Norwalk’s SoNo 1420 hosted two bartending competitions showcasing its Blaze Cinnamon Whisky on Sept. 18. One took place at O’Neill’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Norwalk and spotlighted the talents of six competing bartenders. Each created their best cocktail featuring Blaze Cinnamon Whisky for a panel of judges: Khalid Williams, The Barrel Age; Andrew Dominick, CT Bites; and Lindsay Potter, Greenwich Cocktail Week. The winner was Olivia Olsen, ATC South Street, with her cocktail, Love in the Afternoon. The runner-up was Ryan Hamel, Marygold’s On Main, with his cocktail, Just Blaze. The second competition was hosted at Stony Creek Brewery in Branford. Judged by SoNo 1420’s Anne Burgio, Vice President of Sales, and Mike Pinto, Sales Representative, the competition also yielded two winners: Winner Conrad Meurice, Cocktail Poetry, with his cocktail, Praise Blaze Jr., and the runner-up was Brad Cunningham, La Marea Ristorante, with his cocktail, Mowgli Sour. The finalists from both competitions faced off at a finale bartending competition at SoNo 1420 on Oct. 9, to be featured in December’s Beverage Journal.
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- SoNo 1420 hosted two cocktail competitions featuring its Blaze Cinnamon Whisky on Sept. 18.
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- TJ Elgin, Owner/Brewer, Full Moon Brewing; Christopher Ferreira, Lakeside Pub; Chantal Anderson, Owner/Mixologist, Bar Juicy Traveling Bar Service; Runner-up Ryan Hamel, Bartender, Marygold’s On Main; Grant Moxham, Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den; and Winner Olivia Olsen, ATC South Street.
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- Winner Olivia Olsen, ATC South Street.
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- Olsen’s cocktail, Love in the Afternoon.
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- Runner-up Ryan Hamel, Bartender, Marygold’s On Main.
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- Hamel’s cocktail, Just Blaze.
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- Competitor Chantal Anderson, Owner/Mixologist, Bar Juicy Traveling Bar Service.
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- Anderson’s cocktail, Blazinade.
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- Competitor TJ Elgin, Owner/Brewer, Full Moon Brewing.
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- Elgin’s cocktail.
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- Competitor Christopher Ferreira, Lakeside Pub.
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- Ferreira’s cocktail.
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- Competitor Grant Moxham, Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den.
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- Moxham’s cocktail.
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- Nips of Blaze Cinnamon Whisky at O’Neill’s Irish Pub & Restaurant.
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- Mike Pinto, Territory Sales Manager, SoNo 1420; Anne Burgio, Vice President of Sales, SoNo 1420; Winner Conrad Meurice, Cocktail Poetry; Runner-up Brad Cunningham, La Marea Ristorante; Genna Bestman, The Owl Shop; and Dan Burgio, Senior Director of Sales, Santa Margherita.
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- Branford First-place winner Conrad Meurice, Cocktail Poetry.
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- Meurice’s winning cocktail, Praise Blaze Jr.
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- Branford Runner-up Brad Cunningham, La Marea Ristorante.
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- Cunningham’s cocktail, Mowgli Sour.
Photos 1-15 by Andrew Dominick. Photos 16-20 courtesy of SoNo 1420.
