As I entered the room...

I saw all of my competitors. Hailing from New Mexico, the Colorado mountains, Denver, Texas, a whole mecca of bad ass people. The competition is stiff and creative and they bring incense, aquavit, homemade cordials and glassware to make anyone swoon for what's inside. I knew at that moment that I was in for a ride of epic proportions.

I found a comfy spot on a plush night clubby couch and opened my box of tricks. I set them up on a table right next to the couch and decided I needed to chill out and mingle with the rest of the sweaty palmed entrants. And I know they were nervous too as every hand I shook was clammy and shaky. Among the people I met I was able to have a chat with the judges who were Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Lynn House, and Denver master Chad Michael George. Each were super nice, welcoming, and ready to taste cocktails. I knew I had to bring my A-game.

They had announced the order we were presenting and I was picked last which was a blessing in disguise as I could study how each person displayed their creations and presented them to the judges. My parents, as usual, were right. Just be yourself...cool, calm and collected.

Oh s*&%, it's my turn. I stumbled up to the bar and made my cocktails. Usually when you're at the bar it's easy to converse and make a drink at the same time, but when you have these three in front of you, it's incredibly distracting especially when they're asking about your cocktail, what your ingredients are and cracking jokes, all at the same time. I did my thing...

I made it to round two. Yes! Oh my! Sweaty palms again, and I think there was booze in that punch I just drank...

Round two was a bit more involved. Like, a lot more involved. The judges would pick flavor profiles and you would have to come up with a drink that consisted of these for each judge. There were bottles splayed all over the bar, liquors, cordials, bitters, liqueurs, glassware, garnishes and fruit. A dealer's choice paradise for the next round... Let's do it, you look thirsty...

Stay tuned for the final round...

Cheers