The American Cancer Society hosted its annual Magic City Cocktail Challenge. The night offered individuals an entertaining and engaging experience filled with live music, silent auctions and raffles, hors d’oeuvres, and of course… samplings of signature cocktails from local establishments.
Twelve Birmingham mixologists created specialty cocktails for the event to compete for the title of Best Cocktail in Birmingham. Guests sampled the drinks throughout the night and casted their votes for the 2025 Best Cocktail in Birmingham! In addition, three mystery judges tasted and presented one competitor the Tastemaker Award. This year, the three judges were Randall Porter, Ryan Abrams, and Suzanne Gibson.
This year's 2025 Best Cocktail in Birmingham was The Ballard of Mockingbirds and Fire by Andrew Weber at The Refinery. The 2025 Tastemaker Award was awarded to Pearl of Waikiki by Josh Schaff at Cayo Coco.
The community also nominated and selected 20 young professionals to serve as the 2025 Shaker Honorees. These individuals come from various industries and have been hard at work advocating and raising funds for American Cancer Society. The Shakers were honored at the event and within the community, as they have dedicated the past few months to furthering the impact of Magic City Cocktail Challenge and supporting our city’s American Cancer Society.
The Shaker of the Year was awarded to Lee Castle, who raised over $11,189 for the American Cancer Society!
