BOLS AROUND THE WORLD 2014 COMPETITION

The world’s largest open bartending competition is now on.
Don’t predict the next trend, invent it.

This year taking risks will pay off.  We are looking for great bartenders with vision who will challenge the status quo and set the new rules of the game. The aim of this competition is to develop a drinks concept that will be the next big thing. This concept will be inspiring to other bartenders, easy to replicate, attractive for guests andinnovative. It can be a fresh twist on an existing trend, it can be a fusion of trends, or it can be a brand new idea. You will be creating a cocktail and then developing a drinks menu inspired by this cocktail. The bartenders with the highest scores will be allowed to present their cocktail / drinks concept in a 2min clip to convince the jury why this is the next big trend.

During the competition you will Develop your own ‘digital portfolio ’which is a personalized page containing the idea behind your cocktail, drinks menu and video. This is your chance to share your creativity with the world.

Don’t predict the next trend, invent it.

The aim of the competition is to develop a drinks concept that will be ‘the next big thing’. The concept must inspire other bartenders, be innovative — but easy to replicate — and of course, be attractive for guests. It can be a fresh twist on an existing trend, a fusion of trends, or a completely new idea.

You will be creating a cocktail and then developing a drinks menu inspired by this cocktail. The bartenders with the highest scores will be allowed to present their cocktail / drinks concept in a 2min clip to convince the jury why this is the next big trend. Remember, take a risk.

ABSOLUT AMBER
PRESS RELEASE

Absolut Amber

Absolut rested in oak barrels. Absolut takes on a deeper character with Absolut Amber, challenging the status quo; taking the essence of Absolut and adding a rich, complex character from gently roasted oak wood. It has specifically been created for those who are not afraid to break rules and are looking to engage their senses in a deeper encounter with Absolut.

USBG PRESENTS WORLD CLASS 2014

Hello fellow bartenders!

I’d like to invite you to take on a new challenge in 2014: USBG’s World Class program, sponsored by Diageo.

In this global winner-take-all competition, you’ll compete with bartenders from around the country to show off your speed & efficiency, outstanding service skills, and product knowledge. After the national final, the US winner of World Class will go head-to-head with bartenders from around the globe to determine who will be 2014′s World Class Bartender of the Year!

But World Class is much more than a competition. It’s a product knowledge academy; a training facility for adding cutting-edge speed to your accurate pours; and a path toward delivering top-notch service to every guest, every time.

Find out how to become a 2014 World Class bartender here.

I hope you’ll make the commitment to elevating our craft in 2014.

Thank you in advance and cheers!

Aaron Gregory Smith,
Executive Director, USBG

SUNTORY AGREES TO $16 BILLION DEAL TO AQUIRE BEAM INC.
PRESS RELEASE

Japan’s Suntory Holdings has agreed to acquire US-based spirits firm Beam Inc for US$16bn.

The deal, which will create the world’s third biggest premium spirits player, is expected to close by the second quarter of this year pending regulatory and Beam stockholder approval, the companies announced today (13 January). Beam’s management team will remain in place and the company stay headquartered in Chicago.

Matt Shattock, Beam’s president & CEO said: “Our combined global routes to market will expand our joint distribution footprint, and the powerful innovation capabilities both companies have developed will be a significant advantage.”

Beam owns the Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek Bourbon brands as well as Teacher’s and Laphroaig Scotch whiskies, Courvoisier Cognac and Sauza Tequila. Suntory’s spirits business includes Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Kakubin alongside Bowmore Scotch whisky and Midori liqueur.

Nobutada Saji, president & chairman of Suntory’s Board, said: “We are particularly excited about the prospect of working more closely with Beam’s excellent management and employees who will play an integral part in the growth of the business.”

The two companies already operate a partnership through which Suntory distributes Beam products in Japan and Beam distributes Suntory products in Singapore and other Asian markets.

Suntory today said it will pay for the transaction, which about equals 20 times Beam’s current annual EBITDA, with cash at hand and financing from its bank.

Suntory Holdings’ soft drinks unit last year completed its GBP1.35bn (US$2.1bn) purchase of GlaxoSmithKline brands Ribena and Lucozade using money raised in an IPO. The share launch was Japan’s biggest of 2013 and raised about US$4bn for Suntory Food & Beverage.

3RD ANNUANL SPEED RACK COMPETITION

3rd Annual Speed Rack Competition (Various Locations) There’s gonna be a whole lotta shaking going on, thanks to the return of Speed Rack, the national all-female speed-bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer. The third national tour kicks off this December in New York City, followed by stops in Miami; Austin, TX; Seattle; San Francisco; San Diego, CA; Chicago, and Kansas City, MO, before returning to New York for the National Finals in May 2014. To date, Speed Rack has raised more than $150,000 for breast cancer charities and elevated awareness around the bad-ass-ness of female bartenders in America. Equal parts spectator sport, cocktail bonanza and charity fundraiser, Speed Rack is the brainchild of two o the cocktail world’s leading ladies, Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, who launched the first tour in 2011. “Female bartenders are hardcore! They can make mean Negronis, Clover Clubs and Sazeracs – and they do it fast!,” says Marrero. “And we all stand united in the fight against breast cancer, so bringing these two worlds together makes perfect sense.” Contestants will compete in timed heats to make rounds of cocktails, culled from a list of 50 accepted industry-standard classic recipes, in front of a panel of judges and a crowd of excited viewers. Judges rate each drink based on prep time and accuracy. The judging panel includes such cocktail world luminaries as: Julie Reiner, Dale DeGroff and Audrey Saunders. Miss Speed Rack USA, crowned at the National Finals, wins an all-inclusive trip for two to France and a scholarship to the BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource) program.