Craft Clash Houston: A Cocktail Competition Social for Beverage Enthusiasts
About this Event
Powered by Railz Hospitality
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
City Cellars | East River Houston
Doors Open: 8:30 PM
Competition Begins: 9:00 PM
Great Cocktails Tell Bigger Stories
Craft Clash Houston is not your traditional cocktail competition.
This is an experience designed to celebrate creativity, hospitality, storytelling, and the people behind some of Houston’s most exciting beverage programs.
For one night, beverage directors, bar managers, and hospitality creatives from across the city will come together to create original cocktails featuring Waterloo Prickly Pear & Rose Gin, each inspired by:
- Their venue concept
- Their personal journey
- Houston’s local culture and ingredients
- Their unique perspective on hospitality
Every drink has a story.
And every guest becomes part of deciding which story wins.
What To Expect
Upon arrival, guests will receive a Craft Clash scoring card, allowing them to participate directly in the competition judging process.
Throughout the evening, you’ll have the opportunity to:
Meet Houston’s Beverage Leaders
Each competitor will host their own tasting station where they’ll personally walk you through:
- Their cocktail concept
- Their venue story
- Their creative process
- Their local ingredient selections
- Their personal hospitality journey
Taste Original Cocktails
Every competitor will create a signature cocktail featuring Waterloo Prickly Pear & Rose Gin.
Known for its floral aromatics and bright fruit profile, Waterloo’s Prickly Pear & Rose expression offers competitors a unique opportunity to showcase creativity while highlighting one of Texas’ most distinctive craft spirits.
Participate In The Judging
Your vote matters.
Guests will score competitors alongside hospitality industry judges, helping determine who will be crowned the inaugural Craft Clash Houston Champion.
Judging categories include:
- Spirit Expression
- Creativity
- Storytelling
- Venue Integration
- Presentation
- Overall Experience
Enjoy The Full City Cellars Experience
While competitors battle for the championship, guests will enjoy:
- Full dinner service
- Cocktail specials
- Food specials
- Patio seating
- Live hospitality networking
- Behind-the-scenes storytelling
Whether you’re a hospitality professional or simply someone who appreciates great food, drinks, and experiences, Craft Clash was designed for you.
About the Competitors
AJ Montemayor | Plume
Instagram: @m.ajmont3
AJ’s career has taken him through dive bars, clubs, and cocktail programs before finding his home at Plume. Inspired by abstract flavor concepts and global influences, he approaches cocktail creation like an artist, often building drinks around a mood or flavor profile before selecting the spirits. He believes memorable hospitality comes from personality as much as the drink itself.
Aaron Foster | Zanti
Instagram: @_dapperdutch
Aaron discovered craft bartending through relentless curiosity, teaching himself classic cocktails while drawing inspiration from chefs, culinary techniques, and Italian ingredients. At Zanti, his philosophy blends hospitality with culinary storytelling, believing that attention to detail and genuine care are the secret ingredients behind every exceptional guest experience.
Jose Gil | Casa Kenji
Instagram: @Comatl_htx
With more than a decade behind the bar and a background in catering and culinary arts, Jose builds cocktails inspired by the Japanese-Latin flavors that define Casa Kenji. His approach emphasizes balance, consistency, and hospitality, creating drinks that seamlessly connect with the restaurant’s fire-driven cuisine while making every guest feel like a regular.
Michael Gutierrez | Nickel City
Instagram: @jerseymikehtx
Michael believes the best cocktails begin with understanding the guest. Working at Houston favorite Nickel City, he focuses on thoughtful balance, seasonality, texture, and presentation while creating experiences that encourage guests to step outside their comfort zone and discover something new.
Kat Serna | Atlas Heights
Instagram: @shakennotsober
Kat’s journey from self-taught bartender to craft cocktail professional has been driven by curiosity and creativity. At Atlas Heights, she’s helping develop a globally inspired cocktail program where every menu explores a different culture. Her cocktails begin with flavor concepts rather than recipes, allowing creativity and storytelling to guide the process.
Sean “Hunnidt” Celestine | Third HTX
Instagram: @hunnidtwaze
Sean transitioned from a career in technology into hospitality, eventually studying mixology in London before helping build Third HTX. His mission is to bring elevated craft cocktails and hospitality experiences to Houston’s Third Ward while proving that world-class beverage programs can also celebrate community, culture, and accessibility.
Before the competition begins, you’ll have the opportunity to meet each competitor, hear the stories behind their cocktails, and experience firsthand the creativity that makes Houston’s hospitality community one of the most exciting in the country. Their full interview features are available below to help you get to know the people behind the drinks before casting your vote on August 12.About Waterloo Gin
Craft Clash Houston proudly features Waterloo Prickly Pear & Rose Gin.
Produced in Texas, Waterloo Gin has built a reputation for creating approachable yet distinctive spirits that celebrate creativity and hospitality culture.
The Prickly Pear & Rose expression combines:
- Bright botanical gin character
- Texas prickly pear fruit
- Floral rose notes
- A versatile profile designed for modern cocktail programs
Competitors will demonstrate how one spirit can inspire dozens of completely different guest experiences.
About City Cellars
Located within Houston’s rapidly growing East River development, City Cellars has quickly established itself as one of the city’s most exciting hospitality concepts.
Known for:
- Seven-day brunch service
- Elevated cocktails
- Large outdoor patio spaces
- Community-focused programming
- Creative culinary experiences
City Cellars represents the type of hospitality destination that defines the next generation of Houston dining and nightlife.
We’re proud to partner with them as the home of the inaugural Craft Clash Houston.
About Railz Hospitality
Railz Hospitality exists to celebrate the people building hospitality culture.
Through competitions, media, events, and storytelling, we’ve spent the past several years documenting and collaborating with:
- Bartenders
- Beverage directors
- Restaurant operators
- Hospitality entrepreneurs
- Event creators
- Industry innovators
From New York to Houston and beyond, our mission is simple:
Create opportunities for hospitality professionals to build relationships, tell their stories, and grow their communities.
Why Attend?
Because hospitality is about more than food and drinks.
It’s about:
- Stories
- Relationships
- Creativity
- Community
- Experiences
Craft Clash Houston gives you the opportunity to experience all of those things in one room, on one night, with some of the city’s most talented hospitality professionals.
Come hungry.
Come curious.
And come help us decide who will become the Craft Clash Houston Champion.
If you would like to compete please sign up here (CLICK HERE)
Event Summary Details
📍 City Cellars
East River Houston
📅 Wednesday, August 12, 2026
🕣 Doors Open: 8:30 PM
🍸 Competition Begins: 9:00 PM
🎟️ Ticket Includes:
- Event admission
- Cocktail tastings
- Guest judging participation
- Access to competitor storytelling stations
We look forward to raising a glass with you.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 13.54 to USD 25.09
