By Sacha Delfosse – editor bars&clubs
Entries are now open for Monin’s global cocktail competition that tasks bartenders with coming up with a creative twist on a classic cocktail using one of the brand’s flavoured syrups.
Bartenders have until December 9 to upload their recipes to the competition’s website, where people will be able to vote for their favourite entries. The top 20 recipes will then be judged by an international industry panel that includes Australian bartender, Luke Ashton.
“When making your twist just think of the 120 available Monin flavours and then start thinking of what you can do with an Old Fashioned, Collins, Moscow Mule, Daiquiri, Margarita etc. Plenty of great and simple ideas can be used here,” said Tomas Vikario, beverage innovation manager at distributor Stuart Alexander.
Last year’s competition attracted several hundred entries and thousands of votes, Vikario said. Recipes need to include at least one Monin product and cannot contain more than eight ingredients, including any garnish, and must be uploaded with a picture of the drink.
“Last year was first year of this ‘virtual’ competition with great results. As the Monin brand was in the process of changing the distributor here in Australia [it] was not communicated properly to this market,” he said.
“This is why I am inviting all Australian bartenders to join the competition and contribute with their voice supporting fellow bartenders and friends.”
The winner will receive a trip to one of five Monin global studios – located in Malaysia, China, France and two in the US – where they spend time with Monin’s beverage innovation director.
“It’s a great opportunity to sharpen your taste buds and taste some different flavours not available in the Australian market, and also earn some new techniques, check the local trade and extend networking. If you like what you do, this is a nice professional experience,” Vikario said.