)

I co-founded Drinks Be With You (DBWY) with some amazing friends in the industry last March 2018, it all started with our urge to have a cocktail pop ups in some of the beaches in the Philippines, and its all for fun! But it grew to an industry engagement company, and we decided to make it official through an incorporation. So DBWY was my first side venture together with Aaron Aw, Nino Cruz, Glenn Talavera, and Mic Flores.

The Spirits Library is a must-visit when you're in Manila. You  can find rare spirits, bar books and specialty cocktails at this one-stop shop. (Image source: The Spirits Library)

I'm also an industrial partner at The Spirits Library and Flo.  There were some opportunities for me to be partners with some bars, and TSL and Flo were the Top list in these opportunities. I am partners with rock stars in the bar scene with The Spirits Library, and the project was a long time coming, headed by Lee Watson. It was his vision to create an establishment for consumers, cocktail enthusiasts, spirits enthusiasts and the bar industry in a bigger scale and thus we have quite a few Industrial Partners with the likes of Kenneth Bandivas and Lester Ligon. We also have Bryan Bonifacio, and the Bar Manager, Ralph Santos who also has shares in the pot. Together with the other partners headed by Lee, TSL continues to grow and recognized.

Flo was the most recent! I was grateful with the opportunity given by Miggy Cruz and Laureen Uy. I worked with them in some of our brand projects with Diageo and we became friends, and now partners for Flo. A fun concept created the very passionate group people headed by Miggy and Laureen.

Rian opened Bar by East in 2021. An architecture firm by day and a cocktail bar by night, Bar by East curates concoctions with both conventional and unorthodox ingredients. (Image source: Bar by East) 

Bar by East was my dream! It started with a casual conversation with my cousin Architect Julia Vurtucio, and her husband Architect Marc Virtucio who is also part of EAST (Emerging Architect Studios) The Bar is located in Marikina City, where I grew up and spent majority of my life. In here, I partnered with my cousin and EAST to come up with concept unique to the side of the metro. We opened in the middle of the Pandemic which makes it a little special.

I know you may think “hey that’s a lot!”, but if you’re passionate about the things you do, the ease of things will come your way.

My priority is Diageo as it is my Mon-Fri Job, I do the rest outside my Diageo Time, like holidays, weekends, or at night. I balance my time and I make sure I give attention to all of the bars by visiting them at least once a week. Currently, my focus in with Flo since is the newest. Every venture is different which gives me excitement all the time.

88B: We heard you had been dreaming of opening your own bar, Bar by East, since you were in high school. What was your vision for the bar back then, and how did that vision evolve by the time you opened your doors years later?

Rian: We grew up exposed to the F&B industry through my mother, who worked for a fast food chain for a very long time. I was just fascinated with lights, fun vibe, and vibrant ambience. Fast forward to college, I took up Hotel & Restaurant Management and focused on the beverage side of the course. My fascination grew to passion through flair bartending.

Bar by East was recently awarded a 50 Best Discovery Accolade, despite only opening in 2021. (Image source: Bar by East)

After years in the industry, I gained different experiences and insights which made me feel comfortable to open our own. When the opportunity to be partners with my cousin came, It was an automatic decision, we planned the bar right away. What makes it extra special is that it is located in Marikina City, the place where I grew up. Our goal is to bring the cocktail culture in the east side of Metro Manila.

88B: You recently opened a new coffee & cocktail bar, called Flo, which operates all day to cater to both daytime and nighttime drinkers. What are some of the different operational considerations that come from managing a coffee bar versus a cocktail bar, and how does that tie together when you’re operating both at once through Flo?

Rian: Coffee and Cocktails has its similarities and differences, and the beauty of having a bar with coffee and cocktails is you can explore and play around in the both spectrum. Miggy Cruz is the main guy behind the concept, he wanted to have a fun, homey, and welcoming diner style establishment with quality coffee and cocktails and its working very well.

There are some things to consider like timings, different tools, machines, ingredients, glass wares, different talents. There are also different markets for this but we utilize all of these differences and bring out the best of both worlds. We are lucky to have passionate baristas and bartenders and they are starting to learn each other’s role which will be very useful for the bar.

88B: As someone who’s been working in the local drinks industry and interacting with its consumers for so long, you are perhaps best placed to tell us about the Manila consumer taste palate. Could you share more about what the Philippines drinking culture is like, what kind of flavors and aromas do Filipino bargoers tend to seek out, and how has that shaped the cocktails that you like to create?

Rian: Filipinos are very hospitable in nature and we love hosting people. Part of the hospitality is drinking whether its alcoholic or non-alcoholic.  In terms of the drinking culture we have different ways, we drink beer/wine, we drink shots, and we are starting to drink more cocktails. We are the biggest consumers of Gin and from here you’ll see the tradition of having gin a shots or in a serve called GinPom (Gin + Pomelo Juie) so by culture, we really have it.

The Ginpom is one of the most popular cocktails among Filipinos. A blend of gin with fresh pomegranate juice and lime makes for a drink that caters to those with a sweet tooth. (Image courtesy of Rian)

In terms of flavor, we Filipinos have sweet tooth, we tend to go to sweeter drinks and because of our tropical climate we tend to go to refreshing and fruity cocktails, but for the past 10 years, Filipinos started to embrace the cocktail culture and they get curious about other cocktails that are not refreshing and somehow spirit forward.

In creating cocktails the safest way to please a Filipino drinker is to start with a refreshing cocktail like a highball, daiquiri, or a margarita, and then start introducing spirit forward cocktails like a negroni, old fashioned or a Manhattan. Citrus is what we like.

88B: We couldn’t help but notice some of your hilariously well-executed Halloween costumes, from Dora the Explorer to Dwayne the Rock Johnson. If you had to serve a cocktail to each of those two personalities, what would it be and why?

Rian: I take costume parties a seriously and I want to make other people happy, but on the other hand, I only use costumes that can be easily pulled off that is why I had Dora and The Rock.

Rian is the sporting party guest you'll always want to invite to costume parties. (Images courtesy of Rian) 

If I will give them a drink, I will give Dora a fresh watermelon juice since she is still underage and watermelon is my favourite fresh juice. I will give The Rock an Old Fashioned as it suits his name.

88B: You’re often involved in the organization of the Diageo-sponsored World Class competition, where the annual Philippine Bartender of the Year is crowned. It’s clear that you’re passionate about raising the visibility and profile of Philippines’ bartenders. Is there any advice would you give to aspiring young bartenders in Philippines looking to grow within the industry?

Rian: Diageo World Class is my main project and the main reason why I joined Diageo, My goals are to contribute to the efforts of putting the Philippines into the cocktail map, and inspire young generation to consider having a career in this industry.

As a Diageo brand ambassador, Rian is heavily involved in the Diageo World Class, a program started to support, train and inspire up-and-coming bartenders. He was recently in Vietnam to serve as a judge at the World Class Vietnam 2023, where over 150 bartenders were in attendance! (Image courtesy of Rian)

My advice is to just keep going and learning! Everyday is a learning process so grab all knowledge and use it wisely. Stay humble and hardworking.

88B: You’re a happy owner of many books on mixology and cocktails. For all our aspiring home bartenders on the 88Bamboo.co, could you curate a reading list of top 3 books that have influenced your bartending philosophies or practices?

Rian: There are so many books out there and its nice to have a collection for you to have different references. If you’ll ask me now to pick top 3 books, those 3 books would be:

• Joy of Mixology by Gary Ragan
• The Canon Cocktail Book by James Fraoili and Jamie Boudreau
• Classic Cocktails at Home by Dre Masso

88B: When you’re not busy slinging cocktails, we understand you’re an avid bike rider. Do you have any must-try cycling spots on your bucket list? Do you have any recommendations for best bike riding spots in Philippines?

Rian: I biked a lot during the lockdowns but since the pandemic eased up, I became busy and had very little time to bike. When I bike, I go to different spots and café thus we call it “coffee ride” and my favorite biking spots are the mountains of Rizal or the Scenic view of Tagaytay.

When he's not slinging cocktails, Rian is an avid bike rider! (Image courtesy of Rian)

There are so many great cafes in these biking spots. It is also nice to do coffee ride in the metro to explore cafes which are now bike friendly.

88B: A friend of yours is here for a weekend in Manila. What are some places you would recommend them to visit?

Rian: If he/she wants to explore some historic places in Manila, my suggestions are Intramuros, Luneta, and Binondo. Intramuros is our walled city and Luneta which is also known as Rizal park has lots of story to tell. Binondo is the oldest China town outside China.

Intramuros, Luneta and Binondo. (Image sources: Hotels.com, Kirby Gawpyngx, and King Tolentino)

I will also bring them to some of the biggest malls in the world like SM Mall of Asia and SM Mega mall. I will also bring them to amazing bars, restaurants, and places that we can eat local street food.

One last question before we let you go. Do you have a favorite/interesting memory of your time in the industry to share?

There are so many favorite memories like all World Class Finals that I have attended, all the cocktail festivals, and all the different personalities I've served. But if I am going to give 3 best memories that would be:     

• Serving Michael Jordan twice
• Speaking and representing Philippines with Lester Ligon in a session in Bar Convent Berlin
• Bar by East received a 50 Best Discovery Accolade, as this was really unexpected for our very small bar away from the main city.

A huge thank you to Rian (@rianasiddao) for taking the time to speak with us and share more about his pursuits and Manila's rising cocktail scene! We were also lucky enough to have tried his tasty cocktails ourselves, during his recent guest shift in Singapore at Nutmeg & Clove together with Lester Ligon and Claude Delima. If you ever find yourself in Manila, be sure to check  out Rian's bars for specialty cocktails and a guaranteed good time! 

Visit the bars: Bar by East | Flo All Day Drinking | The Spirits Library

@LotusRoot518