By Sacha Delfosse
Sydney's most rapid fire bartenders will gather at The Standard this Sunday November 13 to compete against the clock and each other in the latest Rematch Beeyatch challenge.
Rematch Beeyatch is a non-branded competition held by bartenders for bartenders to decide who can serve up 10 Tiki drinks in the shortest amount of time.
It was created in the UK by Paul Mant in 2008. Since then the concept has spread across the globe, with local boys The Colada Club hosting several rounds in Sydney over the years.
"It kind of started with a whole bunch of mates giving each other stick over the bar about who was the fastest so they decided to make a competition out of it," one of the organisers, Blake Head, explains.
"It's not sponsored by anyone – although we do get free booze off people – but everyone just comes together as bartenders and mates and has a bit of fun, it's not too serious."
Competitors pay $50 to enter, with the winner taking all the cash, and although 20% of their final score comes from the quality of their drinks, speed is the main arbitrator, with the current world record standing at 2.05 minutes.
"Basically it comes down to speed and how quickly you can make ten Tiki drinks, and some of them are quite difficult to make," Head says.
Competitors have to make two Daiquiris, a Caipirinha, a Mojito, a Piña Colada, a Zombie, a Cuba Libre, a Planter's Punch, a Mai Tai and open a bottle of beer as well as ending with a battle cry of 'brap'.
"All the drinks are the same around the world, so you never know, next year we may have a world championship at Tales of the Cocktail or something," Head says.
Competitors for this round include some well-known names in the local bar scene such as Luke Redington, Max Greco, Mitch Bushell, Dave Beatty, Jay Jay Karanouh and Natalie Ng.
The event will also double up as an official launch for the new weekly hospitality night, Down Lo Sessions, which will be running every Sunday over summer downstairs at Lo Fi bar. It will include a range of local bartenders behind the bar and manning the turntables.
"Lo Fi has kind of always been a hospitality hangout anyway, but now that Dan Woolley is running Lo Fi it will become an official industry night."
The competition won't stop once the Rematch Beeyatch challenge is over, with a 'blender battle' between Midori global brand ambassador, Manual Terron, and CCA premium spirits brand ambassador, Jared Plummer, planned for later in the evening at Lo Fi bar.