SURPRISING SIGNATURES: The UK Final kicked off with the Signature Cocktail Round at Tom Conran designed Circus Bar before relocating to The Hospital Club for the People’s Choice Punch Round and Carnival Party. 23 of the country’s best barmen conjured up incredible cocktail creations in a bid to impress the judging panel, guest chaired by acclaimed New Zealand bred Chef Anna Hansen, of London's Modern Pantry. West London took the lead with the daringly innovative ‘Country Bumpkin’: a mix of 42BELOW Kiwi, homemade butternut squash purée, yellow Chartreuse, mescal and grapefruit juice served with an mp3 player in an empty tomato purée can to garnish. Team Scotland were also brave in their experimentation with “42 Shakes of a Lamb’s Tail” proving a delicious take on the Ramos Gin Fizz mixing 42BELOW Passion, Licor 43, Iru Bru reduction, milk, raspberry syrup, cream and lime juice. The baby-pink drink was served in a cardboard milkshake cup with a side of lamb and mint hotdog.

 

THE WILDCARD WINNER: The first of it’s kind; the 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup offers a second place in the NZ final to the most popular UK Team, dubbed the Wildcard. The Wildcard is chosen by various measures, one of which is a public vote during the People’s Choice Punch Round which offers the true test of a good cocktail as judged by those who are destined to consume it. During the punch round at the Hospital club 250 guests had the rare opportunity to sip and sample their way around the UK cocktail scene tasting each of the 8 team’s cocktails before voting for their favourite. The vote saw Team Scotland emerge victorious. Dressed in lycra morph suits the trio dished up a twist on the Fish House Punch, served in a fish tank complete with rubber ducky.

 

THE PRIZE: Both teams will now start their preparations to go on tour in New Zealand where they will battle it out in the week long 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup which culminates in the grand final on Saturday 19 March 2011. Each team will compete, country vs. country, in grueling cocktail challenges to take home the international title, which puts bartenders on the world stage in 13 nations.

 

THE ESSENCE OF THE COMPETITION: Each year the 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup unearths budding cocktail bartenders and venerates veterans in a competition that inspires creativity and innovation, love and allegiance like no other. The standard of drinks this year was exceedingly high and provided a unique snapshot of emerging cocktail trends from Edinburgh to Belfast, Bristol to Brighton, bringing together the whole of the UK in 8 regional teams of 3.

 

The Hall of 42 Fame: The annual competition also offers bartenders the opportunity of a lifetime by providing unmatched international cocktail experience and industry prestige, bolstering their careers when they return home.  Entrants from previous years include Richard Wynne now Founder of Callooh Callay, 2008 Theme bartender of the year Rich Hunt of newly opened Kanaloa and bar consultant Kevin Armstrong, former head of operations at Match group.