Arizona Cocktail Week 2016: Last Slinger Standing
All photos by Jenelle Bonifield of Food & LIfestyles
Day three of Arizona Cocktail Week 2016 culminated in one of the festival's most highly-anticipated events - the Last Slinger Standing bartending competition. This year it took place at “The Coop” at Culinary Dropout at The Yard at Farmer Arts District in Tempe.
United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) bartenders in teams from Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah vied for the ultimate title of Last Slinger Standing, described as "a fast paced, anything can happen, high-energy, elimination round competition to find the best bartender. The winner walks away with the coveted “Centennial Cup”, a cash prize and a donation to their USBG chapter." The illustrious judges this year were global rum expert and ambassador Ian Burrell, Jim Beam Mixologist Bobby Gleason, and Andy Seymour of Liquid Productions.
Judges Andy Seymour, Bobby Gleason, and Ian Burrell
The teams:
Arizona:
David Clark (Hotel Congress, Tucson)
Tim LaFever (Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour, Phoenix)
Matt Martinez (OBON Sushi & Ramen, Tucson)
Clint Spotleson (Counter Intuitive, Phoenix)
Colorado:
Michael George (Avanti F&B/The Way Back, Denver)
Les Baker V (Star Bar, Denver)
Brittany Marie Wangsness (Baur's Restaurant & Listening Lounge, Denver)
Allison Widdecombe (Williams & Graham, Denver)
Nevada:
Philip Dow (Monte Carlo Casino, Las Vegas)
Eric Hobbie (Giada @ The Cromwell, Las Vegas)
Alex Penalosa (Hakkasan, Las Vegas)
Jessica Westergom (The Sand Dollar, Las Vegas)
New Mexico:
David Hernandez (Zacatecas Tacos & Tequila, Albuquerque)
Chris Milligan (Secreto Lounge, Santa Fe)
Andrew David Roy (Coyote Café/Radish & Rye, Santa Fe)
Michael Sebree (Radish & Rye, Santa Fe)
Utah:
Michael Eccleston (Bar X, Salt Lake City)
Amy Eldredge (Under Current, Salt Lake City)
Adam "Scoop" Kaessner (Bar X/Gibson Lounge, Salt Lake City)
Steven "Frankie" Mealy (Whiskey Street, Salt Lake City)
Two bartenders in each round were given six minutes to create a cocktail with an assigned base spirit plus modifier.
After high-energy rounds in the bracket-style competition, the winner was announced....
...Team New Mexico in their first year participating in the Arizona Cocktail Week Last Slinger Standing Competition! Congratulations to grand champion Andrew David Roy of Radish & Rye and Coyote Cafe.
Visit these links for my recaps of other Arizona Cocktail Week 2016 events:
Day One
Day Two
Day Three: Artisanal Market
Day Three: Day of the Rabbit at Counter Intuitive
Day Four: Imbibe 'n Dine Dinner at Lon's at The Hermosa Inn
Day Four: Jade Bar Reunion
AZCW 2016: Buchanan's Whisky Golf Cart Pub Crawl