6k IronTender BarsWar Challenge 2014

Hey there cocktail lovers and home mixologists! You’ve got plans Monday, May 19, at 7pm. That’s right.

Dun dun dun dunnnnn: It’s the 6k IronTender BarsWar Challenge finale at Twin Rivers Casinos.

Huh?

For the past five weeks, mixologists, bartenders, cocktail geniuses and spirits novices from Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts all descended upon that, erm, iconic Twin Rivers.

“We’ve been running a bartending competition for a few years now, but this time we wanted to do something different,” shared Frank Martucci, National Vice President United States Bartender’s Guild. Typical bartending competitions tend to be individual sport, but Irontender organizers wanted to focus on teams this year. They also involved Johnson & Wales and their beverage specialist students so they could get hands-on experience.

Twenty-two teams in total competed — 90 bartenders — with 44 establishments represented.

Every week a winning team was selected through a garnish throwing … no, just kidding. It was a lot harder. Kind of like Iron Chef, only quaffable.

Before each week’s competition kicked off, a key product was announced, which had to be used in at least 1oz quantity. Participants were given some time before the commencing to mix a little research. Every competition had six rounds, with each round lasting 10 minutes. Three drinks in seven minutes utilizing a key product and secret ingredients. Not only that, there were two surprise ingredients, for example raspberries and jalapenos, that also had to be used.

Now, here’s a little math. Six rounds x three drinks per round= 18 drinks total per team per competition. Whoa. Commence salivating.

All of these weeks of mixing, stirring, sampling and judging commences with eight finalist teams competing on May 19:

The Beardo’s, Week 1
Jay Carr (The Eddy and 2014 Starchef award winner), Joseph Haggard (The Grange), and Jonathan Dille (The Grange)

The Dorrance, Week 2
Vito Lantz, Steven Pothier, Tyler Ayres Schweppe, and Jonathon Szpilla

The James Weird House, Week 3
Jason Kindness (The Revolving Door-Newport), 2013 GQ Magazine Most Imagination Bartender finalists), Alex Thibault (Catalyst Restaurant in Boston), and Christopher Bender (Stoneacre Pantry in Newport)

The Children of the World, Week 4
Jesse Hedberg of Justine’s/ Fluke Bar Kitchen (2013 Campari USA National Finalists), Willa Van Nostrand (Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails/E & O Tap), and Diego Luis Perez (Flan Y Ajo in Providence)

The Boston Banditos, Week 5
Ran Duan (The Baldwin in Boston and 2nd Place National Legacy Competition), Troy Clarke (Boston USBG President),  Sam Treadway (Backbar, Boston, 2013 GQ Magazine Most Imagination Bartender finalist, 2013 Mixing Star Finalist) and Joseph Cammarata (Backbar Boston).

Second highest scoring teams, who will also compete:

Barbitchuates
Laura Moore (Gracie’s), Gillian White (Cooke & Brown), Elizabeth Sawtelle (Nick’s on Broadway), and Sam Royds (Cooke & Browne)

Fully Invested-Connecticut
Carl Summa (Main Street Grille, 2014 National World Class semi-finalist, GQ Magazine Most Imagination Bartender finalist), Dimitrios Elias Zahariadis (Cocktail Chemist Company), Adam Patrick (Match Restaurant), Dre Lagrima (Max Restaurant Group), and Patrick Youngquist (Max Restaurant  Group)

As well as crowd favorite:
Johnson & Wales team the J-Woo Crew.

Get thirsty. Get ready. We’ll see you at Twin Rivers on the 19th. 7pm. Dress like you mean it.