World Bar Chat Championships: World Cocktail Week, theloft

The inaugural World Bar Chat Championships took place at theloft in Sydney with eight of Australia’s top bartenders competing against each other to see who can make the best chat during a set time while making drinks using Ketel One Vodka and Fernet-Branca.

World Bar Chat Championships

Part of the Keystone Group’s World Cocktail Week celebration, the premier event packed an eager crowd of trade and media cheering on their favourite bartenders. Jason Williams, Group Cocktail Manager, welcomed the guests and handed over to Jason Crawley (MC) who hosted an entertaining evening of hilarity and humour mixed with bartender antics.

Round One:
Ben Tua (Mint/Air Perth) vs Barry Chalmers (The Roosevelt) – Winner: Barry Chalmers
Chris Hysted (Black Pearl) vs Luke Redington (Eau de Vie) – Winner: Luke Redington
Blake Head vs Mitchell “Ono” Bushell (Corner House) – Winner: Mitchell Bushell
Ben Brodie (theloft) vs Sean Baxter (EDV Melbourne) – Winner: Sean Baxter

Round Two:
Mitchell Bushell vs Barry Chalmers – Winner: Mitchell Bushell
Sean Baxter vs Luke Redington – Winner: Sean Baxter

Barry Chalmers and Ben Tua

Luke Redington 

The team L-R: Jason Crawley (MC), Blake Head, Chris Hysted, Mitch Bushell, Barry Chalmers, Sean Baxter, Ben Tua, Luke Redington (front), Ben Brodie (not in photo)

The final round saw Mitchell Bushell and Sean Baxter fighting for a top spot with an allocated five minutes on stage while making six drinks with Sean Baxter taking the coveted title.

Winner: Sean Baxter

L-R: Yuzu Kamikaze, Yankee Gin Smash (signature drink for World Cocktail Week 2012)

Guests enjoyed Yuzu Kamikaze cocktail on arrival, with the Yankee Gin Smash, the signature drink for World Cocktail Week 2012 available throughout the evening.

Yuzu Kamikaze	Yankee Gin Smash
40ml Ketel One Citroen 10ml Yuzu Juice 10ml Cointreau 10ml Yellow Chartreuse 1 Dash Orange BittersMethod: Shake and fine strain  into a chilled cocktail glass.	45ml Tanqueray No. 10 15ml Honey Syrup Small handful of dried cranberries 3 Lemon Wedges 8 Mint LeavesMethod: Muddle the dried cranberries with honey and lemon. Add Tanqueray No. 10 and mint then shake well with ice. Fine strain into a chilled tall glass and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with cranberries, mint and a lemon wedge.

World Bar Chat Championships was held at theloft on May 6, 2012. Full photo gallery on the Gourmantic Facebook page.