Speed Rack Boston-Women Bartending Speed Competition

"Happiness is a dry martini and a good woman...or a bad woman."

-George Burns

I like to think old Georgie boy meant "a bad a** woman".  

Speed Rack Boston delivers!

The festivities, coincidentally, opened with the 2nd Annual Boston Speed Rack Competition: an all female bartender speed cocktail mixing event benefiting breast cancer awareness, prevention, research, and education and illuminating women in the spirits industry.  The competition was created by LUPEC and Lush Life Productions.  All proceeds went to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Over $69,000 was raised in 2011.

The lovely ladies were judged on speed, taste, presentation, and accuracy.  There were four bartender celebrity judges on the panel including:

• Master Mixologist & Author Dale DeGroff 

• LUPEC Boston founding member/President and classic cocktail historian Misty Kalkofen

• Famed mixologist educator, Liquor.com adviser, and The 86 Company co-founder. Simon Ford

•  Bartender extraordinaire, Colin Asare-Appiah of Cocktail Kings

Each judge presented a cocktail request to each contestant (8) and the drama begins...

Colin Assare-Appiah, Simon Ford, Misty Kalkofen, and Dale DeGroff at Judges Table.

A few tasty cocktails and some small bites (disappointingly less in number and creativity than the previous year) were served throughout the venue.

Sponsor, Perrier, featured The Americano (not to be confused with the whiskey cocktail The Americana).  It's a nice classic aperitif made with Campari, sweet vermouth, and Perrier.

 Other tasty cocktails:

A great punch!  The bitter Campari balanced the fruit purees nicely with light floral notes imparted by the hibiscus tea.

Moscow mule:  The quintessential, refreshing vodka cocktail. 

In the final round, Naomi Levy of Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks won the battle and will continue on to the Finals next May in NYC.

 Congrats!

 More Boston Cocktail Summit event/tastings reviews posted shortly!