The USBG Selects New King Of Mixology To Represent His Country In Race For "World's Most Imaginative Bartender"

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, September 10, 50 of the top mixologists from the U.S. and Canada descended on Las Vegas for the Unites States Bartenders' Guild (USBG) Bartender Summit, sponsored by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin and GQ Magazine, each of them having already proven themselves as their hometown's mixology master.  After two days of rigorous cocktail-making, the USBG announced Portland's Nathan Gerdes as the nation's "Most Imaginative Bartender."  Gerdes will be featured both inside and on a special edition cover of GQ Magazine's December 2012 Man of the Year issue alongside his cocktail, the Hanoi Strip Sour. 

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120917/NY74815)

This year, the "Most Imaginative Bartender" program traveled to more than forty U.S. cities and four Canadian cities to attract the highest caliber of talent to attend the Las Vegas Summit.  Now in its sixth year, the search will journey overseas for the second time in May 2013 to identify an internationally recognized leader in bartending. This newly appointed global recognition program has encouraged mixologists everywhere to push the boundaries of a rapidly evolving cocktail culture to it greatest potential. The top mixologist from the Las Vegas Summit will have a once in a lifetime shot at representing his country during the Global Bartender Summit in Tuscany next spring - a clear indication of how the Most Imaginative Bartender search has become a pillar in the industry. Having increased from 240 entries and 16 cities at its inception to 1,500 bartenders and 44 cities today, the program is proud to continue shining a spotlight on undiscovered talent around the world.

The summit began in Las Vegas on Sunday, September 9^th, when all 50 bartenders prepared their inspired cocktails for an elite panel of USBG representatives and BOMBAY SAPPHIRE brand ambassadors.  The following night, 10 select mixologists presented a new and original BOMBAY SAPPHIRE cocktail to a packed house of guests at the final event a Las Vegas nightclub, as well as the judges for the evening, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Global Brand Ambassador Raj Nagra and USBG representatives Armando Rosario and Livio Lauro. 

After sampling the cocktails, tallying guest ballots and taking the popular vote into consideration, the panel reached the unanimous decision that Nathan Gerdes and his Hanoi Strip Sour cocktail, made with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, fresh lime juice, a specialty "Pho" syrup and St. Germain, was the nation's "Most Imaginative." 

Gerdes said that the experience has been life-altering and added, "I'm still trying to process the last wild, crazy and wonderful 48 hours. To be singled out among 50 of the most respectable bartenders in the country is an incredible honor."

Senior brand manager for the House of BOMBAY, Richard McLeod, shared, "In our 6th year of the 'Most Imaginative Bartender' Competition, it has been gratifying to witness the careers of past contestants thrive. The program has also played an undeniably pivotal role in recognizing up-and-coming cocktail cities such as Boulder, Houston and Gerdes' hometown of Portland."

In 2012, Gerdes and his Hanoi Strip Sour cocktail stand as a classic example of the passion and ingenuity necessary to be named the nation's "Most Imaginative Bartender."  In just seven months, Gerdes will proudly represent the United States in the 2013 Global Bartender Summit in Tuscany, where a new leading innovator in mixology will once again be crowned the "World's Most Imaginative Bartender."

Below is Nathan Gerdes' winning cocktail recipe:

Hanoi Strip Sour
2 parts BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin
¾ part fresh lime juice
¾ part Pho specialty syrup*
¼ part St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

Directions:
Shake and serve in an old-fashioned glass on the rocks.
Garnish with a lime wheel and Thai basil sprig.

*Pho specialty syrup:
3 cups of sugar combined with 3 cups of water for simple syrup
2 medium sized jalapeno peppers
1 cup of cilantro leaves
2 cups of Thai basil leaves
1 cup of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of grains of paradise
4 whole limes, sliced

Directions:
Place ingredients in a pot and bring to a light boil.
Remove from heat and let cool. Strain and bottle.

About the USBG

The United States Bartenders' Guild is an organization of beverage service professionals dedicated to the continued refinement of our craft. Such refinement is achieved through advanced product education; original hand crafted cocktail competitions; and aggressive involvement with other professionals in the beverage industry throughout the country and internationally. It is our intention, desire and main focus to become the most skilled, knowledgeable and professional group of bartenders in the industry. Above all, the United States Bartenders' Guild supports and promotes well-informed, responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages.

About BOMBAY SAPPHIRE

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® is the fastest growing premium gin in the world and world's number one premium gin by value.  BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is created with a unique combination of ten hand-selected botanicals, sourced from around the globe.  The brand's global essence and signature vapor infusion process impart a refined and perfectly balanced taste, versatile enough for both classic cocktails and exotic recipes.  Infused with imagination, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is a symbol of the exploration of worldly and sophisticated lifestyles. For more information, please explore www.bombaysapphire.com.  

BE BRILLIANT AND INSPIRED. DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

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About Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.

Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. is the United States import and distribution arm of one of the world's leading spirits and wine producers. The company boasts a portfolio of some of the most recognized and top-selling spirits brands in the United States including BACARDI® rum, the world's favorite and best-selling premium rum, as well as the world's most awarded rum; GREY GOOSE® vodka, the world-leader in super-premium vodka; DEWAR'S® Blended Scotch Whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, the top-valued and fastest-growing premium gin  in  the world; CAZADORES® 100 percent blue agave tequila, the number-one premium tequila in Mexico and a top-selling premium tequila in the United  States; MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, the world's leading vermouth and the world's favorite Italian sparkling wines; and other leading and emerging brands. For additional information, visit www.bacardiusa.com.

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