Launching this June, CAMPARI ACADEMY presents ‘AFTERLIFE’ – an Agave Cocktail Competition and Training Program exploring Mexico’s history, culture, rituals, and Agave spirits, giving one lucky bartender the trip of a lifetime to MEXICO!
For the first time in 7 years CAMPARI ACADEMY Australia will be hosting a cocktail competition for the nation’s bartenders. The Brand Ambassador team, led by Krystal Hart, and consisting of Jay Lambert, Matt Linklater, and Tom Sinclair, will be tasking you to create an original serve, exemplifying the Oaxacan proverb ‘Tequila to wake the Living, Mezcal to wake the Dead’.
Mexico is such a rich tapestry of culture and contrast that celebrates all the dualities in the human experience, understanding that one cannot exist without the other – the light & the dark, day & night, life & death. To celebrate this, Campari Academy challenge you to create a cocktail with ESPOLON BLANCO, REPOSADO or ANEJO celebrating life & light with a splash of theatre; or using MONTELOBOS ESPADIN to create a drink inspired by darkness, the nocturnal & the afterlife with an element of ritual.
The Brand Ambassador team, led by Krystal Hart, and consisting of Jay Lambert, Matt Linklater, and Tom Sinclair, will be tasking you to create an original serve, exemplifying the Oaxacan proverb ‘Tequila to wake the Living, Mezcal to wake the Dead’.
Kicking off in May to support the competition, the Campari Academy team will be rolling out a Training Program across the country visiting their favourite regional centres and capital cities. They’ll be diving deep into the Agave plant and spirits, theatre and ritual, and sharing some tips and tricks on how to create strong & successful competition cocktail entries, with examples and advice from some of Australia’s most influential bartenders. It’s everything to help take your creativity & your competition game to the next level!
Entries open 1/6/2023 and close 30/6/2023, and drinks must be on menu for the month of July when the Brand Ambassador team will be travelling around to judge the serves in person. To find out more about the competition head to afterlifecompetition.com.au and make sure to RSVP to your local AFTERLIFE Training Program via the Campari Academy website.
For full session dates see below:
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- Hobart – Rude Boy, Monday 29th May
- Mooloolaba – Wat Den, Monday 29th May
- Melbourne – Pearl Diver, Monday 5th June
- Gold Coast – Justin Lane, Monday 5th June
- Adelaide – Memphis Slim’s, Tuesday 6th June
- Canberra – Hippo Co, Tuesday 6th June
- Wollongong – The Prince, Wednesday 7th June
- Brisbane – The Prince Consort, Monday 12th June
- Sydney – El Primo Sanchez Tuesday 13th June
- Geelong – There There, Tuesday 13th June
- Newcastle – Blue Kahunas, Wednesday 14th June
- Cairns – Three Wolves, Wednesday 14th June
- Darwin – Hanky Panky Lounge, Tuesday 20th June
To inspire Campari Academy attendees, the Ambassador team collaborated with HIVE Mind member Matt Dale of Re in Sydney, to see what his unique take would be of ‘Tequila to wake the Living, Mezcal to wake the Dead’. Matt chose to use Espolon Anejo, creating a cocktail inspired by the first sip of coffee in the morning, celebrating life & light, finished with an orange foam table side.
Just arriving home from a trip to Europe, Matt drew inspiration from his travels, and was led by ingredients. “It’s a matter of sitting down for a couple of hours, going through all the ingredients that are in season, then seeing what fits with the spirit. The longest part is going out to the gardens and foraging”. To catch more insight into Matt’s creative process, and more tips and tricks around the competition keep your eyes on the Campari Academy Instagram campariacademy_au.
To find out more about the competition head to afterlifecompetition.com.au and be sure to RSVP to your local CAMPARI ACADEMY at campariacademy.com/events/afterlife.