Finals & Winners 2019

There was a real lively atmosphere with all the essentials of a great British festival – food trucks, plentiful drinks outlets, live bands, DJs, a hell of a sound system, and the inevitable light bursts of rain thankfully followed by sunshine. Unlike other festivals, Rock The Farm was held in the shadow of a distillery and included a pop-up Bonzer barware shop.

James Chase himself took to the stage proving that the family not only distil great spirits but are able presenters. The 13 finalists also seemed undaunted by the crowd of bartending festival goers as they presented the story behind each of their cocktails.

Audience participation stretched beyond applause with Matthew Birks ripping his clothes off to reveal that underneath he was literally dressed for tennis before handing out samples of his cocktail to the crowd. This was followed by Alexander Ko who served his cocktail on draught. However, it was George Cook who wowed the judges with a brilliant signature cocktail and then his rendition of a Clover Club in the final mystery box round.

Winners

1st - George Cook (pictured above) from Dinner By Heston Blumenthal, Melbourne, Australia.

2nd – David Mor from Cindy's Roof Top, Chicago, USA

3rd – Alexander Ko from Draftland, Hong Kong

Best personality - Matthew Birks from The Edgbaston Hotel, Birmingham, England

Finalists & their signature cocktails

George Cook

Dinner By Heston Blumenthal, Melbourne, Australia

Wax Apples
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: No garnish
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
30 ml Chase Original Potato Vodka
25 ml Beeswax infused Chase Original Potato Vodka
25 ml Granny Smith apple and mead cordial

David Mor

Cindy's Roof Top, Chicago, USA

Leaf Relief
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Dehydrated lime wheel & dusting of black pepper
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into ice-filled glass.
1¼ oz Chase GB Gin
¾ oz Iceberg lettuce syrup
½ oz Macha tea
½ oz Lime juice
½ oz Velvet falernum
¼ oz Mezcal

Alexander Ko

Draftland, Hong Kong,

Fundamental
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Dehydrated pineapple slice
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and carbonate.
30 ml Chase Original Potato Vodka
30 ml Homemade kirsch liqueur
20 g Pineapple juice
6 g Citric acid 12% solution
3 g Ginger syrup
0.15 g Salt solution 10% salt

Matthew Birks

The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel, Birmingham, England

15 – Love
Glass: Coupe
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
40 ml Chase Original Potato Vodka
35 ml Strawberry & Willy's Apple Vinegar shrub
15 ml Fino sherry
10 ml Lemon juice
1 dash Absinthe
3 ml Sugar syrup

Adam Carr

Masti, Dubai UAE

Apple and Pears
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Sherry soaked pear & wheat grain straws
Method: Throw first 5 ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Top with prosecco.
60ml Chase GB Gin
20ml Wild Nettle Cordial
1 spoon Homemade apple & gooseberry jam
1 spoon Homemade pear puree with cardamom
20ml Lemon juice
Top with Prosecco

Joana Torres

Tunes Bar, Conservatorium Hotel, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Little Things
Glass: China cup
Method: Muddle basil in base of shaker. Add other ingredients, shake with ice and fine strain into chilled cup.
2 fresh Thai basil leaves
50 ml Chase Original Potato Vodka
40 ml Port
20 ml Eucalyptus syrup
1 dash Soya sauce

Tim Batchelor

The Pig Hotels, England.

In The Weeds
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Tyrrells crisps
Method: Build in ice-filled glass.
50 ml Chase GB Gin
20 ml Potato peeling, dandelion and Willy's Apple Cider shrub
Top with Nettles, citrus husk & acid soda

Marlene Link

Balthasar Ress, Frankfurt, Germany

Rubimorphosis
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Dehydrated apple & watercress
Method: SHAKE all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
2 spoon Watercress
50 ml Chase GB Gin
30 ml Apple syrup
20 ml Lime juice
20 ml Riesling vermouth
4 dash Lemon bitters

Nicolo Rapezzi

I Tigli, Theoria, Como, Italy

Farm Holidays
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Lemon zest twist & lemon thyme
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into glass over block ice.
30 g Olive oil washed Chase GB Gin
60 g Apple juice
3 g Caster sugar
3 g Manzanilla sherry

Alex Mills

Lab 22, Cardiff, Wales

The Pinklet
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Red apple dust*
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
50ml Chase Original Potato Vodka
25ml Rose Siampên Cordial*

*Rosé cordial: 300ml Cariad wines rosé, 25ml Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry, 150g sugar and 10g citric acid.
*Red apple Dust: The skin of 4 red apples, 150g icing sugar and 6g malic acid placed into a Vac Pac overnight. Then strain mix onto baking mat. Dehydrate of 12 hours at 65° and then crush using a coffee or herb grinder.

Laurie Howells

The Weeping Willow Pub, Bury Saint Edmunds, England.

The Chase for Summer
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Rhubarb ribbons, grapefruit & bamboo straws
Method: Stir first 4 ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Top with ginger ale.
50 ml Chase GB Gin
30 ml Rhubarb reduction
60 ml Fresh grapefruit juice
2 drops Saline solution
Top with Ginger ale

Giulia Tommasini

Iluzione Restaurant, Barcelona, Spain

RaspBi
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Black sea salt
Method: Muddle raspberries in base of shaker. Add other ingredients, shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.
12 Raspberries
3oml Chase Pink Grapefruit Gin
20ml Chase Elegant 48
25ml Italicus
25ml Lime juice

Judges

(left to right) Simon Difford (of this manor), Sandrae Lawrence (Cocktail Lovers), Tim Etherington-Judge (Healthy Hospo) and Merlin Griffiths (TV bartender & The Maltsters).