Hundreds of you exercised your creativity and submitted new drink concepts for the 2005 MIXIES, expanded to have a category for Hotel Bartenders as well as Hotel Managers.

Sponsors were:

• Cruzan Rum
• HPNOTIQ
• Rich’s Bahama Blast

Judging was strictly by taste, and simplicity of preparation was very important. Drinks that made the judging, after HOTEL F&B EXECUTIVE narrowed down the semi-finalists, were prepared by bartenders who were not contest entrants.

The objective was to develop and share drink recipes that your guests will truly enjoy and your bartenders can easily prepare.

A suggestion: on an otherwise slow evening, feature a ‘Judge Our Bartender Night’. Offer small (2-ounce) tastes of our winning drinks along with small tastes of your bartender’s creations (using the same base spirit, or Bahama Blast mixer, adding his/her special touches). I wouldn’t be surprised if you built a busy funfilled night out of it.

Cruzan Rum
Ripped Zone celebrates Avalanche Bay’s Rip Zone surf simulator, the most popular ride at the Avalanche Bay.

Ben Hammack, previously a bartender in Vail says, “I enjoy using Cruzan Rum flavors because they blend so well, creating a multi-layered flavor effect.”

Collaborator Marcus Drennan hails from South Florida, working in familyowned bars and restaurants when he wasn’t playing AA baseball in the New York Mets organization. Fresh from bartending and managing at some of Catalina Island’s hottest bars, Joan Tiihonen, F&B manager, says, “I knew as soon as I interviewed Ben and Marcus we would have an award-winning team. We are constantly reinventing, creating, and experimenting. We want to offer our guests the best original and creative drinks at the best bar at Boyne Mountain.”

“The second annual Cruzan MIXIE Contest was once again a huge success,” says Timo Sutinen, director of marketing for Cruzan Ltd. “Judging for the Hotel Managers entries was held at Jumby Bay Restaurant, and for Hotel Bartenders it was held at the Jupiter Beach Resort, both in Jupiter, Florida. Judging was close, with both winning cocktails having an extremely creative, unique recipe.”

“Each contest had three finalists, from over a hundred entries,” Sutinen said. Ten judges evaluated the cocktails, strictly on taste. The judges included Cruzan employees, patrons, and bartenders. Our thanks to everyone who participated and we look forward to tasting your Cruzan cocktails next year.

HPNOTIQ
The contest finale was held Monday, November 7, at Moonshine, a bar/lounge in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area of Chicago. Five judges were on hand, along with invited guests and press. Lead judge, Scottie Gorham of Crobar Nightclub, appreciates the versatility and mixibility of HPNOTIQ. “It’s my favorite and most used specialty drink inside the club,” he says.

Recipes for the 17 finalists were narrowed down from 100 entries submitted by 16 hotel chains and casinos nationwide. Samples were poured by Susie Lee, who was main bartender for the evening’s festivities. Judged on a 1 to 5 scale, each judge voted independently but was allowed to speak openly about each sample. To avoid any potential bias, judges were not allowed to know the cocktail ingredients until all ballots were collected.

“The blue hues of HPNOTIQ appropriately reflect the blue decor of Pelagia Restaurant, as well as the English translation for Pelagia—of the sea,” says Grand Prize winner Michael Speranza. “This tropical, yet smooth, martini provides a perfect accompaniment to the Mediterranean-style cuisine created by Chef Fabrizio Schenardi and his staff. he fruity flavors remind you of a lush tropical island off the Mediterranean.”

Sara Comstock realized bartending was what she wanted to do when she grew up, once she recognized her love for cooking could be developed in a liquid fashion. “Route 66 has long been he picture of adventure. Each curve is another turning point on a road beaming with exciting indulgences,” she says. “Join me on a ride to explore its passions with my Route 66 Blue Whale. I’ll do the driving. It’s truly a HPNOTIQ ride.”

Rich's Bahama Blast
Grand Prize winners Hannah Shearer and Ashley Paige have collaborated over the past two years to develop the bar at the Lodge’s spectacular beachfront outlet, the Oasis. “During the summer, we’ll serve over 2,500 frozen drinks,” says Hannah. “The Chocolate Sandcastle has become a favorite among guests looking for a cool treat because it looks so decadent.”

Ashley adds, “Since almost half the frozen drinks we serve are without alcohol, you can imagine how important variety is to us. Our Cream Tart was instantly popular.”

Rich’s Bartender category Grand Prize winner Ben Hammack says, “Fritz’s Berry Blitz was named for our beloved St. Bernard mascot, Fritz.” “The Berry Blitz is loved by guests for its fresh real fruit flavor,” adds F&B Manager Joan Tiihonen. “Before opening last May, we tried several fruit cocktail mixers. Across the board, Bahama Blast won out for quality, flavor, and appearance,” she says.

Russ Gugino, Rich’s Product Manager, Beverages, described the selection process. “For the Rich’s Bahama Blast MIXIE Contest, we had several judges from Rich’s marketing, sales, and R&D departments and two chefs. All drinks that made the finals were prepared, tasted, and voted on in our product presentation area. We were all amazed at the creativity of the Hotel Managers and Hotel Bartenders who took the time to participate in Rich’s MIXIE contest,” added Gugino. “Our thanks, and appreciation, go out to all of them.”