Australian wins 2014 Beefeater 24 cocktail competition

Jason Williams, bartender at The Rook bar in Sydney, Australia, has been crowned the winner of the 2013 Beefeater 24 Global Bartender Competition last night (7 November).

Jason Williams, pictured center, is the 2014 winner of the Beefeater 24 Global Bartender Competition

Competing against 25 other finalists from around the world, Williams presented his signature Beefeater cocktail, Werewolves of London, alongside a surprise food pairing before being chosen alongside seven other bartenders to go through to the final round.

For the last stage of the competition – which has been gathering momentum all year – the finalists were required to make their signature cocktail for guests at the competition who then voted for their favourite.

Along with the judges, which included Jim Meehan of New York’s Please Don’t Tell (PDT); world-renowned mixologist, Tony Conigliaro; bars and drinks writer, Lucy Britner; food writer, Chris Hirst; and head chef of London restaurant The Rib Room, Ian Rudge, Beefeater master distiller Desmond Payne then chose Williams as the overall winner.

He wins an all-expenses-paid trip to one of Beefeater’s key global markets, where he will be given first-hand experience of the local bartending culture.

JC Iglesias, global brand director for Beefeater 24, said: “We were really impressed by the variety and originality of the cocktails showcased by all the competitors in this year’s final.

“We are proud to have captured the imagination of the global bartender community and on behalf of the whole Beefeater team, I’d like to congratulate Jason on taking the title.

“The success of this year’s competition has further reinforced Beefeater 24’s links with the on-trade and we hope to continue to inspire bartenders across the world to embrace their creativity and develop their skills in mixology.”