Bartenders have until May 27th to enter the ‘Flavour in Motion’ cocktail competition – and take a swing at claiming its top prize of £2500 career development funding.
Organised by soft drinks and mixers specialists Franklin & Sons, Flavour in Motion was launched in 2024 to test bartenders’ skills and creativity, whilst ‘spotlighting their personalities and experiences’.
Its core concept is that competitors should revisit and recreate the very first cocktail they ever learned to make – but use the techniques and skills they have since developed over their professional career.
Last year saw Glasgow’s Elyse Von Ruinn claim first place with their ‘Flip & Sip’ cocktail, which combined 75ml of Franklin & Sons Pineapple & Almond Soda, 30ml of Port of Leith Martha’s White Port, 20ml of Clarified Blue VK Cordial, and 7.5ml of Olive Extra Blue VK reduction, served in an isomalt bowl.
This year, entries opened to all UK bartenders on 29th April and will close on 27th May. From entries received, 40 individuals will be selected to showcase their serves in four regional heats taking place across June.
In each of those heats, two winners will be selected to present at the Flavour in Motion 2025 final, taking place on 15th July. Alongside those eight finalists, two wildcards will be selected from the top-scoring competitors of the remaining 32 entries.
The bartender who wins first place will take home a prize fund of £2500 ‘towards their career development education’, with 2nd and 3rd place awarded £500 and £250 respectively.
Senior brand manager at Franklin & Sons, Pete Thornton, said: “A bartender’s journey is ever in motion, and over the course of a career, new skillsets, experiences, and approaches to flavour are constantly being developed.
“At Franklin & Sons, we want to champion bartenders, their stories and their progression from that very first drink they learned on the bar, to the amazing serves they are creating now.
“When we launched our Flavour in Motion for the first time last year, we received a brilliant reception from bartenders across the country and had the pleasure of judging some truly exceptional cocktails, so we can’t wait to see the unique creations that will be submitted this year!”
Click here for further information or to enter the competition.
