USBG Blog

CALLING ALL BARTENDERS!
Do you have what it takes to compete?

42BELOW Sponsors …The 5th Annual Cocktail World Cup!

Bartenders from across the nation will have the opportunity to compete to participate in the Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand.

The United States Bartenders’ Guild announced last month that the 5th Annual Cocktail World Cup, sponsored by 42BELOW, will take place in Queenstown, New Zealand, September 9th – 13th. Leading up to this flagship event, 42BELOW will sponsor bartending competitions to find the top mixologists from across the nation. Private events will take place where invited guests will have the opportunity to attend and try the featured exquisite cocktails, special performances and celebrity judges.

“No other competition is like the 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup,” says 2007 judge and master mixologist, Dale DeGroff.  “Everything comes into play – ingredients, intuition, and learning to work together as a team creatively, which is possibly the hardest thing of all.”

The USBG and 42BELOW will choose 10 U.S. finalists from each participating city for a total of 90 bartenders competing nationwide. From there, three U.S Teams, with three bartenders per team, will be sent to participate at the Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand where finalists will be judged on execution, flavor, complexity and presentation and participate in unconventional activities such as Bungee Jumping, Jetboat skiing and Knock Out Challenges. 

Last year the Cocktail World Cup was won by “Team Vegas” USBG Members; Anthony Alba, Eddie Perales, and Gaston Martinez, scoring a victory with “Amplextremo”. The Amplextrino was a two part “kitchen-style” cocktail and included complex ingredients such as potato puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, dulce de leche, 42 BELOW Vodka and a garnish of strawberries frozen with liquid nitrogen.

42BELOW Bartender Competitions will take place in the following cities:
 
New York City
Baltimore
Boston
Denver
Austin
Chicago
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles

To submit your recipe now go to www.cocktailworldcup.com

About 42BELOW
42BELOW vodka was launched in 1998 in the premium vodka segment and has shown strong volume growth in the last few years. The brand known for its innovative, bold and entrepreneurial style has earned a strong reputation for authentic New Zealand quality and exceptional taste, reflected in winning numerous prestigious international awards including gold medals (for the fourth year running) at the 45th World Selection of Spirits and Liqueurs 2007 Barcelona, the San Francisco Spirits Awards and the International Wines & Spirits competition UK. 42BELOW vodka is currently distributed in more than 25 countries.

About Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.
Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. is the United States import, sales and marketing arm of one of the world’s leading spirits and wine producers. The company boasts a portfolio of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits brands in the United States including BACARDI® rum, the world’s number-one selling rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world-leader in super-premium vodka; DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the fastest-growing gin in the spirits industry; CAZADORES® blue agave tequila, the number-one premium tequila in the world; MARTINI & ROSSI® vermouth, the world-leader in vermouth; and other leading and emerging brands.

About the USBG
With 60 years of presence in the United States and International coverage in affiliation with the International Bartender’s Association (IBA) in over 50 countries, the United States Bartenders’ Guild is the largest network of professional bartenders and is setting the standard for the profession throughout the country. The USBG is a non-profit organization that has expanded nationally to Northern California, Las Vegas, Chicago and New York City, New Orleans and continues to grow.

As an industry leader the USBG is responsible for keeping its members in line with current trends to keep a competitive edge. The USBG is an association of bartenders who come together to share their common interest: the craft of mixology. The USBG is made up of exceptional bartenders who take great pride in the cocktails they serve.

NEW ZEALANDERS AGREE: DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
©2008 42 BELOW AND THE 42 BOTTLE DESIGN ARE TRADEMARKS AND/OR REGISTERED TRADEMARKS.
42 BELOW IMPORTING COMPANY, MIAMI, FL. Vodka - 42% Alc. by Vol.
100% Grain Spirits and Flavored Vodkas Each - 42% Alc. by Vol.

Meet The National Competitors!

The local competitions are over and the juries are in! Meet our local winners. Who will compete at our National Competition May 3rd in Long Beach, CA!

Congratulations to our finalists! Who will stand out as the National Winner? Who will represent the USA in Puerto Rico at this year’s IBA, World Cocktail Competition!??

Northern CA Competitor
Carlos Yturria
Carlos works in San Francisco at the Gran Pu Bah Bacar. He took first place in San Francisco’s local competition sponsored by Future Brands! His shaken concoction,
Voluptuosmade with Plymouth Gin and Kubler Absenthe (yum) won over the judge fair and square. Best of Luck Carlos!!!

Southern CA Competitor
Juan Alvarez
Juan, the Southern CA Chapter President, beat out all of the seasoned veterans in So CA to take this year’s local trophy! His shaken and frothy, Orange Juliuswas a sweet and creamy, after dinner treat! Absolut Vanillia and Orangecello were a winning combination for the judges! Juan will have the home town advantage at this year’s national competition and will have lots of fans there to cheer him on!

Las Vegas NV Competitor
Anthony Alba
Anthony took first place at the Future Brands, NV Chapter Cocktail Competition, Sponsored by Curzan Guava! He seamlessly combined the KICK of Absolut New Orleans & the soft sweet finish of Cruzan Guava in his cool concoction, The Big Easy! He also took home the prize for Best Garnish, which is quite a feat for any USBG competitor. Good Luck Paisan!

Chicago IL Competitor
Peter Vestinos
You can find Peter behind the bar at Sepia in Downtown Chicago crafting signature cocktails. He won the Chicago Chapter competition with his cocktail, Just in Time, made with Plymouth Gin, pomegranate and fresh grapefruit. His creativity and technical style will make him a serious contender!

New York Competitor
To be announced

Our dear friend Ann Rogers Tuennerman, founder of Tales of the Cocktail is at it again. Always out for the betterment of the industry! Her plan is to get a bill passed making the SAZERAC the State Cocktail of Louisiana. She is truly on to something here!

“I have been working on a campaign to make the Sazerac the Official State Cocktail of Louisiana. Senator Edwin Murray agreed to introduce the bill in this legislative session after reviewing my letter and materials below. The vote on the bill has been set for April 2nd at the State Capital. If the bill passes it would become law in August of this year.”

Ann R. Tuennerman
Founder Tales of the Cocktail

Bill proposes Sazerac for ‘official state cocktail’Posted by Ed Anderson March 18, 2008 6:39AM With the right mix of lawmakers, the Sazerac may be designated the “official state cocktail” at the regular legislative session that starts March 31. Sen. Edwin Murray, D-New Orleans, has filed in advance of the session Senate Bill 6 designating the Sazerac, the first cocktail invented in New Orleans and one of the first in the country, as the official state cocktail.“We will probably have a little fun with this bill” as a diversion from the heavy issues lawmakers will face at the upcoming session, Murray said. “There will be a very aggressive effort to get it done.” Ann Tuennerman, founder of the annual New Orleans Tales of the Cocktail activities, has written Murray to urge passage of the bill because the Sazerac has “evolved over time and represents history in a glass… When folks come to New Orleans, they want certain things authentic and original to the Crescent City, be it a beignet, a po-boy, a cup of chicory coffee, oysters Rockefeller, bread pudding or bananas Foster. “The Sazerac deserves a special place among the classic drinks that have their birthplace in Louisiana, and I can think of no drink more deserving of the honor of official state cocktail than the Sazerac.” The drink in its original form was invented in the 1830s in New Orleans by pharmacist Antoine Amedee Peychaud, who fled Haiti and opened an apothecary on Royal Street in the French Quarter. He concocted the drink made with his own blend of bitters added to a French brandy and Louisiana cane sugar. According to the Sazerac Co. Inc. of Jefferson Parish, the drink became popular and spread to the city’s coffee houses — which served more liquor than coffee — by the mid-1800s. The drink is most closely associated with the Sazerac Coffee House, which was located in Exchange Alley.The drink reportedly received its name from the bar and the French brandy that was used in making it — Sazerac de Forge et Fils. If passed, Murray’s bill also would authorize the state to use the official cocktail on “official documents… and with the insignia of the state.”Janna Goodwin, a researcher for the National Conference of State Legislatures, said although Alabama has designated an offcial “state spirit” — Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey — it can find no record of any state naming an official state cocktail. Sazerac Co. spokeswoman Angela Traver said that although the company supports the effort, it did not ask Murray to file the bill.Tuennerman said the legislation is important as a way to commemorate the history and culture of New Orleans. “It was one of the first cocktails in the country and the first one born in New Orleans,” she said. “It has never fallen out of favor.” By law or binding resolution, the Legislature from time to time designates official items, including a pledge of allegiance to the state flag, adopted in 1981: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the state of Louisiana and to the motto for which it stands: a state under God, united in purpose and ideals, confident that justice shall prevail for all of those abiding here.” The Legislature has also designated milk as the official state drink, the alligator as the state’s official reptile, the crawfish as the state’s official crustacean, the strawberry as the official state fruit, the Louisiana Catahoula leopard dog as the state dog, the honeybee as the state insect, agate found in Louisiana gravel as the state’s gemstone, petrified palmwood as the official state fossil, and the bald cypress as the official tree. 

If the bill survives, it would become law on Aug. 15. So far, lawmakers have filed 274 bill in advance of the regular session: 68 in the Senate and 206 in the House. The last day to pre-file bills is March 21. Afterward, lawmakers are limited to no more the five bills each through April 22.

Please join the United States Bartenders’ Guild in celebrating our 60th Anniversary! 
May 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 2008
in Long Beach, California

Batali/Abou-Ganim vs. Gadsby/Albert

This fantastic battle is a re-run but the intensity is undeniable no matter how many times you watch it!

The Chairman has spiced up this competition by inviting Mixologists Tony Abou-Ganim and Bridget Albert to compete with the Chefs. Chef Robert Gadsby paired with Bridget Albert challenge Iron Chef Mario Batali paired with Tony Abou-Ganim. While the Chefs compete to outdo each other with their succulent variations, the Mixologists must prepare five drinks to go with each dish that also highlight the secret ingredient. Which team’s cuisine will reign supreme?

Airing on the Food Network:

March 30, 2008 9:00 PM ET/PT
March 31, 2008 12:00 AM ET/PT
April 03, 2008 9:00 PM ET/PT
April 04, 2008 12:00 AM ET/PT
April 05, 2008 5:00 PM ET/PT
April 05, 2008 11:00 PM ET/PT
April 06, 2008 2:00 AM ET/PT
April 10, 2008 12:00 PM ET/PT

We will utilize the blog to update you regularly. Please feel free to snoop around and comment when you feel the urge. Check back from time to time to see what’s new!

Industry & USBG Events, Industry News & Updates, New Products & Techniques, Trade Secrets & What the USBG is up to! You will find it all right here…..Enjoy!