Spirit of Phoenix: Craft the City’s Signature Cocktail
The Phoenix is a unique journey to discover the essence of our vibrant city through a signature cocktail. What makes a cocktail uniquely “Phoenix”? You get to decide (Although we have some minor guidelines you have to follow)
Phoenix is well known for its bold and diverse culture, just like its residents. The Phoenix cocktail will reflect that diversity with a mix of local ingredients, representing the different facets of our beautiful city.
• Participants must reside in a Phoenix zip code
• Cocktail must be made via a "traditional" bar technique (shaken, stirred, or thrown) for execution (no blenders, spindles or machines needed)
• Cocktail recipe to be detailed in fluid ounces including execution technique, garnish, ideal glassware
• No more than 2 ounces may be used for a base spirit (40% or Above ABV Spirit); 1 full ounce must be an expression of Milagro Tequila. The rest is up to your creativity(no excluded products, but all used must be accessible).
• Any base spirits, modifiers, bitters, syrups, and mixers in RNDC portfolio is at your disposal. On March 11 & 13 (10am-4pm) at their Test Bar located at 402 S 54th Pl for research and development (just walk in, no reservation required). If these times do not work please make a reservation via email with conor.cook@rndc-usa.com or caleb.stodgehill@rndc-usa.com
• Local or indigenous ingredients are encouraged but must be replicable and attainable. If the prep requires a non-traditional technique or equipment, it should be able to be recreated in a kitchen with no more than 36 hours prep
• A maximum of 3 "house made ingredients" can be used. These ingredient recipes must be included with precise measurements and full technique (time, temperature, etc)
• A friendly reminder this competition is about liquid in glass. A photo of your cocktail and garnish are required. However, all beverages will be tasted and judged by our professional panel and the guests of our fair city without a physical garnish to eliminate visual bias. Tinctures, bitters, oils, etc. may be expressed over the cocktail
• Submissions are due by March 15th at midnight
Phoenix is well known for its bold and diverse culture, just like its residents. The Phoenix cocktail will reflect that diversity with a mix of local ingredients, representing the different facets of our beautiful city.
• Participants must reside in a Phoenix zip code
• Cocktail must be made via a "traditional" bar technique (shaken, stirred, or thrown) for execution (no blenders, spindles or machines needed)
• Cocktail recipe to be detailed in fluid ounces including execution technique, garnish, ideal glassware
• No more than 2 ounces may be used for a base spirit (40% or Above ABV Spirit); 1 full ounce must be an expression of Milagro Tequila. The rest is up to your creativity(no excluded products, but all used must be accessible).
• Any base spirits, modifiers, bitters, syrups, and mixers in RNDC portfolio is at your disposal. On March 11 & 13 (10am-4pm) at their Test Bar located at 402 S 54th Pl for research and development (just walk in, no reservation required). If these times do not work please make a reservation via email with conor.cook@rndc-usa.com or caleb.stodgehill@rndc-usa.com
• Local or indigenous ingredients are encouraged but must be replicable and attainable. If the prep requires a non-traditional technique or equipment, it should be able to be recreated in a kitchen with no more than 36 hours prep
• A maximum of 3 "house made ingredients" can be used. These ingredient recipes must be included with precise measurements and full technique (time, temperature, etc)
• A friendly reminder this competition is about liquid in glass. A photo of your cocktail and garnish are required. However, all beverages will be tasted and judged by our professional panel and the guests of our fair city without a physical garnish to eliminate visual bias. Tinctures, bitters, oils, etc. may be expressed over the cocktail
• Submissions are due by March 15th at midnight
Category
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 I like how they picked the right person for this segment because the spirit of Phoenix is looking for the tequila cocktail that represents Phoenix.
00:08 Here to tell us how you can participate in the contest is Chris Miller and Shannon Kroll.
00:12 And this is really cool, Chris, because I just started getting tequila.
00:16 As we know, that is pretty much one of the Arizona's signature spirits.
00:21 And you guys are excited because you guys have teamed up with Milagro to do this.
00:26 So tell me a little about this and why you decided to do a cocktail.
00:29 Yeah, absolutely. So the Spirit of Phoenix cocktail competition is the first of its kind here and not only celebrates the vibrance of Phoenix,
00:36 but will crown the city's first official cocktail. Phoenix, as we know, is the fifth largest city in the country.
00:42 And as our evolution and growth continues, we continue to bring the world to our doorstep.
00:45 And with that, the energy here is electric. It's super palpable.
00:49 And more than anything, we want to share that with as many people as we can. And this competition is a great way to do that.
00:54 When I think about Phoenix and the Sonoran Desert as a whole, I think of it as a kaleidoscope of relevance from the Super Bowls to the NCAA men's and women's final fours,
01:03 the WNBA All-Star Games, and even down to the billions in tech investment that we continue to see roll in.
01:09 You name it, we've got it. All eyes are on us. And now we'll have our very own official cocktail for visitors and locals alike to enjoy.
01:16 We like to say, you know, Phoenix is ours to share and a place for all to keep.
01:20 And this cocktail competition is very much part of that mantra. We're super excited.
01:24 OK, you just said this will be the official cocktail of Phoenix.
01:29 That's correct. So like when people go on to the Visit Phoenix website, they're going to be looking for a cool, refreshing drink.
01:34 This tequila cocktail, the Phoenix, the Phoenix, it's called the Phoenix.
01:37 And that's where they're looking for different people to participate in this.
01:40 And that's where Shannon comes in, because this is very important.
01:43 People, you got to listen to Shannon if you want to be in this. All right.
01:46 Because you've got to make sure you follow the rules. It's important for that because this drink is going to go worldwide.
01:53 It will go national. So how does this all work, Shannon?
01:56 OK, so the competition, first of all, is completely blind.
01:59 So Chris and I are going to know who's behind each recipe, but the judges and the public will not know.
02:04 So that's kind of fun. It won't be a popularity contest. It's going to be what's in the glass.
02:08 So it's two halves. There's first half is judged by judges.
02:12 And it's a panel of five that we've chosen because there are mentors.
02:15 They're the ones that have created Phoenix. What the cocktail scene that it is today.
02:19 Yeah. The second half goes to the public to judge.
02:22 So it's bracket style. So we have all the submissions and then the judges roundtable and they choose the top 20.
02:28 Then they're going to taste those and choose the top four. From there in April, it goes over to the public.
02:34 OK, now the public, they're going to be able to taste through experiences and pop ups, which we'll get to.
02:39 But they're going to choose the top two. And then all of May is the top two.
02:44 And then the mayor, Kate, will announce six or two day, which is June 2nd.
02:47 Well, June 2nd is when it all happens. When it comes down. OK.
02:50 So for right now, you have literally 10 days to come with the cocktail because the submission has to be in by March 15th.
02:57 You're saying also, too, you want them to go the website because there is some criteria and also some actually great pointers on making the cocktail.
03:05 Where you guys talk about how much you need to use, what you need to make sure that's there and stuff.
03:10 And that's important for this cocktail, because we said this is something that is going to be all over the Phoenix area.
03:15 So do we know what bars will be serving us yet? Or do you have you gotten to that yet?
03:19 Or is it going to be mostly we'll find out? We hope eventually everyone serving.
03:22 Yes. But for our experiences and pop ups and that's how the public is going to judge.
03:27 So we're going to have experiences which are more of a formal you sit down and you're tasting the flight and it's going to come out and it's going to be in the glass where it's going to be beautiful.
03:36 We've got garden bar, little rituals and some other places coming on.
03:40 And then the pop ups are going to be real fun because that's going to be Jackson, Donahue and I.
03:44 We're just going to be popping up at random locations for a couple hours. More casual taste.
03:49 Quick judge. Pick your favorite. There it is.
03:51 And that's how the public gets involved right there is by them looking for these pop ups and they can get it on the website.
03:56 And of course, other ways to you'll start reminding them with calendar invites and stuff, which is so social media.
04:01 Visit Phoenix is rock. I love it. And not only are you getting a cocktail, there's also some cool gifts as you go along that will be coming in there.
04:09 And one of is is the shaker kit that we have right here.
04:12 This is pretty cool. Yes. That's for for having some because this is made by who?
04:15 Our cardinal. And they're big in the cocktail scene of doing things.
04:19 They are their glassware is amazing. They are sponsoring us.
04:22 They're going to be sending us all the glassware and then tool sets for the winners and then for us as well.
04:28 So, yeah, I love we're happy about that. This is very cool. OK, so they're copper and the copper.
04:32 So they're going to see we're starting to get a little things there, which is really cool.
04:36 So we are talking again this competition to represent Arizona and maybe even go off to like the World Cocktail Competition stuff.
04:43 And so will the winner have a tour around Phoenix? Will there be a parade?
04:47 Will there be anything like that? Ribbon cutting for will they have be crowned?
04:51 How would all that work? Purely bragging rights.
04:55 All right. Tell them again where they can go to get more information. PHX cocktail dot com.
04:59 Everything you need is there. There it is right there. And then again, it's great for everybody.
05:04 All kinds of things do. I want to just really quick show you my my my skills there just in case of, you know, I do win.
05:11 But look at that. Yes. Smile while you shake it. Smile while you shake it.
05:15 I think you should enter. You know what? I think I might be doing that.
05:18 Not going to say.
05:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]