On Monday night, the final instalment of the Regional Finals for The Perfect Blend competition 2019 was held in Sydney at the Oxford Art Factory. Here we reveal the winners from the Apprentice and Professional category that officially makes up the 12 finalists heading to Bali next month!
An array of awe-inspiring talent took to the stage to present their signature creations in front of a packed house. There were 13 finalists doing their thing to be exact, with the highest number of first time competitors to date.
Eight bartenders lined up in the Apprentice Category and five bartenders took on the Professional Category, and each of them showed off their skills, sharing their interpretation of the submission brief presented last year in September 2018 upon entry of The Perfect Blend.
They had to choose between:
- Minimal Waste …. Maximum taste
- That moment in time….
They were faced with the toughest of judging panels: Jared Brown and Sam Galsworthy, founders of Sipsmith; Sam Bygrave, editor of Australian Bartender Magazine; Cameron Pirret, The Exchange Ambassador; and Kurtis Bosley, 2018’s The Perfect Blend Professional Category winner.
After strong performances by each competitor the time of the night came for the announcements of who will proceed to the Grand Final.
Brittany Rowe from Old Mate’s Place took out the top prize in the Apprentice Category, and Tim Laferla from Scout Sydney won the Professional Category.
Brittany and Tim will now progress to the Grand Final in May to be held in Bali, and will compete against the other lucky finalists from each Regional Final.
The finalists competed for that trip of a lifetime for two bartenders to head to the home of bourbon, Kentucky USA visiting the Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark distilleries and then heading across to the big Apple to the Brooklyn Bar Convent in New York.