Congratulations to the Patrón Perfectionists TOP 10!
Join us in celebrating the 2021 USBG Patrón Perfectionist bartenders who have advanced to the US National Finals. Dwindled down from thousands of entrants, the road to Mexico for the Global Finals just became that much shorter. To make it to the coveted final, surrounded by global talent, these bartenders must first advance beyond the top 10 in their region.
The upcoming national final will consist of 10 finalists submitting their eight minute pre-recorded video including the explanation, inspiration, and story behind their cocktail. The bartender who best exemplifies perfection through hospitality, care, attention, and instruction will be crowned as the winner of the 2021 USBG Patrón Perfectionists and move on to the Global Finals.
Check the Patrón Perfectionists Facebook HERE on Sunday, October 17th for the airing of the National final and learn who will be moving on to compete in the Global Finals!
Meet the US Top Ten and check out their cocktails:
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I am a career bartender with a huge emphasis on the successful execution of hospitality. Being American & Moroccan provided an interesting & wide perspective on life. This was further reinforced by living in the Middle East and Europe during my formative years really solidifying an appetite for new experiences and flavors of life. Living in the DC metropolitan area for so long afforded a continuation of this experience with a tremendously diverse and transient population. I am always keen to continue my education, whether in a formal and structured setting or by carefully listening to anecdotal experiences shared by guests across the bar.
I am a firm believer in communication and transparency with honest discourse suggesting a pathway to positivity and improvement. |
Cocktail Name: Caldera
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I have been in the hospitality industry for 20+ years, covering all facets from hosting, bussing or bar-backing, serving, and bartending. Once the pandemic caused bars to shut down I took on the role of chef to keep our business afloat. I live just outside of Orlando with my wife and our three children. Finding a balance between work, getting outside, and finding ways to keep my mind working and creative are big for me, and most of the time if I am not at the bar working you can find me in the trails behind our house, weeding our gardens, or playing in the back yard with our children.
The hospitality industry has always felt like home, and gives me a chance to combine several of my favorite things; history, serving others, and creating a fantastic experience for all involved. |
Cocktail Name: Happy Little Trees
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Growing up, I always felt passionate about helping people and making them feel better. And even while attending high school in Cali, Colombia, I would tell everyone I wanted to pursue a degree in hospitality and tourism. But I used to get a lot of backlash from family and friends, who didn’t believe finding a career in hospitality being prestigious.
So, when I moved to New York, I enrolled to get my Associate’s Degree in Computer Science. To support myself through college, I found a job as a houseman in a hotel, and shortly after getting hired, I was noticed by the hotel general manager for my work ethic and desire to learn more, who offered me a job as a server in the restaurant. The restaurant was neither fancy or shabby, but it was the perfect place for me to learn and enamor myself with the hospitality industry. It was then, I realized I have found my passion and it was not behind a computer desk but behind a bar, where happiness and gratitude of my guests were my true calling. |
Cocktail Name: La Ultima Cita
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Jamie is originally from Los Angeles and made Las Vegas her new home in 2017. She has completed several courses to elevate and expand her craft; the Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits Academy of Mixology, Spirits, and Fine Service, Advanced BarSmarts, USBG Spirits Professional course, and the Union Bar Apprenticeship program to name a few. In 2020 she was named “Most Creative Bartender” by the USBG Las Vegas Chapter. She has a BA in Communication Studies from California State University, Long Beach. When she’s not working, she enjoys competing in cocktail competitions, visiting with friends and family, hiking, and lounging with her two kitties Tails and Madeline.
You can find Jamie five nights a week at the Vegas Vickies cocktail lounge at Circa Resort and Casino. |
Cocktail Name: Fuzzy Feeling
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Jason Holmes of Holmes Bar, LLC, Columbus
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I’m Jason Holmes— home mixologist, craft cocktail enthusiast and sole proprietor of Holmes Bar, LLC. I work as a pharmacist and currently reside in Columbus, Ohio. I’ve been crafting cocktails since 2015. What once began as creative outlet after reading The 12 Bottle Bar, by David and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, has since evolved into participating in competitions, offering cocktail classes, and creating content for partnered brands. I have a passion for creative cocktail development and modern twists on the classics with a particular penchant for jaw-dropping garnishes and stunning presentation.
I’m a big fan of variety and always trying new things—but, a few of my favorites cocktails include the Boulevardier, Jungle Bird and Naked & Famous. I assist individuals and brands in elevating their product, expressing their brand, and exacting their vision. |
Cocktail Name: Traversing Merid
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Kolyn Brown of Hemingway's, Orlando
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Kolyn (She/Her/Ella) is a Central Florida native, devoted to serving her hometown and connecting her community. Her journey into hospitality began twelve years ago in New York City where she continued to learn and grow for over a decade, building relationships with mentors and patrons alike throughout Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Kolyn is a National finalist for USBG’s World Class sponsored by Diageo and is the top-scoring competitor in the Southern Region of the US.
When she is not making drinks or reading cocktail books, Kolyn enjoys baking (check out charliepies.com!), volunteering, music, and walking her dog at sunset. Her artistic ambitions derive from her passion to tell the truth, further develop her craft, and make human connections along the way. |
Cocktail Name: The Final Bell
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Lance is an 18 year veteran of the hospitality and bar industry. Prior to his move to Chicago he was based in Cincinnati where he ran multiple beverage programs, including Japp's Since 1879 that, under his stewardship, was named to Esquire Magazine's prestigious "Best Bars in America" List in 2016.
He loves tea, on its own and as a cocktail ingredient, and is likely never far from a good cuppa. He's just as happy to get nerdy with you about the origin story of a bottle on the backbar as he is to let you poke around on your phone in peace. He ascribes to the mantra "We don't serve drinks, we serve people."
He currently acts as a beverage director under the Maya Hospitality umbrella, his current focus being on the creation of two new concepts that will be housed in a newly renovated space in Pilsen, including his newest passion project: The Alderman, an intimate 16 concept bar space that will showcase his personal take on cocktails and hospitality. |
Cocktail Name: Terras y Manos
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Peter Hannah tends bar for Disney in Orlando, FL. Originally from Liverpool in the UK he arrived in Florida by way of London, Tokyo, Milwaukee and Savannah. Though he first stepped behind the bar over 20 years ago, he’s still enamored by the industry and proud to be involved as it continues to develop in new and exciting ways.
He’s stoked about the Orlando bar scene and says it’s what inspires him and pushes him to try new things that excite him. He believes in immersive hospitality and thinks well crafted drinks with fun stories are part of a truly great guest experience. “I don’t want complexity for complexity’s sake,” he says. “Anyone can do that. Bartending is about the connections you can make.” |
Cocktail Name: Forever Sun
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Roberto Núñez Moreno of Faces Brewing Co, Boston
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A Catholic priest, an insurance agent and a bartender walk into a bar, he then clocked in and began to muddle watermelon and mint for his newest cocktail creation... That was not a bar joke, that is literally my life. I was behind the alter for 15 years, serving wine and bread and hearing confessions, now I'm behind the bar, doing the same with a larger menu. The life in the seminary brought me to live in multiple cities in Spain, Italy, and Germany. Leaving that life meant I had to start making a living back in my home country, Mexico. I got into insurance and life was good, but Latinoamerica doesn't always have the best opportunities. I migrated to USA five years ago. As a undocumented immigrant, the only job who welcomed me was the service industry. My multicultural experience and years cooking or serving tables in the seminary came very handy.
The first time I made a cocktail, almost 20 years ago, I would never imagine how important that would be for me one day. |
Cocktail Name: Atota
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Hailing from Winter Park, Florida, Shawn Newman can be found as the Beverage Director of Downtown Orlando's newest hotspot, The Monroe Food and Drink. Since playing college baseball, Shawn has transferred his competitive attitude towards bartending and parenthood. While raising his 7 year old daughter, Shawn has over ten years of experience in the hospitality and has competed in most major national competitions, and most recently, being named a Top 50 bartender in the United States for the second time in three years.
While having extensive cocktail knowledge, Shawn is always looking for something new to learn. "I have been blessed with some amazing mentors and peers. My goal is to hopefully be able to return the favor someday." |
Cocktail Name: Stage Presence