Winterfest Bartender Competition

Anita Bogacz’s Red Sled is the 2015 Winterfest Cocktail

Stache 1920’s Drinking Den was the place to be on November 30th, as ten finalists competed to win the honor of creating the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade‘s 2015 #WinterfestCocktail. As the Winterfest Bartender Contest Chair, I have spent the last few months visiting the parade route restaurant and bars to encourage our local bartenders to get crafty and create a taste sensation to wow the judges. Meet the contestants over the next week.

The Talent

• Apothecary 330: Kyle Mercado The Hatter’s Tea Party- 5th Place
• Apothecary 330: Tamara Jovanovic Winterfest Pirate’s Elixir
• Grille 401: Brittany Stevenson Florida Frost
• Kreepy Tiki: Ayme Harrison An Old Fashioned Scrooge Cocktail – 2nd Place Tie
• Louie Bossi’s Ristorante: Ervin Ervin D Machado The Snow Queen
• Pelican Landing: Adan Echeverria Berry Happy Ending
• Stache 1920’s Drinking Den: Anita Bogacz Red Sled – Winner
  
• The Brass Tap: Adam Russell The Green Glass – 4th Place
• Valentino Cuccina Italiana: Nicholas Mikhak Beet This – 2nd Place Tie
  

The Competition

The contestants were judged by the award winning RNDC Mixologist team: David Sewell-Ortiz, Lead Judge. Mixologist / Spirits Specialist at RNDC. Founding Chapter President of USBG Miami. Founding partner of the Alambiq brand consulting group and all around Miami bar guru, David lives and breathes the spirit life. Freddy Diaz, Thirsty Revivalist at Collectif 1806, President at AlambiQ and Ambassador for the Americas and the Caribbean at Les vergers Boiron and Cricket Nelson, Tales of the Cocktail, the United States Bartenders’ Guild and Bombay Sapphire EAST  “Most Imaginative Bartender”, the first-ever female to take the national title.​

The Results

The winner with 46 points out of 50 was Anita Bogacz’s Red Sled from Stache 1920′ Drinking Den. Runner’s Up: Tied for second place with 40 out of 50 points were Nick Mikhak’s Beet This from Valentino’s and Ayme Harrison’s Old Fashioned Scrooge Cocktail from Kreepy Tiki. Honorable mentions go to Adam’s Green Glass from the Brass Tap and Kyle’s The Hatter’s Tea Party from Apothecary 330.