Flair Bartending Competition Rules

The Flair Bartending Contest will test a Bartender’s skills in showmanship, cocktail creation, bartending skills, cleanliness & much more.

Bartenders can rearrange the bottles in the speed well & glassware any way they want as long as the glassware starts/finishes on bartop and bottles start/finishes below the bartop.

Overall Rules:
• The only Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whiskey & Brandy allowed in the competition are the Sponsors brands.

• The only syrups allowed in the competition are Reàl Syrups.

• No competing mixers of Finest Call allowed in the competition.

• The competitors will each have six minutes on stage to impress the judges with their original cocktail and Spanish Long Island Iced Tea that can be made in any order.

Cocktail #1: Spanish Long Island Iced Tea with Working Flair
(You are making 1 of these)
• 1/2oz Yacht Life Vodka (half full)
• 1/2oz Conniption American Dry Gin (half full)
• 1/2oz Flor de Cana 12 Year Rum (half full)
• 1/2oz Slane Whiskey (half full)
• Splash of Fundador Brandy (half full)
• 2oz Finest Call Single Pressed Lemon (set to any amount over 2oz)
• Shake with ice
• Top with Cola
• Glass: Tall: Barconic 14oz Alpine Tall / Beverage Glass – Case of 12 SKU GW-15244-C
• Garnish: Lemon wedge
• Tall Straw

Cocktail #2 Specialty Cocktail
(You are making 4 of these)
At least 2 Spirit Sponsors (totaling a minimum of 1 1/2oz)
Reàl Syrups (any expression & amount)
Ingredients: Competitors Choice
Glassware & Garnish: Competitor Provided

• On stage there will be a back bar with various expressions of Vodka, Gin, Rum, Tequila, & Brandy set half full, Accuracy bottle of water set half full along with an additional set in your speed rail, Finest Call Single Pressed set at any amount and Reàl Syrups the competitor can utilize in their original Spanish Long Island Iced Tea & Specialty Cocktail.

• Competitors may utilize any additional store bought ingredients, non-competing spirits or mixers, glassware, ice, garnishes, etc… in their Specialty Cocktail they wish as long as they supply it themselves, it is in their recipes and it adheres to the rules.

• Additional sponsored spirit bottles for your Specialty Cocktail in your recipe can be supplied by the competitor and must be in its original bottle and packaging and can be set to any level. For example: You could have 1 Working Flair bottle of Fundador Brandy we supply on stage for your Spanish Long Island Iced Tea and you can provide additional bottles of Fundador Brandy set to any amount for your Specialty Cocktail for Exhibition Flair that the competitor supplies.

• Non-competing spirits in your recipe will be supplied by the competitor and must be in its original bottle and packaging and can be set to any level.

• No other Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whiskey, Brandy, syrup or competitive mixer will be allowed.

• Non-Alcoholic Homemade ingredients ARE ALLOWED.

• Competitors may utilize any non-alcoholic homemade ingredients, juices, egg whites and aqua faba in Competitor Choice bottles. Competitor choice bottles are clear unlabeled bottles for ingredients listed above and only if it’s in your recipe for your specialty cocktail. No electrical tape, not tinted glass, no stickers, no distinguishing marks or elements, … “clear unlabeled bottles” only.

• Competitor choice bottles and other additional spirits bottles the competitor supplies in your recipes other than Working Flair Spirit Sponsors bottles may be set to any level.

• There is no limit on ingredients or garnish.

• Competitors must clear their station within two (2) minutes after their routine.

• The bar will be cleaned and reset after each contestant. The bartender will have five (5) minutes to arrange their tins, specialty bottles, specialty store-n-pours, and props in their station. You may use the back bar for more room.

• Competitors that have a high degree of difficulty or Guest involvement in their routines must discuss their routine and be pre-approved by Rob Husted prior to the start of your round.

• Any drinks, props, assistance or equipment that is not already at the bar other then standard bar equipment must be pre-approved by Rob Husted.

• If the competitor would like music for their routine they must submit their clearly labeled USB thumb drive to the DJ during the preliminary meeting. PLEASE, NO MUSIC FROM CELL PHONES.

• No fire other than a small torch for garnishes will be permitted on stage.

• The only Spirit Sponsor bottles allowed on stage are the half full ones on the bar schematic. You may pre-ice your glassware on the bartop.

• Competitors can not rearrange items on the bar schematic prior to the start of their round but can only add to the front bar and back bar.

• The Free Pour is optional and will be drawn right before your round as the emcee is introducing you. The random pour will be one pour of either 1 12oz, 2oz or 1/2oz. If you decide to do the free pour you will either get a 10 point bonus for hitting accuractly, if you miss it it will be a 10 point deduction or if you decide not to do the optional free pour… nothing happens.

• Each competitor is responsible for producing a 30 second commercial submitted by October 4th showcasing a Spirit Sponsor and Finest Call.

• Each competitor is responsible for emailing Dean Serneels the info for their Cocktail Network Live competitor slide consisting of Full Name, Head Shot, Personal Brand, Work Sponsor, Pro Sponsor (optional logo), Years Bartending and Years Flairing by October 4th.

• Dean Serneels email address is: deanserneels@me.com

• Competitors must supply all other ingredients for their Specialty cocktails including glassware other than standard ice, Working Flair bottles of Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whiskey, Brandy, Cola, Lemon wedges, Finest Call Single Pressed Lime & Lemon and Reàl syrups.

Scoring:
The contest shall be based on a point system, with a total of two hundred sixty (260) points available to each competitor. Points may be accumulated during one round of competition with a ]ixed maximum number of points per round: 125 points
for Flair and 125 points for Mixology and possible 10 point bonus for the Free Pour.

Flair Points:
Showmanship: 50 points.
Smoothness: 25 points.
Originality: 25 points.
Difficulty: 25 points.

Mixology Points:
Bartending Technique: 50 points.
Presentation: 25 points.
Taste & Aroma: 25 points.
Originality: 25 points.
Free Pour Wild Card Points: (Optional) 10 Bonus points if you are accurate. 10 Point deduction if you are not accurate.
Must be poured during your round and you will pull randomly 1 1/2oz, 2oz or 1/2oz pour right before your round starts.

Deductions:
Spills: 1 point
Drops: 1 point
Wrong/Missing Ingredient: 5 points
Breaks: 10 points
Missing the Free Pour: 10 points
Not attempting a Finest Call Stall: 50 points
Not submitting a 30 sec Spirit Sponsor & Finest Call commercial: Disqualification
Not submitting your competitor slide info: Disqualification
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Disqualification

Flair Category Definitions:

Showmanship (50 points)
Showmanship: The bartender will receive points for how engaging and entertaining they are with the crowd and judges. Does your personality shine on stage and are you captivating or are you stone faced with little emotion?

Smoothness (25 points)
Smoothness: The bartender will receive points for showing total control of their tools and tricks. Their angles being tight rather than sloppy. Regardless of the difficulty level, do you “Nail” the moves or do you fumble through it?

Originality (25 points)
Originality: The bartender will receive points for an original move that is new or hasn’t really been seen yet. Let your own style shine through.

Difficulty (25 points)
Difficulty: The bartender will receive points for making drinks with some style of Flair. The more degree of difficulty the more points will be awarded.

Mixology Category Definitions:
Bartending Technique (50 points)
Technique- The bartender will be judged on their overall bartending 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?

Presentation (25 points)
Presentation- The judges will be looking at the overall appearance of the cocktail, is it appealing to the eye? Does it stand out from other cocktails? Does the overall appearance make sense?

Taste & Aroma (25 points)
Taste- The judges will be looking for the overall taste of the cocktail. Does the cocktail distinguish itself from other cocktails and is the taste appealing to the palate? Is the taste experience pleasurable and entice the senses as it is enjoyed by the tongue? Is the cocktail well balanced?

Aroma- The judges will be looking for the overall aroma of the cocktail. Is the odor appealing and help stimulate it’s consumption or is the odor unappealing and lack characteristics that don’t make sense with the recipe?

Originality (25 points)
Originality- How original is the Specialty Cocktail? Is it a replica of their cocktail on their menu already, a variation on one or something completely original and out of the box?

If you would like specialty garnishes, ice or salts to delivered to the event, Please reach out to one of our event sponsors at

https://pocamadregarnish.com/

Good Luck!

All rules are subject to change without notice and it is the competitor’s responsibility to check this page daily for updates as well as attend the Competitor Meet & Greet on Sunday October 9th at 9pm for any updates.

All competition questions will be answered from REGISTERED COMPETITORS by emailing “contact@barwars.info” with the subject “BSD Question” and then the answer will be posted at the bottom on the Bartenders’ Shakedown Main Page.

Bartenders’ Shakedown Main – Accuracy Competition Rules – Speed Competition Rules -
Cocktail Competition Rules – Flair Bartending Competition Rules – Event Partners -
Mixology Matters Cocktail Conference Main – Registration/Tickets - Judges & Staff - Live Broadcast

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