Nine teams of two bartenders competed on March 30, 2014 at Hartford’s Club Downtown, culminating a two-month initiative centered on Ultimat Vodka. The event featured United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) Connecticut chapter members who began with a Patron Spirits Portfolio training and tasting in in February at Maggie McFly’s in Middlebury. The event challenged each team “to work together and use their skills to create a perfect Ultimat cocktail from scratch,” according to Amanda Pekar, Patron Portfolio Manager, Connecticut Distributors, Inc.

First place team from the Bartenders Academy in Waterbury, instructor John Lamadeleine and recent graduate Nick Giordano.

Judges were Anthony DeSerio, President of the USBG CT
chapter (shown); Vasilios Kaloidis, Owner/Chef, Vasi’s, Watertown; John Bordeaux, Chef/Owner Main Street
Grill, Watertown.

Second place: Brian Peck and Ryan Blair from Spartans Restaurant, Waterbury.

Third place: Matt Miller and teammate Jillian Miller of Backstage Torrington.