Fernet-Branca Coin Challenge

The winner has been announced!

Charlotte Patterson of Burnt Milk Hotel, Liverpool has won the 2024 UK Fernet-Branca Coin Challenge...congratulations Charlotte!

Her design was selected through a combination of public votes and the votes of a Fernet-Branca judging panel including the President of Fernet-Branca, Count Niccolo Branca. Charlotte's design will feature on the new UK Fernet-Branca 2024 coin and she will also receive a £250 gift voucher, a limited edition coin and Fernet-Branca merch.

Each of the four runners-up will receive a £100 gift card, a limited edition coin and Fernet-Branca merch.

Entrants were asked to design a coin inspired by the question 'What does the industry mean to you?'. Find out more about the winner, the runners-up, their inspirations and their designs...

Charlotte Patterson of Burnt Milk Hotel, Liverpool

"To me, the industry means two things, connection and creativity. With regard to connection, fostering unlikely and chance relationships that start simply, with an empty bar stool and a shot of Fernet. I've been inspired by the amazing friendships I've found through working in the industry, and Fernet themselves who focus on connections and fraternity between bartenders. In terms of creativity, I've been lucky enough to create bespoke artwork for not only the bar I work in, but also other people I've met through the industry. I often look to vintage branding from alcohol and spirit brands for inspiration and so my design is inspired by two vintage Fernet Branca posters.

I have reimagined the iconic fernet "mas-croc" Fernando, and the monkey character from the "Monkey See Monkey Do" advert. In my version, the monkey is no longer trying to copy the one and only fernet, and is instead taking part in a bartenders handshake with Fernando; representing those unlikely friendships that can form through working in and visiting bars. The monkeys paint brush has also been replaced by a bar spoon. He's now using his skills to craft incredible drinks using Fernet, a much better use for his creativity.

Around the outside of the coin, I've included Fernets slogan "Once you know you know" as both of the characters emblazoned on the coin do, as well as the incredible bartenders lucky enough to receive a coin.

This design is much more for me than just a coin. It represents my experience so far in the industry, the talented bartenders I've gotten to know and learn from, and countless evenings still to come at that empty bar stool, drinking Fernet."

The runners-up

Baillie Armstrong of 3 Session Street, Dundee

"Across my 9 years in the hospitality industry I have met, served and worked with such a widespread and diverse group of people, finding inspiration in each and every one of them. From interesting stories, introductions to new flavour combinations and most importantly, lasting friendships.

To me, the industry thrives on being a melting pot of backgrounds and cultures and is strengthened through the bonds that it allows people of those cultures and backgrounds to form.

I owe my current relationships with my friends and partner to this industry and feel that my design reaches to the core of what this industry truly means to me. Each arm representing a different aspect of those engaging in the industry and the interlocking displaying the sense of camaraderie between us all both on and off of the bar, with the message "All Walks Of Life" reaching to my core belief that those who you meet and who inspire you can come from anywhere."

Jonny Fawcett of Alchemist, Newcastle

"For me, the industry is all about human connection. Interaction with guests to ensure they have the best time in your bar as well as camaraderie with coworkers and friends in the industry. This is what the clasped hands in the centre of my design represent. I feel like these values are perfectly captured and encouraged by Fernet's coin challenge which is why I decided take part.

As a bar man I feel like I'm part of a tightly knit club of people with a shared common interest and experience. You can take the bartender out of the bar but you can't take the bar out the tender! This is what the quote on the banner: 'to the bitter end' is intended to mean. I also used included it to play on the bitter complexity of Fernet (love a pun!).
Finally, the drops on either side stand for the blood, sweat and tears (and branca) it takes to keep a good bar running."

Kelsey Liu of The Maven, Leeds

"The industry to me means creativity and collaboration.

I think it's often an under recognised side to hospitality, but behind every meticulously crafted cocktail, garnish, dish or pairing, is the well thought imagination and understanding of how flavours, textures, tastes and techniques can pair and interact with eachother to create an interesting, yet well balanced drinking or tasting experience for the guest.

So to me, with the panther head being a traditional symbol in the tattooing world, I thought it well portrayed the understanding and concept of the huge amounts of creativity, as well as the red hearts to symbolise collaboration that comes with the development and concept behind the products we produce together in the industry."

Louis Moon of Hideout Bar, Bath

"Our Industry to me is the most fantastic, exciting, fast paced and labour intensive industry that I've ever worked in.

Overall what makes hospitality so amazing is the people, whether that be the bartenders, bar backs, floor staff, back of house or the ever important guests (that are visiting the venue and experiencing what we have all worked hard to create).

To deliver the best service we can, sometimes we need a breather.
"OUR SAVING GRACE" for me and so many other bartenders can come from that shot of Fernet-Branca. It gives us that moment to recompose ourselves, to step back and breathe, helping us to keep calm and strive on together when we are deep in the weeds of a crazy shift.

The hand pouring the bottle and the hand receiving (holding the shot glass) was inspired by the famous painting, The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, which seemed fitting due to its rich Italian culture and symbolism. Much like that of that of Fernet-Branca's."

So how do the coins work, and what do they mean?

A token of bartender friendship and community around the world, the Fernet-Branca coin is a rare collectable. Just showing that you own one of these bartender coins is like a knock on the door of a members club. When visiting a bar, the owner of a Fernet-Branca coin may present it and if the bartender also happens to have a coin and presents theirs, the two share a 'bartender handshake' (each drinking a shot of Fernet-Branca) to celebrate their fraternity.

The coin's story

Fernet-Branca has always been an advocate for bartenders and is considered a bartenders' brand, particularly in San Francisco where it has long been a tradition for bartenders to have a shot of Fernet-Branca at the changeover between shifts as duties passed from one bartender to another.

This tradition merged with the American tradition of the military challenge coin, which started in WWI when a wealthy lieutenant had bronze medallions made for each member of his squadron. When one of his pilots was shot down, captured, and all his identification taken, the only thing he was left with was his medallion, which he used to convince allies of his true nationality, therefore saving him. Each squadron member was required to always keep their medallion with them, and to ensure this happened, a drinking game was invented. If a member were asked to show their medallion and didn't have it on them, they would have to buy a drink for their challenger. If they did have it, the challenger had to buy them a drink.

The coin challenge was embraced by bartenders in San Francisco, with the first official Fernet-Branca coin being minted in 2013 as a physical symbol of the 'bartender's handshake'.

The coin challenge spread, with bartenders world over recognising the Fernet-Branca coin and understanding its significance and purpose. The coins have become a desirable collectable, known and regarded.

A symbol of the friendship between bartenders and the creativity at the heart of the hospitality industry, each rare, limited-edition coin tells a story and showcases a different city, design and culture. But they all have a tradition and a 'secret' ritual in common, a ritual shared by members of the bartending fraternity.

Coins cannot be purchased; they can only be gifted or exchanged. Through this competition, Fernet-Branca aims to bring together the hospitality industry, fostering collaboration.