Wellington bartender, Jason Clark, has returned home a golden boy after being crowned one of the world’s best bartenders at the International Bartenders Association (IBA) World Cocktail Competition in Warsaw, Poland.
The 31 year old, who took out the national title earlier this year, was one of five gold medallists at the competition held last month, which saw top bartenders from 56 countries compete in a five day event.
His rum-based cocktail was rated the best drink in the pre-dinner cocktail category with judges praising its perfect balance and the integrity of its ingredients.
Clark, who works at Betty’s Bar and Function Room in Wellington, said it was a career highlight to take home gold and believed his win was largely due to his interest in combining traditional methods and recipes with modern techniques.
“I have a huge respect for our industry’s past and have long studied vintage cocktails and historic methods, while at the same time experimenting with cutting edge techniques to create cocktails that really excite drinkers,” he says.
Ulf Fuhrer, managing director of Zumwohl, which supported Clark to get to the event, said the competition he faced was extremely tough.
“Jason was up against top talent from bigger countries with bigger bar scenes such as Brazil, China and Israel, and had to perform on stage in front of more than 1000 people. Many of the competitors had been practicing for hours a day in the lead up to the event, and were using complicated techniques with lots of ingredients.
“In contrast, Jason’s cocktail, which was a contemporary take on a Manhattan, was a throwback to American bartending of the late 1800s. It was very simple and classic, which made it stand out,” Fuhrer said.
The five drinks categories bartenders competed in were pre-dinner drink, after-dinner drink, long drink, fancy drink and sparkling drink. Competitors were judged on the taste, appearance, and aroma of the drink and their overall presentation skills.
Jason Clark’s winning recipes
The International
Gold medal in the pre-dinner drink category at the IBA World Cocktail Competition, Poland
45mls golden rum
15ml pomegranate liqueur
15ml Antica formula (bitter Italian vermouth)
Stir with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a martini glass that has been rinsed with French bitters (or sprayed with a bitters mist). Garnish with a shaving or orange peel or an orange rose.
To make the orange rose, peel half an orange and coil into a rose shape and stuff with a few pomegranate seeds.
Silk & Saffron
Winner of the IBA New Zealand Cocktail Competition
40ml Zumwohl* natural schnapps
10ml Lillet Blanc
15ml apricot brandy
15ml lemon juice
10ml sugar syrup
5 saffron threads
15ml eggwhite
Shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with saffron candy floss and a saffron infused Zumwohl mist
Jason’s summer cocktails
Schnappy Sundowner
40 ml Zumwohl Plum schnapps
15ml ginger liqueur
15ml sugar syrup
30ml fresh grapefruit juice
Shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker and strain over chipped ice in a brandy balloon or similar glass. Top with Chi sparkling herbal mineral water and drizzle with 10ml Creme de Mure (blackberry liqueur). Garnish with summer berries, s mint sprig, a flower and dust with icing sugar.
Summer Jam
45ml Zumwohl Natural schnapps
10ml apricot brandy
5ml scotch whisky
10ml sugar syrup
30ml ruby red grapefruit juice
15ml egg white
Teaspoon of apricot honey
Shake all ingredients vigorously to emulsify egg white. Pour into a marmalade jar or similar over ice and top with soda water. Garnish with half a fresh apricot smothered in honeycomb.
*Zumwohl is an award-winning German style schnapps made in Wellington by Aotearoa Distilleries. It is traditionally drunk neat as a shot, but is also an ideal base for long drinks and cocktails.