
Campari America, in collaboration with Brescome Barton, hosted a Sunday Industry Night and Campari Spritz bartending competition at Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe in Hartford on May 23. Seven local bartenders competed in the challenge to create their best riffs on the classic Campari Spritz cocktail. The winners were Rachel Markoja of Little River Restoratives, who received first place; Jessica Torres of The Place 2 Be, who took second place; and Dylan Rosenbaum of Parkville Market in third place. The evening’s judges were Josh Packtor, Sales Representative, Brescome Barton; Jillian Carey, Wine and Spirit Account Development Manager, Brescome Barton; and Jeff Ossant, The Lake House Catering.
- Josh Packtor, Sales Representative, Brescome Barton; Jillian Carey, Wine & Spirit Account Development Manager, Brescome Barton; Dylan Rosenbaum, Parkville Market; Rachel Markoja, Little River Restoratives; Jessica Torres, The Place 2 Be; and Jeff Ossant, The Lake House Catering.
- Competitors’ cocktails featuring Campari.
- Josh Carlson, Parkville Market; Joey Delisa, Àvert; Dylan Rosenbaum, Parkville Market; Rachel Markoja, Little River Restoratives; Eric Sepulveda, Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe; Jessica Torres, The Place 2 Be; and August Hayduk, Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe.
- Competitor Josh Carlson, Parkville Market and First-place winner Rachel Markoja, Little River Restoratives.
- First-place winner Rachel Markoja, Little River Restoratives.
- Markoja’s winning cocktail, The Butterfly Garden: Campari and raspberry lemongrass syrup, topped with Blanc de Bleu Cuvée and garnished with dehydrated Campari-soaked pineapple and edible butterflies.
- Competitor Josh Carlson, Parkville Market.
- Carlson’s cocktail.
- Second-place winner Jessica Torres of The Place 2 Be.
- Torres’ winning cocktail, the Sun Kiss Fizz, a blend of Campari, fresh muddled strawberries, sugar, cara cara orange juice, orange bitters and egg white, topped with Prosecco and garnished with an orange twist and a strawberry.
- Third-place winner Dylan Rosenbaum of Parkville Market.
- Rosenbaum’s cocktail, Strawberry Rhubarb Spritz: Campari, strawberry puree and a homemade rhubarb simple syrup, topped with Prosecco and a splash of soda and garnished with a rhubarb stick peel and half a strawberry.
- Competitor Eric Sepulveda, Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe.
- Competitor Eric Sepulveda’s cocktail.
- Competitor August Hayduk, Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe.
- Hayduk’s cocktail.
- Competitor Joey Delisa, Àvert.
- Delisa’s cocktail.
- Third-place winner Dylan Rosenbaum; First-place winner Rachel Markoja, Little River Restoratives; and Second-place winner Jessica Torres, Republic at the Linden.
Photos by Amber Pietrycha.