ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The cocktail community keeps pouring out awards for Albuquerque’s Happy Accidents bar. 

The popular Nob Hill spot just took home an international award. It’s the drinking world’s equivalent to a Michelin star, given to the best of the best restaurants around the world.

“It’s pretty dang cool. I’m excited. I’m really proud. I’m really excited,” said Kate Gerwin, owner of Happy Accidents. 

Gerwin has a shelf of accomplishments in her Nob Hill bar “Happy Accidents” and she’s about to add another big one.

“I got an email, like, last night, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we got a PIN!” said Gerwin. 

A PIN comes from the London-based Pinnacle Guide, it goes to some of the world’s best cocktail bars. It’s based on a self-application, and anonymous in-bar reviews. 

It’s similar to a Michelin star that goes to the best of the best restaurants around the world after they’re graded in five categories. 

“People have been waiting for the cocktail equivalent of Michelin for a long time,” Gerwin said. 

Only 13 bars in the U.S. and about 60 worldwide now have a PIN.

“People are like, ‘Oh, you’re not even a secondary market. You’re a tertiary, or you’re and, sure, great, fine, but we’re still great, and we’re still doing awesome things. And it’s important that people don’t forget that,” said Gerwin. 

Gerwin says cocktails are an important piece of the business, but it’s more than that for Happy Accidents.

“We want to be ambassadors for New Mexico. We want people to realize that the city is doing really cool things, that Albuquerque is just as great as London and Singapore and Dubai and all these other places. Like, we have things going on we have things to offer,” Gerwin said. 

Putting Albuquerque’s cocktail scene on the map, one award at a time.

“We want people to come here and leave missing Albuquerque, and realizing that we have a lot of really cool things that other cities don’t have,” said Gerwin. 

Happy Accidents will hold onto its PIN for two years, then Gerwin says they can reapply for two or three PINs.

The application is open now for the next round of PINs, and is open to any bar worldwide. 

“Albuquerque has some really great bars, Albuquerque has great people, great restaurants and incredible culture. I want people to pay attention to us,” said Gerwin.