The GOODS from the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association

Vancouver, BC | Last year we asked Vancouver’s best bartenders to ‘Surpass Cuffs and Buttons’ and take M.W. Heron’s timeless concoction, now known as Southern Comfort, to the next level. They answered the challenge admirably with dozens of entries resulting in quite possibly the best Southern Comfort cocktails, sours, punches, and smashes ever made. Of course, one bartender managed to edge out her peers to claim victory and the spoils that go along with our annual challenge; a trip for two to the Southern Comfort homeland, New Orleans Louisiana.

Danielle Tatarin (pictured above) of The Keefer Bar and her “Milk and Honey #8” channelled the spirit of the Southern Comfort Society’s patron, M.W. Heron, by using ingredients from all over the globe, just as M.W. would have done from his tavern at the global crossroads that New Orleans was back in the day. This year, the challenge is to right some of the wrongs that may have been done our venerable spirit…and a few others as well.

The bright colours, the loud, bouncy synthesizers, the painters-palate range of coloured liqueurs, the neon hued… ahem…“bar mixes”, the extremely upbeat and saccharin sweet cocktail culture; who doesn’t love the 80’s? Retro Rejuvenation is a bartender competition mixed with the vibe and culture of the 1980’s for an entire evening gone “retro”. Ginger 62 Night Club, Brown-Forman Canada and The Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association play host to a fun and interactive evening that celebrates the rejuvenation of all things “retro”. Details after the jump…

Starting at 6:00pm November 28, bartenders will compete against one another with a rejuvenated “classic” (determined ahead of time) and make it delicious and palatable right before eyes, using homemade syrups, pops, good spirits, garnishes, purees, jams, bitters… the sky is the limit! The top 8 bartenders are invited to compete in the finals, using their original Southern Comfort cocktail entry. The winners? First and Second place head to New Orleans. Third place, an authentic Jack Daniel’s Guitar.

Bonus Round: Ginger62 is well equipped to deal with all of your consumption needs. All products will be available, including discounted prices on CPBA punches and draft beer; maybe even shot of Jack Daniel’s if you ask them politely! Ginger62 will also has their “world famous” photo-booth available!

Details:

• November 28 2011 6:00pm-10:00pm
• Ginger 62 Night Club
• [email protected]
• $10.00 cover at the door – hors d’oeuvres, drink tickets, performers, music and more!

Notes:

• Open to the public – proceeds of your ticket goes back to the Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association, and back into our program schedule for 2012.
• Dressing for the period occasion is recommended.
• Sponsored by Brown-Forman Canada, The Southern Comfort Society, Ginger62 Night Club, Whistler Brewing, Kale & Nori, The CPBA.
• Hosts: Simon Ogden and Lauren Mote.
• Competitors: a list of 20 bartenders will be revealed on event day.
• Judges: a professional band of 6 judges will be revealed on event day.

Details

The Canadian Professional Bartenders Association (CPBA)
#900–555 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC
Facebook | Twitter | Web: www.canadianbartenders.com
Email: [email protected]
Established: 2009

Gallery

Our Committee

President: Danielle Tatarin, The Keefer Bar
Vice-President: Simon Odgen, Veneto Lounge at the Hotel Rialto, Victoria
Vice-President: Brad Stanton, Hawksworth Restaurant
Treasurer: David Wolowidnyk, West Restaurant
Secretary: Robyn Gray, the Hotel Georgia
Director: Lauren Mote, Kale & Nori Culinary Arts Inc.
Director: Jay Jones, Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver
Director: Trevor Kallies, The Donnelly Group
Director: Colin Turner, Cin-Cin Ristorante
Director: Shaun Layton, L’Abattoir
Director: Gerry Jobe, Raudz Regional Table, Kelowna
Director: Cooper Tardivel, Hawksworth Restaurant
Director: Shawn Soole, Clive’s Classic Lounge at the Chateau Victoria, Victoria

(biennial elections process by paid CPBA members)

About The Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association

The Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association was formed in 2009 in order to standardize professional Bartending across Canada. Our monthly meetings and events provide our members and supporters with a forum to exchange news, techniques and innovative ideas. We involve liquor brands and other related businesses to help forge lasting connections with the bartending community, using nothing less than passion and cooperation. We are a Non-Profit organization registered in BC (S-55806); all funds received go towards events and educational programs for Bartenders across Canada.

The CPBA is an amplified voice for bartenders. Through national solidarity, our dialogue with provincial liquor licensing agencies becomes more approachable, making the products we need readily available for all bartenders. Our website aims to be a virtual hub to connect bartenders across the country, and provide an educational platform for our members. Through this network we are able to evolve as a community, and become the best ambassadors in our profession.

The CPBA was created to build bonds between Bartending professionals across our nation – working together to raise Bars and Bartending quality in every community. Further to these goals, the CPBA looks to make Canada an active country member of the IBA (International Bartenders Association). Currently, the CPBA has provincial chapters in British Columbia (est. 2009) and Ontario (est. 2011). Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Quebec chapters are in development.

About Our Memberships

Individual Membership:

The Canadian Professional Bartenders Association is a group of Bartenders formed to exchange of news, techniques and ideas between members to encourage high standards and advancement of the profession of Bartending in Canada. We are a Non-Profit organization registered in BC (S-55806) all of the funds we raise go towards events and education for Bartenders across Canada.

Our head office is BC based and we will work to form Provincial chapters. The CPBA is working to become a member of the International Bartenders Association (IBA) with the goal of giving Canada international representation in the global Bartending community. If you are a Bartender in Canada you are an eligible member.

Current Benefits

• Subscription to Imbibe Magazine
• Knowledge, Education & Career Opportunities
• News and Updates from the industry
• Yearly Competition + exclusive competitions throughout the year
• Health / Benefit Plan: Health & Dental, Travel Insurance, Critical Illness
• Apprenticeship program (in the works)
• The opportunity to guide and influence the craft of Bartending in the Canadian community

Fees

1 Year Membership: $75 ($0.21/day)
3 Year Membership: $150 ($0.14/day)

www.canadianbartenders.com/membership

Associate Membership:

The Canadian Professional Bartenders Association (CPBA) invites all interested liquor brands and other companies to join our community of industry professionals as an Associate Member. Associate Membership to the CPBA provides a direct link to the people who sell your product, the bartenders themselves. This partnership will further strengthen relationships between liquor suppliers and purchasers while connecting the people behind bars with the brands and products they pour. Associate Members are given an opportunity to co-host official CPBA events and invite Brand Ambassadors, distillers and company representatives to speak directly to the community of committed bartending professionals.

Current Benefits

• Logo placement on CPBA website, links to your brand website
• Access to the CPBA website resources
• Invitation to monthly CPBA meetings hosted by the CPBA committee and attended by CPBA members, guest speakers and fellow industry professionals
• Opportunity to invite your brand ambassadors, distillers, winemakers to speak at monthly meetings
• Opportunity to showcase products by sponsoring a vendor table at monthly meetings
• Receive monthly newsletter from the CPBA
• Opportunity to participate in the annual CPBA cocktail competition, plus several events & exclusive competitions throughout the year
• Work one-on-one with a CPBA event planner

Fees: $250 Annually per brand for CPBA BC Chapter Associate Membership.