Pilsner Urquell, the original golden beer announced its 10 finalists for the UK Master Bartender of the Year programme.
The finalists are :
• Dick Atlee, The Wheatsheaf, Newcastle
• Howard Bryant, ha ha bar & grill, Milton Keynes
• Matthew Burke, ha ha bar & grill, Birmingham
• Arkadinusz Danielski, Urban Beach Hotel, Bournemouth
• Tom Foxwell, The Loft, Clapham High Street
• Carlos Laverello, The Hilary Step, Whalley Range
• Chris Milner, Browns, Leeds
• Paul McCarthy, The Brewery Tap, Leeds
• Barry Oates, ha ha bar & grill, Birmingham
• Kelly Speed, The Brewery Tap, Leeds
The next stage for the finalists is to take part in a series of interviews conducted by a judging panel which includes senior personnel from Miller Brands. They will also be tested on Pilsner Urquell’s Perfect Pour technique and their knowledge on the history of this unique beer. The judging will culminate in a ceremony where the Pilsner Urquell UK Master Bartender will be announced.
The winner will then go on to represent the UK in a global competition along with seventeen bartenders from around the world in one of Germany’s most lively cities, Berlin. The finalists will also visit Pilsen in Czech Republic, the home of Pilsner Urquell to see the beer being brewed to its original recipe using original style equipment, which has remained unchanged since the first batch brewed in 1842 by legendary brew master, Joseph Groll.
In addition to being crowned Pilsner Urquell International Master Bartender of the Year, the winning bartender will also win a special VIP trip to three of Pilsner Urquell’s export markets to experience the beer’s far reaching popularity.
All eyes will be on the UK representative as the title of International Master Bartender is currently held by UK bartender, Danny Walker.
The Pilsner Urquell Master Bartender Programme is now in its third year and in 2009 attracted over 300 entries from current stockists of Pilsner Urquell who had already received brand training at the point of installation. This year’s programme was simplified to reflect bartender feedback and was paper based, enabling bartenders to complete modules at a time that was convenient for them. In order to register, bartenders had to answer 10 questions and once completed correctly they were instantly rewarded with high street or travel vouchers to the value of £20.
The bartenders were then sent modules to test their knowledge on the beer category; how beer is brewed and the history behind Pilsner Urquell and its unique flavour. Those bartenders who completed the two modules with a score of 80% or more were then further rewarded with music store vouchers to spend at their leisure. Upon completion of the modules, each bartender was visited by a mystery shopper and tested on their knowledge, advocacy and perfect pour of Pilsner Urquell.
Gillian Loudon, from Pilsner Urquell said, “Quality, passion and dedication are just some of the elements that go in to creating Pilsner Urquell. These are attributes that we are looking for in a winner and we believe that our ten finalists have demonstrated that through the first stage of this competition.
“As the Pilsner Urquell Master Bartender, we are looking for a person with high service standards, a commitment to quality and someone who displays the professional attributes required to represent the UK in a global arena.”
-ENDS-
For further information please contact:
Emma Currin
Leisure PR & Communications
(M) 07753 838 490
Email: emmacurrin@leisurepr.co.uk
Notes to editors:
The Pilsner Urquell Master Bartender Programme
The Master Bartender programme was launched on the back of research commissioned by Miller Brands to understand the current levels of bartending and training needs. Only 6% of bartenders asked said that they had received training from a beer brand, compared to 49% from other drinks brands (spirits and wine). Of those beer training sessions, all had been about storage and service, not about the way the beer was brewed and why they taste the way they do.
Pilsner Urquell
Pilsner Urquell is the world’s first, clear golden beer, created in 1842. Pilsner Urquell means ‘pilsner from the original source’. It is the flagship brand of SABMiller’s international brand portfolio and is the company’s premier contender in the premium status segment of the market.
Named after the town in which it was created, the beer came to define a whole category (Pilsners) and set the standard for all lagers. At the brewery in Pilsen, Pilsner Urquell is still brewed to its original recipe (unchanged for over 165 years) using the parallel brewing process to ensure that the taste of the beer stays true. By brewing a sample batch of the beer in the traditional way, using original-style equipment, the beer can then be compared to that which is made using modern equipment to make sure the beers match perfectly – no other brewer in the world does this.
Using the finest ingredients; Saaz hops, malt and Pilsen water, Pilsner Urquell is an intensely hoppy beer with a crisp body and a balance of subtle sweetness with velvety bitterness.