The Step Into The Never Never Bartender Challenge is back, and to celebrate the brand’s new label and bigger bottle, this year’s challenge goes to new heights and promises to be bigger than ever.
So, this year the competition will see more bartenders than ever joining the Never Never team for three days at its home in McLaren Vale, enjoying the best bars, restaurants, food and more that Adelaide and South Australia have to offer.
Participants will need to develop and promote two gin-based cocktails – a Bright & Long sparkling serve plus a three-ingredient cocktail – both featured on a physical venue menu throughout the month of August.
“Whether it’s yuzu twists or grapefruit blushes, we want bartenders to create a long, sparkling drink that showcases our Triple Juniper, Ginache, or Oyster Shell Gin,” said Never Never co-founder Sean Baxter.
He added: “Competitors will also need to create a cocktail that celebrates flavour in its simplest format, something that causes a stir despite only using a handful of other modifying ingredients, with a few cheeky ‘cheat sheet’ options thrown in to stimulate people’s creativity.
“You will need to create a drink that creates a little magic – it needs to be exciting, and capture people’s attention. Just like our colourful new pack.
“We want a drink that’s memorable, that makes me want to transport to that bar and order that drink immediately, we all know how those drinks make us feel when we see them.”
In a nod to the new larger Never Never bottle, there is a big change-up in this year’s challenge, with winners from more states and territories, turning the competition back into a big, national bartending challenge.
“Seven winners from every state and territory are going to be invited to spend three days with us in Adelaide, eating and drinking in some of the state’s best bars and restaurants, and competing in some pretty wild challenges,” Baxter said.
“Plus we will have a winner who in our opinion delivers the best-looking menu, making it eight winners from across the country.”
As well as showcasing bartender talent from across Australia, the Never Never team also wanted to help venues in these economically challenging times.
Baxter explained: “We’re aware it’s harder than ever to get customers into your venues with the cost of living, so we’re incentivising people to get involved and head out to try your drinks.
“Participating venues will feature in a scavenger hunt-style campaign, where customers can win great prizes for seeking out featured cocktail menus.
“We know it’s tough out there. That’s why we’re driving customers into bars and rewarding them for supporting our industry.”
Entries are now open (from 1 July), with menus to run throughout August. Winners will be flown to South Australia for the October Long Weekend (October 4–7) to compete for glory – and a few jaw-dropping surprises along the way.
The steps for entry are:
STEP 1
LONG & BRIGHT
Create a “Long & Bright” serve using either Triple Juniper, Ginache, or Oyster Shell Gin. You can use soda or tonic as your mixer.
MUST CONTAIN 30ML OF GIN AND NO MORE THAN 1 STANDARD DRINK.
STEP 2
CAUSE A STIR
Create a cocktail using Triple Juniper or Ginache or Oyster Shell Gin that aims to ‘Cause a Stir’ with only THREE ingredients. It needs to contain a minimum of 30ml of gin. The following do not count towards your total ingredients: Garnish, Water, Co2, salt, sugar, yeast, citric and malic acid.
STEP 3
Both drinks must feature on a physical menu and be available throughout August.
STEP 4
Submit your drinks and a photo of your menu via the Never Never website from 1-31 July.
In addition Never Never is running a National Masterclass program:
Adelaide: Wednesday, 2 July @ 1 – 3pm, Bank St Social
Brisbane: Monday, 7 July @ 1 – 3pm, Frog’s Hollow Saloon
Melbourne: Tuesday, 8 July @ 1 – 3pm, Pendant Public Bar
Geelong: Thursday, 10 July @ 1 – 3pm, 18th Amendment
Sunshine Coast: Thursday, 10 July 10/7/25 @ 2 – 4pm, Wat Den
Sydney: Monday, 14 July @ 1 – 3pm, Palomino Lounge
Gold Coast: Tuesday, 15 July @ 1 – 3pm, Loose Moose
Perth: Wednesday, 16 July @ 1 – 3pm, Terrarium
Full details on how to enter the competition and how to register for the Masterclasses are available on the Never Never website.