F-M Bartenders Go Head-to-Head this Sunday

The fourth Annual Bartenders Battle Will Take Place Sunday, February 26th

FARGO, N.D. — The Bartenders Battle is back for a fourth year.

Bartenders from throughout the F–M area will be competing in front of a panel of judges in hopes of being named the champion.

“Eight of what would have been voted on by the HPR’s judges, the top eight bartenders in the cocktail showdown,” said one of the contestants, Andrew Hardy. “You get on stage and there’s five minutes and they tell you more or less on the spot. They tell you use whiskey, use bourbon, use whatever and you’ve got five minutes to go to town and make a drink that you can.”

“You’re seeing bartenders perform like chefs behind a bar or think like chefs before they open a bar up,” said contestant Elijah Larson. “We’re thinking about the fresh ingredients and how they’re going to pull off their next amazing drink.”

This competition also raises money for charity.

“They do a bunch of stuff for charity so, you know, you make four drinks,” explained Hardy. “One gets auctioned off and all of the proceeds for the cocktails then go to charity. There is a good chunk of money, I will say that.”

“It’s a friendly competition you know,” said Larson. “It’s meant to make us all better, to make us want to make that next step and learn a little bit more so we can makes that next step next year or next round, things like that.”

Hardy said that all of the competitors prepare in different ways.

“If you know what you’re doing and you feel confident in yourself, you can usually go up there and hold a standing anyways,” he added.

The competition will be held this Sunday at the Fargo Holiday Inn starting at 6 pm.

Tickets can be bought at the door or from the link here.