Sustainable cocktail comp approches final

The 42Below Cocktail Earth Cup – a competition focused on using sustainable ingredients – is set to have its final showdown in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Steve Schneider, 2012 winner of the 42Below Cocktail Earth Cup, will be judging next year’s competition

To enter, competitors from Australia and New Zealand were required to create and submit a cocktail championing environmentally sustainable practices using 42Below vodka as the base.

The final will see five Australian bar teams from five venues flown to New Zealand to compete head-to-head with five of their Kiwi rivals.

Entries included Infinity, which used pear cores that would otherwise be thrown away; From Tank to Table, which utilised rain water; and Let’s Get Tropical. ‘a closed loop cocktail’ that claims to create zero waste.

42Below brand ambassador Sean Forsyth said: “The ten teams will be put through their paces learning waste eliminating in bars, sustainable cocktail practices, and also getting amongst what beautiful Queenstown has to offer.

“From bungee jumping to a ‘carbon footprint,’ we will ensure the contestants will have an unforgettable experience in our spiritual brand home.”

The victorious team will be prized with returning to judge next year’s competition with director of global trade advocacy for Bacardi, Jacob Briars, along with Steve Schneider, 2012 winner, and Bonnie Shearston, owner of Public in Brisbane.

Briars said: “We’re delighted to have Steve and Bonnie judging this year’s competition. It’s so important we have such a highly regarded bartender and bar owner on the panel as we plan to make this the first step in 42Below shining a bit of a spotlight on some simple sustainable practices we can do behind the bar; which requires support from both bartender and bar owner.

“We know there are a good few people in our industry out there doing some great work already, and we’re simply providing a platform to share learnings and ideas amongst a great young generation of bartending talent.”