42BELOW Cocktail Earth Cup Shaping Leaders in Sustainability

The 42BELOW Cocktail Earth Cup is a sustainability-focused competition that tests Australian and New Zealand bartending teams in cocktail-making, showmanship and dedication to sustainable bar practices. James Millar and Cameron Attfield from The Gin Room in Auckland took out this year’s competition wining title held in Queenstown, New Zealand this week.

With New Zealand’s positioning on the 42^nd parallel and its benchmark for air purity worldwide, Kiwi brand 42BELOW’s vodka is created with AA rated spring water, distilled four times and filtered 35 times to create an unparalleled purity and rounded smooth character.

Challenge one saw teams develop a ‘green’ cocktail using 42BELOW vodka, with grams of wastage factored in to scoring to ensure sustainability. From there, competitors attended a ‘Sustainable You’ seminar that explored the industry demands and how to keep a healthy body and mind.

A mystery box challenge followed, calling on a twist to a classic tiki cocktail. Never far from the mind, the sustainability ethos had competitors blend the cocktails via foot pedalling with a specially equipped ‘blender push-bike’.

The final show-down saw teams compete head-to-head in the ultimate bar takeover where five of Queenstown’s most popular institutions hosted a team each. Teams had the challenge of convincing the Queenstown public to try their 42BELOW creations served in compostable paper cups. The judging panel comprised of Jacob Briars, 2012 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup winner Steve Schneider, and owner of Red Hook and Coppa Spuntino in Brisbane Bonnie Shearston.

The competing bartenders were also treated to true Kiwi experiences along the way, including an adrenaline-spiking bungy jump off Kawarau Bridge and a helicopter ride to the summit of Cecil Peak.

On the experience, Briars said, “Bartenders are extremely important to 42BELOW, and have always been our biggest supporters. We want to give them an opportunity to grow as bartenders, have some fun and compete against one another. It’s been a fantastic occasion to learn how to make drinks in a more sustainable way with some great speakers. All with the backdrop of Queenstown, which is the best example of the kiwi spirit. Great times in our beautiful backyard.”

Keeping environmental consideration at heart, all CO2 emissions during the week, including flights, were offset thanks to the Ekos Rainforest Carbon Boutique, a carbon offsetting organization with rainforest conservation projects in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

The three-day event wrapped with an official after-party at World Bar where the winning team of James Millar and Cameron Attfield was announced. The pair now have the opportunity to join the judging panel for the 2017 42BELOW Cocktail Earth Cup.

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