FIRST-EVERTEXAS TEQUILA PARTIDA SPIRIT BIRD COCKTAIL CHALLENGE NAMES AUSTIN BIRD OF THE USUAL IN FORT WORTH WINNER
Impressive competition features some of the best bartending
talent in Texas at the Southwest Service Expo
June 26, 2012 – Dallas, TX — Following months of anticipation, planning and stiff competition amongst some of the best bartenders in the state of Texas, Austin Bird was named the winner of the first-ever Texas Tequila Partida Spirit Bird Challenge with his cocktail The Valley Fizz . Second place was awarded to Ian Connaly with 64th and 5th. Third place went to Greg Katz with the Partida Pepper Smash. With the Consumer Choice vote, Trevor Landry was honored for the El Diablo, and the Above and Beyond Prize went to Joseph Le with the Texas Firebird.
“At the end of my shift, I love to drink Partida. With the cocktail, I started with Reposado and I went from there–it worked out perfectly,” said Austin Bird, who took home the winning title and the grand prize of $1,200, courtesy of Tequila Partida. Second prize received $600, third prize was awarded $300, and the Consumer Choice and Above and Beyond winners each received a bottle of Partida Blanco and a bartender bag.
On Monday, June 25, 25 mixologists from the state of Texas battled for the grand prize at the first ever Texas Tequila Partida Spirit Bird Cocktail Challenge, held at the impressive Dallas Convention Center as part of the Texas Restaurant Association’s Southwest Foodservice Expo. The contestants’ recipes were all original, with the only requirement being that the cocktail have the contestant’s chosen marque of Tequila Partida as the base ingredient. Each contestant was given up to 10 minutes to create his or her cocktail. Points were awarded based on presentation, originality and taste, with extra points awarded for going over and above in any category. The judges included Partida Bartender Ambassador Jacques Bezuidenhout, RNDC Mixologist Naomi Ayala, and Kevin Gray, Dallas editor of UrbanDaddy and founder of CocktailEnthusiast.com.
The competition process involved some of the most renowned bar chefs throughout Texas. Original recipes were submitted through email at recipe@spiritbirdchallenge.com from April-June. Contestants included some of the best bartenders from the hottest cocktail spots in Texas including Blue Mesa Grill, Village Marquee Club, Tacos Tequila, Anvil Bar Refuge, Handle Bar, Ocean Prime, Komali and the Dallas Country Club, among others.
“We were so very pleased with the enthusiasm and delicious recipes that the bartenders of Texas brought to the competition,” said Gary Shansby, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tequila Partida. “Austin Bird’s winning cocktail is a fantastic drink that really showcases Tequila Partida, and we are proud to include The Valley Fizz in the Partida cocktail repertoire. Congratulations to all the Texas contestants.”
About Tequila Partida
Tequila Partida (www.tequilapartida.com) is an authentic, all-natural, estate-grown ultra-premium Tequila, made from 100% blue agave in the Tequila Valley, the heart of Mexico’s historic Tequila Valley region. From cultivation and harvest to cooking, distillation and aging, Tequila Partida maintains exceptional standards of quality and consistency, making Partida “the finest tequila that money can buy,” according to F. Paul Pacult, the leading spirits authority in America.
Tequila Partida produces four distinctive Tequilas: Blanco (not aged), Reposado (aged six months), Añejo (aged 18 months) and Elegante (aged 36 — 40 months). Tequila Partida is now distributed in Mexico and the United Kingdom, as well as Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, DC, Washington and Wyoming. Partida will continue to expand aggressively and strategically in the United States.
