Last year we asked Vancouver’s best bartenders to ‘Surpass Cuffs and Buttons’ and take M.W. Heron’s timeless concoction, now known as Southern Comfort, to the next level. They answered the challenge admirably with dozens of entries resulting in quite possibly the best Southern Comfort cocktails, sours, punches, and smashes EVER.
Of course one bartender managed to edge out her peers to claim victory and the spoils that go along with our annual challenge; a trip for two to the Southern Comfort homeland, New Orleans Louisiana.
Danielle Tatarin (The Keefer Bar) and her “Milk and Honey #8”, channelled the spirit of our society’s patron, M.W. Heron, by using ingredients from all over the globe…as M.W. would’ve done from his tavern at the global crossroads that New Orleans, was back in the day.
This year the challenge is to right some of the wrongs that may have been done our venerable
spirit….and a few others as well. The bright colours, the loud bouncy synthesizers, the painters-palate range of coloured liqueurs,the neon hued… ‘ahem… “bar mixes” the extremely upbeat and saccharin sweet cocktail culture, who doesn’t love the 80s? Retro Rejuvenation is a bartender competition, mixed with the vibe and culture of the 1980’s for an entire evening gone “retro”. Ginger 62 Night Club, Brown-Forman Canada and The Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association play host to a fun and interactive evening, celebrating the rejuvenation of all things “retro”.
Starting at 6:00pm November 28, Bartenders will compete against one another with a rejuvenated “classic” (determined ahead of time) and make it delicious and palatable right before eyes, using homemade syrups, pops, good spirits, garnishes, purees, jams, bitters… the sky is the limit! The top 8 bartenders are invited to compete in the finals, using their original Southern Comfort cocktail entry. The winners? First and Second place head to New Orleans. Third place, an authentic Jack Daniel’s Guitar.
Bonus Round: Ginger62 is well equipped to deal with all of your consumption needs. All products will be available, including discounted prices on CPBA punches and draft beer; maybe even shot of Jack Daniel’s if you ask them politely! Ginger62 will also has their “world famous” photo-booth available!
Details:
- November 28 2011 6:00pm-10:00pm
- Ginger 62 Night Club
- RSVPBC@CanadianBartenders.com
- $10.00 cover at the door – hors d’oeuvres, drink tickets, performers, music and more!
- Open to the public – proceeds of your ticket goes back to the Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association, and back into our program schedule for 2012.
- Dresscode is recommended.
- Sponsored by Brown-Forman Canada, The Southern Comfort Society, Ginger62 Night Club, Whistler Brewing, Kale & Nori, The CPBA
- Hosted by Simon Ogden and Lauren Mote
- Competitors: a list of 20 bartenders will be revealed on event day.
- Judges: a professional band of 6 judges will be revealed on event day.
