Slocum & Sons hosted a cocktail competition featuring Cooper & Thief wines at Bear’s Smokehouse at The Stack in New Haven on December 10. After an education session by Cooper & Thief Brand Ambassador Phillip Coggins, 14 bartenders were challenged to create cocktails using Cooper & Thief aged wines as the main ingredient and select spirits from within the Slocum & Sons portfolio as a second. The competition judges for the top cocktail were Coggins, along with Peter Clayton, Founder, Bartenders Academy, and Christen LaRochelle, Eastern Division Manager, Slocum & Sons, with the crowd favorite voted on by guests. Christine Short of Zaragoza Restaurant in New Milford took home the grand prize of $500 for her creation, The Velveteen. Kory Loga of Bella’Gio in Wolcott was runner-up and Alexa Doyer of Little River Restoratives won the People’s Choice award. Guests enjoyed select wines from Meiomi, Cooper & Thief, and cocktails and cuisine from The Stack throughout the night.
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- Cooper & Thief Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend with Lunazul Tequila and Luxardo Triplum among showcased ingredients.
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- Competition judges Phillip Coggins, Brand Ambassador, Cooper & Thief; Christen LaRochelle, Eastern Division Manager, Slocum & Sons; and Peter Clayton, Founder, Bartenders Academy.
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- Grand-prize winner Christine Short, Zaragoza Restaurant.
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- Short’s winning cocktail, The Velveteen.
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- People’s Choice winner Alexa Doyer of Little River Restoratives.
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- Doyer’s winning cocktail, Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.
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- Runner-up Kory Loga of Bella’Gio and Competitor Dustin Amore of The Cook & The Bear.
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- Grand-prize winner Christine Short and Cooper & Thief Brand Ambassador Phillip Coggins.
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- Competitors Aaron Stepka, The Cook & The Bear; Bryson Davis, Conspiracy; and Alexa Doyer, Little River Restoratives.
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- Competitors Michaela Zurstadt of The Essex and Jamie Johel of The Cup Bearer.
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- Competitor Tiffany Nevers of Grano Arso.
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- Competitor Geoff Smith of ON20.
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- A lineup of cocktails numbered for judging.
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- Competitor Jonathan Mitchell.
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- Dustin Amore of The Cook & the Bear.
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- Catherine McAuliffe, Bears Smokehouse at The Stack and Jonathan Mitchell.
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- Competitor Bryson Davis of Conspiracy, creating his cocktail Christmas Pajamas.
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- Davis’ cocktail, Christmas Pajamas.
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- Michaela Zurstadt of The Essex and Jamie Johel of The Cup Bearer.
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- Competitor Chelsea Kramer of The Half Door.
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- Kramer’s cocktail.
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- Competitor John Peter Wentworth of Flora in West Hartford.
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- Wentworth’s cocktail.
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- Daniel Rek, Elm City Social; Max Fiore of Olives & Oil and Roger Gross of Elm City Social and Ordinary.
