Beefeater MIXLDN 2014 Competition

Beefeater Gin proudly asserts itself as the "only historic dry gin still distilled in London" and so London was the obvious city for the fourth Grand Final of its annual bartending competition 'Beefeater MIXLDN'.

Following three days of competition Brandon Phillips from the USA was pronounced the Beefeater MIXLDN Global Bartender Champion, triumphing over the other 30 finalists from around the world with his 'Hackney Handshake'.

The Beefeater MIXLDN winner, Brandon Phillips, with Beefeater Master Distiller Desmond Payne

The theme of this year's competition was 'London Inspires You. You Inspire London' and with this in mind the competitors were challenged to present their signature cocktail to a panel of judges comprising: Desmond Payne (Beefeater Master Distiller) Ryan Chetiyawardana (industry expert) and Dave Broom (spirit writer).

Meanwhile, a couple of floors below in the same building, the bartenders were given 20 minutes and a limited selection of ingredients to create a Beefeater based cocktail to accompany a dish prepared by Luke Rayment, executive chef at Mondrian London. Luke also judged their creation along with Sandrae Lawrence (from Cocktail Lovers) and myself.

The eight finalists, including overall grand champion, Brandon Phillips, second from the right

The combined scores of these two challenges resulted in eight overall finalists being selected and tasked with making their cocktail for the guests in attendance at the Grand Final. Each guest was then invited to vote for their favourite cocktail with Brandon Phillips creation proving the most popular. He has won the opportunity to be mentored at the Beefeater Global Brand Ambassador Programme, and will attend two of the world's most prestigious bartender events, which could include Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, The Moscow Cocktail Show or Tokyo Bar Show.

The other seven finalists were Peter Kunz (Austria), Roberto Rossi (Italy), Tomas Melzer (Czech Republic), Santiago Ortiz Jacome (Spain), Truls Thomsen (Norway), Artem Averin (Russia) and Christoffer Nystroem (New Zealand).

Peter Kunz, Austria

Peter's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"In London, you think of red phone boxes, the Queen, the English style embodied by the English gentleman and the taste for a good drink. The after office beer in the pub, the longing for sherry and finally, of course, the British national drink - Gin. The '24 Gents' opens the door to the second world, a classic drink with an innovative influence. It complements my two favourite drinks; gin and beer with a historical influence. It's a drink for any time of a day."

24 Gents
50ml Beefeater 24
40ml Freshly squeezed pomegranate Juice
30ml Homemade beer syrup
5ml Green tea-pale ale espuma
Garnish: Espuma

Food pairing round recipe
50ml Beefeater
½ bar spoon Galliano
½ bar spoon sugar syrup
Thyme
Vanilla
Salt
Strain into glass flavoured with Pernod

Roberto Rossi, Italy

Roberto's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"I twisted a gin fizz trying to use other ingredients that can keep the structure of the cocktail but modify the final result. I tried to look at my competition from 'above the clouds'."

Above the Clouds
50ml Beefeater 24
20ml fresh grapefruit juice
3 spoon Homemade Orange and Sencha tea Marmalade
3 dash Spanish bitters
Velvet of IPA beer (IPA beer with half bar spoon of sucrose ester)
Garnish: Sencha tea leaves

Food pairing round recipe
'Wheeling and Dealing' (Hanky-Panky twist)
40ml Beefeater Dry
20ml Cocchi Classico
20ml Lillet Rouge
3 drops Elixir Chartreuse

Tomas Melzer, Czech Republic

Tomas' inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"I was inspired by my last trip to London two years ago - which I won at the Beefeater competition. I had a great day full of typical British activities. It was a rainy day - typical weather for UK. I tried English ale, great black tea and a great curry from an Indian granny in the street. But my favourite part was spent in Zetter Town House. I was so excited about the drinks that I tried."

24 Hours in London
40 ml Beefeater 24
10 ml London essence homemade
Garnish: Grapefruit zest

Food pairing round recipe
15ml Beefeater
20ml Lemon juice
10ml Simple syrup
10ml Elderflower liqueur
Sage, rosemary, basil, coriander (two leaves of each)

Santiago Ortiz Jacome, Spain

Santiago's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"I was inspired by spring nights."

Tesorito
1 bottle Beefeater 24
6 bunches fresh parsley
6 boxes of After Eight mints
Homemade syrup
Tamarind vinegar
Garnish: Grapefruit

Food pairing round recipe
'Passion of the Farm'
40ml Beefeater 24
25ml Lillet Blanc
10ml Rhubarb vodka
10ml Antica Formula
1 dash Egg white
3 drops Elixir Chartreuse
2 bar spoon Orange marmalade
Garnish: Grated lime peel as garnish

Truls Thomsen, Norway

Truls' inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"Paddington bear gave me my first meeting with London. I would wake up and my mom would read a chapter for me before kindergarten. I was eating toast with marmalade, because it was Paddington's favourite, and she was drinking tea. Paddington, being a charming, kind and well educated beer from darkest Peru, is also a playful little bear. A polite bear, always addressing people as Mr or Mrs, and rarely by their first name. Discovered at Paddington station in London by Mr. and Mrs. Brown, they took him in and gave him a home. They promised him Marmalade every day and honey on Sundays. This is a very important part of my childhood, and taught me both to be playful, polite and to try hard to get things right even though you make a mess at first. Making this cocktail, I've made a mess, I've been playful, and I've tried really hard to make it right. Hopefully it would be something Paddington would like."

Mr. Paddington
45 ml Beefeater 24
20 ml Sencha and jasmine tea infused pisco
10 ml Honey syrup
2 dash Angostura Orange bitter
10 drops Bittermens orange cream citrate
Garnish: Orange zest twist (discarded), Jasmin tea flower. Toast with orange marmalade

Food pairing round recipe
'Breaking Horizons'
45ml Beefeater Dry infused with coriander
30ml Tawny port
3 drops Chocolate bitters
Stirred and served up
Garnish: Coriander leaf

Artem Averin, Russia

Artem's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"London is beautiful. I was deeply taken by its grandeur and serenity: the barely visible outline of the Tower Bridge, the raindrops rolling down the old streaky window of the old building. What can be better than a hot ginger drink to warm you up on a rainy day and the scent of grass after the rain? Having put these two things together Alchemy composition was created as a toll to the natural philosophy. I would like to present this cocktail as a pyramid: the top tones are provided by the ginger liquor with its fiery energy and hot temper, a colour palette of citrus tones with a mere hint of sweetness will constitute the base. Beefeater gin, with its dryness and easy-going character is the heart of the composition, every drop of this iconic beverage cuts through the past and the present with its subtle edges, setting the tone and the overall mood of the composition. The main perfumery theme is heard in herbal Becherovka chords, that is the very element that gives as the after the rain feeling. A good shake will put all of these colours together into a single composition... And then, as a final touch, I add a few drops of sparkling wine, the little bubbles so reminiscent of raindrops. Now, once the picture is complete, the only thing left to do is to add the little window glasses with a few blades of grass, the garnish as subtle, as Beefeater gin itself. The spirit of London is expressed by the rain falling on the city since the day it was founded until now.
With much of the city changed from the days bygone until now, it is only the rain that remains witness of all the splendour and grandeur. This drink serves as a clear expression of the spirit of London in this composition, seen through a little glass with raindrops applied with a few brushstrokes and a few blades of grass in contrast. Beefeater, London and Alchemy create sensations that cannot be found in nature."

Alchemy
2250ml Beefeater
250ml Becherovka
1000ml King Ginger liqueur
1000ml Lemon juice
500ml Sugar syrup
3000ml Sparkling wine
Garnish: Gelatine sheets and banana

Food pairing round recipe
Beefeater gin
Lemon juice
Egg white
Sugar syrup
Cumquat
Mixed spices (cinnamon, star anise, cardamom)
Garnish with cumquat and cinnamon.
Before serving, burn the cinnamon for aroma

Brandon Phillips, USA

Brandon's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"This drink is an ode to the hipsters of Hackney. A drink that you've just found out about, but they've been enjoying since long before it was 'cool'. So, even though you like their older stuff so much better, throw the new Arcade Fire album on your vintage turntable, sit back and dip your moustache in this delightful tipple!"

The Hackney Handshake
2 oz Beefeater Gin
0.5 oz Lustau Manzanilla sherry
0.75 oz Lemon juice
1 oz Movie Night Syrup (made with Movie Night tea from David's Tea.)
1 Egg white soda
Garnish: Juniper dusted popcorn

Food pairing round recipe
150ml Beefeater 24
15ml Lemon juice
25ml Galliano
15ml Simple syrup
5ml Yuzu juice
2 dashes Fish sauce
½ bar Dark chocolate
¼ bar White chocolate
2 drops Peychaud's Bitters
2 leaves Cilantro
1 egg white
First six items and chocolate built in whip cream canister and charged twice, left to rest for 2 minutes then strained into cocktail shaker. Egg white added, dry shaken, ice added and shaken vigorously. Double strained into coupe.
Garnish: Parallel leaves of cilantro with two drops of Peychaud's Bitters in centre dragging a straw through bitters to stylise.

Christoffer Nystroem, New Zealand

Christoffer's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"Gin, cocktails, nightclubs, music and fashion. These are things that make up London to me. I would like to focus on the fashionable aspect of drinking cocktails. You know the feeling of getting dressed up, ready to take on the world, in your favourite outfit. Maybe you like to wear a jacket. Since you're wearing your best suit, why not have a cocktail to go with it. You have a dry martini. Elegant, delicious. Next you want something refreshing but still sophisticated. You stick to gin, sherry seems appropriate. Maybe some herbal notes to compliment the gin. Zesty lemon and pleasantly bitter grapefruit ties the knot. The drink is shaken ice cold and presented in a neat glass. The whole drink comes together as if made to measure. You immediately think of the tailors on Savile Row. A bespoke cocktail to fit your needs. You name the cocktail The Savile Row."

The Savile Row
45ml Beefeater Dry
30ml Lemon juice
5ml Grapefruit cordial
7.5ml Yellow Chartreuse
7.5ml Amontillado sherry
Garnish: Grapefruit zest

Food pairing round recipe
'24/7 Gin!'
35ml Beefeater 24
20ml Lillet Blanc
10ml Cocchi Americano
5ml Lemon juice
5ml Sugar syrup
5 drops Peychaud bitters
Gently swirl coriander around the glass, discard and garnish with red currant on a skewer.

Joshua Cowan, UK

Joshua's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"My Inspiration for this drink came from my background in this industry. I worked for over two years at the Merchant hotel in Belfast where I was the head bartender for over one year and at my time at that bar working with a menu of over 150 classic drinks I came fanatical about the history of drinks and this industry. One of the stories from London that I had always liked was Beer Street and Gin Lane. The gin craze that was being portrayed as bringing London to its Knees and Beer Street being the City's saviour. Without this London obsession with gin and the Gin act 1751 would London Dry exist as we know it? So part of my inspiration for this drink was the idea of combining Beer Street and Gin Lane in a single expression of London. The second part of my inspiration came from the infamous symbol of Beefeater London dry. The Yeomen being of common birth but serving a much higher and noble calling. I wanted to try and create a drink that would suit a Yeomen of the Guard. Using three ingredients all created in London being London dry gin, porter and Earl Grey Tea. The method of making this drink is the English art of Punch. 1800 century ingredients using an 18th Century method."

Yeomen Punch
50ml Beefeater London Dry Gin
25ml Lemon juice
5ml Housemade lemon sherbet
10ml Jaggery palm sugar
5ml Orange curacao
5ml Bativia Arrack
2 dashes Orange bitters
20ml Cold infused Earl Grey tea
Garnish: Shot of porter

Food pairing round recipe
40ml Beefeater Dry
20ml Cocchi Americano
5ml Elixir Chartreuse
20ml Lemon juice
5ml Sugar syrup
1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Coriander
1 dash Bittermans chocolate bitters

Rodrigo Vega, Australia

Roderigo's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"This drink is inspired by Grub Street (later named, Milton Street), the hackney journalists, political satirists and the derelict coffee-houses in which they inhabited. True to its name, Grub Street housed only the most common and impoverished folk, who's only barely affordable vice was gin. Beer was king in old London, epitomised most shockingly in William Hogarth's twin pieces, 'Gin Lane' and 'Beer Street'. Alexander Pope, author of the 'Grub Street Journal' also wrote extensively on the scourge of drink, harlots and ill-informed hackney journalists. These works, amongst others, helped change public thinking about spirits, ushering in a drastic change to gin distillation practices. Today, gin sits deservedly amongst the world's most exceptional spirits, and none more so than Beefeater 24. This drink marries Beefeater 24 with white crème de cacao and a light porter cream. The cocktail is finished with an almond praline dust and burnt coffee bean. 'Gin Lane' and 'Beer Street' revisited, with a salute to the vitriolic coffee-house pamphlets that started it all."

Grub Street Fizz
45ml Beefeater 24
20ml White creme de cacao
15ml Sweetened cream
15ml Almond milk
7.5ml Porter
Reduction egg white
1 drop Chocolate bitters
1 drop Lactart
35ml Water
Garnish: Almond praline dust, burnt coffee bean

Food pairing round recipe
45ml Beefeater
20ml Lillet Rose
5ml Pernod
10ml Yuzu juice
Pinch of salt
15ml ginger / muscavado syrup
Garnish: Toasted star anise

Gez McAlpine, Canada

Gez's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"My inspiration comes from the primary mode of transport that true Londoners use. The city of London is an inspiration in itself, bursting with talented people all with the common trait of the pursuit of their dreams. The tube is often the time when those dreams take place. The drink is a spin on a London Fog (created in Vancouver and is in honour of pre-7am commutes on the tube - where daydreaming is encouraged and epiphanies are shaped into ideas that change the world."

Underground Fog
2oz Beefeater gin
3oz Kennington tea (organic earl grey & juniper) infused
Clarified milk
1 sachet white sugar (to go coffee style)
3 dash Scrappy's seville orange bitters
Garnish: Shortbread and the day's paper

Food pairing round recipe
'Northern Waters'
1 ½ oz Beefeater 24
1 oz lemon juice
¾ oz Little Rouge
¾ Yellow Chartreuse
Barspoon Galliano Vanilla
Egg white

Served up, lemon twist and chive garnish
Aromatics of a watercress, sage, cilantro hydrosol.

Jorge Andres Garzon, Colombia

Jorge's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"It's an analogy between my life, the cocktail and the life of the best artist at that time: Charlie Chaplin. My inspiration is based on the most famous movie called 'Limelights' and on the early stages of Charlie Chaplin as an artist in London. The taverns were places of entertainment/amusement where the theatre mattered. The plot of the movie takes place in London during World War I. This film is autobiographic, filled with great symbolism and a perfect screenplay/script just like the flavours of my cocktail. Those flavours help to enhance and understand the tonalities/shades of the best gin in the world: Beefeater."

Limelight
50ml Beefeater 24
25ml Peach and grapefruit infusion
15ml Sencha tea syrup with sunflower seeds
Orange peel
Bitter drops
Garnish: Thin peach slices

Food pairing round recipe
25ml St Germain
10ml Lemon juice
3 Basil leaves
4 Green grapes
50ml Beefeater Dry
Macerate grapes with lemon juice, then add St Germain, Beefeater, basil leaves and ice and shake and double strain. Serve into cocktail glass.

Yuleidy Sanchez Duardo, Cuba

Yuleidy's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"The Tower of London definitely inspired me when preparing my cocktail, not only for its architectural beauty or being a historical symbol in British culture, but also because it is closely related to Beefeater gin, sponsor of this event. It´s officially Her Majesty´s Royal Palace and fortress and a historical castle located north of the River Thames. It was founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest and it was used as a prison although it wasn´t the first purpose. This place has represented an outstanding role in British history. Nowadays, it´s basically a tourist attraction where the Crown Jewels, a royal armours collection and the Roman Wall ruins are shown to people. The Tower has been guarded by the Beefeaters since 1485 and at the present time, they work as tourist guides being themselves the main attraction. Each afternoon the warders take part in the Keys ceremony which keeps The Tower safe during the night. According to an old superstition, if someday the six crows that remain in The Tower disappeared it would fall down and with it the monarchy. The Tower was declared Humanity´s Patrimony by the UNESCO."

Ruby
2ml Campari
10ml Green apple liquor
15ml Sherry (Tío Pepe)
30ml Beefeater gin.
Garnish: Cherry

Food pairing round recipe
25ml Beefeater Dry
20ml Lillet
10ml Peach liqueur
1 dash Orange Angostura
Garnish: zest of orange, natural herbs
Served in a martini glass

Christopher Sand Nielsen, Denmark

Christopher's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"My main inspiration came from my current working place and walking through the multicultural city of London, including the massive fruit markets. Madam Chu's is a cocktail bar situated in the centre of Copenhagen and draws inspiration from Asia. Basically taking classic cocktails and giving them an Asian twist. I have done likewise with the classic cocktail 'Corpse Reviver #2' from Harry Craddock's 'Savoy Cocktail Book' and given it an Asian/British twist. Having spent some time in London I found it to be a city of many cultures including Asia. Taking that into the concept combined with the ingredients used to make Beefeater Gin, which contains many spices and herbs from Asia and all over the globe, I came up with a classical cocktail twist including kumquats from Asia and lemon curd from England."

Corpse Reviver #Chu's
50 ml Beefeater 24
25 ml Lemon juice
15 ml Kumquat syrup
15 ml Egg white
1 barspoon Lemon Curd
A dash of champagne
A spray of absinth
Garnish: Orange zest

Food pairing round recipe
'Celery Fizz'
50ml Beefeater Dry
30ml Lemon juice
15ml Simple syrup
20ml Egg white
Splash of Mumm champagne

Andrei Kazakov, Estonia

Andrei's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"Curiously, for me London is quite a distant and unreachable destination. I am definitely the child of nature, so big cities frighten me in some case. But how does this city inspire me even if I have been there for couple of short time periods? It happened while reading Agatha Christie's fantastic compositions with descriptions and circumscribing's about the details, atmosphere and feeling on the city streets. While reading, feeling that you have been walking down these streets and squares, and been a part of all this, never leaves you. There is a lot of history, city legends, tales, mysteries and speculations on the streets of London and this is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for creative citizens like bartenders for example."

The Mousetrap
45 ml Beefeater 24 chamomile-pine infusion (24h)
30 ml Fino sherry
20 ml Elderflower liquor
2 barspoons Suze
10 ml Lemon juice
5 ml Milky Oolong tea
Garnish: rose, pine, chamomile

Food pairing round recipe
3 slices Cucumber
3 slices Pink grapefruit
25ml Beefeater Dry
35ml Lillet Rose
10ml Sugar syrup
Splash of Mumm Brut on top
Shake and fine strain into a coup. Garnish with cucumber slices

Juho Eklund, Finland

Juho's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"For me, London has always been a slightly mysterious city. A city with a magnificent history in real life and in fiction. My childhood love for suspense started, in my opinion the greatest Londoner in fiction, with Sherlock Holmes. When visiting London, I always tend to recreate scenes from the books of A.C. Doyle in the back of my head and think what the Victorian London would have smelled and felt like to experience. Especially in Baker Street you can feel the presence of mysteries and suspense. That's why I entered the competition, to pay tribute to my controversial but ever so lovable private detective. I wanted to create a smooth, mysterious, slightly herbal cocktail that gets its inspiration from the life of Sherlock Holmes. With this in mind, I shall present to you the 'Elementary."

Elementary
35 ml Beefeater Dry
20 ml Agwa Di Bolivia
20ml Lemon juice
20ml Grapefruit juice
20ml Simple syrup
2 barspoons Absinthe
4 Coriander leaves
1 Egg white
Garnish: Grapefruit peel, tea leaves

Food pairing round recipe
'Bramble-San'
Muddle a piece of ginger
40ml Beefeater 24
25ml Lemon juice
20ml Sugar syrup
Foam
Dash of absinthe
10ml Chambord
5ml St Germain
Garnish with lemon and lime zest and a blackberry.

William Hetzel, France

William's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"London is a city that always inspire bartenders. When I think about London, a lot of things come to my mind. Music, English gardens full of roses and pubs. That's why I wanted to recreate a cocktail that mixes everything. One of the most popular drinks that Londoners drink during summer in the park is the Pimms Cup. My cocktail is a variation of Pimm's cup, but stronger with a touch of rose. Don't worry, it is still very refreshing with the Indian Pale Ale, from the micro-brewery The Kernel, based in London. The name of my cocktail is the title of a Beatles song. One of the most beautiful songs they made. Every time I listen to it, I can easily imagine the streets of London, peaceful, cold and windy. One of the most representative songs of London, I think.

The Long & Winding Road
40ml Beefeater Dry
35ml Pimm's No.1
25ml Schrub raspberry/rose
50ml IPA The Kernel
Garnish: Mint, rose leaves, candied roses

Food pairing round recipe
50ml Beefeater 24 infused with gunpowder tea
30ml Lillet Rouge
20ml lemon juice
15ml single syrup
1 drop absinthe
Shaken and served in a cocktail glass

Dominik Mohr, Germany

Dominik's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"London - what's my inspiration to London? Easy answer! I only was once upon a time in London, during the 8th grade for a student exchange. My memories of this trip are Dr. Pepper - so sweet and vanilla and the Queen with the Crown Jewels - so royal and typically English. For my drink I try to bring all the influences in, on a liquid way. Typical English means for me for sure, gin on the one hand and on the other hand some tea time with some After Eight chocolates. So I take milk which I infused with Polo peppermint drops and vanilla. To bring the sweetness and some more typical tea time aromas I cook a syrup which is based on rock sugar. And at the end, to make it real royal, (although the gin is inside), top it with some champagne. Hope you enjoy the other way of an English tea time with the Queen!!"

Fleur de Lis
35ml Beefeater
20ml Milk infused with Polo peppermint drops/vanilla
20ml Rock sugar syrup, top with 20-40ml Champagne (Perrier Jouet Grand Brut)
Orange twist
Garnish: Orange twist

Food pairing round recipe
55ml Beefeater Dry infused with berry and thyme
10ml Fresh lime juice
15ml Cocchi Aperitivo
Top with egg white foam with grapefruit juice, sugar, chocolate bitters and lecithin

Ilias Stergipoulos, Greece

Ilias' inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"My inspiration is based in private gardens in some neighbourhoods of London. The first thing that comes to mind when I think 'garden' - is roses and the second is fruit - that's why I choose these ingredients for my cocktail. Lemon and fresh ripe pineapple chunks (pureed) blends work harmoniously with the dry and citrus character of Beefeater London Dry Gin with a depth and tangy finish which derived from kirsch and rose powder! Rose powder: add some dried roses in a blender and blend until it becomes powder."

The Key Holder
60ml Beefeater London Dry Gin
10ml Lemon juice
10ml Homemade ripe pineapple puree
2barspoons White sugar aromatised with rose powder
3ml Kirsch
2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
Garnish: Dried rose

Food pairing round recipe
60ml Beefeater Dry
25ml Fresh lemon juice
15ml Sugar syrup
5ml Green Chartreuse
8 Cilantro leaves
3 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
Glass: chilled coupette
Method: put all ingredients in the mixing glass, ice and shake. Double strain into chilled coupette glass
Garnish: Star anise

Neil Patrick Rivington, Hong Kong

Neil's London Beefeater serve:

The Tower Club
2ltr Beefeater
2.5ltr Fresh pineapple juice
1.25ltr Red wine (preferably a heavier style, Rioja)
1ltr Fresh lemon juice
0.75ltr Sugar syrup (2:1)
Curry spices
Ice: cubed (shaking)

Food pairing round recipe
50ml Beefeater 24
50ml Pineapple juice
20ml Yuzu juice
Barspoon Brown sugar
Pinch salt
20ml Cherry Heering

Shane Harte, Ireland

Shane's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"I was actually lucky enough to grow up in London and as such have taken my inspiration from my childhood home, Harrow on the Hill. I've always loved Harrow's feel of a little bit of rural England in London. When I was a kid growing up in Harrow I remember every Sunday morning my mum taking me to the fruit and veg stalls in Harrow Weald. Each Sunday we'd buy a large bunch of grapefruits that my mum would try and feed us for breakfast. I remember hating its bitterness at the time and having to cover it in sugar to eat it. To this day the fresh, zesty and bitter taste of grapefruit that I now love always remind me of those childhood summer mornings in Harrow on the Hill."

A Little Bit of Bliss
3/4 chunks of fresh grapefruit
Barspoon Sugar
3 dashes Dandelion & Burdock Bitters
10ml Fresh dandelion syrup
20ml Cocchi Americano
40ml Beefeater London Dry Gin
Fever Tree tonic water top
Garnish: Grapefruit peel

Food pairing round recipe
40ml Beefeater 24
20ml Carpano Antica Formula
20ml Green Chartreuse
Stir over ice with star anise. Express lemon oils over top.

Shachar Kreisler, Israel

Shachar's London Beefeater serve:

Sign of Times
4.5 Beefeater 24
1.5 Lemon
1.5 Hennessy
1 Sherry Fino
2.2 IPA beer syrup
1.5 angostura bitters
GARNISH: Beer bottle

Food pairing round recipe
50ml Beefeater 24
15ml St Germain
15ml Crème de Cassis
15ml King's Ginger
½ Beetroot
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Slices hot chili
Shake with ice, double strain into martini glass

Naoya Ohtake, Japan

Naoya's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"Mention 'London' and 'afternoon tea' springs to mind. Enjoying tea is also an activity shared in both Eastern and Western cultures. Now I hear in London there are several speak-easy style tearooms and places that serve specialty cocktails springing up. I was inspired by the tradition of afternoon tea, which is becoming more diverse with the passing of time, and married this with cocktail culture. While it bears the guise of tradition, the tea expressed in only Beefeater 24 also infuses an oriental element that delivering a new generational gin - please enjoy Herbal 24!"

Herbal 24
40ml Beefeater24
15ml Fresh grapefruit juice
15ml Yuzu juice(100%)
10ml Homemade white orchard tea syrup
60ml Homemade jasmine tea & Earl Grey tea tonic foam
Garnish:
Petazeta (pop rocks) candy
Grapefruit peel
Rosemary
Edible Flower

Food pairing round recipe
40ml Beefeater 24
20ml Orange juice
4 Kumquat
A little thyme
2 dashes Lemon juice
1 slice Ginger
2 drops Bob's grapefruit bitters
Garnish: slice kumquat, thyme

Reyes Fraire, Mexico

Reyes' London Beefeater serve:

Elizabeth Breakfast
40ml Beefeater 24 infused with Earl Grey tea
20ml Campari
10ml Dubonnet
1 barspoon Orange & peach marmalade (homemade)
1 barspoon Pineapple shrub (homemade)
2 dashes Angostura
Garnish: Toasted bread with homemade marmalade

Food pairing round recipe
30ml Beefeater Dry
30ml Abinsthe
15ml Grapefruit juice
10ml Lemon juice
8 drops Chocolate bitters
15ml Agave syrup
1 Egg white
Garnish: Cinnamon stick, star anise
Served in a coupe.

Vladimir Simic, Serbia

Vladimir's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"London, music, football, fashion left a mark on my growing up. The cocktail will definitely feel the impact of Fred Perry and laurel wreath, you will feel the impact of Ska music and Madness, you will feel the taste of which gained fame thanks to London. The influence of attitude, accept or lose. Influence of cocktail culture which is still one step beyond."

One Step Beyond
5cl Beefeater London Dry Gin
2cl Pink grapefruit fresh juice
5 drops Beefeater24 Ska Bitter
4 bay leaves
Mean Mashin Liqueur
Garnish: Berries and bay leaves

Food pairing round recipe
40ml Beefeater 24
15ml Chambord
20ml Fresh lime juice
2 sticks of fresh ginger
2 drops Chocolate bitters

Martin Hudak, Slovac Republic

Martin's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"Look... Everywhere are some parks and gardens for rest, game, love and work... And also everywhere are some markets for sharing, dealing, tasting and buying crafted goods... Join it together and you will have Burrough's Fresh Trade in the hot Sunday picnic"

Fresh Trade
40ml Beefeater 24
40ml Fresh grass juice
20ml Herbal tonicum syrup
15ml Fresh lemon juice
2dash Celery bitter

Food pairing round recipe
'White Mermaid'
50ml Beefeater 24
25ml Triple sec
25ml Fresh lime juice
3 pieces fresh ginger
5 Sage leaves
Dash egg white
Prep: shake it / double strain
Glass: coupette
Garnish: Sage leaf and absinthe spray
Served: with a smile

Dino Batista, South Africa

Dino's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"Travelling and working through Europe, one of London's highlights was its great pub ('rub-a-dub' - Cockney Rhyming Slang) lunches. A fan of food in general, mushy peas was the only dish I couldn't really stomach - hence my adaptation of the national favourite side dish in to something more palatable - great for any geyser and his fish and chips!"

The Geezer's 'Rub-A-Dub' Grub
50ml Beefeater London Dry Gin
8 Sugar snap peas
15ml Martini Bianco
1x Lime zest
12ml Sugar syrup
6ml Vinegar
Garnish: Dried lime wheel

Food pairing round recipe
35ml Beefeater Dry
15ml Simple syrup
15ml Lemon juice
10ml Pernod Absinthe
Shake, double strain, champagne flute
Top with meringue (egg white, lemon juice, simple syrup)
Garnish: Rosemary sprig

Kyounguk Kwon, South Korea

Kyounguk's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"I am a fan of Beefeater 24. When I was searching for images related to Beefeater 24, I came across one beautiful poster, which portrayed the midnight view of London with vibrant red colour in the background. Standing inbetween Tower Bridge and London Eye, Beefeater 24 seemed to be in the centre of London, protecting the entire city. As seen in the poster, I remember the beautiful night view of London as well as its reflected view on the Thames River when I visited the city 4 years ago. Inspired by this image in my mind, I created this red-coloured cocktail using the gold sugar powder reflecting upon my last visit to London and anticipating my upcoming journey."

24 hours in the London with Beefeater
48ml Beefeater 24
8ml Altholl Brose
10ml Fresh Lemon(Raspberry) Juice
10ml Earl Grey Tea Syrup
1/3tsp Edible gold sugar powder
1dash Orange aromatic bitter
45ml Sparkling water
1/2 piece Effervescent candy
Garnish: Orange peel and pineapple leaf

Food pairing round recipe
50ml Beefeater 24
15ml Campari
15ml Lillet sweet vermouth
5ml Grapefruit juice
Ginger slice
Garnish with cinnamon stick and grapefruit peel.

Vilma Pettersson, Sweden

Vilma's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"There is a huge café culture in Sweden due to the social institution called "Fika", which means having a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun.
I'd like to dedicate my cocktail to the shared purpose of English Afternoon Tea and Swedish "Fika"; ease down, take time to think, enjoy what you are having and the presence of your company. I reckon this kind of date would appear even more pleasant if you switched your coffee or tea for a rowdy drink instead!
The Afternoon G and Tea Cocktail symbolizes me as a Swedish tourist in London; pausing, eating and drinking my way through the city's diverse and pulsating cultural life."

Afternoon G & Tea
50ml Beefeater 24
10ml Blanche De Normandie
15ml Swedish Apple shrub*
10ml Honey syrup*
15ml Lemon juice
40ml Tonic Water
1/4 Fresh fall apple
1 pinch of sea salt
*Swedish Apple Shrub = 1 pt apple cider vinegar, 1 pt raw ecologic sugar, 2 pts shredded apples, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 vanilla stick, some dried pieces of ginger
*Honey Syrup = 1 pt ecologic liquid honey, 1 pt simple syrup
Garnish: Sweet delicacy

Food pairing round recipe
40ml Beefeater
20ml Manzanilla
15ml Juzu juice
15ml Lemon juice
10ml Egg white
15ml Sugar syrup
15 dashes Peychaud Bitters
Shaken with coriander garnish

Fidaa Ayoub, Lebanon

Fidaa's inspiration for London Beefeater serve:
"And they cross the bridge in the morning, my body is their bridge. From the caves of the East to the new East, my body is their bridge. It's an old poem and song which describes how great humans choose to be the bridge for humanity to see, learn and pass into a new understanding of Life. London Bridge, in the capital of the Empire where the sun never sets, is still a standing history which abbreviates dozens and hundreds of years of Blood and Wars, Peace and Prosperity. It's the same when it comes to cocktails, an ancient history pop's up, cocktails have taken their role next to great men and women, becoming the new bridges between cultures. Combination of blood orange, Aperol (orange flower), personality of the Beefeater and its ingredients, relating it to the empire-- the orange fruit is always in need for sun to grow."

London Bridge
6 pieces of fresh cucumber 1cm
20ml Aperol
40ml Fresh blood orange
10ml Organic agave
15ml Fresh lime juice
50ml Beefeater gin
Garnish: Cucumber flower

Food pairing round
Sadly Fidaa was not able to obtain a visa in time to enable him to travel to London for the final.