[:it]Andrea Pomo will fly to Rotterdam for the world final of the Bobby's Cocktail Competition[:]

[:en]

At the end of 2020, the Dutch brand born just under 10 years ago and distributed in Italy by OnestiGroup since 2019, Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin, made the competition now in its second year of life official: Bobby's Cocktail Competition. The digital event was held on March 3rd which crowned the Italian winner of the competition who will fly to Rotterdam for the world final: Andrea Pomo of Jerry Thomas Speakeasy.

The first phase and the finalists

As in all competitions of this kind held this year, in the Bobby's Cocktail Competition the first phase consisted of the electronic submission of a cocktail recipe complete with photos of the final result. In total, 109 recipes from all over Italy reached the jury. Among these recipes, the Bobby's & Onestigroup team selected 10 finalists who were to compete at The Mad Dog speakeasy in Turin on November 23rd. The competing professionals were: Andrea Pomo, Alberto Corvi, Branka Vukasinovic, Mattia Cilia, Emanuele Bruni, Fabrizio Candino, Marina Milan, Emanuele Cosi, Sergio Pisu and a tenth, who, having encountered problems in replicating the drink remotely, did not want continue in the competition.

The second phase – The Italian final

Unfortunately, the circumstances linked to Covid-19 did not allow this event to be held live and, consequently, one was organized in digital format, on 3 March, to decide the Italian winner of the Bobby's Cocktail Competition. Participants were asked to send the pre-batched of their drinks, the homemade ones and any garnishes to make the cocktails live on Facebook, at the same time as the Foodhallen Rotterdam and the BOB Milan, thanks to the collaboration of the respective bartenders Erik Beeftink, the winner of the last world edition, and Lucian Bucur.

The jury

The jurors called together for the occasion, in this particular digital event, were four:

• The two founders of the Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin brand David and Sebastiaan
• The Spirit Specialist Onestigroup Fabio Bottini
• Bartender Daryl Lieuw-on

The national winner

The first place winner was Jerry Thomas Speakeasy bartender Andrea Pomo. Born in 1993, originally from Lake Garda, he was self-taught since his first experience in Malta, in the bar located inside an English school. Among the many videos he watches, he is struck by that of the Jerry Thomas Speakeasy members, in which they explain their story. He accumulated experiences in France and Spain and, in 2015, decided to return to Italy, to his homeland. After three years under the guidance of Leonardo Veronesi, he landed at the Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, where he is still today.

His cocktail

The drink that allowed him to win was the Aged Gimlet.

Ingredients:

• 5 cl Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin
• 2.5 cl Aged Cordial Lime (Lime Oleo Saccharum, fennel & lime water, clarified lime juice, Instant Age Toasted Oak Bitter)

Gasket: none

Technique: Mix & Strain

The world final

With the victory of the Italian final, the winner Andrea Pomo will fly to Rotterdam to play the international final - which was initially supposed to be held in January 2021 - as soon as the pandemic allows it. Here he will challenge the other national winners of the competition, which was also held in Spain, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The final will be held inside the distillery, where the finalists themselves will be given a guided tour to tell the story of reality. If there is still uncertainty about the date of the final for reasons related to the pandemic, the most likely one is June, what is certain is the formula with which it will take place. The finalists will in fact be asked to reproduce the same drink that won them the final.

The world prize

The winner of the global final will accompany OnestiGroup to the BCB BARSHOW 2021 and will be the guest of honor during the famous Bobby's Family Dinner. Furthermore, he will be the starter during a Bobby's guest bartending in a top bar in Berlin where he will have the opportunity to present his cocktail to the entire cocktail industry.[:]