Beesou Spring In Bloom Entry Deadline: March 31st, 2024
It may be February and a little chilly outside, but the buds and blossoms are waking up, which means that Spring, and cocktail competition season, will soon be with us.
This brings us nicely to the first comp of 2024 to appear on BarLifeUK. It, like the year, is brand new, and we are very excited to be involved with this one because the liquid is delicious, a versatile modifier, and bound to inspire some first rate cocktails.
We ran a story about Beesou a couple of weeks ago, in which we interviewed the brand’s co-founder, Mark Wakefield, and explored how the liquid is made (you can read that story here). We also teased a coming cocktail competition, and as you might have guessed, that competition kicks off today.
The Beesou Spring In Bloom competition has a very simple brief – create a cocktail using 30ml of Beesou that is inspired by Spring and the changes to nature and our environment that the season brings with it.
Before creating your recipe, it is definitely worth reading our interview with Mark Wakefield and spending some time on the brand’s website but here are a couple of facts to kick start your imaginations:
1. Beesou is an all-natural bitter aperitif that is made with, or kissed by, honey. This doesn’t mean the liquid is syrupy or super-sweet, rather, it is a complex and bitter aperitif.
2. Beesou actively supports bee conservation efforts, and is a Bcorp certified producer, meaning ethic practices and environmental responsibility are very important to the brand.
If you would like to enter the competition but haven’t tasted Beesou yet, we’ve got you covered. You can pick up a 100ml sample from The Royal Cocktail Exchange (London), Filthy XIII (Bristol), Uno Mas (Edinburgh), or Hudson Social (Manchester), which will allow you to taste the liquid and start your experiments. If you can’t get to one of these bars, contact your local Nightcap rep and they will hook you up.
Once you have created your cocktail, submit it to us via the form at the bottom of the page. Regional heats will be held in Bristol, London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.
The Beesou Spring In Bloom final will take place in London on May 20th, which happens to be World Bee Day, with the eventual top three all winning cash prizes: 1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £300. Travel costs to the final will be covered by Beesou.
It’s been a long and very grey winter, so BarLifeUK can’t wait to get back out on the road judging competition heats again. Beesou is a delicious and complex, delicate liquid, and we are looking forward to seeing, or more importantly tasting, what the UK’s bartenders create with it. So get stuck in, and we’ll see you at a heat soon.
Beesou Spring In Bloom Competition – Key Facts
- Beesou is an all-natural bitter aperitif ‘kissed by honey’, that is produced in an ethical manner and supports bee conservation efforts. You can find tasting and production notes here (LINK)
- You can collect a sample of Beesou from you local hub, or contact your local Nightcap rep.
- The competition entry deadline is: 31-03-24
- The first prize is £1000, second prize is £500, third prize is £300
- Heats will be held in Bristol, London, Manchester, Edinburgh
- The final will be held on 20th May, in London. Travel costs will be covered
- The competition theme is Spring In Bloom
- You cocktail should include 30ml of Beesou and no more than two home-made ingredients (not including garnish)