Oh, it’s getting serious now ya’ll.
The Little Nell has been asking which local bartender has the skills to be named “Aspen’s Iron Bartender.” Every Sunday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Terrace Bar, two of the town’s leading bartenders have been squaring off in a round robin competition to determine whose cocktail reigns supreme. And now we’re down to the final four: Nate Harnish of Pacifica; Stryder Devaney from Montagna; Erin Harris from Jimmy’s and K.C. Clayton of Takah Sushi.
The drink gurus have been showing their stuff, using Grand Marnier as an element in creating delicious concoctions. Each guest gets one vote with the purchase of a featured cocktail. The bartender with the most votes at the end of the night moves on to the next round. The contest will continue Sundays through March, culminating in a March 26 throw-down with the ultimate victor winning the crown and a trip to “Tales of The Cocktail” in New Orleans to party with some of America’s greatest cocktail creators.
March 11 pits Nate Harnish against Stryder Devaney.
Nate’s favorite winter cocktail is an Irish Coffee; while Stryder prefers a Negroni… This should be interesting.
Just wondering ? Is this contest based upon like’s (tasted by locals or judges or others etc. ) or is it whoever buy’s this drink and or whoever sells there drinks more is the winter.? So simply saying if you have a huge group who just buys your drink because you are buds then commons sense tells us you are going to be the winter by quantity by your buds not quality. . Just wondering from the Islands !! aloha.
The beginning rounds are based upon audience votes, and the audience gets a vote by purchasing a drink. (So yes, if you have lots of buds there, you would have a greater chance of winning.) The thing in Aspen is that lots of folks are tourists in town for the week, so most folks attending are voting based on their taste buds since they don’t personally know the bartenders competing.
The final round on March 25 will also have a judges panel, so it will have more of a taste buds vs. buds thing going on!
Aloha!
The Little Nell