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Best bartenders in the country selected

Monday 3 September 2012, 5:59PM

By Eleven PR

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 Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM) a leading global premium spirits company, today announced the semi-finalists in the biggest bartender competition in New Zealand history – the Beam Bar Legend.



From the 370 bartenders who entered, 200 bartenders were asked to answer an online bar exam testing their general bar skills, bar etiquette and Beam portfolio knowledge, and just 30 talented entrants have made made it through to the semi finals.



Beam (NZ) Marketing Director, Rene Bros, said it was difficult to select the semi-finalists, given the high calibre of submissions.



“It was very challenging picking 30 people from 200 very talented bartenders,” he said.



“Clearly, there are more than 30 bartenders in New Zealand who have charisma and have the ability to create a fantastic work place atmosphere. It was the special, rare qualities that set the semi-finalists apart from the rest,” he added.



Auckland (10), Wellington (5), Queenstown (3), and Dunedin (3), contestants dominate the semi-finals list with other representatives included from Havelock North (2), Palmerston North (2), Northland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Nelson and Christchurch.



Over the next two weeks, Beam (NZ) will travel to Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown to meet the 30 semi-finalists where they will be filmed being interviewed by the Beam Brand Ambassador. In addition to the interview, bartenders will be asked to create their interpretation of the ultimate Jim Beam and Cola using one of the Jim Beam branded bourbons.



Following the interviews, Beam (NZ) will select and invite eight bartenders to participate in the grand final in Auckland on October 7th and 8th where through a series of challenges they will be given the chance to prove themselves, and be crowned New Zealand’s very first Beam Bar Legend. The winner will also walking away with a prize pack valued at over $25,000.



The prize pack includes an all expenses paid trip to a Beam distillery of their choice (Kentucky, Canada, Caribbean, France, Scotland), an expense card valued at up to $10,000 ($200 per week) and a $5,000 party for their bar.