Here’s Who Won $1K in the Sagamore Spirit Kitchen Cocktail Showdown

Given the current situation, Sagamore Spirit acted quickly to turn its in-person event, into an engaging “at-home” live stream on Facebook with its Sagamore Spirit Kitchen Cocktail Showdown.

The Sagamore Spirit Kitchen Cocktail Showdown brought together five bartenders, three judges, and two hosts to celebrate the idea that great cocktails can be made at home with simple ingredients. The champion bartenders, who hailed from across the mid-Atlantic, competed for a grand prize of $1,000 cash.

Hosts Justin Schlegel from 98 Rock Morning show in Baltimore and Joe Masse, Sagamore Spirit Key Account Manager in New York City, were joined by three industry judges – Brendan Dorr, president of the Baltimore Bartenders Guild, Chantal Tseng, bar manager at the Gibson in Washington, D.C., and Jeff Greif, publisher of Chilled Magazine. The hosts and judges made each cocktail along the “virtual” side of the competing bartender and ranked them based on taste, creativity, and presentation.

Anastasia Cooper of Not Your Average Joe’s based in Bethesda, Maryland, won with her Wear the Red Moccasins cocktail, which she says is a play on the Diamondback cocktail, named for the Diamondback Lounge in Baltimore.

Check out Anastasia’s and the other contestants’ creative cocktail recipes.

Winning Recipe

Wear the Red Moccasins

Created by Anastasia Cooper

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye Whiskey*
• ½ oz. Copper & Kings Apple Brandy
• ½ oz. Yellow Chartreuse (substitute: honey syrup)
• ½ oz. homemade chamomile tea syrup
• ½ oz. lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• 1 strawberry (muddled)
• Peychaud’s bitters

Preparation: Muddle strawberry with chamomile tea syrup. Add lemon juice (normally half of a lemon), Yellow Chartreuse (honey syrup if substituting), apple brandy, and Sagamore Spirit. Separate egg white into an empty shaker tin. Combine drink mix with egg white and shake vigorously without ice, then add ice and shake again. Double strain through a fine strainer into a chilled coupe glass; top cocktail with Peychaud’s bitters for aromatics. *Adjust to 1.5 oz. if not using Yellow Chartreuse.

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People’s Choice Winner

Smashin’ Rations

Created by Ryan Minnick

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ oz. Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye Whiskey
• ½ oz. Capri Sun (Pacific Cooler)
• 1 tsp. strawberry jam
• 1 cucumber
• 1 apple

Preparation: Add and muddle sliced cucumber, apple, and 1 tsp. of strawberry jam into a mixing glass. Add ice and Sagamore Spirit; stir until chilled (15-20 sec). Fine strain and add ice into chilled rocks glass and top with your favorite childhood beverage Capri Sun Pacific Cooler. Cut a Covid-19 inspired cucumber garnish and enjoy!

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The Rye Street

Created by Evan Lingenfelder

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ oz. Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye Whiskey
• ½ oz. sweet vermouth
• ½ oz. Italian Amaro
• Rhubarb Bitters (substitute: peach or orange bitters)
• Angostura bitters
• ½ oz. blood orange juice
• Luxardo Cherries for garnish

Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice; double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express lemon twist over top of the drink and add a stabbed Luxardo Cherry.

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The Pimmslico Cup

Created by Matthew Slivinski

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye Whiskey
• ¾ oz. Pimms No. 1
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• 2 slices cucumber
• 6-8 mint leaves
• Ginger Ale

Preparation: Muddle cucumber and mint leaves with the lemon juice. Add Pimms No. 1 and Sagamore Spirit. Add ice and shake; strain into glass with fresh ice. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with slice of cucumber and sprig of mint.

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Blackberry Fig Old Fashioned

Created by Kimberly Helmuth

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye Whiskey
• 1 ½ oz. Figenza Vodka (substitute: any berry-flavored vodka)
• ¼ oz. lemon juice
• 4 blackberries
• Ginger Beer

Preparation: Put four fresh blackberries in a mixing glass and muddle. Add Sagamore Spirit, vodka, and lemon juice. Strain into a glass over one large ice cube. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with a skewer of fresh blackberries.