Arc Inspirations star named Bartender of the Year
Aidan Beaumont from bar brand operator Arc Inspirations has been named the Bartender of the Year, following a flawless performance at the 2024 Classic Cocktail Competition.
Beaumont (pictured above with Britvic's Sam Wood), who is bar development manager for the business behind Manahatta, BOX and Banyan, was awarded the title after delivering his take on six classic cocktails to a panel of industry judges. Drinks included a coconut and peach-inspired Negroni, and a Pornstar Martini that featured a pineapple-infused vodka and yellow banana syrup.
The standard of serves from some of the most renowned bar brands in the industry was extremely high, but Beaumont’s overall performance was enough to secure the top honour at the second installment of the Classic Cocktail Competition.
Aidan Beaumont's Pornstar Martini and Negroni
“The level that I saw everyone else bring, especially from some of these big-name groups like Alchemist, Roxy, Albert’s Schloss… you suddenly ask yourself, ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ But it was a massive shock, you don’t really ever expect to win,” says Beaumont.
“My personal opinion of classics is that if you have the skills behind the bar to do them, you should write them into the menu. There are a whole group of people who are starting to drink who might not have heard of these serves. Do we need to expose them more? You can take these amazing drinks and do incredible things with them, so they become your own thing. It makes them more accessible for a whole new audience and that is exactly what the Classic Cocktail Competition is helping achieve.”
Drinks of the Year
Along with the winning trophy, Beaumont walked away with a £1,000 prize, as well as a spot in a worldwide cocktail competition final with sponsor Les verges Boiron, which takes place in Madrid in March 2025. He will also attend a Mix with Britvic immersion session, followed by a pub and bar safari around Leeds.
The Classic Cocktail Competition challenges bartenders to make six different classic cocktails each, all including sponsor products and served in their own signature style, during strictly timed heats. This means there were also six other trophies up for grabs on the day, one for each cocktail.
Ciaran McMullin's Highball and Old Fashioned
Beaumont won the Negroni of the Year and the Pornstar Martini of the Year. However, Ciaran McMullin also walked away with two titles after scooping the Old Fashioned of the Year and the Highball of the Year. His Highball featured whiskey, peche, lemon, lime, agave and Britvic’s White Peach & Jasmine, while the Old Fashioned combined Busker Single Malt Whiskey, banana, caramel and cinnamon.
David Beaumont from Rank Group, which runs Grosvenor Casinos, triumphed in the Long Island Iced Tea round, with standout ingredients being Virtuous Vodka, Busker’s Triple Cask, Tequila 38 Blanco, Boiron’s Lime Purée, Ms Better’s Bitters Black Pepper & Cardamom Bitters, Pepsi MAX and a smoked cola foam. While Demi Harper from the Inn Collection Group took home the Margarita of the Year trophy, after the judges were bowled over by her watermelon-inspired creation.
David Beaumont's Long Island Iced Tea and Demi Harper's Margarita
The Classic Cocktail Competition will return in 2025. To register your interest in taking part, please visit classiccocktails.co.uk
The Classic Cocktail Competition 2024 was headline sponsored by Mix with Britvic, and sponsored by Engine Gin, Frona, Les Verges Boiron, Ms Better’s Bitters, Tequila 38, The Busker, Tork, Urban Bar and Virtuous Vodka.
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