I. Payment and Registration

The contest entry fee is $15.00 (pre-registration) or $20.00 on the day of, which must be paid upon submission of the entry form. The fee covers your entry into the main event. By paying the fee, your spot will be confirmed in the GTSouth competition. If you cannot make it to the event, you either forfeit the entry fee or you can have someone take your place. Entry fees are nonrefundable.

Forms of Payments include Cash (in person), CashApp – $GTSouth (Specify that your payment is for Bartender Competition), or PayPal – Paypal@gtsouth.com (Please Notate that your payment is for the Bartender Competition).

II. Competition Day Sign-in

Both rounds of the competition will take place at GTSouth located at 2015 Cong W L Dickinson Dr., Montgomery, AL on Saturday, August 20, 2022.

Doors open at 10:00 AM, competition starts at 10:30 AM. Signing in late might result in disqualification.

Competitors must be at the host location and sign in at least 30 minutes before the contest.

Once you arrive, please notify the door attendant that you are on the list of competitors.

Your entry fee covers yourself and no others. You can purchase additional passes for friends or family.

III. Rounds and Scoring

The contest will consist of two rounds: a qualifying round testing for speed, and a final round testing for freestyle performance and showmanship. Only contestants that have a score of 25 or greater in the speed round will move on to the finals (Freestyle Round).

Speed Round

This round will determine if you have what it takes to move on to the next level of competition. Competitors will have two minutes to complete the following drinks in order:

1. Long Island Tea
2. Cuba Libre
3. Tom Collins
4. Kamikaze
5. Beer pour (Bottle) into pint glass

All drinks must have their proper garnishes and a wash line of ½ inch space between the rim of glass. (*For recipes and a list of glassware to be used in making the drinks, please see Section IV.)

Point System

Competitors will have a 50 point base.

Deductions from 50 points –

Overtime: -10 points for time over two minutes

Missing drink: -10 points. If you don’t have one of the five drinks on the bar in the glass complete by the end of your routine, then it will be considered missing.

Drops: -5 points. A drop is when the object you’re in contact with falls, and you no longer have control over the object. We will not count drops with a beverage napkins, straw, garnish or ice.

Spills: -5 total if there is even one major spill.

Smash and Breakage: -5 points per every item smashed or damaged

Stirring done with hands: -2 points

Ice scoop with hand or glass: -2 points

Finals:

Freestyle Round

Competitors will have a maximum of Five (5) minutes to perform an original, creative, visually appealing routine involving the use of glassware and drinks. This may involve, but isn’t limited to, flairing, spitting fire, glass-pouring displays and other tricks. This round is about entertaining the audience, and it’s your best shot at setting yourself apart from the other bartenders.

Competitors will be able to use a set of glassware and drinks provided by event organizers; if they choose, they may also bring their own materials. You will be solely responsible for any items you bring in case of loss, theft or damage.

Point Breakdown

Creativity: +10 POINTS

This criterion has to do with the creativity of your program of motions and tricks – Originality is important. New and harder moves may score better but remember, completing your show with moves that are within your comfort zone will result in better point totals.

Flair Skill/Smoothness of Motion/Control: +5 POINTS

The judges are looking for a clean show, with skillful sequences and difficult moves for example, bottle flipping, glass tossing and shaker spinning. Even if your routine is not based on flair, keep in mind that this criterion rests on your ability to make things look natural to nail every move on every attempt and to appear to be in control at all times.

Entertainment Value & Showmanship: +10 POINTS

You are here to put on a show in front of an audience. Crowd reaction is important, so interaction and appearance are pluses. Use your skills to entertain the masses with music, props and other effects. Entertainment value includes all aspects of stage presentation, choreography, costume, sound and overall presentation. So be confident, enjoy what you do and put on a great show.

Deductions

Overtime: -5 points for any time over five (5) minutes

Drops: -5 points. A drop is when the object you’re in contact with falls, and you no longer have control over the object. We will not count drops with a beverage napkins, straw, garnish or ice.

Spills: -5 total if there is even one major spill.

Smash and Breakage: -5 points per every item smashed or damaged

Bonus Points

Zero drops: +5 points

Zero spills: +5 points

Judges will tally the points for each section, and an average will yield the final score.

IV. List of Bar Tools and Recipes

In Speed Round

For practicing purposes, here is a list of glassware, bar tools and drink recipes for the speed round. Event organizers will provide glassware, tools and garnishes.

Glassware

2-pint glasses

2 high ball glasses (A high ball glass will substitute for a Tom Collins Glass)

1 shooter glass

Bar Tools

Shaker Tins

Standard 28-oz Shaker

Standard 16 oz Cheater

Four Prong Stainless

Ice Scoop

Pour Spouts (285)

Bottles 750-ml or any we can get our hands on

Types of bottles (1 Rum, 1 Gin, 1 Vodka, 1 Triple Sec, 1 Sweet & Sour, 1 Beer (Bottle))

Garnishes

Lemons/Limes

Cherries

 

Drink Recipes

 

Long Island Tea:

½ oz Rum

½ oz Gin

½ oz Vodka

½ oz Triple Sec

3 oz Sweet & Sour

Topped with Cola

Garnish Lemon squeeze

Pint glass

Cuba Libre:

1 ¼ oz White Rum

Fill to wash line with Cola

Garnish Lime Squeeze

High Ball

Tom Collins:

1 oz Gin

3 oz Sweet & Sour

Garnish Lemon Squeeze

Collins Glass

Kamikaze:

¾ oz Vodka

½ oz Triple Sec

1 oz Sweet & Sour

Shooter Glass

Beer Pour:

One 12 oz. Beer

Pint Glass

V. General Rules and Regulations 

• You must be 21 years or older to compete.
• The competition outline is designed for single competitors only
• All performances will be behind the bar. Please take audience safety into consideration.
• Waivers must be signed upon registration in order to compete. If waiver is not signed, you will not be allowed to participate.
• All competitors must attend the meeting prior to the competition to review rules and ask questions.
• Competitors may set up the bar however they want. You will be accountable for prepping the bar, and anything missing will be your responsibility.
• Each competitor is allowed (1) one minute of set-up time for the qualifying round.
• Each competitor is allowed (5) five minutes of set-up time for the freestyle round.
• Fire is permitted in the final round. You must inform organizers if you intend to use fire.
• We will supply a barback to assist competitors. However, competitors may bring their own barbacks, but they must still pay the $5 entrance fee or a can food item for the Montgomery Food Bank or an item for the Humane Society Shelter.
• No nudity from competitors or obscene language are to be used during the routine. Please keep it professional.
• Bartenders must be ready to compete at least three people before they are supposed to.
• Any method may be used to prepare the cocktail, shake, mix or blend.
• NO JUGGLING PROPS to be used in the routine. E.g., Pin Bottles, Sticks, knives, etc.
• When a competitor has indicated that he has finished his routine he must not touch his drinks by adding straws, garnishes, etc.
• In the case of any dispute, the judges’ decisions are final.
• Serious violation of any of the rules will result in disqualification.