Competition Rules

Competition is open to any bartender currently working in the bar, restaurant, or spirits industry.
Each participant shall use the official entry form posted here.
All recipes shall be original creations.
Recipes shall be expressed in ounces, drops, or dashes and scaled for a single serving.
Your cocktail must utilize at least one of the spirit brands listed on this page.
All ingredients utilized should be expected to be available to most bars or easily acquired or made.
All ingredients should be available year-round, so nothing seasonal. And all ingredients should be obtainable - or should be able to be made from scratch - without undue difficulty or expense anywhere within the continental US.
Cocktails made with inappropriate ingredients will be disqualified with determination of what constitutes an inappropriate ingredient up to the discretion of the staff of Tales of the Cocktail and the judging committee.
Cocktails will be judged on Originality, Use of product, Taste, and Presentation.
You do not need to be present to compete or win.
First prize winner will receive $1,250 cash and the winning cocktail will be the "Official Cocktail" of Tales of the Cocktail 2010.
Second place winner will receive a Tales of the Cocktail 2010 Founder's Day pass valued at $750.00 cash, and third place winner will receive a Tales of the Cocktail 2010 day pass valued at $175.00
Winning recipes will be featured with photography in the summer issues of Culinary Concierge Magazine in New Orleans and The Tasting Panel Magazine.
Winning recipes will be featured with photography on Cocktail Times and DrinkBoy.
The winning recipe will be featured in the 2010 Tales of the Cocktail recipe book produced by Mud Puddle books.
The winning recipe will be featured on this site and at multiple events at Tales of the Cocktail 2010.

The Official Cocktail Competition

Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, noted Tiki historian and author, and a judge for this competition, provides the following definition for your Planter’s Punch:

Your drink must contain (but is not limited to) rum, citrus, and sweetener. Using more than one of each element is not only permitted, it's encouraged: for example, the original Zombie mixes three different kinds of rum and two different citrus juices, sweetened with three different syrups and a liqueur. Your goal here is not to create a pointlessly complicated recipe, but a harmonious one that balances sweet and sour, strong and light, fruity and dry, providing new layers of taste from the opening notes to the mid palate to the finish.

Tiki drinks celebrated "the cocktail as conversation piece," so garnish accordingly. Drinks will be judged not only on taste and originality, but also on visual appeal. And as much as we love them, no Tiki mugs: a level playing field requires that we restrict you to glassware. (We also want to see what your drink looks like.)

Download the Official Announcement as a PDF

How to Enter the Official Cocktail Competition

Before you can complete the entry form for the Official Cocktail Competition, you must log in. This permits us to keep track of your entry and other forms. If you are not yet a member, you'll need to register first.

Either way, the process is simple. On the Log In page (My Tales), you enter your email address and password. If you do not know your password, or if you are not already registered (many of last year's attendees have been entered already), simply leave the password blank. Make sure your email address is entered correctly. Then click the Log In button.

If you entered the correct password, you'll be logged in immediately. If you left the password blank, then you'll receive an email shortly with further instructions.

Once you've logged in successfully, return to this page. You'll find the form ready for you to complete.

Ready? Then please Log In.

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