Frequently Asked Questions
None at all. Every Craft Collective experience is designed so that anyone can participate from the first round. The format gives everyone a role that suits them, whether that's building cocktails as a Maker or scoring them as a Judge.
Makers build the cocktails. Judges score them using a structured rubric across taste, presentation, and creativity. Both tracks are active throughout the event. Nobody sits and watches.
Every package uses the same core scoring criteria, judged on technique, presentation, and creativity. The Collective and The Collective Cup track scores round by round on a live leaderboard, with the final round weighted more heavily so the outcome stays open until the end. The Session uses lighter, single-round scoring with no leaderboard, just enough to name a winning team.
Every event ends with a winner. The Session closes with a certificate for the winning team. The Collective closes with an awards ceremony and a certificate for the winning team. The Collective Cup closes with a fuller awards ceremony, the winning team takes home a full set of custom awards, not just a certificate. The Collective Cup also awards the Palate Award, given to the judge pair whose scoring most closely matched the group consensus.
The mocktail option is built in from the start, not an afterthought. At the start of every round, the maker team and their judges decide together whether they're building a cocktail or a mocktail, so nobody has to make a special request or feel singled out. No separate track, no awkwardness.
We come to you. Office spaces, rooftops, private venues, and event spaces all work. If you need help finding a venue, we offer venue sourcing as an add-on.
Each station comfortably fits two teams, or four makers, working side by side and sharing the shared bottles in the middle when needed. Smaller groups don't always need to share a station. Judges stay with a team for the round, then rotate to a new team each round. Most packages use 1 to 3 stations depending on group size, so the space scales with your event. We're always happy to do an in-person or virtual walkthrough to confirm your space works before you book.
We recommend booking at least two weeks out. Bookings inside seven days are subject to a rush fee.
Your team purchases base spirits from a curated shopping list we send ten days before the event. We bring everything else: cocktail modifiers, specialty ingredients, tools, glassware, scoring materials, and the leaderboard setup.
We arrive a minimum of sixty minutes before your guests to set up every station.
It depends on your group size and format. Reach out and we'll recommend the right package with an exact quote.
No hidden admin fee, ever. What we quote is what you pay. The only fee that can apply is a 15% rush surcharge for bookings made inside seven days of the event. Beyond that, a range of optional add-ons are available if you want to enhance the experience.
A 50% deposit confirms your date, with the remaining balance due 48 hours before the event.
Reschedule for free anytime up to 14 days before your event. Within 7 days of the event, your deposit becomes non-refundable.
Yes. We work with event planners and agencies as referral partners, offering a 10% referral fee on every completed booking. If you place clients regularly, we're glad to talk about an ongoing arrangement.
A range of add-ons are available, including engraved jiggers and branded bar tools, a premium garnish package, a custom signature cocktail, a welcome cocktail on arrival, professional photography, a branded take-home kit, and venue sourcing if you need help finding a space. We'll walk through the full list once we know what you're looking for.