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Brooklyn Bel Air Party Tartly Cocktail Cup

Brooklyn Brewery crowned Joshua Hampshire as the winner of the inaugural Brooklyn Bel Air Party Tartly Cocktail Cup this week.

Over the last couple of months bartenders across NSW and Victoria have flexed their mixology skills with a less than traditional ingredient – sour beer.

Competitors were challenged to create an original Brooklyn Bel Air Sour ale cocktail using no more than five ingredients, then promote their concoction during the month of November in venue and online.

The cocktail competition culminated last night in a first of its kind Brooklyn Bel Air Party Tartly Finale Event at Slim’s Rooftop Hyde Park House, featuring 70s inspired DJ sets, flamingos, party shirts and Bel Air creations.

The event featured a curated menu of drinks that featured Brooklyn staples – Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn Bel Air Sour and hero serve Brooklyn Spritz (Bel Air with citrus aperitif) alongside cocktails from each of the ‘Party Tartly Cocktail Cup’ Top 6 finalists.

The Top 6 included three bartenders from Victoria, and three bartenders from NSW, who were whittled down from an initial field of more than 60 competition entrants.

Brooklyn Bel Air ‘Party Tartly Cocktail Cup’

As the sun went down Joshua Hampshire from Mesa Verde, Victoria, was named the 2019 and Inaugural Brooklyn Bel Air ‘Party Tartly’ Cocktail Cup Competition Winner, narrowly beating runner up Julian Alphonso (Provincial, Victoria).

Joshua’s winning cocktail is called ‘Summer Fling’ (below) – featuring Vida Mezcal, lime juice, watermelon jalapeño syrup and Brooklyn Bel Air Sour.

Drinks Trade wasn’t surprised to hear Joshua’s name announced on the night – the cocktail was a winner from the first sip.

Brooklyn Bel Air Party Tartly Cocktail Cup

Hampshire said: “I could not be happier to have taken out the title. I was inspired by my team to put my name in the ring for this competition and you can definitely see Mesa Verde’s Mexican roots at the heart of my drink.

“I wanted to create a cocktail that was a little different yet the perfect thirst-quencher for long hot summer days. I love mezcal and pairing it with the crisp tartness of Bel Air, a little bite of smokey jalapeño and cooling watermelon – and it turns out it was a winner (not just in my eyes)!”

Hampshire will receive a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York including flights, accommodation, a Brooklyn Brewery tour, a helicopter tour of New York City, entry into the Brooklyn Bar Convent, and a $4000 cash prize.

“I can’t wait to head to Brooklyn in 2020,” he said. “I’ve never been to the US, and New York has been on my hit list for a long time. The opportunity to visit Brooklyn Brewery and drink a Bel Air fresh from the brewery – well it doesn’t get much better than that.”