By Sacha Delfosse
Perth's best bartenders have been invited to showcase their more colourful side tomorrow for the 'Blue's your Daddy' cocktail competition at Universal Bar in Northbridge.
The competition is the creation of several WA bartenders, including James Connolly and Ben Tua, who were inspired by seeing some of their counterparts in Sydney 'messing around with blue drinks', Connolly explains.
"What we want to do is a cross between a real cocktail competition and a 'Rematch Beeyatch', with bartenders displaying their personality as well as their drink-making skills. It's a bit tongue in cheek and also an attempt to get more of the public involved."
The competitors have five minutes to make two serves of their blue concoction, which will be judged on factors such as taste, presentation, method, glassware and garnish, as well as how 'blue' it is.
And to make sure things don't get too serious, the crowd response to each competitors drink and presentation will make up a quarter of the final score.
"The final 25 percent of the vote is the X factor – the fun factor if you will. Bartenders will be judged on how much fun they made it for the audience, so if they make the crowd go wild they are going to get more points than the guy that's just mumbling into the microphone," Connolly says.
"I'm sure we've all been to these cocktail competitions where people are talking about rendering unicorn horns to make a fat-wash – it's good for bartenders but the public aren't that enthusiastic about that sort of thing."
The competition is sponsored by De Kuyper Blue Curaçao and Bacardi Lion brand ambassador, Jeremy Shipley, will be hosting a 'blue' cocktail workshop at 5pm, prior to the event which commences at 6pm.
For more information contact: dan@universalbar.com.au