Giffard Liqueurs 2024 West Cup U.S. Competition The Art of Balance

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The Giffard West Cup 2024 U.S. Cocktail Competition

Every two years, Giffard Liqueurs hosts bartenders from 18 countries around the globe to compete at the Giffard West Cup in France’s Loire Valley.

Giffard West Cup 2024 U.S. Cocktail Competition

Global finalists competing in France will be selected through regional competitions taking place in 18 countries around the world through the end of June 2024.

The U.S. competition will consist of an online cocktail submission contest open to bartenders in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Entries will be accepted starting March 15th and last until April 19th. Seven U.S. finalists will be selected to compete in an in-person final competition taking place in Seattle, Washington the week of May 20th. Two selected finalists will represent the U.S. at the global competition in late September.

Contest Calendar

Important Dates

March 15th - April 19th, 2024
Online Submissions Open.

April 20th - April 29th, 2024
Top online submissions will be selected, physically executed, evaluated, and photographed.

April 30th, 2024
Top 7 U.S. winners selected and notified.

May 1st, 2024
Winning recipes announced.

Week of May 20th, 2024
Top 7 U.S. Contestants compete at U.S. finals in Seattle, Washington. 2 winners selected to represent the U.S. at the Giffard West Cup 2024 Global Finals.

September 23rd - 26th, 2024
Giffard West Cup 2024 Global Finals in Angers, France.

Contest Details

West Cup 2024 Theme

This year’s West Cup theme is The Art of Balance. Contestants will be asked to create a cocktail that reflects what makes their life as balanced as their cocktail creations. Mixology is the art of balance; finding the perfect harmony of flavors, textures, and scents, where each element complements the other without dominating a drink. Similarly, balancing professional and personal life, preserving your well-being, and feeding creativity is important for every bartender.

Deadline

Deadline for online entries is April 19th, 2024 at Midnight Pacific time. Seven winners will be notified on April 30th. Two U.S. finalists will be selected during the in-person competition the week of May 20th.

Giffard West Cup
Global Final

Giffard West Cup Final: September 23rd - 26th, 2024 Angers, France

Two contestants from the U.S. will win a trip to compete in the West Cup global final in France, against winning bartenders from eighteen countries. U.S. Winners will have the opportunity to tour the Giffard distillery, meet the Giffard team, and experience Angers, France.

Who Can Enter

Open to Professional Bartenders only. Must be 21+ years of age to enter.

Official Rules

Play by the RULES

  • The Art of Balance: Create a cocktail linked to a hobby, sport, or passion outside the bar, whatever makes your life balanced.
  • Showcase You: Show us the person behind the work through the activity that contributes to your mental and physical well being.
  • Liqueurs Matters: Giffard Liqueurs have to represent at least 1 oz. in the cocktail
  • Keep it old school: Methods must be easily replicated by our judges.
  • Be original: If a cocktail is thought to have plagiarized a known, existing cocktail they will be disqualified.
  • Two is better than one: Your cocktail may include more than one Giffard liqueur or syrup.
  • Don't complicate things: No custom ingredients allowed, e.g. syrups, tinctures, or homemade bitters; ingredients must be available commercially.
  • Sometimes one is better than two: Competitors may only submit ONE recipe and, yes, we'll have to disqualify you if you submit two.
  • If it's not listed here: See Giffard Products ... then you can't use it; Giffard ingredients used in cocktails must be available in the U.S. or Puerto Rico.
  • (No other competitor brands of syrups or liqueurs should be used. Homemade liqueurs and syrups are forbidden. Other homemade ingredients are allowed as long as the flavor is not provided by the Giffard Range. In case a Giffard syrup is not available in your market, you can use another product of the market for the local selection without any mention about the brand and use a non-branded bottle. This product will be replaced by the Giffard one for the finale. Only individual ingredients that are milk or fat washed and foams are allowed, not the whole drink.)
  • Keep garnishes edible: Garnishes must be edible but may be mounted on sticks, skewers, forks, or other such common bar accessories. Use of edible fruits, herbs, leaves, and spices including sprigs, peels, barks, fruit shells, etc. Any flowers and petals used must be of an edible variety.
  • Stay classy: Drink names including rude, lurid, sexual words or words associated with narcotics are prohibited.
  • Competitors must be above 21 years old and work as professional bartenders in a hotel, a restaurant, or a bar.

Judging Criteria

The judges will evaluate cocktail submissions based on the following aspects of the cocktail:

  • Expression of Giffard - Liqueur Matters
  • Link to the Theme - "Art of Balance"
  • Originality
  • Taste
  • Appearance
  • Cocktail Name
  • Your Cocktail

Submission Form

For more visit Back Bar Project

Giffard bird illustration