RULES AND REGULATIONS
Competition
The Philippine Bar Scene is the country’s first trade show dedicated to the bar and beverage industry. Starting in 2023, this show found a home in WOFEX Manila 2023, the biggest F&B trade show in the country. Following the success of The Philippine Bar Scene 2023 & 2024, WOFEX decided to create a spin off trade show called WOFEX Drinks with its pilot coming in March 27-29, 2025. This will be the new home of the Philippine Bar Scene.
Behind the Philippine Bar Scene is Drinks Be With You Inc. (DBWY). DBWY is a company comprised of bar and beverage industry professionals Aaron Limpe-Aw (Destileria Limtuaco & Co., Inc.), Rian Asiddao (Diageo), Niño Cruz (Ginebra), Michaella Flores (Monin) and Glenn Talavera. This group established this company with the goal of uniting the bar industry and improving the bar scene in the Philippines through crowd sourcing and collaboration. One big step the company took towards this goal was the establishment of The Philippine Bar Scene. Through this trade show, the group aims to showcase the local products, talent and establishments. Another part of the show that is actively promoted is education. Classes are run throughout the show in the hopes of improving the global competitiveness of the Filipino bartender.
Because of the nature of WOFEX Drinks as a on-stop-shop beverage trade show, we decided to create a tea mixology competition fusing the essence of The Philippine Bar Scene with one of the featured beverages in WOFEX Drinks – Tea
THEME
The competition is a standard mixology competition where tea takes the spotlight.
Based on featured recipes submitted to the organizers, the top 8 mixologists will be invited to present their tea cocktails on The Philippine Bar Scene stage on March 28, 2025.
The competition focuses on three main aspects:
1. Innovation
A drink that is modern and innovative
2. Craftsmanship
A drink that utilizes a bartenders full range of standard techniques
3. Flavor
A drink that is able to develop and highlight the flavor of the tea used
RULES, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES
The Tea Mixology Competition will be comprised of a screening process and a final round of judging. Screening process will comprise of all registered competitors who submit their recipes featuring either Steuarts Tea Black, Green or Earl Grey teas. The selected top 8 competitors will battle on a face-to-face bartending competition to determine the winner. Competitors are judged by three (3) industry experts.
COMPETITION PRE-SCREENING
Those who are interested to join must register via this registration link. After an online briefing, competitors are expected to submit their recipes. These recipes will be judged by industry experts. This competition will be open to bartenders from hotels, hotel bars or F&B outlets found in hotels
The recipe guidelines will be discussed during the online briefing and will be sent to each competitor via email. The competitor will be judged according to recipe, story and adherence to the rules and regulation.
Organizer may reject any competitor, or recipe that does not adhere to the rules and regulation.
COMPETITION FINALS
The finals would be the avenue to determine the winner for Tea Mixology Competition. It is a one round cocktail competition of top 8 competitors who will be judged by three (3) industry experts.
COMPETITION FINALS: COMPETITION FLOW AND TIMELINE
Below is the flow and timeline for the main event.
1) Competitors must be in the preparation room/area 30 minutes prior to their scheduled time slot.
2) Competitors will have 15 minutes preparation time in the preparation room/area to prepare before going on stage.
a. This time is to be used for preparing garnishes, finalizing ingredients, and generally making sure that all aspects of their performance is ready.
3) Competitors will then move to the stage where they will have 5 minutes to set up their presentation station.
4) Once the clock starts, competitors will have 6 minutes to prepare, present their drink, and explain to the judges the inspiration and its relation to the theme.
5) Each competitor is required to use the exact drink recipe that they have submitted and are not permitted to make any changes or alterations.
6) Competitors must prepare four (4) identical serves of their recipe, three (3) would be served to the judges and one (1) would be used for photography and display.
7) Competitors must explain their choice of recipe and the ingredients used.
8) Competitors are responsible for providing their own ingredients.
a. Local event organizers must inform competitors beforehand if there are any ingredients that may be provided on competition day (e.g. ice, citrus, garnishes, toothpicks and such).
9) Competitors will need to bring their own glassware or serving vessels, enough for four (4) identical drinks.
10) Competitors are responsible for providing and managing their own equipment (e.g. jiggers, shaker, spoons and such).
11) Competitors will then have two (2) minutes to clean up after their presentation for the next contestant.
12) The order in which the participants compete will be determined on the day of the competition and will be decided by the local event organizers. The competition order must be:
a. Objective
b. Fair
c. Transparent (e.g. shared openly when requested by competitors or any other party), and
d. Is consistent with the theme, rules, and regulations
REJECTIONS, PENALTIES, AND DISQUALIFICATIONS
The organizer may reject any competitor, competitor’s recipe, or any recipe name if the event organizer’s consider any of those aspects unacceptable, inappropriate, or inconsistent with the theme, rules, and regulations.
Points may be deducted, or competitors may be disqualified if:
· The recipes are not consistent with the presentation
· Competitors do not arrive on time for the main event
· Competitors go over time (minus one (1) point for every 30 seconds over time).
· Competitors has a unkept area after presentation
· Competitors are disrespectful to other competitors, judges, event organizers, venue staff, and/or members of the audience.
· Competitors are not representing themselves, their communities, or their respective schools and/or workplace in the best possible light.
· Local event organizers are responsible for managing and determining these rejections, penalties, and disqualifications.
· Local event organizers have final say on the above rejections, penalties, and disqualification.
The Competition will be judged based on the following criteria:
· Timing
· Overall taste quality & balance
· Story presentation
· Cocktail presentation
· Overall ethics of cocktail making
CRITERIA FOR COMPETITORS
These are the criteria that each competitor must follow to be eligible to participate and win The National Bartending Competition
· Competitors must be of good moral character with high drink excellence, passion, and commitment to share information and knowledge in the bartending community.
· Competitors must represent an outlet with a bar and beverage program within Metro Manila
· Competitors must represent an outlet that can serve alcoholic beverages; Only 1 competitor may join to represent one affiliated bar.
· Competitors must be at least 21 years old.
· Competitors must submit all required registration information and recipes to the local event organizers by the local organizer’s on or before____________
· The organizer reserves the rights to use competitor’s recipes, photos and videos for marketing and public relations purposes.
· Competitors need to sign the registration form before the release of the finalists.
· Competitors must provide and be responsible for their own ingredients, glassware, vessels, equipment, and other items they deem necessary.
· Competitors must adhere to the following code of conduct as soon as they submit their registration form:
o Competitors must respect the event organizers, judges, and all other competitor’s rights, opinions, and culture.
o Competitors are ambassadors for their establishment, as well as their bartending community.
o A competitor’s interaction with the public, as well as other professionals, reflects greatly on the global bartending community, please respect this responsibility.
CRITERIA FOR RECIPES
These are the criteria that finalists must follow when submitting the recipes prior to the main event:
1) Recipes must include a minimum of at least 20ml of a base spirit
2) Recipes must include at least 20ml of Steuarts Tea with a declared brewing method; or Steuarts Tea infused spirits; or homemade Steuarts Tea syrup
3) Competitors may use any edible ingredients in their recipe
· There no limited in cocktail ingredients.
· Ingredients must be safe to consume (with the exception thematic garnishes).
4) Garnishes may or may not be edible.
5) Glassware
PRIZES
The winner of the competition will have a cash prize and the chance to showcase cocktail in different hotels around the country.
1) Cash
2) Trophy and Certificate
TIMELINES AND DEADLINES
• Registration Period and submission of recipes – February 26 to March 12, 2025
• Online Briefing – March 13, 2025
• Submission of Recipes – March 20, 2025
• Announcement of top 8 – March 23, 2025
• Event Proper – March 28, 2025