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Get Ready for Most Innovative Bartender Cocktail Competition - Application now open for the 2025 Most Innovative Bartender Cocktail Competition!

Terms & Conditions :

  • The Most Innovative Cocktail Competition (the "Program") is organized by India’s Bartenders' Guild, Inc (the "IBG" or "Organizer") in Partnership with Cocktail Week India.

  • This Program is available to all qualified residents of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka. The Program is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law.

  • The individuals acting as Judges will be selected by IBG in its sole discretion. The number and identity of the individuals acting as Judges and deciding the IBG National Champion shall be determined and may be changed at any time with or without notice, by IBG in its sole and absolute discretion.
    The Program will involve an Entry to be completed and submitted as set forth below on or before November 1, 2024. All submissions will include an Original Cocktail Recipe, a recorded Cocktail Demonstration, and a 1-minute inspiration story. Two panels of judges will review each submission with the recipe portion being evaluated anonymously. The scores will be combined, and the Top 5 highest-scoring entrants will advance to the The Most Innovative Cocktail Competition National Final which will take place during the Cocktail Week India in Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj on Saturday, November 23, 2024.

  • The National Challenge will require all Competitors to use an assigned spirit to present an original cocktail. The highest-scoring competitor will be named the 2024 IBG National Champion (the “Champion”) and will represent the IBG at the IBA World Cocktail Championship in Fall 2025, date and location TBD. The second highest-scoring competitor (the “Runner-Up”) will represent the IBG at the Regional Championship, in Fall 2025, date and location TBD.

Minimum Qualifications: Eligible individuals completing an application to the Program (each, an “Entrant”) must meet the following minimum qualifications to be considered for the National Final :

  • Be 21 years of age or older to participate
  • Be a current Bar Professional member of the IBG
  • Not be currently employed or engaged by liquor companies or distributors as fulltime employees or consultants
  • Employees, contractors, paid staff, and their immediate family members (parents, children, siblings or spouse, regardless of where they live, or persons living in same household, whether related or not) of IBG
  • Entrants whose Entries are selected for the The Most Innovative Bartender Cocktail Competition National Final will additionally need to travel to and participate in the relevant finals to continue to be eligible to win.

In order to be considered, Entrants must electronically submit a full-completed Entry by 11:59 PM PT on November 1, 2024, (“Entry Deadline”) through the application link set forth below. No late submissions will be accepted. If the Program cannot be run as planned for any reason, including, but not limited to, computer viruses, pandemic or other local, state, or national restrictions, tampering, technical or other problems that damage its operation or integrity, IBG reserves the right to cancel, delay or modify the Program in its sole discretion. Program Entry – To qualify for the The Most Innovative Cocktail Competition (the ” National Final ” or “Final”), all applications will be evaluated based on the application detailed below:

Application Entry: Submit must submit one (1) original cocktail recipe and one (1) recorded digital video demonstration/1-minute inspiration story via the application link, which can be found here: (the “Application Entry” or “Entry”). Follow the directions to enter the Program and provide your Entry. Entrants will be required to complete the entry form by providing certain information, such as name, address, contact information, and recipe.

  • Submit an original signature cocktail recipe
  • Homemade ingredients and syrups are not allowed
  • The maximum number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic ingredients in the recipe shall be limited to six (6) including dashes, drops, and rimmed glassware.
  • Garnishes must be edible and can be placed on the rim of glass. Garnishes in the glass or touching the liquid will be considered an ingredient if it affects the flavor of the drink, i.e., slated rim.
  • Drinks may be stirred, shaken, built, or thrown.

  • Recipe shall not include blended or hot beverages (coffee, tea, etc.)

  • Due to permitting restrictions, use of open flame is prohibited. Matches are not considered “open flame.” Flaming garnishes will be allowed.
  • Drink names including rude, lurid, sexual words or words associated with narcotics or motor vehicles, are prohibited.

  • Recipes will be scored as follows: Flavor Analysis/Perceived Taste (20 points), Originality (20 points), Craft (10 points), Technical Presentation (40 points), and Inspiration (10 points).

  • IBG reserves the right to ensure/modify cocktail name and ingredients to comply with Program terms.
  • IBG reserves the right to feature the cocktail recipe, in whole or part, in any and all IBG-owned properties, without attribution or compensation.

There will be one 1 Competition Challenge during the National Final. This challenge will require all Competitors to use an assigned spirit to present an original cocktail. The winner of the National Final will be determined as follows:

    Tasting Judging

  • Appearance – Max 15 Points
  • Aroma – Max 10 Points

  • Taste – Max 30 Points

  • Garnish & Decoration – Max 10 Points

  • Accuracy – Max 10 Points

  • Overall Impression – Max 10 Points – Tie Breaker Points Only


    IBA Technical Judging – Starts at 350 Points

      Deductions:

    • Station Set-Up – Max 50 Points
    • Bar Utensils – Ice Handling – Max 50 Points
    • Pouring – Max 65 Points
    • Bartending Techniques – Max 105 Points
    • Recipe, Garnish, & Decoration – Max 45 Points (potential DQ if recipe does not match what was submitted)
    • Dress Code – Max 25 Points
    • Time Limit – 15 Points will be deducted per every 15 seconds over 7 minutes


    Cocktail Presentation Judging

    • Content of Speech – Max 65 Points
    • Attitude – Max 35 Points


    Garnish Prep – Starts at 50 Points

      Deductions:

    • Station Set-Up – Max 50 Points
    • Time Limit – 10 Points will be deducted per every 15 seconds over 15 minutes



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