At the Battle of the Bartenders, the Guests Come Out on Top
When visiting Belize, many look for a cocktail that’s both Instagram-worthy and refreshing. Thankfully, The Belize Collection has a full team of master mixologists across its three major resorts able and willing to help match you with just the right cocktail to get you in the vacation mood. To show off the skills of its impeccable bartending staff, and give them an opportunity to flex their ingenuity, and speed, The Belize Collection held its first Battle of the Bartenders on May 13, 2023.
For this event, three bartenders gathered at each of The Belize Collection’s resorts (Umaya Resort, The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, and The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant) to compete in a three round competition. At each resort, a judging panel consisting of two guests and a staff member assessed each cocktail based on taste, appearance, and creativity with ten points allotted to each criteria for a possible total of 30 points per round.
Guests at all the resorts and regular visitors were invited to the spectacle where the participating bartenders could choose from a range of ingredients, including fresh fruits, and also had access to a stovetop burner for reductions and flambés. With all they had available, the results were outstanding across all three rounds, leaving guests with a hankering to try out everything.
In the first round, the judges tasked the bartenders with developing cocktails prominently featuring the mystery ingredient: seasonal fruits. Each resort was assigned a distinct fruit to use with the jackfruit assigned to The Rainforest Lodge, the star fruit to The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, and Sapote to Umaya. Notably, each of these fruits are not commonly featured in cocktails, so the challenge was for the bartenders to find a way to feature the fruit while balancing its flavors with spirits and other ingredients. The bartenders first had 15 minutes to prepare their assigned fruit and then 8 minutes to construct 4 equal cocktails for the judges.
In the second round, the judges assigned the bartenders with making their own unique variation of a bar staple: the mint julep. Typically consisting of bourbon, sugar, water, crushed or shaved ice, and fresh mint, the participants were able to include one signature ingredient. With 5 minutes to prepare their ingredients, and 8 minutes to craft their mint julips, the bartenders were in crunch time as they put together this classic summer cocktail.
After two rounds of intense mixology action, the bartenders were faced with their most challenging round, creating a signature cocktail. Every bartender was able to bring one signature ingredient to the table. From there, they had 10 minutes to develop a garnish followed by 8 minutes to produce their cocktails for the judges’ assessment.
While all the bartenders got elbow deep into crafting their cocktails, at the end of the day only one cocktail from each resort came out a winner. We’re proud to announce the winners are Rene Weight representing The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant, Briceno Cal representing The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, and Immer Mai representing Umaya Resort.
The winning bartender at every resort won a resort stay and an online course from Scoolinary called Mixology Fundamentals: The 25 Classic Cocktails with Javier de las Muelas. The winners from each resort will be facing off at Jaguar Reef’s Mini Lobster Fest on July 22 where a master mixologist will be crowned. Be sure to come by for a weekend of savory food, Belizean pop up shop, and the final round of Battle of the Bartenders.
And because The Belize Collection thinks you should be able to enjoy a pre-vacation cocktail anytime, we’re sharing the recipes of the winning signature cocktail from every resort.
Winning Recipes of the Signature Cocktail round:
The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant
Mosquito Bite by Fermin
Ingredients:
0.5 oz Grenadine
1 oz Coconut Rum
2 oz Mango Daiquiri
0.75 oz White Rum
0.25 oz Lime Juice
1.5 oz Mango Pulp
Method:
- Prepare daiquiri mix
- Layer the drink using ice, pouring grenadine first, followed by coconut rum and mango daiquiri
- Garnish with fresh slices of mango
The Lodge at Jaguar Reef
Teaser of the South by Briceno (fondly known as Bruno)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Dragon Fruit Syrup
8 Mint Leaves
2 oz One Barrel Rum
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Egg White
Method:
Garnish ingredients: dragon fruit, brown sugar, butter, One Barrel Rum, mint spring
Garnish method: Add cuts of dragon fruit to hot sauce pan. Add 2 tsp brown sugar. Add 1 tsp butter. Flambé all together with One Barrel Rum.
Cocktail method: In the shaker add 1 oz egg whites (shake well to get frosty) then proceed to add 1.5 oz dragon fruit syrup, 8 mint leaves, 2 oz One Barrel Rum, 1 oz fresh lime. Shake everything together and pour the cocktail in a Collins glass. Add garnish. Add the finishing touches: spray the cocktail with homemade aged rum and dragon fruit aroma.
Umaya Resort
Sayab by Immer
SAYAB (Mayan word meaning “Inexhaustible Vein of Water and Farming”)
Ingredients:
2 oz Belize White Rum
2 oz Tomato Juice
1.5 oz Cucumber Juice
1.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
Method:
Mix all ingredients in shaker and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with blackberries, strawberries, a roasted lime wedge and sliced guava. Enjoy a hidden twist of watermelon flavour!
