Appleton Estate Remixology Miami

Photography by Nathan Valentine on August 28th, 2012 in Creative

Miami Beach, FL – August 27, 2012 -Monday night, cocktail industry leaders, bartenders and guests gathered at Miami’s Blackbird Ordinary for the third-annual Appleton Estate Remixology Bartender Challenge. Guests sipped on original Appleton Estate cocktails and enjoyed Jamaican-inspired bites while DJ Tom Laroc played hits from all decades. As the competition began, judges John Lermayer, Josh Wagner and former Miami winner, Mike Parish took their seats at the front of the bar to watch Miami’s top bartenders compete for a chance in the Finals round.

Round One was kicked off by Cricket Nelson of Clarkes. Dressed in a disco-themed outfit complete with a black afro, Cricket mixed up her “Hot Buttered Buns” cocktail to Eryka Badu’s “Annie don’t wear no panties.” Next up was Ben Clemons of No. 308 in Nashville, TN, who shook up his first cocktail to “Good Lovin” by The Rascals, which he topped off his “Big Woo” cocktail with a flame while tossing a Hawaiian floral lei on one of the judges. Disguised in a long haired wig and mustache, Nick Nistico of Soho Beach House concocted his “Flip The Script” cocktail as he performed to “Sabotage” by The Beastie Boys. Richie Petronzi of Ocho at Soho Beach House came back to compete for his second year, mixing up his Appleton Estate Original “Die Die My Darling” cocktail in a black button up with a popped collar as he performed to a remixed version of “Mack The Knife” by Michael Buble. Last up was Rob Ferrera of The Dutch, dressed in a gangster outfit, Rob entertained the crowd as he made his “Notorious P.U.N.C.H” cocktail with Appleton Estate Reserve and blood oranges to Notorious B.I.G’s classic hit “Juicy.”

The judges deliberated for quite some time, but finally determined the winner-Ben Clemons! Ben will compete in the Appleton Estate Remixology Bartender Challenge Finals in New York City on September 10 against the winners from San Francisco, Boston and New York.