Lucas Bols today announced that American Kate Gerwin has been awarded the prestigious title of Bols Bartending World Champion 2014, following a sensational Bols Around the World Grand Final held Tuesday, May 20 in Amsterdam.
Gerwin prevailed with her ‘Brown Chicken, Brown Cacao’ cocktail, made with Bols Crème de Cacao Brown, Bols Yogurt Liqueur, spiced almond milk, and walnut bitters. The inspiration for the drink was a classic American cocktail, Smith & Curran, which was invented during the 1950s oil boom in Bismarck, North Dakota, where she resides part-time.
“I don’t think there are any words to describe how I’m feeling. To say that I’m honored would be an understatement,” said Gerwin. “I have been on the most incredible journey here with Bols, together with the judges, the past winner and especially the other competitors. Even though we’ve been competing hard against each other, we helped one another all the time and the judges have been so positive. I am thrilled with the prospect of representing Bols for a year. I hope I can do this historic brand the justice it deserves. Bols has been instrumental in not only my career but in the careers of so many bartenders.”
The highly-anticipated final was webcast live on Bols.com to a global audience for the first time. Viewing events were held in 16 locations around the world where bartenders gathered to watch the final eight contenders battle head-to-head. A panel of six international judges scrutinized the finalists who were tasked with demonstrating their worth to be crowned the world’s most visionary bartender poised to create the next trend in bartending.
Head of the judging panel, Malika Saidi, trainer of the Bols Bartending Academy said, “This year the competition was incredible as our finalists worked extremely hard to impress the judging panel with their expertise. We were thoroughly impressed with all of the finalists’ performances and it was a very tough decision to choose one winner out of a very close top three. However, Kate’s all-round bartending skills, knowledge, creativity, presentation skills, and innovation stood out.”
The action-packed 30-minute event also featured a flair show by world champion tandem flair artists, Tomek Malek and Marek Poluszny. A replay of the show can be viewed at www.Bols.com and also on www.Youtube.com/BolsBartending.
In addition to being named Bols Bartending World Champion 2014, Gerwin’s prize package includes a 10-day global bar tour and a guest bartending shift in top bars in four cocktail capitals of the world.
Lucas Bols CEO, Huub van Doorne said, “The Bols Bartending World Championship continues to inspire the industry, encouraging the world’s most talented bartenders to get involved and present their best efforts. This year we also webcast the competition live for bartenders around the world to witness, which was a huge success. Innovation is at the heart of what we do at Bols and the 2014 champion, Kate Gerwin embodies that mindset and we are looking forward to collaborating with her.”
The eighth annual competition attracted the most extensive pool of entries the contest has ever seen, with over 3,000 entries from 76 countries. Eighteen semi-finalists embarked on a four-day, intensive Bols experience in Amsterdam showcasing a breadth of skills, before the group was narrowed down to eight finalists.
All Bols Around the World finalists will become Bols Ambassadors in their own region and will be trained extensively at the Bols Bartending Academy.
Bols Around The World 2014 finalists:
· Canada: Frédéric Lafontaine
· USA: Kate Gerwin
· UK: Elliot Ball
· Netherlands: Airto Cramer
· Russia: Katerina Babich
· Japan: Yukiko Watanabe
· Hong Kong: Antonio Lai Chun Nam
· Australia: Jack Sotti
The global panel of judges across the semi-finals and grand final was headed by Malika Saidi and included Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, founder/general manager and bar manager respectively of The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog; Robbie Bargh, founder of London’s Gorgeous Group; Ago Perrone, Global Brand Ambassador Galliano and finally Bols Bartending World Champion 2013, Rusty Cerven, senior mixologist at Connaught Bar in London.
Relive the Bols Around the world Grand finals at www.Youtube.com/BolsBartending.
Additional information can be found at www.Bols.com and at www.Facebook.com/BolsBartending.
Winning Cocktail:
Brown Chicken, Brown Cacao by Kate Gerwin (USA)
Ingredients:
· 2 oz Bols Crème de Cacao Brown
· 1.5 oz Bols Yogurt
· 0.5 oz almond milk
· 0.5 tsp cardamom seeds
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 2 star anise pods
· 2 dashes black walnut bitters
· topped with Bols Cacao White Foam
Garnish/serving method:
· Small milk jug glass, candy striped straw, topped with Bols Cacao White Foam, grated nutmeg
Method:
· In an ISI container rapid infuse cacao and yoghurt with cardamom, cinnamon, star anise.
· Strain and combine with remaining ingredients in a perlini.
· Shake and carbonate.
· Strain into a milk jug glass and garnish with a straw and grated nutmeg/spices
Motivation behind cocktail from Kate Gerwin:
“I am working in Bismarck, ND right now. I love the classics and I discovered a classic cocktail was invented right here in 1950 a block from my bar called a Smith & Curran. I have added my own twist to this easy to make, versatile and pleasing cocktail that was originally designed as a hangover cure.”
“I really wanted to show classics don’t have to be overdone. ometimes they are really boozy and strong. You can have a classic cocktail and introduce markets to some really great drinks and change people’s minds about the products they are drinking.”
