Who doesn’t love a cocktail competition?
All the knowledge, thought and preparation that goes into the entries have the ability to really offer something for everyone.
For bartenders they provide the chance to compete against the best in their region, country or even the world.
But more importantly, for home bartenders, they afford the chance to grab a recipe or two that is not only competition quality but also unique, as none of your friends will probably have it yet.
And this year’s The Perfect Blend competition didn’t disappoint.
With nearly 450 entries, the winners had a strong field of competition, which resulted for the rest of us, in two amazing recipes that are just itching to be mixed in your shaker at home.
Bringing Sustainability To The Bar
With the theme of sustainability, the field was whittled down 79 state finalist from across Australia and New Zealand.
The national final, held in Byron Bay in May, have us two winners: Kurtis Bosley (from Public House Management Group in NSW) in the Professional category, and Tim Pope (from New Gold Mountain in Melbourne) in the Apprentice category.
“The sustainability thing is so prevalent in the industry at the moment, and it’s a big part of what we’re doing in the bar day to day,” said Professional category winner Kurtis Bosley. “It’s being more mindful and more conscious of that stuff, and the competition brought out that thoughtfulness behind the bar, which was really good to see.”
Apprentice category winner Tim Pope agrees with Bosley. “Sustainability is super important. The actual attitude change from bartenders has been incredible — so many bars I know of are ditching all their plastic straws. It’s only once you become aware of it do you realise how much actual waste is put out.”
So check out the winning recipes below and start mixing them up yourself.
Shingetsu – recipe by Tim Pope
Ingredients
50 ml Chita Whisky
7.5 ml Bowmore 12 YO
10 ml Lemongrass and Ginger Syrup
10 ml With Friends Sweet Vermouth
7.5 ml Dry Vermouth
7.5 ml Lemon Juice
2 drops homemade Orange Bitters
3 drops homemade Cardamom Bitters
Instructions
Stir down all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass.
Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass, and garnish with orange and ginger praline.
Ushirokara – recipe by Kurtis Bosley
Ingredients
45 ml Chita Whisky
30 ml Tonka Bean & Lemon Rind Riesling
12.5 ml Fermented Lemon Curd
5 ml Vanilla Syrup
Bubbles
Instructions
Add all ingredients and water into a PET bottle, charge to 40 PSI, put in fridge to chill.
Garnish with a hollowed out vanilla straw, lemon curd paint frozen on a steeples champagne flute.
