Natural Philosopher’s Pickleback Masters heats start in November and continue into 2023
Hackney’s Natural Philosopher bar has launched a new comp – The Pickleback Masters – beginning with an Instagram Live learning session in October, followed by heats that start in November and run through into the Summer of 2023.
The various rounds have different themes and sponsors, and as you would expect, involve making a tweaked or twisted Pickleback, supported by a 5 minute presentation. Bartenders who decide to enter will be pleased to learn we have previously published a history of the Pickleback which will help in their preparations.
Josh Powell, owner of Natural Philosopher and brains behind the Pickleback Masters, sent us the following competition breakdown:
Dates
- Pickleback Masterclass: via Instagram Live Monday 17th October at 2pm
Taking through the basics of fermentation, how to pickle anything and how to make cheater brines - Round 1: Monday 21st November 6pm at Natural Philosopher
- 1 Traditional Pickleback with Bourbon & 1 Signature Pickleback with Mezcal
- Prize: Bottle of each brand and place in final
- Round 2: Monday 23rd January 2023 6pm at Natural Philosopher
- 1 Traditional Pickleback with Bourbon & 1 Signature Pickleback with Vodka
- Prize: Bottle of each sponsor brand and place in final
- Round 3: Monday 27th March 2023 6pm at Natural Philosopher
- 1 Traditional Pickleback with Bourbon & 1 Signature Pickleback with Whisky
- Prize: Bottle of each brand and place in final
- Round 4: Monday 15th May 2023 6pm at Natural Philosopher
- 1 Traditional Pickleback with Bourbon & 1 Signature Pickleback with Modifier
- Prize: Bottle of each brand and place in final
- Final: 17th July 2023 6pm at Natural Philosopher
Winners Traditional Pickleback & Winners Signature Pickleback
Prize: Bottle of each brand, fermentation kit, The art of fermentation book, The Noma guide to fermentation book, Pickleback Master 2023 T-shirt, Winning Signature on the menu at Natural Philosopher for a whole year
How to enter
Registration is open now. Just send your name, location, bar, along with 1st and 2nd choice of rounds/sponsor to info@picklebackmasters.com. Contestants of each round will be finalised a month in advance and must be available to head to London for their chosen heat.
In each round contestants will make 15ml sized serves of their Picklebacks and distribute to the judges and audience. They will then have a maximum of 5 minutes to talk through the brining process of their serves.
How winners will be chosen
Each round will feature myself (Josh Powell) as a judge along with the judge for the bourbon sponsor and a judge for the satellite sponsor. Winners will be chosen with combined scores from both the judging panel and an audience vote. Score sheets will be given to all those judging and based on certain criteria such as look, smell, flavour, balance, how well the brine pairs with the brand, innovation, and saleability.
In the final the judges will be myself and the bourbon sponsor judge along with one other industry name. This is to avoid judges choosing their brand as the winner. Overall winner is a combined score of peer and judge votes.
Main Sponsor
Four Roses Bourbon
Mezcal Sponsor
Ojo de Tigre
Vodka Sponsor
Essex Spirits Co
Whisky Sponsor
Nc’nean
Modifier Sponsor
Luxardo Limoncello