It’s the longstanding — and toughest — test of bartending ability, with previous winners reading like a Hall of Fame of Australian bartending royalty.
It all begins with the famously tough exam, taking place on Monday 19 September at Ramblin’ Rascal during Sydney Bar Week; it cranks up a notch with the Mystery Box round following the exam, and culminates in the pressure cooker environment of the Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards, where the Top 8 — the best the country has to offer — will showcase their skills in front of some 600 of the industry’s best and brightest.
If you’ve thrown your cap in the ring, kudos to you. You’ll soon receive an email with further details about the competition. If you don’t see your name on the list opposite, it’s not too late to enter the Bartender of the Year sponsored by Bacardi & De Kuyper. Just send your details to competition organiser Sam Bygrave at sam@spantonmedia.com.
Now, get studying and we’ll see you all in September.
Round #1
Date: Monday 19 September
Time: 11.30am – 1pm
Venue: Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern
Written Test…
The first round is the famously tough bartending exam, testing your knowledge of spirits, cocktails, bartending and more. Bring a pen, get there on time, and hang about after the exam to find out who makes the cut to the Top 16.
Round #2
Date: Monday 19 September
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Venue: Ramblin’ Rascal Tavern
Mystery Round
Those who make the Top 16 will then go into the Mystery Box Round. The mystery box challenge will test your speed, creativity, and classic cocktail knowledge behind the stick in a high pressure environment; the Blind Tasting will test you on just how well you know your spirits.
Round #3
Date: Tuesday 20 September
Time: 5:00pm
Venue: Doltone House
The Top 8 Mixology Round
The Top 8 round takes place at the most prestigious event on the bar industry calendar: the Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards. There, on stage in front of 600 industry heavyweights you’ll prepare two drinks showcasing all the skills you can bring to bear — and one of you will Australia’s ultimate bartending title.
Take a look at the competitors below.
Abi Chilcott, Morries WA
Adam Dow, Dead Ringer NSW
Afzaal Ahmed, Grandma’s Bar NSW
Aidan Marshall, The Old Clare Hotel NSW
Akin Aykenar, The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay NSW
Alan Raythorn, Loch & Key / Captain Melville VIC
Alex Johnston, Wharf One Food & Wine NT
Alex Archibald, Loretta’s VIC
Alissa Gabriel, Eau De Vie Sydney NSW
Andrea Bagnera, Vaporetto Bar & Eatery VIC
Andrew Jonas, Landmark NSW
Andrew Moloney, Press Club QLD
Andrew Watson, O Bar and Dining NSW
Bobby Carey, Big Poppa’s NSW
Brendon Osmers, The Gresham QLD
Brice Aumasson, The Playford Hotel SA
Bryce McDonough, Burrow Bar NSW
Cameron Pirret, Cobbler QLD
Charles Bach, The Loft NSW
Charles Chang, Lotus Restaurant Galleries NSW
Charlotte Stevens, Bar Rochford, ACT
Chau Tran, Burrow Bar NSW
Chelsea Catherine, Loch & Key VIC
Chris Hinds, Polly Cocktail Lounge VIC
Chris Pettitt, The Gantry Bar and Restaurant NSW
Christian Leibenatus, Wildwater Grill Dee Why NSW
Daniel Gregory, The Gresham QLD
Daniel Ambrose, Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth WA
Daniel Monk, The Milton VIC
Darcy Travers, Strange Company WA
Dario Di Crescenzo, Marciano’s NSW
David Green, Lot 1 Sydney NSW
David Robinson, Hot Tamale NT
David Rofe, Los Vida NSW
David Smillie, Dixon Hospitality VIC
Dean Jarvis, Berlin Bar VIC
Dean Scuderi, Press Club QLD
Dominique Cacioli, Hunter and Barrel VIC
Dorian Sharman, California Native QLD
Edward Quatermass, Maker QLD
Ella Rhodes, The Gresham QLD
Elliott Bell, This Must Be The Place NSW
Emma Zelcer, Brooklyn Standard QLD
Evan Stroeve, Shady Pines Saloon NSW
Gemma Duff, The Hazy Rose NSW
Geoff Fewell, Boilermaker House VIC
Guido Sardi, Publica Group NSW
Harry Saunders, Mary’s Newtown NSW
Hugh Taylor, Maker QLD
Ingrid Archer, Boilermaker House VIC
Jack Allen, Mr Goodbar SA
Jack Sotti, Boilermaker House VIC
Jake Down, This Must Be The Place NSW
Jake Mcgaw, AKIBA NSW
James Connolly, Long Chim WA
James Pennefather, Long Chim WA
James Snelgrove, House of Pocket NSW
James Zacchei, The Donegal
Janna Lintunen, Chow! NT
Jasmine Pardo, Greaser QLD
Jenna Hemsworth, Black Pearl VIC
Jerry Dang, The Hydro Majestic Hotel NSW
Joe Sinagra, Bobeche WA
Joelle Turton, Hotel Steyne NSW
Jon Carr, Kittyhawk NSW
Jonathan Williams, Burrow Bar NSW
Jono Lewis, The Corner House NSW
Joseph Winika, Rattle and Hum Cairns QLD
Josh Trovato, The Swinging Cat NSW
Josie Blanchard, Lazy Susan’s Eating House NT
Kal Moore, The Gresham QLD
Kate McGraw, Lotus Dining Australia NSW
Katharine Crowe-Mai, Rockpool Bar & Grill NSW
Katherine Gardner, Black Pearl VIC
Keegan Hartslief, Long Chim Perth WA
Kelham Waterfield, Hilton NSW
Kevin Peters, Eau de Vie Melbourne VIC
Leighton Smith, Voyeur Bar WA
Liam Monk, Bobeche WA
Llara Minett, Cloudland QLD
Marcellus Heleta, Lonsdale Street Roasters ACT
Matthew Barbe, Byblos QLD
Matthew Blackburn, Harpoon Harrys NSW
Matthew Follent, Bar 1806 VIC
Matthew Linklater, Bulletin Place NSW
Matthew O’Sullivan, Press Club QLD
Merlin Jerebine, Touchè Hombre VIC
Michael Keogh, Bank Street Social SA
Michael Pattison, The Bowery QLD
Michelle Dinn, Gerards Bistro QLD
Millie Tang, Cloudland QLD
Misty Hoeta, The George Public Bar VIC
Mitchell Clarke, Atlantis Lounge SA
Mitchell Kings, London Fields QLD
Nick Cozens, Lily Blacks VIC
Nick Tesar, Lûmé VIC
Nico Iaia, Alquimia Bar QLD
Nicola Minniti, Marciano’s NSW
Nilay Bose, Mitchell’s Bar NT
Noriel Calub, Black Market NSW
Ollie Margan, Maybe Mae SA
Orlando Marzo, Lûmé VIC
Owen Colin, Mr Goodbar SA
Paul Hammond, The Beaufort VIC
Payden Holt, Darwin Convention Centre NT
Peter Ehemann, Level 6/Merivale NSW
Peter Hollands, The Gresham QLD
Priscilla Leong, Joe Taylor VIC
Qu Faraday, Goodtime Hospitality NSW
Quinton Seeto, The Barber Shop NSW
Quynh Nguyen, Firefly Neutral Bay NSW
Rene Schaeffer, Siglo/The European VIC
Rohan Fisher, Polly VIC
Rusty Russell, The Barber Shop NSW
Ryan Lane, The Gresham QLD
Sean McGuire, Nieuw Amsterdam VIC
Silas Otto, Hippo Co ACT
Stephanie Liquorish, Cloudland, QLD
Steven Hubbard, Press Club QLD
Stew Luk, Cargo Bar & Lounge NSW
Swanny Kanongataa, The Wild Rover NSW
Thomas Loosli, Eau de Vie Sydney NSW
Tom Egerton, Eau de Vie, NSW
Ugur Bobby Aydogan, Watermans Lobsters & Co. NSW
Wade Thrupp, Crown Casino VIC
WeiFeng Ji, West Village Petersham NSW
Will Sleeman, Black Pearl VIC
William Cowley, Brooklyn Standard QLD
Yoshi Onishi, Tokyo Bird NSW