US Scoops 42BELOW Cocktail Gong
From more than two thousand bartenders around the world, the Team USA trio of Mark Stoddard, Todd Thrasher and Sean Hoard emerged as the winners in the sixth 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup. The grand final event was help in Wellington, New Zealand, over five days.
24 bartenders from seven countries battled it out in a series of challenges in Queenstown and Wellington. Team USA were crowned the best bartenders in the world, with their wordy cocktail titled ‘I have too much thyme on my hands right now at this point in my life’. Made with 42BELOW Pure, apple bitters, lime thyme syrup and an artichoke aperitif.
The team were backed on stage by Run DMC before shedding their black tracksuits and donning cocktail aprons to make a truly classy drink. Team USA won the ’21st Century Punch challenge’ early in the competition, and were strong contenders throughout, “the drink was sorted from day one but the presentation came together in the last minute on the plane, it was phenomenal,” said Todd Thrasher.
US bartender of the year and judge Jim Meehan said their level of performance and presentation was amazing. Coming a close second was Team France with ‘Le Rendez-Vous’ which they served alongside a dessert also created on stage. In third place was Team New Zealand with ’42 Cuba St’.
The team of Josh Crawford, Calem Chadwick and James Goggin displayed a new technique called ‘flazing’ – using dry ice to aerate the drink instead of flames. Their cocktail contained 42BELOW Manuka Honey, chocolate and decanter bitters and a spray of gunpowder and over-proof rums. The winners were chosen in a live grand final event themed ‘Love, Drinks and Rock n Roll, baby’ at Wellington’s old museum building. The sold out event featured the eight teams including France, Italy, USA, Australia, UK, Ireland, London and New Zealand.
Click here for more information on the winners of the 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup
