Today saw 94 of Australia’s top barkeeps sit a gruelling written exam to vie for a place in the Top  20 of the Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition sponsored by RESERVE. Held at theloft on Sydney’s sunny King Street Wharf, this record breaking attendance for the first round of competition shows that it continues to be Australia’s most coveted bartending title.

Competition organiser, Simon McGoram - Bartender magazine’s drinks editor - says; “This year’s exam paper is one of the most challenging that bartenders have had to face to date. I’m totally awed by the level of knowledge displayed by the competitors who set a high standard of professionalism for the bar industry.”

Competitors had to explain the benefits of a ‘high cordon system’ in Armagnac production, display their classic cocktail knowledge by listing the ingredients for the Mary Pickford  and Last Word as well as demonstrate their practical experience by listing six different uses for a cocktail napkin.

“The amount of study put in by the bartenders was immediately evident today,” adds McGoram. “I mean how many people know the significance of the pineapple crest on the top of a bottle of Tanqueray gin? Apparently these guys do.”

The written test determined the Top 20 competitors who face another two days of challenges with a practical bartending round and taste test being held at Sydney BarShow’s Green Room tomorrow morning. If you’ve purchased your Sydney BarShow Seminar Pass you’ll be able to watch the Top Ten in action at 10:30am on Wednesday morning.

The Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition Top 20

(in no particular order)

• Tom Wood, Hugos Bar Pizza, Sydney
• Bill Bewsher, 399, Perth
• Luke Redington, Eau De Vie
• Sam Bygrave, Cohi Bar, Sydney
• James Connolly, Defectors, Perth
• Philip Gandevia, Eau De Vie, Sydney
• Tim Philips, Level 6, Sydney
• Chris Denman, Kerbside, Brisbane
• Ben Blair, Corner House, Sydney
• Nathan Beasley, Black Pearl/The Attic, Melbourne
• Lee Potter Cavanagh, Victoria Room, Sydney
• Kal Moore, Canvas Club, Brisbane
• Daniel Gregory, Eau De Vie, Sydney
• Gerald Faundez, Zuri, Brisbane
• Jessica Arnott, Victoria Room, Sydney
• Perryn Collier, Laneway, Brisbane
• Chris Hysted, Black Pearl/The Attic, Melbourne
• Adam Smith, Press Club, Brisbane
• Noriel Calub, Goldfish, Sydney
• Brendan Osmers, The Bowery, Brisbane

Australia’s leg of the global Angostura Cocktail Challenge is well under way thanks to a bumper turn out at the New South Wales state final on Monday night. Held at Sydney’s shrine to rum - La Bodeguita Del Medio - it was Rockpool Bar & Grill’s Neilsen Braid who proved he can stomach his bitters with the best of them by shrugging off the other competitors to take out the state title.

The finalists were asked to prepare two creative drinks, enhancing an Australian classic - the Angostura lemon, lime & bitters and the second based on enhancing the flavours found in Angostura Rum and Aromatic Bitters, within a six minute window.

The first off five state finals, Monday night’s victory brings Braid one step closer to winning a trip to Trinidad to take on the world.  Before Australia’s representative can be decided, however, victors from the state finals will meet in a final clash of cocktailian creativity set for October 24.

You can catch the action at the Victorian state final this coming Monday (August 29) at Melbourne’s Byblos Bar & Restaurant from 7pm.

The Deets:

Vic State Finalists:

Owen Westman (The Collection Bar)

Kyle Aitken (Byblos Bar & Restaurant)

Nathan Beasley (Black Pearl)

Brad Cooke (Chin Chin)

Merlin Jerebine (Melbourne Bars United)

Eddie Lai (Velvet Bar)

Jason Lindsay (Vue De Monde)

Shelby Richardson (Star Bar, Tasmaina)

Venue: Byblos Bar & Restaurant, World Trade Centre, Melbourne

Date: August 29, 2011

Time: 7pm until late

RSVP: to receive your complimentary cocktail and gift on arrival. Contact either Brit or Steven on bpage@island2island.com.au or scipriani@island2island.com.au

Angostura has announced that their Global Cocktail Challenge is set to become an annual event due to its increasing success on the Cocktail Competition circuit.

As in previous years the Australian winner will win a trip to The House of Angostura in Trinidad to compete in the Global Challenge - home to the famous Angostura aromatic bitters and Angostura Rum, as well as $2000 cash.

island2island Beverage Company, the Australian distributor will hold the State Finals throughout August and September with the National Final on 24^th October.

To be a part of the action registration opens 11 July, visit island2island.com.au to enter and for more details.  The first 50 valid entries will receive an Angostura Gift Pack valued at $70. Entries close 8 August 2011.

What does Tyawan, an Aboriginal witch doctor, a virgin Polynesian Princess called Loka Kemoa and Seamus Morgan, a former treacherous pirate of infamy, have in common? Easy. These three equally colourful characters were the finalists in the recent Appleton estate Tiki Mug competition that sought to bring out the wacky, encourage the bizarre and promote lunacy all in the name of creating immortality - and a damn cool tiki mug to boot.

With over 40 entries for this year’s competition there were some pretty serious contenders for the crown, however a winner stood clearly apart from the crowd. Pete Long, from Perth’s Hula Bula Bar (a place that could be described as the beating heart of Australian tiki), and his alternate personality Seamus Morgan took out the coveted prize.

“This competition has been a wonderful exercise to involve the bartending community in the creation of a product that they already know, love and use,” said Brown Forman’s Darren West.

Taking out the top spot includes a once in a lifetime trip to Jamaica to visit Appleton Estate, as well as the privilege of having his tiki mug produced and distributed on a national scale.

“This competition has been a wonderful exercise to involve the bartending community in the creation of a product that they already know, love and use.” Darren West, Brown Forman

“I am pretty awestruck by the thought that my mug will be sent to bars throughout Australia and enjoyed by countless amounts of rum lovers,” said Long after hearing of his win. “It’s great to be a part of it and I’m damn pleased I get to work with amazing designers to bring out the best mug yet!”

“The inspiration for my idea came from a board game I’ve been developing on and off for a few years. It’s using my own illustration and ideas. It’s pirate themed and involves a lot of cool junk like voodoo, cannibals, a volcano, rum, a giant squid, rum, more rum…”

“Seamus Morgan is the voodoo ghost pirate villain,” Long stated. “The character developed over a long time while creating my game, so it was amazing to have a competition like this one pop up where I had such a great submission ready to go - Seamus Morgan is a conglomerate of everything I love that is evil about pirates and ghosts.” Of his impending trip Long stated; “Visiting the Appleton Estate is also a really great opportunity for a bartender who works at a bar that serves 80 rums and I can’t wait to see it made first hand.”

With this year’s competition a huge success bartenders can expect to have more opportunities in the future to get involved says West; “The overwhelming response, as well as the calibre of entries, re-affirmed our decision to extend the design process to the industry and motivated Appleton Estate Rum to pursue this competition for future Tiki Mugs.”

Pete Long’s winning entry:

Seamus Morgan, a former treacherous pirate of infamy is now a ghost pirate, a disturbed soul. Morgan met his end when he was drawn and quartered, leaving his remains to be scattered over a remote tropical island. He haunts the island in this scattered state - practicing powerful voodoo over the forces of nature surrounding his home; volcanoes, tidal waves, and the deadly kraken that lurks beneath the waves. In Morgan’s quest for eternal rest, ships and standing crew are drawn to his shores, where they are condemned to risk the dangers of the island to return his bones to his grave.

Brown-Forman and Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack will be hosting a cocktail competition for the Canberra bartending community on the 1st August, 2011.

The Knightsbridge Penthouse will accommodate the local bartending fraternity and will see six finalists on the night battle it out for cash prizes through their own interpretations of the perfect Gentleman Jack serve.

For more information contact Stuart Reeves, NSW Brand Ambassador Brown Forman Stuart_Reeves@b-f.com

Last night saw the culmination of Reserve’s year long World Class program on Australian shores. And taking out top honours after three long days of fierce competition was Tim Philips from ivy’s Level 6 in Sydney. Runners-up in this epic bartending battle were Phil Gandevia of  Sydney’s Eau De Vie and and Marco Nunes from Brisbane’s Canvas.

The final event saw judges, finalists and the organisers be treated to cocktails and dinner at Sydney’s hottest new restaurant Gastro Park. With doors opened to World Class competitors and friends after the meal, Philip’s triumph was greeted by a throng of industry well-wishers.

Philips will now travel to Delhi in July to take on the national winners from participating countries at the Global World Class Final.

The Very Best: The Return of Australia’s Ultimate Bartending Challenge

By Simon McGoram

Photography by Dave McKelvey

It’s that time of year again where we ask bartenders who think they’re worthy of their spiced Bloody Mary salt to step up to the plate and put themselves forward for Australia’s ultimate bartending challenge: The Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition. For years this comp has been building a fierce reputation as a real challenge for the nation’s top barkeeps. In 2011, with the valued support of our new sponsors - Diageo’s Reserve, we’re in no doubt that we’ll find a winner worthy of this now hallowed title. Nominations are now open online so head to barshow.com.au to start your bid for bartending glory.

Every year, this competition grows to give more Aussie bartenders a crack at the title. Last years’ comp was no exception with more than 140 bartenders being asked to compete during Sydney BarShow Week in September. Last year’s Top 10 saw a great mix of competition veterans and new faces grace the Mixology stage at the show and, after his fifth crack at the comp and including three previous Top 10 placings, Jason Williams finally took out the number one spot.

“Wow! What a feeling and what a moment,” said Williams after winning his award. “The Love that I felt around the room was amazing - it really felt like I’d won Bartender of the Year with everyone.”

“The competition gets harder and harder,” continues Williams. “The passion and and dedication demonstrated by the professional bartenders is astounding. The girls and guys who put the study in, got creative with drink ideas and generally honed their craft are an inspiration - especially for someone like me who has done it five times now.”

Putting on a event of this standard requires a dedicated sponsor and it has been Bartender magazine’s absolute pleasure to announce that Reserve has come on board as our official sponsor for 2011. Reserve’s extensive portfolio of luxury brands means we can look forward to some cracking cocktails at the Mixology stage final and their dedicated team has also offered to host a series of work-shops and training sessions aimed at helping bartenders prepare for the competition. Anyone who wants to get involved in these trainings is more than welcome to attend.

Get your Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition bid underway today. Visit barshow.com.au to nominate yourself today!

How to Enter and Top Tips

• Nominate yourself. Visit barshow.com.au to vote. Like any competition you have to enter it to stand a chance at winning. And ask you bartending buddies vote for you while you’re at it.

• Get reading. While knowledge isn’t the be all and end of the bartending trade you have to score highly in the written test to show off your other skills.

• Be prepared. Don’t leave your study or your cocktails for the final round until the last minute. Everyone gets nervous. But you can save a lot of stress with just a little preparation.

• Get drinking (responsibly). Sharpen your palate by tasting everything in sight. You will need to know your Guatemalan from your Martinique, Islay from your Speyside and Chardonnay from your Semillon. There is always a tasting component of some description and it’s intended to be tough!

For more information please email: smcgoram@spatonmedia.com

The Prize
Our sponsors, Reserve, are upping the ante in 2011. Apart from national bragging rights the winner of this year’s Bartender of the Year Competition will gain automatic entry into the Australian national World Class final in 2012. In addition to this the lucky winner will also win a trip for two to a Reserve brand home of their choice, choosing from Jose Cuervo in Mexico, the Malts Advocates Course in Scotland, Zacapa in Guatemala or a Tanqueray No Ten visit in England combined with Ketel One tour in Holland.

The Top 20 showdown of the Annual Australian Angostura Global Cocktail Competition is to be held at Cargo Lounge 1-5pm Monday 8th November and anyone who can make it is invited down to watch.

Following this, the Top 5 will go head to head on ‘The Pontoon’, which will depart from King St Wharf at 6:45pm along with those who are lucky enough to have scored an invite! The winner will get the chance to fight it out in Trinidad, March 6 2011. Good luck boys and girls!

island2island Beverage Company recently launched their Annual Australian Angostura Global Cocktail Competition giving one lucky bartender a return trip to Trinidad with $2,000 bling to splash around wherever they please.

Angostura has everything you could possibly need to create an amazing cocktail - great rums, heritage bitters and if you take the top prize you will be able to mix in a healthy dash of Caribbean culture.

The Australian winner will not only get the chance to mix it up in the Global Finals, they will have opportunities to visit the Angostura distillery and spend time with the master blender. When the hard work is over, you can sit back and relax on the miles of uninterrupted beach and swim in pristine waters.

Stephen Cipriani from island2island said: “This is an amazing opportunity for an Australian bartender.”

Nearly 100 bartenders from around the country spent  two gruelling days of competition to find our top mixologist

The Top Three

WINNER - Jason Williams, The Galley Room, Melbourne

2^nd place - Chris Denman, X&Y, Brisbane

3^rd place - Adam Brewer, Cloudland, Brisbane

The 2010 Australian Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition (sponsored by Club Suntory) brought out the best of Australian bartending talent in a competition that tested their knowledge of the backbar with a gruelling written exam, their ability to serve a customer, their savvy at identifying the ingredients in a cocktail in a blind tasting and their skill at presenting and creating two signature cocktails to a panel of esteemed critics. To say it’s nerve-wracking doesn’t quite do it justice.

The comp started back in March when we called on bars from around Australia to dob in their best bartenders. Votes flooded in and nearly 100 bartenders came to The Argyle in The Rocks on Monday, 20 September to sit a gruelling written exam covering everything from the ingredients of classic cocktails like the Florodora to the production process of Tequila. Several competitors wowed the markers when they managed scores over 90 per cent.

Only the Top 20 made it through to the next round; a ‘mystery round’. This year the bartenders had to mix up a round including a White Lady, a G&T and a Dark ‘n’ Stormy. Our three judges then watched on with eagle eyes testing their hygiene, selection of drinks and efficiency. After stepping behind the bar, the palates and olfactory senses of our competitors were put to the test. In 07 we did dark spirits, in ‘08 we did white spirits, and last year the competitors had to dissect the ingredients in two classic cocktails. So this year, competitors had to identify nine different products including spirits, wine and beer.

Once the mystery round was complete, the scores were tallied up to determine the Top Ten. It was great to see bartenders from around the country making this elite list.

First thing on Wednesday morning, crowds flocked to the Bar Mixology Theatre at Sydney BarShow to watch the ten finalists compete. And the nerves were apparent. Not only did the bartenders have to compete in front of an audience packed with their peers but they also had to make their drinks in front of some of the world’s foremost drinks experts who were sitting front row. The judging panel for this year included Club Suntory Manager Nigel Weisbaum, Bartender Magazine Founder David Spanton, Sun Herald Social Writer, Amy Cooper, UK Ambassador for Rum Ian Burrell, International Drinks writer Philip Duff and former Bartender mag Editor, Naren Young.

The top three were announced at the Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards last night and was by far the most anticipated award of the entire event. The crowd was on their feet when Jason Williams from The Galley Room in Melbourne took out the top prize after many years of competing. Second place went to young Brissie bartender from X&Y and third place went to his fellow Brisbane barkeep, Adam Brewer from Cloudland.

The Top Ten (in no particular order):

1. Adam Brewer, Cloudland, Brisbane
2. Reece Griffiths, The Victoria Room, Sydney
3. Gerald Faundez, X&Y, Brisbane
4. Jason Williams, The Galley Room, Melbourne
   
5. Kal Moore, Zeta, Sydney
6. Lee Potter-Cavanagh, The Victoria Room, Sydney
7. Michael Edmonds, Leftbank & Siglo, Melbourne
8. Chris Denman, X&Y, Brisbane
9. Nick Edwards, The Lark, Brisbane
10. Nathan Beasley, Black Pearl, Melbourne

The 2010 Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year Competition sponsored by Club Suntory formed part of the Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards. All events are held in conjunction with Sydney BarShow Week. www.barshow.com.au

island2island Beverage Company has announced the launch of the Australian Angostura Global Cocktail Competition and is offering the cream of Australia’s bartending fraternity the chance to win a trip to Trinidad to show their stuff and compete in the World Finals.

If you want to be in the running for a chance to represent your country in this amazing competition then you had better follow the link and find out HOW TO ENTER!

The winner will walk away with $2,000 in cash and a return trip to Trinidad to compete in the World Finals.

Cocktails will be accepted for entry from Monday 6 September 2010 until Monday 4 October 2010 and the final will be held at Ivy Pool Bar from 7pm Novermber 8 2010.

Please go to www.island2island.com.au to read the terms and conditions and to find out about the specific entry requirements for this competition.