In pictures: The 2013 IBA World Cocktail Championship

The annual IBA Congress is always a long week filled with imbibing, socialising, sight-seeing and of course the final of the World Cocktail Championship (WCC).

Greta Gronholm from Finland was named the IBA World Cocktail Champion 2013

For the bartenders participating in the competition, this week is the pinnacle of a year filled with preparation and perspiration in which each has won his or her regional final to secure a place in the WCC. It was all the more important to overall winner Greta Grönholm from Finland, for whom the competition capped nine years of trying for the title.

Some bartenders brought a thorough knowledge of classic cocktails and their trusty palates to the table, while others competing in the Flairtending competition,relied more on their sense of timing, balance and hand-eye coordination.

It’s hard to describe the enormity of a cocktail competition such as this, where the giant ballroom in the basement of the Hilton Prague is filled with screaming fans and waving national flags as bartenders mix their winning drinks on a stage.

In which case it’s probably better to show you. Flick through the following pages for some of the highlights from the 2013 IBA World Cocktail Championship.

The IBA World Cocktail Championship is undoubtedly a melting pot of bartenders from around the world, providing a unique insight into drink styles from all corners of the Earth.

Marek Posluszny of Poland was declared the winner of the Flairtending round with a humorous performance aided by the help of three “Britain’s Got Talent” judges, complete with buzzers and red crosses.

The crowd are in complete awe at the skill of the flairtenders competing, although many watched the skills on display through a screen.

Daniel Crebesse and Luca Cordiglieri of the UKBG celebrate the week with a cocktail and a copy of The Spirits Business. Standard.

As the 2013 IBA Congress was hosted by Prague, our hosts put on a show of traditional Czech dancing and singing.

Deirdre Byrne from Irleand mixes her Fancy Cocktail Angel Fruit

Ingredients:
40ml Bombay Sapphire
15ml Villa Massa Limoncello
15ml Martini Bianco
30ml Finest Call Raspberry Puree
40ml Caraibos Pure Fruit Juice Apple
15ml Lemon juice

Method: Shake over ice and strain into Libbey Hobstar DOF No 2651VCP35 glass and garnish with lime, apple, raspberry and butternut squash.

Gkovatsos Panagiotis from Greece makes his Long Drink, Skyfall2

Ingredients: 40ml Grey Goose La Poire
30ml Giffard Pampl’Hibiscus
40ml Finest Call Passion Fruit Puree
20ml Monin Pink Grapefruit
30ml Lime juice
30ml Perrier

Method: Shake over ice and strain into a Libbey Endless Beverage No 3482VCP35 glass and top with Perrier. Garnish with blueberry, cranberry, grapefruit, passionfruit, pineapple leaf, carrot, turnip, chilli pepper and mint.

Irina Stefanidi of Cyprus, winner of the After Dinner Cocktail round, mixes her drink Temptation for the final.

Ingredients:
30ml De Kuyper Triple Sec
15ml Monin Raspberry Liqueur
15ml Monin Chocolate Cookie
15ml Monin Hibiscus
5ml Lime Juice
40ml Caraibos Red Cranberry Nectar

Method: Shake over ice and strain into a Libbey SPKSY Champagne No 17006 glass and garnish with green apple, lime, strawberry and mint.

Marek Posluszny, Flairtending Champion of the IBA World Cocktail Championship 2013, mixes his drink for the final, Green Peace.

Ingredients:
40ml Bacardi Superior
15ml Midori
15ml Monin Estragon
10ml Monin Kiwi
20ml lime juice

Method: Shake over ice and strain into a Durobor Glam 2928/25 glass and garnish with orange, radish and estragon.

Naomi Takahashi with her Before Dinner cocktail Wisteria.

Ingredients:
40ml Havana Club Anejo 3 Anos
15ml Pavan
5ml Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
10ml Martini Extra Dry

Method:
Stir in a mixing glass and strain into a Libbery SPKSY No 14006 glass, garnishing with Apple, grapefruit, orange and pineapple leaf.

Greta Grönholm with her drink My Green Summer.

Ingredients:
100ml Martini Prosecco DOC
20ml Grey Goose Poire
20ml Routin 1883 Green Apple
3 barspoons Routin 1883
Fruit de la passion
1 bar spoon Finest Call Lime Juice
1 barspoon Monin Cucumber
Method: Stir in a mixing glass and strain into a coupette, garnishing with apple, lemon, cucumber and lily grass.

After days of competing in Prague, the six finalists – of which four are girls, an unprecedented show from the women in the final – are about to find out who amongst them has won the title.

Greta Grönholm is overcome with emotion as she learns she is the winner of the 2013 IBA World Cocktail Championship.

Greta Grönholm accepts her prize from Ales Svojanovsky, president of the Czech Bartenders Guild,( left) and  IBA president Derrick Lee.

The official flag of the IBA is transferred from the Prague Bartenders Guild to the South Africa Bartenders Guild who will host the competition and congress in 2014. This is the last time this ceremony will take place.