What is the Internation Bartenders Association?
The International Bartenders association is a not-for-profit organisation that consists of 65 different National bartender associations, & is today's world wide authority on the professional bartending industry. According to the IBA:
Our mission is to engage and educate bartenders all over the world to a high professional standardard so that they can show their skills and creativity at the World Cocktail Championships (WCC). IBA Association - World Cocktail Championships 2018 - Associate Members Proposal
How did the IBA start?
The International Bartenders Association (IBA) was founded on the 24th February 1951, at a meeting of international delegates in the Saloon of the Grand Hotel in Torquay (United Kingdom). The delegates, representing a total of 7 different National guilds, agreed to found an International Organisation to represent & showcase the best bartenders in the world. Today, the IBA host the World Cocktail Championships.
What are the World Cocktail Championships (WCC)?
The World Cocktail Championships is a yearly competition gathering the best bartenders from the 65 different national associations. The annual event typically consist of six different Cocktail Competitions - five Classic Mixing Competitions & one Flairtending Competition.
The possible classic Mixing Competition categories include:
- Before-Dinner Cocktails
- Sparkling Cocktails
- Short Drinks
- Long Drinks
- After Dinner Cocktails
- Bartender's Choice
In general, the rules are quite strict for competitors, for instance only 6 ingredients or less may be used, you may only used sponsored ingredients & you cannot use heated, homemade or pre-mage ingredients; except for the Bartender's Choice competition where the rules are somewhat relaxed.
In the flairtending competition can make any cocktail in the classic mixing categories except for Bartender's Choice. In flairtendering it is not all about the appearance, aroma & flavour of a cocktail for the competitors. Here it is also about appearance, presentation & flair involved in making the cocktail & typically involves music, bottles & shakers being juggled through the air - think Tom Cruise in the film "Cocktail" - but better.
For more information on the Internation Bar Association visit the IBA-World Website.