Post #537422 by arriano on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 1:40 PM

I noticed one of the banner ads on this web site is for a 2nd annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival in Hawaii. I'll skip the debate on whether DtB should be promoting a festival surrounding a drink invented by Trader Vic's - and instead call your attention to the mai tai drink mixing contest:

Battle for the World's Best Mai Tai & $10,000 Cash Prize Begins
Enjoy the musings of MC Joey Gottesman as he walks us through a fast-paced and exciting mix-off featuring 30 of the world's best mixologists. Watch as judges, Sam Choy (Celebrity Chef), William Ramos (Head Distiller for Bacardi Rum), Chris Teves (Publisher of Hawaii Beverage Guide), and Beachbum Berry (World-famous Rum and Mai Tai Expert) make the hard decision of whose Mai Tai reigns supreme.

Does anyone know what the criteria will be for this mix-off? First of all, Bacardi is a sponsor and the company's head distiller is a judge so would you get lower marks if you didn't use a Bacardi rum? And then I began wondering if one would do a version of a Don Beach mai tai or a traditional Trader Vic mai tai or the version probably better known by Hawaiians with pineapple juice. Having the Bum as one of the judges brings some legitimacy to the contest, but with so many mai tai knockoff versions floating around, I wonder if this contest isn't more of a "best cocktail" contest than a "best mai tai" one. Hmmmmm.....

"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge

[ Edited by: arriano 2010-06-18 13:42 ]