2024 Four Roses Bourbon Smash Showdown - Sunday, August 4
Welcome to the 2024 Four Roses Bourbon Smash Showdown bartender competition event held in conjunction with the
LRA Showcase— a two day restaurant and hospitality trade show in New Orleans.
LRA Showcase— a two day restaurant and hospitality trade show in New Orleans.
Call for Bartenders to Participate!On behalf of the LRA Showcase Chair, Emery Whalen, and the team, we are pleased to announce the 2024 Four Roses Bourbon Smash Showdown. Also sponsored by Republic National Distributing Company and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, this event is held in conjunction with the LRA Showcase. This spirited competition will feature 10 talented bartenders who will present their original Four Roses Bourbon Smash recipe before a live audience of attendees. They will present their recipe before a judging panel of three industry professionals. Once they have served the judges, they will serve their batched recipe for attendee sampling.
Why a Bourbon Smash? This cocktail is a classic, known for its refreshing taste and versatility. It typically includes bourbon, ice, mint (or other herbs), sugar, and seasonal fruit. Originating over a century ago, the Smash is a more relaxed and flexible version of a Julep. Perfect for hot days, this cocktail is a delightful blend of sweet, fruity, and herbal flavors, all smashed together for pure sipping bliss. Ten talented bartenders will compete to create their best Bourbon Smash cocktail using Four Roses Bourbon, Small Batch, Single Barrel, or Small Batch Select. |
The event takes place on August 4, 2024, at the LRA Showcase at the Morial New Orleans Convention Center. Bartenders should plan to arrive by 2 p.m., compete at 3:30 p.m., and conclude by 5 p.m. The winner will receive $1,000, and the runner-up will receive $750.
Questions? More information: Contact Alex Shafer at [email protected]. |
Rules & Guidelines
Here are a few rules & guidelines to think about before submitting your application.
- Each bartender must submit a :30 second to one minute video explaining their drink and how it came to creation. (Must tag @louisiana_restaurant_assoc on Instagram)
- Drink must contain a maximum of seven ingredients.
- The ingredients used must be easily accessible and able to be purchased in the U.S.
- Competitors must use Four Roses Bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel or Four Roses Small Batch Select as the base spirit.
- Your application and video must be submitted electronically to [email protected]
- All submissions are due by July 24 and will be reviewed and selected by a committee of the Louisiana Restaurant Association.
- Contestants will be notified by Friday, July 26, 2024
- By submitting an application, you are verifying that you are 21 years of age and give the LRA and Four Roses permission to use your likeness and recipe.
- Each competing bartender will receive a $200 stipend post-competition.
You must present your cocktail in person Sunday, August 4 from 2-5 p.m. at the LRA Showcase, New Orleans Morial Convention
Center, Hall J. You will be interviewed as you make your cocktail during the competition and present it to a judging panel of three
industry professionals. Four Roses will provide two bottles of product to use to produce your cocktails for the judges and to batch
your cocktail for sample tastings by attendees.