February 12, 2012
aka wine geek is joining LUPEC and the Colorado Bartenders Guild for Speed Rack in Denver where the best female bartenders from Colorado will duke it out in a top bartender competition of speed and accuracy, all in the name of charity. Tickets available at Casselman’s website.
www.casselmans.com

February 21, 2012
Steve Olson will be at this years Arizona Cocktail Week, hosting Nectar of the Gods: The Agave Elixirs. During the seminar, we'll pay our respects to the artisan producers that have truly mastered this craft, as we pay homage to the heritage, the history, and the culture of Mexico’s national spirit, the pride of an entire nation, and explore with us the historical implications of the possibilities of distillation in a Mexico before the Spanish conquest.
www.arizonacocktailweek.com

March 06, 2012 - March 08, 2012
Steve will sit on the highly esteemed panel of judges in the 3rd Ultimate Spirits Challenge. The USC is part of the Ultimate Beverage Challenge whose primary goal is to generate a new platinum standard of trustworthiness, integrity, reliability, and, most important, meaningful and relevant results to international beverage competitions in order to recognize the highest degree of product quality. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge seeks systemically cull from the pack and reward those distilled beverages which in the collective and numerically arrived at opinion of the judges standout in their respective categories, showing uncommon quality.
http://www.ultimate-beverage.com/

April 23, 2012 - April 26, 2012
Steve will sit on the highly esteemed panel of judges in the 3rd Ultimate Wine Challenge. The UWC is part of the Ultimate Beverage Challenge whose primary goal is to generate a new platinum standard of trustworthiness, integrity, reliability, and, most important, meaningful and relevant results to international beverage competitions in order to recognize the highest degree of product quality. The Ultimate Wine Challenge seeks systemically cull from the pack and reward those beverages which in the collective and numerically arrived at opinion of the judges standout in their respective categories, showing uncommon quality.
www.ultimate-beverage.com

May 07, 2012
Steve Olson will once again be presenting at the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards which is being held at Avery Hall at Lincoln Center. Deemed the Oscars of the food world, by Time magazine, The James Beard Foundation Awards are the countrys most coveted honor for chefs; food and beverage professionals; broadcast media, journalists, and authors working on food; and restaurant architects and designers.
http://www.jbfawards.com

May 10, 2012 - May 13, 2012
Vegas Uncorked, presented by Bon Appetit, will once again return to one of the most dynamic and important culinary destinations in the world, Las Vegas. Steve Olson will be there to co-host seminars throughout the weekend.
http://www.vegasuncorked.com

May 11, 2012 - May 15, 2012
The Manhattan Cocktail Classic is a multi-day event celebrating the history, contemporary culture, and artful craft of the cocktail. Part festival, part fete, part conference, part cocktail party, the event will bring together the unparalleled talents and opportunities of the bars, bartenders, and restaurants of New York, both educational and celebratory in nature, championing the common ideals of authenticity, equality, sustainability, service, and pleasure. Steve Olson and Andy Seymour will return to host seminars, and maybe even an event or two...!
http://www.manhattancocktailclassic.com

June 08, 2012 - June 12, 2012
Steve and Andy will return to the 2nd Gourmet Latino Festival in New York City, the first of it's kind, the festival is a socially conscious celebration of Latin American gastronomy and culture, with over 30 of the best chefs, food authors and beverage experts. You won't want to miss this!
www.gourmetlatino.com

June 14, 2012 - June 17, 2012
aka wine geek will return to the FOOD & WINE Magazine Classic in Aspen this year. We will host wine and spirits tables in the Grand Tasting tent, and Steve Olson will host seminars throughout the weekend.
www.foodandwine.com/classic-in-aspen

July 25, 2012 - July 29, 2012
The wine geek team will be headed to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail where they will be conducting a number of "not to miss" events - stay tuned!
http://www.talesofthecocktail.com/

September 24, 2012 - September 28, 2012
BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource) will return to the Astor Center in NYC to hold its 5-day Intermediate Certificate Program. BAR is an independent organization whose program instructs attendees not only about the details and techniques necessary to be a competent maker of mixed drinks, but likewise about the pedigree and use of all the fine distilled spirits that act as the base spirits for cocktails. BARs mission is to educate, guide, and propagate the healthy, enlightened, and responsible use of beverage alcohol products. The school is in a unique position to create and teach a series of courses that will not just train, but actually educate those who take them, be they service industry professionals, members of the media, or curious consumers.
http://www.beveragealcoholresource.com