Campari, the legendary one-of-a-kind red spirit, has announced the first-ever Campari “Best Aperitivo” Cocktail Competition in conjunction with the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild. The official competition will seek out the best drinks made with Campari as an aperitivo—a pre-dinner libation designed to stimulate the appetite. The competition is open to all active members of the USBG, the leading non-profit network for professional bartenders.
The competition will start with regional mix-offs at every one of the USBG’s 29 local chapters across the U.S. from March 15 to April 15, 2012. The regional finalists will each win a trip to New York City to compete at the final competition on May 13, 2012 during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. The judges will include USBG President David Nepove, bar legend Tony Abou-Ganim, master mixologist Francesco Lafranconi, and aperitivo expert Jacques Bezuidenhout. The national winner will receive a trip to Beijing to compete in the 2012 International Cocktail Competition.
“The bartending community has demonstrated amazing loyalty to Campari over the last 150 years. Today, they have reintroduced Campari to cocktail enthusiasts and foodies through their innovative drinks and have kindled the current aperitivo trend in America,” said Jason Daniel, Campari Brand Director, Campari America. “As bartenders have clearly made Campari their brand, we eagerly await the aperitivo creativity this competition will no doubt unleash.”
Beyond restoring and popularizing the classics among mainstream consumers, a new generation of craft bartenders across the U.S. has embraced aperitivo cocktails as a platform for innovation and experimentation. Highlight the use of Campari, they have pioneered in-house carbonation, pre-bottled cocktails, barrel aging, on-tap service and other techniques to create new drinks to excite patrons. Mixologists have also explored the evolution of The Negroni by swapping in new ingredients, from Bourbon, to Cognac, to Mezcal, further underscoring the versatility of Campari.
“Aperitivo cocktails have achieved unprecedented popularity from coast to coast in the U.S., thanks in large part to the revival of the Negroni, Campari’s signature cocktail,” said Abou-Ganim. “We’re delighted that Italy’s sophisticated version of ‘Happy Hour’ has taken root in America’s drinking culture. This competition will help spotlight the category’s best of the best and will introduce new classic aperitivos to the cocktail pantheon.”
