Australian Team for the Cocktail World Cup

Australian Team for the Cocktail World Cup Announced.

Monday 31st May, Sydney - 42 BELOW Vodka today announced the Australian team to compete in the 42 BELOW Cocktail World Cup event to be held in Queenstown, New Zealand, as part of this year's annual Queenstown Winter Festival.

The selection process for the Australian Team has been conducted over six months with candidates considered from over 150 bars from all over Australia. The top twelve candidates were chosen based on the quality and originality of their cocktail list and each of the twelve were asked to submit a cocktail for qualification.

Of the final twelve, the following six bartenders were chosen:

- Sebastian Reaburn, Ginger, Melbourne - Johnnie Karagianni, Botanical Bubble Bar, Melbourne - Elie Mourabrak, Lychee Lounge, Brisbane - Mark Ward, Moorish, Sydney - Jeremy Shipley, Longrain, Sydney - Ben Davidson, Arthouse Hotel, Attic Room, Sydney

These six bartenders will join the total squad of 32 being flown to Queenstown to hurl themselves off bridges, fly through the air, slide down fine powdered slopes and work their magic in a cocktail mixology competition on the side of Coronet peak.

The Cocktail World Cup will be held in teams of three, between different countries. 42 BELOW have searched for bartenders from the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and with the announcement of further international teams to follow, the squad consists of:

* 6 bartenders from the UK

* 2 from Vancouver

* 6 from the East Coast of the States

* 6 from the West Coast of the States

* 6 from Australia

* 6 from New Zealand

Those chosen in the overall squad are bartenders from some of the most renowned cocktail bars in the world. The current shortlist of bars includes:

New York Pangea, Nocturne, Nine and a Half, Bowery Bar, 203 Spring, Elles, Fashion 40, Park, Wye Bar

LA Bliss, Fat Fish, Garden of Eden, The Abbey, Here Lounge, Bar Fly, The Belmont, KOI Restaurant, Century Club, Garden of Eden, Pierce Street Annex, Ivar, Lolas

San Francisco Bambudda, Suite 181, Ruby Skye, Fluid, Dragon Bar, Loft 11

Chicago Le Bar, Naha

London Lounge Lover, Milk & Honey, Mju, Zuma, the Ritz (to name a few)

"Australia certainly makes some of the best cocktails in the world," says 42 BELOW's Chief Vodka Bloke, Geoff Ross. "This comes from two things, the intense and real flavours that Australia's food and beverage industry has readily available, and obviously the skill and craft of those local bartenders who can bring it to life. We've chosen six people who we believe best posses that ability and we're excited to see how they'll stack up against the rest of the world." Visit http://www.winterfestival.co.nz/ for information about the winter festival.

Visit http://www.42below.co.nz/ , click on Cocktail World Cup for information.

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