Drink News
LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB’S AMBER BLOOD WINS BRITVIC COCKTAIL COMPETITION AT LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK‘SHE’S MY CHERRY’ NAMED BEST TASTING PEPSI MAX® CUBA LIBRE IN FINAL
Amber Blood, 20, from the London Cocktail Club has been crowned winner of Britvic’s Pepsi MAX® cocktail competition in association with BarLife UK at London Cocktail Week, which called upon leading bartenders to put forward a twist on the classic Cuba Libre and one other cocktail, in order to win an all-expenses paid trip for two to Ibiza Rocks 2018.
To reach the final, bartenders had to enter two cocktails into an online competition:
• A twist on a Cuba Libre, made to complement the unique blend of flavours in great-tasting, no sugar Pepsi MAX®
• Best Original Cocktail – in this category, there were no rules, other than to include at least one product from the vast range of Britvic brands
Finalists were then invited to recreate their serves at The MAX Lounge situated in the cocktail village at London Cocktail Week – featuring a laid-back main bar plus a more premium cocktail bar, as well as a unique sensory room and a silent disco. The creations were then judged by a panel of industry experts on appearance, aroma and taste, during a live final on Friday 6th October.
Amber impressed judges with her two winning cocktails:
• ‘She’s My Cherry’ made with combination of Bacardi, Pepsi MAX®, Cherry Heering, lime, vanilla and chocolate bitters
• ‘Ginger Ninja’, a ginger ale version of a ‘Dark and Stormy’, containing Britvic Ginger Ale, Gosling’s Rum, Finlandia Vodka, Wray and Nephew Rum and lemon
Amber, who has only been bartending for seven months, said: “I took my inspiration for ‘She’s My Cherry’ from the flavour
profile of Pepsi MAX®, choosing ingredients which I knew would complement it; chocolate, cherry and cola work well together and I’m delighted that the judges agreed! ‘Ginger Ninja’ was developed when I was feeling a bit poorly – the combination of ginger and lemon is a perfect pick-me- up and it tastes fantastic!”
Pepsi Brand Manager, Sarah De La Mare, said: “The calibre of cocktails presented to our panel today was outstanding! It was hard to choose between them, but all judges were in absolute agreement that both Amber’s Cuba Libre twist and her Ginger Ninja cocktail were worthy of winning. Both were very simple recipes allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves and Amber presented very confidently. We hope she enjoys the all- expenses trip to Ibiza Rocks, and picks up some inspiration while she is there to continue making such fabulous cocktails!”
The other finalists and their cocktails were: Jack Docherty from Alston Bar and Beef in Glasgow with ‘Conquista de Cuba’ and ‘Bitter Truth’, Eloise Stevenson from Lost Property in Nottingham with ‘Raspberry Coco Libre’ and ‘Purdey’s Elixir’ and
Salvatore Cipolla from BYOC London with his ‘Maxi Cubana’ and ‘Britvic Dark Fashion’.
Winning cocktail recipes
1. ‘She’s My Cherry’ 25ml Bacardi Negra 25ml Cherry Heering 25ml Lime 10 Vanilla
100ml Pepsi Max 3ml Chocolate bitters
To Build Add ingredients to a Highball glass. Add cubed ice, lime wedge.
2. “Ginger Ninja” 25ml Britvic Ginger ale + 25ml simple syrup (Boiled to a reduction) 2.5ml Goslings Rum 22.5ml Finlandia Vodka 5 - 10ml Wray and Nephew Rum 20ml Lemon
To Build Add ingredients to a Highball glass. Top with Britvic Ginger Ale and garnished with a lemon wedge and mint sprig
34 NOVEMBER 2017
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