Bartenders’ Shakedown 2022

 BARTENDERS’ SHAKEDOWN SEPTEMBER 18-21, 2022

*Video from previous event

The 1st Working Flair Bartending competition is back! This multi round multi day open bartending competition takes place in Palm Beach, FL with three seperate divisions for Pro, Advanced and Amatuer division bartenders. This is a fun Flair competition with emphasis on Working Flair, Mixology and testing a Flair Bartender in a true working environment. We start with competitors picking random drinks from the “Master Drink List” as well as create an original specialty cocktail and then they are required to make the drinks with the best of their abilities using their best Working Flair & Mixology skills.

Mixology, Flair and Accuracy all in one round! We have all done blind speed rounds but imagine a competition based all around a blind Working Flair round… we will shakedown the competition to see who is the best Flair bartender in a true working bar environment. This event will be full of fun, Flair and features. Join us for the ” Bartenders’ Shakedown 2022″ September 18-21 2022.

This event is strictly 21 years of age and over and open to the public to attend and promises to be a fun and informative event!

Surrounding Airports:
West Palm Beach, Fl (PBI) approx 5 mins away.
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) approx 45 mins away.
Miami, FL (MIA) approx 1 hour away.

Surrounding Hotels:
Quality Inn Palm Beach International Airport
1505 Belevedere Road
West Palm Beach, Fl 33406
(561) 444-0500

Marriott
1001 Okeechobee Blvd
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 833-1234

Hilton
600 Okeechobee Blvd
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 231-6000

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES ARE POSTED USING THE LINK BELOW…
BSD_Rules_2022 Rules 9_3_22

Prizes

Pro Division
1st Place: Ivan Usov $1,500 + Trophy + IBA World Cocktail Championship 2023 representing the USBG
2nd Place: Colby Ashton $1,000 + Trophy + IBA Pan-American Games 2023 representing the USBG
3rd Place: Lorenzo Garcia $500 + Trophy
4th Place: Chad Tocco $250 + Trophy
5th Place: Mike Hastings $125 + Trophy

Advanced Division
1st Place: Jean Manuel Griman Linares $250 + Trophy
2nd Place: Lindsay Palumbo $125 + Trophy
3rd Place: CJ Hamm $100 + Trophy

Amateur Division
1st Place: Alisa Nicely $250 + Trophy
2nd Place: Jesse Perez $125 + Trophy
3rd Place: Mikey Dreads $100 + Trophy

Flairco Freestyle
1st Place: Ivan Usov $1,000 + Trophy
2nd Place: Chad Tocco $500 + Trophy
3rd Place: Lorenzo Garcia $250 + Trophy

FINEST CALL STALL: Ivan Usov $100 + Trophy

MOST ACCURATE BARTENDER: Josh Gates $100 + Trophy

Best Mixology Skills
1st Place: Lorenzo Garcia $250 + Trophy

People’s Choice Award
1st Place: Jean Manuel Griman Linares $100 + Trophy

Most Honorable Bartender
1st Place: Lorenzo Garcia $100 + Trophy

Calamity Gin “Calamity Jane” Award (Top female Competitor)
1st Place: Lindsay Palumbo $100 + Trophy

BEST 30 SECOND PLANTATION RUM & FINEST CALL COMPETITOR COMMERCIAL
1st Place: $500 + Trophy

BEST COCKTAIL NETWORK LIVE AVIATION GIN & REAL SYRUPS VIEWER COCKTAIL RECIPE
1st Place: $500 (Enter Now at http://cocktailnetworklive.com/contest )

FLAIRCO FLAIR YARD DAY CONTESTS
FLAIRCO LONGEST 3 BOTTLE JUGGLE: Ivan Usov $100 + Trophy
FLAIRCO MOST CONSECUTIVE BUMPS: Chad Tocco $100 + Trophy
FINEST CALL STALL: Ivan Usov $100 + Trophy

Competition Date:

September 18-21, 2022

Competition Location:

The Improv West Palm Beach, Fl
550 S Rosemary Ave
Unit 250
West Palm Beach, Fl 33401

Competition Outline:

We are also happy to announce this competition will serve as the United States Bartenders’ Guild IBA World Cocktail Championship Flair qualifier for 2023 with the overall 1st Place winner in the Pro division representing the United States and the United States Bartenders’ Guild in the IBA World Cocktail Championship in 2023.

Additional Elements:
We are excited to announce the first ever documentary on “The Rise, Fall & Resurgence of Flair Bartending” will be filming this year and the Bartenders’ Shakedown is going to play a key role in the film as we are going to follow three different bartenders preparing for this competition and the end of the film will show the outcome and story that unfolds at the Bartenders’ Shakedown 2022!

Come join the fun and be part of this historic film!

GET YOUR VIP TICKETS NOW TO THE CLOSE UP SEATING CLOSE TO THE STAGE & CLOSE TO THE CAMERAS USING THE LINK BELOW!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bartenders-shakedown-2022-tickets-409561689037

Competitors

Emcee
Jordan Mednick

Cocktail Network Live Anchorman
Dean Serneels

Photography
JR Hutter

Videography
VM Cesarphotography

Itinerary

Itinerary Sunday September 18^th, 2022:

• 8pm: Competitor Meet & Greet and Official Competitor Meeting with Sponsor Education
  Copper Blues
  550 S Rosemary Ave
  Unit 250
  West Palm Beach, Fl 33401

Itinerary Monday September 19^th, 2022:

• Noon: Judges Meeting &  IBA Techniques Seminar at The Improv West Palm Beach, Fl
• 1pm-8pm: Qualifying Rounds & Competitor Interviews
• 9pm: Dinner
• Midnight: After Party

Itinerary Tuesday September 20^th, 2022:

• 4pm: Competitors arrive at The Improv West Palm Beach, Fl
• 5pm-Midnight: Final Rounds
• Midnight: After party at

Itinerary Wednesday September  21^st, 2022:

• 2pm: Sponsored cocktails
• 3pm: Flair Yard Day

Itinerary Thursday September  22^nd, 2022:

• 8pm: The Throw Down in O-Town
  Separate Flair competition in Orlando organized by CJ Hamm to have more fun and win more money!
  https://www.facebook.com/events/s/the-throw-down-in-o-town/608138967390212/

Registration $100:
Please email events@barwars.info with either Pro, Advanced or Amateur division along with first name, last name, T-Shirt size and phone number. after you make online payment.

Registration is non-refundable and on a first come, first serve basis.

Pro Division

$100

https://account.venmo.com/u/BartendBetterNow 

Advanced Division

$100

https://account.venmo.com/u/BartendBetterNow

Amateur Division

$100

https://account.venmo.com/u/BartendBetterNow

Flairco Freestyle (Minimum 8 competitors)

$50

Please email events@barwars.info with Flairco Freestyle, first name, last name, T-Shirt size and phone number. after you make online payment.

https://account.venmo.com/u/BartendBetterNow

Any questions can be emailed to contact@barwars.info and the question and answer will be posted below and is the competitors job to check this page daily to stay updated…

COMPETITOR QUESTIONS POSTED BELOW

Q: “Is there no prize for mixology? Just points for qualifiers?
A: Correct. This most likely will change along with additional prizes depending on additional sponsorship.

Q: “The blind working flair round has set cocktails, but then it says we can use homemade ingredients if the recipe is provided and competitors choice bottles using juice or egg whites. But the set recipes don’t require either of those at least for qualifiers. In finals we have to make a specialty brandy cocktail so I can see how that applies. So, competitors choice and brandy cocktails are just for finals? 

Q: “Hi so I still haven’t seen any sponsors for vodka or gin yet. Also, we won’t be able to use any competitors choice bottles in the qualifying rounds? And how many people will qualify? Or should everyone prepare a finals round? Because that will significantly change how we practice. And is the IBA technique only for the mixology round? Which is separate from the blind working flair round? And is the free pour bottle able to be flaired? If so, then will it also be set to half full? And there’s basically no exhibition flair for the qualifying rounds? Will the vermouth be set half full”?
A: -nue vodka & Calamity Gin are now the official vodka & gin sponsors.
-Correct, no competitor choice bottles for Blind Working Flair Qualifying round.
-The number of finalists will be announced at the Meet & Greet. Depends on number of competitors, time allotted, etc… If I was competing I would prepare for a Finals round.
-IBA Technique is only directly judged in Qualifying Mixology round. If you decide to use aspects of it to enhance your overall Bartending Technique for the finals is up to you.
-The Free Pour Bottle for the Blind Accuracy Round will be Patron bottles half filled with water. The Free Pour Bottle for the Blind Working Flair Rounds will be a different bottle pictured below and YES it is required to do some sort of Flair for your “Measured Flair Pour” during the Blind Working Flair Rounds.

-Correct. No Exhibition Flair for Qualifying Flair Round as all of the bottles will be set half full.
-Yes, the Vermouth will be set half full.

Q: “Hi, Rob! I have few questions about competition.

A: -Points & Deductions are stated in the rules. For the Mixology Round “IBA Bartending Technique” will be judged as a whole for a possible of 50 points.
-Correct. For this competition “Presentation for Mixology Round is all about the cocktail”.
-Only in the Finals, the last minute there are no deductions for SPILLS, DROPS OR BREAKS. You can still however accumulate other deductions. If you decide to Flair after your cocktails are made just for the sake of Flairing without working towards the overall drink making process, you might gain points in “Showmanship” but you would lose points in “Bartending Technique” as now you are no longer BARTENDING. If anything, I’d suggest pouring a quick float to your four Presidente Brandy & Reàl Infused Exotics Specialty Drink at the end with the bottles you would be flairing with but make sure you include that in your recipe you submit ahead o time.

Q: “Thank you for the answer, but you still didn’t answer about mixology points.
I put there IBA technical form. Is this you gonna use as example for a judging?
If this round absolutely the same as IBA mixology round on the final WCC?
Also what about simple craft flair tricks in this round…Is it bad or good for total points”?

A: Yes, it was answered above… “Points & Deductions are stated in the rules. For the Mixology Round “IBA Bartending Technique” will be judged as a whole for a possible of 50 points.” and this is from the rules…
“IBA Bartending Technique (50 points)
Technique-The bartender will be judged on their overall IBA technique and
bartending skills during the cocktail building experience. Are you a master of your
tools behind the bar or do show you are still learning proper clean efficient
techniques?”

You are overthinking it. This is not a direct IBA competition but rather a a stepping stone to competing in one. 

You will not gain individual points for doing x amount of things and not deducted for doing x amount of things as on a typical IBA scoresheet, you’ll be judged OVERALL ON HOW WELL YOU INCORPORATE IBA techniques into your Mixology round as a whole demonstrated from the videos posted above that answered the question “Q: “What does it means iba technique”?“

So, No it not scored the same as IBA mixology round on the final WCC.

To answer your question on incorporating simple craft flair into your Mixology round… It is not required but… in my opinion, if you are clean and efficient as well, that would help show the bartender as a “master of your tools behind the bar”. I wouldn’t suggest doing a full on Flair routine but If I was competing, I might incorporate quick, clean simple craft flair tricks combined with proper IBA techniques outlined in the video above to help score better in that category. But that’s me as a competitor. You may have a different strategy competing.

U: The Rules have been updated to reflect additional bottles avaialable for the Mixology Round. 9/3/22 version

Q: “1. May we use any expression of Patron for the mixology round? (Roca, Extra Añejo, Shery cask, etc) 

A: 1. YES as long as you supply it. We will only be providing the spirits listed under “we will be providing” on the Mixology Round section of the rules.

2. When it is finalized it will be announced. It will more then likely be Flair friendly.

3. No, you may not add additional bottles that are already on the bar layout. Those empty spots along with space on the back bar are for your Presidente Brandy & Real Exotics Specialty Drink extra bottles and ingredients.

Q: “For the mixology round a big portion of the competition scoring is IBA TECHNIQUE. Will there be judges with experience in scoring IBA mixology techniques. Because that is scored different than IBA Flair/Mixology rounds.

Who will be judging the technical portion of the mixology round?

For the flair round it does not mention IBA technique for mixology but has the same description for how it will be judged.”?
A: Correct. How IBA Techniques are being judged is answered on the website already under the competitor question & answers. 

Correct, not in Flair, definitions are different. 

Judges will be announced at competitor Meet & Greet and still finalizing last one and the competitors are invited to join the judges meeting to see more in depth on how the judging is executed as outlined in the rules.

Q: “But the classic IBA score sheets is what is used in mixology heat correct”?

A: No. The IBA World Finals scoring which the 1st place winner of the Pro Division will be competing for Flair in the IBA World Cocktail Championship  and 2nd Place winner of the Pro Division at the IBA Pan American Games is scored differently then how the Bartenders’ Shakedown is scored.

As stated in the Bartenders’ Shakedown rules and more in depth in the competitor question and answer above… the Bartenders’ Shakedown WILL NOT be scored exactly like the IBA score sheets but scored in one category overall  as how well the bartender incorporates elements of these into their Mixology round. 

Since this is an IBA Qualifier it’s been suggested that we start to introduce elements of IBA Techniques into the competition to better prepare our competitors for what they will be walking into. 

This is why for our competition, it is a very watered down version to start to introduce this to the general Flair community who may have not any exposure to it yet.

Q: “Can I use the same commercial I used last time?
A: YES. You can use the same 30 second Plantation Rum & Finest Call commercial from the Cocktail Art Challenge for this Bartenders’ Shakedown. Just email us so we know that is your intention.

Q: “Hi! i’m curious about something for the mixology round qualifier day. I’ve never done anything like that. Am I speaking while making my cocktail? Will there be music on? Can I use my own track for that one as well?
A: It is up to how you want to compete? If you want to speak and explain your process while making the cocktail for the judges is the norm but if you want your own track to be played during your mixology round, that can happen as well.

Q: “Can I throw fake money into the crowd during one of my songs?
A: Yes. Thank You for asking.

Q: “Can we use fee foam instead of aqua faba in competitor choice bottles?

A: Great questions as we said you can use homemade ingredients as long as you submit the procedure and recipe while submitting your cocktail recipe but didn’t clearly state what to put them in. We will be supplying large mouth 1 liter carafes (similar to bottle service carafes) for your homemade ingredients unless you would like to put them in something similar that is approved other then “Competitor Choice” bottles.

“Competitor Choice” bottles are only for “Juice, Egg Whites & Aqua Faba”. While Fee Foam is something similar you will not be allowed to use it in a “Competitor Choice” bottle as it’s original store bought package is designed to be use behind the bar unlike eggs, majority of juice containers or a can of garbanzo beans. So you could use it in its original store bought package or add to it and make a homemade ingredient and utilize a large mouth 1 liter carafe.

If the liquid tea is store bought, then utilize it’s original package. If your adding water to dry tea and “making a homemade ingredient” then a large mouth 1 liter carafe.

For this competition, YOU CAN prep your specialty garnishes including herbs how you like even on your glassware already to start if you like for your specialty cocktail in the Mixology round and Finals Flair.

Yes, you can prep the proper amount of garnishes how you want and your homemade ingredients liquid in your large mouth 1 liter carafes as well if you like (I would to save time).

U: UPDATE: 9/16/22
A: The Dry Vermouth will be Gallo Extra Dry Vermouth 750ml bottles.

Good luck to all of the competitors!

All rules are subject to change without notice: Copyright BarWars LLC