Hot News – May 2014

Updated: May 1, 2014

BARTENDERS BASH SERIES 2014

Welcome to the Bartenders Bash Series 2014! This event is spread out among multiple events where the bartenders accumulate points in different competitions until we have an overall winner. You can compete, consume, cheer on or just party your ass off with some of the top bartenders in the industry… THESE EVENTS ARE OPEN TO ANYBODY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY and you don’t need to compete in the competitions to partake in the debauchery that is “ Bartender’s Bash”. It’s more of an insane couple of days of parting with different competitions around the party. Lol

Not only will you have an unforgettable time but you will learn a bit as well. You will be exposed to some of the newest brands to hit the market as well as some old favorites. Learn new recipes and techniques that you can take back to your bar or your favorite bartender. Whether you enjoy making or consuming cocktails… this event is for you. This is one of the longest running hospitality expos to date as well as it is held in paradise and if you can hang like a true bartender… ONE HELL OF A PARTY AS WELL!

Can you hang…?

This multi venue event starts down at June 2nd – 3rd 2014 at Bahia Cabana in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Then we move to Newport Beachside Resort July 27th 2014 in Miami, Florida. This multi-venue multi-date event is entirely based on “Blind Freestyle Exhibition Flair & Mixology” and competitors will accumulate points from both events in Flair and Mixology to determine the overall Bartenders Bash Series winner.

To get more info you can CLICK HERE!

IBA & USBG WORLD COCKTAIL CHAMPIONSHIP USA 2014

That’s right… It’s back! The IBA USBG World Cocktail Championship 2014 will be back bigger and better for 2014. The USA qualifier to see who will represent the United States Bartenders’ Guild in Cape Town, South Africa September 29 – October 4, 2014 will be in South Florida July 28 – 29, 2014. This invitation only competition will be limited to 10 Flair bartenders with the top overall winner being sent to Cape Town, South Africa to represent the United States Bartenders’ Guild in the World Cocktail Championship and second place overall will be sent to the Pan-Am Games to represent the United States Bartenders’ Guild. To register to be invited to compete in the USA qualifier…

-You must be an active USBG member.
-A written essay of 500 words or less stating why you should be giving the opportunity to compete.
-A link to a 4 minute video uploaded to YouTube showcasing your Flair bartending skills.
-An original recipe submitted by you to showcase your creative mixology skills.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS JUNE 1st, 2014.

To register you can CLICK HERE!

FINEST CALL STEPS IT UP WITH CRAFT FRUIT PUREE SYRUPS

That’s right… Finest Call, long time supporters of bartenders worldwide steps it up yet again and gives us the bartenders… more colors to paint our cocktail masterpieces with. Introducing their new “Reál” line to accompany the enormously popular “Coco Reál” starting with…

MANGO REÁL
RASPBERRY REÁL
BLUEBERRY REÁL
PEACH REÁL
AGAVE REÁL
STRAWBERRY REÁL
GINGER REÁL
PUMPKIN REÁL

Theses things of beauty are simply delicious and made with fruit and cane sugar. These bartender friendly fruit infused purees will compliment any bar or venues cocktail list. One of my favorites so far is the

Pumpkin Reál Old Fashioned
-2oz Angel’s Envy Whiskey
-1oz Pumpkin Reál
-2-3 dashes of bitters

Garnish with a Filthy Cherry.

I couldn’t put the cocktail down, it was that good. The Ginger Reál is ridiculously good and the applications of it are making me salivate. Easy homemade Ginger Beer anyone?

The new Reál line comes out this month and do yourself and your guests a favor… ORDER IT and Thank me later.

To learn more you can CLICK HERE!

Broker’s Bowler Cup
Press Release

Want to win a trip to Tales of the Cocktail? The Tasting Panel Magazine is hosting the Broker’s Bowler Cup, a national mixology competition sponsored by Broker’s Gin. Submit your application on the entry tab to become the Broker’s Bowler Cup champion mixologist. Four winners will be selected and their cocktails will be served in the Broker’s Gin Tasting Room at Tales of the Cocktail. Mixologist entry period: April 1, 2013 – May 20, 2013

Consumer voting period: May 22, 2013 – June 12, 2013

***The contest is open to mixologists who reside in the United States and are of legal drinking age (21 years old+). By participating in this contest, you agree to the Official Rules.

To enter you can Click Here!

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL 2014 OFFICIAL COCKTAIL COMPETITION
PRESS RELEASE

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL® 2014 OFFICIAL COCKTAIL COMPETITION: TAMING THE HURRICANE

For the 2014 Cocktail Competition, Tales of the Cocktail is getting back to its New Orleans roots by celebrating one of the city’s most renowned cocktails: The Hurricane. A legend of the French Quarter since the 1940s, the Hurricane has become a staple in bars around the world. Now we’re challenging bartenders to pay homage to this classic cocktail with their own creations.

The Hurricane hails from Pat O’Brien’s on Bourbon Street. Whiskey was in short supply after WWII, while liquor distributors were overstocked in rum; their solution was to force bars to buy a case of rum with every Scotch purchase. Legend has it that Pat O’Brien’s head bartender, Louis Culligan, came up with the Hurricane as a way to get rid of all that rum. Culligan revealed his recipe to “Cabaret” magazine in 1956: 4 ounces of gold rum, the juice of 2 lemons, and 2 ounces of “Fassionola,” a brand of bottled red passion fruit mix.

How you reinterpret this drink for 2014 is up to you, but in order not to stray too far from the original concept, your recipe must follow these three rules:

Your base spirits must include (but are not limited to) at least one rum.
Your sweetening agents must include (but are not limited to) passion fruit.
It doesn’t matter how you get there, but the color of your drink should be red — or at least reddish, which is one of the hallmarks of the Hurricane. So is the Hurricane’s signature curvaceous tall glass; bonus points for crafting a drink that looks good in one.

Judges

Jeff Berry
Ian Burrell
Wayne Curtis

Participating Products

Angostura Bitters
Angostura Rum
Appleton Estate Rum
BACARDI Superior Rum
BACARDI Gold Rum
BACARDI 8
Bayou Rum
Blue Chair Bay Rum
Boiron Freres
Cana Brava Rum
Diplomatico Rum
Don Q Rum
El Dorado Rum
Employees Only Grenadine
Fee Brothers Bitters and Syrups
Giffard Liqueurs & Syrups
Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
Gubba Rum
Leblon Cachaca
Papa’s Pilar Rum
Perfect Puree
Plantation Rum
Pusser’s Rum
Pyrat Rum
Rhum Clement
Rhum J.M
Rougaroux Rum
Sailor Jerry Rum
Sorel
Sugar Island Spiced and Coconut Rums
Wild Hibiscus & Hibiscus Rose Extracts

Rules for the Tales of the Cocktail® Official Cocktail Competition:

Competition is open to any bartender currently working in the bar, restaurant or spirits industry.
Each participant shall use the official entry form online at TalesoftheCocktail.com
All recipes shall be original creations.
Recipes shall be expressed in ounces, drops, or dashes and scaled for a single serving.
Your cocktail must utilize at least one of the participating products.
Recipe must include a detailed description of the garnish.
All ingredients utilized should be expected to be available to most bars or easily acquired/made.
All ingredients should be available year-round, so nothing seasonal. And all ingredients should be obtainable — or should be able to be made from scratch — without undue difficulty or expense anywhere within the continental US.
Cocktails made with inappropriate ingredients will be disqualified with determination of what constitutes an inappropriate ingredient up to the discretion of the staff of Tales of the Cocktail® and the judging committee.
Cocktails will be judged on Originality, Use of product, Taste, and Presentation.
You do not need to be present to compete or win.

The winning recipes will the following:

The first place recipe will be named the “Official Cocktail” of Tales of the Cocktail® 2014
- The Official Cocktail will be in the Toast to Tales of the Cocktail® Press Conference and in the official program.
The first place recipe will be featured with photography in the Mutineer Magazine and Mutineer online publication
The top three winning recipes will be featured in on TalesoftheCocktail.com and featured in the Tales of the Cocktail® newsletter which reaches over 20,000 readers.

Timeline for the Tales of the Cocktail® Official Cocktail Competition 2014:

Friday, April 24, 2014: Deadline to submit recipes

Thursday, May 1, 2014: Winner and top three announced

To enter you can CLICK HERE!

ROBERT DE NIRO SPEAKS OUT ON VDKA 1600
Press Release

Robert De Niro has said he agreed to promote new luxury vodka brand VDKA 6100 as there is “something special” about the product.

The 70 year-old actor is being credited as “co-creator” of the brand, which was launched in the US in February. The 40% abv vodka is made from whey and New Zealand spring water.

In a video interview with the Wall Street Journal, De Niro said he was approached two years ago about the idea. He said that Margaret Jackson, chairman of Artisan Spirit Merchants (ASM), the Australian firm behind the product, came to his house with some samples. “I tasted it (VDKA 6100) and it was good,” he said.

The Taxi Driver and Raging Bull star, who also has stakes in luxury restaurant group Nobu and hotels, admitted he had shied away from high-profile tie-ups in the past. “It has to have something special about it,” he said. “If I become part of something, I want to be a participant.”

Financial details of the tie-up have not been revealed. However, reports in the Australian media late last year claimed De Niro will be paid around AUD1m a year to promote the brand as part of a five-year deal with ASM.

Australian casino mogul James Packer is among those financially backing the brand.

VDKA 6100 has been initally launched in in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with distribution by Opici Family Distributing Co. The brand comes in two sizes, 750ml, retailing for US$34.99, and a 1-litre bottle for US$44.99.

VDKA 6100 is also due to be launched globally, ASM said.

You can follow VDKA 1600 on Twitter and CLICK HERE!

THE ROADHOUSE UK FLAIR COMPETITION

Roadhouse is an American themed bar & diner in the heart of London’s Covent Garden. Known throughout the world for its phenomenal bartenders and elite bar team, Roadhouse is also reputable for its recruitment process where only the ‘best of the best’ bartenders are selected to grace their presence & skill – making their own contribution to the success of the world famous Roadhouse.
That was then……..the year of 1999. Roadhouse identified the interest on Flair through the bartenders’ skills fast becoming a competitive game on shift, that we recognised the potential of bar teams all over London & beyond that we hosted an in-house Flair competition against another fellow Flair bar team, TGI Fridays. The night was so successful Roadhouse decided to develop the idea and open it up to the public…..this was the night where it all started.

Over the years the competition has been tweaked and molded to move with the times. People change, and so does the face of Flair. Roadhouse remains the leader in this field with the innovation of multi objects and strategic judging criteria. Still working on a ranking system and part of a league, Roadhouse utilises every month to make sure that the grand final holds host to the biggest names of flair in the world.
A special recognition must go out to Brett Seychelle who identified and pursued the interest in Flair to develop the Roadhouse Flair Competition. In addition to all who have participated, competed or contributed to Roadhouse Flair, we also thank previous organisers Troy, Andy Collinson, Lord Tugworth and Jay Du Toit for their involvement and promotion of the Roadhouse Flair competition, for whose efforts have made this competition the biggest in the world!!

FLAIR CALENDAR

February

Tom Dyer’s winning round from Roadhouse in February.

March

Luca Valentin’s winning round from Roadhouse in March.

30th Roadhouse World Challenge

Open to all international competitors. 2 places will be available for the Grand final in November.

(UK entrants will have their scores separated from international competitors and will be measured against their UK peers for the UK final in August. 3 spaces will be available for the UK Final)

April

Chicks with Flicks Video collage

13th Chicks with Flicks

Roadhouse will be holding the third ALL FEMALE flair competition in 13 years. Its a chance for all the great female flairers out there to show off their moves, and compete against an all girl line up. First place will win a whopping £1000, and a place in the Grand Final in November. Its a day not to be missed!!

27th Roadhouse World Challenge

Open to all international competitors. 2 places will be available for the Grand final in November.

(UK entrants will have their scores separated from international competitors and will be measured against their UK peers for the UK final in August. 3 spaces will be available for the UK Final)

May

18th Roadhouse World Challenge

Open to all international competitors. 2 places will be available for the Grand final in November.

(UK entrants will have their scores separated from international competitors and will be measured against their UK peers for the UK final in August. 3 spaces will be available for the UK Final)

June

29th Roadhouse World Challenge

Open to all International competitors. 2 places will be available for the Grand Final in November.

July

27th Roadhouse World Challenge

Open to all international competitors. 2 places will be available for the Grand final in November.

August

31st Roadhouse UK Final – UK Only

Every year, the UK’s finest dominate the Roadhouse stage to earn their UK ranking order. Battling it out live on the stage, we witness 25 of Britains Finest Bartenders going head to head, to see who will be crowned the UK champion.

September

14th – Chicks with Flicks

Roadhouse will be holding the fourth ALL FEMALE flair competition in 13 years. Its a chance for all the great female flairers out there to show off their moves, and compete against an all girl line up. First place will win a whopping £1000, and a place in the Grand Final in November. Its a day not to be missed!!

28th – Invite Only

October

26th October Roadhouse World Challenge and ZANTE REUNION

The Zante reunion has been a summer workers tradition thats working its way into its 8th year. After 6 solid months of drinking and working 7 days a week in the bar industry in the sunny island of Zante, all the workers meet up at Roadhouse for one last celebration to raise a glass to a great summer and to cheer on their favourite bartenders/conquests in true Zante style. This is a day NOT to be missed!

November

29th November Roadhouse World Challenge Grand Final

DAY 1
The first day of the Grand Final runs between 1pm-5pm, and will see all the World Final competitors completing a working flair drink, and getting their rankings for the next days exhibition flair.

30th November Roadhouse World Challenge Grand Final

DAY 2
The Grand Final will be in full swing, with the Best in the World competing for a whopping £10 000 1st prize!!!!!

For more info you can CLICK HERE!

DISARONNO MIXING STAR COMPETITION
Press Release

Disaronno Mixing Star Competition We think a great drink is a work of mixing art that requires a solid culture of mixology, a perfect knowledge of the ingredients, deep technical skills and a touch of creative genius. Disaronno rewards your creativity: create your original twist of the classic Disaronno Sour and win our amazing mixology training in Italy. Deadline is May 9, 2014.

The LAB is a new chapter of Disaronno Mixing Star dedicated to bartenders’ professional growth. The best cocktail for us is the one that mixes the highest tradition in liqueurs with the creativity and skills of a talented bartender. Often the spark comes from a Classic: just spin the cap of a Disaronno bottle and let it drive your inspiration.

Play Promo Video

LAB SECONDARY TITLE

Twist A Classic

We think a great drink is a work of mixing art that requires a solid culture of mixology, a perfect knowledge of the ingredients, deep technical skills and a touch of creative genius. Disaronno rewards your creativity: create your original twist of the classic Disaronno Sour and win our amazing mixology training in Italy.

Original Recipe

Of The Classic

Disaronno Sour

1.5 oz. Disaronno
0.3 oz. sugar syrup
½ lemon squeezed or 0.6 oz. fresh lemon juice
Cubed ice
Preparation: shake all ingredients with ice and strain in a chilled glass

For more info you can CLICK HERE!