BARTENDERS are to battle it out in Huddersfield tonight to prove who serves the best cocktail in town.
Six ‘mixologists’ will take part in the Huddersfield Bartender of the Year competition at Varsity on Zetland Street.
Customers at the bar will be greeted by exotic fire jugglers and also enjoy entertainment from a comedian and live band.
Then each bartender will be asked to make a cocktail using vodka shots from event sponsor Corky’s.
They will each create their own unique recipe. Their cocktails will be judged by a four-strong panel who will examine the innovation, flair, taste and personality of each drink.
Each bartender will make 15 of their cocktails, to be sold off on a first-come first-served basis to the customers.
The proceeds of the drink sales and a raffle to be held at the event will go to the Laura Crane Trust, the Huddersfield charity which pays for research into cancers affecting young people.
The contest – also sponsored by the Examiner’s Fresh supplement – has been organised by three students who are in their final year of a marketing degree at Huddersfield University.
Liz Matania, Chris Walker and Alina Nowakowska had to organise an event as part of their course and chose to arrange something which would benefit students as well as a local charity.
Liz said: “Chris works in a bar and Alina and I like going to bars, so we thought we’d do something like this. It’s different; there’s not anything else like it in Huddersfield. We also wanted to do something that would target students.”
There are seven other groups from the business school organising events, all in aid of the Laura Crane Trust. In total, it is hoped £8,000 can be raised for the charity.
The competition starts from 7pm and runs until around 9.30pm.
