Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 29

Sometimes called "mixologists," they are involved in
creating new cocktails, making fresh mixers in-house,
determining which new liquors to stock (including
local products), following industry news and trends,
and more. ("Flair bartending," which gained attention
after the Tom Cruise movie, "Cocktail," calls on a
different skillset and typically attracts different
practitioners.)
Of course, a perfectly prepared cocktail can be
soured by poor service and other intangibles that are
part of the service industry, so the best bartender
must also perfect the skills required by others in the
service industry.
For these professionals, bartending can serve as
a career. And, as in most any job, high-achievers want
to perfect their craft, contribute to their industry
and even gain recognition for their achievements.
Serious bartenders can enhance their professional
goals through new training programs and certifications as well as through competition.
Next time you order a craft cocktail, you can know
that there's much more going on behind the bar than
meets the eye.

T

here's more to bartending than meets the
eye. At first glance, working behind a bar may
seem to be simply a matter of learning a
bunch of recipes, mastering a few techniques, tasting
a lot of liquors-in short, an easy, pleasurable gig.
For a new bartender at a restaurant that serves
basic drinks, or those for whom bartending is a shortterm job on the way to another goal, this formula
may suffice. Given the contemporary craft cocktail
trend, however, bartenders are expected to do more
than create the same drinks over and over again.

THE WORLD COCKTAIL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The International Bartenders Association hosts a
competition that began in 1951. Now known as the
World Cocktail Championships, the IBA consists of
six categories: Flairtending, Before Dinner Cocktail,
Sparkling Cocktail, Fancy Cocktail, Longdrink, and
After Dinner Cocktail, with one of these six winners
ultimately claiming the title of Bartender of the Year.
According to the IBA website, its competitions
are designed to "boost a global cocktail culture and
increase the visibility of its World Champions and of
the sponsor brands."
The winner of the October 2016 competition was
Kenji Tsubokura of Japan for his short (sour) cocktail
with London dry gin, elderflower liqueur, Midori
melon liqueur, fruit puree, lemon juice, and cardamom bitters.
Two U.S.-based competitions are similarly sponsored by U.S.-based liquor brands.
THE MANHATTAN EXPERIENCE
Sponsored by Woodford Reserve, Liquor.com and
the United States Bartenders Guild, the Manhattan
Experience offers winners more than mere recognition-semi-finalists also attend an intensive training
session in Kentucky.
Focused on bourbon-specifically on Woodford
Reserve premium small-batch Kentucky straight

FALL | WINTER 2017-2018 29


http://www.Liquor.com

Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2

Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 1
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 2
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 3
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 4
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 5
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 6
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 7
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 8
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 9
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 10
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 11
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 12
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 13
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 14
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 15
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 16
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 17
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 18
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 19
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 20
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 21
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 22
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 23
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 24
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 25
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 26
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 27
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 28
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 29
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 30
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 31
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 32
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 33
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 34
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 35
Good Spirits 2018 Vol 2 - 36
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