Yesterday in Philadelphia (9/24), New York’s Mark Tubridy (21 Club) was crowned the Regional Winner of Bombay Sapphire’s 13th Annual Most Imaginative Bartender (MIB) Competition. Tubridy beat out other top bartenders from Orlando, New York, Savannah, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia, showcasing the artistry that goes into making an imaginative cocktail. Next month in October, Tubridy and the 11 other top mixologists from across North America will head to England – the home of Bombay Sapphire and its Laverstoke Distillery – for an immersive gin education tour before competing in the competition finals in February 2020 in Chicago. Tubridy will also compete in the Canvas Challenge, a new component of the program which will task the top 12 finalists to bring an original creative idea of any medium to life for a chance to win a $25,000 grant prize and a mentorship by a creative visionary.
Over the last two days, 12 of eastern North America’s top bartenders stirred creativity and presented their most elaborate cocktails to an esteemed panel of judges. As the regional competition came to an end, Tubridy’s “Songbird” cocktail (recipe below) was named the Most Imaginative based on flavor, appearance, presentation, and imagination. Also claiming a spot in the top 12 and advancing to the finale are Atlanta’s Keyatta Mincey-Parker (Bonton), Miami’s Derek Stilmann (The Sylvester Bar), and New Orleans’ Maggie Morgan (Bar Tonique).
Here are the four mouth-watering winning recipes:
Songbird
Created by Mark Tubridy (21 Club)
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
.75 oz Martini Riserva Speciale Bitter
.75 oz Black pepper fig syrup
.75 oz coffee infused verjus blanc
.15 oz citrate syrup
Eve’s Pot Liquor
Created by Keyatta Mincey-Parker (Bonton)
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
.5 oz Chareau Aloe Liqueur
1 bar spoon of Fernet Branca
.75 oz Lemon
.75 oz Simple
.5 oz collard green juice
1 oz green apple juice
2 drops saline
Culture to Culture
Created by Derek Stilmann (The Sylvester Bar)
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
1.5 oz Mango Kombucha
.75 oz Martini Ambrato
.75 oz Kefir with nitro muddled juniper
.5 oz honey steeped with angelica root
.5 oz minus 8 verjus
Southern Belle
Created by Maggie Morgan (Bar Tonique)
2 oz Bombay Sapphire
.75 oz Red Bell Pepper Syrup
.75 oz lemon
2 dashes bitter truth celery bitters
